Thirisadai unit icon - Age of Empires 2

Thirisadai

Ship
Wood180
Gold60
Hit Points250
Attack10
Melee Armor2
Pierce Armor11
Train Time40s
Speed1.25

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.

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Evolution

The coach's briefing

The Thirisadai is the Dravidian unique naval unit. It has 250 HP, fires multiple projectiles, and regenerates HP over time. It costs no gold - only 180 wood. This makes it excellent for sustained naval warfare where gold runs out. Very powerful but slower than the Galley line, at 1.25 speed.

STRONG AGAINST

You win these trades cost-effectively.

Galleon
Galleon
War Galley
War Galley
Cannon Galleon
Cannon Galleon
Transport Ship
Transport Ship

WEAK AGAINST

Avoid these fights or bring support.

Fast Fire Ship
Fast Fire Ship
Fire Ship
Fire Ship
?
Heavy Demo Ship
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Strategic Analysis

Tactical Identity

The Thirisadai is your **sustainable naval powerhouse**. Gold-free production enables infinite naval pressure.

Tactical Playbook

No Gold Cost

Only 180 wood. In late game when gold runs out, you can still produce powerful ships.

HP Regeneration

Heals over time. Hit-and-run tactics let you sustain without rebuilding.

Multi-Projectile

Fires secondary projectiles. Higher effective DPS than base attack suggests.

Critical Point

**Slow at 1.25 speed**. Fast Fire Ships (1.43) will catch you. Fire Ships are especially dangerous. Bring Demo Ships for cover.

Understanding The Stats

The Thirisadai is a sustainable, powerful warship that excels in late-game naval warfare.

Massive HP

250 HP

Very tanky. Combined with regeneration, hard to kill.

HP Regeneration

Heals Over Time

Passive healing. Disengage and heal for sustained fights.

No Gold

180 Wood Only

Gold-free production. Sustainable in trash wars.

Slow Speed

1.25 tiles/s

Very slow. Vulnerable to closing Fire Ships.

Coach's Tip

250 HP with regeneration is incredibly sustainable. Disengage from fights to heal up, then re-engage. You outlast enemies in war of attrition.

Mechanics & Bonuses

Attack Bonuses

TargetBonus Dmg
Galley-type ship+7

Armor Classes

Ship

Takes bonus from Heated Shot, Fire Ships, and Demolition Ships.

Civilizations

Dravidiens

* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.

AoE Coach analysis

Context & meta

Thirisadai is the Dravidian unique Warship, listed at 180 wood, 40 seconds to train, 250 HP, 10 attack, 2/11 armor, 7 range, 1.25 speed and 9 line of sight. Its repository data also gives +7 attack versus Ships. The official help gives the naval categories: strong versus most Warships and weak versus Fire Ships. That combination makes it a durable fleet anchor rather than a cheap opener. The cost is paid in wood and time, so Thirisadai wants a real Dock economy and a protected firing line. Its high pierce armor helps against ranged ships, but the official weakness keeps Fire Ships relevant.

History & balance

Thirisadai gives the Dravidians a naval body that follows the civilization's infantry-and-water identity. The official description emphasizes durability and a broad advantage against Warships, while its Ship bonus explains why it can trade efficiently in the middle of a fleet. Dravidian support for docks, faster Skirmishers and Elephant Archers, and cheaper Barracks technologies creates a civilization that can contest land while investing in water. The design still has a clear boundary: Fire Ships are the answer named by the help, so Thirisadai cannot simply outlast every composition. It is a control ship for the center of the battle, not a license to ignore counters.

In pro play

Use Thirisadai as the ship that takes the first ranged exchange while faster or cheaper vessels create the surround. Seven range and 9 line of sight let it fire from distance, and 250 HP gives the fleet time to rotate damaged hulls behind it. The 40-second train time means one Dock cannot replace losses quickly; add production before the fight. Keep the formation moving so Heavy Demolition Ships cannot find a perfect impact, and scout a Fire Ship transition before committing all wood. On a hybrid map, Thirisadai can protect crossings while Dravidian land units pressure the shore, but the naval timing must stay tied to the land economy.

How to counter it

The classic mistake is matching Thirisadai with ordinary ranged Warships and expecting its durability to disappear quickly. The official help gives the categories: strong versus most Warships and weak versus Fire Ships. Fire Ships and Fast Fire Ships win through close-range damage, while Heavy Demolition Ships punish a slow formation with a decisive blast. Keep the fleet spread, force the Thirisadai to turn and attack from two directions so its 250 HP cannot anchor one line. Do not feed ships one at a time into the +7 Ship bonus. If you keep losing to Thirisadai without knowing what to produce or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.