Paladin

The Paladins are some of the strongest cavalry units in Age of Empires II. However, they are only available to Byzantines, Celts, Franks, Huns, Magyars, Persians, Spanish and Teutons. Like most other cavalry, Paladins are very agile, though they cannot match the speed of Light Cavalry and Hussars. They are effective for wiping out almost any unit in the game; however, they are susceptible to the weaknesses of all cavalry units, and should be used carefully to avoid mass death.

Information
"The ultimate fighting force were paladins, the cream of the cavalier class. Paladins were champions for their lords and their orders of knighthood. These men were of the highest social class and elite warriors. They often made up the personal bodyguard of a great king and were sworn to protect his life with their own."

Statistics
Upgrades: Forging, Iron Casting, Blast Furnace, Scale Barding Armor, Chain Barding Armor, Plate Barding Armor, Bloodlines, Husbandry, Conscription, Faith, Heresy, Herbal Medicine

Weaknesses: Spearman, Pikeman, Halberdier, Camel, Heavy Camel, Mameluke

Tactics
Paladins are one of the strongest and most cost-effective units, and a full team of forty can easily destroy any ill-prepared town or army. In one on one combat, Paladins can slay Pikemen and Camels, though larger numbers of Pikemen, Camels, and even precariously perched Onagers and Scorpions can easily make mincemeat out of them. Monks are also an issue, as they can convert hostile Paladins easily even with the Faith technology researched. However, if used against ordinary infantry, archers, and unsuspecting towns, Paladins dominate the field. Due to their significant presence on a battlefield, Paladins should be used with caution as one flaw in the implementation of these units could prove costly.

Civilizations bonuses

 * A team containing Huns: Produce Paladins 20% faster.
 * A team containing Teutons: Paladins are more resistant to conversion.
 * A team containing Franks: Paladins +2 LOS.
 * A team containing Persians: Paladins +2 Attack vs archers.
 * Celts herdables cannot be stolen within an Paladin's Line of Sight.
 * Spanish Blacksmith upgrades for Paladins don't cost gold.
 * Franks: Paladins have 20% more HP.

The Forgotten Changes

 * Franks Castle age unique technology Chivalry allows to produce Paladins 40% faster.
 * Magyars get Forging, Iron Casting and Blast Furnace for free that upgrades the attack for Paladins.

History
The Paladins, sometimes known as the Twelve Peers, were the greatest warriors of Charlemagne's court. They first appear in songs such as chansons de geste and The Song of Roland, in which they were venerated as the epitomes of chivalry, representing Christian valor against the Saracen armies. The paladins and their lore are mostly fictional, but it is know that Roland, Charlemagne's best knight, was a paladin.

Trivia

 * The Paladin's upgrade cost, at 1,300 food and 750 gold, is the fourth most food demanding in the game (Only War Elephants, Onagers and Cataphracts need more).
 * However if the cost of upgrading Knights to Paladins is considered, at 1,600 food and 1,050 gold, only Mangonels and War Elephants are more expensive to upgrade.
 * The Paladin has a slower attacking speed (1.9) compared to its predecessors (1.8) for balancing purposes.