Siege warfare is the backbone of victory in Age of Empires 4. While armies clash on the battlefield, it's your siege weapons that crack open defensive positions, topple landmarks, and force decisive engagements. Understanding when to build each siege unit, how to protect them, and which counters exist can be the difference between a crushing victory and a costly defeat.
Why Siege Warfare Matters
In Age of Empires 4, buildings have significantly more hit points than military units. Without siege weapons, breaking through fortified positions becomes nearly impossible. Your army of knights and archers might control the map, but they'll spend minutes chipping away at a single stone wall while your opponent rebuilds their economy.
By the Numbers
- Stone Wall: 5,000 HP - Takes 83 knight hits vs. 25 ram hits
- Keep: 7,500 HP - Requires dedicated siege to destroy efficiently
- Landmark: 10,000-15,000 HP - Multiple siege units needed for timely destruction
Siege weapons also force your opponent to respond. A well-protected ram push demands an answer—ignore it and lose defensive structures. This map pressure creates opportunities for your army to gain positional advantages.
Understanding Siege Weapon Types
Age of Empires 4 features five primary siege weapons, each with distinct roles:
Battering Ram
Fast-moving anti-building unit. Weak to melee units, protected by infantry inside.
Role: Building demolitionSpringald
Anti-siege sniper. High accuracy against siege, weak against mobile units.
Role: Siege counterMangonel
Area damage dealer. Devastating against clumped infantry and archers.
Role: Army counterTrebuchet
Maximum range artillery. Must pack/unpack, fires over walls.
Role: Long-range siegeBattering Rams: Your Early Siege Foundation
Battering rams are the first siege weapon available, unlocked in Feudal Age. They're the workhorse of early aggression, capable of quickly destroying buildings and forcing defensive responses.
When to Build Rams
- Feudal Age aggression: Pair with spearmen to pressure opponent's economy
- Destroying outposts: Rams excel at removing forward towers
- Landmark sniping: Protected rams can end games quickly
- Breaking walls: Create entry points for your army
Pro Tip: Garrison Infantry
Garrison up to 5 infantry units inside rams for 25% increased movement speed and firing rate. Garrisoned units are protected from ranged attacks. Spearmen are ideal since they counter cavalry that typically chase rams.
Ram Vulnerabilities
Melee Units (Knights, Cavalry) - Deal bonus damage, quickly destroy rams
Springalds - High accuracy, but slow rate of fire
Protecting Your Rams
Rams are slow and vulnerable. Always escort them with:
- Spearmen: Counter enemy cavalry that dive your rams
- Archers: Provide ranged support and zone control
- Knights: Run down enemy siege targeting your rams
Springalds: The Siege Hunter
Springalds fill a unique niche as anti-siege weapons. These precise artillery pieces fire bolts that pierce through enemy siege equipment with devastating accuracy. Available in Castle Age, they're essential for counter-siege strategies.
Core Strengths
- Anti-siege specialists: Deal bonus damage to all siege weapons
- High accuracy: Rarely miss slow-moving targets
- Decent range: Can engage enemy siege before they engage you
- Pierce damage: Projectile passes through units, hitting multiple targets
Springald vs. Other Siege
| Target | Effectiveness | Shots to Kill |
|---|---|---|
| Mangonels | Excellent | 3-4 shots |
| Rams | Good | 5-7 shots |
| Trebuchets | Excellent | 4-5 shots |
| Infantry (clumped) | Poor | Many shots |
When to Build Springalds
Springalds shine in specific scenarios:
- Your opponent is massing mangonels (common in Castle Age)
- You need to counter enemy siege without committing cavalry
- Defensive sieges where range advantage matters
- Your civilization has springald bonuses (like English)
Springald Weakness
Springalds struggle against mobile cavalry and archer masses. They fire slowly and deal minimal splash damage. Always protect springalds with a front line of spearmen or knights to prevent dives.
Mangonels: Area Denial Champions
Mangonels are the terror of Castle Age warfare. These catapults lob explosive projectiles that deal massive area-of-effect damage, instantly vaporizing clumped infantry and archers. A well-positioned mangonel can win team fights single-handedly.
