Skirmisher (Age of Empires II)

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

Tactics
This ranged 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 most 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. The skirmisher is a good cost effective way to deal with Cavalry Archers due to the fact that they are the only non-unique archer unit to deal bonus damage to them (the other being Genoese Crossbowman).

As Skirmishers cost no gold they are considered Trash Units and as such they become specially important in the late game when gold becomes scarce and players have to rely on wood and food economy. Skirmishers and their elite counterparts are the only trash units that have range.

Although skirmishers deal bonus damage against the spearmen line, their minimum range can be exploited by them. In small numbers, spearmen can defeat skirmishers but in large groups skirmishers will win.

Civilizations bonuses

 * Celts herdables cannot be stolen within an Skirmisher's Line of Sight.
 * Spanish Blacksmith upgrades for Skirmishers don't cost gold.
 * Aztecs Skirmishers are created 15% faster.
 * Chinese Technologies that benefit Skirmishers are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
 * Byzantines Skirmishers costs -25%.

Team Bonuses

 * A team containing Britons: produces Skirmishers and researches their Elite upgrade and Thumb Ring 20% faster.
 * A team containing Teutons: Skirmishers are more resistant to conversion.
 * A team containing Saracens: Skirmishers +2 attack vs buildings.
 * A team containing Magyars: Skirmishers have +2 LOS.

The Conquerors Changes
Skirmishers gain 3 damage against Spearmen.

History
"Many armies of the Middle Ages used lightly armored skirmishers in support of the main fighting force of armored fighting men. They could be difficult to control and of little value on the battlefield, but some armies used them effectively. Skirmishers were deployed in front of the main battle line and engaged the enemy with bows, slings, and javelins. The intent was to disrupt the enemy force and cause casualties before the main battle lines clashed. The skirmishers would retire to the side of the main battle and harass the enemy as practical. They could also be useful in pursuit of a beaten enemy because they could move more quickly than men wearing armor. If caught in battle against men-at-arms, however, they could not stand and routed quickly."

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, harassing fleeing armies and capturing loot.