Units are always an important part of a Civilization game. In Civilization 4, instead of having separate attack and defense ratings, the units now have only one strength rating. Instead of having only a few experience levels (ex. Conscript, Regular, Veteran, Elite), now there is a new RPG-style promotions system that allows you to customize your units to make them more unique and more powerful as they gain experience. There are more than 40 promotions in Civ4. Another important change is that lots of units now have bonuses when attacking other unit types, encouraging players to have a diversified military. For example, Axemen have a 50% attack bonus when attacking melee units, and Spearmen receive a 100% bonus when attacking mounted units. These changes make combat much more interesting.
Tip: To print out a hard copy of the units table, we recommend using landscape mode.
Legend:
Str. = Strength
Move = Movement or Range
Cost = Hammer Cost (for Normal game speed)
NOTE: Information in this section is correct as of Beyond the Sword, version 3.17.
Icon | Unit | Str. | Move | Cost | Requires | Upgrades to | Abilities |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Airship Air Unit |
4 | 8 | 80 | Physics | Fighter | Can see submarines Maximum of 20% damage to enemy |
|
Anti-Tank Gunpowder Unit |
14 | 1 | 120 | Artillery | Mechanized Infantry |
Starts with Ambush |
|
Archer Archery Unit |
3 | 1 | 25 | Archery | Longbowman Crossbowman |
1 first strike +50% city defense +25% hills defense |
|
Artillery Siege Weapon |
18 | 1 | 150 | Artillery | Mobile Artillery |
Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
|
Attack Submarine Naval Unit |
30 | 7 | 180 | Rocketry Radio Combustion Uranium |
– | +50% vs. Submarines Cargo Space: 1 (can carry scout, explorer, missionary, spy, or great people) Can explore rival territory w/o triggering war Invisible for most units Can see submarines Can move through impassible terrain |
|
Axeman Melee Unit |
5 | 1 | 35 | Bronze Working Copper or Iron |
Maceman | +50% vs. Melee Units | |
Ballista Elephant Mounted Unit |
8 | 1 | 60 | Construction Horseback Riding Ivory |
– | Unique unit for Khmer; Replaces War Elephant +50% vs. Mounted units Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses Targets Mounted units first in combat outside cities |
|
Battleship Naval Unit |
40 | 6 | 225 | Industrialism Oil or Uranium |
– | Causes collateral damage Can bombard city defenses (-20%/turn) |
|
Berserker Melee Unit |
8 | 1 | 70 | Civil Service Machinery Copper or Iron |
Rifleman | Unique unit for Vikings; Replaces Macemen +10% city attack Starts with Amphibious +50% vs. Melee Units |
|
Bomber Air Unit |
16 | 8 | 140 | Radio Flight Oil |
Stealth Bomber | Causes collateral damage -50% vs. Naval Units Can destroy tile improvements and bomb city defenses (-16%/turn) |
|
Bowman Archery Unit |
3 | 1 | 25 | Archery | Longbowman | Unique unit for Babylonia; Replaces Archer +50% vs. Melee Units 1 first strike +50% city defense +25% hills defense |
|
Camel Archer Mounted Unit |
10 | 2 | 90 | Guilds Horseback Riding Archery |
Cuiraseer | Unique unit for Arabia; Replaces Knight Immune to first strikes Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses Can withdraw from combat (15% chance) Flank attack versus Catapults and Trebuchets |
|
Cannon Siege Weapon |
12 | 1 | 100 | Steel Iron |
Artillery |
Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
|
Caravel Naval Unit |
3 | 3 | 60 | Optics | Frigate Submarine |
Cargo Space: 1 (can carry scout, explorer, missionary, spy, or great people) Can explore rival territory w/o triggering war |
|
Carrack Naval Unit |
3 | 3 | 60 | Optics | Frigate Submarine |
Unique unit for Portugal; Replaces Caravel Cargo Space: 2 Can explore rival territory w/o triggering war |
|
Carrier Naval Unit |
16 | 5 | 175 | Flight Oil or Uranium |
– | Cargo Space: 3 (carries fighters) | |
Cataphract Mounted Units |
12 | 2 | 90 | Guilds
Archery |
