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This article is about the building in Age of Empires II. For similar buildings in other games of the series, see Barracks.

ā€œUsed to train and upgrade infantry. Required for Archery Range, Stable.ā€
Age of Empires II description

The Barracks is the first military building available for construction in Age of Empires II; prerequisite to building the Archery Range and Stable. It trains and improves infantry.

Tactics and placement[]

As the Barracks is the first military building that enables a player to create military units, it is highly important to have at least one as soon as the player can afford it in order to defend themselves. Having a Barracks early in the game is important even if the player does not intend to use infantry units (unless they are Khmer or Sicilians), because it is the prerequisite to build Archery Ranges and Stables.

The Barracks is a vital building when performing early game rushes like the Dark Age rush and Feudal Age infantry rush. Placing a Barracks close to an enemy's base cuts off traveling distance for the troops, as they can be created near the opponent. Barracks infantry units move rather slowly (except for Eagle Warriors). When playing defensively the Barracks should be placed within fortifications in order to produce support units that can deal with most kinds of siege units, cavalry units, and trash units.

In the Goths' case, they must use their Barracks extensively for offensive and defensive purposes, as their Barracks work extremely fast, enabling them to mass infantry at an incredibly high rate. Defensively, Goths should always substitute fortifications with just Barracks as they don't have access to Stone Walls and Guard Towers.

Trainable units and technologies[]

Clicking on the icon links to the corresponding page.

Blue: Units
Green: Technologies
Purple: Unique units
DarkageDE ā†’ FeudalageDE ā†’ CastleageDE ā†’ ImperialageDE
Militia ā†’ Man-at-Arms ā†’ Long Swordsman ā†’ Twohandedswordsmanavailable ā†’ Championavailable / Legionary (also replaces Two-Handed Swordsman)
CivIcon-Romans Romans only
Spearman ā†’ Pikeman ā†’ Halberdier
Eagle Scout ā†’ Eaglewarrioravailable ā†’ Eliteeaglewarrioravailable
Suppliesavailable ā†’ Gambesons Condottieroavailable
CivIcon-Italians Italians
team only
Huskarl (Goths only)
Requires
UniqueTechCastle-DE Anarchy
ā†’ Elite Huskarl (Goths only)
Squiresavailable Flemish Militia (Burgundians only
Requires
UniqueTechImperialDE Flemish Revolution
Arsonavailable

Availability grid[]

The following table shows the availability of the units and technologies for every civilization. Unique units, Eagle Scout line (since only the Native American civilizations have access to them), Arson (since only the Goths lack it because of their civilization bonus), and units that are available to all civilizations are not shown in the table. An 'X' in the last column indicates that all other units and technologies are available.

= Available
= Unavailable
= Researched for free or fully covered by a civilization bonus if unavailable
Civilization Twohanded aoe2DE Champion aoe2DE Aoe2-infantry-2-pikeman Halberdier aoe2DE SquiresDE Suplliesicon AoE2 Gambesons All
CivIcon-Armenians Armenians X
CivIcon-Aztecs Aztecs
CivIcon-Bengalis Bengalis X
CivIcon-Berbers Berbers
CivIcon-Bohemians Bohemians
CivIcon-Britons Britons X
CivIcon-Bulgarians Bulgarians
CivIcon-Burgundians Burgundians
CivIcon-Burmese Burmese X
CivIcon-Byzantines Byzantines X
CivIcon-Celts Celts X
CivIcon-Chinese Chinese
CivIcon-Cumans Cumans
CivIcon-Dravidians Dravidians X
CivIcon-Ethiopians Ethiopians
CivIcon-Franks Franks X
CivIcon-Georgians Georgians X
CivIcon-Goths Goths
CivIcon-Gurjaras Gurjaras
CivIcon-Hindustanis Hindustanis
CivIcon-Huns Huns
CivIcon-Incas Incas
CivIcon-Italians Italians
CivIcon-Japanese Japanese X
CivIcon-Khmer Khmer
CivIcon-Koreans Koreans X
CivIcon-Lithuanians Lithuanians
CivIcon-Magyars Magyars
CivIcon-Malay Malay
CivIcon-Malians Malians
CivIcon-Mayans Mayans
CivIcon-Mongols Mongols
CivIcon-Persians Persians
CivIcon-Poles Poles
CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese
CivIcon-Romans Romans Legionary
CivIcon-Saracens Saracens
CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians X
CivIcon-Slavs Slavs X
CivIcon-Spanish Spanish X
CivIcon-Tatars Tatars
CivIcon-Teutons Teutons X
CivIcon-Turks Turks
CivIcon-Vietnamese Vietnamese
CivIcon-Vikings Vikings
Civilization Twohanded aoe2DE Champion aoe2DE Aoe2-infantry-2-pikeman Halberdier aoe2DE SquiresDE Suplliesicon AoE2 Gambesons All

Upgrades[]

Hit points Masonry aoe2de Masonry (+10%)
ArchitectureDE Architecture (+10%)
Armor Masonry aoe2de Masonry (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
ArchitectureDE Architecture (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
Line of Sight TownWatchDE Town Watch (+4)
TownPatrolDE Town Patrol (+4)
Conversion defense Devotion icon AoE2DE Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
FaithDE Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
HeresyDE Heresy (die upon getting converted)
Construction speed TreadmillCraneDE Treadmill Crane (+20%)
Work rate ConscriptionDE Conscription (+33%)
UniqueTechImperialDE Perfusion (+100%, Goths only)
Other UniqueTechCastle-DE Anarchy (allows creation of Huskarls, Goths only)
UniqueTechImperialDE Flemish Revolution (allows creation of Flemish Militia, Burgundians only)

Civilization bonuses[]

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

  • Tracking costs 75 food, is available for research in the Feudal Age.

