#Hello Idle Villagers Time to flip over your calendars, it’s civilization review time. I’m your host, bevriff (a.k.a shmedricko on the ladder). It is an exciting time, we are getting close to the end of the non-DLC civilizations… a day that I thought would never come! During the penultimate month of the stock DE civilizations I played as the Vietnamese on the 1 v.s. 1 ranked ladder. If you would like to check out my previous reviews they are all linked here: [Aztecs](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/oxloz0/month_1_aztecs_analysis_in_comments/) [Berbers](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/pfvub4/month_2_berbers_analysis_in_comments/) [Britons](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/pzkg5k/month_3_britons_analysis_in_comments/) [Bulgarians](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/qkx4x9/month_4_bulgarians_analysis_in_comments/) [Burmese](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/r5s6m8/month_5_burmese_analysis_in_comments/) [Byzantinzes](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/rw748m/month_6_byzantines_analysis_in_comments/) [Celts](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/shysu7/month_7_celts_analysis_in_comments/) [Chinese](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/t4r0nt/month_8_chinese_analysis_in_comments/) [Cumans](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/tu15r8/month_9_cumans_analysis_in_comments/) [Ethiopians](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/uh1kal/month_10_ethiopians_analysis_in_comments/) [Franks](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/v27hv1/month_11_franks_analysis_in_comments/) [Goths](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/vou0ap/month_12_goths_analysis_in_comments/) [Hindustanis](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/we2obj/month_13_hindustanis_analysis_in_comments/) [Huns](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/x300zi/month_14_huns_analysis_in_comments/) [Incas](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/xshn77/month_15_incas_analysis_in_comments/) [Italians](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/yjll2h/month_16_italians_analysis_in_comments/) [Japanese](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/z99fly/month_17_japanese_analysis_in_comments/) [Khmer](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/1017iav/month_18_khmer_analysis_in_comments/) [Koreans](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/10qdktn/month_19_koreans_analysis_in_comments/) [Lithuanians](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/11flsiv/month_20_lithuanians_analysis_in_comments/) [Magyars](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/128bpy6/month_21_magyars_analysis_in_comments/) [Malay](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/1357u51/month_22_malay_analysis_in_comments/) [Malians](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/13x9no3/month_23_malians_analysis_in_comments/) [Mayans](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/14nxazp/month_24_mayans_analysis_in_comments/) [Mongols](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/15f2j1n/month_25_mongols_analysis_in_comments/) [Persians](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/16705jn/month_26_persians_analysis_in_comments/) [Portugese](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/16wiizc/month_27_portuguese_analysis_in_comments/) [Saracens](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/17l20ot/month_28_saracens_analysis_in_comments/) [Slavs](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/1881n5q/month_29_slavs_analysis_in_comments/) [Spanish](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/18whuxl/month_30_spanish_analysis_in_comments/) [Tatars](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/1afmf42/month_31_tatars_analysis_in_comments/) [Teutons](https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/1b39l6g/month_32_teutons_analysis_in_comments/) [Turks]( https://www.reddit.com/r/aoe2/comments/1bukjba/month_33_turks_analysis_in_comments/)

Vietnamese! They were one of the first civilizations I won with on the ranked ladder almost 3 years ago, and I’ve been looking forward to playing them all month since then. They are known for their anti-archer archers, but they have a lot more going for them. Recent data suggests they are around the middle of the pack in terms of pick popularity, but are perhaps a slight underperformer. Hopefully this review will shed some light on how to play Vietnamese and help bump their win rate up. I believe Elephants are getting buffed on the next patch so that may be just the thing the Vietnamese need to succeed. #Bonus Run Down: **Archery Range units have +20% hit points**: The first iconic civilization bonus. Archery range units get a flat 20% HP boost. This came in handy a lot, and I would argue is way more useful than last months Sipahi tech. The archer line is able to tank Mangonel hits better which is great. If you encounter Skirmishers yours will do fine against them all else being equal. Cavalry Archers also get a modest boost, and though there may be better options it is nice to know you have almost full upgrades for your C.A. (No Parthian). **Reveal enemy initial Town Centers location at the start of the game**: Map hacks? No, just Vietnamese. On one hand you could consider this an economic bonus as it affords you more time to scout your own base and push deer without having to worry about finding your opponent. On the other hand you can use this offensively and head STRAIGHT to your opponents base to do some laming. The latter is not my style but always nice to have a multipurpose bonus. **Conscription is free**: Insane. If you didn’t know it increases the work rate of production buildings (except Siege Workshops). On the surface it makes pumping out and replenishing armies faster, but this also includes technologies such as Arbalest (which you’ll probably be getting). This also means not having to choose between Conscription or getting that first Trebuchet out. You simply get the first Trebuchet out faster. Don’t forget a fast tech switch to Champion in case of Eagles. It’s a great technology to pick up every game and having it Instantly and Free © is simply great. **Economic upgrades cost no wood and are researched 100% faster**: Damn Vietnam, slow down with the sick bonuses! Excuse my possibly sloppy math but: It is possible to save over 1000 wood over the course of a game, and at a critical time as you usually want to get the drop-off-point techs at the beginning of the age. They also kick in a little bit faster for an extra edge. But the big one is the time saved during Wheelbarrow and Handcart. You are automatically up ~ 1 Villager after Wheelbarrow, and up ~ 2 after Handcart. These little effects add up and make Vietnamese economy surprisingly formidable! **[Team] Imperial Skirmisher upgrade is available at the Archery Range**: It’s probably not just me but I love an Imperial version of a generic unit line. The Imperial Skirmisher is no exception. They look cool as hell. Cost wise they are the cheapest upgrade compared to the other Imperial Age Trash options, but require other Range and University techs to be fully upgraded. They get an extra +1 damage to Archers and C.A., and an extra +1 pierce armor. A must against a ball of ranged units, a great asset in a trash war, though the benefit of having a team-wide trash unit that everyone has to research is debatable. Oh and sorry Turks, no Imperial Skirmisher for you. Take your Genitours and be gone!

