Galley (Age of Empires II)

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

Galley
Unit information
Introduced in	The Age of Kings
Type	Naval vessel
Civilization	All civilizations
Age	Feudal Age
Training
Trained at	Dock
Wood	90
Gold	30
Training time	60 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	120
Attack	6 pierce
Attack bonuses	+8 vs Ship +8 vs Fishing Ship +6 vs Building +3 vs Ram
Rate of Fire	3.0
Frame delay	0
Range	5
Accuracy	100%
Projectile speed	6
Melee armor	0
Pierce armor	6
Armor classes	Ship
Speed	1.43
Line of Sight	7
Unit evolution
Upgrades to	War Galley
Upgrade cost	230 food, 100 gold
Upgrade time	50 seconds

“	Small, fast ship with weak attack.	”
—Age of Empires II description

The Galley is a naval vessel in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Dock once the Feudal Age is reached. Galleys are small, fast ships primarily used for scouting and attacking other units vulnerable to attack.

Tactics

Whilst being a relatively weak naval unit compared to its successors, the Galley is effective in numbers, able to take out enemy ships with ease, providing their numbers are great enough. They are also effective at wiping out enemy Fishing Ships and other economic units within close proximity to the coast.

Galleys are also fantastic Transport Ship escorts in the Feudal Age, being able to offer defense and divide fire. They excel mostly in guarding and destroying enemy fishing fleets. Building Galleys en masse is very helpful for when the time arises that they can be upgraded to the more competent War Galley.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Transport Ships, Fishing Ships, buildings in the shoreline, melee units in the shoreline
Weak vs.	Fire Galleys, towers, Castles, ranged units on the shoreline
Upgrades
Attack	Fletching (+1)  Bodkin Arrow (+1)  Bracer (+1)  Chemistry (+1)
Range	Fletching (+1)  Bodkin Arrow (+1)  Bracer (+1)
Accuracy	Ballistics (hit moving targets)
Armor	Careening (+0/+1)  Carrack (+1/+1, Portuguese only)
Speed	Dry Dock (+15%)
Conversion defense	Faith  Heresy
Creation speed	Shipwright (+54%)
Train cost	Shipwright (-20%)
Upgrades	War Galley

Civilization bonuses

• Aztecs: Galleys are created 18% faster.
• Berbers: Galleys move 10% faster.
• Burmese: Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
• Celts: Galleys can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
• Chinese: Technologies that benefit Galleys are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Italians: Researching Careening, Dry Dock, and Shipwright is 50% cheaper. Upgrading to War Galley is 50% cheaper.
• Persians: Galleys are created 10%/15%/20% faster in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. Careening and the upgrade to the War Galley are researched 15%/20% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age. Dry Dock is researched 20% faster.
• Portuguese: Galleys have +10% HP and cost 20% less gold.
• Saracens: Galleys attack 25% faster.
• Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Galleys don't cost gold.
• Tatars: Galleys deal 50% bonus damage from cliffs and elevations.
• Turks: Chemistry is free.
• Vikings: Galleys are 15%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Koreans: Galleys cost 20% less wood.

Team bonuses

• A team containing Bulgarians: Researching Fletching, Bodkin Arrow and Bracer is 50% faster.
• A team containing Japanese: Galleys have +50% LOS.
• A team containing Lithuanians: Researching Heresy and Faith is 20% faster.
• A team containing Malians: Researching Chemistry and Ballistics is 80% faster.
• A team containing Teutons: Galleys are more resistant to conversion.

Changelog

The Age of Kings

• Galleys train in 36 seconds.
• Shipwright reduces the wood cost by 20%.
• Vikings: Galleys are 20% cheaper.

The Conquerors

• Galleys now train in 60 seconds.
• With patch 1.0b, Shipwright also decreases train time by 35% now.
• Heresy introduced.

The Forgotten

• Vikings: Galleys are now 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

Rise of the Rajas

• Vikings: Galleys are now 15%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.

Definitive Edition

• Koreans: Galleys cost 15% less wood. With update 39284, they cost 20% less wood.

Trivia

• Galleys, Fire Galleys, and Demolition Rafts are the only units in the game sharing an upgrade.
• Before The Forgotten, the Galley was the only military vessel available in the Feudal Age.
• Galleys deal bonus damage against the cheat unit Saboteur (since The Conquerors) because it is in the same unit class as ships.

History

“	Warships largely disappeared in Europe during the Dark Ages because no civilization other than the Byzantines possessed the wealth and organization necessary for maintaining any sort of navy. As the centuries passes, a few small warships again appeared in the Western Mediterranean. These were oar-powered galleys used primarily for scouting and chasing down pirates that plagued sea trade. The best warship in the West were built and maintained by the Byzantines, who alone had carried on their shipbuilding traditions since ancient times.	”
—Unit description

Gallery

The Galley line, with the Galley on the left

A group of Galleys

All Galleys in The Age of Kings and The Conquerors

All Galleys introduced in the HD expansions

Add a photo to this gallery