Stable (Age of Empires II)

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

Stable
Building information
Introduced in	Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings
Type	Military
Civilization	See description
Age	Feudal Age
Use	Trains and improves cavalry units
Construction
Requires	Barracks or Donjon ( Sicilians only)
Wood	175
Build time	50 seconds
Statistics
Size	3×3 tiles
Hit points	1,500 1,800 2,100
Garrison	10
Melee armor	1 2 3
Pierce armor	8 9 10
Armor classes	Building Standard building
Line of Sight	6

“	Used to train and upgrade cavalry units.	”
—Age of Empires II description

The Stable is a military building in Age of Empires II that becomes available once the Feudal Age is reached and a Barracks is built; alternately, Sicilians players may unlock it by building a Donjon instead. It trains and improves cavalry.

Stables are available to all civilizations except for the Native Americans (Aztecs, Inca, and Maya). If a Native American civilization procures a Stable, either through conversion or starting with one in certain standard maps like MegaRandom, they may train Xolotl Warriors from it from the Castle Age onwards.

Tactics and placement

For cavalry-based civilizations, Stables are essential buildings. Having at least two in the Feudal Age already will greatly help to rush an opponent with Scout Cavalry as in a rushing tactic timing is essential and producing units takes its time. Another very popular rushing strategy is the Knight rush, which also required at least two Stables, preferably three or four.

As with other military buildings, having Stables near an enemy's settlement helps to attack more effectively as the trained units will be created close to the enemy, cutting off the distance. In the particular case of Stables this is optional though, as cavalry has fast movement speed.

Stables can also aid in fortifications as cavalry can take down siege units with ease. So it is advisable to have several Stables within a fortification just for the emergency.

Trainable units and technologies

Rusty red: Generic buildings

Aqua blue: Generic units

Forest green: Technologies

Deep violet: Unique units

Deep cornflower blue: Regional units

Reddish-orange: Regional buildings

Crimson pink: Unique buildings

Clicking on the icon links to the corresponding page.

	➞		➞		➞
			➞		➞		/	Lithuanians & Poles only
					➞		➞		/	Persians only
		Gurjaras only	➞		➞		➞	Hindustanis only
					➞
					➞
					➞
				Huns only Requires Marauders	➞
				Gurjaras only	➞

Xolotl Warrior (Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans only) - From a converted Stable or one received at the start in certain maps.

Availability grid

The following table shows the availability of the units and technologies for every civilization. Unique units are not shown in the table.

	= Available
	= Unavailable
	= Researched for free or fully covered by a civilization bonus if unavailable

Civilization										Regional Units
Armenians
Bengalis
Berbers
Bohemians
Britons
Bulgarians
Burgundians
Burmese
Byzantines
Celts
Chinese
Cumans
Dravidians
Ethiopians
Franks
Georgians
Goths
Gurjaras
Hindustanis
Huns
Italians
Japanese
Jurchens
Khitans
Khmer
Koreans
Lithuanians
Magyars
Malay
Malians
Mongols
Persians
Poles
Portuguese
Romans
Saracens
Sicilians
Slavs
Spanish
Tatars
Teutons
Turks
Vietnamese
Vikings
Shu
Wei
Wu

Further statistics

Technologies
Hit points	Masonry (+10%) Architecture (+10%)
Armor	Masonry (+1/+1, +3 building armor) Architecture (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
Conversion resistance	Devotion (+1 min, +1 max) Faith (+4 min, +4 max) Heresy (die upon getting converted)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+4) Town Patrol (+4)
Build speed	Treadmill Crane (+20%)
Work rate	Conscription (+33%) Chivalry (+40%, Franks only)
Other	Marauders (allows creation of Tarkans, Huns only)

Civilization bonuses

• Burgundians: Stable technologies are 50% cheaper. The Cavalier upgrade is available in the Castle Age.
• Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
• Byzantines: Stables have +20%/+30%/+40% hit points in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Town Watch and Town Patrol are free.
• Chinese: Technologies that benefit Stables are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Cumans: Stables cost -75 wood.
• Georgians: Stables receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
• Italians: Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane are 33% cheaper.
• Jurchens: Researching Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane costs -75% wood and is 100% faster.
• Khmer: Barracks are not required to build Stables.
• Malians: Stables are 15% cheaper.
• Persians: Researching Town Watch and Town Patrol is 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Romans: Stables are built and repaired 5% faster.
• Spanish: Stables are built 30% faster. Researching technologies that benefit Stables provides 20 gold each.
• Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
• Wu: Stables provide 65 food when completed.

Team bonuses

• Georgians: Repairing Stables costs 25% fewer resources.
• Huns: Stables work 20% faster.
• Lithuanians: Researching Devotion, Faith, and Heresy is 20% faster.
• Malians: Researching Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane is 80% faster.
• Portuguese: Technologies that benefit Stables and Stable technologies are researched 25% faster.
• Slavs: Stables provide +5 population.
• Teutons: Stables are more resistant to conversion (+3 min, +1 max cycles).

