AoE 4 Best Units Guide — *Image Credit: Xbox Game Studios, Age of Empires IV (AoE 4)*

Some units in Age of Empires 4 (AoE 4) feel like they were made by game devs who just wanted to watch the world burn. Others are more like dependable golden retrievers… Good, loyal, and just happy to help. This guide rounds up the units that are a little too good at their jobs. The ones you’ll lean on when things get ugly. The ones that make your opponent whisper, “Oh no,” into their monitor.

Longbowmen (English)

Longer range than regular archers
Plant sharp sticks in the ground to stop horses
Can roast marshmallows over campfires to heal (sort of)

If you stack enough Longbowmen, the enemy might as well turn around and go home. Keep them safe behind meatier units and let them delete armies from a distance.

Mehter (Ottomans)

Play drums that boost nearby attack speed or defense
Fast, light cavalry type
Better at buffing than bashing

They're not here to fight. They're here to make your actual fighters feel like rock stars. Drop one in a big fight and watch the magic happen.

Mangonels (Everyone)

Great vs clumps of infantry
Splash damage is no joke
Squishy, though—protect them or cry later

Set up a couple Mangonels and dare the enemy to walk toward them. Bonus points if they group up first.

Camel Archers (Abbasid Caliphate)

Deal bonus damage to light infantry
Debuff enemy cavalry
Mobile enough to be annoying

Hit, run, repeat. Then repeat again. And again. Camel Archers are built to frustrate and punish sloppy play.

Royal Knights (French)

Devastating charge damage
More armor and health than normal knights
Expensive but worth it

Run them into something soft. Then back off, breathe, and charge again. Just don’t let them face spears—they don’t like those.

Grenadiers (Chinese)

AoE bomb lobbing chaos-bringers
Wipe out squishy units in seconds
Weak to focus fire

Send them in behind something tanky, then just let them chuck explosives like it’s a medieval rave.

Streltsy (Rus)

Fires faster when standing still
Shreds heavy armor
Also fights in melee if things get dicey

Just don’t let them walk too much. These guys shine when parked, locked, and loaded.

Mangudai (Mongols)

Great for hit-and-run tactics
Fast firing
Good at being annoying

They can’t take much damage, but they can dish it out and disappear before you know what hit you. Think of them as mosquitoes with military training.

Warrior Monks (Rus)

Heals nearby units
Gives buffs with “Saint’s Blessing”
Can carry relics while riding horses (show-offs)

Stick them behind your army. Let them sprinkle holy chaos and occasional healing. Basically battlefield cheerleaders with swords.

Sofa (Malians)

Cheap and quick to train
Decent damage, not much armor
Swarm tactics work well

Not fancy, but effective. Great for harassing the enemy or poking around weak points.

War Elephants (Delhi Sultanate)

High health, heavy damage
Scary in melee, scarier near buildings
Slow, but unstoppable if ignored

Tough to kill, fun to watch. And yes, they step on things. A lot.

Handcannoneers (Everyone)

Gunpowder units with armor-shredding shots
Best in Imperial Age
Good range if you’re Chinese (thanks, Pyrotechnics)

They walk like they just woke up, but once they start shooting, things get ugly fast.

Royal Ribauldequins (French)

Fires a shotgun blast of death
Best used against crowds
Needs College of Artillery landmark

Set it up, wait for the crowd, and then enjoy the show. Don’t expect subtlety. It’s loud and a little over the top—just how we like it.

Final Blurb

There are no bad units in Age of Empires 4. Okay, maybe a few questionable ones. But the units here are your ride-or-die picks. They won’t do everything for you, but they’ll come close. Just remember: no unit is invincible. Except maybe the War Elephant. That thing needs therapy.

Let your enemies build walls. You’ve got Longbowmen, elephants, and guys with shotguns shaped like church organs. You’ll be fine.