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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For the armor class, see Armor class: Cavalry archer. For other uses, see Cavalry Archer. |
| “ | Fast, with ranged attack. Ideal for hit-and-run attacks. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II original description | ||
The Cavalry Archer is a mounted archer unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Archery Range once the Castle Age is reached. Its high speed and ranged attack make it an excellent harasser, hit-and-runner, and a good counter for infantry units. With enough micromanagement, a small force of Cavalry Archers can take out whole contingents of foot-soldiers. However, they are hindered somewhat by their high attack delay. Their armor gets upgraded through the archer line but in terms of attack bonus against them they count as Cavalry Archers Archers and Cavalry.
Availability chart[]
 Available |  Unavailable
|
|---|---|
|
- x means that the civilization gets Bloodlines, Husbandry, and Thumb Ring, so it can fully upgrade its Cavalry Archers in the Castle Age.
- + means that the civilization has a civilization bonus or team bonus or a unique technology that benefits the combat strength of the Cavalry Archer.
Tactics[]
Cavalry Archers are one of the best harassers in the game. When attacking with Cavalry Archers the player must always micromanage them properly to maintain distance from the enemy targets. Tactics that employ these units require a lot of resources since these units work way better if used in large numbers. Cavalry Archers are an excellent way to deal with slow-moving melee units like most infantry. They also possess very solid stats all-around, so they fare well even when caught in battle.
However, Cavalry Archers require many technologies to be researched to make them effective, meaning it is difficult to get a group of them out in a reasonable timeframe without them being weak. Additionally, they are countered very cost-effectively by Elite Skirmishers, which Cavalry Archers generally cannot outrange, as these can soak up the damage from Cavalry Archers, and deal drastic bonus damage to them. Mangonels and Scorpions can also be devastating to a group of Cavalry Archers if they don't avoid their projectiles, while rams or Armored Elephants can be used as a very effective damage sponge against them.
Various unique units are strong against Cavalry Archers, whether through dealing bonus damage to them (i.e. Camel Archers) and/or having too much pierce armor for the Cavalry Archers to handle (e.g. War Wagons). Huskarls, Ghulams, and Eagle Warriors are very deadly to Cavalry Archers due to their high pierce armor, bonus damage, and having enough speed to catch them (or at least enough so the Cavalry Archers cannot effectively kite them). Shrivamsha Riders are also a very effective counter for the Gurjaras; despite not dealing bonus damage or having high pierce armor, the Shrivamsha Riders' unrivaled movement speed and projectile-dodging mechanic make them a menacing foe to Cavalry Archers.
Further statistics[]
| Strengths and weaknesses | |
|---|---|
| Strong vs. | Most infantry, most foot archers with all armor technologies |
| Weak vs. | Genoese Crossbowmen, Huskarls, Elite Skirmishers, Genitours, Eagle Warriors, Mangonels, Scorpions, camel units, Rattan Archers, Camel Archers, Elephant Archers, War Wagons, Hussite Wagons, Shrivamsha Riders, Ghulams |
| Technologies | |
|---|---|
 Hit points
|
 Bloodlines (+20) Sipahi (+20, Turks only)
|
| Attack |  Fletching (+1) Bodkin Arrow (+1) Bracer (+1) Chemistry (+1) Parthian Tactics (+2 vs. Spearmen) Recurve Bow (+1, Magyars only)
|
 Range
|
Fletching (+1) Bodkin Arrow (+1) Bracer (+1) Recurve Bow (+1, Magyars only)
|
| Accuracy |  Thumb Ring (increases accuracy to 100% for non-moving targets) Ballistics (hit moving targets)
|
| Armor |  Padded Archer Armor (+1  melee / +1  pierce) Leather Archer Armor (+1 melee / +1 pierce) Ring Archer Armor (+1 melee / +2 pierce) Parthian Tactics (+1 melee / +2 pierce) Silk Armor (+1 melee / +1 pierce, Tatars only)
