Mercenary unit (Age of Empires: The Age of Kings)

Mercenary units in Age of Empires: The Age of Kings are similar to civilization-unique units in that they are culturally specific soldiers with powerful statistics and often have unique special abilities. They also allow the game to represent some of the missing civilizations that were memorable from Age of Empires II. Mercenary units are recruited from the Market starting in the Castle Age and they generally are strong but expensive. The availability of each mercenary is randomly assigned to one of the three hiring slots in each Market and options change at the beginning of each turn. Upon reaching the Imperial Age, all mercenary units upgrade to their elite version. All Elite versions share the same model and portrait as the regular units.

No civilization receives any discount for mercenaries.

Units are organized by their location of origin from west to east.

Woad Raider

Celtic Woad Raider

Hailing from the wilderness of Scotland and Ireland, the Celtic Woad Raider wears paint made of the woad plant and follow an ancient warrior tradition. This unit is know for its impressive movement range, making it perfect for hit-and-run missions. Woad Raiders' stats and "cause fear" ability mean that they generally can survive small missions on their own.

Stats

• Age: 3
• Type: Infantry
• Food cost: 200
• Gold cost: 115
• Health: 100
• Movement: 9
• Attack: 200
• Defense: 200
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units

Special abilities

• Causes fear- Any enemy unit this unit engages in combat with reduces their attack and defense by 33%

Elite Woad Raider

Hailing from the wilderness of Scotland and Ireland, the Elite Woad Raider wears paint made of the woad plant and follow an ancient warrior tradition. While their movement is still impressive, by the Imperial Age, buildings and units have outpaced the improvement to the Woad Raider, leaving them less useful.

Stats

• Age: 4
• Type: Infantry
• Food cost: 260
• Gold cost: 100
• Health: 100
• Movement: 9
• Attack: 250
• Defense: 250
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units

Special abilities

• Causes fear- Any enemy unit this unit engages in combat with reduces their attack and defense by 33%

Berserker

Viking Berserker

Fierce pagan Norsemen who reach a state intense frenzy that fight with animalistic strength. These units have decent stats and the ability to not be affected by losing hit points. A badly damaged Berserker unit inflicts the same amount of damage as the unit would at full health. This makes Berserkers excellent at raiding, since they do not weaken until completely destroyed.

Stats

• Age: 3
• Type: Infantry
• Food cost: 170
• Gold cost: 105
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 200
• Defense: 200
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units

Special abilities

• Frenzy- this unit's attack power is not affected by its amount of remaining health

Elite Berserker

Some of the few Norsemen who cling to old pagan ways, these warriors enter a state of intense frenzy and fight with brutal fury. These units have decent stats and the ability to not be affected by losing hit points . A badly damaged Berserker unit inflicts the same amount of damage as at full health. This makes Berserkers excellent at raiding, since they do not weaken until completely destroyed.

Stats

• Age: 4
• Type: Infantry
• Food cost: 220
• Gold cost: 90
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 250
• Defense: 250
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: +33% damage to buildings, +33 damage to siege units

Special abilities

• Frenzy- this unit's attack power is not affected by its amount of remaining health

Knight Templar

Knight Templar

Knights Templar are a group of crusading warrior monks and are feared and respected by all. Knights Templar have similar stats to Knights, but their zeal ability is really what makes them shine. Each time this unit attacks or retaliates, it will gain hit points, meaning that it can heal in the middle of combat.

Since two of the campaigns are set during the crusades, Knights Templar play an important role in many scenarios. Often the player must rely on exploiting the Templar's zeal ability to complete the scenario.

Stats

• Age: 3
• Type: Cavalry
• Food cost: 215
• Gold cost: 105
• Health: 100
• Movement: 10
• Attack: 200
• Defense: 200
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings, +33 damage to infantry, +33 damage to ranged units.

Special abilities

• Plains Charge- When fighting on plains or plains road terrain (not plains hills), this unit will add 33% to its attack power. If the opposing unit also has plains charge activate, then both effects are cancelled. Please note, the tile of the battle is considered to be the one the unit getting attacked is currently standing on.
• Zeal- Every time this unit attacks or retaliates against an enemy, it gains 20 health points until fully restored to 100. This skill doesn't apply if the knights Templar are completely destroyed during the combat. This skill does not work when fighting against buildings or siege units.

Elite Knight Templar

Elite Knights Templar are the strongest and best equipped of the crusading order of warrior monks. Knights Templar have nearly identical stats to Cavaliers, but their zeal ability is really what makes them shine. Each time this unit attacks or retaliates, it will gain hit points, meaning that it can heal in the middle of combat. They are one of the few cavalry units that can challenge Paladins.

Since two of the campaigns are set during the crusades, Knights Templar play an important role in many scenarios. Often the player must rely on exploiting the Templar's zeal ability to complete the scenario.

Stats

• Age: 4
• Type: Cavalry
• Food cost: 285
• Gold cost: 85
• Health: 100
• Movement: 10
• Attack: 250
• Defense: 250
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings, +33 damage to infantry, +33 damage to ranged units.

