This post borrows heavily from this article (posted 10 years ago): (under-16-30-with-pop-30)-and-KNIGHT-RUSH
It is not exactly a finishing rush it is more of a slowing/halting rush. This strategy is extremely effective against booming opponents, and can certainly slow them down long enough for you to build up your own forces and gain an upper hand in the game. It basically involves sending a small fleet of knights to your enemy’s base before 20 minutes, and attacking his villagers.
The Knight Rush in AoE 2 is one of the most common and most effective early rushing strategies.