Cuirassier | Unique unit for Byzantium; Replaces Knight Can flank attack catapults and trebuchets Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
|
Catapult Siege Weapon |
5 | 1 | 50 | Construction | Cannon |
Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
|
Cavalry Mounted Unit |
15 | 2 | 120 | Military Tradition Rifling Horseback Riding Horse |
Gunship |
Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
|
Chariot Mounted Unit |
4 | 2 | 30 | The Wheel Horse |
Horse Archer Knight |
Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
|
Cho-Ko-Nu Archery Unit |
6 | 1 | 60 | Machinery Archery Iron |
Rifleman Grenadier |
Unique unit for China; Replaces Crossbowman 2 first strikes Causes collateral damage +50% vs. Melee Units |
|
Conquistador Mounted Units |
12 | 2 | 100 |
Gunpowder |
Cavalry |
Unique unit for Spain; Replaces Cuirassier |
|
Cossack Mounted Units |
15 | 2 | 120 | Military Tradition Rifling Horseback Riding Horse |
Gunship |
Unique unit for Russia; Replaces Cavalry |
|
Crossbowman Archery Units |
6 | 1 | 60 | Machinery Archery Iron |
Rifleman Grenadier |
1 first strike +50% vs. Melee Units |
|
Cuirassier |
12 | 2 | 100 |
Gunpowder |
Cavalry |
Immune to first strikes |
|
Destroyer Naval Units |
30 | 8 | 200 | Combustion Oil or Uranium |
– | Can see submarines Can intercept aircraft (30% chance) Can bombard city defenses (-16%/turn) |
|
Dog Soldier |
4 | 1 | 35 | Bronze Working | Maceman |
Unique unit for Native America; Replaces Axeman |
|
East Indiaman |
6 | 4 | 80 | Astronomy | Transport |
Unique unit for the Netherlands; Replaces Galleon |
|
|
Executive |
0 | 2 | 100 |
Corporations: |
– | These corporate executives spread their respective corporations to your cities in the same way that missionaries spread religion. Each corporation provides unique bonuses, such as additional food or hammers per turn. |
Explorer Recon Units |
4 | 2 | 40 | Compass | – | Better results from tribal village Can only defend Ignores terrain movement cost Starts with Guerilla I, Woodsman I |
|
Fast Worker | 0 | 3 | 60 | – | – | Unique unit for India; Replaces Worker Can improve tiles |
|
Fighter Air Units |
12 | 6 | 100 | Flight Oil |
Jet Fighter | Can intercept aircraft (100% chance) Can destroy tile improvements and bomb city defenses (-8%/turn) |
|
Frigate Naval Units |
8 | 4 | 90 | Chemistry Astronomy Iron |
Destroyer | Can bombard city defenses (-8%/turn), ignoring Walls and Castles | |
Galleon Naval Units |
4 | 4 | 80 | Astronomy | Transport | Cargo Space: 3 | |
Galley Naval Units |
2 | 2 | 50 | Sailing | Galleon | Cargo Space: 2 Cannot enter ocean |
|
Gallic Warrior |
6 | 1 | 40 |
Iron Working |
Maceman |
Unique unit for Celtia; Replaces Swordsman |
|
Great Artist | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Can start a Golden Age |
|
Great Engineer | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Can start a Golden Age |
|
Great General | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Can give 20 XP total to units on the same tile, joining one as a Warlord and offering unique promotions |
|
Great Merchant | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Can start a Golden Age |
|
Great Prophet | 0 | 2 | – | – | – | Can start a Golden Age Can discover a technology Can join city as Great Prophet Can construct religion shrine in holy city |
|
Great Scientist | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Can start a Golden Age |
|
Great Spy | 0 | 2 | – | – | – |
Can start a Golden Age |
|
Grenadier Gunpowder Units |
12 | 1 | 100 | Military Science | Infantry Machine Gun |
+50% attack vs. Rifleman | |
Guided Missile | 40 | 4 | 60 |
Radio |
– |
Can evade interception (100% chance) |
|
Gunship Helicopter Unit |
24 | 4 | 160 | Rocketry Flight Oil |
– |
Cannot capture enemy cities |
|
Holkan Melee Units |
4 | 1 | 35 |
Bronze Working |
Pikeman |
Unique unit for Mayans; Replaces Spearman |
|
Horse Archer Mounted Units |
6 | 2 | 50 | Horseback Riding Archery Horse |
Knight | Immune to first strike Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses +50% vs. Catapult |
|
Hwacha Siege Units |
