Armor class: Archer

This article is about the archer armor class. For general information about archer units in Age of Empires II, see Archer unit (Age of Empires II). For the unit, see Archer (Age of Empires II).

The Archer armor class is an armor class in Age of Empires II. All units that have an attack bonus against this class deal bonus damage against units with this armor class.

Archer units

The following units have the archer armor class and take bonus damage from attacks against this class.

• Archer → Crossbowman → Arbalester
• Skirmisher → Elite Skirmisher → Imperial Skirmisher (the latter Vietnamese and allies only)
• Cavalry Archer → Heavy Cavalry Archer
• Hand Cannoneer
• Slinger (Inca only)
• Genitour → Elite Genitour (Berbers and allies only)
• Longbowman → Elite Longbowman (Britons only)
• Chu Ko Nu → Elite Chu Ko Nu (Chinese only)
• Mangudai → Elite Mangudai (Mongols only)
• Janissary → Elite Janissary (Turks only)
• War Wagon → Elite War Wagon (Koreans only)
• Plumed Archer → Elite Plumed Archer (Maya only)
• Conquistador → Elite Conquistador (Spanish only)
• Elephant Archer → Elite Elephant Archer (Bengalis, Dravidians, and Gurjaras only)
• Genoese Crossbowman → Elite Genoese Crossbowman (Italians only)
• Camel Archer → Elite Camel Archer (Berbers only)
• Arambai → Elite Arambai (Burmese only)
• Rattan Archer → Elite Rattan Archer (Vietnamese only)
• Kipchak → Elite Kipchak (Cumans only)
• Mercenary Kipchak (Cumans and their allies with Cuman Mercenaries researched only)
• / Ratha → / Elite Ratha (Bengalis only)
• Composite Bowman → Elite Composite Bowman (Armenians only)
• Grenadier (Jurchens only)
• Fire Archer - Elite Fire Archer (Wu only)
• Xianbei Raider (Wei only)

Anti-archer units

The following units have an attack bonus against the archer armor class. They are sorted descending by the amount of bonus damage they deal.

+10 bonus attack

• Elite Huskarl (Goths only)

+7 bonus attack

• Elite Tiger Cavalry (Wei only)

+6 bonus attack

• Huskarl (Goths only)
• Elite Ghulam (Hindustanis only)
• Tiger Cavalry (Wei only)

+5 bonus attack

• Ghulam (Hindustanis only)
• Imperial Skirmisher (Vietnamese and allies only)
• Elite Genitour (Berbers and allies only)

+4 bonus attack

• Elite Skirmisher
• Genitour (Berbers and allies only)
• Jian Swordsman (Wu only)

+3 bonus attack

• Skirmisher
• Cao Cao (hero) (Wei only)

+2 bonus attack

• Savar (Persians only)

Technologies

The following technology gives the following units an attack bonus against the archer armor class:

• Manipur Cavalry (Burmese only):
  • +4 bonus attack
    • Scout Cavalry → Light Cavalry → Hussar
    • Knight → Cavalier
    • Battle Elephant → Elite Battle Elephant

Civilization bonuses

• The following Gurjara units get an attack bonus against the archer armor class:
  • +2 bonus attack
    • Genitour (Imperial Age, only available if allied with Berbers) → Elite Genitour (only available if allied with Berbers)
  • +1 bonus attack
    • Genitour (Castle Age, only available if allied with Berbers)
• The following Japanese units get an attack bonus against the archer armor class (except Skirmishers and Genitours):
  • +2 bonus attack
    • Cavalry Archer → Heavy Cavalry Archer
    • Genitour → Elite Genitour (with a Berber ally only)
    • Mercenary Kipchak (with a Cuman ally {with Cuman Mercenaries researched} only)

Team bonuses

• The Khitan team bonus gives the following types of units an attack bonus against the archer armor class:
  • +2 bonus attack
    • Infantry

• The Persian team bonus gives the following units an attack bonus against the archer armor class:
  • +2 bonus attack
    • Knight → Cavalier → Paladin / Savar (the latter Persians only)

• The Polish team bonus gives the following units an attack bonus against the archer armor class:
  • +1 bonus attack
    • Scout Cavalry → Light Cavalry → Hussar / Winged Hussar (the latter Lithuanians and Poles only)