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Franks

The Franks are a cavalry civilization with fast foragers, free mill technologies, and powerful mounted units with extra HP.

Playstyle: Cavalry

Specialties: Cavalry, Economy

Civilization Bonuses

  • Foragers work +15% faster
  • Mill technologies free
  • Mounted Units +20% HP starting in Feudal Age
  • Castles cost -15/25% in Castle/Imperial Age

Team Bonus

Knight-line +2 line of sight

Unique Units

Unique Technologies

Meta Context

Franks are the most consistently top-tier civilization in AoE2 history. Their package — free Farm Upgrades, +20% cavalry HP, cheaper Castles, Throwing Axemen, free Bloodlines effect built into the civ design (no, they don't have Bloodlines, but their bonus mimics it for cavalry) — makes them the easiest snowball civ. On Arabia, Franks open Scouts → Knights and almost never need to deviate. Free Farm Upgrades alone save ~400 wood across the game, allowing earlier Castle Age and military mass. Franks are S-tier on Arabia, Black Forest, and most team game maps.

Patch History

Frank cavalry HP bonus moved from 15% (original AoE2) to 20% (HD/DE). Castle cost reduction was 25% in early DE, lowered to 20% in 2021 to slow forward-Castle strategies. Throwing Axemen cost was reduced and their attack buffed in 2022, finally making them a viable late-Imperial transition. The 2024 patch nerfed Bearded Axe (Castle Age unique tech) range bonus from +1 to keep Frank archers from being dominant on Arena. As of 2026, Franks remain S-tier across nearly every map.

Pro-Level Usage

Hera, TheViper, Liereyy, MbL, and Yo all have Franks in their top-3 default Arabia picks. The 2025 KotD V finals featured Franks in 6 of 9 played games. Pro builds split into two schools: aggressive 21-pop Knight rush (Hera signature) and defensive-boom Throwing Axe transition (DauT signature). In Hidden Cup VIII pick-and-ban, Franks are routinely first-banned because they're seen as too safe. Watch any Liereyy Wololo Legacy run for masterclass Frank macro: 20-second-perfect TC walls, never-idle production buildings, and immaculate Knight micro into raids.

In-Depth Counters

Camel civilizations (Saracens, Berbers, Hindustanis, Malians) hard counter Franks via Camel mass — +18 vs cavalry shuts down the Knight game plan. Lithuanians win the Knight mirror because their Castle Age relics give attack bonuses. Persians match Franks in Imperial Cavalier wars. The macro counter: deny stone for Frank Castles (Frank Castle bonus is wasted if they can't mine stone safely), and force them into Pike-Skirm matchups where Frank archers (mediocre) are exposed. Frank weakness: no Camel, no Bombard Cannon, no Plate Barding Armor for Hussars. Exploit those holes in Imperial Age.