For the Age of Empires III article, see here

The Imperial Age is the final Age in Age of Empires II. The resources of 1000 Food and 800 Gold are required to advance to this Age. Unlike the previous Ages, no new military buildings are unlocked. However, the technologies that are required to upgrade a unit becomes more important as it can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Once the Age is reached, a Wonder can be built by any civilization. Simply put, the Imperial Age is where the nature of combat becomes more intense.

StrategyEdit

During this Age, the ultimate unit upgrades and technologies become available at any building but are often set at a very high price. Powerful units such as the Hand Cannoneer and Trebuchet are expensive to build and upgrade but are crucial for military victory as they have the ability to wipe out an entire village if unleashed in large groups. Most of the final upgrade of these units, such as the Paladin and Champion are only available to a certain number of civilizations.

Imperial Age Units Edit

Military Units

• Two-Handed Swordsman-trained at Barracks; swordsman unit (upgrade of Long Swordsman)
• Champion-trained at Barracks; swordsman unit (upgrade of Two-Handed Swordsman)
• Halberdier-trained at Barracks; anti-cavalry unit (upgrade of Pikeman)
• Elite Eagle Warrior-trained at Barracks; exclusive for Aztecs and Mayans, fast unit (upgrade of Eagle Warrior)
• Arbalest-trained at Archery Range; archer (upgrade of Crossbowman)
• Heavy Cavalry Archer-trained at Archery Range; mounted archer unit (upgrade of Cavalry Archer)
• Hand Cannoneer-trained at Archery Range; gunpowder unit
• Heavy Camel-trained at Stable; anti-cavalry unit (upgrade of Camel)
• Cavalier-trained at Stable; heavy cavalry unit (upgrade of Knight)
• Paladin-trained at Stable; heavy cavalry unit (upgrade of Cavalier)
• Hussar-trained at Stable; light cavalry unit (upgrade of Light Cavalry)
• Elite Unique Unit-trained at Castle (a unique unit is either a stronger version of an existing unit, or a completely new type of unit. For information on all unique units in Age of Empires II, see List of unique units in Age of Empires II).
• Trebuchet-built at Castle; ranged anti-building siege unit
• Onager-built at Siege Workshop; ranged siege unit w/ splash attack (upgrade of Mangonel)
• Siege Onager-built at Siege Workshop; ranged siege unit w/ splash attack (upgrade of Onager)
• Capped Ram-built at Siege Workshop; anti-building siege unit (upgrade of Battering Ram)
• Siege Ram-built at Siege Workshop; anti-building siege unit (upgrade of Capped Ram)
• Heavy Scorpion-built at Siege Workshop; ranged siege unit (upgrade of Scorpion)
• Bombard Cannon-built at Siege Workshop; gunpowder siege unit
• Fast Fire Ship-built at Dock; close range anti-galley ship unit (upgrade of Fire Ship)
• Heavy Demolition Ship-built at Dock; deadly self-destructing ship unit (upgrade of Demolition Ship)
• Galleon-built at Dock; galley unit (upgrade of War Galley)
• Cannon Galleon-built at Dock; gunpowder galley unit
• Elite Cannon Galleon-built at Dock; gunpowder galley unit (upgrade of Cannon Galleon)
• Elite Longboat-built at Dock; unique Viking galley unit (upgrade of Longboat)
• Elite Turtle Ship-built at Dock; unique Korean ship (upgrade of Turtle Ship)

Imperial Age Buildings Edit

• Wonder-Special structure which grants victory to any player who constructs it and defends for two hundred years

Defensive Structures

• Keep-Fires at nearby enemies (upgrade of Guard Tower)
• Bombard Tower-Fires at nearby enemies

Imperial Age Techs Edit

Economic Techs

• Crop Rotation -research at Mill; farm +175 food
• Two-Man Saw -research at Lumber Camp; +10% wood-chopping speed
• Guilds-research at Market; reduces Commodity Trading Fee to 15%
• Architecture-research at University; increases building HPs/armor
• Treadmill Crane-research at University; +20% villager build speed
• Dry Dock-research at Dock; +15% ship speed, +10 transport ship capacity
• Shipwright-research at Dock; dock units cost -20% wood, ships build 35% faster
• Heresy-research at Monastery; converted units die instead of changing colors
• Herbal Medicine-research at Monastery; Increases the healing rate of units garrisoned inside buildings x4
• Illumination-research at Monastery; Monk regain faith 50% faster
• Faith-research at Monastery; Conversion resistance of all of a player's units +50%
• Block Printing-research at Monastery; Monk conversion range +3
• Theocracy-research at Monastery; Only one Monk loses conversion points when operating in group
• Sappers-research at Castle; Villagers +15 attack against buildings
• Spies-research at Castle; Can see enemy's Line of Sight
• Treason-research at Castle; See enemy Kings for a short time; replaces Spies research in Regicide mode

Military Techs

• Parthian Tactics-research at Archery Range; Cavalry archers +1 normal/+2 piece armor
• Blast Furnace-research at Blacksmith; infantry and cavalry +2 attack
• Plate Mail Armor-research at Blacksmith; +1/+1P infantry armor
• Plate Barding Armor -research at Blacksmith; +1/+2P cavalry armor
• Bracer -research at Blacksmith; +1 attack/range for archers, galleys, Longboat, Town Centers, Castles and towers
• Ring Archer Armor -research at Blacksmith; +1/+2P archer armor
• Chemistry -research at University; Allows creation of Gunpowder Units; Siege Unit and Archer +1 attack
• Siege Engineers -research at University; Siege unit attack against buildings +20%
• Unique tech -research at Castle; a technology which has different effect for each civilization