Bowman

Template:Units Infobox (Age of Empires)The Bowman is the most basic ranged unit found in Age of Empires and is armed with a bow. They can be trained from the Archery Range from the Tool Age. 

Due to their cheap cost, they are considered a trash unit. Although individually ineffective, they can be spammed in very large numbers and successfully take down swarms of infantry units as advanced as Legions. 

Bowmen do not have a direct upgrade, but stronger archer units such as Improved Bowmen and Composite Bowmen can be trained in the Bronze Age.

Upgrades

Tool Age

• Leather Armor Archers: Increases armor by 2.
• Woodworking: Increases range by 1.

Bronze Age

• Scale Armor Archers: Increases armor by 2.
• Artisanship: Increases range by 1.

Iron Age

• Alchemy: Increases attack by 1.
• Ballistics: Increases accuracy.
• Chain Mail Archers: Increases armor by 2.
• Craftsmanship: Increases range by 1.

Civilization bonuses

• Assyrians: Bowmen attack +25% faster.
• Hittites: Bowmen deal +1 damage.
• Macedonians: Bowmen are four times more resistant against enemy conversion.

Changelog

Definitive Edition

• After CU9, Bowman training time decreased from 30s to 26s

History

“

The bow was an important military weapon from the time of the first armies, being easily adapted from hunting animals to warfare. Archers required less discipline and leadership in battle because they were not expected to engage in hand-to-hand combat, a terrifying experience. Bowmen fought from a distance on the battlefield, from behind walls or other cover, and from ambush. They were usually not decisive in battle on the attack because they could not physically take ground from the enemy like infantry could. They acted mainly as defensive troops and as light troops that disrupted enemy formations prior to the decisive moment when the infantry clashed. If barrages of arrows could cause casualties and lower morale of the enemy prior to the clash, friendly infantry had a better chance of breaking the will of the enemy infantry and being victorious.

”