Changelog

The Age of Kings

• Husbandry costs 250 food and takes 50 seconds to research.

The Conquerors

• Aztecs and Maya introduced as the first two civilizations which cannot build Stables.
• Bloodlines introduced.
• Hussar introduced as an upgrade for the Light Cavalry.
• Native American Stables use the Central European sprite and cannot train units in All Tech mode.

The Forgotten

• Stable HP reduced in the Feudal Age.
• Inca introduced as the third civilization which cannot build Stables.
• Native American Stables have a unique sprite and can train units in All Tech mode.
• Franks: Chivalry introduced in the Castle Age.
• Huns: Marauders introduced.
• Indians: Imperial Camel introduced as an upgrade to the Heavy Camel.

The African Kingdoms

• With patch 4.8, Husbandry costs 150 food and takes 40 seconds to research.

Rise of the Rajas

• (Elite) Battle Elephant introduced.

Definitive Edition

• (Heavy/Imperial) Camel renamed to (Heavy/Imperial) Camel Rider.
• Xolotl Warrior introduced.
• (Elite) Steppe Lancer introduced.
• Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.

Dawn of the Dukes

• Cumans: With update 51737, Stables cost -100 wood. With update 56005, they cost -75 wood.
• Lithuanians and Poles: Winged Hussar introduced as an upgrade for the Light Cavalry. It replaces the regular Hussar.

Dynasties of India

• Gurjaras:
  • Camel Scout introduced as a precursor to the Camel Rider in the Feudal Age.
  • (Elite) Shrivamsha Rider introduced as a unique unit for the Gurjaras.
• Portuguese: With update 73855, all technologies are researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
• Sicilians: With update 81058, choose to build either a Barracks or a Donjon to unlock Stables.

The Mountain Royals

• With update 99311, Devotion was introduced.

History

“	As the Middle Ages continued, the rise in importance of mounted warriors created demand for larger numbers of horses, which was bred and maintained at the stable. A variety of horses were bred, including horses for long-distance travel, fast horses for quick movement, and the heavy charger. Scout and light cavalry units needed quick horses with lots of stamina. Heavy chargers of great strength were required to carry fully armored knights into a charge. Mounted warriors trained at the stable as well, learning the skills of fighting from horseback with spear, lance, sword, flail, mace, and hammer. In other parts of the world, camels and elephants were bred and maintained for mounted combat.	”
—Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings manual

Trivia

• The African, South Asian, and Southeast Asian Stables are the only three architectural styles to have mounts other than horses in the model: The African and South Asian ones have a camel, and the Southeast Asian one has an elephant.
• The South Asian Castle Age Stable's sprite is based on real-life Indian elephant stables and has statues of elephants as decoration. However, no South Asian civilization in the game has access to both Camel Riders and Battle Elephants, only one or the other.
• Before the Definitive Edition, the Southeast Asian Stable model was the only one where the mounts inside were animated.
• Until The African Kingdoms, the Persians were the only civilization who had access to every non-unique unit and technology in the Stable. After Rise of the Rajas, however, the Persians lost that status because they don't have access to either Battle Elephants or Steppe Lancers.
  • As of the Definitive Edition, the Mongols and Tatars are tied for the most complete Stable, missing only the Xolotl Warrior (equivalent to the Knight), Paladin, and both Battle Elephants.
• The Vikings and Dravidians have the worst Stables excluding the American civilizations (which can only convert rather than build Stables) in the game. Besides lacking Bloodlines, Husbandry, and Plate Barding Armor at their Blacksmith, the Vikings also lack the Hussar and Paladin upgrades, while Dravidians lack access to even Knights or Imperial Age cavalry units, but their two unique technologies and access to (non-elite) Battle Elephants can compensate it in some manner. The Dravidians received Husbandry in a later update, which mostly benefits their prominent Elephant Archers and Armored Elephant line rather than Stable units.
  • They are closely followed by the Malay, who lack the Hussar and Paladin upgrades, as well as Bloodlines and even Chain Barding Armor (making them the only non-American civilization without it), but are compensated with cheaper Battle Elephants, making the investment in Stables worthy in some occasions.
• The Western European Stable has the most civilizations able to train Paladins, percentage-wise. None of them have access to Bloodlines.
• The East Asian civilizations collectively have the most versatile Stable, having access to all regional units and their upgrades, including Blacksmith and Stable technologies. Despite this, all of them lack Paladins.

Gallery

All Feudal Age Stables in The Age of Kings

All Feudal Age Stables introduced in the HD Edition expansions

All Castle Age Stables in The Age of Kings

All Castle Age Stables introduced in the HD expansions

All original game Feudal Age Stables in the Definitive Edition

All expansion Feudal Age Stables in the Definitive Edition

All original game Castle Age Stables in the Definitive Edition

All expansion Castle Age Stables in the Definitive Edition

All units trainable at the Stable

Spritesheet for the Stable