Unit Information | Game Strategies | History |
In the Extended Edition, this unit/building is affected by a damage bug.
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Elite Pikemen are the standard Heavy Infantry of the Gunpowder Age, available to upgrade from Pikemen and trained at the Barracks.
Overview[]
After Pikemen become Elite Pikemen, they gain +25 hit points, +2 attack strength, and +1 line of sight. Like Heavy Infantry of previous ages, they are still the best solution to face enemy Heavy Cavalry, will take down Light Cavalry with ease, and are competent at attacking buildings.
However, they are more vulnerable overall compared with previous ages, given the bonus the new Gunpowder units receive against them, being very weak against the new Gunpowder Infantry when they were strong against their predecessors, still weak against Foot Archers, and even weaker against the new, gunpowder-armed Ranged Cavalry. They also increase considerably in price (+10 Food, +20 Metal base cost, which affects both ramping costs and the upgrade itself), despite receiving an improvement exactly the same as that of previous ages; so basically, they improve to the same degree as before, in an age where everyone else improves even further. Combined with the fact that Fusiliers of the following age, have the same increase in cost, but gain the ability to attack at range, makes the consideration of delay upgrading a sensible one in certain situations.
Unique units[]
- The Germans train Landsknechts instead.
- The Iroquois train Elite Mohawk Spearmen instead.
- The Japanese train Samurai instead.
- The Persians train Arquebus Immortal instead.
- The Romans train Praetorian Guards instead.
- The Spanish train Tercios instead.