The Blacksmith is indeed a very important building for your combat units. It allows the research of technologies that equip your soldiers with arms and armor. Naturally, it's available to everyone, as is the first row of technologies. Your siege engineers cannot operate without one of these; they enable Siege Workshops to be built.
Building Statistics[]
Vital[]
Available to: All
Century: 13th
Cost: 150 Wood
Combat[]
HP: 1500
Armor/Pierce Armor: 0/7
Special: Improves military units' attack, range, and armor stats.
Building Technologies[]
13th Century[]
Forging--Melee units +1 attack
Fletching--Ranged units, towers, castles, Kogges +1 attack, +1 range
Scale Armor--Infantry +1/1 armor
Scale Barding Armor--Cavalry +1/1 armor
Padded Archer Armor--Ranged units +1/1 armor
14th Century[]
Iron Casting--Melee units +1 attack
Bodkin Arrow--Ranged units, towers, castles, Kogges +1 attack, +1 range
Mail Armor--Infantry +1/1 armor
Mail Barding Armor--Cavalry +1/1 armor
Leather Archer Armor--Ranged units +1/1 armor
Pavises--Archer Line (Archer, Crossbowman, Arbalester) +0/5 armor, but 10% slower and cost increased
15th Century[]
Blast Furnace--Melee units +2 attack
Bracer--Ranged units, towers, castles, Kogges +1 attack, +1 range
Plate Armor--Infantry +1/2 armor
Plate Barding Armor--Cavalry +1/2 armor
Ring Archer Armor--Archers +1/2 armor