Units & Military

We do not throw stones. We merely return the island's natural ammunition.

TL;DR: The barracks trains four different unit types.

- Each unit has a clear role: militia, defense, ranged or siege

- Troops cannot leave the island on their own -- they need ships

- Units have no upkeep costs, but combat losses are permanent

---

Training Troops #

Once you have built a barracks, you can train land units. Higher barracks levels shorten training time and unlock advanced units.

Training runs in parallel with building and research. You can build, research and train simultaneously. Once trained, units cost nothing to maintain -- the investment is one-time.

The Four Unit Types #

Stone Thrower -- The Militia #

The stone thrower is the first unit you can train. Hastily recruited islanders armed with slings, holding the cliffs against the first wave. They are cheap but outmatched by other units in combat. Still, they are indispensable in the early phase and useful in numbers for defense.

Spearman -- The Backbone #

Spearmen are the solid core of your army. Their strength lies in defense -- they dig into the sand and form a shield wall against landing forces. Training requires a higher barracks and Spear research.

Archer -- The Specialist #

Archers are expensive ranged units with high attack power but weak defense. They excel in offensive operations but should always be flanked by sturdier units. Prerequisites include an advanced lab and Bow research.

Catapult -- The Siege Engine #

Catapults are pure siege weapons — they can damage walls, harbors and the town hall, not economy or supply buildings. They are extremely expensive and slow, but indispensable in the late game for serious offensives. Their direct combat value is low -- they always need an escort.

Carrying Capacity #

Each unit can carry a certain amount of resources when looting after a successful attack. Stone throwers and spearmen carry a decent amount, archers less so, and catapults carry nothing at all -- they are pure destroyers.

Strategy #

• Mix your army -- A pure stone-thrower force will lose against experienced defenders
• Defense is cheap -- Spearmen behind walls are extremely efficient
• Catapults come late -- They only pay off when you plan colonization or heavy strikes
• Do not neglect research -- Technologies significantly improve your troops' combat stats