Thank you for taking the time to check out my guide,
This guide contains massive amounts of information used inside the game and along with that comes problems in finding the correct information you might be looking for yourself.
Thankfully I have taken the time to sort this guide into multiple tabs and catergoires for ease of accessablity and ease of reading,

This guide is sorta by the tabs on the right, The information flows as follows.
-Navigation Tutorial/Introduction-
-Age
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
-Age
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
-Age
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
(Buildings inside this age listed underneath.)
-Q&A
-Credits

For exmaple, If you are looking for the "Archery Range" Look through the ages for "Feudal Age" and look through that Age for the correct Buildings, Click on that and the page for that building will be fully laid out and ready for you to read!

Thank you for your time, Any Questions leave a comment at the very bottom of this guide! All questions will be noticed and answered as soon as possible!

Town Centers are slightly more expensive in Age of Empires II and possess increased importance and versatility.

They retain their role of training villagers, advancing into the next age and serving as a main drop site for villagers to store the resources they have collected. In Age of Empires II, Town Centers can also be used as defensive structures. A Town Center can garrison up to 15 units; villagers and archer units increase its firepower. Town Center are some of the only buildings that have no minimum range without upgrades, apart from the Bombard Tower.

Unlike Age of Empires I or III, the number of Town Centers one can build is unlimited. However, more than one Town Center can only be built from the Castle Age onward. (Before reaching the Castle Age, if a player has no Town Center, e.g. when playing the Nomad gametype or if the initial Town Center is destroyed, a single new Town Center may be built.)

The Town Center is particularly useful for setting up camp in a new area to gather resources, as it spawns villagers, and is the center of any encampment.


Overview
All villages and towns had an administrative center that was the seat of governmental power and leadership. During the Dark Ages this might have been the local leader's home. Later it might have been the town hall or local lord's manor house. The town center was often the place where important supplies were stored, especially food surpluses. The destruction of the town center usually meant the loss of the town's governmental infrastructure. If this could not be restored, the town or village ceased to function.

Upgrades available
Dark Age - Loom
Feudal Age - Town Watch
Feudal Age - Wheelbarrow
Castle Age - Town Patrol
Castle Age - Hand Cart

Civilization Bonuses

• Britons Town Centers cost -50% Wood in Castle age and on.
  
• Chinese: technologies that benefits Town centers cost is 10%/15%/20% in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age. Also supports 10 population instead of 5.
  
• 
  
• Persians Town centers have 100% more hp and works 10%/15%/20% faster in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
  
• 
  
• Spanish Town centers are built 30% faster.
  
• 
  
• Teutons Town centers have +5 LOS. Crenellations Imperial age unique technology allows garrisoned infantry in Town centers to fire arrows.
  
• 
  
• Byzantine Town centers have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.

In Age of Empires II, each House provides 5 population spaces. Its line of Sight (LOS) can be upgraded from Town Watch and Town Patrol at the Town Center and receives more hit points from the Masonry and Architecture technologies researched at the University. Huns cannot build houses and can ignore the population limit. It is also the only structure which can be rotated in scenario editor. Each House provides 5 units of population.


Overview
During the Middle Ages in Europe, peasants often kept farm animals in a separate room or on the ground floor of their houses. Merchants and craftsmen also used ground floors as a place of business with living areas above. Lords lived in larger manor houses with kitchens separated to reduce the risk of fire. The homes of lords in the Dark Ages were fortified before the advent of castles.

Civilizations bonuses

• Spanish Houses are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine House have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese: Technologies and improvements that benefits houses cost -10% Feudal age , -15% Castle age, -20% Imperial age.
  
• Huns: Don't need houses they start with the maximum population limit but -100 wood.

The Forgotten Changes

• Houses now cost 25 wood.
  
• Incas : Houses provide 10 population.
  
• Mongols Castle age unique technology Nomads gives to houses the ability of providing population even when they are destroyed.

The Barracks in Age of Empires II shares a similar purpose to the variant in Age of Empires. These buildings can be built during the Dark Age. They are also necessary in order to build Archery Ranges and Stables.


Overview
Weapons were made and stored and soldiers drilled in the barracks. During the late Middle Ages, the barracks was incorporated within a castle complex. It became also the part of the castle where professional soldiers lived, ready to help defend the castle or maintain order in the surrounding countryside.

Civilizations bonuses

• A team containing Goths Barracks work 20% faster.
  
• A team containing Slavs, Barracks allows +5 population.
  
• A team containing Italians, Condottiero available in Barracks.
  
• Aztecs: Barracks units are produced +15% faster.
  
• Spanish Barracks are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Barracks have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese Barracks technologies and improvements cost -10% Feudal age, -15% Castle age, -20% Imperial age.
  
• Goths Perfusion Imperial age Unique technology allows to train Barracks units +50% faster (+100% faster in The Forgotten expansion)

Units
Dark Age

• Militia

Feudal Age

• Man-at-Arms
  
• Spearman

Castle Age

• Long Swordsman
  
• Pikeman
  
• Eagle Scout
  
• Eagle Warrior
  
• Huskarl

Imperial Age

• Two-Handed Swordsman
  
• Halberdier
  
• Elite Eagle Warrior
  
• Champion
  
• Condottiero
  
• Elite Huskarl

Note: Eagle Scouts, Eagle Warriors and their Elite counterparts are only available for Incas, Mayans and Aztecs. Huskarls are only available for the Goths after researching Anarchy, Condottieros are only available to Italians and players with an Italian ally after building a Castle.

Technologies
Feudal Age

• Tracking

Castle Age

• Squires

Upgrades
Castle Age

• Masonry increases armor and hit points.

Imperial Age

• Treadmill Crane decreases build time.
  
• Architecture increases armor and hit points.

The Dock in this version of the game have the same purpose as with its precursor. Docks are the only structures that builds naval units, provides upgrades for war ships and are also centers of trade.


Overview
The emergence of deep-draft merchant ships led to the construction of docks where these ships could tie up and unload. Ships of this new design could not be dragged ashore easily for unloading. Associated with docks were the shipyards where ships were built.

Trade
In Age of Empires II, when establishing a trade route, vessels will leave for any dock (ally, neutral or enemy) carrying goods and will return with gold after selling them. The amount of Gold it returns with depends on the length of the trade route and the amount of Gold available at the selling Dock.the goods sold are not deducted from your resources.

Technologies and units
Units

• Fishing Ship
  
• Transport Ship
  
• Galley - War Galley - Galleon
  
• Trade Cog
  
• Fire Ship - Fast Fire Ship
  
• Demolition Ship - Heavy Demolition Ship
  
• Cannon Galleon - Elite Cannon Galleon

Unique Units

• Turtle Ship - Elite Turtle Ship
  
• Longboat - Elite Longboat
  
• Technologies
  
• Careening
  
• Dry Dock
  
• Shipwright
  
• Gillnets

Civilizations bonuses

• A team containing Vikings Dock costs 25% less.
  
