Khmer

The Khmer are an aggressive civilization built around one of the most powerful siege and Battle Elephant combinations in the game. Houses are not needed — allowing villagers to be trained without delay and sent directly to resources. Buildings do not require any other buildings as prerequisites. Battle Elephants move 10% faster, and their unique Ballista Elephant fires two bolts simultaneously. Unique tech Tusk Swords gives Battle Elephants +3 attack. Farms don't require Mills to be placed next to. Khmer are especially powerful in closed map settings where their lack of prerequisites enables creative building layouts and their overwhelming late-game siege and Battle Elephant composition is difficult to stop.