Fire Ship (Age of Empires II)

In Age of Empires II, the fire ship is a small ship with a "flamethrower" mounted in the bow. It has an attack bonus against other ships. it must come in very close to enemy ships in order to attack. It upgrades to Fast Fire Ship. Fire ships are good counters to most ships and deal damage quickly. They may even be employed in shallows against ground troops to good effect. However demolition ships are perfect counters to fast fire ships due to the close proximity with which a fire ship has to attack. Korean Turtle Ships are also threats to Fire Ships and even Viking Longboats can be a threat. Fire Ships have a very rapid attack speed but a low attack per "flame".

The Fire Ship is available to all civilizations except for the Vikings.

Civilization Bonuses

 * A team containing Teutons: Fire Ships are more resistant to conversion.
 * Persians: Fire Ships are created 10%/15%/20% faster in Feudal/ Castle / Imperial age.
 * Celtish herdables cannot be stolen within a Fire Ship's Line of Sight.
 * Chinese: Technologies that benefits Fire Ships are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in Feudal/Castle/Imperial age.
 * Aztecs: Fire Ships are created 15% faster.
 * Vikings: Fire Ships cost -20%.
 * Byzantines Fire Ships have a 20% faster firing rate.

Changes in The Forgotten expansion

 * Fire Ships +20 HP
 * Italians: Dock technologies and upgrades that benefits Fire Ships are 50% cheaper.
 * Byzantines: Castle age unique tech Greek Fire gives to Fire Ships +1 range

History
''The Byzantines alone in the West carried forward the ancient traditions of ship building into the Middle Ages. Their improvement over the trireme was the fire ship, a narrow and fast warship powered by both oars and lateen sails. The fighting power of these ships was provided partly by marines, archers, and catapults, but the secret weapon of the Byzantine navy was Greek fire. This extremely volatile mixture was squirted out of hoses from the bow of the fire ship and ignited on contact with air. Fire was a devastating weapon against wooden ships and the enemies of the Byzantines could not stand up to fire ships spraying Greek fire. Other civilizations acquired the secret of Greek fire at times, but it was so closely guarded and dangerous to use that it is lost today.''