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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For other uses of the term, see Pikeman.

Anti-cavalry infantry unit
Age of Empires II description

The Pikeman is an infantry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Barracks (and also Donjons for the Sicilians) once the Castle Age is reached. They are an excellent cavalry-counter. They are weak against anything outside the cavalry section, particularly archers, but make up for it by being one of the cheapest military units in the game. Additionally, no gold is required to train them, making them trash units.

Pikemen are available to all civilizations except for the Turks and the Gurjaras.

Tactics[]

Pikeman walkanim aoe2

The Pikeman performs outstandingly against cavalry, doing +22 bonus damage to Knights, +18 to Camel Riders, and +47 to War Elephants. This is more than a 45% increase in attack (Spearman deal +15/+12/+30 respectively), which, when combined with a solid +10 hit points, makes their upgrade from Spearmen extremely important to get. However, they still retain the Spearman's inability to force engagements against enemy cavalry (apart from elephants). Because of this, Camel Riders are preferable for the civilizations who have access to them against Knights.

Due to their frailty, however, they should operate in groups. Pikemen are useful when attacking players who are basing their army on cavalry units or when defending against cavalry raids. They make an excellent complement for siege weapons, as they can protect them against enemy melee cavalry. Though they might lack offensive power to defeat enemy units outside of the cavalry sector, they can serve as cannon fodder since they are as cheap as a military unit can be.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Cavalry
Weak vs. Archers, Scorpions, Cataphracts, infantry
Upgrades
Regeneration UniqueTechCastle-DE Stronghold (regenerate 30 HP/min when within 18 tiles square of a team Celts Castle)
Attack Forging aoe2de Forging (+1)
IronCastingDE Iron Casting (+1)
BlastFurnaceDE Blast Furnace (+2)
ArsonDE Arson (+2 against standard buildings)
UniqueTechImperialDE Garland Wars (+4, Aztecs only)
UniqueTechImperialDE Druzhina (gives trample damage in 0.5 tiles radius, Slavs only)
UniqueTechCastle-DE Chieftains (+5 against cavalry and +4 against camels, Vikings only)
UniqueTechImperialDE Wootz Steel (attack ignores armor, Dravidians only)
Armor ScaleMailArmorDE Scale Mail Armor (+1/+1, +2/+2 for the Romans)
ChainMailArmorDE Chain Mail Armor (+1/+1, +2/+2 for the Romans)
PlateMailArmorDE Plate Mail Armor (+1/+2)
UniqueTechImperialDE Tower Shields (+2 pierce armor, Lithuanians only)
Conversion resistance Devotion icon AoE2DE Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
FaithDE Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
HeresyDE Heresy (die upon getting converted)
UniqueTechCastle-DE First Crusade (+4 min, +4 max, Sicilians only)
Movement speed SquiresDE Squires (+10%)
Creation speed ConscriptionDE Conscription (+33%)
UniqueTechImperialDE Perfusion (+100%, Goths only)
Other UniqueTechCastle-DE Chieftains (generates gold when killing Villagers, trade units, and Monks, Vikings only)
Upgrade HalberdierDE Halberdier

Civilization bonuses[]

  • CivIcon-Armenians Armenians: Pikeman are available in the Feudal Age. Halberdier can be researched in the Castle Age.
  • CivIcon-Aztecs Aztecs: Pikemen are created 11% faster.
  • CivIcon-Bohemians Bohemians: Pikemen deal +25% bonus damage.
  • CivIcon-Bulgarians Bulgarians: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Pikemen cost -50% food.
  • CivIcon-Burmese Burmese: Pikemen have +2/+3 attack in the Castle/Imperial Age. Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Byzantines Byzantines: Pikemen are 25% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Celts Celts: Pikemen move 15% faster. Pikemen can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
  • CivIcon-Chinese Chinese: Technologies that benefit Pikemen are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Dravidians Dravidians: Researching Arson and Squires and upgrading to Halberdier is 50% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Georgians Georgians: Pikemen receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
  • CivIcon-Goths Goths: Pikemen are 30%/35% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age, and have +2/+3 in the Castle/Imperial Age attack against standard buildings.
  • CivIcon-Incas Incas: Pikemen cost -20%/-25% food in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Japanese Japanese: Pikemen attack 33% faster.
  • CivIcon-Koreans Koreans: Pikemen cost -50% wood.
  • CivIcon-Lithuanians Lithuanians: Pikemen move 10% faster.
  • CivIcon-Magyars Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
  • CivIcon-Malians Malians: Pikemen have +2/+3 pierce armor in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Romans Romans: Pikemen receive double the effect from armor upgrades.
  • CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians: Pikemen take -33% bonus damage.
  • CivIcon-Spanish Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Pikemen cost no gold. Researching technologies that benefit Pikemen provides 20 gold each.
  • CivIcon-Tatars Tatars: Pikemen deal +20% damage (+50% instead of +25%) from a cliff or an elevation.
  • CivIcon-Teutons Teutons: Pikemen have +1 armor in the Castle Age and +2 armor in the Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Vietnamese Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
  • CivIcon-Vikings Vikings: Pikemen have +20% hit points.