Why Mangonels Dominate
🎯 AoE Damage
Single shot can kill 5-10 archers or infantry simultaneously
⚡ Zoning Power
Forces enemy to spread units, reducing combat effectiveness
🏰 Siege Support
Clears defenders from walls while rams push forward
🔥 Value Trading
Kill hundreds of resources in units per shot
Mangonel Micro Techniques
Mangonels require careful control to maximize effectiveness:
1. Manual Targeting
Don't auto-attack. Manually target the center of enemy formations for maximum splash damage. Attack-move wastes shots on individual units.
2. Hit-and-Run
Fire a volley, then retreat immediately. Mangonels are slow and vulnerable when caught. Fire → Move Back → Fire again.
3. Protected Positioning
Keep mangonels behind your front line. Use spearmen to block cavalry charges, and rely on archers to pick off units trying to flank your mangonels.
Countering Mangonels
Mangonels have distinct weaknesses:
- Springalds: Outrange mangonels and 3-shot them with bonus damage
- Cavalry charges: Knights can quickly close distance and destroy mangonels
- Spread formations: Don't clump units—mangonels lose value against spread armies
- Flanking: Attack from multiple angles to force awkward positioning
Friendly Fire Alert
Mangonels deal splash damage to your own units! Be careful when firing near friendly troops. Many players lose entire armies to their own mangonels in chaotic battles.
Trebuchets: Long-Range Artillery
Trebuchets are the ultimate building destroyers, available in Imperial Age. With unmatched range and devastating damage against structures, trebuchets can reduce fortifications to rubble from extreme distances. However, their immobility and setup time demand careful positioning.
Trebuchet Advantages
- Longest range: 18 tiles (can outrange keeps and castles)
- Fire over walls: Unique ability to arc shots over obstacles
- Maximum building damage: Destroys landmarks and fortifications faster than any other unit
- No tech requirement: Available immediately in Imperial Age (unlike bombards)
- Superior line of sight: Excellent scouting tool
Pack/Unpack Mechanics
Trebuchets must pack to move and unpack to fire. This process takes several seconds:
- Pack time: 5 seconds
- Unpack time: 5 seconds
- Total repositioning: ~12 seconds (including movement)
This immobility makes trebuchets vulnerable to counter-siege and raids. Once unpacked, they're committed to that position until manually repacked.
Trebuchet vs. Bombard Cannon
The Imperial Age presents a choice: trebuchets or bombard cannons? Here's the breakdown:
| Factor | Trebuchet | Bombard Cannon |
|---|---|---|
| Range | 18 tiles (longest) | 12 tiles |
| Mobility | Must pack/unpack | Mobile, fires while moving |
| Building Damage | Highest | High |
| Unit Damage | Poor | Excellent |
| Tech Requirement | None | Chemistry (100s research) |
| Cost | 400w 300g | 400w 400g |
| Best Use Case | Sieging fortified bases | Mobile warfare |
When to Choose Trebuchets
Build trebuchets when you need maximum range to siege heavily fortified positions, especially bases with multiple keeps, castles, and layers of stone walls. Their ability to fire over obstacles makes them invaluable for cracking turtle strategies.
Protecting Trebuchets
Trebuchets are expensive, slow, and fragile. Protect them aggressively:
- Establish army superiority before unpacking trebuchets
- Position behind friendly buildings (towers, keeps) for protection
- Build multiple trebuchets—3+ destroy landmarks quickly
- Station springalds nearby to counter enemy bombards
- Keep scouts active to detect flanking maneuvers
Bombard Cannons: Imperial Age Versatility
Bombard cannons represent the pinnacle of siege technology. These gunpowder artillery pieces combine mobility, damage, and versatility into one deadly package. While requiring Chemistry research, bombards quickly become the go-to siege option in Imperial Age.
Why Bombards Dominate Late Game
Chemistry Research
Bombard cannons require researching Chemistry at the University:
- Cost: 300 food, 700 gold
- Research time: 100 seconds
- Era: Imperial Age only
This research investment delays bombard availability. If you're rushing Imperial Age for a timing attack, trebuchets are available immediately while bombards require 100 additional seconds.
Bombard Tactics
1. Army Integration
Unlike other siege, bombards function well within your army composition. Position them in your second line, firing over front-line units. Their splash damage wipes out enemy infantry while your melee units engage.
