Experience separates old units from new units, and is accumulated through a variety of combat related actions. Upon reaching certain thresholds, an additional experience star will be displayed in the unit's stats page. A unit may obtain up to 5 stars, though the amount of experience points required for each star increases progressively.

Each star of experience improves a unit's Attack Skill, Defence Skill, Precision, Morale, and Research ability by 1. Additionally, reaching 3, 4 and 5 stars have additional benefits, outlined in the table above.

Leaders also gain additional regular Leadership with experience stars. The amount gained depends on the size of the leader's initial leadership value:

A variety of methods exist by which units may gain experience¹⁾:

• Any non-Mindless unit will gain 1 xp each turn that they're alive.
• Entering appropriate sites (commander and troops under command) will gain extra xp per turn, but the amount depends on site in question.
• Experience granting items give the appropriate amount each turn (on top of survival and being in certain sites), but NOT to Animals or Mindless units.
• Wishing for experience grants 500 xp.
• Winning the Arena gives 100 xp.
• Adventure Sites grant 20 xp per attempted entry.
• Mummification adds together the experience values of the two parts of the mummy bundle.
• Attacking in melee grants 1 xp. This is added only once for each attack "flurry", not for each weapon or individual attack made.
• Each square Trampled grants 1 xp.
• Events can alter experience.
• Certain shapechanging will remove xp when changing shape, such as mounts losing their riders.
• Units that retreated in battle gain 1 xp.
• Units that didn't retreat instead get 4 xp.