Upgrade (Age of Empires)

This article is about the gameplay mechanic in Age of Empires. For the gameplay mechanic in Age of Empires II, see Upgrade (Age of Empires II).

Upgrades are those technologies in Age of Empires that allow the creation of better military units and construction of improved versions of buildings. The unit upgrade of a unit transforms the unit into a better version of itself, usually with an increase in attributes. All existing units, except converted units, are upgraded. Unit upgrades are shown directly below the unit in the user interface of the building in which they are created. Building upgrades are all done at the Granary.

Barracks

Unit	Upgrade	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Clubman	Battle Axe	Axeman	100 food 40 seconds	+5 hit points, +2 melee attack, +1 pierce armor, +4 vs Mounted units
Short Swordsman	Broad Sword	Broad Swordsman	140 food, 50 gold 90 seconds	+20 hit points, +2 melee attack
Broad Swordsman	Long Sword	Long Swordsman	240 food, 100 gold 90 seconds	+20 hit points, +2 melee attack, +1 melee armor
Long Swordsman	Legion	Legionary	1,400 food, 600 gold 150 seconds	+40 hit points, +2 melee attack

Archery Range

Unit	Upgrade	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Improved Bowman	Composite Bow	Composite Bowman	180 food, 100 wood 100 seconds	+5 hit points, +1 pierce attack, +1 range, +1 Line of Sight
Horse Archer	Heavy Horse Archer	Heavy Horse Archer	1,750 food, 800 gold 150 seconds	+30 hit points, +1 pierce attack, +0.17 speed, +1 Line of Sight

Stable

Unit	Upgrade	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Chariot	Scythe Chariot	Scythe Chariot	1,400 wood, 1,000 gold 200 seconds	+20 hit points, +2 melee attack, +1 melee armor, +0.75 blast radius
Cavalry	Heavy Cavalry	Heavy Cavalry	350 food, 125 gold 90 seconds	+2 melee attack, +2 melee armor, +1 pierce armor, +1 vs. Light infantry
Heavy Cavalry	Cataphract	Cataphract	1,600 food, 600 gold 150 seconds	+90 hit points, +2 attack, +3 melee armor, +1 pierce armor, +1 vs. Light infantry
War Elephant	Armored Elephant	Armored Elephant	1,000 food, 1,200 gold 150 seconds	+3 melee attack, +2 melee armor, +1 pierce armor, +10 vs. Buildings and Fire Galley, +10 vs. Walls

Siege Workshop

Unit	Upgrade	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Stone Thrower	Catapult	Catapult	300 food, 250 wood 100 seconds	+10 melee attack, +0.45 blast radius, +1 pierce armor, +2 range, +2 line of sight
Catapult	Heavy Catapult	Heavy Catapult	1,800 food, 900 wood 150 seconds	+75 hit points, -0.85 reload time, +1 range, +1 line of sight
Ballista	Helepolis	Helepolis	1,200 food, 1,000 wood 150 seconds	+10 pierce attack, +0.45 blast radius, +1 pierce armor, +2 range, +2 line of sight

Academy

Unit	Upgrade	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Hoplite	Phalanx	Phalangite	300 food, 100 gold 90 seconds	+3 melee attack, +2 melee armor
Phalangite	Centurion	Centurion	1,000 food 75 seconds	+40 hit points, +10 melee attack, +1 melee armor

Dock

Unit	Upgrade	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Fishing Boat	Fishing Ship	Fishing Ship	50 food, 100 wood 51 seconds	+30 hit points, +0.6 speed
Trade Boat	Merchant Ship	Merchant Ship	200 food, 75 wood 102 seconds	+80 hit points, +0.5 speed
Light Transport	Heavy Transport	Heavy Transport	300 food 50 seconds	+25 hit points, +1 attack, +50 attack vs Building, +15 attack vs Siege weapon, +0.5 blast radius, +10 pierce armor, +1 Ram armor
Scout Ship	War Galley	War Galley	150 food, 75 wood 128 seconds	+40 hit points, +1 pierce attack, +0.2 reload time, +1 range, +2 line of sight
War Galley	Trireme	Trireme	250 food, 100 wood 200 seconds	+40 hit points, +4 attack, +0.19 reload time, +1 range, +1 line of sight, -3.1 projectile speed
Catapult Trireme	Juggernaut	Juggernaut	1,300 food, 700 wood 200 seconds	+65 hit points, +0.2 blast radius, +1 range, +1 line of sight

