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Franks

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This article is about the civilization in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. For similar civilizations, see French.
Civilization Technology tree Strategy

“ Rule the hardy folk of the Francisca axe and establish a dynasty worthy to follow in the footsteps of the Romans! Seize the English crown, lead chivalrous knights and fierce infantry to victories as far away as the Holy Land, and construct imposing castles to defend your productive farmers from enemy incursions. The Frankish unique unit is the Throwing Axeman, a ruthless warrior whose axes spell death to anything that dares to step within range. ”
—Description[1]

The Franks are a Western European civilization in Age of Empires II primarily based on the Carolingian Empire and medieval Kingdom of France. The Franks focus on cavalry.

The Franks were the Germanic ancestors to the French, who also appear in Age of Empires III and Age of Empires IV (much like the Franks, the French are depicted in the successor games as cavalry-focused civilization with strong economic bonuses and beginner-friendly mechanics).

Characteristics[]

Unique unit[]

Throwing Axeman: Ranged infantry unit.

Unique technologies[]

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.

Overview[]

The Franks are a straightforward cavalry civilization, with a very potent Knight line. The 20% hit points bonus gives them an advantage due to saving them on Bloodlines and receive extra hit points for the Cavalier and Paladin. Chivalry not only helps them produce cavalry, but also speeds up the very slow Paladin upgrade (saves 68 seconds). Their infantry are strong with fully upgradable Champions, Halberdiers and their Elite Throwing Axemen, which is unique for being able to attack from range. The Frankish siege weapons are average, as they lack both the Siege Onager and the Siege Ram, but have Siege Engineers and Bombard Cannon.

The Franks can use Monks with some potential, lacking only Atonement and Redemption, though the latter is a very important technology. Due to the fact that Castles are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age, the Franks make Castles the key component of their defensive system, rather than their barely usable towers. More importantly, it helps them secure map control more, which pairs well with their strong units. The Franks get Farm upgrades for free and their Foragers work +15% faster, giving a significant boost in the early and mid-game, which particularly helps out their cavalry.

With all of their strengths, the Franks have several weak points. As strong as their Knight-line is, their Light Cavalry are lacking. The 20% hit points means that they have less hit points than a generic Light Cavalry, and they also lack the Hussar. Lacking several key upgrades, their ranged units are generally weak, although their Hand Cannoneers are still usable. Their navy has a hard time keeping up, lacking Elite Cannon Galleon and Shipwright, and the lack of Bracer is a big negative for Frankish Galleons. Lastly, with their poor Elite Skirmishers and below-average Light Cavalry, this gives them a very gold-intensive late game that stalls out when reliable sources of gold have been depleted.

Overall, the Franks are a strong civilization that is easy to learn. Their cavalry are strong through the entire game, and they have plenty of options to back them up against any opponent. The Franks are an appealing civilization for newer and veteran players alike who want to go for a Knight rush.

Changelog[]

The Age of Kings[]

  • Only Knights get +20% hit points.
  • Castles are 25% cheaper in all ages.
  • Throwing Axeman have 0.9 speed.
  • (Elite) Throwing Axeman have 50 (60) hit points.

The Conquerors[]

  • Bearded Axe introduced and is available in the Imperial Age.
  • With patch 1.0b, the Halberdier is added to the technology tree.

The Forgotten[]

  • New civilization bonus: Foragers now work 25% faster.
  • Squires added to the technology tree.
  • Chivalry introduced and is available in the Castle Age.
  • Non-Elite Throwing Axemen frame delay reduced (12 → 10).
  • The upgrade to Elite Throwing Axeman costs less gold (850 gold → 750 gold).

The African Kingdoms[]

  • All cavalry get +20% HP instead of just Knights in all ages.
  • Throwing Axemen move faster (0.9 → 1).
  • With patch 4.8, (Elite) Throwing Axemen have +10 hit points → 60 (70).

Definitive Edition[]

  • Cavalry +20% HP bonus only available from the Feudal Age onwards (previously started in the Dark Age).

Lords of the West[]

  • Forager work rate bonus reduced (25% → 15%).
  • Treadmill Crane removed from the technology tree.
  • With update 47820:

Dynasties of India[]

Return of Rome[]

  • With update 93001, Castles are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.

Campaign appearances[]

The Franks are a playable civilization in all the scenarios from the Joan of Arc campaign, two scenarios from Battles of the Conquerors: Tours and Hastings, and two scenarios from Victors and Vanquished: Charlemagne and Robert. Both playable factions in the co-op version of Tours and Hastings are also Franks.

They also appear as allies or enemies in other campaigns: Burgundians, who feature as enemies in all scenarios of Joan of Arc except The Rising, the Holy Roman Emperor scenario of Barbarossa, and A Barbarian Betrothal from Attila the Hun, were represented by Franks before Lords of the West, where they appear as their own civilization (Burgundians).

