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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For the unit in Age of Empires IV, see Handcannoneer.

Gunpowder unit with powerful attack, but inaccurate at long range.
Age of Empires II description

The Hand Cannoneer is a gunpowder unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Archery Range once the Imperial Age is reached and Chemistry is researched. It has a powerful attack, but low hit points and low accuracy at range.

Availability chart[]

Handcannoneeravailable Available Handcannoneerunavailable Unavailable
- means that the civilizations does not get Ring Archer Armor. Consequently, it cannot fully upgrade its Hand Cannoneer.
+ means that the civilization gets some civilization or team bonus or a unique technology that benefits the combat strength of the Hand Cannoneer.

Tactics[]

Hand Cannoneers have a powerful attack but have a slow firing rate, and their shots fly off in random directions (within radial proximity to the vector leading to their target), so their accuracy at long range is poor. They do +10 bonus damage against infantry (except the Condottiero) and another +1 against Spearmen, and their accuracy is less of a problem against the larger cavalry, making them deadly at close range. If maneuvered properly, Hand Cannoneers may also take down siege weapons with great efficiency but Onagers can still pose a threat to them due to their range.

Hand Cannoneers are treated to be archers (even though they use firearms) for purposes of attack bonuses, so Skirmishers, Ghulams, and Huskarls have attack bonuses against them, and Huskarls also have a high defensive bonus against their piercing damage. They are of course also gunpowder units, giving Condottieri and Winged Hussars attack bonuses against them as well. Being foot units with low hit points, they are also vulnerable to Mangonels and Scorpions, and they perform poorly against towers and Castles. The food cost of Hand Cannoneers also makes them odd to work with, so special situations or builds are needed in order to use them appropriately, like a Fast Imperial strategy (in closed maps).

Comparison to similar units[]

Arbalester aoe2DE Arbalester Hand cannoneer aoe2DE Hand Cannoneer
Cost 25 wood, 45 gold 45 food, 50 gold
Training time 27 seconds 34 seconds
Pierce Attack 6+4 17
Attack Bonuses +3 vs Spearman +10 vs Infantry
+2 vs Ram
+1 vs Spearman
Accuracy 90% + 10% 75%
Range 5+3 7
Rate of Fire 2 - 0.3 3.45
Armor 0+3/0+4 1+3/0+4
Armor Classes Archer Archer
Gunpowder
Upgrade Cost 175 food, 125 gold
450 food, 400 gold
300 food, 200 gold
Upgrade Time 35 seconds
50 seconds
100 seconds

In general, when compared to Arbalesters, Hand Cannoneers are better against targets with high pierce armor, while Arbalesters are better against targets with lower pierce armor.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, Camel Riders
Weak vs. Skirmishers, Scorpions, Onagers, Genitours, Condottieri
Upgrades
Range UniqueTechImperialDE Shatagni (+2, Hindustanis only)
Accuracy UniqueTechImperialDE Arquebus (hit moving targets, Portuguese only)
Armor PaddedArcherArmorDE Padded Archer Armor (+1/+1)
LeatherArcherArmorDE Leather Archer Armor (+1/+1)
RingArcherArmorDE Ring Archer Armor (+1/+2)
Speed UniqueTechCastle-DE Wagenburg Tactics (+15%, Bohemians only)
Training cost UniqueTechCastle-DE Kshatriyas (-25% food, Gurjaras only)
Conversion defense Devotion icon AoE2DE Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
FaithDE Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
HeresyDE Heresy (die upon getting converted)
Creation speed ConscriptionDE Conscription (+33%)

Civilization bonuses[]

