Long Swordsman (Age of Empires II)

"Stronger than Man-at-Arms. Cheap and quick to create."

- Age of Empires II description

The Long Swordsman is an infantry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Barracks once the Castle Age is reached.

Overview and Tactics
Like all members of the Militia line, the Long Swordsman's main advantage does not lie in individual strength but their ease of creation and general cheapness in terms of creation cost.

Long Swordsmen are the basic infantry units in the Castle Age. They are moderately strong, being able to defeat all standard Castle Age units but the Knight and Cavalry Archer in one on one combat. Like all basic infantry, Long Swordsmen also have an attack bonus versus buildings, making them excellent raiders. They are weak against almost all archers, heavy cavalry, and Mangonels (if they are unable to close the distance), but good against Pikemen, Light Cavalry, Camels, Skirmishers, Eagle Warriors, and Rams.

Civilization Bonuses

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

Team Bonuses

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

The Age of Kings

 * Long Swordsmen have 55 HP.
 * Long Swordsmen have +2 attack against buildings.
 * Long Swordsmen have 0 pierce armor.
 * Goths: Long Swordsmen are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.

The Conquerors

 * Long Swordsmen have +4 attack against Eagle Warriors.
 * Long Swordsmen now have 1 pierce armor.
 * Heresy introduced.
 * Goths: With patch 1.0c, Long Swordsmen are 35% cheaper. Perfusion introduced.

The Forgotten

 * Long Swordsmen now have 60 HP.
 * Long Swordsmen now have +3 attack against buildings.
 * Long Swordsmen now have +6 attack against Eagle Warriors.

The African Kingdoms

 * Arson introduced.
 * With patch 4.8, Chieftains now affects Long Swordsmen.

Trivia

 * The Long Swordsman is one of only four upgraded forms of military units (the other three being the Man-at-Arms, the War Galley, and the Capped Ram) to be available to all civilizations.
 * The Militia line is the only unit line in the game with more than three stages.
 * The Malay is the only civilization to have the Militia line (except the Champion) as trash unit (once the Forced Levy is researched).
 * Despite being called 'Long Swordsman', the Long Swordsman does not use a Longsword, as a Longsword in reality is a two-handed sword, not one handed (the type of sword the Two-Handed Swordsman and Champion use in game). The type of sword the 'Long Swordsman' actually appears to be using is an Arming Sword, which was the typical one handed, double edged, medieval sword.

History
"The weapon of choice for noble warriors was the long sword. Being skilled with a sword was a social distinction because good swords were expensive and difficult to make. Men-at-arms of lower classes trained with shorter and less expensive weapons. Long swords were reserved for the nobility. The ceremony of becoming a knight involved being dubbed with a long sword by the new knight's lord."