2. Focus Fire
Manually target high-value units: enemy siege, clumped archers, or heroes. Auto-attack wastes shots on low-priority targets. Controlled bombardments maximize value.
3. Landmark Rushes
Mass 5-8 bombards for devastating landmark pushes. With proper army support, this critical mass destroys landmarks in seconds, overwhelming defender responses.
Bombard Cannon Risks
Friendly Fire Danger
Bombards deal full splash damage to friendly units. Poor positioning kills your own army. Keep them behind your front line and manually control their targets to avoid catastrophic friendly fire incidents.
Additional risks:
- High cost: 400 wood, 400 gold per bombard—losing them is expensive
- Vulnerable to cavalry: Fast units can close distance and destroy bombards
- Chemistry delay: 100 second research pushes back timing attacks
Countering Enemy Siege Weapons
Siege weapons win games, but they're also vulnerable. Knowing how to counter enemy siege is as important as using your own effectively.
Universal Counter Strategies
1. Cavalry Dives
The most reliable anti-siege tactic. Knights and cavalry move fast, ignore most ranged attacks, and deal heavy damage to siege units. Circle behind enemy lines, target siege first, then retreat. 5-6 knights can destroy a mangonel in seconds.
2. Springald Counter-Battery
Fight siege with siege. Springalds outrange and deal bonus damage to enemy siege. Build 2-3 springalds to snipe enemy mangonels, rams, and trebuchets from safety. Position them to fire first.
3. Spread Your Army
Siege weapons rely on clumped targets for value. Spread your units to minimize mangonel and bombard splash damage. Move in multiple groups rather than one blob. This reduces damage per shot dramatically.
4. Priority Targeting
Always focus fire enemy siege before attacking their army. Eliminate mangonels and bombards first—they deal more damage than 20 archers. Use attack-move or manual targeting to ensure your ranged units prioritize siege.
Specific Siege Counters
| Enemy Siege | Best Counter | Alternative Counter |
|---|---|---|
| Battering Ram | Knights (bonus damage) | Springalds (safe range) |
| Springald | Cavalry dive | Mangonels (outrange) |
| Mangonel | Springalds (counter-battery) | Cavalry dive |
| Trebuchet | Bombards (mobility + range) | Springalds or cavalry raid |
| Bombard Cannon | Cavalry dive (close quickly) | Bombards (counter-battery) |
Advanced Siege Tactics
Mastering these advanced techniques separates good players from great ones:
Siege Timing Windows
Siege weapons create power spikes when they first appear:
Feudal Age Ram Rush (6-8 minutes)
Build 1-2 rams immediately after reaching Feudal. Most players lack counters. Target opponent's production buildings (barracks, ranges) to cripple their military production. Garrison spearmen inside for protection.
Castle Age Mangonel Timing (10-12 minutes)
First player to mass 3+ mangonels wins most Castle Age fights. Rush Siege Workshop after age-up, produce mangonels immediately. Punish archer-heavy compositions with devastating AoE damage.
Imperial Age Bombard Push (18-20 minutes)
Research Chemistry → Mass 5-8 bombards → Push with full army. This critical mass destroys landmarks in 20-30 seconds. Coordinate with army to protect bombards from dives.
Siege Composition Rules
Never build siege alone. Always integrate into army compositions:
Rule of Thirds
Aim for 70% combat units, 30% siege (by supply). Example: 100 supply army = 70 supply military + 30 supply siege. Too much siege means weak army; too little siege means slow building destruction.
Siege-Army Synergy
- Rams + Spearmen: Spears counter cavalry that dive rams
- Mangonels + Knights: Mangonels soften infantry, knights charge weakened units
- Bombards + Archers: Archers zone, bombards destroy clumps
- Trebuchets + Defensive Army: Siege from safety, army denies enemy advance
Multi-Angle Sieges
Attack from multiple directions simultaneously:
- Split your army into 2-3 groups
- Position siege at different angles around the target base
- Force opponent to defend everywhere at once
- Press the weak point where they can't respond
This tactic overwhelms defenders. They can't protect all siege simultaneously, allowing at least one group to deal damage freely.
