Is Japanese good against Chinese?

Japanese wins 60.2% of 7,150 ranked games against Chinese (Japanese is favored).

How do I beat Chinese as Japanese?

Pressure early from 4:00 to 7:00 with Knights, Men-at-Arms or Archers Kill the Officials and villagers near the Academy Barbican after the Academy means 2 TC, hit the second TC (6:30)

When does Chinese attack?

5:00 — Feudal pressure with supervised production (5:00 to 8:00) · 6:30 — Song second TC around 6:30 · 10:00 — Song late-game economy or Fast Castle with siege

Japanese vs Chinese: how to win the matchup

Playing Japanese against Chinese, you win 60.2% of ranked 1v1 games (7,150 games). Here is how to beat Chinese, what they do and when.

Japanese is favoredJapanese guide Chinese guide Chinese vs Japanese

Win rate by rank

bronze
61.8%
764
silver
62.7%
1,067
gold
60%
2,989
platinum
59.1%
1,344
diamond
59.6%
491
conqueror
53.2%
327

How to beat Chinese

Pressure early from 4:00 to 7:00 with Knights, Men-at-Arms or Archers
Kill the Officials and villagers near the Academy
Barbican after the Academy means 2 TC, hit the second TC (6:30)
Clocktower or Imperial Palace means siege, kill it with cavalry or Springalds
Don't fight under the Barbican and the TC

Units that work against Chinese: Men-at-Arms · Knights · Crossbowmen · Cavalry · Springalds

When Chinese hits

5:00Feudal pressure with supervised production (5:00 to 8:00)
6:30Song second TC around 6:30
10:00Song late-game economy or Fast Castle with siege

Japanese strengths to lean on

Safe, strong economy: Kura makes free farms and the Daimyo boosts farms
Mounted Samurai are very strong in Castle
Yumi Ashigaru are cheap and fast, and Bannermen give a damage aura
The Shinobi scouts, sabotages and assassinates
Best win rate in this group

Japanese weaknesses Chinese can punish

Fast Castle leaves him with few units between 5:40 and 8:00
Deflective Armor got nerfed (15-second cooldown)
Weak against Macedonian Dynasty, Ayyubids and Golden Horde

Strongest Castle Age armies (simulator)

Japanese: Veteran Samurai + Veteran Spearman (0.8)
Chinese: Veteran Spearman + Veteran Zhuge Nu (0.91)

FAQ

Is Japanese good against Chinese?: Japanese wins 60.2% of 7,150 ranked games against Chinese (Japanese is favored).
How do I beat Chinese as Japanese?: Pressure early from 4:00 to 7:00 with Knights, Men-at-Arms or Archers Kill the Officials and villagers near the Academy Barbican after the Academy means 2 TC, hit the second TC (6:30)
When does Chinese attack?: 5:00 — Feudal pressure with supervised production (5:00 to 8:00) · 6:30 — Song second TC around 6:30 · 10:00 — Song late-game economy or Fast Castle with siege

Data from the open game data (aoe4world/data), patch 16.2.10884, public ranked statistics, and Layla Coach's battle simulator. Layla Coach is an independent tool, not affiliated with Microsoft, Relic Entertainment or World's Edge.