Pikeman (Age of Empires II)


 * For the related Age of Empires III unit, see Pikeman (Age of Empires III).

A Pikeman is an upgraded version of a Spearman and is used as an anti-cavalry unit. They are made at the Barracks, and is a trash unit, which means that it cost no gold, making them an excellent choice if the player is thin on gold. The Pikeman are not very good against non-cavalry units, but they make up for this by being inexpensive and therefore easy to mass-produce. They can be upgraded to Halberdier in the Imperial Age.

Pikemen are available to all civilizations except the Turks.

Tactics
The Pikeman is incredible against Cavalry, doing up to 26 points of damage to Knights and 29 to War Elephants. However they will lose to War Elephants and Paladins in one on one combat due to their low hitpoints. As such they are much more effective in groups. In addition to cavalry they are decent at combating enemy Skirmishers, even though skirmishers do bonus damage to them. Also, their speed is notable when fighting cavalry. Pikemen must be used when attacking a player who is basing its army on cavalry units or when defending against Cavalry Raids. They make an excellent complement for siege weapons so pairing them with the siege will prevent attacks from enemy melee cavalry units to the siege units.

Civilizations bonuses

 * Aztecs: Pikemen are produced +15% faster. Garland Wars Imperial age unique technology gives +4 attack.
 * Celts Pikemen move 15% faster. Herdables cannot be stolen within a unit's Line of Sight.
 * Chinese Technologies that benefits Pikemen are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
 * Goths Pikemen are 35% cheaper and have +1 attack vs buildings, Perfusion Imperial age Unique technology allows to produce Pikemen +100% faster
 * Japanese Pikemen attack 25% faster.
 * Spanish Blacksmith upgrades for Pikemen don't cost gold
 * Teutons Imperial age unique technology Crenellations gives to the Pikemen the ability to fire arrows when garrisoned on a building.
 * Vikings Pikemen +20% hit points (in The Forgotten 10%, 15%, 20% in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age)
 * Byzantines spear-line units are cheaper.

Team Bonuses

 * A team containing Goths produces Pikemen 20% faster.
 * A team containing Teutons, Pikemen are more resistant to conversion.

The Forgotten Changes

 * Pikemen +1 attack vs. camels
 * Magyars get Forging, Iron Casting and Blast Furnace for free that upgrades the attack for Pikemen.
 * Slavs Imperial age unique technology Druzhina gives to the Pikemen trample damage, and have Tracking upgrade for free.
 * Goths: Pikemen have +2 attack vs buildings instead of 1, Perfusion Imperial age Unique technology allows to produce Pikemen +100% faster insead of 50%.

History
"The success of spearmen against cavalry led to innovation in the equipment and tactics they used. Pikemen were an innovation of towns and communities that did not have the resources to field large armies of heavy cavalry. Pikes were cheap and could be quite effective in training. One important change was the lengthening of the weapon shaft. Where the spear had been 6 to 8 feet long, the pike had a shaft up to 18 feet long. The longer weapon meant that more spear points could be extended beyond the bodies of the men in the front rank. Pikemen combined with crossbowmen or hand cannoneers to make a useful combined arms unit. The pikemen prevented cavalry from overrunning the group, while the missile troops caused casualties to the enemy at range. Working together, this combination dominated battlefields at the end of the age. As firearms improved after the Middle Ages, the pikeman component became less necessary. The bayonet made the pike component obsolete and allowed the musketeer to defend himself against cavalry."