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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. For the unit in Age of Empires IV, see incendiary ship.

Filled with explosives. Self-destructs when used.
Age of Empires II description

The Demolition Ship is a ship in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Dock once the Castle Age is reached. Demolition Rafts are upgraded to Demolition Ships when the War Galley upgrade is researched.

Demolition Ships are packed with explosives that blow up against enemy ships, Docks, land units caught in shallows, and anything too close to the shore.They are suicide units, behaving as Petards on water.

Demolition Ships are available to all civilizations except for the Koreans and Romans.

Tactics[]

Compared to the Demolition Raft, the Demolition Ship has +15 hit points, +20 attack, +40 anti-building damage, +1 pierce armor, +2 ship armor, +0.1 movement speed, +0.5 blast radius, and -14 seconds of training time. Their blast radius also changes to a 100% effect for all units in its radius, as opposed to the Demolition Raft's radial decrease. Given the similar impact on the other Feudal Age naval units, the upgrade is almost always worth obtaining very quickly.

Demoship anim aoe2de

An animation showing the explosion damage left on the two enemy ships.

It's used to strike against key targets (such as fully loaded Transport Ships), dying in the process. It can cause great damage when it hits and will destroy most ships or groups of ships in one shot due to its Area of Effect damage, which thankfully does not harm friendly units. Even if a Demolition Ship explodes before being able to complete its attack (including if the owner presses Delete), the explosion will still deal full damage. The Demolition Ship and its upgrade are the fastest military vessels in the game (especially with Dry Dock researched), much faster than most naval units, making it capable of chasing down enemies. It is very useful against tight groups of Galleys - especially using groups of Demolition Ships, most human opponents will immediately prioritize Demolition Ships when spotted, allowing other ships like Fire Ships to close the distance. Demolition Ships are useful against the Galley line if they manage to approach them, excellent against Fire Ships, and devastating against Transport Ships. However, when used as the basis of a navy, they will usually falter, as they are very inefficient against low-hit-point units.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Fire Ships, buildings in the shoreline, melee units in the shallows, Cannon Galleons
Weak vs. Turtle Ships, towers, Castles, ranged units on the shoreline
Upgrades
Attack SiegeEngineersDE Siege Engineers (+40% against buildings)
Armor CareeningDE Careening (+0/+1)
UniqueTechCastle-DE Carrack (+1/+1, Portuguese only)
Speed DryDockDE Dry Dock (+15%)
Conversion defense Devotion icon AoE2DE Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
FaithDE Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
HeresyDE Heresy (die upon getting converted)
UniqueTechCastle-DE First Crusade (+4 min, +4 max, Sicilians only)
Creation speed ShipwrightDE Shipwright (+54%)
Train cost ShipwrightDE Shipwright (-20%)
Blast radius UniqueTechCastle-DE Cilician Fleet (+20%, Armenians only)
Upgrades HeavyDemoShipDE Heavy Demolition Ship

Civilization bonuses[]

  • Aztecs AoE2 Aztecs: Demolition Ships are created 15% faster.
  • Berbers AoE2 Berbers: Demolition Ships move 10% faster.
  • Burmese AoE2 Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
  • Celts AoE2 Celts: Demolition Ships can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
  • Chinese AoE2 Chinese: Technologies that benefit Demolition Ships are 10%/15% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age. Demolition Ships have +50% HP.
  • Georgians AoE2 Georgians: Demolition Ships receive -20% (-40% instead of -25%) damage on higher elevations.
  • Italians AoE2 Italians: Researching Careening, Dry Dock, and Shipwright is 33% cheaper.
  • Persians AoE2 Persians: Demolition Ships are created 15%/20% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age. Careening is researched 15%/20% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age. Dry Dock and the upgrade to the Heavy Demolition Ship are researched 20% faster.
  • Portuguese AoE2 Portuguese: Demolition Ships have +10% hit points and cost 20% less gold.
  • Spanish AoE2 Spanish: Researching technologies that benefit Demolition Ships provides 20 gold each.
  • Vikings AoE2 Vikings: Demolition Ships are 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

  • With patch 1.0b, Shipwright also decreases train time by 35% now.
  • Heresy introduced.
  • Aztecs AoE2 Aztecs: Cannot build Demolition Ships.

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

  • Demolition Ships now have 60 HP.
  • Vikings AoE2 Vikings: Demolition Ships are now 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.

AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms[]

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

Aoe2 hb Victors and Vanquished[]

History[]

Kings and civilizations without a naval tradition turned to a simple expedient when facing a naval engagement. They loaded an expendable ship with combustibles and a skeleton crew. The doomed ship was then sailed into contact with enemy ships and set alight. When done properly, demolition ships burned fiercely and exploded, setting adjacent enemy ships on fire also. Wooden ships sealed with pitch and outfitted with flammable rigging and equipment were at great risk to fire and explosion (once gunpowder was aboard). A demolition ship could damage or destroy ships many more times more powerful and valuable and could be used against seaside buildings.

