Area of Effect

The Area of Effect, often abbreviated to AoE is a gameplay element in the Age of Empires series and other strategy games.

Overview
The area of effect determines the area that a attack will hit and damage. units who deal attacks with a high area of effect can especially be used well against massed units, because it can hit multiple targets at once. The area of effect also affects trees, damaging or destroying them.

Risk
In Age of Empires and in Age of Empires II area of effect damage can damage your own and your allies units as well, so in those games they should not be combined with melee units and too close ranged units, as they would kill your own units as well.

Trample Damage
Certain cavalry units deal AoE damage, only damaging enemy units. In Age of Empires III some cavalry units always use trample mode, with others it is optional.

Siege Weapons
Certain siege weapons deal AoE damage, some damage own units, others do not.

Dangerous units for your own units are marked with a *

Age of Empires

 * Stone Thrower-Catapult-Heavy Catapult*


 * Catapult Trireme-Juggernaut*

Age of Empires II

 * Mangonel-Onager-Siege Onager*


 * Petard (Technically Infantry)


 * Battering Ram-Capped Ram-Siege Ram*


 * Bombard Cannon*

Age of Mythology

 * Catapult


 * Petrobolos

Artillery
Artillery in Age of Empires III does not damage own units. It usually has a AoE of 1 to 4

Melee Infantry
Certain melee infantry in Age of Empires does AoE damage as well


 * Doppelsoldner


 * Samurai


 * Skull Knight


 * Aztec War Chief with Smoking Mirror card

Miscellaneous

 * Flamethrower