This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the similar unit in Age of Mythology, see Chariot Archer (Age of Mythology). |
“ | A powerful archery unit that combines the speed and mobility of the Chariot and the attack strength of the Improved Bowman. | ” |
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition |
The Chariot Archer is a powerful archer unit in Age of Empires. It combines the speed and mobility of the Chariot and the attack strength of the Improved Bowman. The Wheel technology is a prerequisite to train any chariot unit.
Civilizations[]
Available | Unavailable |
---|---|
- x indicates that the civilization can fully upgrade their Chariot Archers, i.e. gets Nobility, Alchemy, Craftsmanship, Conscription and Chain Mail Archers.
- + indicates that the civilization has at least one civilization bonus that benefits the combat strength of their Chariot Archers.
Gameplay[]
The Chariot Archer is a popular Bronze Age unit because of its combined speed, strength, range of attack, and the fact that it costs no gold, which makes it a so-called trash unit. Its speed allows it to fly right past towers and catch Villagers quickly. It possesses 7 range, allowing it to find exposed units or for reconnaissance. As it is fast and has good range, it is strong in numbers.
The Chariot Archer also dealt triple damage against Priests and was highly resistant to conversion before update 38862.
Comparison among civilizations[]
Civilization | Palmyrans Sumerians |
Assyrians | Babylonians | Egyptians | Lac Viet | Hittites | Phoenicians | Shang |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hit Points | 80 | 70 | 80 | 107 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
Attack | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+1 | 4+2 | 4+1 | 4 |
Range | 7+2 | 7+3 | 7+3 | 7+3 | 7+3 | 7+3 | 7+3 | 7+3 |
Training Time | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 25.6 | 32 | 32 | 40 |
Armor | 0+6/0 | 0+6/0 | 0+6/0+1 | 0+6/0 | 0+8/0 | 0+6/0 | 0+4/0 | 0+6/0 |
Extras | +33% rate of fire | +2 Line of Sight |
Further statistics[]
Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
---|---|
Strong vs. | Infantry, Villagers, Priests |
Weak vs. | Cavalry, siege units |
Upgrades | |
Hit points | Nobility (+15%) |
Attack | Alchemy (+1) |
Range | Woodworking (+1) Artisanship (+1) Craftsmanship (+1) |
Accuracy | Ballistics (hit moving targets) |
Armor | Leather Armor Archers (+2/+0) Scale Armor Archers (+2/+0) Chain Mail Archers (+2/+0) |
Creation speed | Conscription (+25%) |
Civilization bonuses[]
- Assyrians: Chariot Archers fire 22%/33% faster in the Bronze/Iron Age.
- Babylonians: Wheel is 30% cheaper. Chariot Archers have +1 pierce armor.*
- Egyptians: Chariot Archers have +33% hit points.
- Hittites: Wheel is 50% cheaper and faster to research. Chariot Archers have +1 attack.
- Lac Viet: Chariot Archers are trained 25% faster and have +2 armor.
Team bonuses[]
- Palmyrans: Researching technologies that benefit Chariot Archers is 30% faster.
- Phoenicians: Chariot Archers have +2 Line of Sight.
Changelog[]
Age of Empires[]
- Chariot Archers have +7 damage vs. Priests, ×8 conversion resistance, and 6 frame delay.
- Assyrians: Chariot Archers fire 36% faster (but stated 40%).
Definitive Edition[]
- Chariot Archers have +8 damage vs. Priests and 27 frame delay. After update 9, Chariot Archers no longer do bonus damage vs. Priests.
- With update 38862, Chariot Archers have ×2 conversion resistance.
- Assyrians: Chariot Archers fire 33% faster (but stated 25%).
Return of Rome[]
- Team bonuses added:
- Palmyrans: Researching technologies that benefit Chariot Archers is 30% faster.
- Phoenicians: Chariot Archers have +2 Line of Sight.
- Assyrians: With update 93001, Chariot Archers fire 22%/33% faster in the Bronze/Iron Age.
History[]
“ | Around 1700 BC, two existing technologies of military consequence, the chariot and the bow, were merged to create a fearsome new military weapon the chariot archer. Armored archers carried in fast chariots dominated the battlefields of the civilized world for the next 500 years and remained useful for some time after that. In the open ground of the settled plains and river valleys, the chariot archer was devastating due to its speed, mass, and firepower. Chariot archers were typified by the Egyptian nobility and pharaohs of the New Kingdom, 1552-1069 BC, who prided themselves on their archery. The first recorded battle of history, Megiddo in 1460 BC, was fought with chariots carrying archers. The chariot archer was the dominating battlefield weapon from China to Greece from about 1600 to 1200 BC, according to the historical and archaeological record. The long reign of chariot armies was due to several factors, including most importantly the placement of a composite bow archer in the basket with the driver and using the chariot as a mobile firing platform. The fast-firing chariot archer was devastating against slow, poorly armored infantry in the open areas of the civilized cultures. The glorious vision of elite archers from the nobility fighting from their expensive chariots and wheeling around the battlefields at will pervaded all civilized cultures of the time. | ” |
Gallery[]
Tech tree[]
Barracks |
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→ | → | |||||||||
Improved Bow |
→ | |||||||||
Wheel |
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→ | ||||||||||
Units in Age of Empires | |
---|---|
Civilian | Villager · Trade Cart |
Other | Priest · Slinger · Artifact |
Civilian ship | Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship Trade Boat · Merchant Ship Light Transport · Heavy Transport |
Infantry | Clubman · Axeman Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legionary Hoplite · Phalangite · Centurion |
Archer | Bowman Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman Chariot Archer Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer Elephant Archer |
Cavalry | Scout Chariot · Scythe Chariot Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract War Elephant · Armored Elephant Camel Rider |
Siege | Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult Ballista · Helepolis |
War Ship | Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme Catapult Trireme · Juggernaut Fire Galley |
Scenario Editor-only units | |
Chieftain · Donkey · Explorer · General · High Priest · Horse · Mercenary (removed) · Penguin · Pharaoh · Raft · War Chest |