Gallery[]

Units in Age of Empires II
CivilianMaleVillDE Villager · Tradecart aoe2DE Trade Cart · FishingShipDE Fishing Ship · Trade cog aoe2DE Trade Cog · King eu aoe2DE King
ReligiousMonk aoe2DE Monk
InfantryMilitiaDE Militia · Manatarms aoe2DE Man-at-Arms · Longswordsman aoe2DE Long Swordsman · Twohanded aoe2DE Two-Handed Swordsman · Champion aoe2DE Champion
Spearman aoe2DE Spearman · Aoe2-infantry-2-pikeman Pikeman · Halberdier aoe2DE Halberdier
ArcherArcher aoe2DE Archer · Crossbowman aoe2DE Crossbowman · Arbalester aoe2DE Arbalester
Skirmisher aoe2DE Skirmisher · Elite skirmisher aoe2DE Elite Skirmisher
Hand cannoneer aoe2DE Hand Cannoneer
Cavalryarcher aoe2DE Cavalry Archer · Heavycavalryarcher aoe2de Heavy Cavalry Archer
CavalryScoutcavalry aoe2DE Scout Cavalry · Lightcavalry aoe2DE Light Cavalry · Hussar aoe2DE Hussar
Knight aoe2DE Knight · Cavalier aoe2DE Cavalier · Paladin aoe2DE Paladin
Camelrider aoe2DE Camel Rider · Aoe2 heavycamelriderDE Heavy Camel Rider
SiegeBattering ram aoe2DE Battering Ram · Capped ram aoe2DE Capped Ram · Siege ram aoe2DE Siege Ram
Mangonel aoe2DE Mangonel · Onager aoe2DE Onager · Siege onager aoe2DE Siege Onager
Scorpion aoe2DE Scorpion · Heavyscorpion aoe2DE Heavy Scorpion
Bombard cannon aoe2DE Bombard Cannon
Trebuchet aoe2DE Trebuchet
Petard aoe2DE Petard
Siegetower aoe2DE Siege Tower
War shipTransportship aoe2DE Transport Ship
Galley aoe2DE Galley · War galley aoe2DE War Galley · Galleon aoe2DE Galleon
Fire galley aoe2DE Fire Galley · Fireship aoe2DE Fire Ship · Fastfireship aoe2DE Fast Fire Ship
Demoraft aoe2DE Demolition Raft · Demoship aoe2DE Demolition Ship · Heavydemoship aoe2de Heavy Demolition Ship
Cannon galleon aoe2DE Cannon Galleon · Elite cannon galleon aoe2de Elite Cannon Galleon
Regional
InfantryEaglescout aoe2DE Eagle Scout · Eaglewarrior aoe2DE Eagle Warrior · EliteEaglewarrior aoe2DE Elite Eagle Warrior
ArcherAoe2de DOI elephant archer icon Elephant Archer · ElephantArcherIcon-DE Elite Elephant Archer
CavalryBattle elephant aoe2DE Battle Elephant · Elite battle elephant aoe2DE Elite Battle Elephant
Steppelancericon Steppe Lancer · Elitesteppelancericon Elite Steppe Lancer
Xolotlicon Xolotl Warrior
AoE2DE Armored Elephant icon Armored Elephant · AoE2DE Siege Elephant icon Siege Elephant
War shipAoE2 Dromon Dromon
Unique
ReligiousMissionaryIcon-DE Missionary · AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest
InfantryBerserkIcon-DE Berserk · Aoe2de Chakram Chakram Thrower · CondottieroIcon-DE Condottiero · Aoe2-icon-flemish-militia Flemish Militia · GbetoIcon-DE Gbeto · Aoe2de Ghulam Ghulam · HuskarlIcon-DE Huskarl · JaguarWarriorIcon-DE Jaguar Warrior · KamayukIcon-DE Kamayuk · Karambitwarrioricon-DE Karambit Warrior · AoE2 DE Legionary new icon Legionary · Aoe2-icon--obuch Obuch · SamuraiIcon-DE Samurai · Aoe2-icon-serjeant Serjeant · Shotelwarrioricon-DE Shotel Warrior · TeutonicKnightIcon-DE Teutonic Knight · ThrowingAxemanIcon-DE Throwing Axeman · Aoe2de Urumi Urumi Swordsman · AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest · WoadRaiderIcon-DE Woad Raider
ArcherArambaiicon-DE Arambai · CamelArcherIcon-DE Camel Archer · ChukoNuIcon-DE Chu Ko Nu · AoE2 CompositeBowman Composite Bowman · ConquistadorIcon-DE Conquistador · GenitourIcon-DE Genitour · GenoeseCrossbowmanIcon-DE Genoese Crossbowman · Imperialskirmishericon-DE Imperial Skirmisher · JanissaryIcon-DE Janissary · Kipchakicon Kipchak · LongbowmanIcon-DE Longbowman · MangudaiIcon-DE Mangudai · PlumedArcherIcon-DE Plumed Archer · Aoe2de ratha ranged Ranged Ratha · Rattanarchericon-DE Rattan Archer · SlingerIcon-DE Slinger · WarWagonIcon-DE War Wagon
CavalryBallistaelephanticon-DE Ballista Elephant · BoyarIcon-DE Boyar · Aoe2de camel scout Camel Scout · CataphractIcon-DE Cataphract · Aoe2de roman unique centurion icon Centurion · Aoe2-icon-coustillier Coustillier · Flaming camel icon Flaming Camel · ImperialCamelRiderIcon-DE Imperial Camel Rider · Keshikicon Keshik · Konnikicon Konnik · Leitisicon Leitis · MagyarHuszarIcon-DE Magyar Huszar · MamelukeIcon-DE Mameluke · AoE2 Monaspa Monaspa · Aoe2de ratha melee Melee Ratha · AoE2 Savar Savar · Aoe2de shrivamsha rider Shrivamsha Rider · TarkanIcon-DE Tarkan · WarElephantIcon-DE War Elephant · Aoe2-icon-winged-hussar Winged Hussar
SiegeAoe2-icon--houfnice Houfnice · Aoe2-icon-hussite-wagon Hussite Wagon · OrganGunIcon-DE Organ Gun
War shipCaravelIcon-DE Caravel · LongboatIcon-DE Longboat · Aoe2de Thirisadai Thirisadai · TurtleShipIcon-DE Turtle Ship
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