Capped 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 Capped Ram improves on the Battering Ram with 200 HP and 190 pierce armor. It hits buildings harder with +160 bonus damage. The upgrade is cheap at only 300 food - get it immediately in Imperial Age. Use the same tactics: garrison infantry, target production buildings, avoid melee.
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 Capped Ram is your **early Imperial siege upgrade**. It's a cost-effective improvement that makes your building assault significantly more effective.
Tactical Playbook
Cheap Upgrade
At only 300 food, the Capped Ram upgrade is extremely cost-effective. Research it as soon as you hit Imperial Age if you're using Rams.
Castle Assault
With 200 HP and 190 pierce armor, Capped Rams can survive extended Castle fire. Push Castles with infantry support.
Multi-Ram Push
In Imperial Age, mass production becomes viable. 5+ Capped Rams with infantry garrison can flatten a base quickly.
Critical Point
**Cavalier and Paladin** are common in Imperial Age and will destroy your Rams. Always scout for enemy cavalry and have Halberdiers ready to protect your siege.
Understanding The Stats
The Capped Ram is a straightforward upgrade that improves all the Battering Ram's strengths without changing its role.
Improved HP
+25 HP over Battering Ram. Survives longer against melee attacks.
Better Armor
+10 pierce armor. Even more arrow immunity.
Stronger Attack
+10 more building bonus damage. Faster structure destruction.
Cheap Upgrade
Very affordable upgrade. High value for the cost.
Coach's Tip
Your -2 melee armor is slightly better than Battering Ram's -3. You now take 5 damage from Villagers instead of 6. Still bring infantry protection - every bit of durability matters.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Building | +160 |
| Siege Weapon | +50 |
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
* 45 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Capped Ram is an anti-building siege weapon with 200 HP, 3 attack, -2 melee armor, 190 pierce armor, 0 range, 0.6 speed and 3 line of sight. It costs 160 wood and 75 gold and takes 36 seconds to build. Its official help says it is exceptionally strong against buildings, resistant to most ranged attacks, weak against melee units and immune to remote Monk conversion. Garrisoned Infantry increases its speed and attack. The numbers explain the split role: arrows barely matter, but the ram has no reach and its negative melee armor makes contact dangerous. It is a breach tool that needs an escort, not a unit that wins an open-field fight alone.
History & balance
The Capped Ram is the middle step of the ram progression, turning the basic anti-building shell into a tougher Castle Age siege platform and opening the path to the Siege Ram in the Siege Workshop. The official description adds a defining quality that matters in every era of the line: most ranged attacks are not the intended answer, while Infantry inside the ram improve its impact. Its building bonus gives it purpose against structures, but the 36-second build time prevents careless replacement. The unit teaches a simple historical lesson of the tech tree: a ram is powerful because it changes how a base can be breached, not because it replaces the army around it.
In pro play
Build Capped Rams when the objective is a structure, then make the whole army serve that route. Garrison Infantry before the approach, place a melee screen in front, and use vision to avoid sending the slow 0.6-speed unit into a defended corner. The 190 pierce armor lets it absorb arrow fire while it closes, but -2 melee armor means Cavalry, Champions or villagers can punish an exposed ram quickly. Use several rams on one decisive section rather than scattering them across the wall, The best timing is created by a fight elsewhere: when the defender turns toward your army, the Capped Ram should already be touching the building.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is firing Archers, Mangonels or other pierce-heavy ranged units at a Capped Ram and assuming the health bar will move. The official help gives the counter category: melee units. In practice, Cavalier and Paladin are direct answers listed in the unit data because their contact damage ignores the ram's 190 pierce armor. Send melee units to the front, kill the garrison or escort, and do not waste time trying to outrange a unit with no range. The ram is slow, so surround it before it reaches the next structure. If Capped Rams keep breaking your base without you knowing what to build or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.