Age of Empires II’s Viking Sagas Details 6 Unit Options and 3 Campaign Heroes
Jomsvikings can torch buildings and ships, while Harald Hardrada, Halldor Snorrason, and Ulf Ospaksson lead the campaign-only hero roster.
The Viking Sagas will give Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition a roster built around torch-throwing raiders, axe-hurling cavalry, armored infantry, and fast naval attacks when the expansion launches on September 22, 2026. The Age of Empires team detailed the six unit types and three campaign-only heroes in its official unit deep dive.
The expansion will add the Danes, Saxons, and Varangians alongside the reworked Vikings. It will launch on September 22, 2026, giving each new civilization a distinct way to turn its elite forces into battlefield pressure.
Danes get a raider built for breaking defenses
The Danes’ signature Jomsviking is a powerful Castle unit armed with a spear and large shield. Its durability and bonus against cavalry make it a sturdy front line, but the unit becomes more interesting when it starts throwing torches at enemy buildings and ships.
That ability gives the Jomsviking a natural role alongside siege engines. Danish players can attack the army, burn the structures behind it, and recover part of the resources invested in destroyed buildings through the civilization’s looting bonus. It is a direct route from a successful raid to a stronger economy.
Varangian cavalry and Saxon infantry take different routes
The Varangians answer with the Jarl, an elite cavalry unit that throws axes at range. Heavy armor lets the Jarl withstand punishment, while its ranged attack and mobility allow it to strike enemy infantry before pulling away. The unit works best with protection from allied forces because several Varangian units remain vulnerable to infantry.
Saxon armies receive the Hearth Troop, a slow-moving and heavily armored Castle infantry unit. Each soldier opens an engagement by throwing a long-range javelin, then closes in for melee combat. That first volley gives the Saxons a way to soften ranged formations before their durable frontline reaches them.
Shared units widen the battlefield
The Varangian Guard is a swift shock infantry unit available from the Castle Age. It is trained at the Barracks by the Vikings, Byzantines, and all civilizations included in The Viking Sagas. Heavy axes give the unit high damage in close combat, and fighting generates gold, though the Guard is vulnerable to the Militia-line.
Longships bring the expansion’s naval option. Built at the Dock from the Castle Age, they are available to the Vikings and all civilizations in the expansion. Their multiple-arrow volleys support coastal raids and attacks against enemy ships, troops, and buildings.
Mounted Crossbowmen add mobile ranged damage from the Archery Range. They fire slower than Cavalry Archers but hit harder, and the Vikings, every civilization in The Viking Sagas, and most other European civilizations can train them. In the Imperial Age, the Cranequins technology adds range and anti-infantry damage.
Three heroes anchor the campaign
The campaign-exclusive heroes give Harald Hardrada’s story its central trio. Harald is an axe-throwing ranged hero whose Battle Horn temporarily raises the attack and armor of nearby units.
Halldor Snorrason fights with a two-handed Dane Axe. His Berserkergang ability temporarily increases his strength and trample damage while making him invulnerable, giving him a way to break through enemy formations. Ulf Ospaksson takes a more supportive role, using his Aura to improve conversion resistance and gold generation for nearby Varangian Guards.
Preorders are open on Steam, Microsoft Store, and Xbox with a 15% discount. The Viking Sagas will also become available through the PlayStation 5 store on September 22, 2026.
Which unit looks most useful for your first campaign or skirmish, the Jomsviking’s torch attacks, the Jarl’s mobile axes, or the longship’s naval volleys? Share your choice in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
