Barracks (Age of Empires II)

This article is about the building in Age of Empires II. For similar buildings in other games of the series, see Barracks.

Barracks
Building information
Introduced in	Age of Empires II
Type	Military
Civilization	All civilizations
Age	Dark Age
Selection sound
Use	Trains and improves infantry
Required for	Archery Range Stable
Construction
Wood	175
Build time	50 seconds
Statistics
Size	3×3 tiles
Hit points	1,200 1,500 1,800 2,100
Garrison	10
Melee armor	0 1 2 3
Pierce armor	7 8 9 10
Armor classes	Building Standard building
Line of Sight	6

“	Used to train and upgrade infantry. Required for Archery Range, Stable.	”
—Age of Empires II description

The Barracks is the first military building available for construction in Age of Empires II; prerequisite to building the Archery Range and Stable. It trains and improves infantry.

Tactics and placement

As the Barracks is the first military building that enables a player to create military units, it is highly important to have at least one as soon as the player can afford it in order to defend themselves. Having a Barracks early in the game is important even if the player does not intend to use infantry units (unless they are Khmer or Sicilians), because it is the prerequisite to build Archery Ranges and Stables.

The Barracks is a vital building when performing early game rushes like the Dark Age rush and Feudal Age infantry rush. Placing a Barracks close to an enemy's base cuts off traveling distance for the troops, as they can be created near the opponent. Barracks infantry units move rather slowly (except for Eagle Warriors). When playing defensively the Barracks should be placed within fortifications in order to produce support units that can deal with most kinds of siege units, cavalry units, and trash units.

In the Goths' case, they must use their Barracks extensively for offensive and defensive purposes, as their Barracks work extremely fast, enabling them to mass infantry at an incredibly high rate. Defensively, Goths should always substitute fortifications with just Barracks as they don't have access to Stone Walls and Guard Towers.

Trainable units and technologies

Rusty red: Generic buildings

Aqua blue: Generic units

Forest green: Technologies

Deep violet: Unique units

Deep cornflower blue: Regional units

Reddish-orange: Regional buildings

Crimson pink: Unique buildings

Clicking on the icon links to the corresponding page.

	➞		➞		➞
	➞		➞		➞		➞		/	Romans only
			➞		➞
			➞		➞
					➞
		Burgundians only		Requires Anarchy ( Goths only)	➞	Goths only
				Wu only		Italians team only

Availability grid

The following table shows the availability of the units and technologies for every civilization. Unique units, regional units, namely the Eagle Scout and Fire Lancer lines (since only a few civilizations have access to them), and units that are available to all civilizations are not shown in the table. An 'X' in the last column indicates that all other units and technologies are available. The Jurchens are unique in missing the Long Swordsman upgrade.

	= Available
	= Unavailable
	= Researched for free or fully covered by a civilization bonus if unavailable

Civilization								All
Armenians								X
Aztecs
Bengalis								X
Berbers
Bohemians
Britons								X
Bulgarians
Burgundians
Burmese								X
Byzantines								X
Celts								X
Chinese
Cumans
Dravidians								X
Ethiopians
Franks								X
Georgians								X
Goths
Gurjaras
Hindustanis
Huns
Inca
Italians
Japanese								X
Jurchens
Khitans
Khmer
Koreans								X
Lithuanians
Magyars
Malay
Malians
Maya
Mongols
Persians
Poles
Portuguese
Romans
Saracens
Sicilians								X
Slavs								X
Spanish								X
Tatars
Teutons								X
Turks
Vietnamese
Vikings
Shu								X
Wei
Wu
Civilization								All

Further statistics

Technologies
Hit points	Masonry (+10%) Architecture (+10%)
Armor	Masonry (+1/+1, +3 building armor) Architecture (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
Conversion resistance	Devotion (+1 min, +1 max) Faith (+4 min, +4 max) Heresy (die upon getting converted)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+4) Town Patrol (+4)
Build speed	Treadmill Crane (+20%)
Work rate	Conscription (+33%) Perfusion (+100%, Goths only)
Other	Anarchy (allows creation of Huskarls, Goths only) Flemish Revolution (allows creation of Flemish Militia, Burgundians only)