• Spanish Docks are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Docks have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese: Docks technologies and improvements cost -10% Feudal age , -15% Castle age, -20% Imperial age.
  
• Persians : Docks have double Hit points and works 10%/15%/20% faster in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

The Forgotten Changes

• In The Forgottten, Trading with a dock usinz Trade Cogs generates 10% more gold when compared to Age of Empires II: The Conquerors.
  
• A team containing Vikings Dock costs 15% less.
  
• Italians: All Dock technologies and improvements are 50% cheaper.

Outposts are minor defensive structures available to every civilization as early as the Dark Age. Unlike towers, they can't shoot at enemy units, but they do have a long line of sight and are cheap, so they can be a good way to keep watch over an area and warn players of impending attacks. An Outpost costs 25 Wood and 10 Stone.

Outposts are very good for keeping watch over an area that is key to security, and as they have a longer range of sight than towers but do not attack, they can keep watch over the enemy while being hardly noticeable. Outposts are also commonly used to keep watch over important resource areas to notify players of enemy expansion. They often become less common as the game progresses, due to the availability of better scouts such as the Light Cavalry. However, it is worth noting that as you advance through Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age, your Outpost's line of sight automatically increases quite significantly.

Overview
The world of 500 AD was far less populated than the world of today, and there were great expanses of empty and desolate land. To keep watch at the frontier, lords established outposts that would provide early warning of attack and report movements of settlers and trade caravans. As the land became more populated and more settled, outposts were replaced by establishing castles and communities on borders.

Civilization Bonuses

• Byzantines: Outposts have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Outposts are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese :Technologies that benefits Outposts are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

The Forgotten Changes

• Outposts cost -5 stone
  
• Koreans : Build Outposts and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Outposts.

The Palisade Wall is the most basic type of wall available in Age of Empires II. It can be first built in the Dark Age. It is incredibly cheap, costing 2 Wood per section, but it is very weak. Being practically useless, players often use it to mark their territory in the early stages. Still if used cleverly against a careless opponent they can make a very good field fortification, capable of buying a few seconds of time to prevent the enemy from reaching fragile units.

Overview
Barbarian tribes were migrating across Europe during the Dark Ages, being displaced by other migrations from the East and searching for land to settle. Warrior bands roamed the landscape seeking plunder. In these turbulent times, defensive precautions were taken. Villages were fortified with palisades --- walls built of wood. Although stone walls were preferable, wood was abundant and easy to use, and a palisade could be erected in a fraction of the time a stone wall would take. At night the villagers would bring all their livestock, goods, and tools inside the palisade for protection.

Civilization Bonuses

• A team containing Mayans: Palisade walls cost 50% less.
  
• Byzantines: Palisade Walls have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age, Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Palisade Walls are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese : Technologies that benefits Palisade Walls are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
  
• The Forgotten ChangesEdit
  
• Palisade walls take +1 second to build
  
• Now is possible to create palisade gates
  
• Koreans : Build Palisade Walls and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Chinese : Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Palisade walls hit points (+30%hp)

A Lumber Camp is a building in Age of Empires II that serves as a depot for wood collecting. It may be built once you have a Town Center for the cost of 100 Wood and is available to all civilizations. At the Lumber Camp three technologies may be researched in order to increase the rate at which villagers chop wood. Double-Bit Axe (Villagers chop wood 20% faster) becomes available to research in the Feudal Age, Bow Saw (Villagers chop wood an additional 20% faster) in the Castle Age, and the Two-Man Saw (Villagers chop wood an additional 10% faster) in the Imperial Age.

It is advantageous to build Lumber Camps near forests so that your villagers will be able to transport wood to the Lumber Camp quickly.

Overview
The great forests of Dark Age Europe were an important natural resource that was converted into wood for building and firewood for fuel. Lumber was cut from tree logs at a lumber camp. The early lumber camps were highly labor-intensive. A log was laid perpendicular to the ground above a pit. With one man above ground and one in the pit, a long iron saw was used to rip boards from the log. In the Middle Ages, better technology was developed to use water or animal power to drive iron saws and increase productivity.

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: Lumber Camp technologies are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age.
  
• Japanese: Lumber Camp are 50% cheaper.
  
• Spanish: Lumber Camps are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Lumber Camps have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.

A Mining Camp is a building in Age of Empires II that serves as a depot for Gold and Stone. It may be built once you have a Town Center for the cost of 100 Wood and is available to all civilizations. At the Mining Camp two technologies may be researched in order to increase the rate at which villagers mine stone, and two technologies to increase the rate at which villagers mine gold. Stone Mining (Villagers mine stone 15% faster) and Gold Mining (Villagers mine gold 15% faster) become available to research in the Feudal Age. Stone Shaft Mining (Villagers mine stone an additional 15% faster) and Gold Shaft Mining (Villagers mine stone an additional 15% faster) become available to research in the Castle Age. It is advantageous to build Mining Camps near Stone Mines or Gold Mines so that your villagers will be able to transport them to the Mining Camp quickly.

Overview
Mining continued throughout the Middle Ages, especially for iron, salt, copper, tin, gold, coal, and silver. The invention of gunpowder greatly increased demand for sulfur and saltpeter. By 500 AD, valuable surface deposits were rare and mines had to be driven into the earth. The desire to improve mining productivity and safety led to many important technology improvements. Early tramways for pulling ore carts out of mines foreshadowed railroads of the future. The demand for more powerful mine shaft pumps to pull out water and push in fresh air eventually led to steam engines.

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: Mining Camp technologies are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age.
  
• Japanese: Mining Camp are 50% cheaper.
  
• Spanish: Mining Camps are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Mining Camps have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.

Upgrades
Feudal Age

• Stone Mining - Villager gather stone 15% faster.
  
• Gold Mining - Villager gather gold 15% faster.

Castle Age

• Stone Shaft Mining - Villager gather stone 15% faster. (for a total of 30%)
  
• Gold Shaft Mining - Villager gather gold 15% faster.(for a total of 30%)

Mills are used by Villagers to deposit Food they have collected. Unlike the Age of Empires variant where animal food sources are deposited in the Storage Pit, Villagers are able to deposit animal food sources in this building. They are also used to research Farming technologies and are used to queue Farms in The Conquerors expansion.

Overview
One of the early industrial enterprises of the Middle Ages was the grinding Mill. Handed down from antiquity, this technology greatly sped the otherwise backbreaking process of grinding wheat and other grains into flour. Mills used water, wind, and animal power to turn the grinding stone. Grain was converted into flour and the mill owner kept a percentage of the flour as compensation. Mills might be owned by a local lord, a monastery, or a local entrepreneur The profits of mills led to conflict and competition, and the right to grind grain for a community had to be paid for and defended. Millers could become modestly wealthy. They became part of the rising middle class of merchants and craftsmen that grew in importance as the Middle Ages progressed.