5 | 1 | 50 | Construction | Cannon |
Unique unit for Korea; Replaces Catapult |
|
ICBM | 0 | 1 | 500 | Rocketry Fission Uranium |
 | Can nuke enemy lands Requires The Manhattan Project |
|
Immortal Mounted Units |
4 | 2 | 30 | The Wheel Horse |
Horse Archer Knight |
Unique unit for Persia; Replaces Chariot |
|
Impi Melee Units |
4 | 2 | 35 |
Hunting |
Pikeman |
Unique unit for Zulus; Replaces Spearman |
|
Infantry Gunpowder Units |
20 | 1 | 140 | Assembly Line Rifling |
SAM Infantry Mechanized Infantry |
+25% vs. Gunpowder Units | |
Ironclad Naval Units |
12 | 2 | 100 | Steel Steam Power Iron and Coal |
Destroyer | Cannot enter ocean Can bombard city defenses (-12%/turn) |
|
Jaguar Melee Units |
5 | 1 | 35 | Iron Working | Maceman | Unique unit for Aztec; Replaces Swordsman +10% city attack Starts with Woodsman I |
|
Janissary Gunpowder Units |
9 | 1 | 80 | Gunpowder | Rifleman |
Unique unit for Ottomans; Replaces Musketman |
|
Jet Fighter Air Units |
24 | 10 | 150 | Composites Flight Oil or Aluminum |
– | Can intercept aircraft (100% chance) Can destroy tile improvements and bomb city defenses (-12%/turn) |
|
Keshik Mounted Units |
6 | 2 | 50 | Horseback Riding Archery Horse |
Knight |
Unique unit for Mongolia; Replaces Horse Archer |
|
Knight Mounted Units |
10 | 2 | 90 | Guilds Archery Horseback Riding Horse and Iron |
Cuiraseer |
Immune to first strikes |
|
Landsknecht Melee Units |
6 | 1 | 60 |
Engineering |
Rifleman Grenadier |
Unique unit for Holy Roman Empire; Replaces Pikeman |
|
Longbowman Archery Units |
6 | 1 | 50 | Feudalism Archery |
Rifleman | 1 First Strike +25% city defense +25% hills defense |
|
Maceman Melee Units |
8 | 1 | 70 | Civil Service Machinery Copper or Iron |
Rifleman Grenadier |
+50% vs. Melee Units | |
Machine Gun Siege Weapons |
18 | 1 | 125 | Railroad | SAM Infantry |
Can only defend |
|
Marine Gunpowder Units |
24 | 1 | 160 | Industrialism Rifling |
– | +50% attack vs. Machine Gun +50% attack vs. Artillery Starts with Amphibious promotion |
|
Mechanized Infantry Gunpowder Units |
32 | 2 | 200 | Robotics Rifling |
– | Starts with March promotion | |
Missile Cruiser Naval Units |
40 | 7 | 260 |
Robotics |
– |
Cargo space: 4 (Missiles) |
|
|
Missionary |
0 | 2 | 40 | Religions & Monasteries: Buddhism Christianity Confucianism Hinduism Islam Judaism Taoism |
– |
Each religion in the game has a missionary unit that you can build to spread the religion to your own cities or other’s Civ’s cities. Like the religions, they are all identical. You can have three of them per religion on the map at one time. |
Mobile Artillery Siege Units |
26 | 2 | 200 |
Laser |
– |
+50% vs. Siege Units |
|
Mobile SAM Gunpowder Units |
22 | 2 | 220 |
Laser Oil |
– |
Can intercept aircraft (50% chance) |
|
Modern Armor Armored Units |
40 | 2 | 240 | Composites Computers Oil and Aluminum |
– | 1 First Strike Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses Starts with Blitz |
|
Musketeer Gunpowder Units |
9 | 2 | 80 | Gunpowder | Rifleman | Unique unit for France; Replaces Musketman | |
Musketman Gunpowder Units |
9 | 1 | 80 | Gunpowder | Rifleman | – | |
Navy SEAL Gunpowder Units |
24 | 1 | 160 | Industrialism Rifling |
– | Unique unit for America; Replaces Marine
1-2 First Strikes Starts with Amphibious and March promotion |
|
Numidian Cavalry |
5 | 2 | 50 |
Archery |
Knight |
Unique unit for Carthage; Replaces Horse Archer |
|
Oromo Warrior |
9 | 1 | 80 | Gunpowder | Rifleman |
Unique unit for Ethiopia; Replaces Musketman |
|
Panzer Armored Units |
28 | 2 | 180 | Industrialism Rifling Oil |
Modern Armor | Unique unit for Germany; Replaces Tank Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses +50% vs. armored units Starts with Blitz |
|
Paratrooper |
24 | 1 | 160 |
Fascism |
– |
Can evade interception (25% chance) |
|
Phalanx Melee Units |
5 | 1 | 35 |
Bronze Working |
Pikeman | Unique unit for Greece; Replaces Spearman (Standard Civ4 and Warlords) / Axeman (Beyond the Sword) +50% vs. Melee Units +100% defense vs. Chariot |
|
Pikeman Melee Units |
