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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires IV. For the unit in other games of the series, see Lancer and Knight.

โ€œ Expensive cavalry with a powerful charge. โ€
Age of Empires IV description

The Lancer is a heavy melee cavalry unit in Age of Empires IV trained at the Stable starting in the Castle Age.

The Lancer for European civilizations (viz. the English, Holy Roman Empire, and Rus) is called Knight. The Royal Knight is basically a Lancer/Knight, with an added ability of having extra attack for 3 seconds after completing its charge. It however has a different icon and nomenclature of ranks.

The Rus get access to the Knight in the Feudal Age, an Age earlier than other civilizations, as Early Knight. The English can train Knights from their Keeps as well.

While Keshiks replaced Mongol Lancers since update 7.0.5861, the player still has access to this unit through the Khaganate Palace randomly spawning Elite Rus Knights.

Civilizations[]

Available Unavailable

Tactics[]

The heavy cavalry units (Knight, Lancer, Mounted Samurai, and Royal Knight) have the dangerous combination of strength and speed. They have the second highest brute force in melee combat, only after the Elephant units. However, unlike the Elephants, they are much more mobile. So unless attack bonuses are involved, they win every fight with brute force. Sensing unfavourable fights, they can run away too. This makes Camel Riders their only true counter. A group of them can easily devastate an unprepared/unprotected town and run away as soon as the counter-army reaches. Their main downside is that being such strong units, they have an expensive cost attached.

Further statistics[]

Strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Archers, Horsemen, siege engines
Weak vs. Spearmen, Crossbowman, War Elephant, Camel Riders
Technologies
Hpicon aoe2de Hit points AoE4 Biology Biology (+25%)
AoE4 BoyarsFortitude Boyar's Fortitude (+25, Rus AoE4 Rus)
Attack AoE4 Bloomery Bloomery (+1)
AoE4 Decarbonization Decarbonization (+1)
AoE4 DamascusSteel Damascus Steel (+1)
AoE4 HonedBlades Honed Blades (+3, Delhi Sultanate AoE4 Delhi Sultanate)
AoE4 KnightPoleaxes Knight Poleaxes (+4, Rus AoE4 Rus)
Armor AoE4 FittedLeatherwork Fitted Leatherwork (+1 melee)
AoE4 InsulatedHelm Insulated Helm (+1 melee)
AoE4 MasterSmiths Master Smiths (+1 melee)
AoE4 IronUndermesh Iron Undermesh (+1 ranged)
AoE4 WedgeRivets Wedge Rivets (+1 ranged)
AoE4 AngledSurfaces Angled Surfaces (+1 ranged)
AoE4 SteelBarding Steel Barding (+2, HRE AoE4 Holy Roman Empire)
AoE2DE icon Reload Time Attack speed AoE4 DaliHorses Dali Horses (+20%, Zhu Xis Legacy AoE4 Zhu Xi's Legacy)
Creation speed AoE4 MilitaryAcademy Military Academy (+33%)
AoE4 AdvancedAcademy Advanced Academy (+25% from Military School, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
Other AoE4 AdvancedAcademy Advanced Academy (Enable creation from Military School, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
Aura and ability enhancements
AoE2DE icon HP Regen Regeneration AoE4 DivineVitality Divine Vitality (+2 hp/s out of combat, Zhu Xis Legacy AoE4 Zhu Xi's Legacy)
Attack AoE4 Inspired Inspiration Bonus (+15%, HRE AoE4 Holy Roman Empire)
AoE4 SaintsBlessing Saint's Blessing (+2, or +3 with Fervor, Rus AoE4 Rus)
AoE4 DivineCharge Divine Charge (+20%, Zhu Xis Legacy AoE4 Zhu Xi's Legacy)
Armor AoE4 Inspired Inspiration Bonus (+1 melee/ranged, HRE AoE4 Holy Roman Empire)
AoE4 MeleeDefenseDrums Mehter Melee Armor Drums (+2 melee, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
AoE4 RangedDefenseDrums Mehter Ranged Armor Drums (+1 ranged, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
AoE4 SaintsBlessing Saint's Blessing (+1 melee/ranged, Rus AoE4 Rus)
AoE2DE icon Reload Time Attack speed AoE4 ZealEnhancement Zeal (+50% for 3 seconds, Delhi Sultanate AoE4 Delhi Sultanate)
AoE4 AttackSpeedDrums Mehter Attack Drums (+15%, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
Line of Sight AoE4 SetupCampBuff Set up Camp (+30%, English AoE4 English)
AoE2DE icon Movement Speed Movement speed AoE4 SpeedEnhancement Mehter Speed Bonus (+15% when in formation with Mehter, requires Mehter Drums, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
Creation speed AoE4 GoldenAgeTier3 Golden Age Tier 3 (+20%, Abbasid Dynasty AoE4 Abbasid Dynasty)
AoE4 Supervise Supervision (+150% for Chinese AoE4 Chinese; +150% for Zhu Xis Legacy AoE4 Zhu Xi's Legacy or +300% with Regional Inspection)
AoE4 GarrisonedScholar Garrisoned Scholar (+100%, requires Efficient Production, Delhi Sultanate AoE4 Delhi Sultanate)
AoE4 InfluenceBuff Blacksmith/University Influence (+30%/40% per Age, +100% with Istanbul Observatory, Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans)
Civilization bonuses
Hpicon aoe2de Hit points Chinese AoE4 Chinese (+15% in AoE4 MingDynasty Ming Dynasty)
AoE2DE icon Movement Speed Movement speed Chinese AoE4 Chinese (+15% in AoE4 YuanDynasty Yuan Dynasty)
Resource cost Zhu Xis Legacy AoE4 Zhu Xi's Legacy (-10% in AoE4 YuanDynasty Yuan Dynasty)
Creation speed English AoE4 English (+75% from The White Tower)
Other English AoE4 English (Can be created at Keeps)
Info icon Note: The Network of Castles bonus currently has no effect on English Knights.

