Infantry is the most cost-efficient frontline unit type and becomes a serious threat in Castle and Imperial Ages. Champions, Eagle Warriors, and anti-cavalry Halberdiers each follow different counter logic — here is what beats what and why.
How to Counter the Militia Line (Man-at-Arms → Champion)
The Militia line upgrades from a weak early unit into the Champion — one of the toughest melee units in the game. Champions have high HP and decent melee armor, but almost no pierce armor. That is their fatal weakness.
- High pierce damage against Champions with only 1 pierce armor (0 base). Arbalests melt grouped Champions cost-efficiently — one of the cleanest trades in the game.
- Penetrating bolt passes through multiple units — devastating against tight Champion formations. With Siege Engineers, Scorpions cover a wide arc and delete infantry masses.
- Byzantine unique unit — massive attack bonus vs. infantry. One of the few melee units that can fight Champions head-on and win cleanly.
- Kites Champions from distance. Pierce damage accumulates as infantry slowly chase. Works well with good micro on open maps.
- Massive area damage. Expensive trade but a Siege Onager behind Halberdiers completely neutralizes a Champion push.
- Aztec unique unit — +11 attack bonus vs. infantry. Shreds Champions in melee. Best infantry-vs-infantry unit in the game.
How to Counter the Spearman Line (Spearman → Halberdier)
Spearmen and Halberdiers exist to counter cavalry. Their own counter is any ranged unit — they have almost zero pierce armor, making them easy targets for archers and siege.
- Halberdiers have effectively 0 pierce armor. Arbalests shred them from safety before they can reach anything. Extremely cost-efficient trade.
- Pierce bolt passes through Halberdier lines. One Scorpion volley into a grouped Halb formation does enormous damage.
- Area damage hits grouped Halbs before they reach the cavalry they're meant to protect. A key counter when your opponent uses Halbs as cavalry escort.
- Kites Halberdiers indefinitely — they cannot close the gap. Works on open maps. Use this to bleed the opponent's Halbs before engaging with cavalry.
- Byzantine unique — bonus vs. infantry AND reduces cavalry-counter bonus damage. Cataphracts essentially ignore Halberdier attack bonuses, making them the best cavalry vs. Halbs.
How to Counter Eagle Warriors
Eagle Warriors are the cavalry replacement for Mesoamerican civilizations (Aztecs, Mayans, Incas). They are fast for infantry, pierce-resistant, and counter cavalry and buildings. But they have a direct counter added in the DE update.
- Attack bonus vs. Eagle Warriors (added in Definitive Edition). The designated hard counter. Mass Elite Skirms to shut down Eagle Warriors efficiently.
- Blast damage and high base attack. Conquistadors (Spanish) are especially effective — mounted Hand Cannoneers that can kite Eagles.
- Pierce damage works but less efficiently than Skirms due to Eagles' higher pierce resistance. Still a valid option when Skirms are unavailable.
- Overwhelms with melee stats. Expensive but decisive. Eagles are fast but don't win 1v1 against a Paladin.
- Mongol unique — fast enough to kite Eagle Warriors, deals pierce damage. Works well for Mongol players facing Meso civs.
How to Counter Man-at-Arms (Early Castle Age)
Man-at-Arms is the early Castle Age infantry threat — a quick upgrade from Militia that beats Spearmen in melee and pressures archers. The timing counter matters most.
- Ranged advantage. Crossbowmen win vs. MaA at range but need numbers. Don't let them close — kite back while shooting.
- Pierce damage shreds grouped Man-at-Arms. One Scorpion can hold off an MaA push when placed behind Spearmen.
- Overwhelms with HP and melee damage. Works if the opponent doesn't have Spears mixed in with their MaA.
Summary — Counter Cheat Sheet
| Unit | Hard Counter | Soft Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Man-at-Arms | Scorpion | Crossbowman, Knight |
| Long Swordsman | Arbalest, Scorpion | Cavalry Archer, Knight |
| Champion | Arbalest, Scorpion, Elite Cataphract | Cavalry Archer, Siege Onager |
| Spearman | Archer, Scorpion | Cavalry Archer |
| Halberdier | Arbalest, Scorpion, Elite Cataphract | Heavy Cavalry Archer |
| Eagle Warrior | Elite Skirmisher, Hand Cannoneer | Arbalest, Paladin |
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best counter to Champion spam?
Arbalest + Scorpion is the gold standard. Arbalests deal pierce damage that Champions can't resist, and Scorpions delete entire formations with their bolt. Supplement with Onager for even more area coverage.
Can Cavalry counter Champions?
Not efficiently. Champions have decent melee armor and high HP. Cavalry takes too much damage in the exchange. Use cavalry to raid the opponent's economy and force them to split attention instead.
Why can't Halberdiers beat Arbalests even with upgrades?
Halberdiers have 0 base pierce armor and only 1 with upgrades. Arbalests deal pure pierce damage. The gap is too large to overcome — this is intentional game design so both unit types have clear roles.
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