  • CivIcon-Bohemians Bohemians: Chemistry and Hand Cannoneers are available in the Castle Age.
  • CivIcon-Burgundians Burgundians: Hand Cannoneers have +25% attack.[note 1]
  • CivIcon-Georgians Georgians: Hand Cannoneers receive -20% damage (-40% instead of -25%) when fighting from higher elevation.
  • CivIcon-Hindustanis Hindustanis: Hand Cannoneers have +1/+1 armor.
  • CivIcon-Italians Italians: Researching Chemistry costs -33%. Hand Cannoneers cost -20%.
  • CivIcon-Koreans Koreans: Archer armor upgrades are free.
  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: Hand Cannoneers cost -20% gold.
  • CivIcon-Spanish Spanish: Hand Cannoneers fire 18% faster. Archer Armor upgrades cost no gold. Researching technologies that benefit Hand Cannoneers provides 20 gold each.
  • CivIcon-Tatars Tatars: Hand Cannoneers deal +20% damage (+50% instead of +25%) from cliffs and elevations.
  • CivIcon-Turks Turks: Chemistry is free. Hand Cannoneers have +25% hit points.

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

  • Hand Cannon needs to be researched in order to train Hand Cannoneers.
  • Hand Cannoneers have an accuracy of 55%.
  • Hand Cannoneers have an attack bonus of +8 against infantry.
  • Hand Cannoneers have 35 HP and projectile speed of 5.5.
  • CivIcon-Turks Turks: Hand Cannoneers have +50% HP.

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

  • Hand Cannon was removed from the game, and Hand Cannoneers become available as soon as Chemistry is researched.
  • Hand Cannoneers have an accuracy of 65%.
  • Hand Cannoneers have an attack bonus of +10 against infantry.
  • Hand Cannoneers receive an attack bonus of +1 against Spearmen.
  • Hand Cannoneers receive an attack bonus of +2 against Rams.
  • Heresy introduced.
  • CivIcon-Turks Turks: Hand Cannoneers have +25% HP.

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

  • Shatagni gives +1 range to Hand Cannoneers.
  • CivIcon-Italians Italians: Hand Cannoneers are 15% cheaper.

AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms[]

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

  • CivIcon-Bulgarians 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.
  • CivIcon-Koreans Koreans: With update 42848, Archer armor upgrades are free.
  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: With update 39284, Hand Cannoneers cost -20% gold.
  • Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster.

AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West[]

  • With update 50292, Hand Cannoneers have an accuracy of 75% and an attack dispersion of 0.5 (from 0.75).

Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes[]

  • With update 51737, Hand Cannoneers have 40 HP and projectile speed of 7.5.

AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India[]

  • Shatagni gives +2 range to Hand Cannoneers.
  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: All technologies are researched 25% faster for the entire team.

Trivia[]

  • Despite the fact that the Chinese were the first civilization to invent the hand cannon, they do not have access to Hand Cannoneers. This is most likely for balance purposes. Their unique unit, Heavy Scorpions, and Rocketry technology gives the flavour of early gunpowder.
    • In the Into China scenario, the Jin AI was scripted to train Hand Cannoneers, indicating that the Chinese had access to them during development. In addition, the blue Ming player in the Definitive Edition version of The Final Fortress scenario have access to the Hand Cannoneer through triggers.
  • The Goths have access to Hand Cannoneers, despite their civilization being on the decline by the 8th century AD and having waned long before gunpowder weapons were invented in China. This is most likely for balance purposes.
    • Alternatively, this is arguably justified by the existence of Crimean Goths, who were only conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.
    • Another possible explanation is that the Goths were the ancestors of the Spanish and Portuguese, as most of the Goths eventually settled in the Iberian peninsula after the fall of the Roman empire. Their access to gunpowder units is supposed to reflect the Spanish and Portuguese use of them in later medieval periods to expand their empires.
  • Before The Forgotten and also since patch 4.8 of The African Kingdoms until the release of Lords of the West, the Franks were the only civilization to not have fully upgraded Hand Cannoneers, lacking Ring Archer Armor. In The Forgotten, the Indians also missed Ring Archer Armor, although their Hand Cannoneers get +1 range from Shatagni, and before patch 4.8, the Berbers also lacked Ring Archer Armor. With the release of Lords of the West, the Burgundians also lack Ring Archer Armor, but their Hand Cannoneers have better attack due to their civilization bonus. With the release of Dynasties of India the Gurjaras are the third one lacking Ring Archer Armor, but have Kshatriyas to reduce their food cost. And with the release of The Mountain Royals the Georgians are the fourth one lacking Ring Archer Armor, but their Hand Cannoneers take less damage when fighting at hills due to their civilization bonus.
  • During the beta, Bulgarians had access to Hand Cannoneers. Hand Cannoneers are seen in the Sicilian army in the announcement trailer of the Lords of the West expansion, indicating that they had them at some point before release.
  • The Middle Eastern civilizations (Saracens, Persians, Berbers, and Turks) are the only group of civilizations to have Hand Cannoneers for all civilizations.
  • Hand Cannoneers were originally an unpopular unit because they were both frailer and more expensive than the Arbalester, while having accuracy too low for them take advantage of their higher damage. The unit was considerably improved in later updates (with the hit points, accuracy, and projectile speed all boosted).

