Heavy Infantry

Unit Information

Game Strategies

History

Heavy Infantry
European style Heavy Infantry through the ages.
Infantry Unit
Available in	Ancient Age
Strong vs.	Light Infantry Light Cavalry Heavy Cavalry Tanks
Weak vs.	Foot Archers Ranged Cavalry Gunpowder Infantry Modern Infantry Machine Guns
Built at	Barracks
Resources	Food Timber (Ancient Age only) Metal (Classical Age onwards)
Hotkey	H

Heavy Infantry is a type of infantry units in Rise of Nations. They are the first type of military unit to become avaliable, alongside Light Infantry and Foot Archers, and remain important throughout the game - Unlike other infantry types, their equipment may change, but they never upgrade to a new type. They are trained and upgraded at the Barracks, requiring both Food and Metal ( Timber instead of Metal in the Ancient Age).

Heavy Infantry units are slow-moving, but very durable soldiers donning heavy armor and having the highest amount of hit points of all infantry. Their main role in combat is to fight cavalry, ranging from mounted units in the early ages to armored vehicles and heavy tanks in the late game. Earlier, melee Heavy Infantry also excels at attacking buildings, doing 1.3 times more damage to them (Except Hoplites), but lose this bonus when upgrading to gun infantry. They can be somewhat effective against Artillery Weapons and Support Units as well, but are very weak when having to fight Foot Archers, Gunpowder Infantry, Modern Infantry, and late game Machine Guns. In the earlier ages, they are also effective against buildings such as Cities, though Artillery Weapons rapidly become superior with each successive age, diminishing their role as besiegers.

Starting out as close-range fighters, mostly with spear and shield, and later pikes, they retain their melee role until the Gunpowder Age, protecting the powerful but vulnerable Gunpowder Infantry from the onslaught of cavalry. In the Enlightenment Age the Heavy Infantry retains this very role, but now replacing the pike with the flintlock, increasing the unsafe distance for cavalry to approach. In the Industrial Age onwards they become the answer to cavalry's transition from animal to engine, and adopt anti-tank weaponry.

List of Heavy Infantry

Age	Unit

Unique

Age	Unit
	Germans	Iroquois	Japanese	Persians
	Germans	Iroquois	Japanese	Persians	Romans	Spanish
	Germans	Iroquois	Japanese	Persians	Romans	Spanish
	Germans	Iroquois	Japanese	Persians	Romans	Spanish
	Japanese	Spanish
	Maya
	Maya

Unit costs

Heavy Infantry production cost increases progressively with every Barracks unit on the field or currently in production. The default increase is of 1 Food and 1 Metal for the second unit created, increasing further with every new unit until the cost cap is reached, which for military units is +125% of their original base value.

Nation powers

• The American Power of Innovation: Receive +2 Food, Timber, Metal, and Wealth to gather rate for every non-garrisoned Heavy Infantry. All military ground unit upgrades, including Heavy Infantry, are 25% cheaper.
• The Bantu Power of Migration: Infantry units, including Heavy Infantry, move 25% faster and do not require Military research to be upgraded.
• The Iroquois Power of Nation: Heavy Infantry have +5% hit points, are hidden when not attacking and heal while idle in friendly territory, and (undocumented/hidden) up until the Industrial Age Anti-tank Rifle, move 25% faster.
• The Japanese Power of Honor: For each Age plus Military research, Barracks units, including Heavy Infantry, are created 7% cheaper and 10% faster, and do 5% extra damage vs. buildings.
• The Roman Power of Caesar: Heavy Infantry are created 10% cheaper and 10% faster. Also receives up to three free Heavy Infantry, depending on the Age and Military research, whenever a new Barracks is built.

Wonders

• The Angkor Wat reduces the cost of Barracks units, including Heavy Infantry, by 25%.
• The Statue of Liberty makes all ground units, including Heavy Infantry, upgraded for free.