This article is about the cavalry units in Age of Empires II. For the armor class, see Armor class: Cavalry. For cavalry units in other games of the series, see Cavalry. |

Cavalry in Age of Empires II is one of the four combat forces on land, the other ones being archers, infantry, and siege weapons.
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General information[edit | edit source]

As understood by the game, cavalry units are mounted melee units with high speed, attack, HP, and armor. They have no range (except Mamelukes and Steppe Lancers, but these are short) and are expensive. In direct combat, cavalry easily overpower archer, infantry, and siege units.
Other mounted units, such as Cavalry Archers, Ballista Elephants, and Missionaries, take bonus damage from anti-cavalry attacks and profit from some cavalry technologies like Bloodlines and Husbandry, but they are not counted as cavalry proper because they do not deal melee damage and are not subject to the same tactics as a result.

Cavalry taking out enemy infantry.
Common cavalry units are trained at the Stable and first become available in the Feudal Age. Unique cavalry units are trained at the Castle with only two exceptions: Tarkans, which can also be trained in the Stable after Marauders is researched, and Imperial Camel Riders, which are available at the Stable only. Excluding the Scout Cavalry line and Magyar Huszars with Corvinian Army, which cost only food, all cavalry units cost food and gold.
Despite the many advantages of the cavalry branch, there are a few drawbacks that should be considered. Like archers, they have their own common, cheap, and easy to mass counter unit: the Pikeman. Every player frequently using cavalry is bound to meet them sooner or later. Also, cavalry units are expensive, especially in terms of gold, and a strong reliance on them can lose the game if gold runs out or supplies are cut off. And on narrow maps with lots of obstacles like cliffs or woods, cavalry units can fall prey to ranged units that can exploit their range.
Camel Riders, Mamelukes, Flaming Camels, Kamayuks, and Genoese Crossbowmen also have bonus attack against cavalry units.
Still, since every unit only takes up exactly one population space (excluding Karambit Warriors), cavalry units fill these spaces effectively, especially if the population cap is set to a low value.
The Native American civilizations cannot build Stables and normally cannot train cavalry units. As a replacement, they can train Eagle Warriors at their Barracks. If given a Stable in the Scenario Editor or if they convert one (not possible to Mayans, who don't have Redemption), they can train Xolotl Warriors, which are identical in stats with Knights (Definitive Edition only). However, as Native Americans still have no access to Stable or cavalry armor technologies, they remain of little use besides the surprise.
List of cavalry units[edit | edit source]
Marked with yellow background are unique units.
Cavalry unit | Building | A | HP | At | Ar | PA | Ra | ROF | LOS | Sp | F | G | TT | Ci |
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Stable | 45 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1.55 | 80 | 0 | 30 | 34 | |
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Stable | 60 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 1.5 | 80 | 0 | 30 | 33 | |
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Stable | 75 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.9 | 10 | 1.5 | 80 | 0 | 30 | 23 | |
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Stable | 100 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.8 | 4 | 1.35 | 60 | 75 | 30 | 2 | |
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Stable | 100 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.8 | 4 | 1.35 | 60 | 75 | 30 | 33 | |
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Stable | 120 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.8 | 4 | 1.35 | 60 | 75 | 30 | 32 | |
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Stable | 160 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.35 | 60 | 75 | 30 | 11 | |
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Stable | 100 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1.45 | 55 | 60 | 22 | 12 | |
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Stable | 120 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1.45 | 55 | 60 | 22 | 11 | |
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Stable | 140 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1.45 | 55 | 60 | 20 | 1 | |
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Stable | 250 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.85 | 120 | 70 | 24 | 4 | |
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Stable | 300 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.85 | 120 | 70 | 24 | 4 | |
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Stable | 60 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2.3 | 5 | 1.45 | 70 | 45 | 24 | 3 | |
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Stable | 80 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2.3 | 5 | 1.45 | 70 | 45 | 20 | 3 | |
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N/A | N/A | 150 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1.7 | 5 | 1.35 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 0 |
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Castle | 110 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1.8 | 4 | 1.35 | 70 | 75 | 20 | 1 | |
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Castle | 150 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1.7 | 5 | 1.35 | 70 | 75 | 20 | 1 | |
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Castle | 450 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.6 | 200 | 75 | 31 | 1 | |
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Castle | 600 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.6 | 200 | 75 | 31 | 1 | |
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Castle | 65 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1.4 | 55 | 85 | 23 | 1 | |
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Castle | 80 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1.4 | 55 | 85 | 23 | 1 | |
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Castle / Stable | 100 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2.1 | 5 | 1.35 | 60 | 60 | 14/26 | 1 | |
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Castle / Stable | 150 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2.1 | 7 | 1.35 | 60 | 60 | 14/24 | 1 | |
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Castle | 70 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.8 | 5 | 1.5 | 80 | 10 | 16 | 1 | |
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Castle | 85 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.8 | 6 | 1.5 | 80 | 10 | 16 | 1 | |
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Castle | 100 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.4 | 50 | 80 | 15 | 1 | |
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Castle | 130 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.3 | 50 | 80 | 15 | 1 | |
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Castle / Krepost | 100 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2.4 | 5 | 1.35 | 60 | 70 | 19 | 1 | |
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Castle / Krepost | 120 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2.4 | 5 | 1.35 | 60 | 70 | 19 | 1 | |
