Pikeman

Cavalry: 22

Camel: 18

Ship: 16

Fishing ship: 16

Mameluke: 11

Eagle Warrior: 1

Standard building: 1

Infantry: 0

Spearman: 0

Anti-leitis: 0

Castle age: 6

imperial age: 6

The **Pikeman** is an infantry unit in *Age of Empires II* that can be trained at the Barracks once the Castle Age is reached. They are an excellent cavalry-counter. They are weak against anything outside the cavalry section, particularly archers, but make up for it by being one of the cheapest military units in the game. Additionally, no gold is required to train them, making them "trash units".

Pikemen are available to all civilizations except for the Turks.

## Tactics

The Pikeman performs outstandingly against cavalry, doing 26 base damage to Knights and 51 to War Elephants. This is nearly a 50% increase in attack, which makes their upgrade from Spearmen extremely important to get.

Due to their frailty, however, they should always operate in groups. In addition to cavalry, they are decent at combating enemy Skirmishers (even though Skirmishers do bonus damage to them), because they can outspeed the Skirmishers and exploit their minimum range. Pikemen are useful when attacking players who are basing their army on cavalry units or when defending against cavalry raids. They make an excellent complement for siege weapons, as they can protect them against enemy melee cavalry. Though they might lack offensive power to defeat enemy units outside of the cavalry sector, they can serve as cannon fodder since they are as cheap as a military unit can be.

## Civilization bonuses

* Aztecs: Pikemen are created 18% faster.
* Burmese: Pikemen have +2/+3 attack in the Castle/Imperial Age. Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
* Byzantines: Pikemen are 25% cheaper.
* Celts: Pikemen move 15% faster. Pikemen can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
* Chinese: Technologies that benefit Pikemen are 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
* Goths: Pikemen are 30%/35% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age, and have +2/+3 attack against standard buildings in the Castle/Imperial Age. With Perfusion researched, researching Squires and upgrading to Halberdier is 100% faster.
* Japanese: Pikemen attack 33% faster.
* Lithuanians: Pikemen move 10% faster. With Tower Shields, they receive an additional +2 pierce armor.
* Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free.
* Malians: Pikemen have +2/+3 pierce armor in the Castle/Imperial Age.
* Slavs: Tracking is free (not applicable in the *Definitive Edition*, as Tracking was removed).
* Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Pikemen don't cost gold.
* Tatars: Pikemen deal 50% bonus damage from a cliff or an elevation.
* Teutons: Pikemen have +1/+0 armor in the Castle Age and +2/+0 in the Imperial Age.
* Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
* Vikings: Pikemen have 15%/20% more hit points in the Castle/Imperial Age.

## Team bonuses

* A team containing Berbers: With Kasbah researched, researching Conscription is 25% faster.
* A team containing Goths: Pikemen are created and upgraded 20% faster. Researching Tracking, Squires, and Arson is 20% faster.
* A team containing Teutons: Pikemen 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*

* Goths: Pikemen are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.

### *The Conquerors*

* Pikemen gain +11 attack against camel units and ships.
* Heresy introduced.
* Aztecs: Garland Wars introduced.
* Goths: With patch 1.0b, Pikemen are 35% cheaper. Perfusion introduced.

### *The Forgotten*

* Pikemen now have +16 attack against camels and ships.

### *The African Kingdoms*

* Arson introduced.
* Ethiopians: The Halberdier upgrade is free.
* Vikings: With patch 4.8, Chieftains now affects Pikemen. It gives Pikemen +2 attack against camels.

### *Rise of the Rajas*

* With patch 5.7, Pikemen now deal +18 damage against camel units.
* Ethiopians: With patch 5.7, the free Halberdier upgrade was removed.
* Vikings: With patch 5.7, Chieftains now gives Pikemen +4 attack against camels.

### *Definitive Edition*

* Koreans: Pikemen costs -15% wood.
* Tracking removed; all infantry now receives +2 LOS from the Feudal Age instead.
* Goths: With update 36202, cost bonus is 30%/35% in the Castle/Imperial Age and bonus damage against buildings is +2/+3 in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
* Teutons: With update 35584, starting in the Castle Age, Barracks units gain +1 armor. With update 36906, they receive another +1/+0 armor in the Imperial Age.
* Lithuanians: With update 36906, Tower Shields grants +2 pierce armor instead of +1.