The Italians have a flexible and accessible mercenary build, supported by a unique building that allows the training of mercenary units while also working as an economic structure for resource exchange. Mercenary shipments with the Italians are also somewhat accessible thanks to the considerable amount of Experience generated by the Basilica and, most importantly, by the Lombards through the Uffizi card in the Commerce Age (II), along with the constant resource exchanges carried out in this building.

Ufizzi: Delivers 1 Basilica Wagon; Basilica build limit +1. Lombards auto gather 0.25 XP for each invested resource (different resources do not stack auto gather rate). This card must be sent before any other military or economic card in the Commerce Age (II).
Updated 09/16/2025: In-depth analysis of Mercenary strategies.

This deck provides four mercenary shipments distributed across different ages to cover specific counters: infantry in the Commerce Age (II). Two other mercenary shipments in the Fortress Age (III) to counter shock infantry and heavy cavalry. In the Industrial Age (IV), there are two cost shipments: the Papal Company and the Savoyard Company, both are effective against everything. These can be used to deploy an overpop army in the late game. This deck includes the Trattoria card, which provides 3 Taverns for training mercenary units.

This deck also offers the opportunity to run an Outlaw build with the Theaters card.

Italian mercenary shipments are quite different from those of other civilizations. Each shipment are Army Companies, and they include either two unique mercenary units or a combination of a Papal unit and a mercenary. However, Mercenary shipments are considerably more expensive than those of other european civilizations. Company shipments from the Fortress Age (III) cost an additional 500 resource cost. On the other hand, the cost of available mercenary shipments is balanced across the three resources of the game, requiring: 500 500 and 500

This notably high cost can be compensated by the resource exchange mechanic in the Lombards, avoiding direct trade in the Market, which sometimes involves unfavorable exchange rates. At the same time, with the Uffizi card they can generate Experience to continue making economical shipments for training more mercenaries, or directly sending mercenary units.

With the Mercenary Loyalty card, the cost of Company shipments (Mercenaries) from the Fortress Age (III) are reduced to 375 375 and 375. And the cost of Company shipments from the Industrial Age (IV) are reduced to: 750 750 and 750.


Broken Lance Company 300 300 300
Ships 3 Papal Lancers and 1 Stradiot.

Albanian Company 500 500 500
Ships 4 Bosniaks and 4 Stradiots.

Black Company 500 500 500
Ships 5 Black Riders and 5 Armored Pistoleers.

Savoyard Company 1000 1000 1000
Ships 6 Royal Horsemen and 9 Armored Pistoleers.

Papal Company 1000 1000 1000
Ships 18 Papal Guards and 3 Papal Bombards.

Before starting a match with a Mercenary build, it is important to check the available mercenary units. It is necessary to have at least two balanced mercenary units among the options available at the Lombards. Ranged mercenary units are particularly strong and well-balanced for 1v1 matches. Some of these units include the Fusilier, Cannoneer, Askari, Jaeger and Highlander.

Mercenary skirmisher units such as the Cannoneer or the Jaeger compensate for the Italians’ lack of stronger anti–heavy infantry option in the mid game. This is due to the fact that they obtain the Bersagliere, their unique Skirmisher-type unit in the Industrial Age (IV).


In team matches, it is more feasible to use melee mercenary units than in 1v1 matches, if one of your allies will be focusing on training ranged units during the game or if you're focusing on counter an specific unit. Other great mercenary units include the Armored Pistoleer, Harquebusier, Black Rider and the Elmetto.


Like other European civilizations, the Italians can advance to the Imperial Age (V) with the Mercenary Contractor to improve the combat abilities and hitpoints of their mercenary units. In the Imperial Age (V) if the Advanced Politicians Home City Card was sent, Italians will also get two additional Royal Horsemen.

All mercenaries have their hit points and attack increased by 50%. Industrial Age (IV) mercenaries hit points and attack are increased by 35% instead.

For this build, the Mercenary Loyalty card is necessary to reduce the cost of mercenary companies. Italian mercenary shipments are 50% more expensive in the Fortress Age (III) compared to other civilizations. On the Industrial Age (IV) these shipments are also 50% more expensive compared with the large mercenary shipments of other civilizations, such as the Germans. For this reason, the Mercenary Loyalty card with the Italians is very useful in a Full mercenary unit build.

Mercenary Loyalty: Mercenary Shipments are cheaper.
-25% Cost -25% Cost -25% Cost
This card should be played before sending shipments for Mercenary Companies from Fortress Age (III).

Additionally, to increase the income of coins for training mercenaries through early shipments, there are two options: Trattoria card or the Capitalism card. Personally, I prefer the Trattoria card because it also indirectly provides experience points through the construction of taverns.

Trattoria: Sends 3 Tavern Wagons. Each Tavern collect 0.60 per second. With three taverns you get a passive coin income of 1.80 per second. Additionally, constructing each tavern generates 20 experience points, for a total of 60 Exp points, which in the long run would benefit the availability of future shipments.

For this build, the Italian architect will focus exclusively on constructing Lombards and mainly houses, since mercenary units require more population than regular military units. In the Commerce Age (II) inmediately training a second Architect will be important to quickly build more Houses.

In this strategy, you’ll need to advance to the Fortress Age (Age III) as fast as possible, ideally within the first 6 to 8 minutes of the game, focusing your economy on gathering only food or coin, depending on the politician you choose to advance age for the Commerce Age (II). If you selected The Governor, you should focus primarily on food and then send a shipment of 700 afterwards. If you chose The Philosopher Prince, you will focus less on gathering food and more on collecting around 300 to 350. After that, you should send the same 700 shipment.

To advance faster and gain greater rewards after aging up, you should send the Advanced Politicians card, either during the Exploration Age (I) or save it for when you advance to the Fortress Age, due to this card helps you age up faster, but only applies to your next age advancement.

The majority of Mercenary units become available starting in the Fortress Age, which makes it especially important to advance to this age as quickly as possible. Once in the Fortress Age, you need to start training your mercenary army, either through the Lombards or by sending Mercenary Company shipments.
As its name suggests, in this strategy your army will be composed of regular infantry or cavalry units and mercenary units from shipments and the Lombards. For this strategy, you can use a Semi-Fast Fortress approach, either by rushing with Hussars or by maintaining a small army of Pavisiers and Musketeers to protect your base against enemy raids.

For a Fast Fortress approach, you need to save up your resources to build your main army and to train mercenaries in the Fortress Age.
This strategy works in 1v1 matches and it requires you to be in the Commerce Age (II) and have at least one Lombard to train Outlaw units. Some of these units include the Highwayman, Crabat, Cossack Daredevil and Desert Raider. Outlaws may be used to harass enemy settlers, destroy Trading Posts, and perform hit-and-run attacks in the enemy base.


Subsequently, you can continue with a Semi Fast Fortress strategy, incorporating Italian infantry and cavalry units along with mercenary troops.