Khaganate Elite Knight[]

The Mongol Khaganate Palace has the ability to randomly spawn Rus Elite Knights. In addition to generic technologies, they can benefit from both unique Mongol and Rus technologies and bonuses:

Technologies
Hpicon aoe2de Hit points AoE4 Biology Improved Biology (+30%)
AoE4 BoyarsFortitude Boyar's Fortitude (+25, granted free)
Attack AoE4 KnightPoleaxes Knight Poleaxes (+4, granted free)
Aura and ability enhancements
Attack AoE4 AttackSpeedDrums Kurultai Aura (+20%)
AoE4 SaintsBlessing Saint's Blessing (+2)
Armor AoE4 DefenseArrow Defense Arrow (+2 melee and ranged for 5/10/12 seconds, depending on Whistling Arrows)
AoE4 SaintsBlessing Saint's Blessing (+1 melee/ranged)
AoE2DE icon Movement Speed Movement speed AoE4 ManeuverArrow Maneuver Arrow (+33% for 5/10/12 seconds, depending on Whistling Arrows)
AoE4 YamAura Yam Aura (+15%)

Dialogue lines[]

Changelog[]

Campaign version[]

Because the original four campaigns have not been rebalanced since the release of the game, the Mongols still get Lancers (including Early Lancers) instead of Keshiks in those campaigns, and they have the following main differences:

  • They train in 45 seconds
  • They have 195/240/280 hit points and 4/5/5 melee and ranged armor per upgrade level
  • They deal 21/26/30 damage with their regular attack and 32/38/45 damage with their charge attack per upgrade level
  • They deal 30 fire damage with their torch attack every 4.12 seconds
  • The Elite upgrade costs 200 food, 600 gold and takes 90 seconds to research

In the The Sultans Ascend campaign, the Crusader civilization has access to the Knight line, including the Early Knight. However, these are actually reskinned Royal Knights.

Trivia[]

  • Despite their name, Chinese Lancers are armed with a guandao instead of lances.
  • In the beta, the Mongols had access to the Early Lancer in the Feudal Age, akin to the Rus (which still have it). This unit is still available in the Mongol campaign.
  • Regular, Veteran, and Elite Keshiks reuse the Early Lancer, (Mongol) regular Lancer, and (Mongol) Elite Lancer skins. Images related to this can be seen in the Keshik's gallery.