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: Mills technologies cost is 10%/15%/20% in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age.
  
• Spanish: Mills are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantines: Mills have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Japanese: Mills cost 50% less.
  
• Franks: Horse Collar, Heavy Plow and Crop Rotation are free.

Upgrades
Feudal Age

• Horse Collar - +75 farm food

Castle Age

• Heavy Plow - +125 farm food, villagers carry +1 food

Imperial Age

• Crop Rotation - +175 farm food

Farms in Age of Empires II provide a steady Food source inside a player's base. Starting with a base amount of 175 food without any upgrades, they may be later improved to provide more Food at the Mill by the technologies Horse Collar, Heavy Plow, and Crop Rotation. Farms may be built early on, but become most useful in the late game, where they provide high amounts of Food due to upgrades and also because most other food sources (animals, forage bushes) are eventually used up.

Like in Age of Empires, Farms may only be gathered from by one Villager at a time. Farms are very weak and do not hinder movements of friendly or enemy troops. An enemy can take over a farm and begin harvesting it simply by attacking it with a Villager. Farms can be automatically reseeded by "buying" them in advance from the Mill.

Overview
The technology of farming was carried forward into the Middle Ages and improved. Northern European soils were often rich glacial deposits hidden under dense forests. Over the course of the Middle Ages, much of this land was cleared and converted into farms. Key technology improvements in farming were the improved horse harness, the heavy plow, and crop rotation. The new horse harness did not choke the animal and increased pulling power. The heavy plow could cut into the dense soils. Farms in Europe were largely communal affairs where each family received the produce of several rows in the field. The production of some rows went directly to the local lord as his rent.

Civilization Bonuses

• A team containing Incas: Farms are built 50% faster.
  
• A team containing Chinese: Farms have +45 food.
  
• Chinese: The cost of technologies that benefits Farms is 10%/15%/20% in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age.
  
• Spanish: Farms are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Farms have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Mayans: Farms food last 20% longer.
  
• Franks: Horse Collar, Heavy Plow and Crop Rotation are free.
  
• Slavs: Farmers work 15% faster.
  
• Teutons: Farms cost -33%

The Archery Range is first available in the Feudal Age, when it can produce both archer and anti-archer skirmisher units. In later ages, stronger and better ranged units can be produced, such as the Arbalest and the Hand Cannoneer. Although cavalry archers are considered as both cavalry and archers, they are created at the archery range.

Other archer units can be created by some civilizations as Unique Units from the Castle.

History
"Missile weapons like the bow carried over the Middle Ages from ancient times in most areas of the world. Northern Europe was an exception for many centuries because the dense forests of the region nullified the range advantage of bows. Throwing weapons like axes, javelins, and knives were more popular there. As the forests were cleared, use of the bow spread. Training with missle weapons took place at the archery range. The training of bowmen was especially favored in England, where every town had an archery range and competitions were held each week to encourage practice. From its large pool of archers, England could easily recruit several thousand expert longbowmen for armies going to France. As crossbows and early firearms came into use, men were trained to operate these weapons at a modified archery range."

Units
Feudal Age - Archer - Skirmisher
Castle Age - Crossbowman - Elite Skirmisher - Cavalry Archer - Slinger (only for Incas)
Imperial Age - Arbalest - Heavy Cavalry Archer - Hand Cannoneer

Civilizations bonuses

• A team containing Britons: Archery Range work 20% faster.
  
• A team containing Slavs: Archery Range allows +5 population.
  
• Aztecs: Archery Range units are produced +15% faster.
  
• Spanish Archery Range are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Archery Range have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese Archery Range technologies and improvements 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
  
• Maya: Archery Range units are 10%/20%/30% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

Upgrades
Castle Age - Thumb Ring
Imperial Age - Parthian Tactics

The Stable in Age of Empires II is primarily designed to train cavalry units. It is available from Feudal Age onward, and can also be used to garrison units as they're trained. It can build Knights, Camels, and Scout Cavalry. It can also upgrade these units. The Stable is not available to the Mesoamerican Aztecs and Mayans. If you place one of these in the Scenario Editor, it would look Central European and will be unable to produce units. This was however fixed in The Forgotten expansion, but the stable can only be made available to the Mesoamerican civilizations through the map editor and still cannot be built by them regularly.

Overview
As the Middle Ages continued, the rise in importance of mounted warriors created demand for larger numbers of horses, which was bred and maintained at the stable. A variety of horses were bred, including horses for long-distance travel, fast horses for quick movement, and the heavy charger. Scout and light cavalry units needed quick horses with lots of stamina. Heavy chargers of great strength were required to carry fully armored knights into a charge. Mounted warriors trained at the stable as well, learning the skills of fighting from horseback with spear, lance, sword, flail, mace, and hammer. In other parts of the world, camels and elephants were bred and maintained for mounted combat.

Units
Feudal Age

• Scout Cavalry

Castle Age

• Light Cavalry
  
• Knight
  
• Camel
  
• Tarkan (In The Forgotten)

Imperial Age

• Hussar
  
• Cavalier
  
• Paladin
  
• Heavy Camel
  
• Imperial Camel
  
• Elite Tarkan

Civilizations bonuses

• A team containing Huns: Stables work 20% faster.
  
• A team containing Slavs: Stables allows +5 population.
  
• Spanish Stables are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Stables have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese Stable technologies and improvements cost -10% Feudal age , -15% Castle age, -20% Imperial age.
  
• Franks: Castle age unique technology Chivalry makes stables work 40% faster.

The Market enables the player to buy and sell resources, train Trade Carts which trade for Gold at other Markets, and develop economic technologies. Markets operate based on exchange rate. The more Wood the player buys, the more Gold it would cost to obtain these resources. The Market can be built once the Feudal Age has been reached.

The equation for gold received while trading at other markets is exponential. The farther away the market is, the more gold the player is given. It is always more worth it to make markets far away from other markets even though the trade carts take longer to reach their destination. As the markets increase in distance, the gold received more than doubles. As far across the map as you can go (83 market lengths), ~250 gold is produced, as opposed to 3 lengths away, which gives you only 1 gold. Additional gold is given when players managed to trade with markets controlled by the enemy.

History
As the Dark Ages gave way to better economic conditions, the exchange of produce and craft goods increased. Towns of all sizes set aside an area for a market where farmers and tradesmen could set up stalls for selling their merchandise. One or more days each week were designated market days and became the social highlight of the typical workweek. The market was also a place for the exchange of ideas, entertainment (bards, acrobats, musicians), and the spreading of news.

Upgrades
Feudal Age

• Cartography - allows the player to see what their allies see.
  
