This article is about the unique units in Age of Empires II. For the armor class, see Armor class: Unique unit. For unique units in other games of the series, see Unique unit. |

A unique unit is a unit only available to a single civilization in Age of Empires II.
Overview[]
Each civilization in the game has one unique unit that can only be trained at the Castle in the Castle Age, and twelve civilizations have access to a second unique unit that is trained at another building.
Before Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms was released, a Castle was required to train the second unique unit. Since that was changed, the civilizations with two unique units gain the advantage of instant access to a unique unit once the Castle Age is reached.
There are roughly three categories of unique units: Castle units, non-Castle units, and shared units. As the name suggests, a Castle unit can only be trained at a Castle (except Huskarl, Tarkan, Serjeant and Konnik - see the list below), while non-Castle units are created elsewhere (Longboat, Turtle Ship, Missionary, Slinger, Imperial Camel Rider, and Caravel).
Shared units, however, fill a different and broader niche since their nature means that they can be used by other civilizations in addition to their own by simply allying with their native factions. A team containing an Italian, Berber, or Vietnamese player will have access to the Condottieri, Genitours, or Imperial Skirmishers, respectively. Shared unique units are team bonuses.
Apart from the Imperial Camel Rider, Condottiero, Imperial Skirmisher, and Houfnice (three of which can be considered unique upgrades), all unique units are available in the Castle Age.
All but six (Slinger, Condottiero, Imperial Camel Rider, Missionary, Imperial Skirmisher, and Houfnice) unique units have an Elite version that possesses overall superior statistics. The upgrade is always available in the Imperial Age.
It is worth noting that the Samurai possesses an attack bonus against all unique units (including itself) except Imperial Camel Rider, Imperial Skirmisher, and Houfnice, which are technically just unique upgrades. It is the only unit that has an attack bonus against unique units.
List of unique units[]
All in all, there are 57 unique units:
- 15 Archers (including Ratha)
- 18 Infantry
- 14 Cavalry (including Ratha)
- 6 Gunpowder units
- 4 Ships
- 1 Special unit
The Age of Kings[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Archer with long range |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-infantry cavalry, resistant to anti-cavalry attack bonuses |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Fast-moving infantry |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Archer that fires a volley of arrows |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Infantry with ranged melee attack |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle / Barracks* | Archer-resistant, anti-archer infantry |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-unique unit infantry |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-siege cavalry archer |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Slow and tanky mounted unit with powerful attack |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-cavalry camel with ranged melee attack |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Slow, heavily armored infantry with powerful attack |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Hand cannoneer with high attack and extra range |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Regenerating infantry |
![]() |
Dock | Fast Warship that fires multiple arrows |
Note: The Goths can train Huskarls at the Barracks after researching Anarchy.
The Conquerors[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-infantry infantry |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle / Stable* | Anti-building cavalry |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Slow, tanky, archer-resistant cavalry archer |
![]() |
Dock | Slow, tanky warship with very high attack | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Fast moving archer with high hit points |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Mounted hand cannoneer |
![]() |
Monastery | Mounted Monk |
Note: The Huns can train Tarkans at the Stable after researching Marauders.
The Forgotten[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-cavalry infantry with extra range |
![]() |
Archery Range | Anti-infantry archer | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Slow, tanky, archer-resistant ranged elephant |
![]() |
Stable | Anti-cavalry camel; upgrade of the Heavy Camel Rider | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-cavalry archer |
![]() |
Barracks | Anti-gunpowder infantry | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cheap anti-siege light cavalry |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Heavily armored cavalry |
*Shared unique unit
The African Kingdoms[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-cavalry-archer mounted archer |
![]() |
Archery Range | Anti-archer mounted skirmisher | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Squishy, fast moving Infantry with fast deployment rate and very high attack |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Squishy, fast moving Infantry with ranged melee attack |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Light anti-personnel siege unit |
![]() |
Dock | Warship whose arrows deal pass-through damage like Scorpions |
*Shared unique unit
Rise of the Rajas[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cavalry archer with very high attack, but unaffected by Archer attack upgrades |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Elephant with mounted Scorpion |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cheap and weak infantry that only takes half a population space |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Archer-resistant archer |
![]() |
Archery Range | Anti-archer javelineer; upgrade of the Elite Skirmisher |
*Shared unique unit
The Last Khans (Definitive Edition)[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle / Krepost | Cavalry that turns into an infantry after death |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cavalry archer that fires multiple arrows |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cavalry whose attack is unaffected by enemy armor |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cavalry that generates gold when attacking units |
![]() |
Castle | Anti-cavalry camel with self-destruct attack |
*Shared via the Cuman Mercenaries technology
Lords of the West[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Cavalry that charges its attack every 40 seconds |
![]() |
Town Center | Anti-cavalry infantry; replaces all existing Villagers on the map | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle / Donjon | Tanky infantry that can build Donjons; is available from Feudal Age |
Dawn of the Dukes[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Tanky siege that protect the units positioned behind them |
![]() |
Siege Workshop | Siege that blast fortifications and formations; upgrade of the Bombard Cannon | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Tanky infantry with attack which damages armor of enemy units |
Dynasties of India[]
Civilization | Unique unit | Trained at | Description and specialties |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Chariot that can switch between melee and ranged attacks |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Infantry that charges its attack every 24/20 seconds |
![]() |
Dock | Tanky warship that fires multiple arrows | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Infantry with ranged melee attack, which deals pass-through damage like Scorpions |
![]() |
Stable | Light cavalry that can dodge projectiles | |
![]() |
Stable | Precursor of the Camel Rider in the Feudal Age; starting Scout of the civilization | |
![]() |
![]() |
Castle | Archer-resistant anti-archer infantry that thrusts its spear through multiple targets |
![]() |
Stable | Anti-cavalry camel; upgrade of the Heavy Camel Rider |
Trivia[]
- Contrary to what the in-game Lithuanian and Polish technology trees state, the Winged Hussar is not a unique unit, but rather a regional unit available to two civilizations.
- The cost of the Castle-based unique units' "Elite" upgrades varies significantly. The lowest cost for one of these Elite upgrade is 1,100 resources total (for the Mameluke) and the most expensive costs 2,800 resources (for the War Elephant).
- Likewise, the cost of individual units also varies widely, with the cheapest Castle-based unique unit costing 40 resources (the Malay Karambit Warrior) and the most expensive costing 255 resources (the Persian War Elephant).