AoE2 Patch Notes & Balance Changes

How each balance update reshaped unit rankings and matchups in our simulator.

Update 177723

2026-06-02 Official notes ↗

Balance highlights from Update 177723 that affect unit combat in our simulator. See the Official notes link above for the full changelog.

Units (all civs)

  • Slinger cost 70 food / 10 wood -> 50 food / 25 wood; +2 conversion resistance.
Incas Slingercost_food 56.0 → 35.0; cost_wood 10.0 → 25.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Khitans Heavy Camel Rider-8.2 → 51.9+60▶ View fight
Saracens Elite Mameluke-19.9 → 25.5+45▶ View fight
Khitans Elite Steppe Lancer-50.1 → -19.3+31▶ View fight
Spanish Elite Conquistador-38.9 → -14.0+25▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
Tupi Slingercost_food 70.0 → 50.0; cost_wood 10.0 → 25.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Bohemians Cavalier-17.4 → 20.9+38▶ View fight
Mongols Heavy Camel Rider29.5 → 44.7+15▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
Mapuche Slingercost_food 70.0 → 50.0; cost_wood 10.0 → 25.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Malay Cavalier5.2 → 35.6+30▶ View fight
Burmese Elite Arambai17.3 → 33.9+17▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
Muisca Slingercost_food 70.0 → 50.0; cost_wood 10.0 → 25.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Armenians Cavalier-18.7 → 10.5+29▶ View fight
Burmese Elite Arambai-18.8 → 3.9+23▶ View fight
Teutons Cavalry Archer7.2 → 27.1+20▶ View fight
Mongols Heavy Camel Rider37.3 → 54.1+17▶ View fight
Full breakdown →

Aztecs

  • Xolotl Warrior now benefits from 6 additional technologies.

Armenians

  • Elite Composite Bowman HP 45 -> 50.
Armenians Elite Composite Bowmanhp 45.0 → 50.030v30
OpponentScoreSwing
Vietnamese Cavalier-12.0 → 25.3+37▶ View fight
Malians Heavy Camel Rider-19.6 → 17.2+37▶ View fight
Vietnamese Imperial Skirmisher-7.3 → 21.9+29▶ View fight
Berbers Elite Genitour-29.2 → -0.4+29▶ View fight
Tatars Heavy Cavalry Archer-21.6 → 5.3+27▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
  • Civilization gains the Siege Ram.

Incas

  • Food discount per age 5 / 10 / 15 / 20% -> 15 / 20 / 25 / 30%.
  • Kamayuk food cost adjusted so the net cost is unchanged after the larger discount.
Incas Elite Champi Warriorcost_food 40.0 → 35.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Berbers Cavalier-28.3 → 10.4+39▶ View fight
Spanish Elite Conquistador-14.1 → 20.0+34▶ View fight
Romans Elite Centurion-25.8 → 3.4+29▶ View fight
Bulgarians Elite Konnik-12.3 → 16.1+28▶ View fight
Wei Elite Tiger Cavalry-41.1 → -22.0+19▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
Incas Halberdiercost_food 28.0 → 24.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Bengalis Elite Elephant Archer-32.3 → 3.5+36▶ View fight
Celts Heavy Cavalry Archer-64.0 → -34.0+30▶ View fight
Saracens Elite Mameluke-32.9 → -10.6+22▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
Incas Elite Skirmcost_food 21.0 → 19.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Mongols Elite Mangudai-20.4 → 3.2+24▶ View fight
Full breakdown →

Muisca

  • Settlement Wonder discount 25% -> 33%.
  • (Elite) Temple Guard cost 80 food / 45 gold -> 70 food / 45 gold; anti-cavalry bonus +3 -> +5 (Elite +6 -> +8).
Muisca Elite Temple Guardbonus vs Camels 4.0 → 6.0; bonus vs Cavalry 6.0 → 8.0; bonus vs Ships & Saboteurs 4.0 → 6.0; bonus vs War Elephants 5.0 → 8.0; cost_food 80.0 → 70.03k
OpponentScoreSwing
Burmese Heavy Cavalry Archer-37.9 → 8.8+47▶ View fight
Vikings Elite Berserk-14.9 → 19.2+34▶ View fight
Dravidians Elite Urumi Swordsman-23.9 → 9.8+34▶ View fight
Burgundians Flemish Militia-9.2 → 24.1+33▶ View fight
Lithuanians Elite Leitis-0.7 → 31.8+32▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
  • (Elite) Guecha Warrior HP 50 -> 55 (Elite 50 -> 60).
Muisca Elite Guecha Warriorhp 50.0 → 60.030v30
OpponentScoreSwing
Franks Elite Throwing Axeman-21.7 → 24.7+46▶ View fight
Bengalis Light Cavalry-3.6 → 30.3+34▶ View fight
Berbers Elite Camel Archer-11.2 → 22.2+33▶ View fight
Bengalis Elite Ratha (Ranged)-25.2 → 3.6+29▶ View fight
Magyars Heavy Cavalry Archer0.1 → 27.0+27▶ View fight
Full breakdown →
  • Huaracas (Slinger train-time bonus) 25% -> 50%.

Tupi

  • Blackwood Archer train time 14s -> 18s (Elite unchanged).

Wei

  • (Elite) Tiger Cavalry HP 115 -> 110 (Elite 130 -> 125); train time 15s -> 18s.
Wei Elite Tiger Cavalryhp 150.0 → 145.030v30
OpponentScoreSwing
Byzantines Heavy Camel Rider44.7 → 1.8-43▶ View fight
Vietnamese Elite Fire Lancer-4.6 → -26.3-22▶ View fight
Full breakdown →

Champi Warrior line

  • Train time 45 / 40 / 26 / 21 -> 42 / 34 / 26 / 21.
  • Runner upgrade 120 food / 60 gold -> 90 food / 60 gold; research 50s -> 40s.
  • Warrior upgrade 200 food / 175 gold -> 150 food / 175 gold.

Economy & naval (no unit-vs-unit matchup impact)

  • Burgundians economic upgrade discount 33% -> 40%; relic food 30 -> 20 / min.
  • Mapuche foragers work 20% -> 25% faster.
  • Docks / warships garrison arrows 5 -> 0 / 3 / 4 / 5 by age; dock bonus vs ships +3 -> +0 / 2 / 3 / 4 by age. Tower anti-ship attack reduced.

Update 170934

2026-04-01 Official notes ↗

Baseline snapshot captured before patch tracking began. All ranking and matchup data on the site started from this build.