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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For other uses of the term, see Junk. |
| “ | Trade unit used for generating gold at another player's Dock. To trade, click the Junk then right-click another player's Dock. Will return with gold to your Dock. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II description | ||
The Junk is an untrainable civilian ship in Age of Empires II, which is present in the campaign mode and is available in the Scenario Editor.
Overview[]
Junks can be used to gain gold by traveling to another player's Dock and back, just like a regular Trade Cog. However, compared to the latter, they carry much more gold than listed at the respective Dock, but move slightly slower, and their speed cannot be improved by researching Caravan.
Campaign appearances[]
Francisco de Almeida[]
- Lion of Africa: In the HD Edition, the Emir controls several Junks, renamed as Dhows, which are used to trade with the Portuguese and the Barbary Pirates.
Victors and Vanquished[]
- Shimazu: The Junks are Red Seal Ships, allowed to trade in Japan. Several can be found around Kyushu. They are technically modified Trade Cogs, but with a changed model and name to appear as Junks.
History[]
Shipbuilding in China, according to many historians, originated earlier than in Egypt. Chinese navigators made long journeys on these ships. The common design used in these sailing ships is called the Junk.
More than 300 types of junks were created, unsightly in appearance but extremely seaworthy, with sails of canvas, silk, or matting. All of them - regardless of the purpose - are structurally very similar: a flat bottom, vertical sides of the hull, a slightly pointed nose, a blunt, chopped off stern with cabins and batten sails woven from reeds. As in Europe, eyes were often painted on the cheekbones near the stem. Add-ons in the stern protruded somewhat beyond the hull. Some junks could accommodate up to 1,000 people.
The design of the junk has existed almost unchanged until modern times. From the 13th to 15th centuries, Chinese junks were bigger than any other ships in the world as can be seen rendered in the world map made by Venetian cartographer Fra Mauro, and is also attested by travelers such as Marco Polo, Niccolò da Conti, and Ibn Battuta. The largest among these were possibly the Ming treasure ships commanded by Zheng He, though this is disputed.
Trivia[]
- Before update 141935, due to having a blockage class of 0 rather than 2, Junks had a square frame when selected, rather than round like most units, and it seemed to be untouched by most long-range projectiles, except the Area of Effect damage dealt by any. It shared this behavior with the Scenario Editor animal Dire Wolf. Enemy units and buildings still targeted it with the same priority as of any other unit.
- In The Age of Kings, it was a hidden and unfinished unit using the icon of the Relic and unable to trade. Instead, it would approach enemy units and inflict minimal damage, a bit like the Monoreme in Chronicles.
- The unit was present during early development of the game.[1] Like many units at the time, it was given Age of Empires graphics as a placeholder, in the Junk's case the Trade Boat's sprite. Because of this, its appearance was very far from real life junks.
- Now a proper trade unit, it was added to the Scenario Editor in The Forgotten with the Relic icon replaced by that of the Trade Boat from Age of Empires.
- In the Definitive Edition, the Junk has a unique appearance based on actual junks.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ AGE 2 Design Document at the Internet Archive
