Scout (Age of Empires)

The Scout represents an early fast exploration unit. It has minimal offensive capabilities and little armour although it is fast enough to escape combat taking little damage. It's sight range is very large making it most effective as a border patrol unit rather than direct assault. It can also at a pinch be used as a sneak attack unit, utilising its speed to get in, deal damage and escape before reinforcements arrive, although with its little armour it is very vulnerable to enemy fire, especially ranged attacks. It can be trained from the Stable. The range of this particular unit can be upgraded once a certain age is fully rsearched.

Upgrades

 * Nobility increases HP by 15%
 * Toolworking increases attack by 2
 * Metalworking further increases attack by 2
 * Metallurgy increases attack by 3
 * Leather Armour for cavalry increases armour by 2
 * Scale Armour for cavalry increases armour by 2
 * Chain Mail for cavalry increases armour by 2

History
An important innovation in military tactics was the provision of skirmish, or light, troops that scouted ahead of the main body when an army was on the move. While it was important to form solid, disciplined ranks of spearmen or other infantry for the shock of hand-to-hand combat, these dense formations were vulnerable to surprise. It was the function of scouts to keep the army commander informed of the tactical situation and locate enemies so the main body was brought into combat at the right place and time. At the Battle of Kadesh in 1275 BC, Ramesses II of Egypt did not investigate reports that the Hittite army was far to the north. Instead he advanced one of his four divisions across the Orontes River and was attacked while his second was still crossing. Ramesses managed to win the battle, but the lack of proper scouting put his army in jeopardy.

Related Articles

 * Scout Cavalry
 * Kataskopos