This article is about the unit in Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend. For the unit in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals, see Desert Raider (Age of Empires III). |
“ | Versatile Cavalry unit that can swap between ranged and melee attacks with a toggle. | ” |
—Age of Empires IV description |
The Desert Raider is a light cavalry unit in Age of Empires IV: The Sultans Ascend and is unique to the Ayyubids. It can switch between melee and ranged modes. It is a strict addition to the Ayyubid roster, as it does not replace anything. It can be trained at both the Stable and Archery Range and can also be spawned automatically from the House of Wisdom if Reinforcement is chosen.
The Desert Raider is also available to the Byzantines as a mercenary unit.
Ability[]
- The Desert Raider can swap its weapon at will, with only a very short ~1 second cooldown. It has the option of:
Tactics[]
Due to their ability to swap between melee and ranged attacks, Desert Raiders can be considered a combination of the Camel Rider and Camel Archer, with a few key differences. Compared to both units, the Desert Raider has fewer hit points, but a lower cost, especially in terms of food. The cheaper cost, faster training time, and availability in the Feudal Age (the Camel Archer is also available in the Feudal Age) means the Desert Raider can be massed earlier and more cheaply.
In melee mode, compared to a Camel Rider, the Desert Raider has higher attack (and bonus damage against cavalry). As a ranged unit, it does less damage than a Camel Archer and lacks any attack bonus (even that against light melee infantry which the former has), but has longer range. In either mode, the Desert Raider has high melee armor.
The overall strength of the unit lies in its ability to swap modes depending on enemy army compositions. Desert Raiders can never be forced into an unfavorable matchup; any other ranged unit might be facing a highly-resistant siege weapon. It can be considered to counter Spearmen in ranged mode due to its ability to hit-and-run, but can swap to melee mode to do more damage when engaging cavalry or Men-at-Arms. The mode swap also grants the Desert Raider a unique role as a ranged unit with a torch attack. Even if used primarily as a mounted archer, swapping to melee mode will allow the Desert Raider to quickly take down structures.
Besides common cavalry counters like Spearmen, which can generally be outrun or fought from range, Desert Raiders lack ranged armor, and so are vulnerable to ranged attacks. Archers and Crossbowmen both trade cost-effectively and should not be fought without support such as Horsemen. Even in melee mode, the Desert Raider takes anti-ranged bonus damage, so it is vulnerable to Javelin Throwers and Mangonels, but the matchup vs Horsemen is also somewhat neutral despite the anti-cavalry bonus and Camel Unease ability. The Desert Raider, despite being able to attack in melee mode, does not have the 'melee' unit type, meaning it does not take extra bonus damage from the Bedouin Swordsman.
For tactics applying to all units with the Camel Unease debuff, see Camel Unease.
Unit comparison[]
Ranged[]
Camel Archer | Ranged Desert Raider | |
---|---|---|
Cost | 180 food, 60 wood | 80 food, 50 wood, 50 gold |
Training time | 35 s | 30 s |
Hit points | 140 (Regular) 170 (Veteran) 200 (Elite) |
120 (Regular) 145 (Veteran) 175 (Elite) |
Attack | 12 (Regular) 14 (Veteran) 15 (Elite) |
7 (Regular) 9 (Veteran) 11 (Elite) |
Bonus vs light melee infantry | 12 (Regular) 14 (Veteran) 15 (Elite) |
0 |
Melee armor | 0 | 5 (Regular) 6 (Veteran) 7 (Elite) |
Range | 3.75 tiles | 4.5 tiles |
Attack speed | 1.25 s | 1.25 s |
Melee[]
Camel Rider | Melee Desert Raider | |
---|---|---|
Cost | 160 food, 30 wood, 30 gold | 80 food, 50 wood, 50 gold |
Training time | 35 s | 30 s |
Hit points | N/A (Feudal Age) 270 (Regular) 320 (Elite) |
120 (Regular) 145 (Veteran) 175 (Elite) |
Attack | N/A (Feudal Age) 14 (Regular) 16 (Elite) |
13 (Regular) 15 (Veteran) 19 (Elite) |
Bonus vs cavalry | N/A (Feudal Age) 14 (Veteran) 16 (Elite) |
13 (Regular) 15 (Veteran) 19 (Elite) |
Melee armor | 0 +3 with Camel Rider Barding +2 with Camel Rider Shields |
5 (Regular) 6 (Veteran) 7 (Elite) |
Attack Speed | 1.13 s | 1.25 s |
Further statistics[]
Strengths and weaknesses | |
---|---|
Strong vs. | Light melee infantry (in ranged mode), Cavalry (in melee mode, except Horsemen) |
Weak vs. | Archers, Crossbowman |
Conditional matchups | Horsemen, Mangonels |
Technologies | |
---|---|
Hit points | Biology (+30%) |
Attack | Bloomery (+1 melee) Decarbonization (+1 melee) Damascus Steel (+1 melee) Steeled Arrow (+1 ranged) Balanced Projectiles (+1 ranged) Platecutter Point (+1 ranged) Incendiary Arrows (+20% ranged) |
Range | Silk Bowstrings (+0.75) |
Armor | Fitted Leatherwork (+1 melee) Insulated Helm (+1 melee) Master Smiths (+1 melee) Iron Undermesh (+1 ranged) Wedge Rivets (+1 ranged) Angled Surfaces (+1 ranged) |
Creation speed | Military Academy (+33%) |
Ability | Miltary Wing - Reinforcement (Can build Battering Rams, Siege Towers, Springalds, and Mangonels) |
Other | Miltary Wing - Reinforcement (Spawns from House of Wisdom) |
Abilities and Enhancements | |
---|---|
Armor | Infantry Support (+3 melee/ranged) |
Attack speed | Golden Age: Tier 5 (+20%) |
Creation speed | Golden Age Tier 3 (+20%) |
Mercenary Desert Raider[]
The Byzantines can purchase Desert Raiders with Olive Oil from a Mercenary House built next to a Trade Post (if available) after researching Veteran Contracts. Once unlocked, they can train automatically from the Golden Horn Tower. In addition to generic upgrades, they benefit from the following Byzantine unique bonuses:
Further statistics | |
---|---|
Regeneration | Triumph (+2 hp/s while active) Pilgrim Flask (25 hp/s for 6 seconds, requires Cistern of the First Hill) |
Attack | Triumph (+4 while active) Improved Torch (+25% torch attack, requires Trapezites) |
Movement speed | Naval Deployment (+50% speed for 12 seconds after unloading from a Transport Ship) Triumph (+10% while active) Foreign Engineering Company (+15%, grants Camel Handling) |
Creation speed | Conscriptio Influence (+20% per Cistern water level) |
Dialogue lines[]
The Camel Lancer uses the Abbasid Camel Archer voice lines
- Main article: Camel Archer (Age of Empires IV)/Dialogue lines
Trivia[]
- The Desert Raider has the same weapon switching ability as the Ratha in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Dynasties of India.
- It is the only military unit in the game that can be created from two different standard military buildings (Stable and Archery Range).
- Despite having 2 more melee armor than the Lancer (5/6/7 compared to 3/4/5), it is tagged as a "light" unit.