Units
All units start with 20 HP, or Hit Points. If a unit runs out of HP, it will be destroyed. A unit will regain 1 HP each turn it is within the borders of its Nation. It can also be given 5 HP at the cost of 1 Orders and the unit's remaining Movement points.
A unit's Movement stat determines how many hexes can a unit move. If a unit runs out of Movement is can still be moved but it will cost 100 Training and twice as many Orders.
Certain units produce a ZOC, or Zone-Of-Control, in an area around them. ZOCs prevent enemy units from moving.
Aside from common units, each Nation has access to two unique units. One is available in Cities that have a Stronghold and the other in cities that have a Citadel.
Generals
Generals are characters assigned to units to grant them extra abilities. The character must be from the same Family as the unit, with the exception of the nation's Leader. Adding or replacing a General costs 100 Training and consumes the unit's remaining Movement points. Characters must be younger than 50 to be assigned as Generals and will retire at the age of 60. If the unit is attacked the General has a 1% chance of being injured.
Unit types
Attribute | Effect |
---|---|
Camel | +25% Strength from Sand +50% Strength vs Horse Units +1 Fatigue Limit Requires Camels resource to be recruited |
Disciple | Can Establish Theology Can Spread Religion |
Elephant | Targets attempt to Retreat, if they can't the become Stunned Requires Elephants resource to be recruited |
Horse | Ignores ZOC Requires Horses resource to be recruited |
Infantry | +25% Defense from Urban |
Melee | Melee Counterattack: -1 HP -50% Attack Across River |
Mounted | +25% Melee Attack into Flat and Clear +50% Strength vs Siege Units |
Polearm | Cannot be Routed ZOC blocks Mounted |
Ranged | -25% Attack Into Scrub -50% Attack Into Trees |
Siege | -50% Road Movement Cost +50% Attack Into Urban Ignores Distance Modifier |
Tribal | Can only be recruited by Tribes and Barbarians Cannot be promoted or earn XP |
Level
Each time a unit fights it will gain 10 XP. Once it gains enough XP (100 x level) it will level up. Alternatively Training can be used to fill the missing XP and level up. Each unit can only level up once per year, up to a maximum of 5 levels. Each time a unit levels up it will be able to pick between 4 permanent random bonuses:
Civilian units
Civilian units are available from the start. They can harvest resources and have abilities that makes them the most crucial units of a Nation. Civilian units cannot attack and have a Defense of 3.
Melee infantry units
Melee infantry units are the earliest type of military units available. All of them have a ZOC and most of them have the Fortify ability. Melee infantry have two upgrade paths: one that focuses on fighting other melee infantry and one that focuses of fighting mounted units.
Ranged infantry units
Ranged infantry units focus on attacking enemy units from afar. All of them have a ZOC.
Mounted units
Mounted units do not have a ZOC but instead are able to ignore the ZOC of enemies. They also require certain resources to be recruited. Mounted units have two upgrade paths: one focused on melee and one focused on range.
Siege units
Siege units are high damage support units. They are very slow but very effective at attacking Cities and units protecting their tiles and unlike other ranged units do not suffer Attack penalties with increasing distance. Some siege units require spending a turn on the Unlimber action to be able to attack.
Ships
Ships are units that can only be constructed in Cities adjacent to a water tile and can only move on water tiles. They can harvest resources and project a ZOC around them. They have the Anchor ability, which allows land units to traverse water tiles in the Ship's ZOC. There are three tiers of Ships and each one can be upgraded to the next tier.