Gallery[]

Units in Age of Empires IV
Common/Generic
Miscellaneous AoE4 GenericVillager Villager ยท AoE4 Trader Trader ยท AoE4 FishingBoat Fishing Boat ยท AoE4 TradeShip Trade Ship ยท AoE4 TransportShip Transport Ship ยท AoE4 Monk Monk/Imam/Shaman ยท AoE4 Leader Monarch
Melee infantry AoE4 Spearman Spearman ยท AoE4 ManAtArms Man-at-Arms
Ranged infantry AoE4 Archer Archer ยท AoE4 Crossbowman Crossbowman ยท AoE4 Handcannoneer Handcannoneer
Melee cavalry AoE4 Scout Scout ยท AoE4 Horseman Horseman ยท AoE4 Knight Lancer/Knight
Siege AoE4 SiegeTower Siege Tower ยท AoE4 BatteringRam Battering Ram ยท AoE4 Springald Springald ยท AoE4 Mangonel Mangonel ยท AoE4 CounterweightTrebuchet Counterweight Trebuchet ยท AoE4 Bombard Bombard ยท AoE4 Ribauldequin Ribauldequin ยท AoE4 Culverin Culverin
Military ship AoE4 ArcherShip Archer ship: Dhow, Galley, Hunting Canoe, Junk, Light Junk, Lodya Galley
AoE4 SpringaldShip Springald ship: Baghlah, Hulk, Lodya Attack Ship, War Canoe, War Cog, War Junk
AoE4 IncendiaryShip Incendiary ship: Demolition Ship, Explosive Dhow, Explosive Junk, Lodya Demolition Ship
AoE4 Warship Warship: Baochuan, Carrack, Xebec
Cheat AoE4 PhotonMan Photon Man
Unique
Abbasid Dynasty AoE4 Abbasid Dynasty AoE4 CamelRider Camel Rider ยท AoE4 CamelArcher Camel Archer ยท AoE4 Ghulam Ghulam
Ayyubids AoE4 Ayyubids AoE4 Atabeg Atabeg ยท AoE4 BedouinSkirmisher Bedouin Skirmisher ยท AoE4 BedouinSwordsman Bedouin Swordsman ยท AoE4 CamelLancer Camel Lancer ยท AoE4 Dervish Dervish ยท AoE4 DesertRaider Desert Raider ยท AoE4 Ghulam Ghulam ยท AoE4 TowerOfTheSultan Tower of the Sultan
Byzantines AoE4 Byzantines AoE4 Cataphract Cataphract ยท AoE4 VarangianGuard Varangian Guard ยท AoE4 Cheirosiphon Cheirosiphon ยท AoE4 Limitanei Limitanei ยท AoE4 Dromon Dromon
Chinese AoE4 Chinese AoE4 ImperialOfficial Imperial Official ยท AoE4 ZhugeNu Zhuge Nu ยท AoE4 PalaceGuard Palace Guard ยท AoE4 NestOfBees Nest of Bees ยท AoE4 FireLancer Fire Lancer ยท AoE4 Grenadier Grenadier
Delhi Sultanate AoE4 Delhi Sultanate AoE4 Monk Scholar ยท AoE4 WarElephant War Elephant ยท AoE4 TowerElephant Tower Elephant ยท AoE4 SultansEliteTowerElephant Sultan's Elite Tower Elephant ยท AoE4 GhaziRaider Ghazi Raider
English AoE4 English AoE4 Longbowman Longbowman ยท AoE4 King King ยท AoE4 WynguardRanger Wynguard Ranger ยท AoE4 WynguardFootman Wynguard Footman
French AoE4 French AoE4 RoyalKnight Royal Knight ยท AoE4 Arbaletrier Arbalรฉtrier ยท AoE4 Galleass Galleass ยท AoE4 Cannon Cannon
HRE AoE4 Holy Roman Empire AoE4 Monk Prelate ยท AoE4 Landsknecht Landsknecht
