| “ | Tough infantry with good damage. Can use Berserking to increase damage for reduced armor. | ” |
| —Age of Empires IV description | ||
The Varangian Guard is a heavy melee infantry unit in Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend. It serves as a unique version of the Man-at Arms for the Byzantines and the Macedonian Dynasty. It is available to the former at the Barracks starting in the Castle Age, and to the latter at the Varangian Stronghold and Varangian Warcamp starting in the Feudal Age.
In comparison to Men-at-Arms, Varangian Guards have increased damage and melee armor, and slightly less food cost, but fewer hit points and double the gold cost. Also, they have access to some unique abilities.
They can also spawn from the Palatine School.
Ability[]
| “ | By stowing their shield and swapping it for a great two-handed axe, the Varangian Guard trade armor for a significantly increased burst of damage with their Berserking ability. | ” |
Berserking (Active): Swap to their two-handed weapon and deal +6 damage for 30 seconds. Armor is reduced by -4. This can be upgraded with Ferocious Speed ( Byzantines only) to also increase movement speed by 30% while active. This ability has a 30 second cooldown.- Can build Transport Ships.
- Increases the melee and ranged armor of Transport Ships, Cheirosiphons, and Siege Towers by +1/+1 for every Varangian Guard garrisoned.
Tactics[]
Varangian Guards are an alternative to the Man-at-Arms, trading extra damage for fewer hit points. When Berserking, their damage (and speed, once upgraded) increase even more, at the cost of most of their armor. This makes the Varangian Guard more of a glass cannon unit, capable of dishing out considerable damage, but can be killed more easily. Use of Berserking should be considered carefully; in an unfavorable fight, the ability can hasten defeat rather than granting the Varangian Guards an edge.
Unit comparison[]
 Man-at-Arms
|
 Varangian Guard
| |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 100 food, 20 gold | 90 food, 40 gold |
| Hit points | 120 (Early) 155 (Regular) 180 (Elite) |
125 (Early) 140 (Regular) 170 (Elite) |
| Melee attack | 10 (Early) 12 (Regular) 14 (Elite) |
12 (Early) 13 (Regular) 16 (Elite) |
| Melee armor | 3 (Early) 4 (Regular) 5 (Elite) |
4 (Early) 5 (Regular) 6 (Elite) |
| Ranged Armor | 3 (Early) 4 (Regular) 6 (Elite) |
2 (Early) 4 (Regular) 6 (Elite) |
| Training Time | 22.5 s | 25 s |
| Abilities | Berserking Can build Transport Ships Increased armor near allied wonders |
Further statistics[]
| Technologies | |
|---|---|
 Hit points
|
 Elite Army Tactics (+15%,  Byzantines) Butted Chainmail (+5% each rank, up to +30%,  Macedonian Dynasty)
|
| Attack |  Bloomery (+1, Byzantines) Decarbonization (+1, Byzantines) Damascus Steel (+1, Byzantines) Elite Army Tactics (+15%, Byzantines) Pattern Welding (+1 melee each rank, up to +6, Macedonian Dynasty) Rhomphaia (+3 vs light infantry, Macedonian Dynasty)
|
| Armor |  Fitted Leatherwork (+1 melee, Byzantines) Insulated Helm (+1 melee, Byzantines) Master Smiths (+1 melee, Byzantines) Iron Undermesh (+1 ranged, Byzantines) Wedge Rivets (+1 ranged, Byzantines) Angled Surfaces (+1 ranged, Byzantines) Butted Chainmail (+1 melee and +1 ranged armor each rank, up to +6/+6, Macedonian Dynasty)
|
 Attack speed
|
 Teardrop Shields (+15%, Byzantines)
|
| Creation speed |  Military Academy (+33%)
|
| Ability |  Siege Engineering (Can build Cheirosiphons and Siege Towers) Ferocious Speed (Berserking grants +30% speed while active, Byzantines)
|
| Aura and ability enhancements | |
|---|---|
 Regeneration
|
 Pilgrim Flask (25 HP/s for 6 seconds, requires Cistern of the First Hill, Byzantines)
|
| Attack |  Berserking (+6 for 30 seconds) Improved Torch (+25% torch attack, requires Trapezites, Byzantines)Hippodrome Scout's Champion's Presence aura (+35% torch attack, requires Imperial Hippodrome, Macedonian Dynasty)
|
| Armor |  Emperor's Guard (+3 melee/ranged) Camel Support (+2 melee/ranged, requires Foreign Engineering Company, Byzantines)
|
| Damage resistance |  Wall Defense (-25% ranged, -50% siege)
|
 Movement speed
|
 Naval Deployment (+50% speed for 12 seconds after unloading from a Transport Ship) Berserking (+30% for 30 seconds, requires Ferocious Speed, Byzantines)Hippodrome Riddari's Champion's Presence aura (+15% speed, requires Imperial Hippodrome, Macedonian Dynasty)
|
| Creation speed |   Conscriptio Influence (+20% per Cistern water level, Byzantines)Cistern's Favor (+150% creation speed for 60 seconds, requires Cistern of the First Hill, Macedonian Dynasty)
|
Dialogue lines[]
- Main article: /Dialogue lines
Changelog[]
- Originally, the Elite Varangian Guard had 5 ranged armor. With update 12.0.1974, it has 6.
Trivia[]
- The Berserking ability and the Transport Ship bonuses are a reference to the Nordic origins of the unit in real life.
- One version of the unit's shield is the same as the Berserk from Age of Empires II. Another bears the Palailogos Dynasty emblem, the one used to represent the Byzantines in the same game.
- The Byzantine ones are affected by the technology Teardrop Shields, but the shield doesn't change after researching it, unlike with Limitanei and Cataphracts.
Gallery[]
