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This article is about the building in Age of Empires II. For the building in other games of the series, see Archery Range. |
| “ | Used to train and upgrade archer units. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II description | ||
The Archery Range is a military building in Age of Empires II that becomes available once the Feudal Age is reached and a Barracks is built; alternately, Sicilians players may unlock it by building a Donjon instead. It trains and improves archers.
Tactics and placement[]
The Archery Range is an essential building if the player has an archer-based civilization, or if the player needs to have an effective counter to enemy archers, as the Skirmisher is trained there. If a player is intending to perform a turtling strategy that requires the use of ranged units, they should build several Archery Ranges within fortifications, as they can produce the required basic types of archers, also considering that archers garrisoned in towers and Castles allow them to fire more arrows.
Like the Barracks, placing the Archery Ranges near an enemy settlement helps to cut off walking distances for the troops as they can be created near the opponent, allowing them to attack more effectively, also considering that foot archers have slow movement speed.
Trainable units and technologies[]
Rusty red: Generic buildings- Aqua blue: Generic units
- Forest green: Technologies
- Deep violet: Unique units
- Deep cornflower blue: Regional units
- Reddish-orange: Regional buildings
- Crimson pink: Unique buildings
Clicking on the icon links to the corresponding page.
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  Inca only |
 Requires  Chemistry
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  Berbersteam only |
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Availability grid[]
The following table shows the availability of the units and technologies for every civilization. Unique units and units that are available to all civilizations are not shown in the table.
| = Available | |
| = Unavailable | |
| = Researched for free or fully covered by a civilization bonus if unavailable |
The Native American civilizations and the Bohemians do not have access to any mounted archer unit, unless allied with the Cumans or the Berbers.
Further statistics[]
| Technologies | |
|---|---|
 Hit points
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 Masonry (+10%) Architecture (+10%)
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| Armor | Masonry (+1/+1, +3 building armor) Architecture (+1/+1, +3 building armor)
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| Conversion resistance |  Devotion (+1 min, +1 max) Faith (+4 min, +4 max) Heresy (die upon getting converted)
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| Line of Sight |  Town Watch (+4) Town Patrol (+4)
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| Build speed |  Treadmill Crane (+20%)
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 Work rate
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 Conscription (+33%)
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Civilization bonuses[]
- Aztecs: Archery Range units are created 11% faster.
- Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
- Byzantines: Archery Ranges have +20%/+30%/+40% hit points in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Town Watch and Town Patrol are free.
- Chinese: Technologies that benefit Archery Ranges are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Cumans: Archery Ranges cost -75 wood.
- Georgians: Archery Ranges receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
- Italians: Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane are 33% cheaper.
- Jurchens: Researching Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane costs -75% wood and is 100% faster.
- Khitans: The Heavy Cavalry Archer upgrade is available in the Castle Age and costs -50%.
- Khmer: Archery Ranges do not require a Barracks.
- Malians: Archery Ranges are 15% cheaper.
- Persians: Researching Town Watch and Town Patrol is 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Romans: Archery Ranges are built and repaired 5% faster.
- Spanish: Archery Ranges are built 30% faster. Researching technologies that benefit Archery Ranges provides 20 gold each.
- Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
- Shu: Technologies cost -25%.
- Wu: Archery Ranges provide 65 food when completed.
Team bonuses[]
- Berbers: Genitours are available at the Archery Range starting in the Castle Age.
- Britons: Archery Ranges work 10% faster.
- Georgians: Repairing Archery Ranges costs 25% fewer resources.
- Malians: Researching Masonry, Architecture, and Treadmill Crane is 80% faster.
- Lithuanians: Researching Devotion, Faith, and Heresy is 20% faster.
- Portuguese: Technologies that benefit Archery Ranges and Archery Range technologies are researched 25% faster.
- Slavs: Archery Ranges provide +5 population.
- Teutons: Archery Ranges are more resistant to conversion (+3 min, +1 max cycles).
- Vietnamese: Imperial Skirmishers are available at the Archery Range in the Imperial Age.
Changelog[]
The Age of Kings[]
- Hand Cannon is required to unlock the Hand Cannoneer.
The Conquerors[]
- Hand Cannon was removed from the game.
- Thumb Ring introduced.
- Parthian Tactics introduced.
- Heresy introduced.
The Forgotten[]
The African Kingdoms[]
Rise of the Rajas[]
- Vietnamese: Imperial Skirmisher introduced.
Definitive Edition[]
- Arbalest renamed to Arbalester.
- Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.
Dawn of the Dukes[]
- Cumans: With update 51737, Archery Ranges cost -100 wood. With update 56005, they cost -75 wood.
Dynasties of India[]
- (Elite) Elephant Archer moved to the Archery Range as a regional unit.
- Portuguese: With update 73855, all technologies are researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
- Britons: With update 81058, Team Bonus is 10% faster working Archery Ranges.
- Sicilians: With update 81058, they can choose to build either a Barracks or a Donjon to unlock Archery Ranges.
The Mountain Royals[]
- With update 99311, Devotion was introduced.
History[]
| “ | Missile weapons like the bow carried over the Middle Ages from ancient times in most areas of the world. Northern Europe was an exception for many centuries because the dense forests of the region nullified the range advantage of bows. Throwing weapons like axes, javelins, and knives were more popular there. As the forests were cleared, use of the bow spread. Training with missile weapons took place at the archery range. The training of bowmen was especially favored in England, where every town had an archery range and competitions were held each week to encourage practice. From its large pool of archers, England could easily recruit several thousand expert longbowmen for armies going to France. As crossbows and early firearms came into use, men were trained to operate these weapons at a modified archery range. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings manual | ||
Gallery[]
