The Pikeman, an infantry unit in Age of Empires II, is lethal to cavalry
"Quick and cheap to create." - Excerpt from Militia definition
The most basic of all military units in the series, the Infantry class consists of foot soldiers, primarily melee based, who specialize in weapons such as swords, spears, and axes. They hold a natural predominance against buildings and most infantry units gain an attack bonus against them. Along with their quick creation speed, they are efficient building destroyers in early Ages. They also are the cheapest military unit branch. However, in general they are inferior to archers, cavalry, and siege weapons.
Age of Empires
Light Infantry trained at the Barracks:
Heavy Infantry trained at the Academy:
Tactics
The main bonus of infantry (Axemen to Legion in particular, not Clubmen though) is their cost effectiveness and ease of mass (Resources are better spent on villagers or the Tool age in the Stone age then Clubmen) thus they are good for massed and potentially perilious assaults on enemy fortifications (whilst Siege weapons and Missile troops provide back up).
Hoplites (and its later improvements) are not quite as good for this as they are slow and expensive, although they have a large amount of hitpoints so they can suck up most of the damage that would most likely kill their faster (but weaker) Swordsmen comrades.
Age of Empires II
- Main article: Infantry Units (Age of Empires II)
Age of Empires III
- Cassador: Portuguese unique unit
- Crossbowman
- Doppelsoldner: German unique unit
- Halberdier
- Janissary: Ottoman unique unit
- Longbowman: British unique unit
- Musketeer
- Pikeman
- Rodelero: Spanish unique unit
- Skirmisher
- Strelet: Russian unique unit
The units represented in this list are all classified as infantry in Age of Empires III. This is because the traditional split between Archers and regular infantry became less important in the age of gunpowder. As such, the only true infantry units in the list are: Doppelsoldner, Halberdier, Pikemen and Rodelero. Except for the Crossbowman, Longbowman, Macehualtin, Arrow Knight, Eagle Runner Knight, Aenna, Cetan Bow, Chu Ko Nu, Yumi Archer, Japanese monks and certain native warriors, which are traditional archers, ranged infantry is using gunpowder.
Despite the seemingly great variety, all infantry are basically either light or heavy. Light Infantry (archers, skirmishers) are good against heavy infantry, while heavy infantry (musketeers, pikemen, halberdiers, swordsmen) are good against cavalry.
Infantry are easily demolished by artillery, especially the Falconet and Heavy Cannon types. Light Infantry are also countered well with melee cavalry.
Age of Mythology
- Main article: Infantry Units (Age of Mythology)