Cow

The Cow is a herdable animal in Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten, Age of Mythology, and Age of Empires III. It appears as Cattle in Age of Empires IV.

Age of Empires II

Cow
Herdable animal
Introduced in	Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten
Hit points	14
Speed	0.65
Line of Sight	3
Collision size	0.35
Maximum food	150
Decay rate	0.25 food/second
Recommended no. of shepherds	4-6

Introduced in The Forgotten, Cows yield 150 food, similarly to Water Buffalo (which in turn appear in Rise of the Rajas). They appear primarily on European maps.

The Cow has 14 hit points, the same as the Water Buffalo, whereas the other herdable animals have 7 hit points. Consequently, Scout Cavalry and Militia in the Dark Age will find it harder to deprive a player of Cows (and Water Buffalo). The Cow is the only herdable that has a slower speed - their speed is 0.65 whereas all other herdable animals have 0.7 speed.

In the Honfoglalás scenario, players can train Cows for 35 food at the Town Center. Players can also train Sheep there, but Cows are a bit more cost-efficient.

In the Definitive Edition, Cows appear now in four different variants known as Cow A, Cow B, Cow C, and Cow D. These variants are listed as different units in the Scenario Editor and are not different sprites of the same unit, like the variants in Age of Empires III. All four cows are identical except in coat: A is black and white (like the old Cow), B is all black, C is brown and white, and D is all brown. All variants have the same icon.

This animal is also available in the Age of Empires game mode in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Return of Rome with the same attributes.

Gallery

HD sprite of the Cow

Original Cow render

Villagers herding Cows to a Town Center

All Cow variants in the Definitive Edition

Age of Mythology

Cow
Herdable animal
Introduced in	Age of Mythology
Hit points	20
Hack armor	0%
Pierce armor	10%
Speed	2.50
Initial food	75
Maximum food	400
Fatten rate	18.5 food/minute
Decay rate	18 food/minute
Recommended no. of shepherds	4-7

In Age of Mythology, the Cow can be found in the wild on several Norse-themed maps such as Midgard and Jotunheim, though on fewer maps than Pigs and Goats. Cows fatten over time, at a base rate of 18.6 food per minute; their maximum yield is 400 food, that is, 100 more food than Pigs and Goats.

History

“	Scientific name -- Bos taurus Size -- varies, but about 5' at the shoulder and 1000 lbs. (1600 lbs. for bulls) Diet -- grasses Domestic cattle were descended from the aurochs in Europe and the guar in Asia. Cattle were first domesticated between 5000-6000 years ago as beasts of burden, or to provide meat, milk and leather. Raising cattle for meat was likely uncommon; the animal was eaten only if it died or was no longer useful for draft or milk. Unlike goats, they can also serve as beasts of burden, but they require more forage than goats. Cattle were thought to be superior to horses until relatively recently, as they were calmer, less expensive, and less prone to disease, as well as better to eat.	”
—In-game History section

Age of Empires III

Cow
Herdable animal
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Hit points	20
Speed	4-6
Line of Sight	9
Food cost	80
Trained at	Livestock Pen (Europeans except Portuguese and Spanish, with the Ranching Home City Card) Farm (Native Americans, with the Ranching Home City Card) Hacienda (Mexicans, and Spanish with the Viceroyalty of New Spain Home City Card)
Train time	15 seconds
Train limit	20
Initial food	50
Maximum food	500
Fatten rate	0.25 1 (when tasked to Livestock Pen, Farm, or Village)
XP generation rate (Indians)	0.12 0.21 (when tasked to Sacred Field)
Shrine resource generation rate	0.1425
Influence generation rate	0.08 0.3 (fattened)
Recommended no. of shepherds	1

Cows tasked to a Sacred Field

In Age of Empires III, the Cow is a much more effective livestock animal than the Sheep. Stray Cows can be found on the Texas and Painted Desert maps and can be obtained from Treasures. Every European civilization but the Dutch, can send a shipment of 7 Cows. Alternatively, all European civilizations save the Spanish and Portuguese can send the Ranching Home City card, which grants the ability to produce Cows from the Livestock Pen. They are excellent herdables, costing 80 food, and, when fully fattened, granting 500.

