House (Age of Empires II)


 * For the Age of Empires variant, see House (Age of Empires).
 * For the Age of Empires III variant, see House (Age of Empires III).
 * For the Age of Mythology variant, see House (Age of Mythology).

The House is a building in Age of Empires II first available in the Dark Age. Every House increases the population capacity by +5 (+10 for the Incas). If a House is destroyed, the provided population capacity is lost (with the exception of the Mongols). Huns cannot build Houses and can ignore the population limit. It is also the only structure that can be rotated in Scenario Editor.

Tactics and Placement
Apart from walls, the House is the cheapest building in the game. Its only purpose is to increase population capacity. In the Dark Age the House is the first building a player should create (unless they are playing as Huns or Chinese). It is recommendable to create at least four houses before advancing to the Feudal Age.

As this building is cheap and created fast, it is used in many circumstances as a wall replacement with the plus of support population.

Civilizations Bonuses

 * Byzantines: Houses have 10%/20%/30%/40% more HP in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Town Watch is free.
 * Chinese: Technologies that benefit Houses are 10%/15/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Huns: Do not need to build Houses.
 * Incas: Houses provide 10 population.
 * Malians: Houses cost 15% less wood.
 * Spanish: Houses are built 30% faster.

The Forgotten Changes

 * Houses now cost 25 wood.

History
"During the Middle Ages in Europe, peasants often kept farm animals in a separate room or on the ground floor of their houses. Merchants and craftsmen also used ground floors as a place of business with living areas above. Lords lived in larger manor houses with kitchens separated to reduce the risk of fire. The homes of lords in the Dark Ages were fortified before the advent of castles."

- Age of Empires II manual