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

Anti-cavalry infantry unit.
—In-game description

Medium infantry. Attack bonus vs. cavalry, especially War Elephants.
—In-game description

The Spearman is an infantry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Barracks (and also Donjons for the Sicilians) once the Feudal Age is reached. They are a good early cavalry-counter, but are weak against virtually everything else. If not upgraded, a Spearman is one of only two military units (the other one being the Skirmisher) to lose outright to a Villager with Loom. Since no gold is required to train them, Spearmen are considered trash units.

Tactics[]

Spearmen are very cheap and massed easily, allowing them to overwhelm enemy cavalry. They are useful in preventing early Scout Cavalry charges, but struggle against Castle Age cavalry such as Knights or Camel Riders. Players generally use this unit to defend their base against cavalry raids. As their stats are lackluster and they suffer the unfortunate combination of low movement speed and no range, they should not be used for raiding.

Further statistics[]

Strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Cavalry
Weak vs. Archers, infantry
Technologies
Regeneration Stronghold (30 HP/min when within 18 tiles square of a team Celts Castle)
Attack Forging (+1, +2 for the Khitans)
Iron Casting (+1, +2 for the Khitans)
Blast Furnace (+2)
Arson (+2 attack against standard buildings)
Garland Wars (+4, Aztecs only)
Chieftains (+5 against cavalry and +4 against camels, Vikings only)
Armor Scale Mail Armor (+1/+1, +2/+2 for the Romans)
Chain Mail Armor (+1/+1, +2/+2 for the Romans)
Plate Mail Armor (+1/+2)
Tower Shields (+2 pierce armor, Lithuanians only)
Conversion resistance Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
Heresy (die upon getting converted)
First Crusade (+4 min, +4 max, Sicilians only)
Movement speed Squires (+10%)
Resource cost Kshatriyas (-25% food, Gurjaras only)
Creation speed Conscription (+33%)
Perfusion (+100%, Goths only)
Ability Chieftains (generates gold when killing Villagers, trade units, and Monks, Vikings only)
Druzhina (gives trample damage in 0.5 tiles radius, Slavs only)
Wootz Steel (attack ignores armor, Dravidians only)
Lamellar Armor (25% non-projectile damage reflection, Khitans only)
Coiled Serpent Array (Gain +0.5% HP (max +15%) per Spearman and White Feather Guard in 15 radius, Shu only)
Tuntian (Passively generate 1.2 food/min, Wei only)

Civilization bonuses[]

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

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

The Age of Kings[]

  • Spearmen deal no attack bonus against ships.
  • Spearmen receive standard anti-infantry bonus damage.
  • Goths: Spearmen are 10%/15%/25% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age and have an extra +1 attack against standard buildings.
  • Vikings: Spearmen have +10%/+15%/+20% hit points in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • The Pikeman upgrade takes 45 seconds and costs 215 food, 90 gold.

The Conquerors[]

The Forgotten[]

  • Spearmen have +9 attack against camels and ships.

The African Kingdoms[]

Rise of the Rajas[]

  • With patch 5.7, Spearmen deal +12 damage against camel units.
  • Vikings: With patch 5.7, Chieftains gives Spearmen an extra +4 attack against camels.

Definitive Edition[]

Dawn of the Dukes[]

Dynasties of India[]

Return of Rome[]

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

The Mountain Royals[]

Chronicles: Battle for Greece[]

  • Goths: With update 141935, Spearmen are 20%/25%/30% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

Heroes[]

There is one hero in the game with the appearance of a Spearman:

History[]

The medium infantry of medieval armies were often spearmen wearing half-armor, usually a helmet and armor on the upper body. As the Middle Ages advanced, the role of the spearman became more important. Armies learned to employ large formations of spearmen as a counter to heavy cavalry attacks because horses would not charge home against a bristling wall of spear points. Spearmen were most effective when emulating the ancient Greek phalanx, a dense box of men that could extend several spear points in a chosen direction. As towns grew in importance toward the end of the period, they fielded large contingents of trained spearmen. These were very effective in battle for the cost of their equipment and training. Spearmen were originally deployed in a defensive posture, but the best of the spearman armies, such as the Swiss, Scots, and Flemish, learned to maneuver and take the offensive.
Age of Empires II manual

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

Units in Age of Empires II
Civilian Villager · Trade Cart · Fishing Ship · Trade Cog · King
Miscellaneous Transport Ship · Monk · Petard
Infantry Militia Man-at-Arms Long Swordsman Two-Handed Swordsman Champion
Spearman Pikeman Halberdier
Archer Archer Crossbowman Arbalester
Skirmisher Elite Skirmisher
Hand Cannoneer
Cavalry Archer Heavy Cavalry Archer
Cavalry Scout Cavalry Light Cavalry Hussar
Knight Cavalier Paladin
Siege weapon Battering Ram Capped Ram Siege Ram
Mangonel Onager Siege Onager
Scorpion Heavy Scorpion
Bombard Cannon
Trebuchet
Siege Tower
War ship Galley War Galley Galleon
Fire Galley Fire Ship Fast Fire Ship
Demolition Raft Demolition Ship Heavy Demolition Ship
Cannon Galleon Elite Cannon Galleon
Regional
Infantry Eagle Scout Eagle Warrior Elite Eagle Warrior
Fire Lancer Elite Fire Lancer
Archer Elephant Archer Elite Elephant Archer
Cavalry Camel Rider Heavy Camel Rider
Battle Elephant Elite Battle Elephant
Steppe Lancer Elite Steppe Lancer
Xolotl Warrior
Armored Elephant Siege Elephant
Hei Guang Cavalry Heavy Hei Guang Cavalry
War ship Dromon
Lou Chuan
Siege weapon Rocket Cart Heavy Rocket Cart
Traction Trebuchet
Unique
Monk Missionary · Warrior Priest
Infantry Berserk · Chakram Thrower · Condottiero · Dismounted Konnik · Flemish Militia · Gbeto · Ghulam · Huskarl · Jaguar Warrior · Jian Swordsman · Kamayuk · Karambit Warrior · Legionary · Liao Dao · Obuch · Samurai · Serjeant · Shotel Warrior · Teutonic Knight · Throwing Axeman · Urumi Swordsman · Warrior Priest · White Feather Guard · Woad Raider
Archer Arambai · Camel Archer · Chu Ko Nu · Composite Bowman · Conquistador · Genitour · Genoese Crossbowman · Grenadier · Fire Archer · Imperial Skirmisher · Janissary · Kipchak · Longbowman · Mangudai · Plumed Archer · Ranged Ratha · Rattan Archer · Slinger · Xianbei Raider · War Wagon
Cavalry Ballista Elephant · Boyar · Camel Scout · Cataphract · Centurion · Coustillier · Imperial Camel Rider · Iron Pagoda · Keshik · Konnik · Leitis · Magyar Huszar · Mameluke · Monaspa · Melee Ratha · Mounted Trebuchet · Savar · Shrivamsha Rider · Tarkan · Tiger Cavalry · War Chariot · War Elephant · Winged Hussar
Siege weapon Houfnice · Hussite Wagon · Organ Gun
War ship Caravel · Dragon Ship · Longboat · Thirisadai · Turtle Ship
Hero Cao Cao · Liu Bei · Sun Jian
Miscellaneous Flaming Camel
For different types of units, see Category:Unit types (Age of Empires II).