This article is about the civilizations in Age of Empires II. For the civilizations in the other games of the series, see Civilization. |
The playable civilizations in Age of Empires II are based on prominent civilizations of the post-classical period, from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century to the Renaissance era during the 15th - 16th century. There are 45 civilizations in total. The base game (The Age of Kings) was released with 13 civilizations, 5 were added in The Conquerors, 5 in The Forgotten, 4 in The African Kingdoms, 4 in Rise of the Rajas, 4 in The Last Khans (included by default with the Definitive Edition), 2 in Lords of the West, 2 in Dawn of the Dukes, 3 in Dynasties of India, 1 in Return of Rome, and 2 in The Mountain Royals.
Expanding on Age of Empires, each civilization features one or more unique units and two unique technologies (since The Forgotten), in addition to a set of special bonuses as well as a team bonus that affects everyone on their team (note that changing alliances does not change the players who are affected). Each civilization also has a unique Wonder, though their properties will stay constant for every civilization.
Listed below are all civilizations in Age of Empires II, along with their civilization properties and focuses. Focus doesn't mean the civilization is limited to the given playstyle, but that its specific bonuses, unique units, and/or available technologies and upgrades support these specific playstyles and unit compositions more than others. To a degree, focuses are subjective (for instance, Japanese are often considered a viable Archer civilization despite having no bonuses to them), so they are listed only according to the in-game description.
Contents[]
- Armenians
- Aztecs
- Bengalis
- Berbers
- Bohemians
- Britons
- Bulgarians
- Burgundians
- Burmese
- Byzantines
- Celts
- Chinese
- Cumans
- Dravidians
- Ethiopians
- Franks
- Georgians
- Goths
- Gurjaras
- Hindustanis
- Huns
- Incas
- Italians
- Japanese
- Khmer
- Koreans
- Lithuanians
- Magyars
- Malay
- Malians
- Mayans
- Mongols
- Persians
- Poles
- Portuguese
- Romans
- Saracens
- Sicilians
- Slavs
- Spanish
- Tatars
- Teutons
- Turks
- Vietnamese
- Vikings
Armenians[]
- Focus: Infantry and Naval
- Wonder: Etchmiadzin Cathedral
Unique units[]
- Composite Bowman: Foot archer that ignores armor.
- Warrior Priest: Religious infantry that can fight, carry Relics, and heal allied units.
Unique building[]
- Mule Cart: Mobile dropsite for wood, gold, stone, and hunted food. Replaces the Lumber and Mining Camps.
- Fortified Church: Trains and upgrades Monks, and can garrison certain units. Fires arrows when garrisoned with Villagers or Relics. Replaces the Monastery.
Unique technologies[]
- Cilician Fleet: Demolition Ships +20% blast radius; Galley-line and Dromons +1 range.
- Fereters: Infantry (except Spearman-line) +30 hit points, Warrior Priests +100% heal speed.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Mule Carts cost -25%.
- Mule Cart technologies are 40% more effective.[note 1]
- First Fortified Church receives a free Relic.
- Long Swordsman and above, and Spearman line[note 2] available one Age earlier.
- Galley-line and Dromons* fire one additional projectile each, which deal 1 attack and advertised attack respectively.
Team bonus[]
- Infantry have +2 Line of Sight.
Aztecs[]
- Focus: Infantry and Monk
- Wonder: Great Pyramid of Tenochtitlan
Unique unit[]
Unique technologies[]
- Atlatl: Skirmishers +1 attack and range.
- Garland Wars: Infantry +4 attack.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start the game with an Eagle Scout.
- Villagers carry +3 extra resources.
- All military units are created 11% faster.[note 3]
- Monks gain 5 HP for every researched Monastery technology.
- Start with +50 gold.
Team bonus[]
Bengalis[]
- Focus: Elephant and Naval
- Wonder: Somapura Mahavihara
Unique unit[]
- / Ratha: Mounted archer that can switch between melee and ranged attacks.
Unique technologies[]
- Paiks: Rathas and elephant units attack 20% faster.
- Mahayana: Villagers and Monks take up -10% population space.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Elephant units receive 25% less bonus damage[note 4] and are more resistant to conversion.[note 5]
- All Town Centers spawn 2 Villagers when the next Age is reached.
- Cavalry units +2 attack vs Skirmishers.
- Ships regenerate 15 HP per minute.
- Monks +3/+3 armor.
Team bonus[]
Berbers[]
- Focus: Cavalry and Naval
- Wonder: Hassan Tower
Unique unit[]
- Camel Archer: Mounted archer with attack bonus against mounted archers.
- Genitour: Mounted Skirmisher.
Unique technologies[]
- Kasbah: Allied Castles work 25% faster.[note 6]
- Maghrebi Camels: Camel units regenerate 15 HP/min.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Villagers move 5% faster in Dark Age, 10% faster starting in Feudal Age.
- Stable units are 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Ships move 10% faster.
Team bonus[]
- Genitours are available at the Archery Range starting in the Castle Age.
Bohemians[]
- Focus: Gunpowder and Monk
- Wonder: Powder Tower of Prague
Unique unit[]
- Hussite Wagon: Tanky siege unit that can protect rear units.
