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This article is about the ship in Age of Empires II. For the ship in Age of Empires, see Trade Boat. For the land trade unit, see Trade Cart.

Used to trade with other players by sea.
Age of Empires II description

The Trade Cog is a civilian ship in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Dock once the Feudal Age is reached.

Overview[]

Trade Cogs are used to trade and generate gold by traveling between two Docks. Trade Cogs do not actually engage in the exchanging of resources between two civilizations. Empty Trade Cogs travel to another player's Dock empty-handed and return with gold. They receive their gold from the Docks of other players and deposit them at the Docks of their owners. The amount of gold gained depends on the distance from one Dock to another. The farther away the Dock is, the more gold the Trade Cogs generate.

Trade Cogs may engage in trade with allied, neutral, and enemy civilizations. However, trading with enemy civilizations is ill-advised unless the enemy has resigned, since the Trade Cogs are likely to be slaughtered upon reaching the enemy Dock.

In order to generate at least one gold, the two Docks used for trade need to be at least 5 tiles away. The maximum amount gained per trip is 513, if both Docks are placed in the very edges of a Ludicrous (called LudiKRIS before the Definitive Edition) map.

Trade is an extremely important element in late games due to the limited amount of gold available from mines on most maps. Therefore, trade routes are a primary target for attacks and should be guarded accordingly.

Trade is also possible on the land between Markets with Trade Carts.

Comparison to the Trade Cart[]

The Trade Cog is faster (1.32 to 1) and benefits from Careening, Shipwright, and Dry Dock. However, Docks at the same distance do generate about -25% gold than Markets, so that the gold gathering rate for a single Trade Cart is comparable to that of a single Trade Cog. However, as Trade Cogs are more prone to bump into each other and usually move along the shoreline, they quickly become less efficient than Trade Carts when more of them share a trade route. Because of this, Trade Carts are almost always preferable.

In The African Kingdoms, the amount of gold earned per trip has been increased to offset this, making Trade Cogs more viable. It depends on the map and available water and land trade lines whether they should be preferred to Trade Carts. They are more efficient if single units are considered, but are also more affected by a congested trade route. The fact that they will always return to a particular Dock (closest to 100 tiles distance) means that additional Docks placed for warship production can disrupt a trade route, while there is no such reason to place extra Markets. Also, the Trade Cart is usually safer, as its routes can be accordingly protected by defensive structures or even the player's bases, while the water is more open, making the routes vulnerable to enemy warships.

Further statistics[]

Armor CareeningDE Careening (+0/+1)
UniqueTechCastle-DE Carrack (+1/+1, Portuguese 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 DryDockDE Dry Dock (+15%)
CaravanDE Caravan (+50%)
Resource cost ShipwrightDE Shipwright (-20% wood)
UniqueTechImperialDE Silk Road (-50%, Italians only)
Creation speed ShipwrightDE Shipwright (+54%)
Work rate UniqueTechCastle-DE Grand Trunk Road (+10% gold, Hindustanis only)

Civilization bonuses[]

  • Bengalis AoE2 Bengalis: Trade Cogs regenerate 15 hit points per minute.
  • Berbers AoE2 Berbers: Trade Cogs move 10% faster.
  • Burgundians AoE2 Burgundians: Caravan can be researched in the Feudal Age and costs -33% food.
  • Burmese AoE2 Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
  • Celts AoE2 Celts: Trade Cogs can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
  • Chinese AoE2 Chinese: Technologies that benefit Trade Cogs are 10%/15% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • Georgians AoE2 Georgians: Trade Cogs receive -20% (-40% instead of -25%) damage on higher elevations.
  • Italians AoE2 Italians: Researching Careening, Dry Dock, and Shipwright is 33% cheaper.
  • Persians AoE2 Persians: Trade Cogs are created 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Careening is researched 15%/20% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age. Researching Dry Dock is 20% faster.
  • Portuguese AoE2 Portuguese: Trade Cogs cost -20% gold. Trade Cogs have +10% hit points.
  • Spanish AoE2 Spanish: Researching technologies that benefit Trade Cogs provides 20 gold each.

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

  • Shipwright reduces the wood cost by 20%.
  • Dry Dock reduces gold per trip for Trade Cogs offsetting the speed advantage.
  • Trade Cogs have 0.5 collision size.

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

  • Trade Cogs generate +10% gold.

AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms[]

  • Trade Cogs generate +30% gold.
  • The collision radius of Trade Cogs is reduced, resulting in less blockage on trade routes.
  • Portuguese AoE2 Portuguese: Trade Cogs cost -15% gold.
  • Spanish AoE2 Spanish: With patch 4.8, Trade Cogs generate +25% gold.

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India[]

Aoe2 hb Victors and Vanquished[]

  • With update 125283, Trade Cog collision size multiplier reduced from 0.5 → 0.25, making bumping while trading less likely.

History[]

The demands of trade along the northern coasts of Europe led to the development of new types of ships with wide beams, deep drafts, square sails, stern rudders, and large cargo space. Ships of this new design were called cogs and they dominated Middle Age sea commerce from the Baltic Sea to the Western Mediterranean. Because these ships could not be drawn up on a beach easily, ports required piers extending out into water sufficiently deep to keep the cogs afloat. The Far Eastern equivalent to the trade cog was the Chinese junk, a much more advanced ship not surpassed in the West for many centuries.

Trivia[]

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
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
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
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
Regional
InfantryEaglescout aoe2DE Eagle Scout · Eaglewarrior aoe2DE Eagle Warrior · EliteEaglewarrior aoe2DE Elite Eagle Warrior
ArcherAoe2de DOI elephant archer icon Elephant Archer · ElephantArcherIcon-DE Elite Elephant Archer
CavalryBattle 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
War shipAoE2 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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