Infantry units are foot soldiers which usually have no range. Most of them are trained at the Barracks, but some may also be trained at Castles.
There are two main line of infantry units: the sword infantry and the pike infantry. In the final age, Champions appear.
Sword infantry[]
Militia[]
The first infantry unit and only one available in the first age. Militia are very weak and are even threatened by Scout Cavalry. Since they are a starting unit, the player can use them to seek map treasures.
Stats
- Age: 1
- Food cost: 75
- Gold cost: 25
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 100
- Defence: 100
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Civilization discounts or premiums - Not applicable for this unit
Men-at-Arms[]
Men-at-Arms are slightly stronger than militia but still very vulnerable to Light Cavalry. They also struggle to defeat Spearmen. If starting in age 2, the player begin with Men-at-Arms so can use them to seek the map for treasures.
Stats
- Food cost: 95
- Gold cost: 30
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 150
- Defence: 150
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Civilization discounts or premiums - Not applicable for this unit
Longswordsman[]
Longswordmen are an improvement over Men-at-Arms and are bit sturdier. They can also be trained at Castles making them excellent at reinforcing while away from the player's towns. They also excel at destroying buildings. If starting in the Castle Age, the player begin with Longswordsmen, so they can be used to seek map treasures.
Possibly due a technical oversight, the sword infantry that join from random map ruins interactions are Long Swordsmen in the Imperial Age instead of Two-Handed Swordsmen as would be expected.
Stats
- Food cost: 130
- Gold cost: 45
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 200
- Defence: 200
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Civilization discounts or premiums
- Britons: -10 food, -10 gold
- Saracens: +20 food, +20 gold
Two Handed Swordsman[]
As the final upgrade of the swordsman unit line, Two Handed Swordsmen are powerful units, but are often shadowed by Champions which fill a similar role. They can also be trained at Castles making them excellent at reinforcing while away from the player's towns. They are effective at destroying buildings. If starting in age 4, the player begin with Two Handed Swordsmen so the player can use them to seek the map for treasures.
Stats
- Food cost: 175
- Gold cost: 50
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 250
- Defence: 250
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Civilization discounts or premiums
Britons: -10 food and -10 gold
Saracens: +20 food and +20 gold
Pike infantry[]
Spearman[]
Available in the Feudal Age, Spearmen are intended as a strong counter to cavalry, but are surprisingly durable against Men-at-Arms, who are supposed to be their direct counter. Spearmen are an impressive defensive unit.
Stats
- Food cost: 115
- Gold cost: 40
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 100
- Defence: 150
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Special Abilities
- Anti-Cavalry: While fighting cavalry, this unit gets a +83% attack and defence bonus and gains the first strike skill
Civilization discounts or premiums
- Japanese: -10 food and -10 gold
Pikeman[]
Pikemen continue to be a hard counter to cavalry and remain durable against Longswordmen, who are technically should be their direct hard counter. Pikemen are an impressive defensive unit since they don't really have an obvious weakness, especially when combined with terrain or building defensive bonuses.
Stats
- Food cost: 215
- Gold cost: 60
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 200
- Defence: 250
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Special Abilities
- Anti-Cavalry: While fighting cavalry, this unit gets a +83% attack and defence bonus and gains the first strike skill
Civilization discounts or premiums
- Japanese: -10 food and -10 gold
Elite Pikeman[]
Elite Pikemen continue to be a hard counter to cavalry and are competitive against Two-Handed Swordsmen, but do poorly against Champions. Pikemen are still an important unit, especially for dealing with Paladins. The portrait and models of Elite Pikemen are the same as Pikemen, but they are technically separate units.
Stats
- Food cost: 160
- Gold cost: 55
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 150
- Defence: 200
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Special Abilities
- Anti-Cavalry: While fighting cavalry, this unit gets a +83% attack and defence bonus and gains the first strike skill
Civilization discounts or premiums
- Japanese: -10 food and -10 gold
Champion[]
Champions are the most powerful non-unique infantry unit in the game, having the same immense attack and defence as the Elite Samurai. The player must research the technology "Arena" before they are available. These units are similar Two-Handed Swordsmen, but are more expensive and stronger. Champions are able to deal quickly with Pikemen and buildings.
Research requirements: Arena
Stats
- Food cost: 235
- Gold cost: 70
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 300
- Defence: 300
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Civilization discounts or premiums
Britons: -10 food and -10 gold
Saracens: +20 food and +20 gold
Unlockable infantry options[]
The following infantry can be trained at the Barracks after the player purchases them in the game settings using experience points.
Swiss Pikeman[]
Based on the famous European mercenaries of the late middle ages, Swiss Pikemen are an improvement over regular Castle Age Pikemen, but with additional cost. They are roughly 13% more expensive and 13% better in combat. Upon reaching the Imperial Age, Swiss Pikemen will automatically become generic Elite Pikemen and adopting their owner's civilization portrait and model. Swiss Pikemen share the model of European Pikemen, but they are affected by each civilization's secondary color schemes.
In-game empire points cost: 100
Stats
- Food cost: 185
- Gold cost: 60
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 175
- Defence: 225
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Special Abilities
- Anti-Cavalry: While fighting cavalry, this unit gets a +83% attack and defence bonus and gains the first strike skill
Civilization discounts or premiums- N/A
Dopple-hรคnder[]
Dopple-hรคnders are an elite fighting force of German-speaking mercenaries who are named for their immense two-handed swords they wield. They can also be trained at the Barracks as well as Castles, making them excellent at reinforcing while away from the player's towns. They are effective at destroying buildings. These units are roughly 15% more expensive, but only 9% stronger in combat than standard Two-Handed Swordsmen, making them one of the less efficient unlockable units.
In-game empire points cost: 100
Stats
- Food cost: 175
- Gold cost: 50
- Health: 100
- Movement: 7
- Attack: 250
- Defence: 250
- Sight: 7
- Attack range: 1
- Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units
Civilization discounts or premiums- N/A
Strategy[]
The computer player often trains pike infantry at a higher ratio, preferring it over the sword infantry line. This is likely because pike infantry are often a better investment due to their comparable stats to those of the sword infantry line, but without the obvious weakness against cavalry.
Age of Empires: The Age of Kings | |
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Gameplay elements | Building ยท Unit ยท Terrain ยท Map object ยท Technology tree |
Civilizations | Britons ยท Franks ยท Japanese ยท Mongols ยท Saracens |
Unit types | Infantry ยท Archer ยท Cavalry ยท Siege ยท Unique ยท Mercenary ยท Hero ยท Non-combatant |
Campaigns | Joan of Arc ยท Minamoto Yoshitsune ยท Genghis Khan ยท Saladin ยท Richard the Lionheart |
Categories | Images |