Similarly, Normans, who play the enemy roles in Bari, were represented by Franks before. But with the release of Lords of the West, they now appear as their own civilization (Sicilians).

Toggle campaign appearance list

Joan of Arc[]

This campaign is played as the Franks.

Saladin[]

Barbarossa[]

Attila the Hun[]

El Cid[]

Battles of the Conquerors[]

  • Tours
    • Frankish Villages - Ally
  • Agincourt
    • Amiens - Enemy
    • French Knights - Enemy
    • Frevent - Enemy
    • Harfleur - Enemy
    • Voyennes - Enemy

Alaric (Definitive Edition version)[]

Bari[]

In the HD Edition:

In the Definitive Edition:

Sforza[]

In the HD Edition:

In the Definitive Edition:

Battles of the Forgotten[]

  • Cyprus (before the Definitive Edition)
    • Philip Augustus - Ally

Tariq ibn Ziyad[]

  • Razzia
    • Aquitanian Villages - Enemy
    • Bordeaux - Enemy
    • Frankish Army - Enemy

Kotyan Khan[]

Grand Dukes[]

  • A Kingdom Divided
    • Liège - Enemy
    • Villages - Neutral
    • Rebel Supply Camps - Enemy
  • The Wolf and the Lion
    • French Peasants - Ally
    • Écorcheurs - Enemy
    • Bernard d'Armagnac - Enemy
    • Jean de Bourbon - Enemy
    • Jean d'Alencon - Enemy
    • Charles d'Orléans - Enemy
  • The Cleansing of Paris
    • Paris - Ally
    • Armagnacs - Enemy
    • Bernard d'Armagnac - Enemy
    • Craftsmen - Ally
    • Scholars - Ally
  • Unholy Marriage
    • Cambrésis - Ally
  • The Hook and Cod Wars
    • The Hooks - Enemy
    • The Cods - Ally
    • Dutch Villages - Ally
  • The Maid Falls
    • Choisy - Enemy
    • Compiègne - Enemy
    • Soissons - Neutral → Ally
    • The French Army - Enemy
    • Joan of Arc - Enemy

Jan Zizka[]

Thoros II[]

Victors and Vanquished[]

Charlemagne and Robert are played as the Franks.

  • Charlemagne
    • Carloman - Ally → Potential enemy
    • Minor Factions - Enemy
  • Gaiseric, Ragnar
    • Franks - Enemy
  • Ironside
    • Francia - Enemy
  • Otto
    • Franconia - Ally → Potential enemy
    • West Francia - Ally → Potential enemy
  • Robert
    • Aquitaine - Ally → Potential enemy
    • King of the Franks - Ally → Potential enemy
  • Stephen
    • Normandy - Enemy
  • Vortigern
    • Franks - Enemy

Barbarossa Brawl[]

  • Burgundy - Enemy

In-game dialogue language[]

In-game, Frankish units speak Middle French with an anachronic Modern French pronunciation, maybe to make a clearly French-flavored voice line.

For instance, "r" is pronounced in the well known guttural way, which was not used until the end of 1700s, several centuries after the end of the Middle Ages. Other examples are the pronunciation of most vowels, and the rendering of final "r".

Villager
Military
Monk
King

AI player names[]

When playing a random map game against the computer, the player may encounter any of the following Frankish AI characters:

  • Charlemagne (2 April 742 – 28 January 814): Numbered Charles I, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774 and Emperor of the Romans from 800. He united much of Europe during the early Middle Ages. He was the first recognised emperor in western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire three centuries earlier. The expanded Frankish state that Charlemagne founded is called the Carolingian Empire.
  • Charles VI: Called the Beloved (French: le Bien-Aimé) and the Mad (French: le Fol or le Fou), was King of France from 1380 to his death. He is known for his mental illness and psychotic episodes that plagued him throughout his life. He is mentioned in the Burgundians campaign.
  • Charles Martel (c. 686 – 22 October 741): A Frankish statesman and military leader who as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. The son of the Frankish statesman Pepin of Herstal and a noblewoman named Alpaida, Charles successfully asserted his claims to power as successor to his father as the power behind the throne in Frankish politics. Continuing and building on his father's work, he restored centralized government in Francia and began the series of military campaigns that re-established the Franks as the undisputed masters of all Gaul.
  • Constable Richemont: Known as the Justicier and as Arthur de Richemont, was Lord of Parthenay and titular Count (Earl) of Richmond in England and for eleven months at the very end of his life, Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort after inheriting those titles upon the death of his nephew.
  • Clovis I: was the first king of the Franks to unite all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of royal chieftains to rule by a single king and ensuring that the kingship was passed down to his heirs.
  • Jean Dunois of Orleans: An illegitimate son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans, by Mariette d'Enghien. His nickname, the "Bastard of Orléans" (bâtard d'Orléans), was a term of respect, since it acknowledged him as a first cousin to the king and acting head of a cadet branch of the royal family during his half-brother's captivity.
  • Joan of Arc: The French legendary heroine of and the one of the leaders in the Hundred Years' War, know as "The Maid of Orléans". She inspired a multitude of literary and historical works in many countries.
  • King Philip I: Called the Amorous, was King of the Franks from 1060 to his death.
  • Louis VI: Called the Fat (French: le Gros) or the Fighter (French: le Batailleur), was King of the Franks from 1108 to his death. He spent almost all of his reign fighting the "robber barons" who plagued Paris and the kings of England for their continental possession of Normandy.
  • Louis IX: Commonly known as Saint Louis, was King of France and a canonized saint.
  • Pepin the Short: King of the Franks from 751 until his death. He was the first of the Carolingians to become king.
  • Philip II Augustus: King of France from 1180 to 1223, a member of the House of Capet.
  • Raymond, Prince of Antioch: Raymond of Poitiers (c. 1115 – 29 June 1149) was Prince of Antioch from 1136 to 1149.
  • Roland: Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was military governor of the Breton March, responsible for defending Francia's frontier against the Bretons. His only historical attestation is in Einhard's Vita Karoli Magni, which notes he was part of the Frankish rearguard killed by rebellious Basques in Iberia at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass.

