Skirmisher (Age of Empires II)

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The Skirmisher is an anti-archer ranged Unit available in the Archery Range in the Feudal Age. Skirmishers are similar to the Slinger in Age of Empires.

Overview
This ranged Infantry unit is very weak to everything except Archer and Hand Cannoneers. With a weak and slow attack, as well as a minimum range, they have little effect on Infantry and Cavalry. However, their bonus against archers can make them valuable against an Archer using opponent, especially if the player's civilization's bonuses are to infantry or Heavy Cavalry.

Unless they are created to retaliate against enemy archers, skirmishers make poor ranged support. Thus, training skirmishers should be avoided unless opponents are going heavy on archer units.

Upgrades
Skirmishers can be upgraded to Elite Skirmishers.

Historical Information
Skirmishers were Infantry or even Cavalry soldiers who were used ahead or alongside a much larger body of friendly troops and were put in a skirmish line to harass the enemy or to protect their own troops from similar attacks by the enemy. They were usually lightly armored so they could move around the battlefield quickly and usually had longer ranged firearms. In earlier battles, skirmishers were often the rabble that was thrown into the battlefield at the start of a battle before being overrun by the cavalry of both sides. As warfare evolved, however, skirmishers became a valuable commodity, harrassing fleeing armies and capturing loot.