[Snikhop]

I take the point but I think you’re stretching it a bit, there’s no way those bonuses amount to one of the best *in the game*. It’s maybe marginally above average compared to civs with zero relevant early game bonuses at all but even among those without eco bonuses (Magyars, Byz) there are still equally compelling reasons to go for them, Byz with towers and Magyars with forging etc.

The broad point about not getting strategic tunnel vision with certain civs is fair, and making a barracks is completely reasonable with Khmer as you never know when you’re going to need it (and you don’t want to have to rush one up). It’s conservative play and that’s fine. I think there’s value in reminding people that all civs can benefit from diverse openings in the right situation, but no need to over-egg it in terms of how effective it will be.

[kokandevatten]

I agree. Khmer has one of the best men at arms openings, only britons, bohemians, burmese, celts, dravidians, franks, gurjaras, japanese, vikings, teutons, aztecs, mayans, incas, huns, hindustanis, vietnamese, burgundians, saracens, ethiopians, bengalis, goths, portuguese, italians, bulgarians (although they lack the crossbow), slavs, malians, mongols, lithuanians, poles, cumans and persians have better men at arms openings with faster uptimes.

[jeowaypoint]

I wouldn’t say Khmer to have one of the best MaA openers, there’s simply so many others that have specific bonuses for them. Burmese, Japanese, Mayans, Aztecs, Franks, Chinese, Magyars, Huns are some I would rather play MaA(-range) with, to name some.

It’s still good for sure, but Khmer are one of the few civs I like to go more or less straight to 2range archers if I want to go xbows in the matchup (with 19-20pop uptime to def any pesky MaA), since the farming speed punishes castle uptime less than with others, and 2 range +fletching archer mass doesn’t really lose to scouts per se, it forces fast walls or a range+skirms. And similarly as with Cumans, a longer feudal play with scouts addition in the circumstances it’s good works for Khmer favor too, given the food eco bonus starts in feudal.

[wappla]

Your thesis doesn’t stand up to the most basic empirical tests.

MAA is by far Khmer’s worst performing opening: [https://www.aoepulse.com/advanced?id=f0ccc828-bb54-47f6-8128-3c0d8289dea5](https://www.aoepulse.com/advanced?id=f0ccc828-bb54-47f6-8128-3c0d8289dea5)

Khmer MAA ranks terribly among all MAA openings (bottom 20th percentile): [https://www.aoepulse.com/advanced?id=ee8dffbc-37ac-4e2e-869e-7027b1f414cb](https://www.aoepulse.com/advanced?id=ee8dffbc-37ac-4e2e-869e-7027b1f414cb)

Opening Khmer MAA is like an 10% winrate swing compared to their other openings, which is the difference between a top 10 civ and a bottom 10 civ.

Also, MAA does not remotely counter scouts: [https://www.aoepulse.com/opening_matchups?min_elo=1600&include_ladder_ids=3&include_map_ids=9&include_patch_ids=73855,71094,66692&include_opening_ids=2,3&](https://www.aoepulse.com/opening_matchups?min_elo=1600&include_ladder_ids=3&include_map_ids=9&include_patch_ids=73855,71094,66692&include_opening_ids=2,3&)

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Seems like you’re overthinking this one. In reality, voluntarily forgoing a civ bonus just makes a civ worse, and it’s kinda just that simple.

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