• Coinage - Reduces Tax on Tribute.

Castle Age

• Banking - Removes Tax on Tribute.
  
• Caravan - Allows Trade Carts and Trade Cogs to move twice as fast.

Imperial Age

• Guilds - Reduces Commodity Trading Fee to 15%.

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: The cost of technologies that benefits Markets and Market technologies is 10%/15%/20% less in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age.
  
• Spanish: Markets are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Markets have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Saracens Markets trade cost is only 5% of goods.

The Forgotten Changes

• Saracens Markets building cost reduced to -75 wood.

Stone Walls are a type of strong defensive structure found in Age of Empires II. Almost every civilization can build it, with the only exception being the Goths (who can only build Palisade Wall, and cannot even construct gates). They are available upon upgrading to the Feudal Age from the Town Center. When they are built around the outside of a town, it makes the town very difficult to attack, as any attacking units would have to destroy the wall before attacking any of the other buildings and it offers a warning to the town that their opponents are attacking. Several opponents in Age of Empires II use Stone Wall in their defenses; however it is usually upgraded to Fortified Wall by the time you get round to attacking them. Although highly useful during the Feudal Age and Castle Age (to an extent), in the Imperial Age Trebuchets are capable of firing over them. It is a good idea to build walls a fair distance away from important buildings. The Stone Wall can be upgraded to Fortified Wall at the University.
The Stone Wall can be upgraded to Fortified Wall at the University.



History
Larger and more advanced civilizations upgraded their defenses to stone walls when they could. A well-built stone wall offered protection against raiders because it could be broken down only by a determined effort. To capture a walled town or castle might require a long siege or a battering by powerful siege engines. Stone walls were expensive and time-consuming to build but worth the cost when guarding valuable locations. One famous set of stone walls from the Middle Ages were those guarding the land approaches to Constantinople. These walls withstood intermittent assault over a period of a thousand years. They were partly responsible for deflecting barbarian tribes from the north and east toward Rome, even though Constantinople may have been a more attractive prize. The other famous stone wall of the Middle Ages was the Great Wall of China. Originally constructed in ancient times, it was extended and rebuilt in places by several dynasties. The frontier of China was so long that the Great Wall could not be defended sufficiently to be a shield. It did serve to provide warning of Mongol attack. Most importantly, it slowed the advance and withdrawal of raiders across the frontier, giving the imperial armies a chance to intercept.

Civilization Bonuses

• A team containing Mayans: Stone walls cost 50% less.
  
• Allstonewallsforgotten
  
• Samples of stone walls in The Forgotten expansion.
  
• Byzantines: Stone Walls have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age, Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Stone Walls are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese : Technologies that benefits Stone Walls are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

The Forgotten Changes

• Stone walls take +3 seconds to build
  
• Stone walls -50% HP in feudal age
  
• Koreans : Build Stone Walls and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Chinese : Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Stone walls hit points (+30%hp)
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Stone Walls.

The Watch Tower is the first available tower for civilizations. It is the first type in the line of upgrades spanning to the Guard Tower, and Keep.

Garrisoned foot archers and villagers will increase the number of arrows the tower fires, thus increasing the damage. Up to five foot-soldiers (infantry and archers, although infantry do not increase the firepower of the tower) may be garrisoned into the watch tower. When garrisoned in the watch tower (or any other building) units will slowly regain any lost hit points. This ability can be sped up by researching Herbal Medicine. Offensively, towers can be upgraded by Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer (all Blacksmith upgrades) for range and damage, Chemistry (at the University) for damage, and Heated Shot (also at the University) for damage against ships. Defensively, towers may be upgraded with Masonry, Architecture (increase HP), and Murder Holes, which eliminates minimum range. Towers are generally more useful in the game for stopping and slowing small raiding parties. They are ineffective against large armies and siege weapons.

In the map type Fortress, each player receives several watch towers, dotted along the walls, at the beginning of the game. The towers serve as a useful early defense system while the players tech up.

Overview
Some of the earliest fortified stone structures were simple watch towers. From the watch tower a local lord could keep a large area in view. The stone structure made it impregnable to assault except by a major force. The lord could withdraw into the tower, putting his animals on the bottom, stores and treasure on a second floor, living on upper floors, and fighting from the top. The Normans were famous for building stone watch towers across their lands in Normandy and England to provide military and political control.

Civilization Bonuses

• Teutons: Watch Towers can garrison at most 10 Archers or Infantry units at one time. This also doubles the maximum number of arrows that can be fired. Imperial age unique technology Crenellations allows garrisoned infantry to fire arrows.
  
• Koreans: Watch Towers have additional range by one point from Castle Age beyond. In addition, Korean towers upgrades itself automatically from Castle Age to Imperial Age.
  
• Britons: Imperial Age unique technology Yeomen, adds +2 attack to Watch Towers.
  
• Byzantines: Watch Towers have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Watch Towers are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese:Technologies that benefits Watch Towers are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

Changes in The Forgotten Expansion

• Koreans: Build Watch Towers and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Japanese: Castle age Technology Yasama allows their Watch Towers to fire extra arrows.
  
• Chinese: Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Watch Towers hit points (+30%hp)
  
• Celts Castle age technology Stronghold: Improves the firing rate of Watch Towers.
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Watch Towers .
  
• Britons: Yeomen technology moved to Castle age, adds +2 attack to Watch Towers.

The Fish Trap is a way to gather food in Age of Empires II. The only unit that can build them are Fishing Ships, as they are built on water (although after placed on the map, villagers can help build them if they are close enough to the shoreline). They can be thought of as aquatic farms, and as with farms, it is best not to build them until after the schools of fish have run out.

The Fish Trap costs 100 Wood and provides 715 Food until the Fish Trap runs out of food and must built again.

Overview
Dried and salted fish were valuable commodities in the Middle Ages because they were a source of protein that could be transported and store. Cod caught off Iceland and Norway was an especially valuable resource. Fishing technology improvements included the fish trap that allowed the netting of fish migrating up rivers and in coastal areas.

Changes In The Forgotten Expansion

• Fish Traps building time decreased by 13 sec (train time=40, farms are still 15)

Gates are one of the fortifications in Age of Empires II. It acts as an entrance, automatically opening to let friendly units through but preventing enemy units from coming through. This makes city walls much stronger, as it allows for units to move in and out of walled areas without leaving gaps. Gates can be built on existing walls. Gates have more hitpoints than walls, but their greater surface area makes them far more vulnerable as more units can attack them at once.

Note that, unlike in later games, enemy soldiers can pass through the gate if it opens for a friendly unit. Locking a gate while prevent this but will keep it shut at all times.