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Castle | 100 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.4 | 70 | 50 | 20 | 1 | |
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Castle | 130 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.4 | 70 | 50 | 18 | 1 | |
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Castle | 110 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.4 | 50 | 40 | 16 | 1 | |
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Castle | 140 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.4 | 50 | 40 | 14 | 1 | |
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Castle | 115 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.35 | 55 | 55 | 15 | 1 | |
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Castle | 145 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.9 | 5 | 1.35 | 55 | 55 | 14 | 1 | |
Average | N/A | N/A | 150 | 11 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 0.55 | 2.02 | 5.3 | 1.29 | 76.2 | 58.9 | 23.24 | N/A |
Technologies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are all technologies that benefit cavalry units. Marked with yellow background are unique technologies. This list does not contain unit upgrades.
Technology | Researched at | Age | Civilization | Effect |
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Stable | II | 25 | Increases HP by +20 |
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Stable | III | 31 | Increases speed by +10% |
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Blacksmith | II | All | Increases attack by +1 |
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Blacksmith | III | All | Increases attack by +1 |
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Blacksmith | IV | 33 | Increases attack by +2 |
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Blacksmith | II | 34 | Increases armor by +1/+1 |
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Blacksmith | III | 33 | Increases armor by +1/+1 |
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Blacksmith | IV | 26 | Increases armor by +1/+2 |
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Monastery | III | 22 | Converted units die instead of changing color |
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Monastery | IV | 34 | Increases conversion resistance |
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Castle | IV | All | Increases creation speed by +33% |
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Castle | III | Berbers | Castle production and research speed increased by +25% |
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Castle | IV | Berbers | Camel Rider line regenerates (0.25 HP/s) |
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Castle | III | Bulgarians | Scout Cavalry line, Knight line*, and Konniks attack 33% faster |
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Castle | III | Burmese | Increases Battle Elephant armor by +1/+1 |
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Castle | IV | Burmese | Increases attack against buildings and standard buildings by +3 |
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Castle | IV | Byzantines | Gives Cataphracts trample damage and +6 attack bonus against infantry |
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Castle | III | Cumans | Scout Cavalry line and Steppe Lancer line created 100% faster |
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Castle | III | Franks | Stables work faster by +40% |
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Castle | III | Huns | Tarkans can be trained at Stables |
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Castle | III | Khmer | Increases Battle Elephant attack by +3 |
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Castle | III | Magyars | Magyar Huszar gold cost removed |
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Castle | IV | Malians | Increases attack by +5 |
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Castle | IV | Persians | Increases War Elephant speed by +30% |
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Castle | IV | Saracens | Mameluke and Camel Rider hit points increased by +30 |
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Castle | IV | Sicilians | Pays 15 Gold to every team member for every cavalry unit owned by the player |
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Castle | III | Tatars | Scout Cavalry line and Steppe Lancer line +1 pierce armor |
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Castle | III | Vietnamese | Increases Battle Elephant hit points by +50 |
Civilizations[edit | edit source]
The Berbers, Bulgarians, Burgundians, Cumans, Franks, Huns, Lithuanians, Magyars, Persians, and Spanish all are very good cavalry civilizations and rely on cavalry units. The Burmese, Indians, Khmer, Malians, Mongols, Slavs, Tatars, Teutons, and Turks are also great cavalry civilizations, though much less reliant than the above.
On the other hand, the Vikings and Malay have the weakest cavalry as they lack several upgrades.
If the Battle Elephant (which is exclusive to the South East Asian civilizations) and the Steppe Lancer (which is exclusive to the Cumans, Mongols and Tatars) are not taken into account, the Persians are the only civilization to have access to all cavalry units and technologies.
Civilization bonuses[edit | edit source]
The following civilizations have bonuses that benefit cavalry units:
- Berbers: Stable units are 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Bulgarians: Blacksmith technologies that benefit cavalry units cost 50% less food.
- Burgundians: Stable technologes cost 50% less and the Cavalier upgrade is available in the Castle Age.
- Burmese: Monastery technologies that affect cavalry are 50% cheaper.
- Byzantines: Camel Rider line is 25% cheaper.
- Chinese: Technologies that benefit cavalry are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Cumans: Cavalry units move 5%/10%/15% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Franks: Cavalry units have +20% HP.
- Indians: Cavalry get +1/+2 pierce armor in the Castle/Imperial age.
- Khmer: Battle Elephants are 10% faster.
- Lithuanians: Knight line and Leitis get +1 attack for each garrisoned Relic (maximum +4).
- Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free; Scout Cavalry are 15% cheaper.
- Malay: Battle Elephants are 30% cheaper.
- Mongols: Light Cavalry and Hussars have +30% HP.
- Portuguese: Cavalry units cost 20% less gold; Technologies that benefit cavalry are researched 30% faster.
- Sicilians: Cavalry receive 50% less bonus damage.
- Spanish: Blacksmith technologies that affect cavalry cost no gold.
- Tatars: Cavalry deal +25% damage when attacking from hills.
- Teutons: Cavalry get +1/+2 melee armor in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Turks: Scout cavalry line have +1 pierce armor and is upgraded for free.
- Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
Team bonuses[edit | edit source]
The following civilizations have bonuses that benefit cavalry units:
- Bulgarians: Blacksmith technologies that affect cavalry are researched 80% faster.
- Franks: Knight line has +2 LOS.
- Huns: Stables work 20% faster.
- Indians: Camel Rider line has +4 attack against buildings; Mamelukes have +5 attack against buildings.
- Lithuanians: Monastery technologies that affect cavalry are researched 20% faster.
- Mongols: Scout Cavalry line has +2 LOS.
- Persians: Knight line has +2 attack against archers.
- Teutons: Cavalry are more resistant to Conversion.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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