Unit Statistics

Unit Analysis and Combat Mechanics in AoE4

Reading a stat table tells you the numbers. Understanding how those numbers translate to battlefield outcomes is the harder skill. Age of Empires IV's combat system has several important mechanics that modify what the raw stats suggest, and knowing these changes how you compose, deploy, and micro your armies.

The Flat Armor System

AoE4 uses flat armor reduction rather than the percentage-based system from earlier games. A Knight's 3 melee armor means that any melee attack hitting it has 3 damage subtracted before the hit point loss is calculated. An Archer dealing 5 attack against a Knight's 3 ranged armor deals only 2 actual damage per shot. This system makes heavily armored units like Knights and Men-at-Arms genuinely durable against weak attacks — a swarm of Spearmen (5 attack) only deals 2 melee damage per hit against a Knight's 3 melee armor, making them far less effective against armored cavalry than raw attack numbers suggest.

However, against high-damage units, flat armor quickly becomes irrelevant. A Crossbowman's 12 attack reduced by 3 ranged armor still delivers 9 damage per shot — efficient enough to kill Knights in a reasonable number of shots. Handcannoneers at 35 attack bypass almost any armor value with devastating efficiency. This is why heavy infantry and cavalry, despite their armor, are not immune to counter units — the counter units deal enough base damage that armor reduction still leaves meaningful damage throughput.

Cavalry Charge Mechanic

Cavalry in AoE4 have a charge ability that deals bonus damage on the first strike after reaching a target at speed. Knights and Lancers receive a significant attack multiplier on their charge — often dealing double or more their base attack on impact. This makes cavalry extremely dangerous against static formations and particularly lethal against unprotected archers or siege. The counter to cavalry charges is twofold: Spearmen with the brace ability (reducing incoming cavalry damage and negating the charge bonus) or simply spacing your ranged units so cavalry cannot easily charge multiple targets in a single pass.

Horsemen are the lighter cavalry option — cheaper, faster, and available earlier in the game, but without the heavy armor of Knights. Horsemen are primarily raiding units: their 1.62 speed and 85 HP make them difficult to catch and kill if handled properly, but their 9 attack and lack of armor mean they should not engage Men-at-Arms or Crossbowmen head-on. Using Horsemen to harass the opponent's villagers and archers while Knights engage the main army in direct combat is a classic cavalry split strategy.

Siege Unit Roles and Vulnerabilities

AoE4 siege units are more categorically specialized than in previous games. The Ram is purely an anti-building unit — its -3 melee armor means that any soldier can deal reduced damage against it, but it compensates with 420 HP, 50 ranged armor, and 200 building attack. Sending infantry to escort Rams and protect them from cavalry is standard practice. The Mangonel is the area-of-effect crowd clearer: its 24 attack with wide splash radius destroys infantry formations efficiently, but its 75 stone cost makes it expensive to replace. Springalds are the anti-siege siege — designed specifically to destroy enemy Mangonels, Bombards, and other Springalds at range, their 60 attack with low splash means they're precision tools, not area denial weapons.

The Bombard is the most powerful siege unit in the game at maximum age: 170 attack against buildings and 400 HP. However, its slow speed (0.62) and enormous cost (600W 600G) means a single Bombard lost to a cavalry raid represents a catastrophic resource setback. Always position Bombards with infantry screens and never leave them unguarded near the opponent's base perimeter. The Trebuchet is a longer-range alternative to the Bombard, useful for attacking from beyond tower and keep range, but similarly vulnerable in close quarters.

Naval Units and Water Maps

Naval combat in AoE4 follows its own progression. Fishing Boats generate food passively when positioned over fishing spots — protecting them from Galleys is as important as protecting land villagers. The Galley is the standard naval combat unit, with reasonable speed and damage for early-game water contests. War Galleys are the upgraded naval powerhouse, with 700 HP and 35 attack, able to bombard shore positions. On maps with significant water, the civilization that controls the water often controls the pace of the entire game, as water denial prevents fishing income and allows shore bombardment of land-based economies.

Civilization-Specific Unique Units

The stats above represent generic units available to all civilizations. Each civilization in AoE4 also has unique units that dramatically change their composition options. The English Longbowman outranges all generic ranged units. The French Royal Knight has a stronger charge than standard Knights. Chinese Zhuge Nu crossbowmen fire two bolts per shot. Mongol Mangudai cavalry archers fire from horseback. Delhi Sultanate's Tower Elephants provide mobile defensive fire. Understanding your civilization's unique units — and building strategies around their specific strengths — is what separates civilizational identity from generic AoE4 play. See the individual civilization pages for unit-specific breakdowns and build order integration.