|
| Conversion resistance |  Devotion (+1 min, +1 max) Faith (+4 min, +4 max) Heresy (die upon getting converted) First Crusade (+4 min, +4 max, Sicilians only)
|
 Attack speed
|
Thumb Ring (+11%)
|
 Movement speed
|
 Husbandry (+10%)
|
| Population cost | Aznauri Cavalry (-20%, Georgians only)
|
| Creation speed |  Conscription (+33%) Steppe Husbandry (+100%, Cumans only)
|
| Aura enhancements | |
|---|---|
 Regeneration
|
 Liu Bei (45 HP/min, Shu only)
|
| Movement speed
|
 Sun Jian (+15%, Wu only)
|
| Civilization bonuses | |
|---|---|
| Hit points
|
 Franks (+20%) Vietnamese (+20%)
|
| Regeneration
|
 Georgians (8/14 HP/min in the Castle/Imperial Age)
|
| Attack |  Japanese (+2 vs. Archers, except Skirmishers) Tatars (+20% damage {+50% instead of +25%} from higher elevation)
|
| Damage resistance | Georgians (-20% damage {-40% instead of -25%} on higher elevation) Jurchens (-50% friendly fire damage) Sicilians (-40% bonus damage)
|
| Attack speed
|
 Mongols (+25%) Jurchens (+25%)
|
| Movement speed
|
 Cumans (+10%/+15% in the Castle/Imperial Age)
|
| Resource cost |  Huns (-10%/-20% in the Castle/Imperial Age) Koreans (-50% wood) Portuguese (-20% gold)
|
| Upgrading |  Chinese (-15% cost) Khitans (-50% cost; can upgrade to Heavy Cavalry Archer in the Castle Age) Shu (-25% cost)
|
| Team bonuses | |
|---|---|
| Conversion resistance |  Teutons (+3 min, +1 max)
|
| Line of Sight | Tatars (+2)
|
| Creation speed |  Britons (+10%) Magyars (+25%)
|
| Upgrading | Britons (+10% faster) Portuguese (+25% faster)
|
Civilization bonuses[]
Bulgarians: Blacksmith technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers cost -50% food.- Burgundians: Husbandry is 50% cheaper.
- Burmese: Devotion and Faith are 50% cheaper.
- Celts: Cavalry Archers can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
- Chinese: Technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
- Italians: Ballistics and Chemistry are 33% cheaper.
- Koreans: Padded Archer Armor, Leather Archer Armor, and Ring Archer Armor are free.
- Persians: Parthian Tactics is available in the Castle Age.
- Poles: Bloodlines costs -50% food.
- Shu: Thumb Ring and Blacksmith technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers are 25% cheaper.
- Spanish: Blacksmith technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers cost no gold. Technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers provide 20 gold each when researched.
- Tatars: Thumb Ring and Parthian Tactics are free.
- Turks: Chemistry is free.
- Vietnamese: Conscription is free.
Team bonuses[]
- Britons: Thumb Ring and Parthian Tactics are researched 10% faster.
- Bulgarians: Blacksmith technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers are researched 80% faster.
- Huns: Bloodlines and Husbandry are researched 20% faster.
- Lithuanians: Devotion, Faith, and Heresy are researched 20% faster.
- Malians: Ballistics and Chemistry are researched 80% faster.
- Portuguese: Technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers are researched 25% faster.
Changelog[]
The Age of Kings[]
- Cavalry Archers cost 40 wood, 70 gold.
- Cavalry Archers move at a speed of 1.43.
- Cavalry Archers have a range of 3.
- Cavalry Archers receive standard anti-Archers attack bonus from Elite Skirmishers.
- Saracens: Cavalry Archers have +4 attack bonus against Standard Buildings.
The Conquerors[]
- Cavalry Archers move at a speed of 1.4.
- Cavalry Archers deal an attack bonus of +1 against Spearmen. With patch 1.0b, it is increased to +2.
- Cavalry Archers receive an extra anti-Cavalry Archers attack (+2) from Elite Skirmishers.
- Bloodlines introduced.
- Thumb Ring introduced.
- Heresy introduced.
- Parthian Tactics introduced. With patch 1.0b, it also gives Cavalry Archers +4 attack bonus vs. Spearmen.
- With patch 1.0b, Cavalry Archers have a range of 4.
- Huns: Cavalry Archers are 25%/30% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
The Forgotten[]
- Cavalry Archers cost 40 wood, 65 gold.