Japanese AoE4 Japanese AoE4 Warship Atakebune ยท AoE4 BuddhistMonk Buddhist Monk ยท AoE4 KatanaBannerman Katana Bannerman ยท AoE4 MountedSamurai Mounted Samurai ยท AoE4 OnnaBugeisha Onna-Bugeisha ยท AoE4 OnnaMusha Onna-Musha ยท AoE4 Ozutsu Ozutsu ยท AoE4 Samurai Samurai ยท AoE4 Shinobi Shinobi ยท AoE4 ShintoPriest Shinto Priest ยท AoE4 TreasureCaravan Treasure Caravan ยท AoE4 UmaBannerman Uma Bannerman ยท AoE4 YumiAshigaru Yumi Ashigaru ยท AoE4 YumiBannerman Yumi Bannerman
Jeanne d Arc AoE4 Jeanne d'Arc AoE4 JeannesChampion Jeanne's Champion ยท AoE4 JeannesRider Jeanne's Rider ยท AoE4 RoyalKnight Royal Knight ยท AoE4 Arbaletrier Arbalรฉtrier ยท AoE4 Galleass Galleass ยท AoE4 Cannon Cannon ยท Jeanne d'Arc [AoE4 JdA Peasant Peasant ยท AoE4 JdA WomanAtArms Woman-at-Arms ยท AoE4 JdA Hunter Hunter ยท AoE4 JdA Knight Knight ยท AoE4 JdA MountedArcher Mounted Archer ยท AoE4 JdA BlastCannon Blast Cannon ยท AoE4 JdA Markswoman Markswoman]
Malians AoE4 Malians AoE4 Donso Donso ยท AoE4 MusofadiWarrior Musofadi Warrior ยท AoE4 JavelinThrower Javelin Thrower ยท AoE4 WarriorScout Warrior Scout ยท AoE4 Sofa Sofa ยท AoE4 FreebornWarrior Freeborn Warrior ยท AoE4 Cattle Cattle ยท AoE4 MusofadiGunner Musofadi Gunner
Mongols AoE4 Mongols AoE4 Khan Khan ยท AoE4 Mangudai Mangudai ยท AoE4 TurkicHorseArcher Khan's Hunter ยท AoE4 TractionTrebuchet Traction Trebuchet ยท AoE4 HuihuiPao Huihui Pao ยท AoE4 Keshik Keshik
Order of the Dragon AoE4 Order of the Dragon AoE4 GildedSpearman Gilded Spearman ยท AoE4 GildedManAtArms Gilded Man-at-Arms ยท AoE4 GildedLandsknecht Gilded Landsknecht ยท AoE4 GildedArcher Gilded Archer ยท AoE4 GildedCrossbowman Gilded Crossbowman ยท AoE4 DragonHandcannoneer Gilded Handcannoneer ยท AoE4 GildedHorseman Gilded Horseman ยท AoE4 GildedKnight Gilded Knight ยท AoE4 GenericVillager Gilded Villager ยท AoE4 Monk Prelate
Ottomans AoE4 Ottomans AoE4 Mehter Mehter ยท AoE4 Sipahi Sipahi ยท AoE4 HorseArcher Cavalry Archer ยท AoE4 Janissary Janissary ยท AoE4 GreatBombard Great Bombard ยท AoE4 GrandGalley Grand Galley
Rus AoE4 Rus AoE4 FishingBoat Lodya Fishing Boat ยท AoE4 WarriorMonk Warrior Monk ยท AoE4 HorseArcher Horse Archer ยท AoE4 Streltsy Streltsy ยท AoE4 Militia Militia
Zhu Xis Legacy AoE4 Zhu Xi's Legacy AoE4 ImperialOfficial Imperial Official ยท AoE4 ZhugeNu Zhuge Nu ยท AoE4 PalaceGuard Palace Guard ยท AoE4 NestOfBees Nest of Bees ยท AoE4 Grenadier Grenadier ยท AoE4 ImperialGuard Imperial Guard ยท AoE4 YuanRaider Yuan Raider ยท AoE4 ShaolinMonk Shaolin Monk
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