Long Swordsman (Age of Empires)

This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the similar unit in Age of Empires II, see Long Swordsman (Age of Empires II).

Template:Units Infobox (Age of Empires)The Long Swordsman is a melee infantry unit featured in Age of Empires. It is available in the Barracks during the Iron Age once the Long Sword is researched. In order to research this technology, 180 food and 60 gold is required.

Unit availability

Available	Unavailable
Assyrians Babylonians Carthaginians Choson Minoans Persians Phoenicians Romans Sumerians	Egyptians Greeks Hittites Macedonians Palmyrans Shang Yamato

Strategy

The Long Swordsman is simply a better version of the Broad Swordsman. It has more hit points, attack, and armor, though by the time they can be trained there are better infantry unit choices at the Academy. They are good for massed attacks due to their cheap cost. The Long Swordsman can be upgraded to the Legion once Fanaticism is researched.

Upgrades

Tool Age

• Toolworking: Increases attack by 2 points.
• Leather Armor Infantry: Increases armor by 2 points.

Bronze Age

• Metalworking: Increases attack by 2 points.
• Scale Armor Infantry: Increases armor by 2 points.
• Bronze Shield: Increases pierce armor by 1 point.
• Logistics: Decreases population usage by 1/2.

Iron Age

• Metallurgy: Increases attack by 3 points.
• Chain Mail Infantry: Increases armor by 2 points.
• Iron Shield: Increases pierce armor by 1 point.
• Tower Shield: Increases pierce armor by 1 point.
• Can be upgraded to Legion which requires Fanaticism.

Template:Barracks TechTree (Age of Empires)

Civilization Bonuses

• Choson: Long Swordsmen have Template:Tt+60 hitpoints.
• Romans: Long Swordsmen attack +33% faster.
• Macedonians: Long Swordsman are four times more resistant against conversion (Scenario Editor only).
• The Long Swordsman is not available for Egyptians, Greeks, Hittites, Macedonians, Palmyrans, Shang, and Yamato.

Changelog

Definitive Edition

• Long Swordsmen get +20 hit points (100 up from 80)
• Choson Long Swordsman now only get +60 hit points (down from +80)

History

The long sword represents the culmination of infantry weapon development in antiquity. It was designed for both piercing and slashing, combining the best of both the short and broad swords. The long sword was made possible first by advances in bronzeworking and improved by the discovery of iron. Some historians believe that the development of long swords by barbarian cultures was a key factor in the catastrophe of 1200 BC, when most of the civilized cultures of the Mediterranean and Middle East were overrun. The long sword in various forms remained an important military weapon until the advent of gunpowder.

— The Age of Empires manual

Gallery

A long Swordsman attacking.