Building upgrades

Unit	Upgrades to	Cost and Time	Change
Watch Tower	Sentry Tower	120 food, 50 stone 30 seconds	+60 hit points, +1 pierce attack, +1 pierce armor, +1 range, +1 line of sight
Sentry Tower	Guard Tower	300 food, 100 stone 75 seconds	+55 hit points, +1 pierce attack, +1 pierce armor, +1 range, +1 line of sight
Guard Tower	Ballista Tower	1,800 food, 750 stone 150 seconds	+10 pierce attack, +1.6 rate of fire, -3.1 projectile speed
Small Wall	Medium Wall	180 food, 100 stone 60 seconds	+100 hit points, +1 pierce armor
Small Gate	Medium Gate		+150 hit points, +1 pierce armor
Medium Wall	Fortified Wall	300 food, 175 stone 75 seconds	+100 hit points, +1 pierce armor
Medium Gate	Fortified Gate		+150 hit points, +1 pierce armor

Civilization bonuses

• Assyrians: Siege units upgrades cost -50%.
• Yamato: Stable and Archery Range upgrades cost -30%.

Team bonuses

• Assyrians: Siege units upgrades are researched 20% faster.
• Carthaginians: Phalanx and Centurion upgrades are researched 20% faster.
• Palmyrans: Upgrades are researched 30% faster.
• Persians: Stable units are upgraded 20% faster.

Gallery

The Short Swordsman, Broad Swordsman, Long Swordsman, and Legionary, in Return of Rome

The Chariot and Scythe Chariot

The Cavalry, Heavy Cavalry, and Cataphract

The Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult

The Ballista and Helepolis

The Hoplite, Phalangite, and Centurion

The Scout Ship, War Galley, and Trireme

Gameplay elements in the Age of Empires series
Age Ability (II · M · III · IV) Architecture set (II · III) Area of Effect (Trample damage) Armor (Melee I & II · Pierce I & II · M · IV) Armor class (I - original · I - Return of Rome · II) Artificial intelligence Attack (IV) Attack ground Aura (IV) Auto Scout Building (I · II · M · III · IV · C · AoE:DS) Civilization (I · II · M · III · IV · C) Civilization bonus Cheat code (I · II · M · III · IV) Conversion Counter Diplomacy Gaia/Mother Nature Game modes Garrison Gather Point Healing Hit points Hotkey Line of Sight Mini map Mobile building Pass-through damage Player Population Range Rate of Fire Regeneration Relic (II · M · IV) Repairing Resists Resource (Renewable resource) Scenario Editor (I · II · M · III · IV) Score Signal Allies/Flare Snare Soundtrack (I · II · M · III · IV) Speed Stealth mode Taunt Technology (I · II · M · III · IV · C · Unique) Technology tree (I · II · IV · C) Terrain (AoE:DS · AoM:DS) Town Bell Trade (IV) Tribute Unit (I · II · M · III · IV · C · AoE:DS · AoM:DS) Unit formation Unit stance (III) Unit type/tag (II · M · III · IV) Upgrade (I · II · III · IV) User interface Victory Villager Priority
Genie Engine-exclusive
Frame delay · Full Tech Tree · Team bonus
Age of Empires	Ruins · Discovery
Age of Empires II	Projectile duplication
Bang Engine-exclusive
Autoqueue · Multiplier
Age of Mythology	God (Major · Minor) · God power · Settlement (Settlement Victory) · Weight class
Age of Empires III	Age-up methods (Politician/Tribal Council/Wonder/Federal State/Alliance) · Banner army · Consulate · Damage Cap · Home City · Home City Card · Inspiring Flag · Minor civilization · Promotion · Revolution · Target Lock · Trade Monopoly · Trade Route · Treasure
Age of Empires IV-exclusive
Generic	Influence · Landmark · Point of Interest · Sacred Site · Variant civilization
Civilization-unique	Bounty · Dynasty · Golden Age · Imperial Council (Vizier Point) · Commanderie
If a gameplay element has different pages across games, like civilization, the individual pages are linked in brackets.