AoE2 HELP!›All civilizations›Varangians

Varangians

Civilization in Age of Empires 2

CavalryNaval

45.3 %Win rate

DTier

16,131Games analysed

4.5 %Picked in

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

Overview

Cavalry and naval civ: shepherding, fishing and hunting also generate gold. Bloodlines and Caravan effects +50%. Varangian Guards attack 25% faster and generate 50% more gold in combat. Longships and Catapult Galleons attack 15% faster. Jarl (unique unit from the Castle, 75 food and 55 gold): cavalry with a ranged melee attack (4 tiles, Elite 5), exceptionally strong against infantry. Plus Mounted Crossbowmen. Vendel Legacy: Knight line deals trample damage. Gothikon: Varangian Guards throw axes periodically. Team: Knight line +1 attack vs. infantry. New since patch 185872.

Typical army

Feudal Age

Scout Cavalry

Skirmisher

Spearman

Castle Age

Knight

Jarl

Varangian Guard

Elite Skirmisher

Imperial Age

Cavalier

Elite Jarl

Elite Varangian Guard

Heavy Mounted Crossbowman

What to expect from the Varangians

On open maps usually a Scout rush – their Scouts are tanky thanks to the boosted Bloodlines, and hunting yields extra gold – less often Barracks first with a Drush; on closed maps Fast Castle. In Castle Age Knights, often with Vendel Legacy, plus Jarls against infantry. Varangian Guards from the Barracks round out the army and generate gold in combat. Ranged support is mostly Skirmishers and Mounted Crossbowmen, hardly any Archers. The meta is still young; Hera has no build for them yet.

How to beat the Varangians

Spearmen and Camel Riders against Scouts and Knights; against Jarls with Knights, Camel Riders are the safest choice because Jarls shred Pikemen. The Militia line against Varangian Guards. Without Heresy their Jarls and Knights are vulnerable to Monks. They are weak in archer duels: no Arbalester, no Thumb Ring. Their gold bonus relies on sheep, hunting and fish, runs out early on land maps, and they lack Gold Shaft Mining: long games and gold raids help. They also lack Paladin, Champion, Siege Onager and gunpowder.