Civilization Match-up Discussion Round 9 Week 9: Burmese vs Koreans

Oh boy... two real popular civs here lol

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Hello and welcome back for another Age of Empires 2 civilization match up discussion! This is a series where we discuss the various advantages, disadvantages, and quirks found within the numerous match ups of the game. The goal is to collectively gain a deeper understanding of how two civilizations interact with each other in a variety of different settings. Feel free to ask questions, pose strategies, or provide insight on how the two civilizations in question interact with each other on any map type and game mode. This is not limited to 1v1 either. Feel free to discuss how the civilizations compare in team games as well! So long as you are talking about how the two civilizations interact, anything is fair game! Last week we discussed the Cumans vs Vikings, and next up is the Burmese vs Koreans!

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Burmese: Monk and Elephant civilization

• Lumber Camp upgrades free
• Infantry +1 attack per Age, starting in Feudal Age
• Monastery techs cost -50%
• TEAM BONUS: Relic spawn locations visible on map
• Unique Unit: Arambai (Dart-throwing cavalry with incredibly powerful, but inaccurate, attack)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Howdah (Battle Elephants +1/+1 armor)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Manipur Cavalry (Cavalry and Arambai +6 attack vs buildings)

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Koreans: Defensive and Naval civilization

• Villagers +3 LoS
• Stone Miners work +20% faster
• Tower upgrades free (BBT requires Chemistry)
• Arrow-firing towers +1/2 range in Castle/Imperial Age
• Military units (including warships but not siege) cost -15% wood
• TEAM BONUS: Mangonels have reducded minimum range
• Unique Unit: War Wagon (Powerful, expensive, tanky cav archer)
• Unique Unit: Turtle Ship (Extremely slow, powerful, ironclad cannon ship)
• Castle Age Unique Tech: Panokseon (Turtle Ships move +15% faster)
• Imperial Age Unique Tech: Shinkichon (Mangonels +1 range)

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Below are some match up-specific talking points to get you all started. These are just to give people ideas, you do not need to address them specifically if you do not want to!

• Now with favorite maps looming, we can more confidently test these match ups! For 1v1 Arabia or Acropolis, neither of these civs are powerhouses. Koreans are a little too slow and clunky, and Burmese have an awful set of archer options. However, that is not to say these civs cannot do powerful things. Koreans themselves have an awesome toolkit of ranged options, while Burmese do pretty much everything other than archers very well. Who do you favor on open maps?
• On your more closed maps like Arena, Hideout, and BF, both of these civs tend to shine more. Arambai can be a deadly tool here in both 1v1 and team games, whereas Koreans will grind down almost every other civ in the game if they don't have to move much. How does this match up look when players are given a bit of space with which to work?
• For team games, Koreans strike me as a pretty solid flank civ on most maps - if not quite top tier. Their archers are very good, and they have the siege, halbs, and BBTs to accompany their War Wagons in late game. Burmese are a bit trickier. They aren't really much of a flank civ, but it feels somewhat awkward to play them as pocket... kind of like a worse Khmer... What role do you see these civs playing in tgs?

Thanks as always for participating! Next week we will continue our discussions with the Ethiopians vs Mayans. Hope to see you there! :)

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Previous discussions: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3