MetaAOE

French build orders & counters

What the most-played French builds in Age of Empires IV do, the units they rely on, and how to answer them.

Style
Aggressive6 of its 8 most-played builds are rushes or timing attacks.
Feudal Age
4:25Median age-up click of its popular builds.
Key units
Royal knights, Archers, SpearmenMost trained in those builds.

Most-played French build orders

Most-played French build orders
BuildStrategyFeudalCastleMain units
WB Pro Scouts (2026)by Valdemar1902 — 4:30 12:54 Royal knights
Beasty's Wheelbarrow openerby Kwts Rush 4:25 — Royal knights, Archers
Braindead Macro French Fast Feudal Rush — — —
Aggresive frenchby era Aggressive — — Royal knights, Archers
French feudal aggressionby JampiX Rush 3:40 13:50 Royal knights, Archers
Team Knight Feudal All-Inby SideboardP Rush 3:45 — Royal knights

Times are the age-up clicks in the build (~ means estimated).

How to counter French

Their popular builds lean on royal knights, archers and spearmen. Answer with:

  • Royal knightsSpearmen · Crossbowmen · Camel riders
  • ArchersHorsemen · Men-at-arms · Mangonels
  • SpearmenArchers · Men-at-arms · Handcannoneers

What French units beat

Playing French? Your main units are the answer to:

  • Royal knightsHorsemen · Men-at-arms · Handcannoneers · Gunpowder infantry (Streltsy, Janissaries)
  • ArchersSpearmen · Crossbowmen · Horse archers · Mangudai
  • SpearmenHorsemen · Knights · Lancers · Camel riders

Counters follow the unit-class rules of MetaAOE's counter sheet (Alt+C in game), not patch numbers. Upgrades and numbers still decide the fight.

Play French builds in time with the clock

MetaAOE shows your build over the game, step by step with the match clock, reads your opponent's civ and puts the counters one key away. Free, on Overwolf.

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Other AoE4 civs