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Idle Villager
On this page
  1. What it does
  2. Strengths
  3. Weaknesses
  4. Strong counters
  5. Situational counters
  6. What it counters
  7. Why matchups work
  8. Line, cost, and age
  9. Upgrades
  10. Mistakes
  11. Supporting units
  12. Civ exceptions
  13. Related

Counter finder

Ballista Elephant

Verified

unique · Castle · castle Age

Khmer unique siege cavalry. A durable mounted bolt thrower that can cut trees and hold a fight better than a Scorpion.

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.

What it does

Think of it as a Scorpion that can take a punch. Use it to grind infantry and to body-block for longer-range Scorpions. It is not a replacement for Battle Elephants in melee.

Strengths

  • Huge HP for a bolt unit. It can stand in front of Scorpions.
  • No minimum range, unlike Scorpions.
  • Cuts trees, which helps on closed maps.
  • Double Crossbow adds a second projectile in Imperial Age.

Weaknesses

  • Range 5. Archers and Onagers shoot first.
  • Elephant armor class. Pikes, camels, and monks punish it.
  • Gold heavy. A failed mass is an expensive lesson.
  • Needs Castles, so it comes online later than workshop Scorpions.

Strong counters

Strategic advice built on verified armor classes and unit access. Not unconditional.

  • Spearman · cost-effective · needs numbers, surround, or micro

    Halberdiers are the cost-effective wall. Equal numbers of Ballista Elephants beat a small pike group. A large pike group wins the money fight.

    • Scorpions behind the elephants punish pikes.
    • Need to surround.

  • Monk · cost-effective · needs numbers, surround, or micro

    Converts steal the investment. Even a few monks change the fight.

    • Hussars and Light Cavalry snipe monks.
    • Faith makes conversions slower.

  • Camel Rider · cost-effective · can win in equal numbers

    Camels take elephants in a fairer gold fight than Knights do.

    • Only camel civs.
    • Pikes are still cheaper.

Situational counters

  • Mangonel · cost-effective · needs numbers, surround, or micro

    Onagers hit the clump. A single Onager does not beat a dozen elephants.

    • Micro and numbers.
    • Drill or Celt fire rate helps.

What it counters

No published reverse rows yet. Use the strengths list above.

Why matchups work

High HP plus a bolt means infantry die while they chew the elephant. Anti-elephant bonus damage ignores that HP pool. Onagers hit the elephant armor class and the clustered army behind it.

Line, cost, and age

Verified fact from the aoe2techtree dat extract. Base stats, no civ bonuses.

Ballista Elephant line stats
UnitAgeHPAttackRangeArmorCost
Ballista Elephantcastle2509 pierce50/3100f 80g
Elite Ballista Elephantimperial28010 pierce50/3100f 80g

Upgrades

  • Elite Ballista Elephantimperial Age

    More HP and attack.

  • Double Crossbowimperial Age

    Khmer unique: additional projectile for Ballista Elephants and Scorpions.

  • Ballisticscastle Age

    Projectiles lead moving targets (Ballista Elephant projectiles included in current dat).

  • Chemistryimperial Age

    Improves the primary bolt.

Common mistakes when fighting it

  • Massing them into Halberdiers with no support.
  • Using them as if they had Scorpion range.
  • Forgetting monks. A converted Ballista Elephant ruins the deathball.

Supporting units

Civilization-specific exceptions

These sit on top of the generic matchup, not inside it.

  • Khmer

    Only Khmer train this unit. Battle Elephants are a different line.

    verified fact