Long Swordsman
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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Militia
Dark
Man-at-Arms
Feudal Long Swordsman
Castle
Two-Handed Swordsman
Imperial
Champion
ImperialThe coach's briefing
The Long Swordsman is your Castle Age infantry option. While Knights dominate the Castle Age meta, Long Swordsmen shine against Eagle civilizations and in low-gold situations. They counter Eagles hard and can raid effectively. Consider them when your opponent goes Eagles or when you need a gold-efficient army. Classes: Infantry.
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 Long Swordsman is often called the 'forgotten unit' of Castle Age, but they have a crucial niche: **hard-countering Eagle Warriors** and providing infantry pressure when gold is scarce.
Tactical Playbook
Eagle Counter
With +6 bonus vs Eagles, Long Swordsmen delete Eagle Warriors cost-effectively.
Siege Support
Pair with Mangonels. Long Swordsmen protect your siege from Eagle dives while Mangonels kill the archers.
Low-Gold Option
At only 20 gold per unit, you can mass them when your gold runs low while enemies still field Knights.
Critical Point
Avoid massed **Knights** and **Crossbowmen**. Knights will run circles around you, and Crossbows will melt you before you close the gap.
Understanding The Stats
Long Swordsmen have solid stats but suffer from the 'infantry problem': slow speed and vulnerability to ranged units in an age dominated by Knights.
Solid HP Pool
Good durability for Castle Age. You can take some hits while closing distance to your targets.
Eagle Slayer
This is your defining trait. Combined with +2 from M@A line, you deal 8 bonus damage to Eagles.
Building Pressure
Better than M@A at raiding buildings. Combine with Arson (+2 more) for +4 total.
Speed Problem
Same speed as Militia. You cannot catch anything that doesn't want to fight you.
Coach's Tip
9 attack is respectable. With +3 vs Standard Buildings and Arson, you deal 12 damage per hit to buildings. That's a Lumber Camp in 5 hits.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Standard Building | +3 |
| Eagle Warrior | +6 |
Armor Classes
Infantry
Takes bonus damage from Hand Cannoneers, Slingers, and anti-infantry unique units.
Key Upgrades
Feudal Age
Castle Age
Civilizations
* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
Long Swordsman is the Castle-ready Infantry upgrade that turns the Militia line into a sturdier close-range army. It costs 50 food and 20 gold, has 60 HP, 9 attack, 1 melee/1 pierce armor, 0.96 speed and 4 line of sight, with a 21-second train time. The official help calls it strong against buildings, Infantry, Scout Cavalry-line and Skirmisher-line, but weak against Ranged Soldiers at long range. Its +2 building bonus and +8 Eagle Warrior bonus give it focused work; it is a sword body that wants contact, not a unit that chases every ranged formation.
History & balance
Long Swordsman is the next named stage after Man-at-Arms, with the official Barracks path pointing forward to Two-Handed Swordsman or Legionary. Blacksmith attack and armor, Barracks speed and pierce armor, creation speed at the Castle and Monk resistance all belong to the same progression. The design is a bridge: the line gains HP, melee armor and building pressure without becoming a ranged answer. Its 0.96 speed is a deliberate improvement over Militia, enough to make a push more reliable while still rewarding the player who chooses the route before the enemy establishes a firing line.
In pro play
Send Long Swordsmen where their 9 attack and +2 building bonus can connect: a production building, an exposed economy or the front of a mixed army. Sixty HP and 1 melee armor let them hold contact better than the earlier line, while 0.96 speed makes the approach less fragile. They still have zero range, so use vision and another unit to close the gap rather than walking through arrows. Keep the group purposeful, focus one structure or front line, and transition when Crossbows, Knights or Scorpions make the same path too costly.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is to assume the extra HP makes Long Swordsmen safe in the open and to walk them into the first arrow line. In practice, the counters are Knights, Crossbowmen and Scorpions. Crossbows keep the zero-range Infantry from making contact, Scorpions add pass-through pressure and the game gives them +1 against Infantry, while Knights can choose the engagement and leave. Use cover, a screen or a different target; do not pay food and gold for a march that never reaches melee. If you keep losing to Long Swordsmen 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.