- Houfnice: Upgrade of the Bombard Cannon, provides additional HP, attack, and blast radius.
Unique technologies[]
- Wagenburg Tactics: Gunpowder units move 15% faster.
- Hussite Reforms: Monks and Monastery upgrades have their gold cost replaced by food.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Blacksmiths and Universities cost -100 wood.
- Chemistry and Hand Cannoneer available in Castle Age.
- Spearman-line deals +25% bonus damage.[note 7]
- Fervor and Sanctity affect Villagers.
- Mining Camp technologies are free.
Team bonus[]
- Markets work 80% faster.
Britons[]
- Focus: Foot archer
- Wonder: Chichester Cathedral
Unique unit[]
- Longbowman: Long-ranged foot archer.
Unique technologies[]
- Yeomen: Gives foot archers +1 range and towers +2 attack.
- Warwolf: Gives Trebuchets blast damage and 100% accuracy against units.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Town Centers cost -50% wood starting in the Castle Age.
- Foot archers (except Skirmishers) have +1/+2 range in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Shepherds work 25% faster.
Team bonus[]
- Archery Ranges work 10% faster.
Bulgarians[]
- Focus: Infantry and Cavalry
- Wonder: Preslav Round Church
Unique units[]
- Konnik: Cavalry that keeps on fighting as a dismounted infantry when killed.
- Dismounted Konnik: The dismounted infantry unit which appears after the death of the cavalry Konnik.
Unique building[]
Unique technologies[]
Civilization bonuses[]
- Militia line units are upgraded for free.[note 8]
- Town Centers cost -50% stone (except starting Town Center).
- Blacksmith and Siege Workshop technologies cost -50% food.
Team bonus[]
- Blacksmiths work 80% faster.
Burgundians[]
- Focus: Cavalry
- Wonder: Brussels Town Hall
Unique unit[]
- Coustillier: Cavalry unit that can charge its attack over time.
- Flemish Militia: Infantry unit with a bonus vs cavalry; can only be obtained first via the Flemish Revolution technology.
Unique technologies[]
- Burgundian Vineyards: Farmers slowly generate gold in addition to food.[note 9]
- Flemish Revolution: Upgrades all existing Villagers to Flemish Militia, and allows the training of Flemish Militia at Barracks.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Economic upgrades (except Coinage and Banking)[note 10] cost -33% food and are available one Age earlier than other civilizations.
- Stable technologies are 50% cheaper. Cavalier upgrade available in the Castle Age.
- Gunpowder units gain +25% attack.[note 11]
Team bonus[]
Burmese[]
- Focus: Monk and Elephant
- Wonder: Shwezigon Pagoda
Unique unit[]
- Arambai: Ranged cavalry with powerful but inaccurate attack.
Unique technologies[]
- Manipur Cavalry: Gives cavalry units +4 attack against archers.
- Howdah: Gives Battle Elephants +1/+1 armor.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Lumber Camp technologies are free.
- Battle Elephants have +1/+1 armor.
- Infantry units have +1/+2/+3 attack in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Monastery technologies are 50% cheaper.
Team bonus[]
- Relics are visible on the map from the game start.
Byzantines[]
- Focus: Defensive
- Wonder: Hagia Sophia
Unique unit[]
- Cataphract: Heavy cavalry that excels at combat against infantry and Camel Riders.
Unique technologies[]
- Greek Fire: Gives Fire Ships +1 range; Dromons +0.2 blast radius; Bombard Towers +0.5 blast radius [25% effect without friendly fire damage]
- Logistica: Gives Cataphracts trample damage in 0.5 tiles radius (pure 5 damage) and +6 attack against infantry.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Buildings, Walls/Gates, and Farms have +10%/+20%/+30%/+40% hit points in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Camel Rider, Skirmisher, and Spearman lines are 25% cheaper.
- Fire Ships and Dromons fire 25% faster.
- Advancing to the Imperial Age is 33% cheaper.
- Town Watch and Town Patrol are free.
Team bonus[]
- Monks heal 100% faster.
Celts[]
- Focus: Infantry and Siege
- Wonder: Rock of Cashel
Unique unit[]
- Woad Raider: Quick infantry unit.
Unique technologies[]
- Stronghold: Castles and towers fire 33% faster; Castles can heal allied infantry units by 30 hit points per minute in an 18 tile square.
- Furor Celtica: Gives Siege Workshop units +40% hit points.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Infantry units move 15% faster starting from the Feudal Age.
- Lumberjacks work 15% faster.
- Siege weapons fire 25% faster.
- Non-Celt[note 12] herdable animals can be converted regardless of units next to them.
Team bonus[]
- Siege Workshops work 20% faster.
Chinese[]
- Focus: Archer
- Wonder: Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in the Temple of Heaven complex
Unique unit[]
- Chu Ko Nu: Foot archer that fires multiple arrows.
Unique technologies[]
- Great Wall: Increases the hit points of walls and towers by +30%.
- Rocketry: Increases the pierce attack of Chu Ko Nu by +2, and the attack of Scorpions by +4.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start game with +3 Villagers, but with -200 food, -50 wood.
