Halberdier
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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The coach's briefing
The Halberdier is your absolute answer to all Cavalry and Elephants. It deals massive bonus damage to mounted units. However, it is extremely weak against Infantry and Archers due to having zero base armor. Use them as a meatshield to protect your own siege or archers. Prioritize defense upgrades at the Blacksmith. Classes: Infantry and Spearman.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
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Your coach names the counters during the match — not once the game is over.
Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Halberdier is not just a counter unit; it is the **backbone** of many Imperial Age compositions. While they lose 1v1 against most gold units (Champions, Arbalesters), their massive bonus damage against cavalry makes them the most cost-effective unit in the game when used correctly.
Tactical Playbook
Anti-Cavalry Screen
Place them in front of your Arbalesters or Siege Onagers. They absorb the charge of Knights, protecting your high-value damage dealers.
Trash Wars
In late game when gold runs out, Halberdiers dominate Hussars. Controlling the 'Trash War' allows you to take map control and raid efficiently.
Meatshield
Even against ranged units, they are cheap enough (35 Food, 25 Wood) to absorb shots while your main units deal damage.
Critical Point
Never leave them unsupported against **Skirmishers** or **Archers**. They have 0 base Pierce Armor and take bonus damage from Skirmishers.
Understanding The Stats
The Halberdier's stat profile is misleading: mediocre base stats (6 Attack, 0 Armor) mask its true potential which lies entirely in hidden bonuses and extreme cost efficiency.
The Math of Bonus Damage
Attack of 6 is irrelevant. Against Cavalry, it deals 38 total damage. A fully upgraded Paladin has 5 Melee Armor. The calculation is (6 - 5) + 32 = 33 Damage per hit.
Infinite Gold Value
Costing 35 Food and 25 Wood means you trade renewable resources (Wood/Food) against your opponent's limited Gold units.
The Armor Vulnerability
Having 0 Base Armor makes them paper-thin. Skirmishers (usually weak) deal +3 bonus damage to them.
Attack Rate & Micro
They attack very slowly (every 3s vs 2s for Champions). This means they rely on the 'first hit'.
Coach's Tip
Don't look at your 6 Attack and feel weak. Your hidden +32 bonus is your real weapon. Focus on positioning - let the enemy cavalry come to YOU. Always research Squires for mobility.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Cavalry | +32 |
| War Elephant | +28 |
| Camel | +26 |
Armor Classes
Infantry
Takes bonus damage from Hand Cannoneers, Slingers, and anti-infantry unique units.
Spearman
Weak to Skirmishers and Archers with Parthian Tactics.
Key Upgrades
Feudal Age
Castle Age
Civilizations
* 38 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Halberdier is the final Spearman-line upgrade and the ultimate anti-cavalry trash unit. It costs only food and wood (no gold) and carries a massive attack bonus versus all cavalry — it shreds Knights, Paladins, Camels and is the single best counter to War Elephants in the game. Because it is gold-free, you can mass Halberdiers endlessly, making them the backbone of every late-game Trash War. They are slow and fragile against ranged units, so they are a support unit rather than an army on their own, but no cavalry-based composition is safe against a wall of Halberdiers.
History & balance
The Spearman line (Spearman → Pikeman → Halberdier) has been the anti-cavalry trash backbone since Age of Kings. The Definitive Edition kept the Halberdier's anti-cavalry bonus high precisely so that no cavalry unit, however expensive, is ever uncounterable on a budget. Squires (infantry speed) and the full Blacksmith line help close the gap against fast cavalry. The Halberdier's role has never shifted: it is the great equalizer that keeps gold-heavy cavalry honest, which is why nearly every civilization has access to it.
In pro play
Halberdiers are everywhere in pro late games — they are the cavalry-answer component of the universal Halberdier + Skirmisher + Hussar trash composition. Pros mix a handful of Halberdiers into almost any army as insurance against a cavalry switch, and they are mandatory when facing Paladin or Elephant civilizations. The skill is positioning: Halberdiers must be in front of your ranged units to absorb the cavalry charge, and microed to avoid being kited by archers. A well-placed Halberdier screen turns an expensive enemy cavalry army into wasted resources.
How to counter it
Halberdiers have a bonus only against cavalry, so never fight them with horses — switch to anything else and they become a weak, slow infantry unit. Archers and Crossbowmen kite and delete them. Mangonels and Onagers obliterate clumped Halberdiers. Even regular infantry (Champions) beat them in a melee they are not designed to win. If you are a cavalry player and the opponent masses Halberdiers, the correct response is to transition: add archers, Hand Cannoneers or siege, and use your cavalry only to snipe their unprotected ranged units rather than charging the Halberdier wall.