Overview
Gates were built into walls to allow access to a fortification. Because gates could be the most vulnerable part of a defensive position, extra care was taken to make them strong. A common type of gate was the portcullis, a heavy metal grid that was raised by a winch. The portcullis was in place by grooves in the stonework of the gateway and by its own weight. A long narrow passage, open from above, was usually placed behind the portcullis. Attackers who managed to get past the gate would then remain vulnerable to fire from soldiers in the narrrow passage.

Palisade Gate
In The Forgotten expansion is possible to build palisade gates that cost 20 wood, have 400 hp and are available in Dark Age

The Blacksmith is a building in Age of Empires II which researches upgrades to non-siege units and ships. It is first made available during the Feudal Age and should be kept close to the Town Center. The Blacksmith offers upgrades to melee damage, arrow range and damage (under the same upgrade), and infantry, archer and cavalry armor. Blacksmith upgrades can make a big difference in determining the outcome of battles. The availability of top tier upgrades is one of the leading factors in determining what kind of army a civilization should field. It is also prerequisite for constructing a Siege Workshop.

History
Iron-working technology had been learned by the barbarian tribes of Europe prior to the fall of Rome and was carried forward into the Dark Ages. Iron working was done at the blacksmith, named partially for the black iron worked there and for the black soot that covered the workers each day. At the blacksmith iron was forged and hammered into tools, weapons shields, and armor. The ability to make superior weapons and armor became a highly prized and well-rewarded skill. Blacksmiths, armorers, and weapon makers moved into the rising middle class.

Technologies
Feudal Age

• Scale Mail Armor- +1/+1p infantry armor
  
• Fletching- +1 attack/range for Archers, galleys, Longboat, Town Centers, Castles, towers
  
• Padded Archer Armor- +1/+1P armor
  
• Forging- +1 infantry/cavalry attack
  
• Scale Barding Armor- +1/+1P cavalry armor
  

Castle Age

• Chain Mail Armor- +1/+1p infantry armor (for a total of +2/+2)
  
• Bodkin Arrow- +1 attack/range for Archers, galleys, Longboat, Town Centers, Castles, towers (for a total of +2/+2)
  
• Leather Archer Armor- +1/+1P armor (for a total of +2/+2)
  
• Iron Casting- +1 infantry/cavalry attack (for a total of +2/+2)
  
• Chain Barding Armor- +1/+1P cavalry armor (for a total of +2/+2 )
  

Imperial Age

• Plate Mail Armor- +1/+2p infantry armor (for a total of +3/+4)
  
• Bracer- +1 attack/range for Archers, galleys, Longboat, Town Centers, Castles, towers (for a total of +3/+3)
  
• Ring Archer Armor- +1/+2P armor (for a total of +3/+4)
  
• Blast Furnace- +2 infantry/cavalry attack (for a total of +4/+4)
  
• Plate Barding Armor- +1/+2P cavalry armor (for a total of +3/+4)

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: The cost of Blacksmith technologies is 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/ Imperial age.
  
• Spanish: Blacksmiths are built 30% faster. Blacksmith technologies don´t cost gold.
  
• Byzantine Blacksmiths have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.

The Castle is a military Building in Age of Empires II available once Castle Age is reached. It is a powerful fortification with many different functions and can accomplish the following.

Can heal and Garrison up to 20 units simultaneously.
Develop the Unique Unit of a civilization.
Allows the player to develop the Unique Technologies of a civilization and can promote unique units to elite levels once Imperial Age is reached.
Allows the player to construct a Trebuchet or a Petard.
Can support up to 20 population.
Allows the player to gain control over a foreign territory.
Can fire four arrows within its range without garrison but a fully garrisoned castle can fire up to twenty arrows simultaneously.
Being the building with the most uses and functions, the Castle is one of the most powerful buildings in the game but requires huge amounts of Stone. The best counter for Castles are siege weapons, such as rams, trebuchets, bombard cannons, or Petards. The AI usually builds a relatively high amount of Castles close to the center of the map starting from the Imperial Age at Death matches.

Overview
The first castles appeared in Europe in the ninth century as an improvement of the local lord's stronghold. Castles were tactically defensive but strategically offensive. Because they were so difficult to capture if adequately defended, they provided a secure base from which a mobile force of warriors could extend political control. A local lord installed himself inside with a professional force of fighing men to serve him. Castles spread across Europe in the tenth and eleventh centuries in response to weak central authority and barbarian raids from the north and east. Kings spent the rest of the Middle Ages trying to take back control of castles raised by local lords. The development of dependable mobile heavy artillery in the fifteenth century finally made castles obsolete.

Tactics and Placement
Players should build Castle inside minor fortifications outside their settlement. Surrounding the entire base with walls along with other towers such as a Bombard Tower provides additional protection from Battering Rams and other melee units. If a river separates their base from the enemy's, players should wall up the river's shallows and build a Castle near them. Players should build Castles at major chokepoints, especially if they have researched the Murder Holes upgrade. Players should also garrison a few cavalry units to fend off Battering Ram attacks.

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: The cost of technologies that benefits Castles and Castle technologies is 10%/15%/20% in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
  
• Aztecs: Castle units are produced +15% faster.
  
• Spanish: Castles are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Castles have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Teutons: Imperial Age unique technology Crenellations increases the range of Castles by 3, and allows garrisoned infantry to fire arrows, allowing them to retaliate against Bombard Cannons and regular Cannon Galleons.Teutons get Murder Holes for free upon reaching the Castle Age.
  
• Franks: Castles are 25% cheaper.

The Forgotten Changes

• Castles now benefit from Chemistry.
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to the Castle.
  
• Celts Castle age Tech Stronghold increases the fire rate of the Castle.
  
• Koreans Can build Castles and other fortification structures 25% faster.
  
• Persians Castle age unique technology Boiling Oil give to Castles attack bonus against rams.

Architecture
Each architectural group of civilizations has its own unique designs for its castle:

• West European (top right) has one tower and a drawbridge.
  
• Asian (down, left center of gallery) bear an uncanny resemblance to the main keep of Japan's Osaka Castle.
  
• Middle-Eastern (down right of gallery) Muslim-inspired architecture with gold-brown colors (perhaps made of sandstone).
  
• Central European (top center of gallery) has a blocky design with four tall towers and two shorter ones with a bridge in between, bearing a distinct (and ironic) resemblance to Rochester Castle in England.
  
• Meso-American (bottom right center of gallery) resemble tall stepped piramids, with a steep staircase leading to the top.
  
• Italians have the castle for their own architecture, with a mediterranean style.
  
• East European castles, resembles the Malbork Castle in Poland.

In Age of Empires II the Monastery is a building for training and upgrading Monks. It becomes available in the Castle Age. Monks can deposit relics in the Monastery, where they will provide an unlimited trickle of Gold.

