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Aoe2de population

Population, also known as the population cap, is a limit to the total number of units a player can field on the map. It is normally determined by the number of Town Centers and Houses that have been built. In most Age of Empires titles, the maximum population cap can be adjusted in the settings tab of each game set up. In some analyses, population may be considered a type of resource.

ReturnRome-AoEIcon Age of Empires[]

AoE1 icon (UI)- population

Population display in the original game.

AoE1 icon (UI)- population (DE)

Population icons in the Definitive Edition.

AoE1 icon (UI)- population (Return)

Population icon in Return of Rome.

Population can be increased in the following ways:

  • Returnofrome stone age house icon House (4 population per building)
  • AOEDE Town Center icon Town Center (4 population per building)
  • Hut small aoe2DE Hut (5 population per building, only available in Return of Rome scenarios)
  • RoR Urbanization Urbanization (technology researched at the Government Center in the Bronze Age: Houses provide an additional +4 population. Added in Return of Rome)

The population limit rules have changed between the different versions of the game:

  • In Age of Empires, the maximum population cap is 50.
  • In patch 1.0a and The Rise of Rome, multiplayer games can be set to any limit between 25 and 200.
  • In the Definitive Edition, the population in official campaigns is still capped at 50, but other matches can be set anywhere between 25 and 250, in increments of 25.
  • In Return of Rome, campaign population limits vary between each scenario, and skirmishes can be set as high as 500.

Unneeded units can be deleted (with the Delete key by default) to create population space. In the original and Definitive Edition, deletions are counted as military losses in the match statistics, but not in Return of Rome.

Players can go over the population cap through three ways:

  • converting neutral or enemy units.
  • Producing several units at the same time
  • Receiving gaia units by getting close to them or through triggers

AoE2-DLCicon-0 Age of Empires II[]

Popcap

If the current population limit is left ignored, unit production is hampered (see bottom).

Population count aoe2DE

Population counter in the Definitive Edition.

Population count max aoe2DE

Population maxed.

In Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, the maximum population cap is 200. In The Forgotten, however, the population cap can be set up to 500. In Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition since update 107882, the population cap can be increased to 1,000 by using the cheat code "my cpu can handle it".

The Goths can gain +10 population in the Imperial Age due to their civilization bonus. The Huns start games with their population cap at the maximum without the need to build Houses.

Buildings providing population room to all civilizations:

Buildings providing additional population room to the Slavs and their allies:

Buildings providing additional population room to the Dravidians and their allies:

Civilization-specific buildings:

If any of these buildings is destroyed, the provided population room is lost, with the exception of the Mongols, who retain the population room (just of Houses, though) once Nomads is researched.

The Feitoria, unique to the Portuguese, takes up 20 population slots, making it the only building in the series that uses population.

Unique technologies[]

The following unique technologies help in population control:

Players can go over the population cap through following ways:

Aom original icon Age of Mythology[]

In Age of Mythology, the maximum population cap is 300. However, the player may not always be able to reach the maximum population cap, as the player will need enough Settlements to do so. Most of the time, the population limit will depend on how many Settlements the player has captured. In campaigns and standard games (where there are only few players), it is not possible to meet the maximum population cap of 300, as there is a limited number of Settlements.

In similar fashion to Age of Empires III, military, mythical, and naval units also take up greater amounts of population space. Typically, economic units such as Fishing Ships and villagers (except Atlantean Citizens) take one population slot. Most foot military units (such as infantry or archers) take two population slots. Most mounted units such as cavalry take 3. Siege weapons also take 3 to 5 population slots. Atlantean Citizens take 3 slots. Atlantean units converted to heroes take an additional population slot. Myth unit population slots ranges from 2 to 5. Titans take 20 population slots.

It is possible to exceed the population limit by gaining neutral units or Gaia units in campaign scenarios and custom scenarios. Another instance on where the player can exceed the population limit is in the campaign ā€” when a campaign hero faints, then the player reaches the population limit by creating regular units; after the player manages to revive the said hero, the population limit would be exceeded. The same concept applies to Automata ā€” when the player has reached the population limit, then some of the player's fallen Automata have been fully repaired, the population limit is also exceeded. Upgrading Atlantean units to heroes can also be done over the population limit.

Unit conversion, however, will not be possible if there is not enough free population to house the intended unit. Instead, the Priest will just keep converting the target until enough population has been vacated (i.e. when the player loses some units).

