Siege Ram unit icon - Age of Empires 2

Siege Ram

Siege Weapon
Wood160
Gold75
Hit Points270
Attack4
Melee Armor-1
Pierce Armor195
Train Time36s
Speed0.6

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.

The AoE Coach mascot: a medieval helm wearing a headset

Stop searching after the game

The coach calls out counters live, the moment the unit shows up.

Try it free

Evolution

Capped Ram

Imperial
Food 300

Siege Ram

Imperial
Food 1000

The coach's briefing

The Siege Ram is the king of building destruction. 270 HP and 195 pierce armor makes it nearly indestructible to ranged units. With +200 vs Buildings, it melts structures. Garrison 4 infantry to double attack speed. The upgrade costs 1000 food - expensive but devastating. Use it to end games.

STRONG AGAINST

You win these trades cost-effectively.

?
Building
?
Castle
?
Wonder
?
Town Center

WEAK AGAINST

Avoid these fights or bring support.

Paladin
Paladin
Champion
Champion
Siege Onager
Siege Onager
The AoE Coach mascot: a medieval helm wearing a headset

Just lost against this unit?

Your coach names the counters during the match — not once the game is over.

Try the coach for free

Strategic Analysis

Tactical Identity

The Siege Ram is your **game-ending siege weapon**. When you have map control and need to break through fortified positions, Siege Rams are the answer.

Tactical Playbook

Castle Breaker

Siege Rams destroy Castles efficiently. With 270 HP, they survive multiple Trebuchet shots while closing distance. Perfect for breaking turtle players.

Wonder Race

In Wonder race games, Siege Rams with Halberdier escort are the fastest way to destroy enemy Wonders. The garrison bonus makes destruction lightning-fast.

Forward Push

Use Siege Rams to push into enemy territory. They tank all defensive fire while your army secures the area. Then target key buildings.

Critical Point

**Paladins and Champions** are your nightmare. Paladins deal full melee damage and have the speed to catch you. Champions are cheap and do massive damage. Always have Halberdiers screening your Rams.

Understanding The Stats

The Siege Ram is the ultimate Ram variant. Expensive to upgrade but unmatched in building destruction capability.

Massive HP

270 HP

+70 HP over Capped Ram. Can survive extended assaults.

Near Arrow Immunity

195 Pierce Armor

Arrows deal 0-1 damage. Castle arrows barely tickle you.

Building Devastation

+200 vs Buildings

With garrison bonus, you destroy buildings in seconds.

Expensive Upgrade

1000F 500G

Costly but worth it for ending games against fortified opponents.

Coach's Tip

Your -1 melee armor is the best of any Ram. Combined with 270 HP, you survive longer against melee threats. But 270 HP vs Paladin's 14 attack is still only 19 hits - keep those Halberdiers close!

Mechanics & Bonuses

Attack Bonuses

TargetBonus Dmg
Building+200
Siege Weapon+65

Armor Classes

Siege Weapon

Takes bonus from Mangonels and Bombard Cannons. Can be repaired.

Ram

Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.

Civilizations

Aztèques
Bulgares
Byzantins
Celtes
Chinois
Coumans
Éthiopiens
Géorgiens
Huns
Incas
Jürchen
Khitans
Khmers
Mayas
Mongols
Perses
Polonais
Romains
Sarrasins
Shu
Siciliens
Slaves
Espagnols
Tatars
Turcs
Vikings
Wei

* 27 civilizations have access to this unit.

AoE Coach analysis

Context & meta

The Siege Ram is the final ram in this lot, with 270 HP, 4 attack, -1 melee armor, 195 pierce armor, 0 range, 0.6 speed and 3 line of sight. It costs 160 wood and 75 gold and takes 36 seconds to build. The official help makes the job unambiguous: it is exceptionally strong against buildings, resists most ranged attacks, is weak against melee units and cannot be converted by enemy Monks from distance. Infantry in the garrison increases speed and attack. Its 195 pierce armor is why an opponent must change damage type, while its slow movement and negative melee armor are the openings that keep the unit balanced.

History & balance

The Siege Ram is the completed upgrade path from the Capped Ram: same anti-building purpose, but more HP, a larger building bonus and a stronger bonus against Siege Weapons. The official help keeps the progression honest rather than turning it into a general combat unit. It still has no range, still needs Infantry inside for maximum pressure and still falls to melee contact. The 36-second build time means the upgrade is a commitment to a breach plan, not a panic button. Read the tech tree as a sequence: first create the opening with the Capped Ram, then use Siege Rams when the defender has enough ranged fire or the target is important enough to justify the heavier investment.

In pro play

A Siege Ram is a win-condition tool when it reaches the correct building, so prepare the route before you click the Siege Workshop. Garrison Infantry and escort the ram with a melee screen. Its 0.6 speed makes the first move predictable; create pressure on another side so the defender cannot meet it in a clean surround. Concentrate several rams on one gate, wall section or key structure, then retreat the escort only after the building falls. The 36-second train time rewards a planned wave and punishes idle workshops. Do not send Siege Rams to fight an army: their value is the building that disappears while the opponent is busy.

How to counter it

The classic mistake is trying to solve a Siege Ram with arrows or a ranged siege unit whose pierce damage is absorbed by 195 armor. The official help gives the category: melee units. In practice, Paladins and Champions are the named melee answers in the unit data; both are direct contact responses. Contain the ram, surround it and keep villagers away from the escort. Do not confuse a bonus against Siege Weapons with a good pierce attack against a ram. If Siege Rams keep reaching your base without you knowing what to build or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.