This is a summary of all available company abilities and the effect they have on the company type. For abilities that require a technology to be unlocked this requirement is hard coded into the game. This means that if you remove that specific technology code from the tech tree, the ability can´t be unlocked by research anymore.
Amphibious
This ability allows the company to enter sea and ocean sectors as long as it is within 3 sectors distance from a land sector. For an army to be able to use this ability all companies attached to it must have the ability. It cost 10 movement points to enter a sea/ocean sector.
- Pre-requisites: Not specified.
Archer
This ability gives a 25% bonus to the damage done in ranged attacks. If the company, in close attacks, has more than twice the strength as the target company the rear ranks in the company will fire with their bows and increase the damage done with 50%. Archers receive double damage from attacks in close combat. Archers always stay behind the battle line if possible.
- Target priority: Flying companies, Cavalry companies, Archer companies, other companies with ranged attack capability, all military companies and lastly civilian companies.
- Pre-requisites: AR01.
Beast handler
This is a special Greenskins ability. By training and using dogs and other aggressive animals how to attack and maim enemies the company receives +3 on the offensive combat value.
- Pre-requisites: BT01.
Cavalry (transportation mode)
This ability means that the company is a cavalry company. If a cavalry company also has the Tactics ability it has the ability to by-pass the enemy battle line if other companies has engaged all enemy battle line companies (similar to ability Skirmisher).
- Target priority: Archer companies, all non-Pike companies with ranged capacity, all non-pike footmen companies, civilian companies and lastly all other companies (incl. pike).
- Pre-requisites: RI01.
Cave runner
This is a special ability allowing companies to move faster in tunnelled corridors. For an army to be able to use this ability all companies attached to it must have the ability. The movement cost to enter tunnelled corridors is decreased with 10. Dwarves (excl. flying companies) automatically receive this ability.
Charge
This ability allows the company to do cavalry charges against enemy companies. The damage against footmen is doubled unless the combat is in a settlement with walls or the target company has ability Pike.
- Pre-requisites: RI03.
Cheap construction
By saving all possible costs when building the company it’s possible to save a good amount of gold. Companies with this ability only cost 50% of the standard build cost to construct but will take 3 times as long to complete.
Conquered settler
This ability is automatically given to all settlers your empire build with conquered races (so called labour squads). This gives them the ability to settle in already existing settlements, i.e companies with this ability can not be used to build new towns.
Corridors
This ability is special training to fight in tunnelled corridors. Companies with this ability will receive +30% to all their combat values when fighting in tunnelled corridors and -20% in ALL other terrains.
- Pre-requisites: SW01.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Open, Forested, Hills, Cavalry and Flying.
Deer rider
This is a special Elf ability. Footmen companies with this ability ride on trained deer’s increasing their movement regeneration with 3. Their initiative is also decreased with 10.
- Pre-requisites: SA01.
Demon
This ability indicates that this company consists of a single demon. The strength of this company is the number of damage the demon can take before it’s destroyed. Demons can never fail a morale check.
Discipline
Exceptional training and discipline decreases the risk of failing a morale check with 5% for companies with this ability.
- Pre-requisites: MD01.
Elephant
This is a special Human ability. Instead of horses, a cavalry company with this ability uses elephants as moving weapon platforms. Companies with this ability receive +5 to their offensive combat value, 1 additional hit point and +10 on their armour value. Movement regeneration decreases with 5.
- Pre-requisites: ET01.
Engineer
Companies with this ability have the capacity to build outposts and roads.
- Ende companies can never select this ability.
Fearless
Companies with this ability have extremely good morale and the risk of failing a morale check is decreased with 15%. Krant automatically receive this ability.
- Pre-requisites: MD03.
Fireball
This is a special ability used by dragons for their dragon breath. At the start of each combat round the dragons breath fire, similar to a mage fireball attack, on an enemy company.
Flying (transportation mode)
This ability means that the company is a flying company. If a flying company also has the Tactics ability it has the ability to by-pass the enemy battle line if other companies has engaged all enemy battle line companies (similar to ability Skirmisher).
- Target priority: Archer companies, all non-Pike companies with ranged capacity, all non-pike footmen companies, civilian companies and lastly all other companies (incl. pike).
- Pre-requisites: Not specified.
Footmen (transportation mode)
This ability means that the company is a footmen company.
Forested
This ability is special training to fight in forest terrains. Companies with this ability will receive +30% to all their combat values when fighting in forest terrains and -20% in ALL other terrains.
- Pre-requisites: HU02.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Open, Corridors and Hills.
Goblin warriors
This is a special Greenskins ability. Goblins are small and companies with this ability have 1 hit point less than normal. Wages for these companies are decreased with 40% and the time it takes to build the company is also decreased.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Engineer, Monk and Settler.
Heavy armour
Extra heavy armour gives companies with this ability +10 on the armour value. Movement regeneration is decreased with 2 for footmen companies, 3 for cavalry companies and 4 for flying companies.
