Trade Cog

The Trade Cog is a small civilian vessel available in Age of Empires II that accumulates Gold for the player's civilization by sailing between their own and a friendly or neutral player's Dock. It can also trade with enemy Docks, though this is dangerous, as the Trade Cog lacks any offensive or defensive capabilities.

This unit is similar to the Trade Cart as it gains Gold for whoever is using it. Unlike the Trade Boat from Age of Empires, the units do not need to pay resources to gain gold. Caravan, a technology researched at the Market, makes both units move 50% faster.

Comparison to the trade cart
The trade cog is faster(1.32 to 1) and benefits from the upgrades at the dock(Shipwright and Dry Dock). However docks at the same distance do produce less gold than markets(around 6 to 7, with Spanish team bonus it seems to be 3 to 4). When both units can move in a straight line and the safety of both routes is guaranteed, the trade cog is more efficient.

Civilizations bonuses

 * Persians dock workrate 10%/15%/20% in Feudal/ Castle / Imperial age.
 * Celtic herdables cannot be stolen within a Trad Cog's Line of Sight.
 * Chinese Technologies that benefits Trade Cogs are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
 * Portuguese Trade Cogs cost 15% less gold and have 10% more hp
 * Berbers Trade Cogs move 10% faster

Team Bonuses

 * A team containing Spanish allows Trade Cogs to generate +33% gold
 * A team containing Teutons, Trade Cogs are more resistant to conversion.

The Forgotten Expansion changes

 * Trade Cogs generate +10% gold
 * Italians Dock technologies that benefits Trade cogs are 50% cheaper.

African Kingdoms Changes

 * Trade Cogs now generate 30% more gold per trip

History
''The demands of trade along the northern coasts of Europe led to the development of new types of ships with wide beams, deep drafts, square sails, stern rudders, and large cargo space. Ships of this new design were called cogs and they dominated Middle Age sea commerce from the Baltic Sea to the Western Mediterranean. Because these ships could not be drawn up on a beach easily, ports required piers extending out into water sufficiently deep to keep the cogs afloat. The Far Eastern equivalent to the trade cog was the Chinese junk, a much more advanced ship not surpassed in the West for many centuries.''