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This article is about the archer units in Age of Empires. For archers in other games of the series, see Archers. |

Archers in Age of Empires are one of the four combat forces on land, the other ones being infantry, cavalry, and siege weapons. Archers are ranged soldiers, either on foot or mounted.
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General information[edit | edit source]
Apart from the Slinger (who is available at the Barracks), all archers are trained at the Archery Range.
Armor upgrades are available at the Storage Pit and range upgrades at the Market, whereas Alchemy and Ballistics are both researched at the Government Center, along with the Nobility technology, which affects (among others) ranged cavalry units.
List of archers[edit | edit source]
Archer | Building | A | HP | At | Ar | PA | R | ROF | LOS | Sp | F | W | G | S | TT |
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Archery Range | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1.4 | 7 | 1.2 | 40 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 30 | |
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Archery Range | 40 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.4 | 8 | 1.2 | 40 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 30 | |
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Archery Range | 45 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1.4 | 9 | 1.2 | 40 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 30 | |
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Barracks | 25 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1.5 | 5 | 1.2 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 | |
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Archery Range | 70 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1.5 | 9 | 2 | 40 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 40 | |
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Archery Range | 600 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1.5 | 8 | 0.9 | 180 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 50 | |
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Archery Range | 60 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1.5 | 9 | 2.2 | 50 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 40 | |
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Archery Range | 90 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1.5 | 9 | 2.5 | 50 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 40 |
Technologies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are technologies that benefit archers. This list does not contain unit upgrades.
Technology | Researched at | Age | Civilizations | Effect |
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Market | All | Increases range by +1 | |
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Market | 15 | Increases range by +1 | |
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Market | 12 | Increases range by +1 | |
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Storage Pit | All | Increases armor by +2 | |
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Storage Pit | All | Increases armor by +2 | |
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Storage Pit | 12 | Increases armor by +2 | |
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Government Center | 12 | Increases attack by +1 | |
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Government Center | 14 | Cavalry +15% hit points | |
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Government Center | 14 | Increases accuracy |
Civilizations[edit | edit source]
- The Egyptians, Hittites, Minoans, and Yamato are the only civilizations to have available all technologies that benefit exclusively archer units, whereas the Persians are the only ones to have all available archer units.
- On the other hand, the Greeks, Minoans, and Romans lack all ranged cavalry lines.
- Civilizations with prominent archers include the Assyrians, Egyptians, Hittites, and Persians. The Minoans also boast the best foot archers, but lack all three ranged cavalry lines.
Civilization bonuses[edit | edit source]
- Assyrians : +25% Archery Range unit fire rate
- Egyptians: +33% Chariot Archer hit points
- Hittites: +1 Archery Range unit damage
- Minoans: +2 Composite Bowman range
- Persians: Elephant Archer move 25% faster
- Phoenicians: -25% Elephant Archer cost
- Yamato: -25% Horse Archer cost
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- All three civilizations that lack 3 out of 4 Archery Range unit lines are located in Europe. This is partially justified, as neither Greeks nor Romans were renowned for mounted archery traditions.
- About the Minoans on the other hand, it is unknown whether they practiced archery on the first place, as most details concerning their warfare are shrouded in mystery.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Units in Age of Empires | |
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Priest · Villager · Trade Boat · Merchant Ship · Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship · Light Transport · Heavy Transport | |
Infantry | Clubman · Axeman · Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legion · Hoplite · Phalanx · Centurion |
Archer | Bowman · Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman · Chariot Archer · Elephant Archer · Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer |
Cavalry | Scout · Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract · Chariot · War Elephant |
Siege | Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult · Ballista · Helepolis |
Ship | Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme · Catapult Trireme · Juggernaught |
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Armored Elephant · Camel Rider · Fire Galley · Scythe Chariot · Slinger | |
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