- Pre-requisites: AM04.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Deer rider and Giant spider rider.
Hills
This ability is special training to fight in hills terrains. Companies with this ability will receive +30% to all their combat values when fighting in hills terrains and -20% in ALL other terrains.
- Pre-requisites: AH02.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Open, Corridors and Forested.
Moranth munitions
This is a special Human ability. Moranth munitions are dangerous explosives and give +10 on the ranged value.
- Pre-requisites: MM01.
Ogre
This is a special Greenskins ability. Ogres are the largest of the Greenskins. The offensive, defensive and armour values of companies with this ability increases with 10 and their hit points increase with 1. Their initiative is increased with 10 and their movement regeneration is decreased with 2.
- Pre-requisites: OW01.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Archer, Beast handler, Spider rider, Pike, Cavalry and Flying.
Open
This ability is special training to fight in open terrains. Companies with this ability will receive +30% to all their combat values when fighting in open terrains and -20% in ALL other terrains.
- Pre-requisites: FA02.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Hills, Corridors and Forested.
Pathfinder
This is a special ability allowing footmen to move faster in forested terrain types. For an army to be able to use this ability all companies attached to it must have the ability. The movement cost to enter forested terrain types is decreased with 5. Elves automatically receive this ability.
Pike
Companies with this ability receive 50% less damage when attacked by cavalry companies and it neutralises the Charge ability. When attacking a cavalry company the damage done is increased with +15%. This ability increases initiative with 10.
- Target priority: Military cavalry companies, military companies, civilian cavalry companies and lastly all remaining companies.
- Pre-requisites: SP01.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Cavalry and Flying. Dwarves can never select this ability.
Recruit
Why train your soldiers? Send out green recruits instead! Companies with this ability have a 5% higher risk of losing their morale checks. Their build time is decreased and their wages will also be less than standard.
Retarget
Attacking companies with this ability try to select a new target at the beginning of each combat round. This increases the chance that they will target a company which is weak against its abilities.
- Pre-requisites: MD01.
Saddle
A saddle gives the rider better stability allowing wearing heavier weapons and armour as well as ride faster. Cavalry and flying companies with this ability increases their movement regeneration with +5 and decreases their initiative with 10. If the pre-requisites for this technology have been researched it will be added automatically to all cavalry and flying companies.
- Pre-requisites: RI02.
Sapper
Sappers specialise in undermining enemy fortifications. Companies with this ability receive a +15% bonus to their damage when they attack settlements and outposts with defensive walls.
- Pre-requisites: SW01.
Scout
This ability increases the sight value of a company with 1. Companies with this ability can also construct watchtowers.
Siege
The siege ability indicates that the company have siege weapons. Using siege weapons when attacking settlements or outposts with walls will decrease or remove the bonus all defending companies receive. The movement regeneration for siege companies is decreased with 3.
- Pre-requisites: EN01.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Flying.
Settler
The settler ability means that this is a civilian company of the empires dominating race. Companies with this ability can settle new regions, i.e. build new towns, and increase the population in already existing settlements. This ability automatically decreases the offensive combat value to 0.
Spider rider
This is a special Greenskins ability. Footmen companies with this ability ride on trained giant spiders increasing their movement regeneration with 3. Their initiative is also decreased with 10.
- Pre-requisites: ST01.
Skirmish
Skirmishers fight with a less rigid formation and this gives them more mobility than regular companies. If at least one company has engaged each enemy company in their battle line a skirmisher will by-pass the enemy battle line and attack the companies standing behind. Receives 50% less damage from ranged attacks but do 25% less damage when attacking in close combat.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Archer, Pike, Cavalry, Flying.
- Combined with ability Tactics they will first target enemy companies with ability Archer, then other companies with ranged capacity and lastly other companies when they by-pass the enemy battle line.
- Pre-requisites: MO01.
Tactics
Attacking companies with this ability are trained to select a target company according to their priority list (example, cavalry companies with ability charge avoid pike companies if possible).
- Target priority if no other ability with a priority list has been selected: Recruits, Goblin warriors, Archer, military footmen companies, military cavalry/flying companies and lastly all remaining companies.
- Pre-requisites: MD01.
Undead
This ability indicates that the company consists of undead soldier like skeletons and zombies. Undead companies only receive half the normal damage from ranged attacks and they never fail a morale check.
Unliving
This is a special Ende ability. All Ende companies must have the Unliving ability, otherwise they are Greenskin servants. Unliving companies gain an automatic armour value of 40%. Unliving companies also use the Ende ability to catch dead souls on the battlefield. The technological progress of the Empire decides how good they are at this.
- This ability can not be combined with the following abilities: Archer, Cavalry, Flying, Engineer, Marine, or Pike.
Windrunner
This is a special Elf ability. This ability decreases the initiative with 10.
- Pre-requisites: RW01 for Footmen.
- Pre-requisites: RW02 for Cavalry.
- Pre-requisites: RW03 for Flying.