With Torguuds and Keshiks on the field, Byzantine horsemen cannot effectively deal with Golden Horde archers.

You have to actually scout the Golden Tent itself to know that an age-up is underway. At the same time, the economy for the Golden Horde stays completely intact after pressing that button. No villagers are used for the age up.

Torguuds have eight ranged armor, so they can stay under a Town Center or outpost indefinitely.

Golden Horde finishes around 4:30, 4:40 depending on the opening. And ultimately, what that leads to is that Byzantines can even go up to three on stone, and they're going to be more than happy to just set up all the cisterns on all of the berries.

Golden Horde is so susceptible to dark age aggression that even Byzantines, who don't have the strongest dark age, can punish them. Limitanei are stronger spears, and the Cistern economy helps.