- Town Centers support 15 population (instead of 5) and have +7 Line of Sight.
- Technologies are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Demolition Ships have +50% hit points.
Team bonus[]
Cumans[]
- Focus: Cavalry
- Wonder: Sarkel Fortress (ruined)
Unique units[]
- Kipchak: Cheap multi-shot mounted archer.
Unique technologies[]
- Steppe Husbandry: Scout Cavalry line, Steppe Lancers, and Cavalry Archers are trained 100% faster.
- Cuman Mercenaries: Team members can create 5 free Elite Kipchaks per each Castle.
Civilization bonuses[]
- A second Town Center can be built in the Feudal Age.[note 14]
- Archery Ranges and Stables cost -75 wood.
- Siege Workshop and Battering Ram available in Feudal Age; Capped Ram upgrade available in Castle Age.
- Mounted units move 5%/10%/15% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Team bonus[]
- Palisade Walls have +33% hit points.
Dravidians[]
- Focus: Infantry and Naval
- Wonder: Brihadisvara Temple
Unique units[]
- Urumi Swordsman: Infantry that can charge its attack to cause extra attack with Area of Effect.
- Thirisadai: Tanky warship that fires multiple projectiles.
Unique technologies[]
- Medical Corps: Elephant units regenerate 30 hit points per minute.
- Wootz Steel: Infantry and cavalry attacks ignore armor.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Receive 200 wood when advancing to the next Age.
- Fishermen and Fishing Ships carry +15.
- Barracks technologies cost -50%.
- Siege units cost -33% wood.
- Skirmishers and Elephant Archers attack 25% faster.
Team bonus[]
- Docks provide +5 population space.
Ethiopians[]
- Focus: Foot archer
- Wonder: Biete Amanuel
Unique unit[]
- Shotel Warrior: Rapidly deployed infantry with high attack but low armor and hit points.
Unique technologies[]
- Royal Heirs: Shotels and Camel units receive -3 damage from mounted units.
- Torsion Engines: Increases the blast radius of Siege Workshop units.
Civilization bonuses[]
- The Archer line fires 18% faster.
- Receive +100 food, +100 gold whenever a new Age is reached.
- The Pikeman upgrade is free.
Team bonus[]
- Outposts +3 Line of Sight and stone cost removed.
Franks[]
- Focus: Cavalry
- Wonder: St. Vitus Cathedral
Unique unit[]
- Throwing Axeman: Ranged infantry unit.
Unique technologies[]
- Bearded Axe (Throwing Axeman +1 range).
- Chivalry (Stables work 40% faster).
Civilization bonuses[]
- Farm upgrades are free.
- Castles are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Mounted units have +20% hit points (starting in the Feudal Age).
- Foragers work 15% faster.
Team bonus[]
- Knights have +2 Line of Sight.
Georgians[]
- Focus: Cavalry and Defensive
- Wonder: Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Unique unit[]
- Monaspa: Cavalry unit that becomes stronger when other Monaspas or Knight-line units are nearby.
Unique building[]
- Mule Cart: Mobile dropsite for wood, gold, stone, and hunted food. Replaces the Lumber and Mining Camps.
- Fortified Church: Trains and upgrades Monks, and can garrison certain units. Fires arrows when garrisoned with Villagers or Relics. Replaces the Monastery.
Unique technologies[]
- Svan Towers: Defensive structures receive +2 attack. Towers deal pass-through damage.
- Aznauri Cavalry: Mounted units take 15% less population space.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start with a Mule Cart.
- Fortified Churches provide +10% work rate to Villagers[note 15] in a 19 tile square.[note 16]
- Units and buildings receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
- Mounted units regenerate 5/10/15 hit points per minute in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Team bonus[]
- Repairing buildings costs -25% resources.
Goths[]
- Focus: Infantry
- Wonder: Mausoleum of Theoderic I
Unique unit[]
- Huskarl: Archer-resistant infantry unit.
Unique technologies[]
- Anarchy: Allows the creation of Huskarls at the Barracks.
- Perfusion: Increases the working speed of Barracks by +100%.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Infantry are 20%/25%/30%/35% cheaper in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Infantry have +1/+2/+3 attack bonus against standard buildings in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Hunters have +5 attack against aggressive huntables (Wild Boar, Javelina, Elephant, Rhinoceros) and carry +15 food. Hunt lasts 20% longer.
- Loom is researched instantly.
- +10 population cap in the Imperial Age.
Team bonus[]
- Barracks work 20% faster.
Gurjaras[]
- Focus: Cavalry and Camel
- Wonder: Somnath Temple
Unique units[]
- Chakram Thrower: Light infantry with a ranged melee attack and pass-through damage.
- Shrivamsha Rider: Light cavalry which can dodge projectile attacks.
- Camel Scout: Early camel unit.
Unique technologies[]
- Kshatriyas: Military units cost -25% food.
- Frontier Guards: Camel Riders and Elephant Archers +4 melee armor.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start the game with a Camel Scout.
- Starts with 2 Forage Bushes under the Town Center.
