Petard
Base 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.
Evolution
Petard
Castle AgeThe coach's briefing
The Petard is a suicide unit that explodes on contact. It deals massive damage to buildings - 4 Petards destroy a Castle gate. Use them to break walls, destroy gates, or snipe key buildings. They're cheap and fast to produce. Expect to lose them - that's the point.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
Prepare your next matchup
Choose both civilizations for a game plan, key threats and an army composition.
Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Petard is your **wall breaker and building sniper**. Use them for surgical strikes against key structures.
Tactical Playbook
Gate Breaking
4 Petards destroy a Stone Gate. Send them ahead of your army to open enemy walls for your main force.
Castle Snipe
15-18 Petards can destroy a Castle. Mass produce them for surprise Castle rushes.
TC Denial
3-4 Petards destroy a Town Center. Perfect for ending games or killing forward bases.
Critical Point
**Ranged units** kill Petards easily. 50 HP and 2 pierce armor means archers delete them. Use distractions or speed upgrades (Squires) to get them to targets.
Understanding The Stats
The Petard is a cheap, fast-producing suicide unit designed for surgical building destruction.
Massive Building Damage
Explodes for 525 total building damage. One of the highest single-hit damages in the game.
Fast Production
Very fast to produce. Mass them quickly for surprise attacks.
Cheap Cost
Very affordable. Losing them is expected and budgeted for.
One Use
Explodes on contact and dies. Plan your attacks knowing they won't survive.
Coach's Tip
Your 50 HP and 2 pierce armor means archers kill you in 8-10 hits. At 0.8 speed, you can outrun infantry but not cavalry. Use terrain and distractions to reach targets.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Building | +500 |
| Siege Weapon | +60 |
| Walls and Gates | +900 |
Armor Classes
Civilizations
* 50 civilizations have access to this unit.
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Petard is Age of Empires II's demolition siege unit: a short-range, self-destructing charge that exists to break an objective, not to trade with an army. Its data line is deliberately narrow—50 HP, 25 attack, 0 melee armor, 2 pierce armor, 0 range, 0.8 speed, and a 65 food/20 gold cost with 25 seconds of training. The official help states the clean contract: strong versus buildings and weak versus other units. That combination makes it a timing tool for a gate, wall, tower, or other structure, with the approach and escort deciding whether the investment reaches its target.
History & balance
The Petard has one of the clearest jobs in the AoE2 roster: convert a unit, its resources, and its life into structural damage. The official description calls it a demolition siege weapon armed with explosives and confirms the self-destruct. That makes it different from a ram or bombard cannon: it is a single-use breach attempt, not a platform that keeps firing. The 50 HP and zero range explain why it needs a plan before it is created. Its value is measured by the wall, gate, tower, or building it removes, not by how long the unit survives afterward.
In pro play
Use Petards as a committed objective timing. The unit must reach a structure at range 0, so scout the route, make the defender look elsewhere, and let your main army create the space for the run. A Petard is most persuasive when it attacks a structure whose loss changes access: a gate, a wall segment, a forward tower, or a key production building. Do not queue them automatically; every 65 food and 20 gold should have a target. Keep the follow-up ready, because the explosion opens the map but does not win the fight by itself.
How to counter it
The classic mistake against a Petard is waiting for the explosion instead of stopping the unit on its approach. The official help gives the categories: strong vs. buildings; weak vs. other units. Treat that weakness literally: any available ranged or melee unit can focus a 50-HP target with zero range, and the 0.8 speed leaves no room for a clean escape once contact is denied. Keep vision around the threatened structure, pull defenders forward, and do not let the Petard hide behind the army until the last tile. If you keep losing buildings without knowing what to make or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.