[ AOE2 CIVILIZATION ]
Khitans
Steppe-nomad cavalry civ with a renewable food economy (Pasture) and the only Mounted Trebuchet in the game.
[ IDENTIDAD ]
Khitans are the newest steppe-cavalry civilization in AoE2, released with the Three Kingdoms DLC (May 2025). Their economic bonus is the Pasture, a Mill-age building that houses sheep and slowly generates food — effectively a renewable farm that doesn't consume wood once built. Their Line-of-Sight bonus (Scout Cavalry line has extended LoS) stacks with any allied vision bonuses and supports the civ's raid identity: you see the opponent first, you raid first, you produce Mounted Trebuchets and Fire Lancers first. Military-wise Khitans are a cavalry + cavalry-archer civilization with full access to the Knight line (reaches Cavalier but NOT Paladin [VERIFY]), full Cav Archer line (likely reaches Heavy Cav Archer [VERIFY]), and Hussar. Their UU roster pairs the Liao Dao (Castle-Age infantry UU with a stance-switching mechanic [VERIFY specifics]), the Fire Lancer (a castle-trained cavalry UU with splash/gunpowder-flavored damage), and the Mounted Trebuchet (mobile siege). The civ LACKS Paladin, Halberdier on some patches [VERIFY], Siege Onager [VERIFY], and several late archer upgrades, giving them a distinct mid-game power peak rather than late-Imperial dominance. Khitans want to dictate tempo with vision + Pasture food → Castle Age with Cavalier + Fire Lancer → Imperial with Mounted Trebuchets for quick positional pushes before opposing siege mass stabilizes.
Datos clave
⚡ Civ bonuses
Scout Cavalry line gains +3 Line of Sight (stacks with allies; does NOT stack with Mongol +2 LoS team bonus — take higher).
Pastures: a Mill-era building (built at Mill location [VERIFY]) that slowly generates food from stored sheep.
Post-162286 patch: costs 110 wood, generates 115 food per full use, build time 22 seconds. Pasture is effectively a renewable farm that doesn't consume wood after initial construction.
Line of Sight bonus on Scout Cavalry (own civ) — likely +3 or +5 total with team bonus [VERIFY].
Scout Cav / Light Cav / Hussar see further than base — makes scouting + relic-spotting + boar-luring faster.
Extra starting herdables (e.g., +3 sheep or +1 herding unit [VERIFY]).
[VERIFY exact count — sources disagree on starting herdable count]. Typically 2-4 extra sheep/horses at game start.
Cavalry-line production or movement bonus [VERIFY — possibly tied to a specific building or tech].
[VERIFY — some sources mention Stable working faster, others mention +cav armor or +cav speed]
- · Paladin — Khitans stop at Cavalier — cavalry identity peaks in mid-Imperial without Paladin-level damage or HP. Makes late-game Paladin mirrors (Franks, Persians, Lith, Burgundians) structurally unfavorable.
- · Halberdier — [VERIFY — if missing, no anti-cav specialist → Khitans can't mirror Paladin civs, must rely on mobile siege + Mounted Treb instead].
- · Siege Onager — [VERIFY — likely missing. Mounted Trebuchet partially compensates, but no static AoE Imperial siege is a notable gap].
- · Bracer — [VERIFY — if missing, archer line and Mounted Trebuchet range capped below Britons/Ethiopians archer civs].
- · Heresy — [VERIFY — if missing, monk conversions on Khitan cavalry are permanent, a classic steppe-civ weakness].
- · Arbalester — [VERIFY — likely stops at Crossbowman given cavalry-civ archetype].
- · Plate Barding Armor — [VERIFY — if missing, late-game cavalry armor gap; cavalry bleeds more HP vs opposing Paladin or anti-cav units].
- · Fast Fire Ship / Elite Cannon Galleon — [VERIFY — Khitans are a land civ; naval tech tree likely weak].
Liao Dao
infantry with stance/form-switching mechanic [VERIFY]
- · Mid-castle infantry option when cavalry commit is not ideal
- · Form-switch mechanic — some variants reward micro to switch between anti-cav and anti-infantry stances [VERIFY]
- · Niche pick when opponent is going for Knights + Crossbow mass
Lancero de Fuego
cavalry unit with splash / gunpowder-flavored attack
- · Anti-infantry cavalry — splash damage clears Militia/Spearman lines
- · Combines with Cavalier frontline for breakthrough pushes
- · Raiding vs villager clumps is devastating due to splash
Trabuquete Montado
mobile siege — trebuchet-class unit that moves without packing/unpacking
- · Mobile castle siege — repositions without pack time
- · Multi-front raid-breaking — chase down fleeing opponents' buildings
- · Counter-treb siege — mobile so harder to Treb-snipe
Caballería Shatuo
[VERIFY — believed to buff Cavalier/Knight line with HP, attack, or armor; OR to buff Fire Lancer]
When: After first Castle is up and cavalry production is stable; before Imperial.
