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This article is about the unit. For the technology, see Cannon Galleon (technology). |
| “ | Long-range warship used to attack targets on shore to establish beachhead. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II description | ||
The Cannon Galleon is a naval vessel in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Dock once the Imperial Age is reached. To build Cannon Galleons, the Cannon Galleon technology must be researched first.
Cannon Galleons are available to all civilizations except for the Aztecs, Huns, Incas, and Mayans.
Tactics
Cannon Galleons have an exceptionally long range and deal very large bonus damage against buildings. They can outrange Castles and Bombard Towers, so they are almost the sea-going equivalent to Bombard Cannons, only being slightly faster. They deal decent damage, but their slow Rate of Fire, slow projectile speed, and minimum range make them weak and ineffective against ships, particularly Fire Ships.
Cannon Galleons should always be deployed with an escort, most likely Fire Ships and Galleons. As they outrange Towers and Castles, Cannon Galleons should be used for safely dealing with such structures that deal bonus damage against ships.
Generally speaking, Cannon Galleons should be used primarily to clear the shoreline of enemy buildings, and occasionally to harass land units at range. They should not be used against enemy ships, and ships are in fact the best way to deal with them, provided sea control has not been lost completely.
Spanish Cannon Galleons are significantly better than the ones of all other civilizations, because their projectiles are much faster (7 tiles/second instead of 1.95 tiles/s) and hit moving targets with Ballistics-like behavior. The Ballistics research is not required, however.
Further statistics
| Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
|---|---|
| Strong vs. | Buildings |
| Weak vs. | Ships, Bombard Cannons, Monks |
| Upgrades | |
| Range |  Artillery (+2, Turks only)
|
| Accuracy | Arquebus (hit moving targets, Portuguese only)
|
| Armor |  Careening (+0/+1) Carrack (+1/+1, Portuguese only)
|
| Speed |  Dry Dock (+15%)
|
| Conversion defense |  Faith Heresy
|
| Creation speed |  Shipwright (+54%)
|
| Train cost | Shipwright (-20% wood)
|
| Upgrades | Cannon Galleons can be upgraded to Elite Cannon Galleons |
Civilization bonuses
- Berbers: Cannon Galleons move 10% faster.
- Burmese: Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
- Celts: Cannon Galleons can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
- Chinese: Technologies that benefit Cannon Galleons are 20% cheaper.
- Italians: Cannon Galleons are 20% cheaper. Researching Careening, Dry Dock, and Shipwright is 50% cheaper. Upgrading to Elite Cannon Galleon is 50% cheaper.
- Persians: Cannon Galleons are created 20% faster. Careening, Dry Dock, and the upgrade to the Elite Cannon Galleon are researched 20% faster.
- Portuguese: Cannon Galleons have +10% HP and cost 15% less gold.
- Spanish: Cannon Galleons have Ballistics-like accuracy and faster missiles.
- Turks: Cannon Galleons have +25% HP. Upgrading to Elite Cannon Galleon is 50% cheaper.
- Vikings: Cannon Galleons are 20% cheaper.
Team bonuses
- A team containing Turks: Cannon Galleons are created 25% faster.
- A team containing Teutons: Cannon Galleons are more resistant to conversion.
Changelog
The Age of Kings
- Shipwright reduces the wood cost by 20%.
- Britons: Cannot build Cannon Galleons.
- Turks: Cannon Galleons have +50% HP.
The Conquerors
- With patch 1.0c, Shipwright also decreases train time by 35% now.
- Heresy introduced.
- Huns: Can build Cannon Galleons.
- Spanish: Cannon Galleon's projectiles are affected by the technology Ballistics and are 4× faster.
- Turks: Artillery introduced. Cannon Galleons now have +25% HP.
The Forgotten
- Britons: Cannon Galleon added to the technology tree.
- Huns: Cannon Galleon removed from the technology tree.
- Italians: Cannon Galleons are 15% cheaper.
- Spanish: Cannon Galleons fire with Ballistics-like accuracy (without need for the technology itself) and their cannonballs move at 7 tiles/s (~3.6× faster).
The African Kingdoms
- Italians: With patch 4.8, Cannon Galleons are now 20% cheaper.
Trivia
- Cannon Galleons are the only non-unique gunpowder units that can be upgraded.
- Cannon Galleons and Elite Cannon Galleons share the same icon. They are the only non-unique units to do so.
History
| “ | Primitive cannon were first mounted on ships in the fourteenth century. These were mounted in the stern or bow for firing forward or aft. Small weapons were mounted on the rails for use against enemy crews in close action. The first ship built specifically for carrying cannon appeared in 1406. Effectively mounting a large number of cannons on a ship took many years to work out. It required new designs to compensate for the enormous weight of the guns high on the ship’s sides. Tackle had to be designed to allow the guns to be fired and reloaded safely. Safe procedures were also needed for storing and accessing powder. Useful cannon galleons did not appear until late in the Middle Ages. | ” |
Gallery