6 | 1 | 60 | Engineering Iron |
Rifleman Grenadier |
+100% vs. mounted units | |
Praetorian Melee Units |
8 | 1 | 45 | Iron Working Iron |
Maceman | Unique unit for Rome; Replaces Swordsman | |
Privateer |
6 | 4 | 80 |
Chemistry |
Destroyer |
Hidden nationality |
|
Quechua Melee Units |
2 | 1 | 15 | – | Axeman
Spearman |
Unique unit for Inca; Replaces Warrior +25% City Defense +100% vs. Archery Units |
|
Redcoat Gunpowder Units |
14 | 1 | 110 | Rifling | Infantry | Unique unit for England; Replaces Rifleman +25% vs. Mounted Units +25% vs. Gunpowder Units |
|
Rifleman Gunpowder Units |
14 | 1 | 110 | Rifling | Infantry | +25% vs. Mounted Units | |
SAM Infantry Gunpowder Units |
18 | 1 | 150 | Rocketry | – | Can intercept aircraft (40% chance)
+75% vs. helicopter units |
|
Samurai Melee Units |
8 | 1 | 70 | Civil Service Machinery Iron |
Rifleman Grenadier |
Unique unit for Japan; Replaces Maceman 2 First Strikes +50% vs. melee units |
|
Scout Recon Units |
1 | 2 | 15 | Hunting | Explorer | Better results from tribal villages Can only defend +100% vs animals |
|
Settler | 0 | 2 | 100 | – | – |
Can found a new city |
|
Ship of the Line |
8 | 3 | 120 |
Astronomy |
Destroyer |
+50% vs. Frigate |
|
Skirmisher Archery Units |
4 | 1 | 25 | Archery | Longbowman Crossbowman |
Unique unit for Mali; Replaces Archer 1-2 First Strikes +50% city defense +25% hills defense |
|
Spearman Melee Units |
4 | 1 | 35 | Hunting Copper or Iron |
Pikeman | +100% vs. mounted units | |
Spy Recon Units |
0 | 1 | 40 | Alphabet | – |
Invisible to all units |
|
Stealth Bomber Air Units |
20 | 12 | 200 | Stealth Robotics Oil & Aluminum |
– | Can evade interception (50% chance) Causes collateral damage -50% vs. water units Can destroy tile improvements and bomb city defenses (-20% turn) |
|
Stealth Destroyer |
30 | 8 | 250 |
Stealth |
– |
Invisible to most units |
|
Submarine Naval Units |
24 | 6 | 150 | Radio Oil or Uranium |
– |
Cargo Space: 3 (Missiles) |
|
Swordsman Melee Units |
6 | 1 | 40 | Iron Working Iron |
Maceman | +10% City Attack | |
Tactical Nuke Missile |
0 | 4 | 250 |
Fission |
– |
Requires the Manhattan Project to be built |
|
Tank Armored Units |
28 | 2 | 180 | Industrialism Rifling Oil |
Modern Armor | Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses Starts with Blitz |
|
Transport Naval Units |
16 | 5 | 125 | Combustion Oil or Uranium |
– | Cargo Space: 4 | |
Trebuchet |
4 | 1 | 80 | Engineering | Cannon |
+100% city attack |
|
Trireme |
2 | 2 | 50 |
Metal Casting |
Caravel |
+50% vs. Galleys |
|
Vulture |
6 | 1 | 35 |
Bronze Working |
Maceman |
Unique unit for Sumeria; Replaces Axeman |
|
War Chariot Mounted Units |
5 | 2 | 30 | The Wheel Horse |
Horse Archer Knight |
Unique unit for Egypt; Replaces Chariot |
|
War Elephant Mounted Units |
8 | 1 | 60 | Construction Horseback Riding Ivory |
Cuirassier | Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses +50% vs. mounted units |
|
Warrior Melee Units |
2 | 1 | 15 | – | Axeman Spearman |
+25% city defense | |
Work Boat | 0 | 2 | 30 | Fishing | – | Cannot enter ocean until Astronomy Can create fishing boats, whaling boats, and offshore platform |
|
Worker | 0 | 2 | 60 | – | – |
Can improve tiles +25% construction speed for Expansive leaders |
Wild Animals:
Civilization IV has wandering wild animals on the map. In the early game, they pose a threat to your scouts, workers, and settlers. Be sure to escort your settlers unless you are willing to take the risk! Note that these wild animals cannot enter a Civ’s cultural borders.
Icon | Unit | Str. | Move | Abilities |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bear | 3 | 1 | Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses | |
Lion | 2 | 1 | Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses | |
Panther | 2 | 2 | Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses | |
Wolf | 1 | 2 | Doesn’t receive defensive bonuses |
Related Links:
- Civ4 Unit Promotions Table
- More info about units is available in the Civilization IV Info Center.