Me: number one is the fra... Sotl: the Aztecs Me: exc... What? Sotl: haha, gotem.

Everyone’s first trauma and strategy.

I mean you have to admit that the Aztecs would have one major advantage doing a knight rush: Nobody would ever expect it.

"It's really knight and day" I see what you did there

Reasons why I am here: 1. "Hey guys, Spirit of the Law here..." 2. The music for the #1 spot in any top 5 or top 10 list. 3. Elephant facts SPIRIT GIVE ME MORE ELEPHANT FACTS GOSH DANGIT

Not gonna lie, I fell for the Aztecs joke. If he had continued on, I wouldn't have suspected anything.

1:37 that farmer from above, working with all the style, doing moonwalks and whatnot.

Top 10 crossbowmen civs next!

Dude.. Spirit of The Law is the best. Loved when Hera called him a "nerd" LOL

He got me there with those Xolotl Warriors 😂

How many math jokes can you make? Sotl: Yes.

"If you asked 150 people to rank the top 5, you'd probably end up with 150 different lists..." Me, a nerd: Um, actually, there are only 120 wa--- "...which is impressive, considering there are only 120 ways you can arrange them." This is why I love this channel XD

I feel like Magyars are really underrated here, especially like you said if you're taking into account scout rush. You can get another scout out for cheaper with their bonus, and vill kills are a lot easier in Feudal with the free attack, especially when getting just one or two vills kills can win you the game. The continued free attack and eventual paladin makes me feel like it checks more boxes than at least Slavs and Bulgarians.

9:35 They're really KNIGHT and day. I see what you did there

Love how the lady at 8:20 casually walks to her field to sow some seeds.

The Aztecs joke was awesome xD

I'm gonna put a comment complainig about the lack of intro music until you bring it back. Best intro ever

Disagree with Hun on #2. 20% Faster working stables is actually a really modest bonus, as other civs can just make more stables. The housing bonus safes wood, but that's about it. Teutons with wood safed on farms AND free extra armor is clearly more useful. Also would pick Persians and Berbers over Huns for a typical knight rush.

Knight rush Goths: what's with all these flies on my windshield?

I didn't even consider it until watching this video, but I guess the Huns team bonus would stack with Chivalry, making for some insane Paladin production. On a 4v4, I could see having Huns and Franks be a powerful pocket combo, in all stages of the game.

Chivalry is really useful when researching cavalier and paladin, as those techs are slow

I can't believe that Persians beat Spanish in this category. I mean, Persians don't even get bracer!

I have no idea how to play age but these videos are so therapeutic

One day we will make a top 10 list Spainbros... maybe in a top 10 civilization with conquistadors.

"Franks are #1 and super specialized to knights." Me: *Laughs in Throwing Axe death sphere*

Me: Lithuanians of course Spirit of the law: Franks are the best Me: REEEEEEEEEE I HAVE BEEN PLAYING WRONG MY WHOLE LIFE Spirit of the law: "its really knight and day"

Couldn't fully understand why you took "Being able to upgrade to Paladin" as a factor for the "Knight Rush" civ list, but besides, as usual, great work!

You got me with that fake out at #1. My jaw was open that you didn't even have Franks on the list. Well done sir 👏

My boys the Xolotl Warriors win in our hearts

I've found the Cumans to be the second best. The cavalry speed means you can micro way better and the extra Feudal TC means you can be 15 vills ahead by the time you reach castle age allowing you to produce from 3 stables nonstop

Hey Spirit ! Awesome video as always. Pretty please do the same thing for other "standard" rushes (archer rush, tower rush, etc) !

very nice overview. thanks

Hey Spirit Of The Law, Guys Here.

Damn you really got me there by saying Aztec. Took me a while to realize they do not get stable at all. Damn

I find it weird to include the paladin potential in the evaluation. I always thought that the goal of a knight rush was to beat your opponent into submission as early as possible in castle age.

