The Bow Rider is best used against heavy cavalry units as a group of them should easily take down an enemy's group of heavy cavalry. They can also be used to fend off Heavy Infantry due to their good resistance toward hand damage and high speed.
Bow Riders can be trained at the Corral, at the Commerce Age, unlike other similar units. This encourages Rushing, despite their high food cost. It is highly recommended to accompany Bow Riders with the Lakota War Chief, as he provides a speed bonus that allows them to outrun most enemy units.
A severe drawback of this unit is that there are no shipments of Bow Riders available to a Lakota player, unlike Axe Riders and Rifle Riders. This, combined with their high food cost, means that they require close micromanagement; they shouldn't be sent into groups of enemies without a specific purpose.
While the Bow Rider is light cavalry, it does not benefit from the "TEAM House of Aviz" card, which reduces the train time of Commerce Age light cavalry and enables Fortress Age light cavalry to be trained in the Commerce Age.
With update 13.12327, Bow Riders have a ×1.5 hand, ranged and siege multipliers against artillery, ×1.5 siege multiplier against Shrines and ×0.5 against Walls, the Elite Bow Rider upgrade gives +0.5 multiplier against artillery and, although it is not listed in the patch notes, his portrait has been updated.
With update 14.3853, Bow Riders have a ×0.5 ranged multiplier against villager and a ×1.5 siege multiplier against resource enclosures.
With patch 15.59076, Bow Riders have 18 ranged damage and a x2.5 multiplier vs. heavy cavalry.
History[]
“
When forced west by the encroachment of the European colonists, the Lakota adapted to a wide-ranging, nomadic lifestyle - aided primarily by their mastery of the horse. The Lakota were known as expert horsemen and horse breeders. They developed extremely sophisticated riding tactics. When in battle, they would wrap their legs about their horse's upper body and lean over to the side opposite their foes - taking aim from beneath the horse's neck and using the animal for cover.
”
—In-game history section
Gallery[]
An in-game Bow Rider
An in-game Elite Bow Rider
An in-game Champion/Legendary Bow Rider
An in-game Bow Rider in the Definitive Edition
An in-game Elite Bow Rider in the Definitive Edition
An in-game Champion/Legendary Bow Rider in the Definitive Edition