- Huns: Cavalry Archers are 15%/25% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Magyars: Recurve Bow introduced. It gives +1 range to Cavalry Archers.
- Turks: Sipahi introduced.
The African Kingdoms[]
- Cavalry Archers cost 40 wood, 60 gold.
- Franks: Cavalry Archers have +20% hit points.
- Huns: Cavalry Archers are 10%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Portuguese: Cavalry Archers cost -15% gold.
Rise of the Rajas[]
- Magyars: With patch 5.5, Recurve Bow gives +1 range and attack to Cavalry Archers.
- Vietnamese: Initially, Cavalry Archers have +15%/+20% hit points in the Castle/Imperial Age. With patch 5.8, they have +20% HP.
Definitive Edition[]
- Bulgarians: Initially, the Team Bonus gave the Blacksmith a 50% work rate boost. With update 42848, this was changed to a 80% work rate boost.
- Additionally, with update 42848, Blacksmith technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers cost -50% food.
- Cumans: Initially, Cavalry Archers move 10% faster. With update 34055, the bonus was staggered to 10%/15% in the Castle/Imperial Age and Cumans lost access to Husbandry.
- Koreans: Cavalry Archers cost -15% wood. With update 39284, they cost -20% wood.
- Additionally, with update 42848, Archer armor technologies are free.
- Portuguese: With update 39284, Cavalry Archers cost -20% gold. With update 42848, technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers are researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.
- Saracens: Initially, Cavalry Archers have +3 attack bonus against buildings. With update 34055, Cavalry Archers have +2/+3 attack bonus against buildings in the Castle/Imperial Age.
Lords of the West[]
- With update 44725, the attack animation duration of Cavalry Archers has been reduced from 1.3 to 1.15, reducing the overall attack delay by 11.5%.
- With update 50292, the attack animation duration of Cavalry Archers has been increased from 1.15 to 1.17.
- Saracens: With update 44725, Cavalry Archers no longer gain bonus attack against Standard Buildings.
Dynasties of India[]
- With update 73855:
- The bonus damage against the Spearman line of Parthian Tactics for Cavalry Archers was reduced to 2.
- Portuguese: Technologies that benefit Cavalry Archers are researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
Return of Rome[]
- With update 87863:
The Mountain Royals[]
- Japanese: With update 95810, Cavalry Archers +2 attack vs. Archers. Since update 99311, this bonus excludes Skirmishers.
- Persians: With update 95810, killing military units with a Cavalry Archer provides 5 gold per unit. With update 99311, this bonus is removed.
Chronicles: Battle for Greece[]
- With update 141935, Cavalry Archer train time increased from 34 seconds to 37 seconds.
History[]
| “ | Archers mounted on horses originated in ancient times on the great plains of Asia and continued to make up the bulk of the armies from this region throughout the Middle Ages. The Mongol armies that conquered most of Asia, the Middle East, and much of Europe were predominately cavalry archers. For the time they were a unique combination of firepower and speed. They could cross almost any kind of terrain quickly, strike unexpectedly, and withdraw if necessary before heavy cavalry or infantry units could react. The Mongols especially mastered the tactics of hitting, running, and ambushing, avoiding hand-to-hand fighting until the enemy was completely demoralized. Cavalry archers were most effective on open ground with plenty of maneuvering room. They were least effective against fortified positions that could not be starved out and required a hand-to-hand assault. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II manual | ||
Gallery[]
The Cavalry Archer line, with the Cavalry Archer on the left, in the Definitive Edition
The Cavalry Archer (on the left) and its upgrade, the Heavy Cavalry Archer, before the Definitive Edition
A group of Cavalry Archers in the Definitive Edition
A group of Cavalry Archers before the Definitive Edition
A group of Cavalry Archers attacking Villagers
A couple of Cavalry Archers in the Definitive Edition
Knights chasing Cavalry Archers from a 11th c. manuscript
Carolingian Cavalry Archer from the 9th c. Stuttgart Psalter
Unit sprite in the Definitive Edition
Attacking sprite in the Definitive Edition
Cavalry Archers utilizing "reverse Parthian tactics" from the "Upside Down" mod event