Caballería Ordo
[VERIFY — believed Imperial UT affecting cavalry armor, Mounted Trebuchet range, or Fire Lancer splash]
When: Imperial first or second click on any cavalry-committed plan.
🎯 Recommended build order
Scout + Pasture → Cavalier Rush + Mounted Treb Option
Bracket 1300-1600Decide at minute 20 between Cavalier-heavy rush vs Mounted Treb forward push. Based on scouting + map.
Alternativa
Anti-Paladin Mounted Treb Kite — Opponent is Frank/Burgundian/Bohemian — civs with Paladin threat
❌ Common mistakes playing Khitans
-
▸
Ignoring Pasture (playing Khitans as generic cav civ)
Pasture is the civ's economic engine. Without it, you're playing a weaker Mongol/Hun — same cav identity, worse bonuses.
fix:First Mill + first Pasture by minute 11-12. Non-negotiable. Build 2-3 Pastures across Feudal age.
▸Trying to Imperial-rush Mounted Trebuchet
Mounted Treb is a Castle-Age unit that shines with cavalry escort; without it you die to any raid before Imperial.
fix:Focus on Cavalier + Fire Lancer in Castle first. Mounted Treb is a support/push tool, not a solo strategy.
Want to know which ones YOU made in your last match?
📲 Send your replay, I'll tell you💬 This is how wolo.gg coaches you
Tu Khitans en Nomad (pre-TC food bonus) and open-steppe maps · Castle Age cavalry rush + scout raids → forward Castle for Mounted Treb production → Imper...
✅ Buen scout en min 3 — vista temprana del rival
⚠️ Skipping Bloodlines + Forging before Cavalier production
→ Bloodlines first click in Castle Age; Forging immediately after. Before second stable or Fire Lancer.
❌ Pasture placed forward (raidable)
Next match: Castle Age cavalry rush + scout raids → forward Castle for Mounted Treb production → Imperial push with Cavalier + Fire Lancer + Mounted Treb mixed army. Key skill: using Mounted Treb mobility to break opponent positions without getting sniped.
This lands on your WhatsApp after every match
📲 Mandar mi rec ahora⚡ Pregame brief — antes que termine el countdown
As soon as we detect you started a ranked match, a strategic brief lands on you in ~10 segundos. We tell you who your rival is, what they usually do on that map,and what to adapt in your Khitans build order.
Free. Doesn't cost credits. You get it as long as you have the app running.
Activar pregame briefs →Your rival picked Georgians.
Play your standard plan and watch min 8-12 to react.
⚔️ Which civ will you face?
Khitans vs Georgians
favoredWant a specific plan for THAT match?
📲 Pedile un plan a wolo.gg vs Georgians🛡️ Cuidado con estas unidades
Bonus damage vs cavalry — Khitan Cavalier and Fire Lancer take extra damage
Out-ranges Khitan Cavalier; bonus damage vs cavalry archer and cavalry
Anti-cavalry specialist; Khitan cavalry including Fire Lancer takes bonus damage
Out-values Cavalier (Khitans stop at Cavalier). Mirror favor lost.
Convert Khitan cavalry + Fire Lancer; Heresy availability uncertain — conversions may be permanent
AoE damage on Cavalier/Fire Lancer clumps; Khitans may lack Siege Onager (own siege weaker)
🗺️ Performance por mapa
Post-Pasture-nerf Jan 2026, Khitans dropped from tentative B-tier to C-tier on A…
Arena is the worst map type for Khitans: no scouting bonus (opponent is behind w…
Khitans' best map. Pre-TC sheep/herdable bonus + LoS for scouting opponents' TC …
Black Forest is notably Khitans' WORST map type per aoe2meta 30-day stats (33.8%…
Closed map weaknesses similar to Arena and BF.
Semi-closed — Khitans can use mobility + Mounted Treb to counter-push, but still…
Mixed water/land; Khitans naval weak but land identity intact.
Pure water — Khitans' naval tech tree is weak. Avoid.
Transport phase favors naval civs; Khitans land game too slow to arrive.
Hybrid water — Khitans cede water to ally; land play acceptable.
Steppe map — Pastures + scout raids + Fire Lancer identity work on open terrain.…
Similar to Arabia — open map favors cavalry but no specific bonus applies.
Hybrid land-water — Khitans hold land side, yield water.
High variance — Khitan identity needs open terrain; penalty on closed/water roll…
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