Units

Standard-bearer

The Standard-bearer is a support unit: not a significant fighter on its own, it is an item that strengthens the army beside it.

Raises morale recovery

A unit with an unrouted Standard-bearer adjacent to it gathers

more morale per turn; the contribution of several Standard-bearers adds up — it does not require a region, it works anywhere on the map as long as it is not adjacent to an enemy (Morale and rout). If a city in the same region carries a Hospital, the two sources add up.

A Standard-bearer travelling with an army that fights often shortens the wait between fights: the army enters its next clash at a higher morale.

Fights, but is weak

Its attack is 1, its defense 2 — the design wants this on purpose: the Standard-bearer stands inside the line, so it can attack and it projects a Zone of Control (Combat), but it is not the unit that holds the line. It is not an empty tile, but it is not a unit meant to carry a front either.

Cost and upkeep

Its cost is 5, its upkeep 1 — an item that does nothing on its own and gains value beside an army. Being more expensive than the Spearman sets the order "support comes after the front": build your line first, then add the Standard-bearer beside it.

When to build it

After your city quota (6) is full, while you have an army fighting regularly in the field. An opponent AI plays with a similar brake: while it has a support unit (Standard-bearer or Physician) in the field, it does not put a new one into production (The AI opponent). The brake only looks at units in the field, not at production queues; if two of its cities build a support unit at the same time, both can be seen in the field. Which one it picks depends on its personality.

The numbers on this page are read from the game’s balance tables.