The Lion is a huntable animal in Age of Empires and Age of Mythology, and a wild animal in Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms. Lions are also treasure guardians in Age of Empires III.
Age of Empires[]
“ | Predator that can be hunted for food. | ” |
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition |
Lions are relatively fast predators distributed across most maps, roughly equivalent to the Wolf in later games. They attack most player units that come too close (within around 2 cells), and even Gazelles, although not any dangerous animals such as Crocodiles or Elephants.
They are a particular threat for lone Villagers exploring the map. A Lion can wipe out more than half of the hit point bar if the Villager is taken unaware. Unlike other dangerous animals, they are fast enough to keep up with foot units, so can be difficult to elude. Lone Villagers should either be controlled cautiously to prevent them getting too close to a Lion, or, if an attack is unavoidable, begin throwing spears before the Lion reaches melee range. Triggering a pair of Lions will generally spell the end of an unsupported, unupgraded Villager, but after researching Wheel, it is possible to outrun them.
If a Villager brings down a Lion, it will briefly become a source of 100 food, although the carcass decays at the extremely rapid rate of 1 food per second on the in-game clock. If hunting Lions deliberately for food, try to lure them close to a Storage Pit or Town Center with a military unit, and then use at least two Villagers to bring down the Lion before it can do too much damage. However, this is not an efficient source of food, as Lions typically occur singly in far-flung parts of the map, and decay so rapidly that numerous Villagers will be needed to extract most of the food yield before it disappears entirely.
An easier way of eliminating the threat of Lions is to target them with military units. This will negate the entire food yield, which is only accessible if the final blow is struck by a Villager.
In Return of Rome, Lions are rarer, with many skirmish maps replacing them with Wolves (this version of which functions identically), Bears (which are slower), or landlocked Crocodiles (which are slower, but more aggressive). Lions are a little slower than in earlier versions of the game, but still fast enough to catch Villagers. The Trade Carts added in Return of Rome are safe from predator attacks.
Age of Empires also features Tame Lions as player-controllable military units, and the upgraded Lion (Alpha) (formerly Lion King), although they only appear in the Scenario Editor. Both the game images and the icons are identical to those of the common Lions.
Tame Lion[]
“ | A happy lion with a great heart. He answers to Richard. Credible magicians approve this lion's tameness. | ” |
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition |
The Tame Lion is a player-controllable version of the Lion. It is identical in appearance to the regular animal, but comes with a number of differences. The unit is exclusive to the Scenario Editor and doesn't appear in the official campaigns.
It has +1 Line of Sight and +1 attack, but the latter doesn't ignore the enemy's armor. In the original Age of Empires, it holds 100 food and decays slowly, but is non-gatherable, while in The Rise of Rome, it no longer holds food.
Unlike its Gaia counterpart, the Tame Lion never attacks automatically, not even when it is under attack. Computer-controlled players generally ignore an enemy Tame Lion unless it attacks them. When under the control of such a player, the AI won't make any use of the Tame Lion, so that it can be safely destroyed. Tame Lions can be converted.
Lions and other aggressive animals of Gaia are hostile to Tame Lions. Gazelles can't be attacked by Tame Lions.
The unit is not available in Return of Rome.
Trivia[]
- In Neolithic and Ancient times, lions lived in most of Africa and also from the Balkans to India. They were absent from East Asia, however.
- The supposed name of the Tame Lion as well as its described personality are probably a reference to Richard the Lionheart.
Gallery[]
Age of Empires II[]
The Lion appears in Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms Like other wild animals, it appears in several areas around the map and is of hostile nature. It holds no food and attacks Villagers and even some military units on sight. Even though, it will die to anything with the lone exception of a Villager without the Loom upgrade. Lions mostly appear on African maps.
Trivia[]
- By the Middle Ages, lions had disappeared from Europe but survived in most of their primitive range. They acquired popularity and cultural significance independently in Europe and eastern Asia, and were often depicted in art and imported as captive animals.
Gallery[]
Age of Mythology[]
The Lion is a huntable animal, but it will also attack any Villager that wanders too close, and doesn't provide much food compared to the cost of taking it down.
"A Pair of Golden Lions" is a Relic that will provide the player with two Golden Lions that will be under the control of the player, and respawn after being killed.
