AoE2 HELP!›All civilizations›Bengalis

Bengalis

Civilization in Age of Empires 2

ElephantsNaval

49.3 %Win rate

BTier

3,118Games analysed

0.9 %Picked in

Ranked 1v1 on Arabia, current patch (since 23 September 2026), mirrors excluded. Source: aoe2companion. Updated weekly.

Overview

Elephant civ with a boom: every Town Center spawns 2 Villagers on each Age-up. Elephant units take -25% bonus damage and are harder to convert. Cavalry +2 attack vs. Skirmishers. Monks have +3/+3 armor, ships regenerate 15 HP per minute. The Ratha (unique unit) switches between ranged and melee and replaces Knights and Cavalry Archers, which they lack. Paiks: Rathas and Elephant units attack 20% faster. Mahayana: Villagers and Monks take 10% less population space. Team: Trade units generate +10% food in addition to gold.

Typical army

Feudal Age

Scout Cavalry

Skirmisher

Spearman

Castle Age

Elephant Archer

Ratha

Light Cavalry

Battle Elephant

Imperial Age

Elite Ratha

Elite Elephant Archer

Elite Battle Elephant

Siege Elephant

What to expect from the Bengalis

On open maps usually Scout Cavalry, often also Archers, plus Skirmishers and Spearmen – their cavalry has +2 attack vs. Skirmishers. On safe maps Fast Castle into a boom: every Town Center spawns 2 Villagers on Age-up, so with several Town Centers their economy grows very fast. In Castle Age come Elephant Archers and Rathas, plus Light Cavalry and Battle Elephants; with Paiks they attack 20% faster. In Imperial Age a tanky elephant army, Siege Elephants tear down buildings, and Mahayana frees population space for more army.

How to beat the Bengalis

Pressure early, before several Town Centers and the Age-up bonus grow their economy. Against their Scouts use Spearmen – Skirmishers alone lose to their cavalry. Elephant Archers and ranged Rathas lose to Skirmishers and Camel Riders; but Rathas switch to melee and hunt Skirmishers, so add Spearmen. Against elephants you need more Halberdiers and Camel Riders than usual because of -25% bonus damage, and Monks work worse. Elephants are slow: raid their economy and shoot Siege Onagers into tight groups. They lack Thumb Ring, Plate Mail Armor and Hussar.