The Castle Age town behind stone walls and a gatehouse, with a keep and knights at the stable

The four civilizations

Britons, Franks, Chinese and Mongols. Each fields the same core armies with its own strengths, its own architecture and a unique unit trained at the Castle.

Britons emblem Britons Franks emblem Franks Chinese emblem Chinese Mongols emblem Mongols

Britons

Defensive archery, with European architecture.

Foot archers reach and see 1 further in the Castle Age and 1 further again in the Imperial Age.
The Archery Range trains 10% faster.
Towers, the Castle and walls see 1 further.
Town Centers cost half the wood from the Castle Age.

Unique unit

Longbowman, archer of the Castle Age. Outranges every other foot archer. Weak to skirmishers and cavalry on its flanks.

Unique technologies

Yeomen (Castle Age). Foot archers and skirmishers reach and see 1.75 further; towers and Castles hit 3 harder.
Warwolf (Imperial Age). Trebuchet shots also hit buildings and walls within 1.5 of the impact for 60% damage.

How they fight

A patient start; Longbowmen with Spearmen from the Castle Age; Longbow mass with Trebuchets.

Franks

Heavy cavalry, with Frankish architecture.

Cavalry have 15% more health from the Feudal Age, foragers gather berries 12% faster, Mill technologies are free, and Castles cost 15% less in the Castle Age and 25% less in the Imperial Age.

Unique unit

Throwing Axeman, infantry of the Castle Age. Hurls axes from short range. The axes deal melee damage, so archer armour does not help; strong against spearmen.

Unique technologies

Couched Lance (Castle Age). Knights, Cavaliers and Paladins +2 attack.
Chivalry (Imperial Age). Units trained at the Stable train 40% faster.

How they fight

An early first attack; a Knight timing strike; Paladins with Throwing Axemen.

Chinese

Economy and massed missiles, with East Asian architecture.

Technologies cost 5% less in the Feudal Age, 10% in the Castle Age and 15% in the Imperial Age.
Start with 2 extra villagers but 175 less food and 50 less wood.
Town Centers house 10 more people.

Unique unit

Chu Ko Nu, repeating crossbowman of the Castle Age. Each volley looses three bolts that cut down unarmoured groups.

Unique technologies

Great Wall (Castle Age). Walls, gates, towers and Castles +30% HP.
Rocketry (Imperial Age). Scorpions hit a quarter harder.

How they fight

Economic boom and a late first attack; Chu Ko Nu mass with spear protection; siege to finish.

Mongols

Mobile cavalry archery, with Steppe architecture.

Hunters gather meat 40% faster, every mounted archer shoots 25% faster, Light Cavalry, Hussars and Steppe Lancers have 30% more health, and the Scout Cavalry line sees 10% further.
Only the Mongols train the Camel Rider.

Unique unit

Mangudai, mounted archer of the Castle Age. Fast hit-and-run raider. Fragile if caught.

Unique technologies

Nomads (Castle Age). A destroyed house keeps its population room.
Drill (Imperial Age). Siege engines move 50% faster.

How they fight

The earliest raids; Mangudai kiting; mounted pressure with mobile siege.

Every civilization trains villagers, infantry, archers, cavalry and siege. What changes is how well, how fast, and when.

Play them in the campaign