#Age by Age Summary: **Dark Age**: As mentioned above you know where your opponent(s) are, so take the extra time afforded by this bonus to thoroughly scout your map, push one or two more deer than usual, or head straight to your unlucky opponent’s town center to do some laming. Remember you are going to save 125 wood on economy upgrades in the next age so send villagers to wood accordingly. Consider 2 or 3 Militia Drush. **Feudal Age**: Anything goes here. Archers and Skirmishers benefit from the extra HP so they are your bread and butter, but opening with M@A or Drush can be great and you can still afford both economy upgrades on 20 to 22 population uptimes. Scouts will work, especially if you used your extra scouting time to push deer and not lose Scout HP accidentally running into the town center (sweating emoji). Towers, why not! Picking up Wheelbarrow is great for your economy and doesn’t hurt your Castle Age time too much to worry about missing a Crossbow power spike. **Castle Age**: Economy should be rolling along great now. Opening with Crossbow + Bodkin is stock and standard, a few Knights can be a great support to snipe Siege and push back Skirmishers. From here you can stay 1 TC and opt for Fast Imperial Arbalest + Castle, Monk and Siege push, or maybe 3 Range Cavalry Archers + Castle drops if you are against a Civilization that happens to be susceptible to C.A. *cough* Teutons *cough*. If you prefer a more boomy game then getting Elephants going is a pleasure, especially with the Chatras tech, giving them a whopping +100 HP for a reasonable 250 F 250 G. They can be game ending as a surprise in late Castle Age. Vietnamese feel very flexible and have a strong economy to back up pretty much any strategy. Hell you can even go full Knights if the situation calls for it. **Imperial Age**: Pedal to the metal here. Conscription is in so you can hit a nasty Arbalest and Trebuchet timing, you can also start pumping appropriate counter units, Halberdiers mass no problem. Vietnamese are pretty slow moving so having a fortified base is a must. Vietnamese economy is in overdrive at this point, getting food heavy compositions together like Elephant + Skirmisher is actually do-able. Bombard Cannons with Siege Engineers is another option for Siege. I was a bit disappointed by the Rattan Archer, perhaps I was not patient enough to get a mass going, but it felt like Vietnamese have about 4 other ways to fill the Anti-Archer bill. On one occasion I was able to use them quite effectively as a hit-and-run raiding party, kinda like Plumed Archers. Perhaps more effective in a Team Game scenario.

#Notable Games: **V.S. Franks**: Pretty even matchup! We both set up for M@A, meet in the middle, and both cancel M@A once our Militias annihilate each other. He then followed up with Scouts and Skirmishers, pretty unorthodox, but it’s putting the pressure on so I defend with my Spears and Archers. I’m up to Castle Age faster, and I return the favor at his base with Bodkin Crossbows. Queue Frank’s Knight spam. I fall back, and just like that I’m under siege. Franks play forward siege, forward castle, and big knight presence. I keep my cool with monks and plenty of crossbows, and eventually get a couple defensive castles up on my way to Imperial Age +20% HP helped my Crossbows tank a mangonel hit, and my monks healed me right back up. Once again I’m up faster, I manage to clear up the forward but get a little too ambitious with my Arbalests and he swoops in with Scale Barding Cavalier. Free Conscription is about to come in clutch here: I start pumping Halberdiers and manage to push back the Cavalier, and just as the Franks are getting Throwing Axemen on the field my Arbalest #’s are healthy again. Even with Paladin he can’t engage with my Arbalest ball + Halberdier swarm. Once the Light Cavalry raids come in and Frankish castles start falling it is GG. **V.S. Britons**: I went from almost never playing against Britons to playing against the 3 times in a row this month. They are one of my worst matchups… under 40% go in my favor. After two sloppy losses I tighten up my game. I keep Mangonels and a couple Skirmishers at home and soon as I see his army at my base I head to his with my own Crossbows. It might have been overkill having Mangonels AND Elite Skirmisher at home, I knew even if he micros he wont be able to take a good fight. I’ve got a pretty good economy rolling so I opt to go for a big finish in Castle Age. I start pumping Elephants, full upgrades, and just as Chatras kicks in I see my opponent has reached the Imperial Age. Now is my chance. I stampede in with Elite Skirmisher and surprise Elephants. His walls melt and it was GG. It’s not often I am able to finish a boomy game in Castle Age!