- Can garrison Docks with allied Fishing Ships.[note 17]
- Can garrison Mills with herdable animals to produce food.[note 18]
- Mounted units deal +20%/+30%/+40% bonus damage in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Team bonus[]
Hindustanis[]
- Focus: Camel and Gunpowder
- Wonder: Maqbara-i Humayun
Unique units[]
- Ghulam: Archer-resistant infantry unit that thrusts its spear through multiple targets.
- Imperial Camel Rider: Unique upgrade of the Heavy Camel Rider, provides additional HP and attack.
Unique building[]
- Caravanserai: Building which heals and speeds up nearby allied Trade Carts.
Unique technologies[]
- Grand Trunk Road: Increases the speed of all gold income by +10%. Trading fee reduced to 10%.
- Shatagni: Gives Hand Cannoneers +2 range.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Villagers are 8/13/18/23% cheaper in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Camel Riders attack 20% faster.
- Gunpowder units have +1/+1 armor.
Team bonus[]
- Camel units and light cavalry units[note 19] have +2 attack against standard buildings.
Huns[]
- Focus: Cavalry
- Wonder: Arch of Constantine (ruined)
Unique unit[]
- Tarkan: Cavalry unit that excels at razing defensive structures.
Unique technologies[]
- Marauders: Allows the creation of Tarkans at the Stable.
- Atheism: Adds 100 years to Wonder and Relic victory countdowns and reduces enemy Relic resource generation by 50%.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start the game with -100 wood, but with the population cap at the maximum.
- On Nomadic maps, the first Town Center spawns a Hunnic Horse.
- Mounted archers are 10%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Trebuchets have +35% accuracy against units.[note 20]
Team bonus[]
- Stables work 20% faster.
Incas[]
- Focus: Infantry
- Wonder: The Temple of the Sun at Machu Picchu
Unique units[]
- Kamayuk: Infantry wielding a long spear that allows attacking at range and attack bonus against cavalry.
- Slinger: Foot archer with a massive attack bonus against infantry.
Unique technologies[]
- Andean Sling: Slingers +1 attack and removes the minimum range from Slingers and Skirmishers.
- Fabric Shields: Gives Eagle Warriors, Kamayuks, and Slingers +1/+2 armor.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Military units cost -10%/-15%/-20%/-25% food in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Ages
- Villagers benefit from Blacksmith infantry upgrades starting in the Castle Age.
- Houses support 10 population.
- Buildings cost -15% stone.
Team bonus[]
- Start with a free Llama.
Italians[]
- Focus: Foot archers and Navy
- Wonder: Genoa Cathedral, Cathedral of St. Lawrence
Unique unit[]
- Genoese Crossbowman: Archer with an attack bonus against cavalry.
- Condottiero: Melee infantry with an attack bonus against gunpowder units.
Unique technologies[]
- Pavise: Gives foot archers (except Skirmishers) and Condottieri +1/+1 armor.
- Silk Road: Halves trade unit cost.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Advancing to the next Age is 15% cheaper.
- Dock and University technologies are 33% cheaper.
- Fishing Ships are 15% cheaper.
- Gunpowder units are 20% cheaper.
Team bonus[]
- Condottieri are available at the Barracks.
Japanese[]
Unique unit[]
- Samurai: Fast-attacking infantry with an attack bonus against unique units.
Unique technologies[]
- Yasama: Gives towers extra arrows.
- Kataparuto: Makes Trebuchets pack, unpack, and fire faster.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Fishing Ships have double hit points, +2 pierce armor, and work 5%/10%/15%/20% faster in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Mills, Lumber Camps and Mining Camps are 50% cheaper.
- Infantry attack 33% faster starting in the Feudal Age.
- Mounted archers +2 attack vs. archers (except Skirmishers).
Team bonus[]
- Galleys have a +50% longer Line of Sight.
Khmer[]
- Focus: Siege and Elephant
- Wonder: Central shrine of the Angkor Wat temple complex
Unique unit[]
- Ballista Elephant: Heavy cavalry siege unit.
Unique technologies[]
- Tusk Swords: Battle Elephants +3 attack.
- Double Crossbow: Ballista Elephants and Scorpions fire an additional bolt of half strength.
Civilization bonuses[]
- No buildings are required to advance to the next age or to unlock other buildings.
- Battle Elephants move 10% faster.
- Farmers don't carry food but rather add it directly to the stockpile without any drop-off, but work 5% slower.
- Villagers (and Kings) can garrison in Houses.
Team bonus[]
- Scorpions have +1 range.
Koreans[]
- Focus: Defensive and Naval
- Wonder: Hwangnyong Temple
Unique units[]
- War Wagon: Heavily armored cavalry archer.
- Turtle Ship: Heavily armored ship that fires cannonballs.
Unique technologies[]
- Eupseong: Towers (except Bombard Towers) have +2 range.
- Shinkichon: Gives the Mangonel line +1 range.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Villagers have +3 Line of Sight.
- Stone Miners work 20% faster.
- Archer armor and tower upgrades are free (Bombard Tower requires Chemistry).
- Archer and infantry units cost -50% wood.
- Warships cost -20% wood.
Team bonus[]
- The Mangonel line minimum range is reduced to 1.
Lithuanians[]
- Focus: Cavalry and Monk
- Wonder: Trakai Island Castle
Unique unit[]
- Leitis: Cavalry whose attack ignores unit's armor.
- Winged Hussar: Unique upgrade of the Light Cavalry replacing the Hussar (shared with the Poles).
Unique technologies[]
- Hill Forts: Town Centers +3 range.
- Tower Shields: Spearman line and Skirmishers +2 pierce armor.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Each Town Center provides +100 food.
- Spearman line and Skirmishers move 10% faster.
- Each garrisoned Relic gives +1 attack to Knights and Leitis (maximum +4).
Team bonus[]
- Monasteries (and Fortified Churches) work 20% faster.
Magyars[]
- Focus: Cavalry
- Wonder: Hunyad Castle
Unique unit[]
- Magyar Huszar: Light cavalry with an attack bonus against siege weapons.
Unique technologies[]
- Corvinian Army: Magyar Huszar gold cost is replaced by additional food cost.
- Recurve Bow: Mounted archers +1 attack and range.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
- Scout Cavalry line is 15% cheaper.
- Villagers kill wild animals in one strike.[note 21]
Team bonus[]
- Mounted archers are trained 25% faster.
Malay[]
- Focus: Infantry and Naval
- Wonder: Kalasan Temple
Unique unit[]
- Karambit Warrior: Cheap infantry that only takes up half a population space.
Unique building[]
- Harbor: Docks which shoots multiple arrows like a Yasama Watch Tower.
Unique technologies[]
- Thalassocracy: Upgrades Docks to Harbors.
- Forced Levy: Militia line costs +20 food, -20 gold.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Advancing in Age is +66% faster.
- Fish Traps are 33% cheaper and provide 3× food.
- Battle Elephants are 25% cheaper in the Castle Age, 35% cheaper in the Imperial Age.
- Infantry armor upgrades are free.
Team bonus[]
- Docks have double Line of Sight.
Malians[]
- Focus: Infantry
- Wonder: Great Mosque of Djenné
Unique unit[]
Unique technologies[]
- Tigui: Town Centers fire +8 arrows always.
- Farimba: Cavalry units +5 attack.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Buildings cost -15% wood (except Farms and starting Town Center).
- Barracks units have +1/+2/+3 pierce armor in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Villagers drop off +10% gold.[note 22]
Team bonus[]
- Universities work +80% faster.
Mayans[]
- Focus: Foot archer
- Wonder: Temple of the Great Jaguar (Tikal Temple I)
Unique unit[]
- Plumed Archer: Quick foot archer with high hit points and pierce armor, but low attack.
Unique technologies[]
- Hul'che Javelineers: Skirmishers throw an additional projectile, which deals one pierce attack.
- El Dorado: Eagle Warriors +40 hit points.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start the game with an Eagle Scout.
- Start the game with +1 Villager, but with -50 food.
- Resources last 15% longer.[note 23]
- Foot archers (except Skirmishers) are 10%/20%/30% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Team bonus[]
Mongols[]
- Focus: Mounted archers
- Wonder: Great Tent of Genghis Khan
Unique unit[]
- Mangudai: Mounted archer with an attack bonus against siege weapons.
Unique technologies[]
- Nomads: Makes Houses keep their population space if they are destroyed.
- Drill: Increases the movement speed of Siege Workshop units by +50%.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Cavalry archers fire 25% faster.
- Scout Cavalry-line and Steppe Lancers +20/30% hit points in the Castle/Imperial Age.[note 24]
- Hunters work 40% faster.
Team bonus[]
- The Scout Cavalry line has +2 Line of Sight.
Persians[]
Unique units[]
- War Elephant: Slow but extremely powerful cavalry unit.
- Savar: Unique upgrade of the Cavalier, replacing the Paladin.
Unique building[]
- Caravanserai: Building which heals and speeds up nearby allied Trade Carts.
Unique technologies[]
- Kamandaran: Archer-line cost changed from 25 wood, 45 gold to 60 wood.
- Citadels: Castles +4 attack, +3 against rams, +3 against infantry, and receive -25% bonus damage.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start the game with +50 food, +50 wood.
- Town Centers and Docks have double hit points and work 5%/10%/15%/20% faster in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Parthian Tactics available in the Castle Age.
Team bonus[]
Poles[]
- Focus: Cavalry
- Wonder: Wawel Cathedral
Unique unit[]
- Obuch: Infantry whose attack reduces the target unit's armor.
- Winged Hussar: Unique upgrade of the Light Cavalry replacing the Hussar (shared with the Lithuanians).
Unique building[]
Unique technologies[]
- Szlachta Privileges: Knight line costs -60% gold.
- Lechitic Legacy: Scout Cavalry line deals 33% trample damage in 0.5 tiles radius.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Villagers regenerate 10/15/20 HP per minute in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Stone miners generate 33% gold in addition to stone.
Team bonus[]
- The Scout Cavalry line has +1 attack vs. archers.
Portuguese[]
- Focus: Naval and Gunpowder
- Wonder: Belém Tower
Unique units[]
- Organ Gun: Gunpowder siege unit filling a similar purpose as the Scorpion.
- Caravel: Warship that causes pass-through damage, like the Scorpion.
Unique technologies[]
- Carrack: Ships have +1/+1 armor.
- Arquebus: Gunpowder units can track moving targets.
Unique building[]
- Feitoria: Building that costs 20 population but slowly and passively generates resources.
Civilization bonuses[]
- All units cost –20% gold.
- All ships have +10% hit points.
- Foragers generate wood in addition to food (0.33 wood per food).
Team bonus[]
- All technologies (excluding Age ups) research 25% faster.
Romans[]
Unique units[]
- Legionary: Sturdy infantry unit. Replacement of the Two-Handed Swordsman and Champion upgrades.
- Centurion: Heavy cavalry unit that increases the attack and movement speeds of nearby Militia-line units.
Unique technologies[]
- Ballistas: Scorpions fire 33% faster, the Galley-line has +2 attack.
- Comitatenses: Militia-line, Knight-line, and Centurions train 50% faster and receive +5 charge attack over 20 seconds.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Villagers gather, build, and repair 5% faster.
- Galley-line and Dromon +1/+1 armor.
- Infantry receives double the effect from Blacksmith armor upgrades.
- Scorpions cost -60% gold and benefit from Ballistics.
Team bonus[]
- The Scorpion-line's minimum range is reduced to 1.
Saracens[]
- Focus: Camel and Naval
- Wonder: Great Mosque of Samarra
Unique unit[]
- Mameluke: Camel cavalry with ranged melee attack, and an attack bonus against mounted units.
Unique technologies[]
- Bimaristan: Monks automatically heal multiple nearby units.
- Counterweights: Trebuchets and Mangonel-line +15% attack.*
Civilization bonuses[]
- The commodity trading fee is 5%.
- Markets cost 75 wood.
- Transport Ships have double hit points and +5 carry capacity.
- Galleys attack 25% faster.
- Camel units +25% hit points.
Team bonus[]
- Foot archers have +3[note 26] attack against standard buildings.
Sicilians[]
- Focus: Infantry and Cavalry
- Wonder: Monreale Cathedral
Unique unit[]
- Serjeant: Heavily-armored infantry unit that can also build Donjons. It is available starting in the Feudal Age, and is upgraded for free upon reaching the Castle Age.
Unique building[]
- Donjon: Watch Tower line replacement which gets stronger when aging up and can train Serjeants and the Spearman line.
Unique technologies[]
- First Crusade: Each Town Center (up to 5) spawns a one-time group of 5 Serjeants; also increases resistance against conversion (+4/+4 min/max conversion intervals, effect identical to Faith).
- Hauberk: Knight-line +1/+2 armor.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Start with +100 stone.[note 27]
- Fortifications built 50%, Town Centers built 100% faster.[note 28]
- Land military units (except siege weapons) receive 33% less bonus damage.[note 29]
- Farm upgrades provide additional +125% food.[note 30]
Team bonus[]
- Transport Ships have +5 Line of Sight and cost -50%.
Slavs[]
- Focus: Infantry and Siege
- Wonder: Kizhi Pogost
Unique unit[]
Unique technologies[]
- Detinets: Replaces 40% of Castles' and Towers' stone cost with wood.
- Druzhina: Infantry units damage adjacent units in +0.5 tiles radius with 5 damage.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Farmers work 15% faster.
- Supplies and Gambesons are free.
- Siege Workshop units are 15% cheaper.
- Monks move 20% faster.
Team bonus[]
- Barracks, Archery Ranges, Stables, and Siege Workshops provide +5 population.
Spanish[]
- Focus: Gunpowder and Monk
- Wonder: Torre del Oro
Unique units[]
- Conquistador: Mounted gunpowder unit.
- Missionary: Mounted Monk.
Unique technologies[]
- Inquisition: Increases conversion speed for Monks and Missionaries. Missionaries +1 range.
- Supremacy: Gives Villagers +6 attack, +2/+2 armor, and +40 hit points.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Builders work 30% faster (20% for Wonders).
- Blacksmith upgrades don't cost gold.
- Cannon Galleon projectiles can track moving targets[note 31] and move faster.[note 32]
- Gunpowder units fire 18% faster.[note 33]
- Receive 20 gold for each technology researched.
Team bonus[]
Tatars[]
- Focus: Mounted archer
- Wonder: Ulugh Beg Observatory
Unique units[]
- Keshik: Cavalry that generates gold with each attack.
- Flaming Camel: Camel that explodes like a Petard, with attack bonuses against mounted units and elephants.
Unique technologies[]
- Silk Armor: Scout Cavalry line, Steppe Lancers and mounted archers have +1/+1 armor.
- Timurid Siegecraft: Trebuchets have +2 range.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Herdable animals contain +50% food.[note 34]
- Units[note 35] do +20% damage[note 36] when attacking from higher elevations (+50% instead of +25%).
- Parthian Tactics and Thumb Ring are free.
- Two Sheep spawn near newly-constructed Town Centers starting in the Castle Age.
Team bonus[]
- Mounted archers have +2 Line of Sight.
Teutons[]
- Focus: Infantry
- Wonder: Maria Laach Abbey
Unique unit[]
- Teutonic Knight: Slow but strong infantry.
Unique technologies[]
- Ironclad: Gives siege weapons +4 melee armor.
- Crenellations: Gives Castles +3 range and makes garrisoned infantry shoot arrows.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Monks have double healing range.
- Towers garrison twice as many units.
- Murder Holes and Herbal Medicine are free.
- Farms are 40% cheaper.
- Town Centers can garrison +10 units.
- Barracks and Stable units receive +1/+2 melee armor in the Castle/Imperial Age.
Team bonus[]
- Units resist conversion (+2/+2 min/max conversion intervals, half as effective as Faith).
Turks[]
- Focus: Gunpowder
- Wonder: Selimiye Mosque
Unique unit[]
- Janissary: More powerful version of the Hand Cannoneer.
Unique technologies[]
- Sipahi: Mounted archers +20 hit points.
- Artillery: +2 range for Bombard Towers, Bombard Cannons, Cannon Galleons.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Gunpowder units have +25% hit points.
- Chemistry is free.
- Gunpowder technologies are 50% cheaper.[note 37]
- Gold Miners work 20% faster.
- Light Cavalry and Hussar upgrades are free.
- Scout Cavalry line gain +1 pierce armor.
Team bonus[]
- Gunpowder units are created 25% faster.
Vietnamese[]
Unique unit[]
- Rattan Archer: Foot archer with high pierce armor.
- Imperial Skirmisher: Upgrade of the Elite Skirmisher, provides additional hit points and attack.
Unique technologies[]
- Chatras: Gives Battle Elephants +100 hit points.
- Paper Money: Lumberjacks generate gold when working.
Civilization bonuses[]
- Archery Range units have +20% hit points.
- Reveal enemy initial Town Centers location at the start of the game.
- Conscription is free.
- Economic upgrades cost no wood and are researched 100% faster.
Team bonus[]
- Imperial Skirmisher upgrade is available at the Archery Range (requires the Imperial Age and Elite Skirmisher).
Vikings[]
- Focus: Infantry and Naval
- Wonder: Borgund Stave Church
Unique units[]
- Berserk: Infantry that can regenerate.
- Longboat: Quick warship that fires multiple arrows.
Unique technologies[]
- Chieftains: Gives infantry +5 attack against cavalry and +4 attack against camels; infantry generate gold when killing villagers, trade units and monks.
- Bogsveigar: Archer-line and Longboats +1 attack (available since update 81058).
Civilization bonuses[]
- Wheelbarrow and Hand Cart free.
- Warships cost -15%/-15%/-20% in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Infantry have +20% hit points starting from the Feudal Age.
Team bonus[]
- Docks are 15% cheaper.
Gallery[]
Notes[]
- ↑ This means that:
- Double-Bit Axe and Bow Saw provide +28% boost instead of +20%.
- All mining upgrades provide +21% boost instead of +15%.
- ↑ Hence, the Militia, Man-at-Arms, and Condottiero are excluded
- ↑ This is internally handled by the units, instead of the buildings. This means that this bonus applies to any buildings converted by the Aztecs, but not any buildings converted from the Aztecs (the opposite of standard behavior).
- ↑ "Bonus damage" is incoming damage of all armor classes except for melee or pierce damage. For more details, see Armor class (Age of Empires II).
- ↑ Minimum conversion interval increased by +3, and maximum conversion interval increased by +1. For more details, see conversion.
- ↑ Does not affect Kreposts or Donjons.
- ↑ Essentially, Bohemian spear units deal +25% attack vs mounted units. For more details, see Armor class (Age of Empires II).
- ↑ Man-at-Arms, Long Swordsman, and Two-Handed Swordsman upgrades are free.
- ↑ Farmers generate 0.017 gold per second while in gathering animation, or roughly 0.014 gold per second with no upgrades and 0.017 gold per second with full upgrades (Heavy Plow, Wheelbarrow, and Hand Cart).
- ↑ The affected technologies are:
- ↑ The bonus modifies all existing attack classes of the unit (e.g. Hand Cannoneer receives ×1.25 attack multiplier towards its pierce damage, anti-infantry damage, and anti-spearman damage). For more details, see Armor class (Age of Empires II).
- ↑ While commonly quoted as "enemy", the ability to convert herdable animals also works on allied and neutral players too. The ability does not work on other Celt players irrespective of their diplomatic stance. The ability is called "Dominant Line of Sight" behind the scenes.
- ↑ The bonus is applied after farm upgrades, so a Farm with Horse Collar researched starts with food. In reality, the rate varies and is not exactly 10%, as elaborated in this section on the Farm page.
- ↑ For any additional Town Centers built in the Feudal Age, the construction time is increased by 80% (2:30 → 4:30 minutes construction time); this includes the situation where the player has lost their starting Town Center. The debuff is removed instantly upon reaching the Castle Age, even for a Town Center whose foundation was laid in the Feudal Age.
