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Nevertheless, most civilizations retain a handful of units whose usefulness on the battlefield shouldn’t be ignored. Producing these exceptional soldiers is only the first step, though. Correctly employing them ensures these units always operate at peak efficiency. When it comes time to build a military force, it’s a good idea to have plenty of these fellows on hand.

Updated November 6, 2022 by Mark Hospodar: Age of Empires 4 is now over a year old. In that time, two new civilizations have been added to the mix in the form of the Ottomans and Malians. With additional civilizations come more unique units for players to experiment with in Skirmish mode or multiplayer.

This guide has been updated to include two additional entries, one each for the Ottomans and Malians. Incorporating these units into battle is usually a wise idea if fans play to their strengths.

Longbowmen

For beginners learning the ropes of the game, playing as the English civilization is an excellent choice. The English civ also happens to possess one of the most useful ranged units in AOE 4: the Longbowmen. These units, although a bit slower than generic archers, inflict better damage and possess a greater range.

The Longbowmen’s special abilities also come in handy. They can plant stakes in the ground to negate the shock of a charging cavalry force and make use of a volley ability, which speeds up their rate of fire. They can even set up campfires to heal. When recruited in large numbers, Longbowmen can wear down enemy formations as long as some breathing room is maintained.

Mehter

Not every unit in Age of Empires 4 possesses offensive capabilities. Some units serve to buff the stats of their allies, making them more effective in the process. Mehter are one of the Ottomans’ unique units that serve in a Light Cavalry role. They wield drums, which they play in battle to strengthen nearby friendly units.

Mehter have three primary abilities: Attack Drums, which increase the attack speed of nearby units by +15%; Melee Defense Drums, which increase the melee armor of nearby units by +15%; Ranged Defense Drums, which increase the ranged armor of nearby units by +1. These bonuses can tip the scales in a close fight, rendering Mehter extremely useful.

Camel Archers

Yet another deadly ranged unit that’s a force to be reckoned with is the Abbasid Caliphate’s Camel Archer. Being mounted, of course, affords them the luxury of being more mobile than typical archers on the ground. Their special ability, Camel Unease, diminishes the damage taken from enemy cavalry by 20%.

The Camel Archer’s greatest strength is his capacity to thrash enemy light infantry, such as spearmen. Their knack for hit-and-run attacks, known popularly as “kiting,” makes them difficult to counter without an ample reserve of cavalry. With a little skilled micromanaging, Camel Archers can inflict severe enough casualties to turn the tide of a fight decisively in the player’s favor.

Mangonels

The utility of Mangonels in Age of Empires 4 can’t be overstated. Despite the presence of more powerful gunpowder units, the Mangonel remains exceedingly reliable. Although effective against buildings, the splash damage that results from a Mangonel makes them positively deadly to clumped ranks of enemy foot soldiers.

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As a non-unique unit, the Mangonel is highly versatile for any playstyle. In pitched battles, assuming they can be protected, Mangonels can really put a dent in an enemy force. Upgrades that improve their reload speed, like Adjustable Crossbars, make them even more effective. Recruit a small clutch of these bad boys to ruin the enemy’s day in a big way.

Streltsy

Handcanoneers are generic units that any civilization can call upon to suit their gunpowder needs. The Streltsy, however, is even better. A unique Russian unit, a group of Streltsy is a devastating force to behold on the battlefield. As gunpowder units, they can shred through heavily armored Knights and Men-at-Arms in no time.

The Streltsy possess a unique ability whereby their rate of fire is increased while remaining stationary. A higher rate of fire means more lead flying in the air. They also utilize melee weapons to defend themselves when enemies get too close. Needless to say, it’s better to keep these units protected so that they can deliver their destructive payloads unimpeded.

Royal Knights

One of the primary strengths of the French civilization in AOE 4 is their excellent cavalry. Unlike the ranged cavalry units favored by the Abbasids, the French put their faith in shock and awe. The Royal Knight is more powerful than its generic counterpart, able to inflict more damage while staying in the fight longer.

The Royal Knight’s charge ability is overwhelming when employed en masse. Using their lances, these units deal tremendous damage when they first make an impact during a charge. Archers and undefended siege engines won’t know what hit them. Simply rinse and repeat the charge ability whenever an opportunity presents itself. Avoid columns of spearmen, however — these units can brace themselves, thereby taking the punch out of a cavalry charge.

Grenadiers

The Chinese civilization makes use of several unique units, one of which is the Grenadiers. As their name suggests, Grenadiers lob lethal bombs at their enemies. Since the Chinese civilization specializes in gunpowder units, Grenadiers represent one of several solid choices.

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A lone Grenadier isn’t too problematic. A large group of them acting together, however, can be frighteningly deadly. Once again, coupled with some degree of protection, a group of Grenadiers free to lob their grenades at a clump of enemies is effective. Both armored and unarmored opponents will find themselves vulnerable to these troublesome pests.

Sofa

The Sofa is a solid cavalry unit for the Malians. Though they have fewer hit points, attack, and armor than a standard knight, they are cheaper to produce and quicker to train. As such, Sofas can be produced en masse to overcome statistically stronger enemies or harass weaker ones.

Sofas can be upgraded to Elite-tier, making them potent raiders in the late game. They only cost 60 Gold to recruit, which is advantageous considering producing Gold in large amounts is one of the Malians’ strong suits.

War Elephants

Doing battle against an angry elephant is just as unpleasant as it sounds. The Delhi Sultanate counts War Elephants as one of its unique units. For a civilization that prioritizes technological research, the War Elephant gives the Delhi Sultanate the extra firepower it needs.

War Elephants are a bit like tanks. They have a large health pool, ensuring they can stay in a fight for a long time. They also inflict a lot of melee damage, which makes them useful for demolishing buildings or enemies who get too close. The most effective way to bring them down is through ample use of spearmen and hails of arrows.

Royal Ribauldequins

Although the French can field superb cavalry, their late-game artillery units shouldn’t be discounted. One special gunpowder unit unique to the French is the Royal Ribauldequin, an artillery piece that resembles an organ. It’s worth pointing out that the College of Artillery military Landmark is required to produce Royal Ribauldequins.

Firing like a shotgun, the Royal Ribaudequin is a competent weapon for taking out advancing enemy columns. In particular, unarmored units caught in the blast radius will find themselves reduced to swiss cheese. Position these machines in favorable spots where they will be free to blast away anyone foolish enough to approach them.

Age of Empires 4 is currently available on PC. It is scheduled to release on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.

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