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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.

AoE4 build ordersAoE4 tier list A tierAoE4 countersAoE4 build order overlay

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 knightsRoyal knightsArchersArchersSpearmenSpearmenMost 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 knightsRoyal knights
Beasty's Wheelbarrow openerby Kwts Rush 4:25 — Royal knightsRoyal knightsArchersArchers
Braindead Macro French Fast Feudal Rush — — —
Aggresive frenchby era Aggressive — — Royal knightsRoyal knightsArchersArchers
French feudal aggressionby JampiX Rush 3:40 13:50 Royal knightsRoyal knightsArchersArchers
Team Knight Feudal All-Inby SideboardP Rush 3:45 — Royal knightsRoyal 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 knightsRoyal knightsSpearmenSpearmenCrossbowmenCrossbowmenCamel ridersCamel riders
  • ArchersArchersHorsemenHorsemenMen-at-armsMen-at-armsMangonelsMangonels
  • SpearmenSpearmenArchersArchersMen-at-armsMen-at-armsHandcannoneersHandcannoneers

What French units beat

Playing French? Your main units are the answer to:

  • Royal knightsRoyal knightsHorsemenHorsemenMen-at-armsMen-at-armsHandcannoneersHandcannoneers
  • ArchersArchersSpearmenSpearmenCrossbowmenCrossbowmenHorse archersHorse archers
  • SpearmenSpearmenHorsemenHorsemenKnightsKnightsLancersLancers

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 French

Best map for French: Relic River, 52.8% (+2.1 pts vs. its 50.7% on all maps). Worst: Hideout, 46.1% (−4.5 pts), 6.6 points below the best.

Pick it on

Best ranked 1v1 maps for French
MapWin ratevs. its average
Relic River52.8%+2.1 pts
West Lake52.5%+1.9 pts
Atacama52.0%+1.4 pts

Ban it on

Worst ranked 1v1 maps for French
MapWin ratevs. its average
Hideout46.1%−4.5 pts
Archipelago46.2%−4.4 pts
Ocean Gateway47.1%−3.6 pts

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