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

  • CivIcon-Goths Goths: Pikemen are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age and have an extra +1 attack against standard buildings.
  • CivIcon-Vikings Vikings: Pikemen have +15%/+20% hit points in the Castle/Imperial Age.

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

  • Pikemen have +16 attack against camels and ships.

AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms[]

AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the Rajas[]

  • With patch 5.7, Pikemen deal +18 damage against camel units.
  • CivIcon-Ethiopians Ethiopians: With patch 5.7, the free Halberdier upgrade was removed.
  • CivIcon-Vikings Vikings: With patch 5.7, Chieftains gives Pikemen an extra +4 attack against camels.

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes[]

AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India[]

  • CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians: With update 66692, Pikemen resist only 33% bonus damage.
  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: With update 73855, as a team bonus, technologies that benefit Pikemen are researched 25% faster.
  • With update 81058, the Pikeman upgrade takes 35 seconds and costs 160 food, 90 gold.
  • CivIcon-Incas Incas: With update 81058, Pikemen cost -25%/-30% food in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Malay Malay: With update 81058, infantry armor upgrades are free.
  • Sicilians: With update 81058, Donjons can now train Pikemen.

AoE2Icon-ReturnRome Return of Rome[]

  • CivIcon-Chinese Chinese: With update 87863, technologies that benefit Pikemen are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • Koreans: With update 87863, Pikemen cost -50% wood.

AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals[]

History[]

The success of spearmen against cavalry led to innovation in the equipment and tactics they used. Pikemen were an innovation of towns and communities that did not have the resources to field large armies of heavy cavalry. Pikes were cheap and could be quite effective in training. One important change was the lengthening of the weapon shaft. Where the spear had been 6 to 8 feet long, the pike had a shaft up to 18 feet long. The longer weapon meant that more spear points could be extended beyond the bodies of the men in the front rank. Pikemen combined with crossbowmen or hand cannoneers to make a useful combined arms unit. The pikemen prevented cavalry from overrunning the group, while the missile troops caused casualties to the enemy at range. Working together, this combination dominated battlefields at the end of the age. As firearms improved after the Middle Ages, the pikeman component became less necessary. The bayonet made the pike component obsolete and allowed the musketeer to defend himself against cavalry.

Trivia[]

  • The Spearman line units are the second cheapest of all military units, tied with the Skirmisher line, costing only 60 resources and no gold, only behind the Karambit Warrior (which costs 40 resources but is not a trash unit).
  • The Spearman line units are the only trash units and also only common infantry units that do not have any base pierce armor.
  • Even though the Pikeman is a Castle Age unit, it loses outright to a Villager with Loom if it has no upgrades itself.
  • Even though their name is Pikeman, their weapon is actually a glaive-guisarme not a pike, as evident by the weapon's broad blade and hook. Actual pikes resemble spears but are significantly longer.
  • Pikemen deal bonus damage against the cheat unit Saboteur (since The Conquerors) because it is in the same armor class as ships.
  • Spearmen and Pikemen use the same attack animation as Villagers in the Iron Age in Age of Empires.
  • The fully upgraded Malian Pikeman can be defeated by the fully upgraded Turkish Spearman.

Gallery[]

Video[]

