Spearman (Age of Empires II)

"Medium infantry."

- Age of Empires II description

The Spearman is an infantry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Barracks once the Feudal Age is reached. They are a good early cavalry-counter, but are weak against virtually everything else. If not upgraded, a Spearman is one of only two military units (the other one being the Skirmisher) to lose outright to a Villager with Loom. Since no gold is required to train them, Spearmen are considered "trash units".

Tactics
Spearmen are very cheap and massed easily, allowing them to overwhelm enemy cavalry. They are useful in preventing early Scout Cavalry charges, but against Castle Age cavalry such as Knights or Cavalry Archers they should be upgraded to the more effective Pikeman. Players use this unit to defend themselves from cavalry raidings for the most part.

Civilization Bonuses

 * Aztecs: Spearmen are created 15% faster.
 * Burmese: Spearmen have +1/+2/+3 attack in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
 * Byzantines: Spearmen are 25% cheaper.
 * Celts: Spearmen move 15% faster. Spearmen can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
 * Chinese: Technologies that benefit Spearmen are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Ethiopians: The Pikeman upgrade is free.
 * Goths: Spearmen are cheaper and have +1 attack against buildings. With Perfusion researched, researching Tracking, Squires, and Arson and upgrading to Pikeman is 100% faster.
 * Japanese: Spearmen attack faster.
 * Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
 * Malians: Spearmen have +1/+2/+3 pierce armor in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Slavs: Tracking is free.
 * Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Spearmen don't cost gold.
 * Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
 * Vikings: Spearmen have 10%/15%/20% more hit points in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

Team Bonuses

 * A team containing Berbers: With Kasbah researched, researching Conscription is 25% faster.
 * A team containing Goths: Spearmen are created and upgraded 20% faster. Researching Tracking, Squires, and Arson is 20% faster.
 * A team containing Teutons: Spearmen are more resistant to conversion.

The Age of Kings

 * Goths: Spearmen are 10%/15%/25% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

The Conquerors

 * Speamen gain +7 attack against Camels and ships.
 * Heresy introduced.
 * Goths: With patch 1.0c, Spearmen are 35% cheaper. Perfusion introduced.

The Forgotten

 * Speamen now have +9 attack against Camels and ships.

The African Kingdoms

 * Arson introduced.
 * With patch 4.8, Chieftains now affects Spearmen.

Trivia

 * The Spearman line units are the cheapest of all military units, tied with the Skirmisher, costing only 60 resources and no gold.
 * The Spearman line units are the only trash units and also only common infantry units that don't have any base pierce armor.
 * Spearmen deal bonus damage against the cheat unit Saboteur (since The Conquerors) because it is in the same unit class as ships.
 * Spearmen and Pikemen use the same attack animation as Villagers' in the Iron Age in Age of Empires.

History
"The medium infantry of medieval armies were often spearmen wearing half-armor, usually a helmet and armor on the upper body. As the Middle Ages advanced, the role of the spearman became more important. Armies learned to employ large formations of spearmen as a counter to heavy cavalry attacks because horses would not charge home against a bristling wall of spear points. Spearmen were most effective when emulating the ancient Greek phalanx, a dense box of men that could extend several spear points in a chosen direction. As towns grew in importance toward the end of the period, they fielded large contingents of trained spearmen. These were very effective in battle for the cost of their equipment and training. Spearmen were originally deployed in a defensive posture, but the best of the spearman armies, such as the Swiss, Scots, and Flemish, learned to maneuver and take the offensive."

- Age of Empires II manual