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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the beta unit in Age of Mythology, see Chariot (Age of Mythology).

A fast, two-wheel cavalry unit pulled by horses. High resistance to conversion.
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The Chariot is a cavalry unit in Age of Empires that can be trained at the Stable once the Bronze Age is reached. The Chariot is weaker than the Cavalry, but is cheaper. It is also an easier target for archers because it moves slower than most other Stable units.

Civilizations[]

Aoede chariot available Available Aoede chariot unavailable Unavailable

Gameplay[]

Egyptian Chariots are quite powerful, having +33% hit points. They also present a bit of psychological warfare, because they appear to be stronger than they actually are. Chariots had double attack against Priests and ×8 conversion resistance before update 38862, thus giving them a purpose in the game, if none other than as Priest-busters and historical accuracy.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Priests, archers, siege weapons
Weak vs. Infantry, cavalry
Upgrades
Hit points NobilityIcon Nobility (+15%)
Attack Toolworking Toolworking (+2)
Metalworkingicon Metalworking (+2)
Metallurgyicon Metallurgy (+3)
Armor Leatherarmorcavalryicon Leather Armor Cavalry (+2/+0)
Scalearmorcavalryicon Scale Armor Cavalry (+2/+0)
Chainmailcavalryicon Chain Mail Cavalry (+2/+0)
Upgrade Scythe Chariot Scythe Chariot

Civilization bonuses[]

Team bonuses[]

  • Palmyran AOE DE ROR icon Palmyrans: Chariot upgrade to Scythe Chariot and technologies that benefit Chariots are researched 30% faster.
  • Persian AOE DE ROR icon Persians: Chariots are created 20% faster.

Changelog[]

ReturnRome-AoEIcon Age of Empires[]

  • Chariots have +7 damage vs Priests and ×8 conversion resistance.
  • Chariots can be upgraded to Scythe Chariots only if Nobility is researched.

Age of Empires Definitive Edition icon Definitive Edition[]

  • With update 38862, Chariots have no bonus damage vs Priests and ×2 conversion resistance.

AoE2Icon-ReturnRome Return of Rome[]

  • Babylonian Chariots receive +1 pierce armor.
  • Team bonuses added, Palmyrans: Technologies benefiting Chariots researched 30% faster. Persians: Chariots are trained 20% faster.
  • Researching Nobility is no longer required to upgrade Chariots to Scythe Chariots.

History[]

Chariots originated in Sumeria before 2500 BC as four-wheeled carts pulled by onagers. These chariots were slow and cumbersome compared to later chariots, but provided a protected platform for spearmen and archers. How they were used in combat remains unclear, although all charging animals were intimidating on the battlefield. At this time the horse was not widely domesticated in the civilized parts of the world. In the first half of the second millennium BC, the chariot basket was reduced in size and mounted on only two wheels. Horses were substituted eventually to provide greater speed. The fast two-wheeled chariot was especially intimidating in battle because of its speed and the shock value of charging horses. At this time horses were rarely being ridden. Charioteers became the elite of the civilized armies for the next 600 or so years. Chariots were often manned by the nobility because of their elite status, the glory to be won, and the high cost of building and maintaining chariots and their horse teams.

Trivia[]

  • Chariots were originally supposed to be in Age of Mythology and functioned similarly to the Prodromos, being a fast anti-cavalry unit.
  • Despite being a civilization that was good at using chariots in combat, the Persians do not have access to any chariot unit in Age of Empires.
  • The Assyrians are the only civilization that has access to Chariots but is unable to upgrade to Scythe Chariots.
  • The Jason unit looks similar to a Chariot rider.

Gallery[]

Units in Age of Empires
CivilianReturnofrome female villager icon Villager · Returnofrome trade cart icon Trade Cart
OtherAoE2 DE priest icon Priest · Slinger-0 Slinger · Returnofrome artifact icon Artifact
Civilian ship1 Fishing Boat Fishing Boat · 2 Fishing Ship Fishing Ship
3 Trade Boat Trade Boat · 4 Merchant Ship Merchant Ship
5 Light Transport Light Transport · 6 Heavy Transport Heavy Transport
InfantryClubman Clubman · AxemanAoEDE Axeman
Short Swordsman Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman Broad Swordsman · AoE nuRoR Long Swordsman icon Long Swordsmen · Returnofrome legionary icon Legionary
HopliteDE Hoplite · AoE nuRoR Phalangite icon Phalangite · Returnofrome centurion icon Centurion
ArcherBowman aoe1de Bowman
Improved Bowman22 Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman Composite Bowman
Chariot Archer111 Chariot Archer
Horse Archer Horse Archer · Returnofrome heavy horse archer icon Heavy Horse Archer
EAICON DE Elephant Archer
CavalryScout-0 Scout
ChariotDE Chariot · ScytheDE Scythe Chariot
Cavalry111 Cavalry · Returnofrome heavy cavalry icon Heavy Cavalry · Returnofrome cataphract icon Cataphract
War ElephantDE War Elephant · Returnofrome armored elephant icon Armored Elephant
Camel RiderDE Camel Rider
SiegeStone ThrowerDE Stone Thrower · CatapultDE Catapult · Returnofrome heavy catapult icon Heavy Catapult
BallistaDE Ballista · Returnofrome helepolis icon Helepolis
War Ship7 Scout Ship Scout Ship · 8 War Galley War Galley · 9 Trireme Trireme
Catapult Trireme Catapult Trireme · Returnofrome juggernaut icon Juggernaut
10 Fire Galley Fire Galley
Scenario Editor-only units
Short Swordsman Chieftain · Donkey caravan aoe2DE Donkey · Clubman Explorer · Returnofrome heavy cavalry icon General · AoE2 DE priest icon High Priest · Returnofrome horse icon Horse · HeavyCavalryDE Mercenary (removed) · Penguin aoe2DE Penguin · AoE2 DE priest icon Pharaoh · 5 Light Transport Raft · Returnofrome artifact icon War Chest
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