It is fitting that this week we turn from the Franks to the Teutons. The histories of France and Germany have been intertwined often this millenium, nearly as much as the histories of the French and the British were. If you were to draw a line each for the history of modern-day France and the history of Germany, you would find that they meet most closely at the Holy Roman Empire under Charlamagne. From this great European empire, two nations were spawned that would later grow into France and Germany. However, both nations grew in very different directions. In Age of Empires II, the designers likewise took the opportunity to make these two civilizations different. Although related by history, they are two opposite civilizations. Whereas the Franks are a powerful attacking civilization with fast and heavy cavalry shock troops, the Teutons are a slow and defensive civ that takes a while to muster up a huge offensive punch.

The Teutons are a defensive power with a slow but crushing infantry.

The Teutons in Age II are among the sturdiest civilizations in the game. They have good early game bonuses to keep them healthy and productive at an early age, and excellent defensive bonuses to make them nearly invincible to early rushes and quick attacks. An opponent really has to mount a sustained offensive to crack a Teuton player's defenses. However, the Teutons aren't purely a defensive power. They also have some nice attacks in their repertoire.

The Teutonic wonder.

In this installment, we'll take a close look at the Teutons' bonuses, unique unit, strengths, and weaknesses. We'll also showcase the trade ship and the blacksmith, two non-unit producing buildings that contribute volumes to the gameplay in Age II.

As always, if you want to skip our very abbreviated historical look at the Teutons, skip ahead to the gameplay section. Otherwise, read on.

Next: A little history