Parthian Tactics

Parthian Tactics is a technology in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors. Researched at the archery range, it improves defensive training for cavalry archers, increasing their armor by 1/2p and giving them an attack bonus against pikemen. Note that it also applies to the Mongols special unit, the Mangudai.

Real Info
Parthia was an ancient ancestor of the Persians that existed to the east of the Roman Empire in its earlier stages. Parthia was famed for its mobile cavalry archers, not least of which the skill of firing a shot at pursuers during a retreat. The icon for Parthian Tactics is that of a cavalry archer firing backwards, a reference to this. In modern English, the phrase "Parting Shot" (in the context of ending a conversation) came from Parthia and its battle-tactics.

Trivia

 * It is ironic that Parthian Tactics would be relevant or researchable in Age of Empires II, since Age of Empires II takes place in the Middle Ages, centuries after Parthia had ceased to exist.