Bodkin Arrow is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the Blacksmith once the Castle Age is reached. Once researched, it increases the range, attack, and Line of Sight of units and buildings that attack with arrows, most notably archers, Castles, and towers, by +1. Town Centers receive +1 attack and Line of Sight, but no range improvement.
Galleys, Longboats, Caravels, Harbors, and Kreposts also benefit from Bodkin Arrow as well as Skirmishers, Genitours, and Bombard Towers, even though the latter three do not use arrows.
Bracer is the further upgrade of this technology.
Civilization bonuses[]
Bulgarians: Bodkin Arrow costs -50% food.- Chinese: Bodkin Arrow is 10%/15% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Spanish: Bodkin Arrow costs no gold. Receive 20 gold after researching Bodkin Arrow.
Team bonuses[]
- Bulgarians: Researching Bodkin Arrow is 80% faster.
- Portuguese: Researching Bodkin Arrow is 25% faster.
Changelog[]
Definitive Edition[]
- With update 42848:
- Bulgarians: Initially, the team bonus makes Bodkin Arrow research 50% faster. With the update, Bodkin Arrow is researched 80% faster. Bodkin Arrow costs -50% food.
- Portuguese: Bodkin Arrow is researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.
Dynasties of India[]
- Portuguese: With update 73855, Bodkin Arrow is researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
History[]
| “ | The bodkin arrow was an innovation that made archers of all types more effective against men wearing armor. The bodkin was simply a straight point intended to puncture, rather than a typical broad point intended to slice as it penetrated. The broad point was fine for hunting or use against unarmored targets, but armor effectively dissipated its energy. The bodkin concentrated its power in the point and could penetrate any armor at a sufficiently short range. The English longbowmen at Agincourt lofted barrages of bodkin arrows down upon the dense ranks of French Knights. The bodkins, aided by the force of gravity, penetrated helmets, shoulders, legs, and arms when they struck perpendicularly to the face of armor. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II manual | ||
Trivia[]
- The icon for the Bodkin Arrow technology does not show a bodkin arrowhead, but the triangle pointed version that it superseded, as mentioned in the History section below. This is corrected in the Definitive Edition and is the only icon that varies significantly between both versions.