The Naturalist is a politician available to all European civilizations except the Italians that gives the player two semi-fattened Cows, when picking her for advancing into the Commerce Age.

In The Asian Dynasties, the Indians cannot kill Cows (or any other herdables) for food. Instead, they get experience points slowly as the time passes. They get XP faster when Cows are tasked on a Sacred Field. They are known as Sacred Cows when captured/trained by Indians. The Japanese cannot gather food from herdables either. Instead, they can task them to Shrines to increase that Shrine's gather rate.

In the Definitive Edition, the Mexicans start with one Cow, can train them at no cost at Haciendas, and they can work at Haciendas for generating resources, more Cows, Settlers, Chinacos, or Cuatreros (these last two requires specific shipments). The Spanish can get Haciendas with the Viceroyalty of New Spain shipment and train Cows there like the Mexicans. Some revolutionary units (such as Morochucos, Llaneros, Cowboys Cuerudos, Californios, Gauchos, and Jagunços) are able to train Cows and gather food from them. The Argentina Revolution ships 10 Cows.

In The African Royals, the Hausa and Ethiopians can sell cows for obtaining wood, coin or influence at the Livestock Market. They have their own cow variant, Sanga Cattle and Zebu Cattle.

Home City Cards

Click here for a list of Home City Cards related to the Cow

Some cards are highlighted with:
Green	TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Purple	Shipment that can be sent an INFINITE number of times

All

Card	Description	Age
Ranching	Livestock Pens can train Cows
Stockyards	Livestocks fatten 30% faster when tasked to Livestock Pens, Farms, and Villages
7 Cows	Ships 7 semi-fattened Cows

Ranching is available to the Native American civilizations except the Inca, the European civilizations except the Portuguese and Spanish, and the United States.

Stockyards is available to the Chinese, Haudenosaunee, American civilizations, and the European civilizations except the Dutch and Portuguese.

7 Cows is available to the United States and the European civilizations except the Dutch and Portuguese.

Argentina

Card	Description
Cattle Drivers	Ships 8 semi-fattened Cows, 1 Gaucho, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +8
Granaderos	Ships 10 Cows and 10 Mounted Granaderos; Cow train limit +10; Mounted Granaderos can be trained at Stables, Forts, Tavern, and Galleons; Incendiary Grenades available at Arsenal

Brazil

Card	Description
Cattle Drivers	Ships 8 semi-fattened Cows, 1 Jagunço, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +8
Jagunços	Ships 10 Cows and 10 Jagunços; Cow train limit +10; Jagunços can be trained at Stables, Forts, Galleons/Fluyts, and Tavern, costs 120 food, uses 1 population, and can build Livestock Pens, train Cows, and gather from livestock

British

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Wool Staple Ports	Livestock fattens 20% faster; Indian livestock generate +20% XP; Japanese livestock contributes 20% more to Shrines' resource/XP trickle		10

California

Card	Description
California Ranching	Ships 2 semi-fattened Cows for every Home City shipment sent before this one

Germans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
7 Cows	Ships 7 Cows +2 Uhlans		1

Gran Colombia

Card	Description
Llaneros	Ships 10 Cows and 10 Llaneros; Cow train limit +10; Llaneros can be trained at Stable, Fort, Galleon, and Tavern, costs food instead of coin, and can build Livestock Pens, train Cows, and gather from livestock
Cattle Drivers	Ships 8 semi-fattened Cows, 1 Llanero, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +8

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
Wampum	Training units and constructing buildings grants +35% XP

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Kilishi Jerky	Large livestock food capacity +100; Small livestock food capacity +60
Moroccan Leather	Livestock gives influence when harvested (50 for large ones, 30 for small ones)