History[]
“ | Scientific name -- Panthera leo Size -- 450 lbs. male, 300 lbs. female Diet -- large herbivores, especially wildebeest and zebra Lions are the largest of the big cats. They specialize in hunting large herbivores, such as zebra and wildebeest, but have been known to eat virtually all African land animals over a few pounds. Like all cats, lions have great acceleration but poor stamina, so they rely on ambush and group tactics to catch their prey. Most lions attack from within 100 feet of a target prey animal. Even so, a great percentage of animals still manage to escape. While the conventional wisdom is that females do most of the hunting, male lions are quite capable if not superior hunters. Female lions are social, which allows them to hunt cooperatively, while males are solitary and spend much of their energy patrolling a large territory. Females need to spend extra time hunting since the male takes no part in caring for the young. Female lions form prides of two-to-eighteen related individuals, making them the only truly social cat. While hunting in groups may be effective, it is not dramatically more effective then hunting alone, since more food must be gathered to feed the entire pride. It is more likely that females socialize to help defend their cubs from male lions. Historically, the range of the lion extended up into Europe. They have been extinct from Europe for about 2000 years and are presently confined to conservation areas in sub-Saharan Africa. A relict population of about 250 of the Asiatic lion sub-species still exists in India. While they do attack people, lion existence is also at odds with the widespread cattle culture of Africa. | ” |
—In-game help section |
Gallery[]
Age of Empires III[]
The Lion is a powerful treasure guardian found in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties on Asian maps. It is a much more powerful version of the Tiger and is dangerous to defeat with Explorers.
Lions are found in maps such as Mongolia, Deccan, Yellow River, and Silk Road. A pet version of the Lion named Lhota the Pet Lion is available to the Indians from a Home City Card sending two Lions.
History[]
“ | Scientific Name: Panthera leo Approx. Size: 9 ft. long, 3 ft. to shoulder, 400 lb. Diet: Antelope, zebra, wildebeest, other large herbivores, domestic livestock, carrion Few creatures are as unmistakable as the lion, a legend of the natural world since ancient times, and one of few animals worthy of the title "king of the beasts." With its impressive mane and imposing size, the lion has long been glorified as the epitome of the big cat, even though it shares most physical characteristics with its cousin, the tiger, which is actually a larger animal. The lion has a powerful compact body, with strong forelegs and jaws used specifically for seizing an escaping animal and killing it. Adult lions have the notable golden coat of hair, which is a sign of its maturity, since cubs have light spots that fade and vanish over time. The pronounced mane is only present in males, and even then it usually grows only on lions in cooler climates. The lion is the most social of the big cats, living in groups called prides that are comprised of up to forty individuals. The females do most of the hunting while the males defend the community. At an early age, a male lion is driven from the pride and eventually joins together with brothers or cousins in small coalitions to search for a new group. Once he enters a new pride, a male lion will go about systematically killing any cub that cannot outrun him. In the past, lions lived and hunted in many diverse geographic regions, from the vast corridor linking Europe and India, known as Eurasia, to across the breadth of Africa. However, by the second century, populations in the Middle East and Europe had been hunted to extinction. Today, lions now live only in Africa, with the exception of a small population clinging to life in the Gir Forest of northwestern India. | ” |
Gallery[]
Lhota the Pet Lion[]
Lhota the Pet Lion is a pet Lion in Age of Empires III. He is very effective against treasure guardians.
Two Lhotas can be shipped from the Indian Home City in the Exploration Age to provide valuable support to the Brahmins, taking down most Treasure guardians with only a few hits.
