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Byzantines build orders & counters

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

AoE4 build ordersAoE4 tier list C tierAoE4 countersAoE4 build order overlay

Style
Mostly macro2 of its 8 most-played builds are rushes or timing attacks.
Feudal Age
4:38Median age-up click of its popular builds.
Key units
LongbowmenLongbowmenLimitaneiLimitaneiHorsemenHorsemenMost trained in those builds.

Most-played Byzantines build orders

Most-played Byzantines build orders
BuildStrategyFeudalCastleMain units
Grand Winery Timing Attack (2026)by Valdemar1902 — 4:14 — —
Grand Winery 3 Stone Openerby Valdemar1902 Timing Attack 4:38 ~13:05 LongbowmenLongbowmenLimitaneiLimitanei
Hippodrome Mill Opener Into 12 Min Castleby Valdemar1902 Timing Attack 4:00 ~12:24 LongbowmenLongbowmenLimitaneiLimitanei
SwaggyProfessor - Fast 5 Cistern Build (Dum Dum's Copy)by Private Dum Dum Fast Castle 4:32 12:00 LimitaneiLimitaneiCataphractsCataphracts
Byzantine 2 TC Boom Dum Dum's Copyby Private Dum Dum Boom 5:00 — LongbowmenLongbowmenLimitaneiLimitanei
Byzantine 5 Cistern 2TC at 6:34by Mrblingblong Boom 5:05 — —

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

How to counter Byzantines

Their popular builds lean on longbowmen, limitanei and horsemen. Answer with:

  • LongbowmenLongbowmenHorsemenHorsemenMen-at-armsMen-at-armsMangonelsMangonels
  • LimitaneiLimitaneiArchersArchersMen-at-armsMen-at-armsHandcannoneersHandcannoneers
  • HorsemenHorsemenSpearmenSpearmenKnightsKnights

What Byzantines units beat

Playing Byzantines? Your main units are the answer to:

  • LongbowmenLongbowmenSpearmenSpearmenCrossbowmenCrossbowmenHorse archersHorse archers
  • LimitaneiLimitaneiHorsemenHorsemenKnightsKnightsLancersLancers
  • HorsemenHorsemenArchersArchersLongbowmenLongbowmenCrossbowmenCrossbowmen

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. Every unit: AoE4 counter chart.

Best and worst maps for Byzantines

Best map for Byzantines: Relic River, 50.3% (+3.0 pts vs. its 47.3% on all maps). Worst: Migration, 41.0% (−6.3 pts), 9.3 points below the best.

Pick it on

Best ranked 1v1 maps for Byzantines
MapWin ratevs. its average
Relic River50.3%+3.0 pts
Oasis50.1%+2.8 pts
Ocean Gateway50.1%+2.8 pts

Ban it on

Worst ranked 1v1 maps for Byzantines
MapWin ratevs. its average
Migration41.0%−6.3 pts
Waterholes43.1%−4.2 pts
Sunkenlands43.2%−4.1 pts

Play Byzantines 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