Special abilities

• Plains Charge- When fighting on plains or plains road terrain (not plains hills), this unit will add 33% to its attack power. If the opposing unit also has plains charge activate, then both effects are cancelled. Please note, the tile of the battle is considered to be the one the unit getting attacked is currently standing on.
• Zeal- Every time this unit attacks or retaliates against an enemy, it gains 20 health points until fully restored to 100. This skill doesn't apply if the knights Templar are completely destroyed during the combat. This skill does not work on buildings or siege units.

Janissary

Turkish Janissary

Captured and then trained since childhood for war, the Turkish Janissary are a highly disciplined fighting force of hand gunners. This is the first gunpowder unit available in the game and have the highest attack of a non-civilization unique ranged infantry unit of the Castle Age. They are essentially like having an Arbalest one age earlier.

This unit is confusing to view, since the wood of the handgun stock, the robes, the clothing, and the exposed skin of the soldier are all nearly the same color.

Stats

• Age: 3
• Type: Ranged
• Food cost: 190
• Gold cost: 100
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 250
• Defense: 175
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 3
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings

Special abilities

• No move and attack- this unit cannot move and attack in the same turn. This unit may retaliate to units regardless if it moved that turn

Elite Janissary

The best of the Turkish Janissary corps, these units are effective hand gunners, only lacking in armor compared to the newly-arrived Hand Cannoneers. Elite Janissaries also do not require researching the Chemistry technology, making them possibly easier to obtain than Hand Cannoneers. An overall effective unit, especially when placed on Castles or mountains to increase their defense.

This unit is confusing to view, since the wood of the handgun stock, the robes, the clothing, and the skin on the hands and face of the soldier are all nearly the same color.

Stats

• Age: 4
• Type: Ranged
• Food cost: 190
• Gold cost: 100
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 300
• Defense: 225
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 3
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings

Special abilities

• No move and attack- this unit cannot move and attack in the same turn. This unit may retaliate to units regardless if it moved that turn

War Elephants

Persian War Elephant

Great animals of war from Persia, War Elephants frighten and trample all who stand in their way. Statistically, Persian War Elephants may not seem that impressive, but their "cause fear" ability greatly reduces the quality of the units they engage with, meaning they usually can over power them.

Stats

• Age: 3
• Type: Cavalry
• Food cost: 210
• Gold cost: 105
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 200
• Defense: 250
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings, +33 damage to infantry, +33 damage to ranged units.

Special abilities

• Causes fear- Any enemy unit this unit engages in combat with reduces their attack and defence by 33%

Elite War Elephant

Trained to inspire fear and destroy anything in its path, Persian War Elephants are hired for wars in distant lands. While this unit may not seem that impressive, especially with its reduced movement for a cavalry unit, it is their "cause fear" ability that makes them competitive since it greatly reduces the quality of the units they battle.

Stats

• Age: 4
• Type: Cavalry
• Food cost: 275
• Gold cost: 85
• Health: 100
• Movement: 8
• Attack: 250
• Defense: 300
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings, +33 damage to infantry, +33 damage to ranged units.

Special abilities

• Causes fear- Any enemy unit this unit engages in combat with reduces their attack and defense by 33%

Chu Ko Nu

Chinese Chu Ko Nu

Chinese mercenaries armed with a rapid-loading light crossbow. These units are slightly weaker than Crossbowmen, but get to attack and counter-attack during every encounter, meaning they do nearly double damage. Overall, the Chu Ko Nu is not that effective of a unit.

Stats

• Age: 3
• Type: Ranged
• Food cost: 125
• Gold cost: 105
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 150
• Defense: 150
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings, +33 damage to infantry, +33 damage to ranged units.

Special abilities

• Rapid fire- This unit attacks twice during each engagement; once at the start and once after the end (which includes health losses to the damage output).
• No move and attack- this unit cannot move and attack in the same turn. This unit may retaliate to units regardless if it moved that turn

Elite Chu Ko Nu

Elite Chinese mercenaries armed with a rapid loading light crossbow. These units are slightly weaker than Arbalests, but get to attack and counter-attack during every encounter, meaning they do nearly double damage. Overall, the Elite Chu Ko Nu is not that effective of a unit compared to other late-game ranged options.

Stats

• Age: 4
• Type: Ranged
• Food cost: 165
• Gold cost: 85
• Health: 100
• Movement: 7
• Attack: 200
• Defense: 200
• Sight: 7
• Attack range: 1
• Attack bonus: -50% damage to buildings

Special abilities

• Rapid fire- This unit attacks twice during each engagement; once at the start and once after the end (which includes health losses received in the current battle to the damage output).
• No move and attack- this unit cannot move and attack in the same turn. This unit may retaliate to units regardless if it moved that turn

Trivia

• Counting the units represented as mercenaries for their base civilizations in the main game, there are the Celts, Vikings, Turks, Persians, and Chinese. The ones left out are the Teutons, Goths, and Byzantines.
• The Knight Templar may be the substitute for the Teutonic Knight.
• Knights Templar are the only mercenary unit to have any campaign significance.