Danes civilization icon - Age of Empires 2

Danes

Infantry & Siege
The Viking Sagas
Specialties
Infantry Siege Naval

Team Bonus

Siege Weapons +2 line of sight

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Overview

"The Danes are an infantry and siege civilization built around raiding, building loot, fast Varangian Guards and Jomsvikings."

Civilization Bonuses

  • 1

    Fishing Ships and Villagers drop off +5% food

  • 2

    Loot 25% of the resource cost of each destroyed building

  • 3

    Barracks and Siege Workshop upgrades cost -66% gold

  • 4

    Varangian Guards and Longships move +10% faster

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AoE Coach analysis

Context & meta

The Danes are the infantry and siege civilization of The Viking Sagas. Their fishing ships and villagers drop off more food, destroyed enemy buildings yield loot, and Barracks and Siege Workshop upgrades cost less gold. The Jomsviking is their unique infantry, while Varangian Guards and Longships benefit from a movement bonus.

History & balance

The Viking Sagas presents the Danes as raiders who turn destruction into resources. That design rewards offensive siege without making the economy independent of map control. Hamask lets infantry deal more damage as they lose health, while Northmen’s Fury extends the range of Mangonels and Catapult Galleons and improves siege attacks against buildings.

In pro play

Use infantry to protect your siege and attack buildings you can actually finish. A damaged building produces no loot until it falls. Jomsvikings throw torches at structures and ships; Varangian Guards add shock infantry that earns gold in combat. On water, Longships provide a mobile companion to the siege plan.

How to counter it

Deny the Danes easy building kills and pressure their siege before it can dismantle a defended position. Ranged units are the official weakness of Jomsvikings; the Militia-line is the official weakness of Varangian Guards. Keep those answers screened rather than feeding isolated targets into their infantry.