Elite Contract is a technology in Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend that is unique to the Byzantines and can be researched at the Mercenary House in the Imperial Age. Once researched, it upgrades Veteran Mercenaries to Elite Mercenaries. It addition, it also unlocks the third tier of mercenary units from mercenary contracts. More specifically it unlocks:
Tower Elephant and Howdahs (requires Eastern Mercenary Contract)- Streltsy (requires Western Mercenary Contract)
- Grenadier (requires Silk Road Mercenary Contract)
It can also be researched at the Golden Horn Tower, but at half the speed. When it is researched within the influence of a Cistern with the Dialecticus ability active, the research speed of this technology is 30% faster per water level at the Cistern.
