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Idle Villager
On this page
  1. Map and mode
  2. When to use it
  3. Suitable civilizations
  4. Map, mode, and patch
  5. Steps and priorities
  6. How opponents counter it
  7. How to adapt
  8. Related

Strategies

Late-game siege

Verified

Onagers, Scorpions, rams, Trebs, and BBC. Bring cavalry guard. Check which of those your civ is missing.

Idle Villager is current for Update 177723, with minor updates through 180059. Facts on this page were checked on 2026-09-19. Counters are not unconditional. Numbers, upgrades, terrain, and micro change the fight.

Map
Land
Mode
1v1 or team
Patch context
Siege access from dat extract. BBC missing on Khmer since update 36906.

Imperial Age fights are often siege plus a guard. The guard is not optional. Naked Onagers feed Hussars.

When to use it

When both players have extra Town Centers, Castles, and a reason to fight over buildings.

Suitable civilizations

Celts: Siege Onager, faster fire, Furor Celtica. Khmer: Scorpions and rams, no BBC, no Siege Onager. Franks: BBC and Paladin guard, no Siege Ram. Mongols: Drill and Siege Onager, no BBC. Byzantines: BBC without Siege Engineers.

Map, mode, and patch

Land. BBC removal from Khmer is in the Forgotten Empires changelog (update 36906). Siege access is from the dat extract.

Steps and priorities

  1. Pick the siege you own. Do not simulate a BBC if you are Khmer.
  2. Research Siege Engineers if you have it. Byzantines do not.
  3. Guard with cavalry or infantry that beats the unit that kills your siege.
  4. Rams for buildings. Onagers for clumps. Scorpions for infantry. BBC for other siege. Trebs for Castles from far away.
  5. Fire one shot at a time if friendly fire would wipe your own Paladins.

How opponents counter it

The dive. Hussars, Knights, Woads, Mangudai. Also the longer-range siege you do not have.

How to adapt

If they dive, add Halberdiers or your own Hussars before you add the sixth Onager. If they outrange you, you need BBC, extra range (Khmer Scorpions), or a ram surround. If you cannot win the siege fight, stop making siege and win with Paladin, Longbows, or Cataphracts instead.