History
Monasteries were closed religious communities to which particularly devout priests, scholars, and believers withdrew for a life of prayer, study, and service. Monastic life was embraced by several religions, including Christianity and Buddhism. Residents of monasteries became known as monks. In parts of Dark Age Europe, monasteries were the only remaining centers of learning. Irish monks, for example, were instrumental in preserving much ancient knowledge and spreading it back into Europe as the Dark Ages waned. Over time monasteries grew rich in donated land. They became very important local institutions as a source of educated men who could serve as administrators. They also provided health care and emergency relief from their stockpiles of food.

Trains:

• Monk
  
• Missionary (TC)

Research

• Fervor: Increased monk speed.
  
• Sanctity: Increased monk health.
  
• Redemption: Convert buildings and siege weapons.
  
• Atonement: Convert enemy monks.
  
• Herbal Medicine (TC): Garrisoned units heal much faster.
  
• Heresy (TC): Your units die when converted.
  
• Illumination: Monks recover faith faster.
  
• Block Printing: Increased monk conversion range.
  
• Theocracy (TC): When multiple monks convert a unit, only one must rest.
  
• Faith: Increased conversion resistance for all units.

Upgrades

• Masonry and Architecture (University): Increased hitpoints and armor.
  
• Treadmill Crane increases construction speed.
  
• Town Watch and Town Patrol increases Line of sight.

Civilizations bonuses

• Spanish Monasteries are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine Monasteries have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese: Monasteries technologies and improvements cost -10% Feudal age , -15% Castle age, -20% Imperial age.
  
• Aztecs : Each monastery technology gives +5 hp to Monks.

The Siege Workshop in this version of the game have the same purpose as its precursor. The Siege Workshop specializes in building and upgrading siege weapons, which are designed to take down enemy infrastructure during a siege. The Siege Workshop also benefits from technologies, such as Town Watch and Town Patrol for its line of sight, Masonry and Architecture for its hit points and armor.

History
"The construction of castles and fortified towns created demand for artillery engines that could knock down walls and open the fortification to assault by troops. Without such artillery weapons, the taking of a castle required a long and costly siege that eventually starved the defenders into surrender. The ability to lay siege was constrained by the length of the campaigning season, the cost of providing supplies to a besieging army, the losses from disease in camp, and weather. Battering rams, trebuchets, and other siege engines were used to break into the fortification quickly and decide the issue. Siege engines were built at a siege workshop."

Units

• Mangonel - Onager - Siege Onager
  
• Battering Ram - Capped Ram - Siege Ram
  
• Scorpion - Heavy Scorpion
  
• Bombard Cannon

Civilizations bonuses

• A team containing Celts: Siege Workshop work 20% faster.
  
• A team containing Slavs: Siege Workshop allows +5 population.
  
• Aztecs: Siege Workshop units are produced +15% faster.
  
• Spanish: Siege Workshop are built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantines: Siege Workshop have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.
  
• Chinese: Siege Workshop technologies and improvements cost -10% Feudal age, -15% Castle age, -20% Imperial age.
  
• Slavs: Siege Workshop units are15% cheaper.

The University is a building available in Age of Empires II beginning in the Castle Age. Universities are of key importance in the mid-to-late game due to their pivotal upgrades in weaponry and building strength. Like the Blacksmith, the University does not train units and is used purely for upgrades and technologies.

History
"During the bleakest days of the Dark Ages, learning was all but extinguished in much of Europe. A scattering of priests and monks in isolated monasteries carried forward the ability to read and write and kept books alive by copying old manuscripts. Charlemagne attempted to reverse this trend by creating a school to train men who could help him control his empire, but this experiment largely disappeared under a new wave of barbarian invasions from the north and east. The first centers of higher learning were associated with great cathedral towns such as Cambridge, Oxford, Padua, and Paris. Future priests and church leaders received training in Latin, the Bible, Christian philosophy, and other Christian writings. Medicine, science, and mathematics did not enter the curricula until much later. Graduates of these first universities led the Church and provided a pool of educated men who served generations of European kings as advisors and administrators."

Technologies
Researching technologies are the primary reason for building a University. The advantages of the University technologies are predominantly structural, ranged, and siege-equipment based. These technologies are vital in winning the game since many of these technologies are required to develop stronger versions of units available in later games. Below is a list of the technologies you can research from the University:

Castle Age

• Masonry
  
• Heated Shot
  
• Murder Holes

Imperial Age

• Ballistics
  
• Architecture
  
• Chemistry
  
• Treadmill Crane
  
• Siege Engineers
  
• Bombard Tower

Civilization Bonuses

• Chinese: University technologies are 15%/20% cheaper in Castle/Imperial age.
  
• Spanish: University is built 30% faster.
  
• Byzantine University have 10%/20%/30%/40% more hp in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch (+4 LOS for buildings) is free.

Upgrades
The only upgrades available from the University are that of walls and towers. It is here that you can upgrade the Stone Wall to a Fortified Wall, the Watch Tower to a Guard Tower and Keep, and you also research the Bombard Tower technology here.

Fortified Wall is a type of defensive structure available on Age of Empires II once you reach the Castle Age. It is obtained by researching it at the University. It offers considerable defense to a player and is nearly impenetrable without siege weapons.

Fortified Wall is the upgrade of Stone Wall and is available to all civilizations except for the Persians, Huns, and Goths.

Overview
The fortified wall was an upgrade of the stone wall accomplished by building fighting positions into the wall so that defenders could be more effective in repulsing assaults. Strong points and bastions allowed defenders to shoot at enemies at the base of wall, where they might otherwise be safe. The three lines of stone walls outside Constantinople were fortified with hundreds of towers, helping to make the defenses impregnable until the advent of cannon.

Civilization Bonuses

• A team containing Mayans: Fortified walls cost 50% less.
  
• Byzantines: Fortified Walls have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age, Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Fortified Walls are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese : Technologies that benefits Fortified Walls are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

The Forgotten Changes

• Fortified walls take +3 seconds to build
  
• Koreans : Build Fortified Walls and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Chinese : Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Fortified walls hit points (+30%hp)
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Fortified Walls.

In Age of Empires II, the Guard Tower is third available tower (after the Outpost and Watch Towers), first available on the Castle Age to all civilizations except Goths and Huns. They are the upgrade of the Watch Tower, researched from the University. Like the Watch Tower, Guard Towers are very good against infantry and archers, but are quickly overpowered by Battering Rams and large groups of Cavalry. Guard Towers can be upgraded to a Keep for 250 Food and 100 Stone at the University once Imperial Age is reached.
Garrisoned foot archers and villagers will increase the number of arrows the tower fires, thus increasing the damage. Up to five foot-soldiers (infantry and archers, although infantry do not increase the firepower of the tower) may be garrisoned into the watch tower. When garrisoned in the guard tower (or any other building) units will slowly regain any lost hit points. This ability can be sped up by researching Herbal Medicine.

