The axe is one of the main tools of the game. When you start a game, one of your minions starts with an axe. Axes are melee tools used to get wood and in battles.
Axes are made with 0 - 5 wood, depending on the number of minions in your tribe. To give one to your minions, select it on the left, and then click any available minion to make them a lumberjack. The axe is a melee tool, so it can be paired with shields.
Mechanics[]
Lumberjack minions will automatically move to chop trees when they are in range of one. They will chop until the tree falls down (takes 3 hits), and then chop the fallen log to gain 1 wood (takes 3 hits), or 2 if you have the Saw Technology. The lumberjack will move onto the next tree while another minion in your party collects the wood. They also will attack enemy catapults in Castle Mode.
In battles, lumberjacks move to attack any opponent that isn't already engaged by another minions. Like in all fights, knight minions are attacked first and hunter minions are attacked last.
Tips and Tricks[]
Later in the game, wood is easy to get, so unless lumberjacks are part of your end-game strategy you may want to be mindful of opportunities of killing them off
That said, having a reliable and easy way to gather wood is immensely helpful because of the usefulness of wood in building campfires.