Strengths
- Fast train time.
- Melee attack that still has range.
- Good vs buildings.
Throwing Axeman
Partialunique · Castle · castle Age
Frank unique ranged infantry. Melee-type axes at short range. Chews buildings and infantry.
Idle Villager is current for Update 177723, with minor updates through 180059. Facts on this page were checked on 2026-09-19. Counters are not unconditional. Numbers, upgrades, terrain, and micro change the fight.
What it does
A Castle Age supplement to Knights, not a replacement. Use them on infantry and on buildings.
Weaknesses
- Low pierce armor.
- Short range without Bearded Axe.
Strong counters
Strategic advice built on verified armor classes and unit access. Not unconditional.
Archer · cost-effective · can win in equal numbers
Low pierce armor. Archers and Crossbows melt axes.
- Frank Knights in front.
- Bearded Axe still does not beat range 5+.
Situational counters
Knight · cost-effective · can win in equal numbers
Knights win a fair melee. Axes with Bearded Axe can chip while retreating.
- Not a true counter. Mix matters.
What it counters
No published reverse rows yet. Use the strengths list above.
Why matchups work
Melee damage vs low-armor infantry. Archers treat them like any other unarmored infantry.
Line, cost, and age
Verified fact from the aoe2techtree dat extract. Base stats, no civ bonuses.
| Unit | Age | HP | Attack | Range | Armor | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Throwing Axeman | castle | 60 | 7 melee | 3 | 0/0 | 55f 25g |
| Elite Throwing Axeman | imperial | 70 | 8 melee | 4 | 1/0 | 55f 25g |
Upgrades
- Bearded Axecastle Age
Throwing Axemen +2 range. 300 food 300 gold, 60 seconds.
Common mistakes when fighting it
- Using axes instead of Knights vs archers.
- Forgetting Bearded Axe.
Supporting units
Civilization-specific exceptions
These sit on top of the generic matchup, not inside it.
- Franks
Only Franks train Throwing Axemen.
verified fact