Battering Ram
Siege WeaponBase values, before Blacksmith upgrades. The Blacksmith raises attack and armour for infantry, cavalry and archers — Blast Furnace, for instance, gives "+2 Attack for infantry & cavalry". Late in a game, the real numbers are higher.
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The coach's briefing
The Battering Ram is your building destroyer. With 180 pierce armor, arrows do almost nothing to it. Garrison infantry inside to increase attack speed and protect them from arrows. Focus on production buildings and Town Centers. Keep melee units away - Knights and Villagers will kill your Rams quickly.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
Just lost against this unit?
Your coach names the counters during the match — not once the game is over.
Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Battering Ram is your **anti-building specialist**. It absorbs arrow fire and destroys enemy infrastructure while your army fights.
Tactical Playbook
Infantry Garrison
Garrison 4 infantry inside to double your attack speed. The infantry are protected from arrows and can unload to fight if needed.
Arrow Sponge
Use Rams to tank Town Center and Castle fire. With 180 pierce armor, TC arrows deal only 1 damage. Push under enemy defenses fearlessly.
Production Denial
Target Barracks, Archery Ranges, and Stables first. Denying production wins games faster than killing units.
Critical Point
**Melee units destroy Rams**. Knights deal full damage, and even Villagers can kill Rams quickly. Always have infantry escort to protect your Rams from melee attacks.
Understanding The Stats
The Battering Ram trades speed and combat ability for extreme arrow resistance and building destruction.
Arrow Immunity
Almost complete immunity to arrow damage. Town Centers and Castles barely scratch you.
Building Killer
Massive bonus damage against buildings. A few hits destroys most structures.
Garrison Bonus
Each garrisoned infantry increases attack speed. Full garrison doubles your DPS.
Slow Movement
Very slow. Plan your approach and don't chase. Commit to targets.
Coach's Tip
Your -3 melee armor is brutal. A Villager deals 6 damage per hit to you, killing you in 30 hits. Always protect Rams with infantry - never send them in alone against melee threats.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Building | +150 |
| Siege Weapon | +40 |
Armor Classes
Siege Weapon
Takes bonus from Mangonels and Bombard Cannons. Can be repaired.
Ram
Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.
Key Upgrades
Civilizations
* 46 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
Battering Ram is the Castle Age anti-building Siege Weapon that converts wood and Infantry bodies into structural pressure. It costs 160 wood and 75 gold, has 175 HP, 2 attack, -3 melee/180 pierce armor, 0 range, 0.6 speed and 3 line of sight, with a 36-second train time. The official help calls it exceptionally strong against buildings and resistant to most ranged attacks, but weak against melee units; enemy Monks cannot convert it from distance. Its +150 building and +40 Siege Weapon bonuses, plus garrisoned Infantry, make the slow approach the whole strategy.
History & balance
Battering Ram is the first structural siege step in the Workshop path, and the official help points to University attack, conversion to Capped Ram and Monk resistance. Its design asks the player to solve two problems at once: reach the building and invest Infantry inside the machine. The 180 pierce armor makes ranged fire a poor answer, while -3 melee armor and 0.6 speed leave a clear cost for a failed approach. The later upgrade path increases the siege commitment rather than changing the target, so the ram remains a pressure tool whose success depends on escort and timing.
In pro play
Build Battering Rams when a protected army can reach a structure and the +150 building bonus will convert contact into a breach. Garrison Infantry before the approach so the 0.6-speed body is not only durable but also able to move and hit more effectively; keep the escort ahead, because the ram has zero range and -3 melee armor. Its 160 wood/75 gold cost is an argument for a clear target, not random production. Choose one building, keep the route covered, and bring the ram forward only when the opponent cannot isolate it with melee units.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is to shoot Battering Rams with Archers and let them walk into the base while the army watches. In practice, the counters are Knights, Cavalry and Villagers; the ram is weak to melee despite 180 pierce armor, and its -3 melee armor makes contact efficient. Pull Villagers only when the escort is gone, send Cavalry or Knights to the body and use Mangonels to punish the slow approach. If you keep losing to Battering Rams without knowing what to build or when, that is exactly what AoE Coach does: it reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.