As an upgrade, the Galleon gives +30 hit points, +1 attack, +2 anti-ship attack, +2 pierce armor, and +1 range. All of these factors make it an imperative upgrade.
The Galleon is the backbone of the late-game navy, and crucial in maintaining control of the seas. As the standard ship for most civilizations, they should be built in numbers so they can effectively take out enemy navies. In groups, they can destroy Demolition Ships and enemy Galleons easily, but are somewhat vulnerable to Fire Ships. They are also useful in shoreline combat against enemy units and buildings, with the exception of towers, Castles, and siege units. Galleons work a lot better in large numbers, and they should be paired with Fire Ships.
Romans: Upon release, Galleons got +2/+2 armor and Ballistas made them fire 33% faster. With update 87863, Galleons get +1/+1 armor and Ballistas gives them +2 attack.
Upon release, the Armenian civilization bonus made Galleons shoot an extra projectile. With update 99311, the extra projectile was changed to an arrow for better readability.
History[]
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The galleon was a sailing ship outfitted for war, the largest fighting ship used in the West prior to the mounting of cannons on board. This large and sturdy ship carried a large contingent of fighting men and possibly some heavier siege artillery. The crew would attempt to board and capture an enemy ship in hand-to-hand fighting. Catapults or large crossbows provided additional firepower.
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—Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings manual
Trivia[]
In reality, Cannon Galleons fit the actual representation of a Galleon. A better name for the normal Galleon would be Caravel, which was more accurate, commonly used man power and ballistae, and fits the specifications used by the Age of Empires II Galleon. The name Caravel was later given to the naval unique unit of the Portuguese.
In the original The Age of Kings, Galleons made a 'whoosh' sound when they fired their projectile, which they also shared with the Heavy Scorpion. Since The Conquerors, however, the sound no longer occurs due to the file being missing in The Conquerors' files.
Galleons deal bonus damage against the cheat unitSaboteur (since The Conquerors) because it is in the same unit class as ships.
Gallery[]
The Galley line, with the Galleon on the right
A group of Galleons
All Galleons in The Age of Kings and The Conquerors
All Galleons introduced in the HD Edition's expansions