Imperial Army
Imperial Army is a Chinese mixed force available from the Fortress Age. It consists of two Iron Flails and three Arquebusiers, combining cavalry pressure with ranged infantry through Chinese production systems.
Recorded values
- Available
- Fortress Age · War Academy; Blockhouse; Fort; Fuchuan
- Training
- 29 sec · 7 population · 74 XP per train
Role, availability & values
It can be trained or obtained through the War Academy, Blockhouse, Fort or Fuchuan under the recorded rules. The force uses seven population, costs 480 Food and 255 Coin, and takes 29 seconds. The two unit types have different roles, so keep them together and protect each from its counters.
Matchup & timing
Choose Imperial Army when both Iron Flails and Arquebusiers fit the opponent’s composition. Leave population and resources for the group, and support the Iron Flails as they approach targets. If the enemy fields strong anti-cavalry or ranged counters, add units that cover those weaknesses.
Keep cavalry and ranged infantry coordinated
The Fortress Age Chinese force combines two Iron Flails and three Arquebusiers, costs 480 Food and 255 Coin, uses seven population, and takes 29 seconds. It can come from the War Academy, Blockhouse, Fort, or Fuchuan under the recorded rules. The cavalry and ranged infantry have distinct counters; keep the Arquebusiers protected while Iron Flails pressure the enemy line.
Banner army access and the Summer Palace
The Imperial Army is one of the Chinese Banner Armies: its five-unit group arrives as a single production choice instead of queuing Iron Flails and Arquebusiers separately. In The Asian Dynasties, it is trained at the War Academy and can also be produced by the Summer Palace once the Chinese reach the Fortress Age. The Summer Palace route changes the timing and source of reinforcements, so check the Wonder’s current selection and production state before planning around it. Definitive Edition also lists the Blockhouse, Fort and Fuchuan as access points.
Use the two parts as one combined force
Iron Flails supply fast melee pressure and can disrupt units that would otherwise fire freely on the Arquebusiers. The Arquebusiers add ranged fire and are the fragile component when Cavalry reaches the group. The army’s seven population and mixed Food-and-Coin cost make it a commitment; avoid splitting the Flails away from their supporting infantry unless they have a clear target. It is a Chinese Fortress Age banner choice, not a generic formation available to other civilizations.
Definitive Edition training-time change
The current Fortress Age package uses seven population and trains in 29 seconds for 480 Food and 255 Coin. Before the Definitive Edition, its training time was 33 seconds. The difference matters when comparing how quickly a Chinese army can reinforce after reaching the Fortress Age; the current 29-second value belongs to the present profile, while 33 seconds is historical.