Siege Workshop Positioning
Forward Siege Workshops
Build siege workshops near the front line, not in your base. This reduces travel time for newly-produced siege, allowing faster reinforcement of ongoing pushes. Protect them with army and walls.
Common Siege Warfare Mistakes
Avoid these frequent errors that lose games:
❌ Mistake 1: Building Too Much Siege
The Problem: Players mass 10+ rams or mangonels, neglecting army composition. Siege is useless without army protection.
The Fix: Follow 70/30 rule. Build balanced armies with siege support, not siege armies with token military.
❌ Mistake 2: Not Protecting Siege
The Problem: Siege walks forward alone, gets destroyed by enemy cavalry dive. Expensive investment wasted.
The Fix: Always escort siege with combat units. Position spearmen to intercept cavalry, archers to provide ranged support.
❌ Mistake 3: Auto-Attacking with Mangonels
The Problem: Mangonels on auto-attack fire at individual units, wasting shots and hitting friendly units.
The Fix: Manually target mangonel shots at formation centers. Control them carefully to maximize splash damage and avoid friendly fire.
❌ Mistake 4: Over-Committing to Trebuchets
The Problem: Building trebuchets without map control. Enemy raids unpacked trebuchets, destroying them easily.
The Fix: Only build trebuchets after establishing army dominance. Secure the area before unpacking. Consider bombards if map control is contested.
❌ Mistake 5: Ignoring Enemy Siege
The Problem: Focusing on enemy army while their mangonels wipe your units. Siege deals more damage than most military.
The Fix: Prioritize killing enemy siege first. Send cavalry to dive their mangonels/bombards before engaging the army.
❌ Mistake 6: Clumping Against AoE Siege
The Problem: Keeping your entire army in one tight ball. Enemy mangonels/bombards delete 20+ units with one shot.
The Fix: Spread your army across multiple control groups. Move in waves, not blobs. Space units to minimize splash damage.
Ready to Apply Your Knowledge?
Master these siege fundamentals, then explore advanced military tactics for next-level strategies. Check out civilization guides for civ-specific siege bonuses, or study build orders to integrate siege into your game plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I build trebuchets or bombard cannons in Imperial Age?
A: Build trebuchets when sieging heavily fortified bases with layers of stone walls, keeps, and castles. Their superior range (18 vs 12 tiles) and ability to fire over walls makes them ideal for cracking defensive positions. Choose bombards for mobile warfare, counter-siege, and when you need versatility against both buildings and units. Many players research Chemistry and build bombards because they're more flexible in dynamic battles.
Q: How many rams should I build for a Feudal ram rush?
A: 2-3 rams is optimal for Feudal aggression. One ram is too vulnerable to focus fire; more than three strains your economy. Pair rams with 10-15 military units (spearmen to counter cavalry, archers for support) and garrison infantry inside rams for mobility and protection. Target production buildings or key economy structures.
Q: How do I counter enemy mangonel spam in Castle Age?
A: Three effective counters: (1) Build 2-3 springalds to snipe mangonels from range with bonus damage. (2) Send 5-6 knights on a dive to kill mangonels before they retreat. (3) Spread your army formation so mangonel shots hit fewer units. Never clump against mangonels—spread formations reduce their effectiveness by 70%+.
Q: Why do my siege weapons keep dying to cavalry?
A: You're not protecting them properly. Siege is slow and vulnerable to fast units. Always escort siege with combat units: spearmen to intercept cavalry dives, archers for ranged support, and knights to chase down enemy units. Never let siege walk forward alone. Position siege behind your front line, not in front.
Q: When is the best time to get siege weapons?
A: Timing depends on your strategy. Feudal rams (6-8 min) for early aggression; Castle Age mangonels (10-12 min) for army fights; Imperial trebuchets/bombards (18+ min) for endgame sieges. Build siege workshops proactively—waiting until you need siege means you're already behind. Have workshops ready before you need them.
Q: What's the fastest way to destroy an enemy landmark?
A: In Imperial Age, mass 5-8 bombard cannons with full army support. This critical mass destroys landmarks in 20-30 seconds, faster than defenders can respond. Alternative: 4-5 trebuchets from safe distance, but they require map control. In Castle Age, 3-4 rams with army support works for unprotected landmarks. Always secure area control before committing to landmark kills.