Militia
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 Militia is your Dark Age infantry option. While weak individually, a group of Militia can deal significant damage in early rushes (Drush). Use them to disrupt your opponent's economy, forcing idle villager time. They upgrade into the powerful Men-at-Arms in Feudal Age. Classes: Infantry.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
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Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Militia is the foundation of the iconic **Drush** (Dark Age Rush) strategy. While individually weak, 3 Militia arriving at your opponent's base while they're still building their economy can be devastating.
Tactical Playbook
Drush (Dark Age Rush)
Send 3 Militia to your opponent's base around 6-7 minutes. Target villagers on gold/berries. Even if you kill nothing, forcing idle time is worth it.
Scout Harassment Defense
Keep 1-2 Militia near your woodline to deter enemy Scout Cavalry from killing villagers.
Transition to M@A
Research Man-at-Arms upgrade while advancing to Feudal. Your Militia automatically become stronger upon completion.
Critical Point
Militia are slow (0.9 speed) and will be kited by Scout Cavalry. Don't chase - focus on forcing villager idle time, then retreat.
Understanding The Stats
The Militia has modest stats designed for Dark Age combat. Low cost makes them expendable, but their slow speed and lack of armor bonuses limit their effectiveness.
Dark Age Power
40 HP is enough to survive multiple villager hits. A group of 3 can kill an unsupported villager.
Affordable Cost
Low cost allows Dark Age production without crippling your economy. The gold cost hurts early game though.
Slow Movement
Slower than villagers (0.8) but much slower than Scouts (1.55). You cannot chase mounted units.
Upgrade Potential
Upgrading to Man-at-Arms adds +2 attack and bonus vs buildings, transforming them into a real threat.
Coach's Tip
Your 4 attack is enough to threaten villagers. 3 Militia can kill a villager in about 4-5 hits. Force them to garrison or run - mission accomplished.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| No damage bonus: this unit deals the same damage to every target. | |
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
Militia is the Dark Age Barracks unit that starts the all-purpose Infantry line. It costs 50 food and 20 gold, has 40 HP, 4 attack, 0 melee/1 pierce armor, 0.9 speed and 4 line of sight, with a 21-second train time. The official help says it is strong against buildings, Infantry, Scout Cavalry-line and Skirmisher-line, but weak against Ranged Soldiers at long range. It has no attack bonus in the unit data, so its value is simple and direct: a cheap body that can pressure or defend before the Feudal upgrade, provided it reaches its target.
History & balance
Militia is the first step of the Barracks progression, before Man-at-Arms in the Feudal Age and the later sword upgrades. The official help links the line to Blacksmith attack and armor, Barracks speed and pierce armor, creation-speed research at the Castle and increased resistance to Monks. That sequence gives the unit a clear design role: an early Infantry investment that can become pressure, building damage or a transition instead of a finished army. Its 0.9 speed and 0/1 armor keep the early version honest while the upgrade path supplies the growth.
In pro play
Use Militia when the opening needs bodies before it needs a specialized counter. A small group can walk at an exposed resource, force a response or stand between enemy units and your Villagers, but 0.9 speed means the route must be planned rather than improvised. With no ranged attack and only 1 pierce armor, do not feed them under arrows; use vision, buildings and a clear target. The 50 food/20 gold cost competes with the early economy, so decide whether the next step is Man-at-Arms or a transition before the Barracks queue becomes a habit.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is to leave Militia walking through open ground toward Ranged Soldiers, then expect the Infantry to win after taking free damage. In practice, the counters are Ranged Soldiers at long range; the game gives Hand Cannoneers +10 against the Infantry class and Slingers +4, while the range itself prevents Militia from answering. Archers and Crossbowmen exploit the same distance even without a class bonus. Deny the approach, use cover or change composition. If you keep losing to Militia 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.