AoE3 DatabaseAoE3: DE 100.19.18309 · read from the game files · unofficial

Worked out · AoE3: DE 100.19.18309

Chinese builds

For the Chinese in AoE3: Definitive Edition 100.19.18309, the Fortress Age army that answers the most enemy units for the same resources is Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider: between them they beat 91% of the 119 regular units of all civilizations out by then (average edge ×2.23). Colonial rush (Colonial Age): Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider, 75%. Boom (Industrial Age): Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider, 91%. Treaty (Imperial Age): Arquebusier, Changdao Swordsman, Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider, 93%.

This section as JSON: /raw/builds.json

Quick answers (4)
What is the best Chinese army in AoE3?
Colonial Age: Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider (beats 75% of 77 units); Fortress Age: Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider (beats 91% of 119 units); Industrial Age: Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider (beats 91% of 123 units); Imperial Age: Arquebusier, Changdao Swordsman, Qiang Pikeman and Steppe Rider (beats 93% of 123 units) — base stats, AoE3: Definitive Edition 100.19.18309.
What beats the Chinese Fortress Age army?
Veteran Halberdier (its best answer, Qiang Pikeman, is at ×0.68), Jaguar Prowl Knight (its best answer, Arquebusier, is at ×0.85), Poruchik (its best answer, Qiang Pikeman, is at ×0.85), Tomahawk (its best answer, Qiang Pikeman and is at ×0.88).
Which cards should the Chinese send first?
For the fast fortress: Exotic Hardwoods, Food Silos, Cigar Roller and TEAM Yongle Infrastructure.
Which Chinese age-ups hand over the most?
to the Colonial Age: Confucian Academy (≈ 340 resources); to the Fortress Age: Summer Palace (≈ 800 resources).

Colonial rush · Colonial Age

Army

Beats 75% of the 77 regular units out by the Colonial Age (average edge ×1.87), training the right one of them against each.

Weak against

Age-ups

  1. IIConfucian Academy≈ 340

Cards to send, in order

  1. 1.IExotic HardwoodsEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  2. 2.IFood SilosEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  3. 3.II8 Chu Ko NusArmy · hands over ≈ 680 net
  4. 4.IIHire 10 Rattan ShieldsArmy · hands over ≈ 600 net
  5. 5.II7 Steppe RidersArmy · hands over ≈ 595 net
  6. 6.IIMongolian ScourgeUpgrade · helps Steppe Rider
  7. 7.IIStandard Army HitpointsUpgrade · helps Steppe Rider
The full deck (25 cards)
IExotic HardwoodsIFood SilosII8 Chu Ko NusIIHire 10 Rattan ShieldsII7 Steppe RidersIIMongolian ScourgeIIStandard Army HitpointsIVHire 26 Rattan ShieldsIV21 Chu Ko NusIV15 KeshiksIVEver Victorious ArmyIII10 KeshiksIII13 Chu Ko NusIIIIron Cap Princes' ArmyIII7 Hand MortarsIIIHire Manchurian Cavalry ArchersIII4 Iron FlailsII9 Qiang PikemenIIMandarin Duck SquadII1 Flamethrower + 1 Castle RickshawIITEAM Yongle InfrastructureIFulling MillsIFurrierISawmillsISumptuary Laws
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Fast Fortress · Fortress Age

Army

Beats 91% of the 119 regular units out by the Fortress Age (average edge ×2.23), training the right one of them against each.

Weak against

Age-ups

  1. IIConfucian Academy≈ 340
  2. IIISummer Palace≈ 800

Cards to send, in order

  1. 1.IExotic HardwoodsEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  2. 2.IFood SilosEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  3. 3.IICigar RollerEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  4. 4.IITEAM Yongle InfrastructureUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman
  5. 5.III10 KeshiksArmy · hands over ≈ 1,150 net
  6. 6.III13 Chu Ko NusArmy · hands over ≈ 1,105 net
  7. 7.IIIIron Cap Princes' ArmyArmy · hands over ≈ 1,020 net
  8. 8.IIIAcupunctureUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman, Steppe Rider
The full deck (25 cards)
IExotic HardwoodsIFood SilosIICigar RollerIITEAM Yongle InfrastructureIII10 KeshiksIII13 Chu Ko NusIIIIron Cap Princes' ArmyIIIAcupunctureIVHire 26 Rattan ShieldsIV21 Chu Ko NusIV15 KeshiksIVEver Victorious ArmyIV7 Iron FlailsIII7 Hand MortarsIIIHire Manchurian Cavalry ArchersIII4 Iron FlailsIII10 Changdao SwordsmenII8 Chu Ko NusIIHire 10 Rattan ShieldsII7 Steppe RidersII9 Qiang PikemenIIMandarin Duck SquadIFulling MillsIFurrierISawmills
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Boom · Industrial Age

Army

Beats 91% of the 123 regular units out by the Industrial Age (average edge ×2.27), training the right one of them against each.

