Age of Empires 2 Siege Weapon Counters

How to Counter Trebuchets

Trebuchets pack away (Packed Trebuchet) when threatened and can relocate. The counter must reach them before they can unpack and retarget. Speed is everything.

• Hussar Hard Counter
  The gold standard Trebuchet counter. Fast movement speed, +32 attack bonus vs. siege. Two Hussars kill a packed Trebuchet before it can respond. Cheap, no gold cost — keep them in production.
• Light Cavalry Hard Counter
  Same bonus vs. siege as Hussar. Slightly weaker but much cheaper to upgrade. Valid if you haven't reached Hussar tech.
• Onager / Siege Onager Soft Counter
  Out-ranges the Trebuchet when microed correctly. Expensive siege war — only worth it if you already have siege established and need to win the slow push battle.
• Petard Soft Counter
  One-time demolition unit. Deals massive damage on detonation. Best as a sneaky raid option when Trebuchets are unguarded or grouped together.

How to Counter Mangonels and Onagers

Mangonels and Onagers deal massive area damage to grouped units. They are the primary anti-infantry and anti-archer siege. Low HP and poor melee armor make them easy to kill — if you can reach them.

• Hussar Hard Counter
  Fast enough to reach Mangonels before they fire a second shot. Bonus vs. siege. Kills Mangonels in 2–3 hits. Always the first answer when you see Mangonels advancing.
• Scorpion Hard Counter
  Long-range pierce damage targets Mangonels safely from behind your front line. Scorpions out-range Mangonels (7 vs. 7, but Scorpion fires faster). Good defensive counter.
• Trebuchet Soft Counter
  Out-ranges a Mangonel if you already have siege established. Slow and requires packing/unpacking but decisive in a siege war.
• Monk Soft Counter
  Convert and use against the owner. Mangonels are gold-heavy — a converted Mangonel dealing area damage to its former allies is a massive swing.

How to Counter Battering Rams

Rams are mobile walls. They have enormous HP (300+), strong melee armor, and infantry can be garrisoned inside to speed them up. Standard attacks deal almost nothing — you need specific counters.

• Monk Hard Counter
  Rams have extremely low conversion resistance. A single Monk converts a Ram in seconds. The converted Ram then attacks its former army. Best Ram counter in the game by far — cheap, fast, devastating.
• Scorpion Hard Counter
  High pierce damage is one of few damage types that punches through Ram's armor class. Multiple Scorpions bring down a Ram before it reaches your walls.
• Hussar Soft Counter
  Cavalry attack bonus vs. siege applies to Rams. Multiple Hussars attacking together bring Rams down — ungarrison the infantry inside first to remove the speed bonus.
• Mangonel Soft Counter
  Area damage hits both the Ram and its infantry escort. Slow kill on the Ram itself but eliminates the protection around it.

How to Counter Bombard Cannons

Bombard Cannons destroy buildings and kill massed units with area blast. They move slowly and have low HP. Cavalry reaches them easily.

• Hussar Hard Counter
  Fast raid, siege bonus damage. Bombard Cannons are slow and die in 3–4 Hussar hits. The same cavalry raid that kills Trebuchets kills Bombard Cannons.
• Light Cavalry Hard Counter
  Same logic as Hussar. Works in Castle Age before Hussar is available.
• Onager Soft Counter
  Out-ranges Bombard Cannons at max range. Slow counter-siege option if cavalry isn't available.

How to Counter Scorpions

Scorpions deal pierce damage in a line, shredding infantry formations. They have low HP but a long firing range.

• Hussar Hard Counter
  Cavalry raid eliminates Scorpions instantly. They have terrible melee armor and die in 2 hits to cavalry.
• Cavalry Archer Soft Counter
  Out-ranges and kites Scorpions. Pierce damage chips them down from outside Scorpion attack range.

Summary — Counter Cheat Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions