A civilization bonus is an innate bonus in that applies to a player's civilization from the start of each game. Civilization bonuses are fixed. Thus, they cannot be lost or changed. They are featured in Age of Empires and Age of Empires II. Together with a civilization's individual technology tree, these bonuses are what makes every civilization special and determines its nature.
In Full Tech Tree games, all civilization bonuses are lost.
In Age of Mythology and Age of Empires III, civilizations distinguish themselves through different sets of units, buildings, improvements, gods, and Home City Cards rather than through individual bonuses.
Age of Empires
Assyrian
- Villagers move 10% faster
- Archers fire 25% faster
Babylonian
- Stone Miners work 20% faster and carry +2 stone
- Walls and towers have +75% HP
- Priests rejuvenate 30% faster
Carthaginian
- Academy units and elephant units +25% HP
- Camel Riders +15% HP
- Fire Galley +25% attack
- Transport ships move 25% faster
Choson
- Longswordman and Legion +80 hitpoints
- Towers +2 range
- Priest cost -30%
Egyptian
- Gold Miners works 20% faster and carry +2 gold.
- Chariot units +33% HP
- Priests +3 range
Greek
- Academy units move 30%.
- Ships move 30% faster.
Hittite
- All archers +1 attack.
- Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult double hitpoints.
- War ships (except Fire Galley) +4 range.
Macedonian
- All non-ranged units +2 LOS
- Academy units +2 pierce armor.
- Siege Workshop units cost -25%.
- All untis 4 times more resistant to conversion.
Minoan
- Ships cost -30%.
- Composite Bowman +2 range.
- Farms have +60 Food.
Palmyran
- Villagers cost 75 Food, but have armor and work 25% faster.
- Start the game with +50 Food.
- Camel Riders move 25% faster.
- Tributes are free.
- Trade ships return 2x gold.
Persian
- Hunters work 30% faster and carry +3 food.
- Elephant Units move 20% faster.
- Triremes fire 25% faster.
Phoenician
- Woodcutters work 15% faster and carry +2 wood.
- Elephant units cost -25%
- Catapult Trireme and Juggernaught fire 30% faster.
Roman
- Buildings cost -10%, except for towers, walls and Wonders.
- Towers cost -50%.
- Swordsmen attack +33% faster.
- Priest have 1% chance to resurrect on death and 2% chance to convert enemy when struck in combat.
Shang
- Villagers cost 40 Food.
- Start the game with -40 Food.
- Walls have +75% HP
Sumerian
- Villagers +15 HP.
- Stone Thrower, Catapult, Heavy Catapult fire 30% faster.
- Farms have +125 Food.
Yamato
- Villagers move 10% faster.
- All cavalry units and Horse Archers cost -20%.
- Ships have +25% HP
Age of Empires II
Every civilization in Age of Empires II has two to five bonuses affecting only the civilization itself, and one additional team bonus that affects the civilization as well as all allies. Note that a civilization bonus and another civilization's team bonus can stack, e.g. if the Malians are allied with the Vikings, their Docks only cost 109 wood (150 base cost - 15% civilization bonus - 15% Viking team bonus = 109).
The civilization bonuses of all civilizations are listed below. Note that from time to time, civilization bonuses are changed by the developers. This list shows the bonuses in the current form. To see the changes and past versions, see the respective civilization's article.
Aztecs
- Start the game with an Eagle Scout.
- Villagers carry +5 extra resources.
- All military units are created 15% faster.
- Monks gain 5 HP for every researched Monastery technology.
- Start with +50 gold.
- Team bonus: Relics generate +33% gold.
Berbers
- Villagers move +10% faster.
- Stable units cost -15%/-20% in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Ships move +10% faster.
- Team bonus: Genitour available at the Archery Range.
Britons
- Town Centers cost -50% wood once the Castle Age is reached.
- Foot archers (except Skirmishers) have +1/+2 range in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Shepherds work 25% faster.
- Team bonus: Archery Ranges work 20% faster.
Burmese
- Lumber Camp upgrades are free.
- 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.
Byzantines
- Buildings have +10%/+20%/+30%/+40% HP in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Camel Riders, Skirmishers, and Spearmen are 25% cheaper.
- Fire Ships attack 20% faster.
- Advancing to the Imperial Age is 33% cheaper.
- Town Watch is free.
- Team bonus: Monks heal 50% faster.
Celts
- Infantry move 15% faster.
- Lumberjacks work 15% faster.
- Siege weapons fire 20% faster.
- Enemy herdables can be converted regardless of enemy units next to them.
- Team bonus: Siege Workshops work 20% faster.
Chinese
- Start game with three extra Villagers, but with -200 food and -50 wood.
- Town Centers support ten population and have +5 LOS.
- Technologies are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Demolition Ships have +50% HP.
- Team bonus: Farms provide +45 food.
Ethiopians
- Archers fire 15% faster.
- Receive 100 gold and 100 food when advancing to the next Age.
- The Pikeman upgrade is free.
- Team bonus: Towers and Outposts have +3 LOS.
