Maceman

Offensive Melee

Solid and cheap early-game attack infantry you'll use fully in the early game—mainly on weak neighbors and Bandit camps without heavy ranged fire where melee defense sits. 38 Attack and 38 Close Defense are good for the start, but 6 Defense against Archers is its biggest weakness and you'll replace it with stronger units in later game. A good choice for new players on first raids, but experienced players will phase it out gradually for stronger infantry.

38Attack

38Melee defense

6Ranged defense

73Speed

2Food upkeep

The Footman with Mace is cheap early-game melee attack infantry from the Barracks (level 1), one of your first attack units. For 45 coins you get 38 Attack and the same Close Defense (38), so it's not useless in melee. The weakness is elsewhere: Defense against Archers is only 6, and that number decides where you can send it and where absolutely not. 2 food consumption and 73 speed make it a standard beginner infantry unit.

How to use it

In practice it's your workhorse for early raids. 38 Attack in the early game is enough to break basic neighbor defenses and mainly grind low-level Bandit camps where mostly melee defense sits. There losses come out reasonable and 45 coins per unit means you can recruit a decent force. Deploy it deliberately against targets where the defender bets on infantry and don't forget a Commander bonus to attack—even a few percent extra saves units in a larger army. Against anything built on Archers, leave it home.

What to combine it with

6 Defense against Archers is so low you never send it alone in attack. Pair it with units or tools that hold Defense against Archers so your Mace users don't fall to arrow salvos before they even reach melee. In a mixed attack army, position it next to siege tools that handle walls while Mace users carry the close fight. Next to a Spearman it's a clear upgrade in melee (38 vs. 26 in both Attack and Close Defense) for 15 extra coins, so once your economy can handle 45 coins per unit, shift your attack wave's weight from Spearmen to Mace users.

Weaknesses and what to avoid

Never send it against defense built on Archers—6 Defense against Archers is full of holes and arrows will cut it down before it strikes. Against player castles with towers full of Archers your losses will spike in one attack, so grab something else there. Don't cram it into your castle defense either—it's pure attack infantry and hold walls with defensive units, not a Footman with 6 ranged defense. And don't go back to it in later game: once you unlock stronger infantry, phase Mace users out gradually so you don't waste food (2 per unit adds up).

Related units

SpearmanVeteran macemanSwordsmanVeteran swordsmanTwo-handed swordsmanVeteran two-handed swordsman

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