- ↑ Similar to the Roman bonus, it includes constructing and repairing.
- ↑ The influence zone is a square, with the maximum distance being a chess-board distance of 8 tiles measured from all edges of the Fortified Church.
- ↑ The bonus works by allowing Docks to garrison ships. Docks naturally have 10 garrison space to allow newly created units to remain garrisoned by default. Among ships, only Fishing Ships have the permission (see Tasks in Genie Editor) to garrison. Combining all these and the standard rules for garrison, Gurjara Docks can garrison max 10 Fishing Ships of their allies.
- ↑ The formula used for this is:
- Food generated per minute , where
- Total Food of livestock stored across all Mills
- Natural Logarithm function
- ↑ The following units are considered light cavalry units: Scout Cavalry line, Magyar Huszar, Steppe Lancer, and Shrivamsha Rider.
- ↑ Meaning their accuracy against units is raised from 15% to 50%.
- ↑ Villagers have +30 attack bonus against the Predator Animal armor class, which ensures that they can kill any 25 HP predator in one strike, even when attacking from downhill.
- ↑ This bonus has three implications:
- Gold miners work 10% faster.
- Gold mines have +10% gold.
- Gold miners have +10% carry capacity.
- ↑ Due to the way this bonus works (lowered work rates are multiplied by higher resource gains), farming is ~2.5% / 5.5% / 2.5% slower with no upgrades / Wheelbarrow / Hand Cart, respectively (slightly lower difference with Heavy Plow researched) Source: Reddit – 'Some updated & completed Farming Workrate Values for the tail end of 2017'.
- ↑ The bonus is applied before Bloodlines, so a Mongol Light Cavalry has hit points without Bloodlines and hit points with Bloodlines in the Imperial Age.
- ↑ Unlike the Donjons for Sicilians, the Folwark does not actually replace the Mill. The Folwark is an upgrade to the Mill at the start of the game for free.
- ↑ The Saracen team bonus displays +2 in the technology tree, even though it gives +3 attack against the standard building armor class. This is by design, since the description is meant to tell players about the effect in practice, not the value in the data files. Archers typically do a minimum damage of 1 against buildings. The +3 attack bonus against buildings results in an additional 2 damage being dealt to buildings; hence the +2 in the technology tree.
However, in some cases the extra damage is indeed +3, such as against buildings with low pierce armor (Outposts, palisades, and Gates). For example, a Feudal Age Saracen Archer (4 pierce damage) attacking an Outpost (0 pierce armor) deals 7 damage instead of 4.
The Saracen team bonus affects Skirmishers and Slingers because they are in the same unit class as the Archer-line. It does not affect Hand Cannoneers, because they have their own unit class. - ↑ Requires a Town Center to be built first.
- ↑ Requires a Town Center to be built first, which means it does not apply to the first Town Center on Nomadic starts.
- ↑ "Bonus damage" is incoming damage of all armor classes except for melee or pierce damage. It is also applied to Gaia damage, i.e. reduces the bonus damage of Wild Boars versus cavalry. "Land military units" excludes Monks. The bonus does not apply to hill bonus/cliff damage.
- The bonus is applied to units and is thus preserved for other civilizations upon conversion. Conversely, if a Sicilian Monk converts a non-Sicilian unit, the latter will not receive the bonus damage reduction.
- In practical cases, the bonus applies to (foot and mounted) archers, infantry, and cavalry. Note that while Petards are affected, normal Petards do not take any bonus damage to begin with. The bonus also applies to Flaming Camels and all Hand Cannoneers in scenario editor.
- ↑ For a total of 344 food after Horse Collar, 625 food after Heavy Plow, and 1019 food after Crop Rotation.
- ↑ Ballistics-like effect without the need to research the technology
- ↑ At 7 tiles per second instead of the regular 3.5 (unmentioned in the tech tree).
- ↑ Applies to Hand Cannoneers, Bombard Cannons, and Cannon Galleons. Does not apply to Conquistadors, but they have a base reload time of 2.9, the same as a Spanish Hand Cannoneer.
- ↑ Technically Villagers can extract +57% food assuming no rotting, but considering gathering by five to six Villagers and standard rotting rates, the average food collected is +50% over normal.
- ↑ Buildings are also affected.
- ↑ The bonus only applies to the primary projectiles of projectile units. As such, it does not affect Town Centers and only applies to the first projectile of other defensive structures and Mercenary Kipchaks. In a broader context, it applies to all projectiles of (converted) Organ Guns and Dromons, since all of their projectiles are primary.
- ↑ Since update 47820, the 50% cost reduction only applies to the Bombard Tower technology and the Elite Cannon Galleon upgrade. It also applied to the Cannon Galleon technology before it was removed from the game with update 47820 and to Hand Cannon and the Bombard Cannon technologies before they were removed in The Conquerors. It does not apply to Artillery or the Elite Janissary upgrade.
Wonders map[]
Civilization icons are placed at the real world locations of their Wonders. Since the Mongol Wonder is the golden tent of Genghis Khan, the map shows it at Avarga, the capital of their empire during his rule.