Feudal Age

The Feudal Age is the second Age in Age of Empires II. It allows the training and building of more units and buildings, respectively, than the Dark Age, as well as more technologies to research. The players now have access to a spectrum of infantry, cavalry, archer, and naval units and effective defensive structures. The Feudal Age is followed by the Castle Age.

Note: The list below only shows the units, buildings, and technologies that are activated when a player advances to the Feudal Age. If you wish to see the units, buildings, and technologies that are available from the Dark Age, see Dark Age.

Requirements
The Age advancement from the Dark Age to the Feudal Age requires: The Age advancement from the Feudal Age to the Castle Age requires:
 * 500 food
 * Any combination of two different Dark Age buildings: Barracks, Dock, Mill, Mining Camp, Lumber Camp
 * 130 seconds of research at the Town Center
 * 800 food, 200 gold
 * Any combination of two different Feudal Age buildings: Market, Blacksmith, Archery Range, Stable
 * 160 seconds of research at the Town Center

Civilian Buildings

 * Blacksmith - building to research military upgrades
 * Fish Trap - water food source
 * Market - building for trade

Military Buildings

 * Archery Range - trains and upgrades archers
 * Stable - trains and upgrades cavalry

Defensive Structures

 * Watch Tower - defensive Tower that attacks enemies on sight
 * Gate - integrated into walls, allows allies to pass
 * Stone Wall - protects an area from enemy attacks

Civilian Units
At the Dock
 * Trade Cog - water trade unit

At the Market
 * Trade Cart - land trade unit

Military Units
At the Barracks
 * Man-at-Arms - swordsman unit
 * Spearman - anti-cavalry unit
 * Eagle Scout1 - scouting unit
 * 1) The Eagle Scout is only available to the Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans.

At the Archery Range
 * Archer - archer unit
 * Skirmisher - anti-archer javelineer

At the Stable
 * Scout Cavalry - mounted scouting unit

At the Dock
 * Galley - basic war ship
 * Demolition Raft - self-destructive vessel
 * Fire Galley - war ship with a flamethrower

Economic Technologies
At the Town Center
 * Town Watch - increases building LOS
 * Wheelbarrow - makes Villagers more effective

At the Mill
 * Horse Collar - gives Farms extra food

At the Lumber Camp
 * Double-Bit Axe - increases wood-chopping speed

At the Mining Camp
 * Stone Mining - increases stone-mining speed
 * Gold Mining - increases gold-mining speed

At the Market
 * Cartography - see ally LOS
 * Coinage - decreases tribute fee

Military Technologies
At the Barracks
 * Tracking - improves infantry LOS

At the Stable
 * Bloodlines - increases mounted unit HP

At the Blacksmith
 * Scale Mail Armor - increases infantry armor
 * Fletching - improves missiles
 * Padded Archer Armor - increases archer armor
 * Forging - increases infantry and cavalry attack
 * Scale Barding Armor - increases cavalry armor

Civilization Bonuses

 * Ethiopians: Receive 100 food and 100 gold when advancing to Feudal Age.
 * Italians: Advancing to the Feudal Age is 10% cheaper.

History
"The Frankish Empire assembled by Charlemagne in the ninth century can be considered the end of the Dark Age in Europe and the beginning of the Feudal Age. Barbarian tribal groups that overran much of Western Europe were giving way to better-organized regional powers. The church in Rome was providing a unifying social fabric. Charlemagne attempted to revive learning and encouraged a new interest in the arts. His empire fractured after his death, however, and new waves of barbarians undid much of his work. Political and economic power shifted away from kings to local lords who ruled within a shifting hierarchy of vassalage. The common people worked the land to support the hierarchy of nobles and churchmen above them."

- Age of Empires II manual