Ghulam
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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Ghulam
Castle
Elite Ghulam
ImperialThe coach's briefing
The Ghulam is a 'High-Speed Snowplow'. Designed to rush headlong into arrow fire, it takes minimal damage from archers thanks to high pierce armor (3/6). Its lance pierces through the primary target to hit the unit behind it. Use them to sweep away massed Crossbows or Eagles.
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 **Archer Sweeper**. Faster than Champions and tankier vs arrows than Huskarls in some aspects due to speed.
Tactical Playbook
Pass-Through
Deals 100% damage to the main target and 50% to the unit directly behind. Deadly vs clumped formations.
Shield & Spear
With 6 Pierce Armor (Elite), they ignore Skirmisher fire completely and mitigate Arbalesters significantly.
Raiding
Their speed allows them to raid economies effectively, especially since they resist Town Center fire well.
Critical Point
Weak to **Knights** and **Champions**. They lack bonus damage vs Cavalry and lose the raw stats war against heavy melee units.
Understanding The Stats
An infantry unit with the soul of a cavalry raider. High speed and PA make it the perfect answer to ranged play.
Pierce Armor
Starts high in Castle Age. Elite version is nearly immune to secondary arrow fire.
Pass-Through
Attacks hit 2 units at once (Front/Back). Increases DPS vs groups significantly.
Speed
Very fast for infantry (faster than Champions). Can chase down Archers.
Coach's Tip
Your 1.15 speed is your secret weapon - you're faster than most infantry can dream of. Chase down archers relentlessly. Your pass-through attack doubles your damage in tight formations.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Eagle Warrior | +2 |
| Standard Building | +2 |
Armor Classes
Infantry
Takes bonus damage from Hand Cannoneers, Slingers, and anti-infantry unique units.
Unique Unit
Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.
Key Upgrades
Civilizations
* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Ghulam is the Hindustani unique infantry, costing 30 food and 45 gold for 60 HP, 9 attack, 0/3 armor, speed 1.15, and line of sight 6. It trains in 12 seconds and thrusts its spear through multiple targets, giving a normal-looking infantry body a strong answer to lines of archers and spearmen. The official help gives the categories: Exceptionally strong vs. Archery Units and Spearman-line; Weak vs. Cavalry. Hindustani villagers are cheaper by Age and Gunpowder Units gain +1/+1 armor, helping the civilization support a gold-heavy infantry core.
History & balance
Ghulam design is about turning a narrow infantry line into a multi-target threat. The current 12-second train time and 30 food/45 gold price let the Hindustanis replace losses, while 60 HP, 3 pierce armor, and 1.15 speed help the unit reach a ranged formation. The spear-through-targets attack explains the official strength against Archery Units and Spearman-line: one good contact can damage more than the unit directly in front. Hindustani villagers cost 8/13/18/23% less from Dark to Imperial Age, and Camel Riders attack 20% faster, giving the civilization several ways to protect the Ghulam transition.
In pro play
Use Ghulams to break a narrow ranged formation or to meet a spearman screen without spending a pure cavalry army. Twelve seconds of training and 30 food/45 gold favor a steady core, while 3 pierce armor and 1.15 speed let the unit cross ordinary arrow fire better than its 0 melee armor suggests. Aim the front of the line at stacked targets so the spear-through effect earns value, then use Hindustani Camels or buildings to control the counterattack. Do not scatter Ghulams into raids: their multi-target attack is strongest when several bodies reach the same formation and keep the opponent from spreading safely.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is to keep producing Archers or Spearmen into Ghulams and let the spear-through attack hit several units at once. The official help gives the weak category: Cavalry. Cataphracts carry +9 against Infantry, making them a cavalry answer with a real class bonus; Hand Cannoneers also carry +10 against Infantry and punish the 60 HP body from range. Use cavalry to choose the contact, gunpowder to focus the line, and avoid a packed spear screen that gives the Ghulam its best angle. If you keep losing to Ghulams without knowing what to produce or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.