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This article is about the building in Age of Empires II. For similar buildings in other games of the series, see Mill.

ā€œUsed to deposit food and research farming improvements.ā€
Age of Empires II description

The Mill is an economic building in Age of Empires II. It is a drop-off point for any kind of food that Villagers gathered. Also, Farming upgrades are researched here, and Farms can be queued.

While it appears that Poles do not have access to the Mill, behind the scenes the Mill is upgraded to the Folwark for free.

Tactics and placement[]

Mills are one of the most important buildings in the Dark Age as they are drop places for food. They should be placed near a rich source of food like Berry Bushes and Shore Fish. Building a Mill next to Wild Boars, Deer, or herdable animals is not always necessary, as these units can be lured/herded to the Town Center or an already built Mill. Villagers building a Mill drop off any resource they are holding at the Mill once it is built (not only food, but also wood, gold and stone). In later stages of the game, the Mill becomes less important, as usually all freely available food is gathered and enough Town Centers are built to produce enough food with Farms next to them.

In most matches, players use a Mill and a Lumber Camp as the required buildings to advance to the Feudal Age as that is the most cost effective way to cover that requirement (since both buildings only cost 100 wood address the most important resources in that early stage of the game). Having a Mill is also prerequisite to get access to Markets and Farms. Losing the Mill does not lose the access to the Market or Farm.

The possibility to queue Farms (since The Conquerors) is very handy as it saves the player time, especially in the busy early Castle Age when the Farms usually have to be renewed for the first time. Queued Farms have the same cost as normally built ones. So it is recommended to always have enough Farms in the queue so that Farmers never stand idling (given, of course, that enough wood is available). If there is a shortage of wood, Farms can also be unqueued.

The introduction of the automatic reseed button in the Definitive Edition brings more quality of life to the players, since it allows the player just to turn on the toggle for automatic reseed and let the farmer automatically reseed the Farm without the need to queue Farm for the rest of the game. This also allows better wood management, since the player doesn't have to pay the wood in advance.

Among all civilizations, the Gurjaras have the most crucial bonus for their Mills, as they can garrison up to ten Sheep or other herdable animals inside each Mill, which provides a food trickle income, scaling for more livestock with diminishing returns. Considering this, it is especially important for players playing as the Gurjaras to defend the Mills holding livestock in order to keep generating additional food, and to prevent enemies attacking the Mill from killing or taking the livestock.

Technologies[]

Clicking on the icon links to the corresponding page.

DarkageDE ā†’ FeudalageDE ā†’ CastleageDE ā†’ Imperial Age
Horsecollaravailable ā†’ Heavyplowavailable ā†’ Croprotationavailable

Upgrades[]

Hit points Masonry aoe2de Masonry (+10%)
ArchitectureDE Architecture (+10%)
Armor Masonry aoe2de Masonry (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
ArchitectureDE Architecture (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
Line of Sight TownWatchDE Town Watch (+4)
TownPatrolDE Town Patrol (+4)
Conversion defense Devotion icon AoE2DE Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
FaithDE Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
HeresyDE Heresy (die upon getting converted)
Construction speed TreadmillCraneDE Treadmill Crane (+20%)
Upgrades Folwark Folwark (Poles only)

Civilization bonuses[]

  • CivIcon-Burgundians Burgundians: Mill technologies can be researched one Age earlier and cost -33% food.
  • CivIcon-Burmese Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Byzantines Byzantines: Mills have +10%/+20%/+30%/+40% hit points in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Town Watch and Town Patrol free.
  • CivIcon-Chinese Chinese: Technologies that benefit Mills and Mill technologies are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Franks Franks: Mill technologies are free.
  • CivIcon-Georgians Georgians: Mills receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
  • CivIcon-Gurjaras Gurjaras: Herdable animals (maximum 10) can be garrisoned in Mills to produce food.
  • CivIcon-Japanese Japanese: Mills are 50% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Malians Malians: Mills are 15% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Persians Persians: Researching Town Watch and Town Patrol is 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Poles Poles: Mills are upgraded to Folwarks for free, which cost +25 wood and 5 seconds more to build, and also provide 5 housing space and collect 8% of food from nearby newly built Farms.
  • CivIcon-Romans Romans: Mills are built and repaired 5% faster.
  • CivIcon-Spanish Spanish: Mills are built 30% faster. Researching technologies that benefit Mills provides 20 gold each.
  • CivIcon-Vietnamese Vietnamese: Mill technologies cost no wood and are researched 100% faster.

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

  • Mills always have 1,000 HP.

