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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

Battle Elephant

Verified

cavalry · Stable · castle Age

Heavy Southeast Asian cavalry. Huge HP, slow, and terrified of Halberdiers and monks.

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

A Castle Age hammer when you can afford it and the map is not full of pikes. Pair with Scorpions so the opponent cannot just mass Halberdiers.

Strengths

  • HP pool.
  • Crushes archers that cannot kite forever.
  • Tusk Swords adds +3 attack for Khmer.

Weaknesses

  • Elephant armor class.
  • Slow.
  • Gold and food heavy.

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 elephants win. The money fight does not.

    • Scorpions or Hand Cannoneers behind the elephants.
    • Khmer extra speed makes kiting pikes harder, not impossible.

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

    Monks steal or waste the elephant's time. Bring several.

    • Hussars.
    • Faith.

Situational counters

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

    Camels help. Pikes are still the economy answer.

    • Only camel civs.

What it counters

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

Why matchups work

HP beats archer DPS. Bonus anti-elephant damage from pikes and camels is designed to dump that HP. Monks convert the investment.

Line, cost, and age

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

Battle Elephant line stats
UnitAgeHPAttackRangeArmorCost
Battle Elephantcastle25012 melee01/2100f 70g
Elite Battle Elephantimperial30014 melee01/3100f 70g

Upgrades

  • Elite Battle Elephantimperial Age

    More HP, attack, and pierce armor.

  • Tusk Swordscastle Age

    Khmer unique: Battle Elephants +3 attack. Cost 300 wood 450 gold, 40 seconds.

  • Bloodlines, Husbandry, blacksmithcastle Age

    Khmer have these.

Common mistakes when fighting it

  • Elephants into Halberdiers with no ranged support.
  • No heresy or monk defense.

Supporting units

Civilization-specific exceptions

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

  • Khmer

    Battle Elephants move 10% faster. Tusk Swords +3 attack.

    verified fact