Franks
- Farm upgrades are free.
- Castles are 25% cheaper.
- Cavalry has +20% HP.
- Foragers work 25% faster.
- Team bonus: Knights have +2 Line of Sight.
Goths
- Infantry is 35% cheaper starting in the Feudal Age.
- Infantry has +1 attack against standard buildings.
- Villagers have +5 attack against Wild Boars and carry +15 food from hunting.
- +10 population cap in the Imperial Age.
- Team bonus: Barracks work 20% faster.
Huns
- Do not need Houses, but start game with -100 wood.
- Cavalry Archers are 10%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Trebuchets are 30% more accurate.
- Team bonus: Stables work 20% faster.
Incas
- Start the game with an Eagle Scout.
- Start with a free Llama.
- Villagers benefit from Blacksmith infantry upgrades.
- Houses support 10 population.
- Buildings cost -15% stone.
- Team bonus: Farms are built 50% faster.
Indians
- Fishermen work 15% faster and carry +15 food.
- Villagers are 10%/15%/20%/25% cheaper in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Camel Riders have +1 pierce armor.
- Team bonus: Camels have +6 attack against buildings.
Italians
- Dock technologies are 50% cheaper.
- Fishing Ships are 15% cheaper.
- Gunpowder units are 20% cheaper.
- Advancing to the next Age is 15% cheaper.
- Team bonus: Condottiero available at the Barracks.
Japanese
- Fishing Ships have double HP, +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 attacks 25% faster starting in the Feudal Age.
- Team bonus: Galleys have +50% Line of Sight.
Khmer
- No buildings are required to advance to the next Age or to unlock other buildings.
- Battle Elephants move +15% faster.
- Villagers can garrison in Houses.
- Team bonus: Scorpions have +1 range.
Koreans
- Villagers have +3 Line of Sight.
- Stone Miners work 20% faster.
- Tower upgrades are free (Bombard Tower requires Chemistry).
- Towers (except Bombard Towers) have +1/+2 range in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Fortifications are built 33% faster.
- Team bonus: Mangonel line minimum range reduced.
Magyars
- Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
- The Scout Cavalry line is 15% cheaper.
- Villagers kill wild animals in one strike.
- Team bonus: Foot archers have +2 Line of Sight.
Malay
- Advancing in Age is +80% faster.
- Fish Traps are 33% cheaper.
- Fish Traps provide unlimited food.
- Battle Elephants are 30% cheaper.
- Team bonus: Docks have double Line of Sight.
Malians
- Buildings cost -15% wood (except Farms).
- Barracks units have +1/+2/+3 pierce armor in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Gold Mining is free.
- Team bonus: Universities research +80% faster.
Mayans
- Start the game with an Eagle Scout.
- Start the game with +1 Villager, but with -50 food.
- Resources last 15% longer.
- Foot archers are 10%/20%/30% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Team bonus: Walls are 50% cheaper.
Mongols
- Cavalry archers fire 25% faster.
- Light Cavalry and Hussars have +30% HP.
- Hunters work +50% faster.
- Team bonus: The Scout Cavalry line has +2 Line of Sight.
Persians
- Start the game with +50 food and +50 wood.
- Town Centers and Docks have double HP and work 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Team bonus: Knights have +2 attack against archers.
Portuguese
- All units cost -15% gold.
- All ships have +10% HP.
- The Feitoria becomes available for building in the Imperial Age.
- Team bonus: Free Cartography from the beginning of the game.
Saracens
- The commodity trading fee is 5%.
- Markets cost -75 wood.
- Transport Ships have double HP and +5 carry capacity.
- Galleys attack 20% faster.
- Cavalry Archers have +4 attack against standard buildings.
- Team bonus: Foot archers have +2 attack against standard buildings.
Slavs
- Farmers work 15% faster.
- Tracking is free.
- Siege Workshop units are 15% cheaper.
- Team bonus: Military buildings provide +5 population.
Spanish
- Builders work 30% faster.
- Blacksmith upgrades cost no gold.
- Cannon Galleons have better accuracy and faster cannonballs.
- Hand Cannoneers and Bombard Cannons fire 15% faster.
- Team bonus: Trade units generate +25% gold.
Teutons
- Monks have double healing range.
- Towers garrison twice as many units.
- Murder Holes are free.
- Farms are 33% cheaper.
- Town Centers can garrison +10 units.
- Team bonus: Units resist conversion.
Turks
- Gunpowder units have +25% HP.
- Gunpowder technologies are 50% cheaper.
- Chemistry is free.
- Gold Miners work 15% faster.
- Light Cavalry and Hussar upgrades are free.
- Team bonus: Gunpowder units are created 20% faster.
Vietnamese
- Reveal enemy positions at game start.
- Archery Range units have +20% HP.
- Conscription is free.
- Team bonus: Imperial Skirmishers are available at the Archery Range.
Vikings
- Warships are 15%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Infantry have +10%/+15%/+20% HP in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Wheelbarrow and Hand Cart are free.
- Team bonus: Docks are 15% cheaper.