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This article is about the technology in Age of Empires II. For the technology in Age of Empires IV, see Chemistry (Age of Empires IV). |
Chemistry is a technology in Age of Empires II available at the University upon reaching the Imperial Age. It increases the attack of defensive structures, non-gunpowder archers, ranged non-gunpowder siege units, and most ranged non-gunpowder ships by +1.
Furthermore, it enables the creation of Hand Cannoneer, Bombard Cannon, and Cannon Galleon (it does not increase their attack), and enables the research of Bombard Tower (it increases the building's attack) to all civilizations depending on their availability. Researching Chemistry is not required to create the gunpowder unique units and regional units.
Chemistry is available to all civilizations.
Strategy[]
While not all civilizations can use the unlocked gunpowder units, the technology is equal in cost to Bracer and will eventually become worthwhile if investing in ranged units in general.
Gunpowder units cost a lot of gold, so those units may be situationally dependent on the availability of that resource in the match (e.g. map generation and availability of trade). If they are not required and resources are low, then the extra range from Bracer may be a higher priority.
Projectile infantry and cavalry units are unaffected by Chemistry if they are not classified as siege. The examples of non-siege projectile infantry and cavalry are the Mameluke, Gbeto, and the charged attack of the Fire Lancer. The examples of siege projectile cavalry are the Ballista Elephant and Mounted Trebuchet.
Among projectile non-gunpowder ships, Fire Galley line is unaffected by Chemistry.
Further statistics[]
| Civilization bonuses | |
|---|---|
| Resource cost |  Chinese (-15%) Italians (-33%) Turks (-100%)
|
| Research speed | Turks (+inf)
|
| Other |  Bohemians (available in Castle Age) Spanish (receive 20 gold after researching Chemistry)
|
| Team bonuses | |
|---|---|
| Research speed |  Malians (+80%) Portuguese (+25%)
|
Changelog[]
The Age of Kings[]
- Chemistry does not affect Castles and Town Centers.
- Chemistry gives Scorpions +2 attack.
- Chemistry affects all arrows fired.
- The Mangonel line's regular and fire (post-Chemistry) projectiles move at 2.9 tiles/s.
The Conquerors[]
- Chemistry now gives Scorpions +1 attack.
- Hand Cannon and the Bombard Cannon technology were removed from the game, and Hand Cannoneers and Bombard Cannons become available as soon as Chemistry is researched.
- The Mangonel line's regular and fire (post-Chemistry) projectiles move at 3.5 and 2.9 tiles/s respectively. Hence, researching Chemistry slowed down the projectiles by ~17%.
The Forgotten[]
- Chemistry now affects Castles and Town Centers.
- Chemistry only affects the first arrow fired.
- The Mangonel line's regular and fire (post-Chemistry) projectiles move at 3.5 tiles/s respectively.
Definitive Edition[]
- Fixed the issue with Chemistry not increasing the attack of secondary Castle arrows.
- Malay: With update 36906, Harbors now (properly) receive the benefits of Chemistry.
- Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster.
Lords of the West[]
- Italians: With update 44725, Chemistry is 33% cheaper.
- Since update 47820, Cannon Galleons no longer require their own technology to be available; now, they are available just by researching Chemistry.
Return of Rome[]
- With update 87863, (Elite) Arambai are affected by Chemistry.
History[]
| “ | The science of chemistry was very crude during the Middle Ages and devoted almost entirely to finding ways to convert base metals into gold. This study was called alchemy and practitioners were called alchemists. Alchemists occasionally stumbled upon useful chemicals by accident. The most significant result of chemistry experiments was the European acquisition of gunpowder, which had been invented many centuries earlier by the Chinese. | ” |
Trivia[]
- Chemistry gives a flaming effect to most affected projectiles, exceptions being the bullets of a Persian Castle with Citadels researched and the cannonballs of Bombard Towers.
- The icon of the technology depicts a test tube in a test tube stand, and a volumetric flask, all of which were invented in the modern era, after the 1800s.
- The Aztecs, Cumans, Huns, Inca, Maya, and Romans never experience the secondary effect (unlocking gunpowder units) of Chemistry.
- The attack increase is pierce for units with pierce attack (like Organ Guns and Skirmishers) and melee for units with only melee attack (like Mangonels and Mounted Trebuchets). For units with both types of attacks, like Scorpions and Chu Ko Nu, only the pierce attack is increased.
- Chemistry affects both attacks of the Lou Chuan, the anti-building melee attack and the anti-unit pierce attack. This is because the attacks are independent of each other, and do not occur together.
