Treadmill Crane is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the University. Once researched, the construction speed for all buildings is increased by +20%. In practice, it reduces the construction time required for buildings by 16.67%, i.e. a building which would otherwise require 100 seconds to be constructed is constructed in 83.33 seconds with this technology researched.
Treadmill Crane helps players to establish forward bases more quickly or build structures close to enemy territory, especially Castles or Town Centers, which can otherwise take a while to complete. It is an especially important technology to have in Deathmatch (where it is researched for free if available), as it allows the player to place down their building faster in a game mode where starting resources are plentiful.
Despite not having access to Treadmill Crane, the Spanish have the fastest builders in the game due to their civilization bonus that gives them +30% working speed. However, this effect is reduced on Wonders, becoming only 20%, so that Spanish Wonders are built at the same speed as the Wonders of any civilization with access to Treadmill Crane. Another exception is fortifications and Town Centers, as the Sicilians can construct them 50% and 100% faster, respectively, thanks to their civilization bonus, which makes the fastest construction speed in the game (partly compensating the fact that they cannot research the technology). The Romans have faster-working builders as well, thanks to their civilization bonus that gives 5% faster-working Villagers, but lack access to Treadmill Crane. While having an early advantage at building, they fall off at later stages of the game. The Georgians can also have faster builders than others in the Castle Age, thanks to their Fortified Church bonus boosting the work-rate of nearby Villagers by 10%, while also having access to Treadmill Crane.
This technology also affects Farm reseeding time, decreasing it from 15 seconds to 12.5 seconds, and as a result increasing overall food gathering rate by a minuscule amount.
Availability chart[]
 Available |  Unavailable
|
|---|---|
- ✝ means that the civilization had access to Treadmill Crane in the past, but does not currently.
Further statistics[]
| Civilization bonus | |
|---|---|
| Resource cost |  Italians (-33%) Jurchens (-75% wood)
|
| Research speed | Jurchens (+100%)
|
| Team bonus | |
|---|---|
| Research speed |  Malians (+80%) Portuguese (+25%)
|
Changelog[]
The Age of Kings[]
- Treadmill Crane costs 200 wood, 300 stone and is researched in 50 seconds.
- Britons: Cannot research Treadmill Crane.
- Byzantines: Cannot research Treadmill Crane.
- Franks: Can research Treadmill Crane.
- Goths: Can research Treadmill Crane.
- Japanese: Cannot research Treadmill Crane.
- Vikings: Cannot research Treadmill Crane.
- Teutons: Can research Treadmill Crane.
The Conquerors[]
- With patch 1.0b, Treadmill Crane costs 300 food, 200 wood.
- Huns: Can research Treadmill Crane.
The Forgotten[]
- Goths: Treadmill Crane removed from their technology tree.
- Huns: Treadmill Crane removed from their technology tree.
- Slavs: Can research Treadmill Crane.
- Vikings: Treadmill Crane added to their technology tree.
The African Kingdoms[]
Rise of the Rajas[]
Definitive Edition[]
- Portuguese: With update 42848, Treadmill Crane is researched 30% faster.
Lords of the West[]
- Sicilians: Can research Treadmill Crane.
- With update 44725, Franks, Khmer, and Slavs can no longer research Treadmill Crane.
- Italians: With update 44725, Treadmill Crane is 33% cheaper.
Dynasties of India[]
- With update 66692, Treadmill Crane becomes available to Britons, Byzantines, and Malay, and unavailable to Sicilians and Teutons.
The Three Kingdoms[]
- With update 153015, Treadmill Crane costs 200 wood, 50 stone and is researched in 20 seconds.
History[]
| “ | The construction of castles, cathedrals, and other major building projects required the invention of new techniques, as well as the re-discovery of ancient technologies. A critical tool known to the ancients but lost to the Europeans of the Dark Ages was the crane. The simple crane was a long pole with block and tackle gear that was used to pull loads to a height. The treadmill crane was an improvement over the simple version. It used a large circular treadmill upon which men walked. Gears converted the horizontal circular motion into vertical turning, providing power to wind ropes around a drum and pull up heavy loads. A variation of the treadmill crane employed a capstan that men could push against, like those used on sailing ships to raise anchors. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings manual | ||
Trivia[]
- The treadmill crane depicted in-game is also a counterweight crane. It uses the same counterweight model from the Trebuchet albeit smaller.
- The Western European, Central European, Mediterranean, and East Asian Lumber Camps have a Treadmill Crane. The Eastern European and Native American ones also have one, but without the treadmill. However, a European style treadmill crane would have been unknown to the Mesoamericans and East Asians in reality.
- Serjeants are not affected by Treadmill Crane.