The community is blessed to have you :)

There will be 150 different answers even when there are only 120 ways to order 5 things, LMAO. I appreciate the joke chief! Keep the great content, As always is a joy to watch your videos!

Combinatorial jokes are my jam. That 120-150 joke didn’t slide by me bro, keep it up

Another great vid

I feel like sometimes you don't mention, in cases like for the Huns, that not having to build houses means villagers spend less time not gathering resources.

My Top 5: 1. Franks 2. Franks with Scout Opening 3. Franks with Castle first 4: Franks with Knights and Siege 5. Franks with Archer opening for some reason

All content from you is manna from heaven. Wondering if you could do a best 'jack of all trades' civs video? It'd likely include your fave, the Japanese, but who else? Saracens? Malians? Bulgarians? Would love to hear your thoughts.

I saw the video title, I knew Aztec joke was going to be there. :D well made!

You had me going there with your #1 pick! Lol

Haha it’s really KNIGHT and day , good one. Also thanks for the content , just got back Into playing AOE2 and need all the help I can get

Surprised Tatars weren't mentioned, that sheep bonus can lead to some great rushes, though it usually leads to Xbows rather than knights.

"the Vikings were a bit to scandalous of a choice for the list". Honestly it is still a pretty scandalous honorable mention, although I do appreciate some controversy and not sticking to the obvious ones

I think Magyars are underrated

I love these videos! I think it would be really interesting to rank the civilizations that the AI plays best.

the 120 ways to order 5 things but still 150 diferent answers joke was great :D

i agree sotl got us in the first half with those Aztec

Can you make an educational/facts series like you do for AoE2 but for Age of Mythology ? it would be really nice to see age of mythology videos from you

Was waiting the entire video for the franks plus the number one music. Funny how music gets associated like that

really man u got me this time too with #1 first in archer civ video and here 😂

ahahahaha I was totally surprised when I saw the Aztecs and I didn't even remember the Franks weren't on the list yet

That 5! joke made me smile. :)

Ok, you got me with the first one, gonna admit.

really had me there

you should have seen my face when you said Aztecs (I was expecting franks since I played the video) can you please make a video of Franks vs history too? I really enjoy your videos bro, thank you

Everyone knows that Indians are the best knight rush civ. DUH!

I would like to see an analysis of the new magically appearing tatar sheep bonus. I was able to get to the castle age without a single farm in a 4v4 arena game.

5:17 that is actually impressive!! ΛΟΛ

On paper, yes. In practice... as a low ELO player... I find knight rush works weirdly better when it isn't expected. Play as Franks and they'll be lining up pikemen.

Don't know if you do video requests but i'd love to see a deep dive cost efficacy and usefulness analysis like you did for Hancannoneers done on War Wagons. I remember doing it on a low level myself back in HD and not being impressed with the short list of things they did well against. But DE changed up the cost and it was a fairly quick and dirty analysis by a not pro, would love to hear some thoughts from someone like yourself.

Oh man i love that about you Xolotls are simply the best :-*

that last pun really got me lmao

You almost had me on the last one. And then I thought "nah, he Just kidding again"

This may sound dumb but I unironically consider that Indians deserve an honorable mention here.

The ability of the Franks to knight rush is knight and day compared to other civs.

Great vid Sotl!! keep it up. But i was wondering, this is a video about Knight Rush. I don't really get the fact that you consider late game / later techs for this. For me a Knight Rush is to get the early advantage due to the attacking / raids happening by your early castle age knights. Later you 'switch into full knights' at least for me. If u keep going kts, you dont call it a rush anymore. So fully upgrades kts or later techs like Stirrups or iron casting ( even forging in some cases) are not that common in a rush. Most of the time in a rush you only have the rescourses for the Defence upgrades and production if you dont want to cut on villagers. Having said this I would say that Magyars (and Lithuanians) should be at least top 5. Due to the extra attack in early castle age, it makes a lot of diffrence. But this is my opinion / thoughtprocess. Apart of that this is a great video with a lot of good arguments!