The following AI players are only present before the Definitive Edition:

  • Charles the Bold: Baptized Charles Martin, was Duke of Burgundy from 1467 to 1477. He was the last Duke of Burgundy from the House of Valois and is sometimes also known as Charles the Rash. Was moved to the Burgundians since Lords of the West.
  • Louis XI: Called "Louis the Prudent" (French: le Prudent), was a monarch of the House of Valois who ruled as King of France from 1461 to 1483.
  • Philip the Good: Duke of Burgundy as Philip III from 1419 until his death. Was moved to the Burgundians since Lords of the West.

History[]

“ The Franks were one of the Germanic barbarian tribes known to the Romans. In the early part of the fifth century, they began expanding south from their homeland along the Rhine River into Roman-controlled Gaul (modern France). Unlike other Germanic tribes, however, they did not move out of their homelands but, rather, added to them. Clovis, a Frankish chieftain, defeated the last Roman armies in Gaul and united the Franks by 509, becoming the ruler of much of western Europe. During the next 1000 years, this Frankish kingdom gradually became the modern nation of France. ”



“ The kingdom of Clovis was divided after his death among his four sons, according to custom. This led to several centuries of civil warfare and struggle between successive claimants to the throne. By the end of the seventh century, the Merovingian kings (descendants of Clovis) were rulers in name only. In the early eighth century, Charles Martel became mayor of the palace, the ruler behind the throne. He converted the Franks into a cavalry force and fought so well that his enemies gave him the name of Charles the Hammer. In 732 the Frankish cavalry defeated Muslim invaders moving north from Spain at the Battle of Poitiers, stopping forever the advance of Islam from the southwest.

Charles Martel's son, Pepin, was made king of the Franks by the pope in return for helping to defend Italy from the Lombards. Pepin founded the dynasty of the Carolingians, and the greatest of these rulers was Charles the Great, or Charlemagne, who ruled from 768 to 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire and was responsible for a rebirth of culture and learning in the West. Charlemagne's empire was divided among his grandsons and thereafter coalesced into two major parts. The western part became the kingdom of France. Later kings gradually lost political control of France, however. Central authority broke down under the pressure of civil wars, border clashes, and Viking raids. Money and soldiers could be raised only by making concessions to landholders. Fiefs became hereditary and fief holders became feudal lords over their own vassals. By the tenth century, France had been broken into feudal domains that acted as independent states.

In 987 the French nobility elected Hugh Capet their king, mainly because his fief centered on Paris was weak and he was thought to pose no threat. He founded the Capetian line of kings, who worked slowly for two centuries regaining the power by making royal roads safe, adding land to their domain, encouraging trade, and granting royal charters for new towns and fiefs in vacant lands. By allying themselves with the church, the Capetians took a strong moral position and benefited from the church's cultural, political, and social influence. Royal administrators were made loyal to the king and more efficient by eliminating the inheritance of government offices.

Beginning with Philip II in 1180, three superior rulers established France as one of the most important nations in Europe. They improved the working of the government, encouraged a booming trade, collected fees efficiently, and strengthened their position atop the feudal hierarchy. Although a national assembly called the Estates General was established, it held no real power and was successfully ignored.

From 1337 to 1453 France and England fought the long conflict called the Hundred Years War to decide ownership of lands in France that had been inherited by English kings. The eventual French victory confirmed the king as the most powerful political force in France. 		”
—[1]

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.forgottenempires.net/age-of-empires-ii-definitive-edition/civilizations/franks
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