Units in Age of Empires II
CivilianMaleVillDE Villager · Tradecart aoe2DE Trade Cart · FishingShipDE Fishing Ship · Trade cog aoe2DE Trade Cog · King eu aoe2DE King
ReligiousMonk aoe2DE Monk
InfantryMilitiaDE Militia · Manatarms aoe2DE Man-at-Arms · Longswordsman aoe2DE Long Swordsman · Twohanded aoe2DE Two-Handed Swordsman · Champion aoe2DE Champion
Spearman aoe2DE Spearman · Aoe2-infantry-2-pikeman Pikeman · Halberdier aoe2DE Halberdier
Eaglescout aoe2DE Eagle Scout · Eaglewarrior aoe2DE Eagle Warrior · EliteEaglewarrior aoe2DE Elite Eagle Warrior
ArcherArcher aoe2DE Archer · Crossbowman aoe2DE Crossbowman · Arbalester aoe2DE Arbalester
Skirmisher aoe2DE Skirmisher · Elite skirmisher aoe2DE Elite Skirmisher
Hand cannoneer aoe2DE Hand Cannoneer
Cavalryarcher aoe2DE Cavalry Archer · Heavycavalryarcher aoe2de Heavy Cavalry Archer
Aoe2de DOI elephant archer icon Elephant Archer · ElephantArcherIcon-DE Elite Elephant Archer
CavalryScoutcavalry aoe2DE Scout Cavalry · Lightcavalry aoe2DE Light Cavalry · Hussar aoe2DE Hussar
Knight aoe2DE Knight · Cavalier aoe2DE Cavalier · Paladin aoe2DE Paladin
Camelrider aoe2DE Camel Rider · Aoe2 heavycamelriderDE Heavy Camel Rider
Battle elephant aoe2DE Battle Elephant · Elite battle elephant aoe2DE Elite Battle Elephant
Steppelancericon Steppe Lancer · Elitesteppelancericon Elite Steppe Lancer
Xolotlicon Xolotl Warrior
AoE2DE Armored Elephant icon Armored Elephant · AoE2DE Siege Elephant icon Siege Elephant
SiegeBattering ram aoe2DE Battering Ram · Capped ram aoe2DE Capped Ram · Siege ram aoe2DE Siege Ram
Mangonel aoe2DE Mangonel · Onager aoe2DE Onager · Siege onager aoe2DE Siege Onager
Scorpion aoe2DE Scorpion · Heavyscorpion aoe2DE Heavy Scorpion
Bombard cannon aoe2DE Bombard Cannon
Trebuchet aoe2DE Trebuchet
Petard aoe2DE Petard
Siegetower aoe2DE Siege Tower
War shipTransportship aoe2DE Transport Ship · Galley aoe2DE Galley · War galley aoe2DE War Galley · Galleon aoe2DE Galleon
Fire galley aoe2DE Fire Galley · Fireship aoe2DE Fire Ship · Fastfireship aoe2DE Fast Fire Ship
Demoraft aoe2DE Demolition Raft · Demoship aoe2DE Demolition Ship · Heavydemoship aoe2de Heavy Demolition Ship
Cannon galleon aoe2DE Cannon Galleon · Elite cannon galleon aoe2de Elite Cannon Galleon
AoE2 Dromon Dromon
Unique
ReligiousMissionaryIcon-DE Missionary · AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest
InfantryBerserkIcon-DE Berserk · Aoe2de Chakram Chakram Thrower · CondottieroIcon-DE Condottiero · Aoe2-icon-flemish-militia Flemish Militia · GbetoIcon-DE Gbeto · Aoe2de Ghulam Ghulam · HuskarlIcon-DE Huskarl · JaguarWarriorIcon-DE Jaguar Warrior · KamayukIcon-DE Kamayuk · Karambitwarrioricon-DE Karambit Warrior · AoE2 DE Legionary new icon Legionary · Aoe2-icon--obuch Obuch · SamuraiIcon-DE Samurai · Aoe2-icon-serjeant Serjeant · Shotelwarrioricon-DE Shotel Warrior · TeutonicKnightIcon-DE Teutonic Knight · ThrowingAxemanIcon-DE Throwing Axeman · Aoe2de Urumi Urumi Swordsman · AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest · WoadRaiderIcon-DE Woad Raider
ArcherArambaiicon-DE Arambai · CamelArcherIcon-DE Camel Archer · ChukoNuIcon-DE Chu Ko Nu · AoE2 CompositeBowman Composite Bowman · ConquistadorIcon-DE Conquistador · GenitourIcon-DE Genitour · GenoeseCrossbowmanIcon-DE Genoese Crossbowman · Imperialskirmishericon-DE Imperial Skirmisher · JanissaryIcon-DE Janissary · Kipchakicon Kipchak · LongbowmanIcon-DE Longbowman · MangudaiIcon-DE Mangudai · PlumedArcherIcon-DE Plumed Archer · Aoe2de ratha ranged Ranged Ratha · Rattanarchericon-DE Rattan Archer · SlingerIcon-DE Slinger · WarWagonIcon-DE War Wagon
CavalryBallistaelephanticon-DE Ballista Elephant · BoyarIcon-DE Boyar · Aoe2de camel scout Camel Scout · CataphractIcon-DE Cataphract · Aoe2de roman unique centurion icon Centurion · Aoe2-icon-coustillier Coustillier · Flaming camel icon Flaming Camel · ImperialCamelRiderIcon-DE Imperial Camel Rider · Keshikicon Keshik · Konnikicon Konnik · Leitisicon Leitis · MagyarHuszarIcon-DE Magyar Huszar · MamelukeIcon-DE Mameluke · AoE2 Monaspa Monaspa · Aoe2de ratha melee Melee Ratha · AoE2 Savar Savar · Aoe2de shrivamsha rider Shrivamsha Rider · TarkanIcon-DE Tarkan · WarElephantIcon-DE War Elephant · Aoe2-icon-winged-hussar Winged Hussar
SiegeAoe2-icon--houfnice Houfnice · Aoe2-icon-hussite-wagon Hussite Wagon · OrganGunIcon-DE Organ Gun
War shipCaravelIcon-DE Caravel · LongboatIcon-DE Longboat · Aoe2de Thirisadai Thirisadai · TurtleShipIcon-DE Turtle Ship
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