Civilization bonuses

• Armenians: Barracks units (except Man-at-Arms) are available one Age earlier.
• Aztecs: Barracks units are created 11% faster.
• Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
• Byzantines: Barracks have +10%/+20%/+30%/+40% hit points in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Town Watch and Town Patrol are free.
• Chinese: Technologies that benefit Barracks are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Dravidians: Barracks technologies cost -50%.
• Georgians: Barracks receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
• Italians: Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane are 33% cheaper.
• Jurchens: Researching Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane costs -75% wood and is 100% faster.
• Malians: Barracks are 15% cheaper.
• Persians: Researching Town Watch and Town Patrol is 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Romans: Barracks are built and repaired 5% faster.
• Spanish: Barracks are built 30% faster. Researching technologies that benefit Barracks provides 20 gold each.
• Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
• Wu: Barracks provide 65 food when completed.

Team bonuses

• Georgians: Repairing Barracks costs 25% fewer resources.
• Goths: Barracks work 20% faster.
• Italians: Condottieri are available at the Barracks in the Imperial Age.
• Lithuanians: Researching Devotion, Faith, and Heresy is 20% faster.
• Malians: Researching Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane is 80% faster.
• Portuguese: Technologies that benefit Barracks and Barracks technologies are researched 25% faster.
• Slavs: Barracks provide +5 population.
• Teutons: Barracks are more resistant to conversion (+3 min, +1 max cycles).

Changelog

The Age of Kings

• Tracking costs 75 food, is available for research in the Feudal Age.

The Conquerors

• Eagle Warrior and Elite Eagle Warrior introduced.
• Halberdier introduced as an upgrade for the Pikeman.
• Heresy introduced.
• Goths: Anarchy and Perfusion introduced.

The Forgotten

• Tracking costs 50 food.
• Eagle Scout introduced as a precursor to the Eagle Warrior. They are available in the Castle Age.
• Italians: Condottiero introduced.
• Slavs: Tracking is free.
• Slavs (team bonus): Barracks placed before start of the game do not give population, but upon deletion take away population. Prominent bug in Regicide.

The African Kingdoms

• Eagle Scout moved to the Feudal Age.
• Arson introduced.

Definitive Edition

• Tracking is free and instantly granted upon reaching the Feudal Age.
• Supplies introduced for all civilizations except Goths. It cost 150 food, 100 gold, and takes 35 seconds to research. With update 37650, some civilizations lose access to it.
• Slavs: Supplies is free.
• Slavs (team bonus): Barracks placed before start of the game now correctly give population.
• Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.

Dawn of the Dukes

• With update 54480, Supplies costs 75 food, 75 gold.

Dynasties of India

• Update 81058: Gambesons introduced.
• Supplies takes 20 seconds to research.
• Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
• Slavs: Gambesons is free, along with Supplies.

The Mountain Royals

• With update 99311, Devotion was introduced.

Chronicles: Battle for Greece

• With update 141935, Supplies is removed.

History

“	Weapons were made and stored and soldiers drilled in the barracks. During the late Middle Ages, the barracks was incorporated within a castle complex. It became also the part of the castle where professional soldiers lived, ready to help defend the castle or maintain order in the surrounding countryside.	”
—Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings manual

Gallery

Dark Age Barracks in the original game

Dark Age Barracks in the Definitive Edition

All Feudal Age Barracks in The Age of Kings and The Conquerors

All Feudal Age Barracks introduced in the HD expansions

All Castle Age Barracks in The Age of Kings and The Conquerors

All Castle Age Barracks introduced in the HD expansions

All original game Feudal Age Barracks in the Definitive Edition

All expansion Feudal Age Barracks in the Definitive Edition

All original game Castle Age Barracks in the Definitive Edition

All expansion Castle Age Barracks in the Definitive Edition

All units trained at the Barracks

Spritesheet for the Barracks in the HD Edition