Weak against

Age-ups

  1. IIConfucian Academy≈ 340
  2. IIISummer Palace≈ 800
  3. IVWhite Pagoda≈ 800

Cards to send, in order

  1. 1.IExotic HardwoodsEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  2. 2.IFood SilosEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  3. 3.IFulling MillsEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  4. 4.IICigar RollerEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  5. 5.IISilversmithEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  6. 6.IISpice TradeEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  7. 7.IIIRefrigerationEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  8. 8.IIIAcupunctureUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman, Steppe Rider
  9. 9.IVHire 26 Rattan ShieldsArmy · hands over ≈ 1,860 net
  10. 10.IV21 Chu Ko NusArmy · hands over ≈ 1,785 net
  11. 11.IVWestern ReformsUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Qiang Pikeman, Steppe Rider
The full deck (25 cards)
IExotic HardwoodsIFood SilosIFulling MillsIICigar RollerIISilversmithIISpice TradeIIIRefrigerationIIIAcupunctureIVHire 26 Rattan ShieldsIV21 Chu Ko NusIVWestern ReformsIVTown Rickshaw +5 VillagersIFurrierIIIRoyal MintISawmillsISumptuary LawsIISustainable AgricultureITea ExportIIITextile MillIV15 KeshiksIII10 KeshiksIII13 Chu Ko NusII8 Chu Ko NusIIHire 10 Rattan ShieldsII7 Steppe Riders
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Treaty · Imperial Age

Army

Beats 93% of the 123 regular units out by the Imperial Age (average edge ×2.28), training the right one of them against each.

Weak against

Age-ups

  1. IIConfucian Academy≈ 340
  2. IIISummer Palace≈ 800
  3. IVWhite Pagoda≈ 800
  4. VPorcelain Towera bonus

Cards to send, in order

  1. 1.IExotic HardwoodsEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  2. 2.IFood SilosEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  3. 3.IICigar RollerEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  4. 4.IITEAM Yongle InfrastructureUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Changdao Swordsman, Qiang Pikeman
  5. 5.IIIAcupunctureUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Changdao Swordsman, Qiang Pikeman, Steppe Rider
  6. 6.IIITerritorial Army CombatUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Changdao Swordsman
  7. 7.IIIRefrigerationEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  8. 8.IIIRoyal MintEconomy · gathering or trickle bonus
  9. 9.IVWestern ReformsUpgrade · helps Arquebusier, Changdao Swordsman, Qiang Pikeman, Steppe Rider
  10. 10.IVManchu CombatUpgrade · helps Changdao Swordsman, Qiang Pikeman
  11. 11.IVOld Dynasty ReformsUpgrade · helps Qiang Pikeman, Steppe Rider
The full deck (25 cards)
IExotic HardwoodsIFood SilosIICigar RollerIITEAM Yongle InfrastructureIIIAcupunctureIIITerritorial Army CombatIIIRefrigerationIIIRoyal MintIVWestern ReformsIVManchu CombatIVOld Dynasty ReformsIIMongolian ScourgeIIIRepelling VolleyIIStandard Army HitpointsIFulling MillsIFurrierISawmillsIISilversmithIISpice TradeIISustainable AgricultureIIITextile MillIIIDouble-Faced ArmorIVImproved BuildingsISumptuary LawsITea Export
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What to train against the most common units

The Chinese unit that does best for the same resources against each of the 12 units most civilizations have (any age).

Enemy unitTrainEdge
UhlanQiang Pikeman×1.96
CulverinChangdao Swordsman×4
FalconetSteppe Rider×3.22
Gatling GunIron Flail×4
Horse ArtillerySteppe Rider×3.46
HussarQiang Pikeman×2.17
DragoonQiang Pikeman×3.88
PikemanChangdao Swordsman×1.22
GrenadierSteppe Rider×2.9
MusketeerArquebusier×1.2
Carbine CavalryQiang Pikeman×3.57
CrossbowmanSteppe Rider×2.76
How this is worked out

Army: every mix of 2 (Colonial), 3 (Fortress, Industrial) or 4 (Treaty, Imperial) of the civ's own regular units out by that age is tried against every regular unit of every civilization out by then. Against each enemy the best unit of the mix counts, by its edge for the same resources (Lanchester's square law: strength = (resources ÷ cost)² × damage per second × hit points; edge = √ of the strength ratio, held between ×¼ and ×4). The mix with the highest geometric mean of those edges wins; "beats" = the share of enemy units where that edge is above ×1.

Age-ups: on the way, the choice that hands over the most (shipped units at their train cost, livestock and crates at what they hold, resources). Cards: economy first (villagers, crates, livestock, gathering and trickle bonuses), then the shipments of fighting units worth the most net of their price, then cards that raise hit points, damage, resists, range or speed of the army's units or cut their cost or train time. The Treaty plan keeps only cards that last (upgrades, gathering and trickle bonuses, building improvements), no one-off shipments. The deck adds more of the same by value, spread over the ages by the plan (an early plan keeps more early cards), at most 10 per age, 25 cards.

Not modelled: upgrades, civilization bonuses, range and speed (kiting), area damage beyond one target, abilities, maps, timing and the economy behind it. These plans are what the game's numbers favour, not build orders from top players.

Chinese: bonuses, units and every cardChinese deck builder← All civilizations' builds