Burmese
Infantry & CavalryTeam Bonus
Relics visible on the map at the start of the game
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"The Burmese are an infantry and cavalry civilization with free lumber camp upgrades, infantry that gains attack per age, and powerful Battle Elephants with extra armor."
Civilization Bonuses
- 1
Lumber Camp technologies free
- 2
Infantry +1/+2/+3 attack in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age
- 3
Battle Elephants +1 melee/+1 pierce armor
- 4
Monastery technologies cost -50%
Unique Units
Unique Technologies
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AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
Burmese are an infantry and cavalry civilization in Age of Empires II. Their economy benefits from free Lumber Camp technologies, while their military is built around relentlessly upgraded infantry that gain +1/+2/+3 attack in the Feudal, Castle, and Imperial Ages. Their Battle Elephants gain +1 melee and +1 pierce armor, making them tankier, and Monastery technologies cost 50% less, supporting a strong relic and Monk game. Their unique Arambai is a mounted thrown-weapon skirmisher that deals heavy but somewhat inaccurate damage. The team bonus reveals all Relics on the map at the start of the game. With escalating infantry attack, armored Battle Elephants, and cheap Monastery tech, the Burmese are a versatile civilization that performs well on both open and closed maps.
History & balance
Burmese were introduced to Age of Empires II with the Rise of the Rajas expansion, drawing on the martial and Buddhist heritage of medieval Burma. Their design pairs hard-hitting infantry whose attack escalates by age with armored Battle Elephants and a strong monastic dimension, reflecting a culture of warrior-monks and elephant warfare. Across patches they have been seen as a flexible middle-of-the-road civilization, capable of infantry, elephant, and Monk-relic strategies, with the Arambai serving as a high-damage but tricky-to-aim signature unit. Their lack of strong archers pushes them toward melee and elephant compositions. In the Definitive Edition they remain a well-rounded option appreciated by players who enjoy infantry-and-elephant aggression backed by a relic-focused economy.
In pro play
Pros use Burmese for infantry-forward and elephant strategies, leaning on the free Lumber Camp upgrades for a smooth wood economy and the escalating infantry attack to make Men-at-Arms and Two-Handed Swordsmen punch above their weight. A common line is Men-at-Arms or an Arambai-supported push in the Castle Age, exploiting the high burst damage of massed Arambai against grouped enemies. The starting Relic vision from the team bonus lets strong players race for relics early, fueling their cheap-Monastery relic-and-Monk game. On closed maps, pros transition into armored Battle Elephants backed by Monks. The playstyle rewards aggressive, micro-intensive players who can manage the Arambai's inaccuracy and time infantry pushes, while also valuing map awareness to secure relics ahead of the opponent.
How to counter it
To counter the Burmese, exploit their lack of strong archers by leaning on ranged compositions and Skirmishers, which are especially effective against the Arambai, whose inaccuracy and pierce-based attack make it vulnerable to massed Skirmishers and Elephant Archers. Their high-attack infantry can be kited with Archers, Crossbowmen, and Hand Cannoneers rather than met head-on in melee. Against their armored Battle Elephants, mass Halberdiers with Monk support and siege such as Onagers and Bombard Cannons to break the slow elephant line. Contest relics aggressively, since the Burmese gain map-wide Relic vision and a cheap-Monastery economy; denying relics undercuts a key pillar of their economy. Keep your army mobile and ranged, raid their wood-based economy, and avoid clumping against Arambai volleys.