Offensively, towers can be upgraded by Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer (all Blacksmith upgrades) for range and damage, Chemistry (at the University) for damage, and Heated Shot (also at the University) for damage against ships. Defensively, towers may be upgraded with Masonry, Architecture (increase HP), and Murder Holes (eliminates minimum range). Towers are generally more useful in the game for stopping and slowing small raiding parties. They are ineffective against large armies and siege weapons.

Overview
The defensive tower continued to evolve during the MIddle Ages by getting stronger, taller, and better designed for fighting defense. Whereas some earlier watch towers had been square, guard towers were usually round to eliminate a sharp corner that could be knocked off. Fighting positions at the top of a guard tower were improved to protect defenders. Hoardings extended out from the top, allowing defenders to reach the bottom of the guard tower with missiles. Entrances to guard towers were made more elaborate and more easily defendable.

Civilization Bonuses

• Teutons: Guard Towers can garrison at most 10 Archers or Infantry units at one time. This also doubles the maximum number of arrows that can be fired. Imperial age unique technology Crenellations allows garrisoned infantry to fire arrows.
  
• Koreans: Guard Towers have additional range by one point from Castle Age beyond. In addition, Korean towers upgrades itself automatically from Castle Age to Imperial Age.
  
• Britons: Imperial Age unique technology Yeomen, adds +2 attack to Guard Towers.
  
• Byzantines: Guard Towers have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Guard Towers are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese:Technologies that benefits Guard Towers are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

Changes in The Forgotten Expansion

• +1 Attack
  
• Koreans: Build Guard Towers and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Japanese: Castle age Technology Yasama allows their Guard Towers to fire extra arrows.
  
• Chinese: Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Guard Towers hit points (+30%hp)
  
• Celts Castle age technology Stronghold: Improves the firing rate of Guard Towers.
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Guard Towers .
  
• Britons: Yeomen technology moved to Castle age, adds +2 attack to Guard Towers.

The Keep is the upgrade of the Guard Tower, and is the highest level of arrow-firing tower available (the Bombard Tower is a more powerful but slower-firing cannon-firing tower, however, the two towers are unrelated and available simultaneously to the player).
Upgrading to Keep is expensive, and rarely pays off as it is only a negligible improvement on the Guard Tower. They are only available to Britons, Byzantines, Celts, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Maya, Saracens, Spanish, Teutons and Turks.

Garrisoned foot archers and villagers will increase the number of arrows the tower fires, thus increasing the damage. Up to five foot-soldiers (infantry and archers, although infantry do not increase the firepower of the tower) may be garrisoned into the watch tower. When garrisoned in the keep (or any other building) units will slowly regain any lost hit points. This ability can be sped up by researching Herbal Medicine.

Offensively, towers can be upgraded by Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer (all Blacksmith upgrades) for range and damage, Chemistry (at the University) for damage, and Heated Shot (also at the University) for damage against ships. Defensively, towers may be upgraded with Masonry, Architecture (increase HP), and Murder Holes (eliminates minimum range). Towers are generally more useful in the game for stopping and slowing small raiding parties. They are ineffective against large armies and siege weapons.

Overview
The central and strongest building inside a castle was called the keep. This was the last bastion of defense inside if the walls and outside towers were taken. The remaining defenders withdrew into the keep for the final defense. The keep was a mini-castle often constructed in place of a castle to cut expenses. Although much smaller than castles, keeps could perform the same function on a smaller scale. They were very difficult to capture except by a large and well-equipped army.

Civilization Bonuses

• Teutons: Keeps can garrison at most 10 Archers or Infantry units at one time. This also doubles the maximum number of arrows that can be fired. A fully garrisoned Teutonic Keep can fire as many as eight arrows, dealing up to 80 damage if it is fully upgraded. Imperial age unique technology Crenellations allows garrisoned infantry to fire arrows.
  
• Koreans: Keeps have additional range by one point from Castle Age beyond. In addition, Korean towers upgrades itself automatically from Castle Age to Imperial Age. If all technologies are researched, Korean Keeps can have as many as 13 range points. This range bonus makes Bombard Cannons and Cannon Galleons ineffective against them. However, a Turkish Bombard Cannon and Cannon Galleon with Artillery researched can out range a Korean Guard Tower.
  
• Britons: Imperial Age unique technology Yeomen, adds +2 attack to Keeps.
  
• Byzantines: Keeps have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Spanish: Keeps are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese:Technologies that benefits Keeps are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

The Forgotten Changes

• Keeps get +1 attack
  
• Koreans: Build Keeps and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Japanese: Castle age Technology Yasama allows their Keeps to fire extra arrows.
  
• Chinese: Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Keeps hitpoints (+30%hp)
  
• Celts Castle age technology Stronghold: Improves the firing rate of Keeps.
  
• Incas: 15% stone discount on buildings applies to Keeps.
  
• Britons: Yeomen technology moved to Castle age, adds +2 attack to Keeps.

Bombard Towers are powerful defensive structures in Age of Empires II available in the Imperial Age. They are considered a Gunpowder Unit, so require Chemistry to be researched from the University, as well as its own "Bombard Tower" technology which costs 800 Food and 400 Wood . Each Bombard Tower cost 125 Stone and 100 Gold to build, and can only be built by some civilizations. They are available to the Byzantines, the Chinese, the Koreans, the Spanish, the Teutons, the Italians and the Turks.

Overview
Bombard Towers feature very high LOS and hit points, making them effective late game defense tactics. A Bombard Tower also has 120 attack, enough to one-hit-kill any infantry or archer and most siege weapons or severely damage heavy cavalry, but a low rate of fire and projectile speed. However, they can be out-ranged by Trebuchets, Elite Cannon Galleons and Bombard Cannons which are the the only units that can destroy them effectively, along with rams. Like normal towers, Bombard Towers can garrison up to five units. However, garrisoning archers does not increase the attack, like in the case of standard towers. The Teutons make an exception: due their civilization bonus, they can garrison up to 10 archer-like units. A fully occupied Teutonic Bombard Tower with only Hand Cannoneers will shoot two cannon balls at once, to inflict a staggering 240 damage, enough to one-hit-kill almost any unit in the game.

History
By the end of the Middle Ages the development of cannon had changed military engineering by making standard castles obsolete. Their high vertical walls were particularly susceptible to direct cannon fire aimed at their base. Millitary engineers responded by building new structures that were less susceptible to cannon fire and by mounting cannon within these structures to augument their defensive positions along coasts, at important river crossings, and at other strategic points. These new bombard towers swept the approaches to harbors and towns, making them more difficult to attack.

Civilization Bonuses

• Teutons: Bombard Towers can garrison at most 10 Archers or Infantry units at one time. This also doubles the maximum number of bullets that can be fired. Imperial age unique technology Crenellations allows garrisoned infantry to fire bullets.
  
