Age of Empires II (PC) Time Study Document written by PyroFalkon (pyrofalkon@hotmail.com) Version 1.0a Last Update: 1 November 2003 +-----------------+ |+---------------+| ||VERSION HISTORY|| |+---------------+| +-----------------+ v1.0b (1 November 2003) It's been nearly a year, but unfortunately my site is down for the count. Luckily, IGN has decided to host my FAQs too, so it's all good. A new copyright notice is the only change. v1.0a (25 December 2002) No new information, but I've changed the look of my FAQ, as well as my legal info. I'm now carrying my guide on my own website; you can find the URL at the bottom of the document. v1.0 (24 August 2000) First release. +-------+ |+-----+| ||INTRO|| |+-----+| +-------+ I got this idea from reading Red Phoenix's INCREDIBLY detailed FAQ for this game. At the end of it is a listing of the attack and movement rates of units, unit training times, and a few other things. I've decided to continue his research and make a completely new FAQ of my own, going a bit more in-depth. I assure you that this list cannot help you in any way if you're just starting out. Knowing timings is only helpful in ally games (so you can tell your ally how long it'll take before you can attack or whatnot), and to veteran players trying to time their strategies correctly. My strategy, of which I won't go into too much detail in with this FAQ, is dependent on perfect timings between my villager building times and when resources are gathered to build the next building. If the balance and timing is upset, I get delayed, and any delay can of course result in a loss. I've used my strategy so much that I can time it just by "feel," but knowing real times helps me in multi-player games. Instead of telling my ally, "I'll be there in a moment," I can now say, "My first division will be ready to attack in 4 minutes, 40 seconds." See how much this can help? Anyway, I will assume that I won't have to tell you what all the upgrades do. For that information, read other FAQs (especially Red Phoenix's, who I promise has no clue I'm writing this). +---------+ |+-------+| ||TIMINGS|| |+-------+| +---------+ +-----+ |NOTES| +-----+ The times are sorted first by Age; then by whether it's a building, technology, unit, or economy; then alphabetically by first appearing letter. If there are more than 5 in one category, I'll put breaks every 5 so you don't get times mixed up. All buildings' times are based on 1 villager building it with the exception of a Wonder, which I had 40 villagers working. All buildings' times are without the Treadmill Crane. If you've researched Treadmill crane, multiply the time listed by .8 to get the real time. All units' times are without Conscription researched. If you've researched Conscription, multiply the time listed by .66 to get the true time. Units that have been upgraded do not gain or lose training time, so I haven't bothered listing it more than once. For example, Militia, Men-at-Arms, Long Swordsmen, Two-Handed Swordsmen, and Champions have the same build time since they are technically the same unit. In other words, if you want to know the build time of a unit, find the base unit. Fishing boats' times never change. Economy times don't change between Age III and Age IV. I did not take team bonuses into account. I used "Full Tech Tree" mode, so it didn't matter what race I chose for the timing. If you have a team bonus, calculate in with the time listed. I did not time unique units. That will come in a future edition of the FAQ. All times are in real seconds (the game clock goes a bit fast or slow sometimes based on computer and network speeds). All times are based on the Normal speed setting. Due to human error, give me .5 seconds leeway both ways. +---------------+ |AGE I: DARK AGE| +---------------+ BUILDINGS Barracks -------------- 27.92 Dock ------------------ 19.42 Farm ------------------ 8.41 House ----------------- 13.76 Lumber Mill ----------- 19.18 Mill ------------------ 19.31 Mining Camp ----------- 19.28 Outpost --------------- 8.18 Palisade Wall --------- 2.66 TECHNOLOGIES Age III --------------- 73.42 Loom ------------------ 14.65 UNITS Fishing Ship ---------- 23.13 Militia --------------- 12.48 Villager -------------- 14.66 ECONOMY 15 Food, boat (deep) -- 16.93 15 Food, boat (shore) - 29.08 10 Food, bush --------- 17.72 10 Food, farm --------- 13.80 10 Food, fisherman ---- 12.24 10 Food, sheep -------- 16.37 10 Wood --------------- 14.10 10 Gold --------------- 14.26 10 Stone -------------- 15.30 +------------------+ |AGE II: FEUDAL AGE| +------------------+ BUILDINGS Archery Range ------- 27.46 Blacksmith ---------- 22.21 Fish Trap ----------- 29.87 Gate ---------------- 39.00 Market -------------- 33.85 Stable -------------- 27.86 Stone Wall ----------- 4.69 Watch Tower --------- 44.53 TECHNOLOGIES Age III ------------- 90.09 Cartography --------- 34.25 Coinage ------------- 28.49 Double-bit Axe ------ 14.48 Fletching ----------- 17.31 Forging ------------- 28.47 Gold Mining --------- 17.22 Horse Collar -------- 11.86 Man-at-Arms --------- 22.87 Padded Archer Armor - 22.92 Scale Barding Armor - 25.47 Scale Mail Armor ---- 22.79 Stone Mining -------- 17.22 Town Watch ---------- 14.57 Tracking ------------ 20.47 Wheelbarrow --------- 42.35 UNITS Archer -------------- 15.66 Galley -------------- 20.84 Scout Cavalry ------- 17.61 Skirmisher ---------- 12.90 Spearman ------------ 13.08 Trade Cart ---------- 29.16 Trade Cog ----------- 20.99 Transport Ship ------ 26.44 ECONOMY (after all upgrades) 13 Food, bush ------- 23.28 13 Food, farm ------- 16.19 15 Food, fish trap -- 39.32 13 Food, fisherman -- 16.82 13 Gold ------------- 16.45 13 Wood ------------- 15.41 13 Stone ------------ 17.64 +-------------------+ |AGE III: CASTLE AGE| +-------------------+ BUILDINGS Castle --------------- 84.52 Monastery ------------ 22.30 Siege Workshop ------- 22.06 Town Center ---------- 55.66 University ----------- 33.56 TECHNOLOGIES Age IV -------------- 116.53 Atonement ------------ 23.13 Ballistics ----------- 35.05 Banking -------------- 30.09 Bodkin Arrow --------- 20.35 Bow Saw -------------- 29.31 Careening ------------ 29.26 Chain Barding Armor -- 34.78 Chain Mail Armor ----- 32.13 Crossbowman ---------- 20.12 Elite Skirmisher ----- 28.37 Fervor --------------- 28.86 Fortified Wall ------- 29.62 Gold Shaft Mining ---- 44.15 Guard Tower ---------- 17.75 Hand Cart ------------ 32.07 Heated Shot ---------- 17.73 Heavy Plow ----------- 23.04 Husbandry ------------ 28.39 Iron Casting --------- 43.56 Leather Archer Armor - 31.90 Light Cavalry -------- 25.51 Long Swordsman ------- 25.61 Masonry -------------- 29.82 Murder Holes --------- 35.36 Pikeman -------------- 25.75 Redemption ----------- 28.65 Sanctity ------------- 35.42 Squires -------------- 22.73 Stone Shaft Mining --- 44.10 Town Patrol ---------- 23.39 Treadmill Crane ------ 30.96 War Galley ----------- 28.56 UNITS Battering Ram -------- 23.37 Camel ---------------- 17.80 Cavalry Archer ------- 25.27 Demolition Ship ------ 18.81 Fire Ship ------------ 21.71 Knight --------------- 18.71 Mangoel -------------- 27.62 Monk ----------------- 30.46 Scorpion ------------- 18.64 ECONOMY (after all upgrades) 20 Food, bush -------- 36.11 20 Food, farm -------- 22.86 20 Food, fisherman --- 27.18 20 Food, sheep ------- 34.29 20 Gold -------------- 23.32 20 Stone ------------- 23.72 20 Wood -------------- 19.97 +--------------------+ |AGE IV: IMPERIAL AGE| +--------------------+ BUILDINGS Bombard Tower -------- 50.98 Wonder -------------- 158.76 (w/40 villagers building) TECHNOLOGIES Arbalest ------------- 32.17 Architecture --------- 45.94 Blast Furnace -------- 63.64 Block Printing ------- 34.25 Bombard Cannoneers --- 62.61 Bombard Tower -------- 38.25 Bracer --------------- 26.94 Cannon Galleon ------- 31.25 Capped Ram ----------- 30.50 Cavalier ------------- 63.16 Champion ------------- 63.54 Chemistry ------------ 61.39 Conscription --------- 36.87 Crop Rotation -------- 44.91 Dry Dock ------------- 35.68 Elite Cannon Galleon - 19.54 Faith ---------------- 36.16 Fast Fire Ship ------- 29.97 Guilds --------------- 30.65 Hand Cannoneers -------31.23 Heavy Camel ---------- 80.91 Heavy Cav Archer ----- 32.55 Heavy Demo Ship ------ 29.69 Heavy Scorpion ------- 31.15 Hoardings ------------ 45.82 Illumination --------- 39.56 Keep ----------------- 47.39 Onager --------------- 48.80 Paladin ------------- 106.65 Plate Barding Armor -- 49.77 Plate Mail Armor ----- 43.51 Ring Archer Armor ---- 45.21 Sappers -------------- 6.98 Shipwright ----------- 35.26 Siege Engineer ------- 27.45 Siege Onager --------- 92.13 Siege Ram ------------ 45.10 Spies ---------------- Instant Treason -------------- Instant Two-handed Swordsman - 48.16 Two-man Saw ---------- 89.44 War Galleon ---------- 38.10 UNITS Bombard Cannoneer ---- 36.28 Cannon Galleon ------- 29.97 Hand Cannoneer ------- 23.26 Trebuchet ------------ 33.33 +----------------+ |+--------------+| ||COPYRIGHT INFO|| |+--------------+| +----------------+ An HTML version of this guide can be found at my website, listed near the bottom of this document. This document is copyright 2000-2003 for J. "PyroFalkon" Habib. If you plan to use any of it as part of another FAQ, you need my permission first. However, if you plan to post it on a website or e-mail it to someone or whatnot, you may do so without my permission AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ALTERED IN ANY WAY. I'd like you to drop me an e-mail so I know where you're going to take it, but I will not require you to do so. You may download it or print it at your leisure. The most updated version will always be found at these sites: http://www.gamefaqs.com/ http://faqs.ign.com/ Other sites may have up-to-date versions, but check GameFAQs or IGN first. +--------------+ |+------------+| ||CONTACT INFO|| |+------------+| +--------------+ If any information is incorrect, or you wish to submit something, please e-mail me. My address is found on the bottom of the FAQ. Credit will be given where it's due. If you submit something to me, I will credit you by the name you signed in the message body or by the name attached to your e-mail. I will also post your e- mail address unless you specifically tell me not to. If you wish to be e-mailed when this FAQ is updated, send your request to me. If you have a junk mail protector on your e-mail program, make sure you put my e-mail address on the safe list, or my messages may not get through. pyrofalkon@hotmail.com Good luck in Age of Empires II, and may you whack some Tutonic Knights!