Upgrades[]
Lhota the Pet Lion, like all other pets, upgrades automatically each Age:
- +20% hit points and attack
- +30% hit points and attack
- +40% hit points and attack
- +60% hit points and attack
Home City Cards[]
- Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Lhota the Pet Lion
Some cards are highlighted with: | |
Green | TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team |
Red | Shipment that can be sent twice |
Blue | Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds) |
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Western Reforms | All units get +8% hit points and attack | 40 |
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Ignatian Spirituality | All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat |
- Europeans
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Wanderlust | Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed |
- "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Road Building | Land military units get +10% speed |
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
2 Pet Lions | Ships 2 Lhota the Pet Lions; +1 Villager | 1 | |
Dravidian Martial Arts | All units get +15% hand attack; Rajputs get +20% hand attack instead; +1 Hindu Villager | 40 | |
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics | All units get +5% hit points and attack | 25 |
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Knights of the Round Table | Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center owned by the player; all units get +2% hit points |
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Mariachi | For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed | |
Colegio de San Nicolás | Ships 500 XP; units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds | |
National Servant | All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster |
- "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
- "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack | Hand infantry get +15% attack | 10 | |
Archaic Infantry Hitpoints | Hand infantry and foot archers get +15% hit points; Rodeleros get +20% hit points instead | 10 | |
Archaic Infantry Combat | Hand infantry and foot archers get +15% hit points and attack | 25 | |
TEAM Spanish Inquisition | All units get +10 Line of Sight; +1 Inquisitor | 10 |
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Attack | Hand infantry and hand cavalry get +15% attack | |
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Hitpoints | Hand infantry and hand cavalry get +15% hit points |
Gallery[]
Animals in Age of Empires | |
---|---|
Until Definitive Edition | |
Huntables | Gazelle · Elephant |
Predators | Alligator · Lion · Crocodile |
Marine creatures | Shore Fish · Tuna · Salmon · Whale |
Animal Kings | Lion (Alpha) · Crocodile (Alpha) · Gazelle (Alpha) · Elephant (Alpha) |
Other | Lion (tame) |
Decorative | Bird · Dragon |
Cut | Horse · Goat |
Including Return of Rome | |
Huntable | Deer · Ibex · Iron Boar · Javelina · Ostrich · Rhinoceros · Wild Boar · Zebra |
Herdable | Cow · Goat · Goose · Llama · Pig · Sheep · Turkey · Water Buffalo |
Predator | Bear · Dire Wolf · Jaguar · Komodo Dragon · Rabid Wolf · Snow Leopard · Tiger · Wolf |
Civilian | Bactrian Camel · Camel · Donkey · Horse |
Military animals | Alfred the Alpaca · Furious the Monkey Boy · Penguin |
Decorative | Wild Bactrian Camel · Wild Camel · Wild Horse |
Marine animals | Box Turtles · Dolphin · Dorado · Marlin · Perch · Snapper |
Animals in Age of Empires II | |
---|---|
Herdable animals | Cow · Goat · Goose · Llama · Pig · Sheep · Turkey · Water Buffalo |
Timid huntables | Deer · Gazelle · Ibex · Ostrich · Zebra |
Aggressive huntables | Elephant · Iron Boar · Javelina · Rhinoceros · Wild Boar |
Wild animals | Bear · Crocodile · Dire Wolf · Jaguar · Komodo Dragon · Lion · Rabid Wolf · Snow Leopard · Tiger · Wolf |
Marine animals | Box Turtles · Dolphin · Dorado · Marlin · Perch · Salmon · Shore Fish · Snapper · Tuna |
Civilian animals | Bactrian Camel · Camel · Donkey · Horse |
Military animals | Alfred the Alpaca · Furious the Monkey Boy · Penguin |
Hero animals | Hunting Wolf · Ornlu the Wolf |
Decorative animals | Bird · Stormy Dog · Wild Bactrian Camel · Wild Camel · Wild Horse |
Animals (non-myth units) in Age of Mythology | |
---|---|
Herdable animals | Cow · Goat · Pig · Yak |
Timid huntables | Baboon · Caribou · Chicken · Crowned Crane · Deer · Duck · Elk · Gazelle · Giraffe · Monkey · Zebra |
Aggressive huntables | Aurochs · Boar · Elephant · Hippopotamus · Ram · Rhinoceros · Walrus · Water Buffalo |
Wild animals | Arctic Wolf · Crocodile · Bear · Hyena · Lion · Lizard · Panda Bear · Polar Bear · Tiger · Wolf |
Military animals | Golden Lion · Relic Monkey |
Fish | Herring · Mahi-mahi · Perch · Salmon |
Decorative animals | Bird ( Eagle · Harpy · Hawk · Parrot · Vulture) · Hawksbill Turtle · Orca · Shark · Whale |
Scenario Editor-exclusive animals | Alfred · Dog · Giant Duck-Billed Platypus · Golden Fleece (also herdable) · Reindeer |
Cheat animals | Methane Chicken |
Cut animals | Camel · Horse |