• Koreans do not need to research the "Bombard Tower" technology separately, rather they get it for free and instant once Chemistry is researched. Korean Bombard Towers also have +2 range compared to other Civilization's Towers.
  
• Byzantines: Bombard Towers have 10%/20%/30%/40% more Hit Points in Dark/Feudal/Castle/Imperial age. Town Watch upgrade is free.
  
• Turks: Gunpowder technologies cost -50%, Chemistry is free. Imperial age unique technology Artillery gives +2 range to Bombard Towers .
  
• Spanish: Bombard Towers are built 30% faster.
  
• Chinese : Technologies that benefits Bombard Tower are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.

Changes in The Forgotten Expansion

• Koreans: Build Bombard Towers and other defensive structures 25% faster.
  
• Chinese : Castle age technology Great Wall improves the Bombard Towers hit points (+30%hp)

Notes

• Before Patch 1.0b Rams did not work well against Bombard Towers because its attack was counted as melee damage. With the patch the attack has been changed to pierce. Hence Rams are now effective against Bombard Towers, because they sustain only one damage per cannon ball.
  
• Since both the Aztecs and the Mayans possess the same architectural style and cannot build bombard towers, there are no illustrations of central American bombard towers in The Conquerors expansion. There is a glitch where placing a bombard tower in the scenario editor will display the tower in Central European architecture. The game will either never load or crash completely. This glitch was corrected in The Forgotten expantion giving to the Aztecs, Mayans and the new Inca civilization, a graph for bombard tower that can be used in the scenario editor and in Full Tech Tree mode, along with a Mesoamerican style Stable.

A yurt is a building similar to a house or a pavilion that can support housing. They are found usually in the Mongol or Hun civilizations. They cannot be built, however, they are available in the Scenario Editor. They are useful in scenarios to make a small camp.

Yurts are clearly intended to appear nomadic.

A Pavilion is a tent-like structure that can support housing. They are typically found in places such as camp-outs. Pavilions, unlike many other buildings, are not buildable at any time during the game. They are available in the scenario editor but once they are destroyed, they cannot be rebuilt.

Pavilions are more of a decoration than a house.

Pavilions are used in the Age of Empires II campaigns. They are used in Joan of Arc, El Cid, and Saladin.

A Cathedral is a large non-buildable building on Age of Empires II and its expansions. It is used as an aesthetic building for large cities, but usually as the focal point of an objective. It is the largest building available on the game, larger even than a Wonder. The Britons wonder is basically a cathedral, only on a smaller scale. Even though it is the largest, it does not have proportional hit points having even less than a simple monastery.

Availability
The Cathedral cannot be built by villagers, but is available in Scenario Editor (similar to the Dome of the Rock and Mosque).

Occurences
Here is a list of a few occurrences of the Cathedral building.

• Joan of Arc - You obtain a Cathedral from the city of Orleans (grey/Franks) on the second level: Maid of Orleans. In The Rising, a cathedral is part of a large yellow team, Rheims, but bears no objective importance. Lastly in The Siege of Paris, the British have a cathedral in Paris.
  
• Battles of the Conquerors - In the Tours level, you own a cathedral in the centre of your town.
  
• Barbarossa - In the Pope & Antipope level, you must convert the cathedral in the city of Milan (blues/Teutons).

The Dome of the Rock is a sacred monument in the centre of Jerusalem, and is used in Age of Empires II. It is seen in the Barbarossa and Saladin campaigns. Most times it is seen, it is the focal point of an objective.

Occurrances
The Dome of the Rock is seen throughout the Saladin campaign and in the final mission of the Barbarossa campaign. Usually, destroying the Dome of the Rock is a cause for defeat, regardless if the team controlling it is allied or enemy to another team. The team controlling it is always called Jerusalem, and is always represented by the colour blue.

Availability
The Dome of the Rock cannot be built by villagers, much like the Cathedral and Trade Workshop, and like both can be found in Create Scenario. Curiously, the Dome of the Rock is found in the "Other" category of units, rather than "Buildings", which is where the Cathedral and most other non-buildable buildings can be found.

In AoK / Conquerors, the Mosque is an unused building identical in appearance to the Turkish Wonder (Süleymaniye Mosque). Much like the cathedral, it is merely an aesthetic building in campaigns, found in large Muslim cities. It cannot be built by any civilization. It appears in the first scenario of Saladin, where the player must get his soldiers to the mosque in Cairo, so that the Egyptians will change their diplomatic stance with him to ally. Also, in the fourth scenario of El Cid, the yellow team controls a mosque. When one of the player's unit reaches it, the player will be assigned an optional objective to bring El Cid to the mosque. Then he will be asked to convert it (HP : 600).

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The Sea Gate is a unique defensive structure found only on the Walls of Constantinople level of the Atilla the Hun campaign. It, together with the Sea Wall defend the Harbours of Constantinople from attacks. It is similar to a three Palisade Wall endings placed one on top of the other on either side of the gate. It has very few hit points.

The Sea Wall is a unique defensive structure found only on the "Walls of Constantinople" level of the Attila the Hun campaign in Age of Empires II. It also appears in the final Attila the Hun mission in the game, together with its counterpart, the Sea Gate. It is very similar in appearance to Palisade Wall. It is found to the north of Constantinople, in the harbour, and defends the city from seafaring vessels.

The Sea Wall is not available in the Scenario Editor by default, but can be unlocked using GenieEd or another DAT editor. In The Forgotten expansion is available in scenario editor.

Sea Walls of Constantinople

The Sea Wall is a unique defensive structure found only on the "Walls of Constantinople" level of the Attila the Hun campaign in Age of Empires II. It also appears in the final Attila the Hun mission in the game, together with its counterpart, the Sea Gate. It is very similar in appearance to Palisade Wall. It is found to the north of Constantinople, in the harbour, and defends the city from seafaring vessels.

The Sea Wall is not available in the Scenario Editor by default, but can be unlocked using GenieEd or another DAT editor. In The Forgotten expansion is available in scenario editor.

The Trade Workshop is an unused building in Age of Empires II.

The Trade Workshop's purpose was to function as building where players could assign Villagers to produce “luxury goods” which were to be sold for Gold.

Ultimately, it was scrapped from the final game, but remnants of the code appear in the Scenario Editor and its gameplay icon resembles that of the Market economic building.

Some Trade Workshops can be viewed in the city of Paris during scenario 5 of the Joan of Arc campaign, The Siege of Paris, to the north in the second scenario (The Great Ride) of the Attila the Hun campaign, scattered around the map in scenario 5 The Catalaunian Fields, and found in Milan of the Barbarossa map Pope and Anti-Pope.

In The Forgotten expansion, each type of architecture has its own Trade Workshop design.


















An in-game Trade Workshop

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