Two-Handed Swordsman

Standard building: 4

Camel: 0

Cavalry: 0

Infantry: 0

Anti-leitis: 0

Castle age: 7

imperial age: 7

The **Two-Handed Swordsman** is an infantry unit in *Age of Empires II* that can be trained at the Barracks once the Imperial Age is reached. It is the fourth tier upgrade of the Militia line.

Two-Handed Swordsmen are available to all civilizations except for the Persians.

## Tactics

There really is not much to elaborate about the Two-Handed Swordsman as performance-wise it is very similar to its predecessor; despite the substantial improvements to stats it is not that big of a step up, and the same general strategies still apply.

Two-Handed Swordsmen are not seen very often because the Champion upgrade becomes available the moment the Two-Handed Swordsman upgrade is researched. It is mostly used in the early Imperial Age before the Champion upgrade comes in, or by the Huns, Ethiopians, Khmer, Malay, Bulgarians, Tatars, and Mayans, since Two-Handed Swordsmen is the most they can get out of the Militia line due to lacking the Champion upgrade.

The Malay case is particularly interesting as one of their unique technologies is Forced Levy which changes the gold cost of the Militia line to food cost, including the Two-Handed Swordsman, making a swarm of these units a viable tactic in late game 'trash wars' where they easily defeat other trash units (Halberdiers, Hussars, and Elite Skirmishers).

Bulgarians also have quite effective Two-Handed Swordsmen, as they get all the Militia-line upgrades for free and receive an additional +5 melee armor if Bagains is researched, giving them an advantage in early Imperial Age.

## Civilization bonuses

* Aztecs: Two-Handed Swordsmen are created 11.1% faster.
* Bulgarians: Militia-line upgrades (except Champion) are free.
* Burmese: Two-Handed Swordsmen have +3 attack. Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
* Celts: Two-Handed Swordsmen move 15% faster. Two-Handed Swordsmen can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
* Chinese: Technologies that benefit Two-Handed Swordsmen are 20% cheaper.
* Goths: Two-Handed Swordsmen are 35% cheaper and have +3 attack against standard buildings. With Perfusion researched, researching, Squires and upgrading to Champion is 100% faster.
* Japanese: Two-Handed Swordsmen attack 33% faster.
* Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
* Malians: Two-Handed Swordsmen have +3 pierce armor.
* Portuguese: Two-Handed Swordsmen cost 20% less gold.
* Slavs: Tracking is free.
* Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Two-Handed Swordsmen cost no gold.
* Tatars: Two-Handed Swordsmen deal 50% bonus damage from a cliff or an elevation.
* Teutons: Two-Handed Swordsmen have +2/+0 armor.
* Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
* Vikings: Two-Handed Swordsmen have 20% more hit points.

## Team bonuses

* A team containing Berbers: With Kasbah researched, researching Conscription is 25% faster.
* A team containing Goths: Two-Handed Swordsmen are created and upgraded 20% faster. Researching Tracking, Squires, and Arson is 20% faster.
* A team containing Teutons: Two-Handed Swordsmen are more resistant to conversion.
* A team containing Lithuanians: Researching Heresy and Faith is 20% faster.
* A team containing Bulgarians: Researching infantry armor and attack upgrades at the Blacksmith is 50% faster.

## Changelog

### *The Age of Kings*

* Two-Handed Swordsmen have 11 attack.
* Two-Handed Swordsmen have +3 attack against standard buildings.
* Two-Handed Swordsmen have 0 pierce armor.
* Goths: Two-Handed Swordsmen are 25% cheaper. Bonus damage against buildings is +1.

### *The Conquerors*

* Two-Handed Swordsmen have +6 attack against Eagle Warriors.
* Two-Handed Swordsmen now have 1 pierce armor.
* Heresy introduced.
* Aztecs: Garland Wars introduced.
* Goths: With patch 1.0b, Two-Handed Swordsmen are 35% cheaper. Perfusion introduced.

### *The Forgotten*

* Two-Handed Swordsmen now have 12 attack.
* Two-Handed Swordsmen now have +4 attack against buildings.
* Two-Handed Swordsmen now have +8 attack against Eagle Warriors.

### *The African Kingdoms*

* Arson introduced.
* Vikings: With patch 4.8, Chieftains now affects Two-Handed Swordsmen. It gives Two-Handed Swordsmen +2 attack against camels.

### *Rise of the Rajas*

* Vikings: With patch 5.7, Chieftains now gives Two-Handed Swordsmen +4 attack against camels.
* Malay: Forced Levy removes the Militia line's gold cost.

### *Definitive Edition*

* Tracking removed; all infantry now receives +2 LOS from the Feudal Age instead.
* Supplies introduced.
* Bulgarians: Initially, Bagains gives +3/+0 armor to Two-Handed Swordsmen. With update 34055, it gives +5/+0 armor.
* Goths: With update 36202, bonus damage against buildings is +3.
* Malay: Forced Levy now changes the Militia's gold cost to food cost.
* Teutons: With update 35584, Two-Handed Swordsmen have +1/+0 armor. With update 36906, they have +2/+0 armor.