War Galley (Age of Empires)

This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the unit in Age of Empires II, see War Galley (Age of Empires II).

War Galley
Unit information
Introduced in	Age of Empires
Type	Warship
Civilization	All civilizations
Age	Bronze Age
Training
Trained at	Dock
Wood	135
Training time	70 seconds (base) 41 seconds 35 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	160
Pierce attack	8
Reload time	1.7
Range	6
Projectile speed	8
Melee armor	0
Pierce armor	0
Speed	1.75
Line of Sight	9
Unit evolution
Upgraded from	Scout Ship
Upgrades to	Trireme
Upgrade cost	250 food, 100 wood
Upgrade time	200 seconds (base) 100 seconds

“	Upgrade of the Scout Ship. The War Galley has more hit points, attack strength, and range. Required to build Fire Galley.	”
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The War Galley is a warship featured in Age of Empires. It is available at the Dock once the Bronze Age is reached as an upgrade of the much lighter Scout Ship. The War Galley has more hit points, attack strength, and range than a Scout Ship. Once the Iron Age is reached, it can be upgraded to a more improved ship, the Trireme. Ships are two times more resistant to enemy conversions than regular units.

Upgrading Scout Ships to War Galleys is required to be able to train Fire Galleys in the Iron Age.

Gameplay

On water maps, it is a good idea to research War Galley as soon as the player advances to the Bronze Age, since the War Galley surpasses its predecessor, the Scout Ship, in all aspects.

Despite having a weaker attack value than its successor, it has a faster fire rate and its projectile travels faster. In naval maps, Hittite players can make War Galley production a priority, since their civilization bonus gives their War Galleys extra range. Due to their extra range, they can outrange even a fully upgraded Trireme and harass enemy land units near the shore, giving their own units great support.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Infantry, Villagers, Priests
Weak vs.	Elephant Archers, siege units, towers
Upgrades
Attack	Alchemy (+1)
Range	Woodworking (+1) Artisanship (+1) Craftsmanship (+1)
Accuracy	Ballistics (hit moving targets)
Upgrades	Trireme

Civilization bonuses

• Greeks: War Galleys have +20% speed.
• Hittites: War Galleys have +2/+3 range in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Lac Viet: War Galleys are trained 25% faster.
• Macedonians: War Galleys are four times more resistant to conversion.
• Minoans: War Galleys cost -25%/-30% in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Persians: War Galleys fire 25%/33% faster in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Yamato: War Galleys have +20%/+25% hit points in the Bronze/Iron Age.

Team bonuses

• Palmyrans: Upgrading War Galleys to Triremes and researching technologies that benefit War Galleys are 30% faster.

Changelog

Age of Empires

• War Galleys take 60 seconds to train and 100 seconds to upgrade.
• Minoans: War Galleys cost -30%.
• Yamato: War Galleys have +30% hit points.

Definitive Edition

• War Galleys take 70 seconds to train and 200 seconds to upgrade.
• Yamato: Upon release, War Galleys have +25% hit points. With update 38862, they have +20% hit points.

Return of Rome

• Persians: War Galleys fire 25%/33% faster in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Palmyrans (team bonus): Technologies benefiting War Galleys are researched 30% faster.
• Minoans: With update 99311, War Galleys cost -25%/-30% in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Yamato: With update 99311, War Galleys have +20%/+25% hit points in the Bronze/Iron Age.

History

“	The appearance of the ram triggered an arms race in ship design.  Hulls were strengthened to support ever-heavier rams on the bow.  As hulls grew larger, more oarsmen were required to provide power.  A deck was added and a second group of oarsmen was placed there.  This increased power without increasing length, but the deck made the ship somewhat instable.  A ship with two levels of rowers was called a bireme.	”
—Age of Empires manual

Unit line: War Galley
Scout Ship → War Galley → Trireme

Gallery

The Scout Ship unit line in Return of Rome, with the War Galley in the center

A group of War Galleys in the original game, facing all possible directions.

Range comparison of a fully upgraded Egyptian Trireme (blue) and a fully upgraded Hittite War Galley (red)