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms[]

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

  • Tracking is free and instantly granted upon reaching the Feudal Age.
  • Supplies introduced for all civilizations except Goths. It cost 150 food, 100 gold, and takes 35 seconds to research. With update 37650, some civilizations lose access to it.
  • CivIcon-Slavs Slavs: Supplies is free.
  • Slavs (team bonus): Barracks placed before start of the game now correctly give population.
  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are now researched 30% faster.

Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes[]

AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India[]

AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals[]

History[]

ā€œWeapons were made and stored and soldiers drilled in the barracks. During the late Middle Ages, the barracks was incorporated within a castle complex. It became also the part of the castle where professional soldiers lived, ready to help defend the castle or maintain order in the surrounding countryside.ā€
Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings manual

Gallery[]

Buildings in Age of Empires II
Civilian buildings
EconomicTowncenter aoe2DE Town Center Ā· Dock aoe2de Dock Ā· Fish trap aoe2DE Fish Trap Ā· Mill aoe2de Mill Ā· FarmDE Farm Ā· Market aoe2DE Market Ā· Lumber camp aoe2de Lumber Camp Ā· Mining camp aoe2de Mining Camp Ā· Feitoria aoe2DE Feitoria Ā· Folwark Folwark Ā· Ao2de caravanserai icon Caravanserai Ā· AoE2 MuleCart Mule Cart
ResearchBlacksmith aoe2de Blacksmith Ā· University AoE2 DE University
ReligiousAoE2 FortifiedChurch Fortified Church Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Monastery
MiscellaneousHouse aoe2DE House Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Wonder
Military buildings
ProductionBarracks aoe2DE Barracks Ā· Archery range aoe2DE Archery Range Ā· Stable aoe2DE Stable Ā· Siege workshop aoe2DE Siege Workshop Ā· Dock aoe2de Dock
Fortified productionCastle aoe2DE Castle Ā· Harbor aoe2de Harbor Ā· Krepost icon updated Krepost Ā· Aoe2-icon-donjon Donjon
TowerTowncenter aoe2DE Town Center Ā· AoE2 FortifiedChurch Fortified Church Ā· Outpost aoe2de Outpost Ā· Watch Tower icon AoE2DE Watch Tower Ā· Guard Tower icon AoE2DE Guard Tower Ā· Keep icon AoE2DE Keep Ā· Bombard tower aoe2DE Bombard Tower
WallPalisade wall aoe2de Palisade Wall Ā· Palisade gate aoe2DE Palisade Gate Ā· Stone wall aoe2de Stone Wall Ā· Gate aoe2de Gate Ā· Fortified wall aoe2de Fortified Wall Ā· Gate aoe2de Fortified Gate
Scenario Editor buildings
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of KingsBridge Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Cathedral Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Dome of the Rock Ā· Pyramid aoe2DE Great Pyramid Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Mosque Ā· Pavilion big icon AoE2DE Pavilion Ā· Pyramid aoe2DE Pyramid Ā· Accursed tower aoe2DE The Accursed Tower Ā· Accursed tower aoe2DE The Tower of Flies Ā· Market aoe2DE Trade Workshop Ā· Yurt thatch big aoe2DE Yurt
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The ConquerorsWonder aoe2DE Monument Ā· SeaGateDE Sea Gate Ā· Watch Tower icon AoE2DE Sea Tower Ā· Sea Wall icon AoE2DE Sea Wall
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The ForgottenAmphitheatre aoe2DE Amphitheatre Ā· Aqueduct aoe2DE Aqueduct Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Arch of Constantine Ā· Fortified wall aoe2de City Wall Ā· Amphitheatre aoe2DE Colosseum Ā· Keep icon AoE2DE Fire Tower Ā· Palisade wall aoe2de Fortified Palisade Wall Ā· Castle aoe2DE Fortress Ā· Castle aoe2DE Poenari Castle Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Quimper Cathedral Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Temple of Heaven Ā· Wooden Bridge
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African KingdomsBarricade aoe2DE Barricade Ā· Fence aoe2DE Fence Ā· Accursed tower aoe2DE Fortified Tower Ā· 2de granary new icon Granary Ā· Hut small aoe2DE Hut Ā· Wondericon Palace (removed) Ā· Aoe2de storage icon new Storage Ā· Tent small aoe2DE Tent
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the RajasTent army small aoe2DE Army Tent Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Gol Gumbaz Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Sanchi Stupa
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last KhansWonder aoe2DE Aachen Cathedral Ā· Chain aoe2DE Chain Ā· Gate aoe2de City Gate Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Dormition Cathedral Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Rock Church Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Sankore Madrasah Ā· MonasteryAoe2DE Shrine Ā· Wonder aoe2DE Tower of London
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the DukesAoe2de pagan shrine icon Pagan Shrine
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of IndiaWonder aoe2DE Minaret of Jam
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