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

  • Mill HP staggered: 600/800/1,000/1,000 in the Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West[]

Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes[]

AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India[]

AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals[]

History[]

ā€œOne of the early industrial enterprises of the Middle Ages was the grinding Mill. Handed down from antiquity, this technology greatly sped the otherwise backbreaking process of grinding wheat and other grains into flour. Mills used water, wind, and animal power to turn the grinding stone. Grain was converted into flour and the mill owner kept a percentage of the flour as compensation. Mills might be owned by a local lord, a monastery, or a local entrepreneur. The profits of mills led to conflict and competition, and the right to grind grain for a community had to be paid for and defended. Millers could become modestly wealthy. They became part of the rising middle class of merchants and craftsmen that grew in importance as the Middle Ages progressed.ā€
Age of Empires II manual

Trivia[]

  • The Native American Mill is a windmill featuring sails and wheel mechanisms; however, this is historically inaccurate, as they used wheels only for toys, not for machinery.
  • The Dark Age Native American Mill is powered by a donkey like in all other civilizations, despite donkeys not being native to the Americas.
  • The African Mill is the only one that is not a windmill or a water mill but retains the animal-powered mechanism after the Dark Age. In the Definitive Edition, after the Dark Age, the mill is powered by a Water Buffalo instead of a donkey.
  • There are three main types of mills: windmills (the most common), water mills (used by Asian and Southeast Asian civilizations), and animal mills (shared by everyone in the Dark Age, but only used by the African civilizations after the Dark Age).
  • The Indian and Central Asian Mill are based on the Nashtifan Windmills in Iran.
  • The Mill is only one of three buildings that have an animation; the others are the Dock and Harbor and the Stable (only Southeast Asian Stables had animations before the Definitive Edition). This does not include the Fish Trap.
  • The Mill-Folwark and Monastery-Fortified Church are the only upgrade pairs to have different costs.

Gallery[]

Buildings in Age of Empires II
Civilian buildings
EconomicTowncenter aoe2DE Town Center Ā· Dock aoe2de Dock Ā· Fish trap aoe2DE Fish Trap Ā· Mill aoe2de Mill Ā· FarmDE Farm Ā· Market aoe2DE Market Ā· Lumber camp aoe2de Lumber Camp Ā· Mining camp aoe2de Mining Camp Ā· Feitoria aoe2DE Feitoria Ā· Folwark Folwark Ā· Ao2de caravanserai icon Caravanserai Ā· AoE2 MuleCart Mule Cart
ResearchBlacksmith aoe2de Blacksmith Ā· University AoE2 DE University
ReligiousAoE2 FortifiedChurch Fortified Church Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Monastery
MiscellaneousHouse aoe2DE House Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Wonder
Military buildings
ProductionBarracks aoe2DE Barracks Ā· Archery range aoe2DE Archery Range Ā· Stable aoe2DE Stable Ā· Siege workshop aoe2DE Siege Workshop Ā· Dock aoe2de Dock
Fortified productionCastle aoe2DE Castle Ā· Harbor aoe2de Harbor Ā· Krepost icon updated Krepost Ā· Aoe2-icon-donjon Donjon
TowerTowncenter aoe2DE Town Center Ā· AoE2 FortifiedChurch Fortified Church Ā· Outpost aoe2de Outpost Ā· Watch Tower icon AoE2DE Watch Tower Ā· Guard Tower icon AoE2DE Guard Tower Ā· Keep icon AoE2DE Keep Ā· Bombard tower aoe2DE Bombard Tower
WallPalisade wall aoe2de Palisade Wall Ā· Palisade gate aoe2DE Palisade Gate Ā· Stone wall aoe2de Stone Wall Ā· Gate aoe2de Gate Ā· Fortified wall aoe2de Fortified Wall Ā· Gate aoe2de Fortified Gate
Scenario Editor buildings
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of KingsBridge Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Cathedral Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Dome of the Rock Ā· Pyramid aoe2DE Great Pyramid Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Mosque Ā· Pavilion big icon AoE2DE Pavilion Ā· Pyramid aoe2DE Pyramid Ā· Accursed tower aoe2DE The Accursed Tower Ā· Accursed tower aoe2DE The Tower of Flies Ā· Market aoe2DE Trade Workshop Ā· Yurt thatch big aoe2DE Yurt
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The ConquerorsWonder aoe2DE Monument Ā· SeaGateDE Sea Gate Ā· Watch Tower icon AoE2DE Sea Tower Ā· Sea Wall icon AoE2DE Sea Wall
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The ForgottenAmphitheatre aoe2DE Amphitheatre Ā· Aqueduct aoe2DE Aqueduct Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Arch of Constantine Ā· Fortified wall aoe2de City Wall Ā· Amphitheatre aoe2DE Colosseum Ā· Keep icon AoE2DE Fire Tower Ā· Palisade wall aoe2de Fortified Palisade Wall Ā· Castle aoe2DE Fortress Ā· Castle aoe2DE Poenari Castle Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Quimper Cathedral Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Temple of Heaven Ā· Wooden Bridge
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African KingdomsBarricade aoe2DE Barricade Ā· Fence aoe2DE Fence Ā· Accursed tower aoe2DE Fortified Tower Ā· 2de granary new icon Granary Ā· Hut small aoe2DE Hut Ā· Wondericon Palace (removed) Ā· Aoe2de storage icon new Storage Ā· Tent small aoe2DE Tent
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the RajasTent army small aoe2DE Army Tent Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Gol Gumbaz Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Sanchi Stupa
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last KhansWonder aoe2DE Aachen Cathedral Ā· Chain aoe2DE Chain Ā· Gate aoe2de City Gate Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Dormition Cathedral Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Rock Church Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Sankore Madrasah Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Shrine Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Tower of London
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the DukesAoe2de pagan shrine icon Pagan Shrine
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of IndiaWonder aoe2DE Minaret of Jam
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