Castle Age (Age of Empires IV)

This article is about the Age in Age of Empires IV. For other uses, see Castle Age.

Castle Age
Age
Availability
Introduced in	Age of Empires IV
Civilization	All civilizations
Age number	3
Preceded by	Feudal Age
Followed by	Imperial Age

The Castle Age is the third Age in Age of Empires IV. It is characterized by stronger defenses, such as Keeps and emplacements, along with the siege engines which can counter them, the increased prevalence of heavy armored infantry and cavalry in armies, and the ability to create and use Monks to gain important economic and military advantages. The Castle Age is followed by the Imperial Age.

Tactics

By the Castle Age, most strategies and build orders will have been enacted, players have engaged each other, and the game shifts to adapting and multi-tasking between managing and growing the economy and attacking and defending against opponents. Capturing Relics and Sacred Sites and building Keeps to gain map control and secure resources become important tasks, especially since initial resources close to the Town Center may have been exhausted. Advancing to the Imperial Age is typically a secondary objective due to the large number of resources it requires and the availability of strong siege and armored units which can easily punish a poorly-timed Age up and destroy defensive buildings.

Available units

• Man-at-Arms - All civilizations except Abbasid Dynasty, Ayyubids, Byzantines, Chinese, Japanese, Malians. and Zhu Xi's Legacy (precursor exists for the English, Holy Roman Empire, and Order of the Dragon)
• Varangian Guard - only Byzantines
• Palace Guard - only Chinese (precursor exists for Zhu Xi's Legacy in the Feudal Age)
• Landsknecht - only Holy Roman Empire and Order of the Dragon
• Freeborn Warrior - only Malians
• Crossbowman - All civilizations except French, Japanese, and Jeanne d'Arc)
• Arbalétrier - only French and Jeanne d'Arc
• Grenadier - only Zhu Xi's Legacy
• Tower Elephant - only Delhi Sultanate
• Horse Archer - only Rus
• Onna-Musha - only Japanese
• Knight / Lancer - All civilizations except Ayyubids, Byzantines, French, Japanese, Jeanne d'Arc, and Malians (precursor exists for Rus in the Feudal Age)
• Camel Rider - only Abbasid Dynasty
• Camel Lancer - only Ayyubids
• Cataphract - only Byzantines
• Fire Lancer - only Chinese - Yuan Dynasty
• War Elephant - only Delhi Sultanate
• Mounted Samurai - only Japanese
• Springald
• Mangonel - All civilizations except Chinese and Zhu Xi's Legacy
• Counterweight Trebuchet - All civilizations except Mongols
• Traction Trebuchet - only Mongols
• Nest of Bees - only Chinese and Zhu Xi's Legacy
• Tower of the Sultan - only Ayyubids
• Monk / Shaman / Imam - All civilizations except Delhi Sultanate, Holy Roman Empire, and Rus
• Dervish - only Ayyubids
• Prelate - only Order of the Dragon (precursor exists for the Holy Roman Empire in the Dark Age)
• Buddhist Monk / Shinto Priest - only Japanese (requires respective landmark)
• Warrior Monk - only Rus
• Shaolin Monk - only Zhu Xi's Legacy (requires Shaolin Monastery)
• Galleass - only French and Jeanne d'Arc
• Janissary - only Ottomans
• Grand Galley - only Ottomans
• Veteran Mercenaries - only Byzantines

Available buildings

• Siege Workshop
• Monastery / Prayer Tent or Mosque (already unlocked for Delhi Sultanate in the Dark Age)
• Keep
• Pagoda - only Chinese and Zhu Xi's Legacy in Yuan Dynasty