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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. Approximate timing
  7. How opponents counter it
  8. How to adapt
  9. Related

Strategies

Scorpion ball

Verified

Mass Scorpions with a melee shield. Khmer and Celts make this a civ identity. Generic civs can still use it.

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, including closed maps
Mode
1v1 or team land
Patch context
Scorpion stats from dat extract. Khmer range bonus from official strings. Not changed in update 177723.
Suitable civs
Khmer, Celts, Franks, Mongols

A Scorpion ball is several Siege Workshop bolt throwers with something in front of them. One Scorpion is a piñata. Ten Scorpions with Pikes or elephants are a plan.

When to use it

Castle or Imperial Age vs infantry blobs, vs people who clump, and on maps where cavalry cannot easily surround you. Khmer and Celts should look for this more often than Britons.

Suitable civilizations

Khmer: +1 range team bonus, Heavy Scorpion, Siege Engineers, Double Crossbow. Celts: 25% faster fire, Furor Celtica HP, faster workshops. Franks can use generic Scorpions with Paladin guard. Mongols would rather snipe them with Mangudai, but they can still make the unit. Byzantines can make Scorpions and cannot upgrade Heavy Scorpion.

Map, mode, and patch

Land. Closed maps make surrounding harder, which helps you. Scorpion stats are from the dat extract (Scorpion 40 HP, 11 attack, range 7, 75 wood 75 gold; Heavy Scorpion 60 HP, 14 attack, 1 melee armor). Update 177723 did not change those bullets.

Steps and priorities

  1. Place two Siege Workshops if you are committed. One workshop is a hobby.
  2. Research Ballistics. Bolts that miss moving Knights waste the army.
  3. Put a front line out: Spearmen vs cavalry, Battle Elephants or Knights vs archers, Hussars vs monks and BBC.
  4. Fire through the enemy infantry, not through your own front line.
  5. Imperial Age: Heavy Scorpion, Chemistry, Siege Engineers. Khmer add Double Crossbow. Celts add Furor Celtica.

Approximate timing

First Scorpions appear after a Castle Age workshop and the wood and gold to pay for them. Double Crossbow is an Imperial unique tech. Do not wait for it to start the plan.

How opponents counter it

Knights and Hussars if you have no pikes. Onagers. Bombard Cannons. Rams. Mangudai. Monks on the elephants in front. All of those are real. None of them are automatic if you micro the pack and keep a shield.

How to adapt

If they go cavalry, add Halberdiers (Khmer have them) or Camels (Khmer do not). If they go Onagers, split the pack, add your own Onagers, or dive with cavalry. If they go BBC and you are Khmer, you cannot answer with BBC. Use Hussars, rams, or a wider surround.