The following buildings provide population:

The Atlanteans can build a maximum of 5 Manors, while other cultures can build a maximum of 10 Houses, which will equivalent to 100 population slots. Assuming the player has the starting Town Center (without the Fortified Town Center upgrade), the initial population limit should be 115. The population limit can be increased by capturing more Settlements, until enough has been built to reach the game population limit of 300.

Researching Fortified Town Center increases the population limit by 5 per Town Center. The Relic Eye of Horus increases the population limit by 2 per Town Center.

3Icon48px Age of Empires III[]

In Age of Empires III, the population cap is 200. The Chinese civilization's population cap is 220 and the Haudenosaunee can reach 225 (if a maximum amount of Villagers perform the Earth Mother Ceremony in the Community Plaza). The Lakota civilization starts with their population cap already at the maximum without the need to build Houses. It is also possible to increase the population cap by +5 by gathering the respective treasure in some maps.

Unlike its predecessors Age of Empires I and II, different population costs are allotted to different classes of units based on their cost and performance, in order to maintain balance. Almost all civilian units (such as Settlers, Villagers, Coureur des Bois, Priests, and Surgeons) take up one population slot, with the exception of Settler Wagons and Architects. Wagons, Travois, and Rickshaws do not take any population slot. Most infantry take one population slot, with the exception of some stronger and expensive units (Abus Gunners, Doppelsoldners etc.). Cavalry, Outlaws, and powerful units such as mercenaries and artillery mostly take up more than one population slot. Heroes, Pets, Disciples, Eagle Scouts, Healers, Warrior Priests, Warships, and Native warriors do not take population slots. Instead, they have a restriction of small build limit.

The following buildings provide population:

Technologies[]

Home City Cards[]

GameIcon-AoE4 Age of Empires IV[]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.
Gameplay elements in the Age of Empires series
Age Ā· Ability (M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Architecture set (II Ā· III) Ā· Area of Effect (Trample damage) Ā· Armor/Resists (hack/melee Ā· pierce/ranged Ā· crush/siege)  Ā· Armor class/Tag (I - original Ā· I - Return of Rome Ā· II Ā· IV) Ā· Artificial intelligence Ā· Attack (Attack bonus/Multiplier) Ā· Attack delay Ā· Attack ground Ā· Aura Ā· Auto Scout Ā· Building (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Civilization (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Civilization bonus Ā· Cheat code (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Conversion Ā· Counter Ā· Diplomacy Ā· Gaia/Mother Nature Ā· Game modes Ā· Garrison Ā· Gather Point Ā· Healing Ā· Hit points Ā· Hotkey Ā· Line of Sight Ā· Mini map Ā· Player Ā· Population Ā· Range Ā· Rate of Fire Ā· Regeneration Ā· Relic (II Ā· M Ā· IV) Ā· Renewable resources Ā· Repairing Ā· Resource Ā· Scenario Editor (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Score Ā· Signal Allies/Flare Ā· Soundtrack (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Speed Ā· Stealth mode Ā· Taunt Ā· Technology (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Technology tree (I Ā· II Ā· IV) Ā· Town Bell Ā· Trade Ā· Tribute Ā· Unit (I Ā· II Ā· M Ā· III Ā· IV) Ā· Unit formation Ā· Unit stance (III) Ā· Upgrade (I Ā· II Ā· III) Ā· User interface Ā· Victory
Genie Engine
Frame delay Ā· Full Tech Tree Ā· Team bonus
ReturnRome-AoEIcon Age of EmpiresRuins Ā· Discovery
AoE2-DLCicon-0 Age of Empires IIPass-through damage Ā· Projectile duplication
Bang Engine
Autoqueue Ā· Snare
Aom original icon Age of MythologyGod (Major Ā· Minor) Ā· God power Ā· Settlement
3Icon48px Age of Empires IIIAge-up methods (Politician/Tribal Council/Wonder/Federal State/AllianceĀ· Banner army Ā· Consulate Ā· Damage Cap Ā· Home City Ā· Home City Card Ā· Inspiring Flag Ā· Promotion Ā· Revolution Ā· Target Lock Ā· Trade Monopoly Ā· Trade Route Ā· Treasure
Essence Engine
GameIcon-AoE4 Age of Empires IVBounty Ā· Dynasty Ā· Fire armor Ā· Imperial Council (Vizier Point) Ā· Influence Ā· Landmark Ā· Religion Ā· Sacred Site Ā· Variant civilization
If a gameplay element has different pages across games, like civilization, the individual pages are linked in brackets.
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