Conquistador (Age of Empires II)

"Spanish unique unit. Mounted Hand Cannoneer. Powerful close attack, but inaccurate at range."

- Age of Empires II description

The Conquistador is the unique unit of the Spanish in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors. It is a mounted gunpowder unit with high armor.

Conquistadors can be upgraded to Elite Conquistadors in the Imperial Age.

Tactics
Conquistadors are ranged cavalry with a high attack strength and are essentially a mounted form of the Hand Cannoneer, although play similarly to the Cavalry Archer and should be treated as such. Conquistadors have the advantage in mobility and durability over Hand Cannoneers. Although they are the shortest ranged gunpowder unit and unlike Cavalry Archers do not benefit from range increases, their increased mobility makes them far more formidable and very heavy hitting. Conquistadors shine when using hit-and-run tactics, their short range and relative mobility often force them into this position when being chased down by infantry or cavalry. In groups they can release a devastating volley that will severely damage enemy formations. They are frequently included in formations of Knights, who can soak up damage from ranged units and kill enemy Monks. Conquistadors in turn provide great damage output to soften up the enemy before the Knights get in close. Enemy cavalry are a large threat to Conquistadors. Siege weapons can also devastate a formation of Conquistadors so they should never stay still for too long in battle. Halberdiers can also hurt Conquistadors badly, provided they can catch them. They can also be countered with groups of Eagle Warriors. Due to their attack bonus, Conquistadors do a nice job defending Castles with their attack bonus against Rams, especially in the Castle Age.

Civilization Bonuses

 * Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Conquistadors don't cost gold.

Team Bonuses

 * A team containing Berbers: With Kasbah researched, Conquistadors are created and upgraded 25% faster, and Conscription is researched 25% faster.
 * A team containing Huns: Researching Bloodlines and Husbandry is 20% faster.
 * A team containing Teutons: Conquistadors are more resistant to conversion.
 * A team containing Turks: Conquistadors are created 20% faster.

History
''Spanish adventurers who set off to conquer the New World became known as Conquistadors. These men were an assortment of disposed sons of the nobility and soldiers of fortune looking for adventure and loot. Most were soldiers without employment. They arrived in the New World with a great technical advantage in weapons over the natives who could not stand up to steel swords, firearms, and mounted lancers. The horse was particularly terrifying to the first natives who encountered it. Mounted men were thought to be some sort of new creature, half man and half four-legged beast. Thanks to the spread of European diseases before them and advantageous use of native allies on occasion, ridiculously small armies of Conquistadors conquered with relative ease the two great American civilizations, the Aztecs and the Incas.''

''Within the ranks of the European adventurers who invaded the New World there were soldiers of superior ability and determination who became the Elite Conquistadors. These were the men who lead the charges against seemingly insurmountable odds and triumphed due to their superior weapons and grim resolve.''