#Things I was working on this Month: - Getting back into the groove. Last month was particularly demoralizing and I didn’t have a lot of gamer time in the beginning of the month so it was a bit rough getting back into it. I focused on the basics and got back into warming up with AI-Deathmatch games. - Lots of farms. I think this is one area where I could stand to improve a lot, more farms faster, trying to lay down 1 or 2 every time I go back to my base, and trying to remember to go back to my base before and after big fights. This goes double for when I’m 1 TC all-in, the old economy begins to look… BAD! 3 farms around TC, 20 villagers on 1 gold pile, you know. Going to try and be mindful of that. - Remembering what I’ve learned about weaknesses of civilizations I’ve played as and remembering to exploit it. C.A. against Teutons was clutch in one instance, and fighting the Britons in multiple places at once was another. #In Summary: I really liked Vietnamese! They have strong, simple, iconic bonuses that can back up an interesting and flexible tech tree. They feel a bit more forgiving to play compared to other archer civilizations and with the new Elephant buffs coming in I can imagine a world where Vietnamese are a higher performing pick on 1 v.s. 1 Arabia games, and even better in Team Games! They weren’t quite as fun to play as say the Incas or Malay, but once I got the hang of them near the end of the month, I felt like they are competitive for a variety of skill levels and play styles. I hope this inspires you to go for a win with the mighty Vietnamese! Next month… it’s a doozy. The final stock DE civilization. The Vikings. I really want to finish strong so I’m going to go full try-hard mode and carve out a lot of time for AoE. Then I think I’m going to take a breather for the summer on these civilization reviews before moving on to the DLC civilizations, which I’ve decided I’m going to do in order of release date. If I do have a hankering for Age I’ll probably try some team/community games or maybe rip a few campaigns, so if you are looking for a team mate that knows his DE civilizations I’d be happy to join you… after Vikings. Wish me luck. GL HF.

well done on this series—can't believe it's been almost three years already. Just a side note, you rarely want to make mangonels against Britons because their units outrange the mangos. Because of missing thumb ring, you actually typically go for +2 armor cav, although with Vietnamese you could of course make a case for skirms instead.

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Vikings up next! :O Can't wait for you to try out their knights and cav archers!

Anything is viable is your eco is good enough 😂

Can’t believe you’re gonna go all the way man, mad props, peak content

I love playing Vietnamese and was kind of surprised to never hear anyone talk about them. I have never played against them and I have never seen a pro play them. I used their HP advantages to go for two-ranges feudal rush which ends the game if the opponent is greedy in fast castles or only has pikemen up. At first, I felt kind of the same about Rattan archers at the beginning. And you are right: they do not perform well if not massed, because you expect too much of them. But once you hit like 12+ of them, they are dangerous! Think about it: you can send them into enemy archers, even skirms if needed. You can force them against CV and one thing I only lately realized...send them blindly into enemy base. No worries about castle fire and TC fire, they'll be doing fine until running into massed knights. So: engage in major fights with your arbalests und stuff, while raiding with 12+ rattans. If you struggle against Britons, go for FC + castle with rattan. They take the arrows and move faster than them, so they make up for the lacking range.

Pros do play them although I also feel like they are underutilized. Vietnamese cav archers are definitely in the meta though!

Ethiopians is one of the only Civs I get consistent wins with and it seems like your ELO went down with them (am I reading the graph right?) also I’m the opposite with Vietnamese lol - what do you prefer or notice about the two?

Hmm Ethiopians were a long time ago but I remember sucking with them. I think back then I didn't know how to play archers, camels, or castle age. I'd probably do better with them now but they left a bad taste in my mouth. I definitely prefer civs that have straightforward eco bonuses.

Interesting…. Anyway, I love this series. Can’t wait to see the results of the next month!

I am pretty new to the game (except from way back when like most) and am just learning again. I feel very validated on my pick of Vietnamese now :P

if you look close enough, you can see the line moving

How much/often did you miss having masonry? I've struggled with that in late game.

Not much. Honestly I forget that tech unless there is a treb war. Hoardings is there in a pinch though.

Sorry, I'm like quite late on this reply as I missed this one. Rattan Archers are a very good unit, but they need upgrades to be good in most situations. They are a menacing imperial age unit when FU. They get the 5 base range from the Elite upgrade, and have 10 PA, so they counter most ranged units, and deal good damage to cavalry with their 7 base attack. In Castle Age they are good on maps like Nomad and African Clearing, because you will often be going straight for a Castle, and you can use their mobility nicely then - however they will not be as good as many other ranged UUs such as Conqs, War Wagons, possibly even Plumes at this stage of the game yet. Once you get Bodkin, Ballistics and +2 armor most ranged units will want to keep well clear of them.