> Knight Rush civilizations > Lists civs based on their Late Castle Age performance Ok then

Can't wait to try Franks toknight

My ptsd is archer rush so I'm gonna need you to give me that catharsis next

9:36 B+ pun, well done.

Hey Spirit of the Law, Guys Here!

9:35 That was a sneaky one :D

>Aztecs Damn, you really got me there. For a moment I was ready to believe that the Aztecs really do have the best knight rush by stealing other peoples' stables to shut down their knight rushes

Will you ever go back to hd? Also i love your intro song

I usually hear the videos without looking at the actual footage... When you mentioned aztecs, you had my whole attention. XD good joke

Nice list. I almost had the podium. What do you think of Portuguese instead of Slavs ?

Teutons in a Top 10 about Knights? 2020 is a strange year...

*Be watching and planning on making a snarky comment on Aztec #1 slot* Dammit, Spirit!

9:37 Hello, Spirit of the Pun here

Top 10 huskarls civs next!

Franks as number 1, many can agree on this. Huns missing home is a big deal..it's hard to quantify but homes can act as a quickwall, wall, pseudo outpost which really is critical in tight games. A bonus that is double-edged. Lith. should be number 2. The rest is up to discussion but teutons missing husbandry does make it much more susceptible to hard counters as they can't hit and run as well. I think a civ that should be in top 5 not mentioned is Malians. Solid econ, and of course FU Farimba cavaliers are no joke.

I had a feeling an American civ joke was coming... I was not disappointed.

while u can read this: Japanese tech: Kataparuto is just how u say 'Catapult' in japanese accent!!

Please do top naval civs

@ 1:46 It is 100% possible to hit an absurd uptime as Khmer. I for one, can hit a 12:20 castle age with standard resources. If I can pump out one or two more villagers to secure a bit of food income I can still hit castle age with the fastest knights in Age.

I thought I'd see saracens in this list. The market abuse really helps to push the limits of early all in 1TC mass knights

I really think DE should make the Aztec/Mayan/Inca unique techs that affect Eagle Warriers also affect the xolotl warrier. So Aztec Xolotl gets +4 attack from Garland Wars, Mayans get +40 HP from El Dorado (maybe double it to +80 for xolotl to make up for no bloodlines and balanced with incan armor bonus), and Inca get +1/+2P from Fabric Shields Also give them hidden cav upgrades (could be a little armor, HP to make up for no bloodlines, etc.) either with Imperial age or with the eagle warrier upgrades

You should do a comparison between Boyars & Paladins

The Réti opening is actually the fastest knight rush. I think it should be taken into account.

We got two number ones in one vid

I was going to say Aztecs anyway because of the surprise factor. Similar to the Spanish archer rush, no one will expect it, therefore it will be effective! (Heh)

Knight rush is so good that I do it even with infantry civs like Celts and Goths. No one expects knight rush from Goth player.

To be honest I would rank Cumans much higher, they get freed speed upgrades (fastest cav in the game). The free husbandry by Castle age could make them dodge arrowfire better, people don't usually prioritise husbandry even when available. They have stronger palisade walls, that extra HP can allow that critical few seconds to reinforce an attacked area, same goes for quickwalling villagers, the armour of unbuilt walls has been removed so extra total % = more HP built per villager hit I'm sure, this could save some villagers dying before getting to the stage of making the knights. There might also be a build where the 2nd feudal tc can be optimised, so decent eco overall.

Does the Huns team bonus stack with Chivalry from Franks ?? Great video btw

well i think the portuguese civ is my best for the knight rush and cost effective cavalier in early imp plus even the tech research reduction

Here's an idea for a video. Who has better late game two-handed swordsmen. Malay or Bulgarians. Obviously 1 on 1 Bulgarians win. But does the 5 extra melee armor and free upgrades make up the difference after the Malay have researched forced levy, and who spends the least amount of resources in the end? Plus who has better support for their two-handed swordsmen?