Indians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and attack		25
Goraksha	Livestock generates +80% XP and Sacred Cows cost -20% +1 Hindu Villager		10

Mexicans

Card	Description	Age
San Marcos Fair	Ships 3 semi-fattened Cows and 3 more for every 5 minutes of the game time, up to 30 minutes; Market food sell factor +50%
Barbacoa	Haciendas automatically gathers up to 2 fattened livestock in a radius of 16; Cows fatten 25% faster when tasked to Haciendas
TEAM Alta California Territory	Ships 1 Hacienda Wagon and 7 semi-fattened Cows; Hacienda build limit +1
Guadalajara Ranching	Ships 2 semi-fattened Cows for every Home City shipment before this one

Guadalaraja Ranching is available upon selection Jalisco as the Imperial Age Federal State.

Mexico

Card	Description
10 Cuerudos, 10 Cows, 1 Homestead Wagon	Ships 10 Cows, 10 Cuerudos, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +10
Cattle Drivers	Ships 8 semi-fattened Cows, 1 Cuerudos, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +8

Peru

Card	Description
Cattle Drivers	Ships 8 semi-fattened Cows, 1 Comanchero, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +8
Morochucos	Ships 10 Cows and 10 Morochucos (Comancheros with a ranged attack firing in bursts, cost 120 food, uses 1 population, can build Livestock Pens, train Cows, and gather from livestock); Upgrades Comancheros to Morochucos and allows them to be trained at Stable, Fort, Galleon, and Tavern; Cow train limit +10

South Africa

Card	Description
Xhosa Foods	Ships 900 food, 3 Cows, 3 Goats, 3 Sheep, and 1 Homestead Wagon

Spanish

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 LOS		10

United States

Card	Description	Age
Fertile Lowlands	Ships 6 semi-fattened Cows and 2 Homestead Wagons
Indiana Mobilization	Ships 1 Carbine Cavalry for every shipment that had been sent by the player, including this one; Unit train time, technology research time, and age-up time -10%; Costs 500 wood
Florida Cowhunters	Ships 2 semi-fattened Cows for every Home City shipment that had been sent including this one

Fertile Lowlands is available upon selecting Delaware as the Commerce Age Federal State.

Indiana Mobilization is available upon selecting Indiana as the Fortress Age Federal State.

Florida Cowhunters is available upon selecting Florida as Imperial Age Federal State.

United States (revolutionary)

Card	Description
Cattle Drivers	Ships 8 semi-fattened Cows, 1 Comanchero, and 1 Homestead Wagon; Cow train limit +8
Cowboys	Ships 10 Cows and 10 Cowboys (Comancheros with a ranged attack firing in bursts, costs 120 food, uses 1 population, can build Livestock Pens, train Cows, and gather from livestock); Upgrades Comancheros into Cowboys, and allows them to be trained at Stable, Fort, Galleon/Fluyt, and Tavern; Cow train limit +10

History

“

Scientific Name: Bos taurus Approx. Size: 5 ft. at the shoulder, 1,200 lb. Diet: Grasses Cattle accompanied Europeans to the Americas. Spanish expeditions often traveled with herds of oxen, cattle, sheep, and pigs in tow. The famous Texas Longhorn was bred from Spanish cattle brought from Santo Domingo, though who brought them is unclear. The original herd is said to have accompanied a viceroy, Gregorio de Villalobos, but other Spanish longhorn cattle drives are attributed to Coronado and even Christopher Columbus. Most of the cattle that lived in the central plains of North America, the herds that sparked range wars and gave birth to cowboys, came from the breeding of these Spanish longhorns and the northern European cattle brought east by other settlers.

”

Gallery

Cow portrait in the Age of Empires III beta

Cow image from the Compendium section in Age of Empires III

In-game Cows in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition

In-game fattened Cows in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition

Age of Empires IV

Main article: Cattle