Condottiero
InfantryBase 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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Condottiero
ImperialThe coach's briefing
The Condottiero is a unique shared unit from the Italians. When allied with Italians, you can train these lightning-fast infantry at your Barracks. They hard-counter all gunpowder units with massive bonus damage. Use them to neutralize enemy Hand Cannoneers and Bombard Cannons. Their speed makes them excellent raiders too. Classes: Infantry, Condottiero.
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 Condottiero is the **gunpowder hard-counter**. In team games with Italian allies, they provide a critical answer to civilizations that rely heavily on Hand Cannoneers and Bombard Cannons.
Tactical Playbook
Gunpowder Counter
+10 vs Gunpowder means you destroy Hand Cannoneers in 2-3 hits. Dive the enemy gunpowder line and delete them.
Bombard Cannon Snipe
Your speed (1.2) lets you reach Bombard Cannons before they can retreat. Take out the siege before it destroys your buildings.
Fast Raiding
1.2 speed makes them excellent raiders. Kill villagers, escape pursuers, and keep the enemy economy in chaos.
Critical Point
Despite their speed, they're still infantry. **Archers** and **Cavalry** will kite or run them down respectively.
Understanding The Stats
The Condottiero combines infantry durability with near-cavalry speed, specialized against the gunpowder threat that dominates late Imperial Age.
Exceptional Speed
1.2 speed is faster than most infantry. Only Eagles and Woad Raiders are faster among infantry units.
Gunpowder Killer
+10 vs Gunpowder means Hand Cannoneers (40 HP) die in 2 hits (10 attack + 10 bonus = 20 per hit).
Solid Stats
80 HP is excellent for infantry. You can tank several Hand Cannoneer shots before dying.
Good Attack
10 base attack is respectable. Combined with Blacksmith upgrades, you threaten most units.
Coach's Tip
80 HP with 1 melee armor makes you surprisingly tanky. With Plate Mail Armor (+1/+2), you can even fight Champions on reasonable terms.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Gunpowder Unit | +10 |
| Standard Building | +2 |
Armor Classes
Infantry
Takes bonus damage from Hand Cannoneers, Slingers, and anti-infantry unique units.
Condottiero
Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.
Key Upgrades
Feudal Age
Castle Age
Imperial Age
Civilizations
* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Condottiero is fast-moving anti-gunpowder Infantry for Italians and their allies. Its line is 80 HP, 10 attack, 1 melee armor, 0 pierce armor, 1.2 speed, 6 line of sight, and a 50 food/35 gold cost with 18 seconds of training. The official help names the exchange directly: strong versus Gunpowder Units and weak versus Cavalry and Archery Units. The 0 pierce armor is the practical warning. This is a mobile infantry answer that wants to reach guns, not a universal front line that should stand in every ranged volley.
History & balance
The Condottiero carries the Italian team identity into the Barracks: Italians can train it, and the official help extends that access to their allies. The Italian civilization text adds +1 melee armor and +1 pierce armor to Condottieri, alongside its wider Foot Archer bonus, so the same unit has a sturdier profile in its home civilization. Its upgrade path reinforces the role rather than changing it: Squires improves movement, while Blacksmith upgrades and the Castle production step let the fast anti-gunpowder body keep scaling. The result is a specialist infantry piece with a shared-team purpose.
In pro play
When the opponent commits to Gunpowder Units, Condottieri should be the unit that closes the distance and makes those expensive shots awkward. Use their 1.2 speed to move around the front, threaten the firing line, and force the gun player to spend attention on positioning. They are most useful as part of a mixed force: let faster bodies make contact while Archery Units or support infantry stop the enemy from simply backing away. Do not read the anti-gunpowder label as permission to fight every composition. Keep the Condottiero moving toward the matchup it was designed to answer, and protect its 35 gold investment from unnecessary ranged trades.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is answering Condottieri with Hand Cannoneers because both are tied to gunpowder. The official help gives the categories: strong vs. Gunpowder Units; weak vs. Cavalry and Archery Units. Cavalry can force melee against 0 pierce armor, while Archery Units keep the 80-HP target at range. This is mechanics, not a hidden bonus: Condottieri want to reach guns, so give them no gun line to reach and spread the fight enough to deny a surround. If this matchup keeps slipping away and you do not know what to produce or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.