This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For other uses, see Galley. |
“ | 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 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Range | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Accuracy | ![]() |
Armor | ![]() ![]() |
Speed | ![]() |
Conversion defense | ![]() ![]() |
Creation speed | ![]() |
Train cost | ![]() |
Upgrades | ![]() |
Civilization bonuses[]
- Aztecs: Galleys are created 11% faster.
- Bulgarians: Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer cost -50% food.
- 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, Shipwright, Ballistics, and Chemistry is 33% cheaper. Upgrading to War Galley is 33% cheaper.
- Koreans: Galleys cost -20% wood.
- 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% gold. Upgrades that benefit Galleys are researched 30% faster.
- Saracens: Galleys attack 25% faster.
- Spanish: Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer cost no gold.
- Tatars: Galleys deal +25% bonus damage from cliffs and elevations.
- Turks: Chemistry is free.
- Vikings: Galleys are 15%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Team bonuses[]
- A team containing Bulgarians: Researching Fletching, Bodkin Arrow, and Bracer is 80% faster.
- A team containing Japanese: Galleys have +50% Line of Sight.
- 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 train in 60 seconds.
- With patch 1.0b, Shipwright also decreases train time by 35%.
- Heresy introduced.
The Forgotten[]
- Italians: Upgrading to War Galley is 50% cheaper.
- Vikings: Galleys are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Rise of the Rajas[]
- Vikings: Galleys are 15%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
Definitive Edition[]
- Bulgarians: Initially, the Team Bonus gave the Blacksmith a 50% work rate boost. With update 42848, this was changed to a 80% work rate boost.
- Bulgarians: With update 42848, Blacksmith upgrades cost -50% food.
- Koreans: Galleys cost -15% wood. With update 39284, they cost -20% wood.
- Portuguese: With update 39284, Galleys cost -20% gold. With update 42848, technologies are researched 30% faster.
Lords of the West[]
- Italians: With update 44725, upgrading to War Galley is 33% cheaper.
Dynasties of India[]
- With update 61321, siege units and ships are now resistant to armor-ignoring attacks similarly to buildings.
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 |