History[]

Following the development of cannons, small hand-operated gunpowder weapons began appearing in Europe in the fourteenth century. These early firearms were small iron tubes mounted on a wooden stock. They were inaccurate and slow to load. In the early fifteenth century the hand cannon was made smaller, the stock was redesigned so it could be held against the chest, and a mechanism was added for inserting the slow-burning match into the chamber. This weapon was effective only in volleys at close range. In the middle of the fifteenth century the first recognizably modern firearm, the arquebus, was developed. This employed a wheel lock to bring the slow match in contact with a powder pan connected by a tube to the chamber. Lead and cast iron balls fired from the arquebus were lethal. Firearms of the Middle Ages had an inferior range and rate of fire in comparison to the best bows and crossbows. Firearms improved gradually, however, and became more and more popular, despite their high cost. They became status symbols. Important lords engaged in an arms race, attempting to field more firearms of more modern design than their competitors.

Gallery[]

Videos[]

Notes[]

  1. Meaning they get +4 pierce attack, as well as an extra +3 attack against infantry and an extra +1 attack against Rams.
Units in Age of Empires II
CivilianMaleVillDE Villager · Tradecart aoe2DE Trade Cart · FishingShipDE Fishing Ship · Trade cog aoe2DE Trade Cog · King eu aoe2DE King
ReligiousMonk aoe2DE Monk
InfantryMilitiaDE Militia · Manatarms aoe2DE Man-at-Arms · Longswordsman aoe2DE Long Swordsman · Twohanded aoe2DE Two-Handed Swordsman · Champion aoe2DE Champion
Spearman aoe2DE Spearman · Aoe2-infantry-2-pikeman Pikeman · Halberdier aoe2DE Halberdier
Eaglescout aoe2DE Eagle Scout · Eaglewarrior aoe2DE Eagle Warrior · EliteEaglewarrior aoe2DE Elite Eagle Warrior
ArcherArcher aoe2DE Archer · Crossbowman aoe2DE Crossbowman · Arbalester aoe2DE Arbalester
Skirmisher aoe2DE Skirmisher · Elite skirmisher aoe2DE Elite Skirmisher
Hand cannoneer aoe2DE Hand Cannoneer
Cavalryarcher aoe2DE Cavalry Archer · Heavycavalryarcher aoe2de Heavy Cavalry Archer
Aoe2de DOI elephant archer icon Elephant Archer · ElephantArcherIcon-DE Elite Elephant Archer
CavalryScoutcavalry aoe2DE Scout Cavalry · Lightcavalry aoe2DE Light Cavalry · Hussar aoe2DE Hussar
Knight aoe2DE Knight · Cavalier aoe2DE Cavalier · Paladin aoe2DE Paladin
Camelrider aoe2DE Camel Rider · Aoe2 heavycamelriderDE Heavy Camel Rider
Battle elephant aoe2DE Battle Elephant · Elite battle elephant aoe2DE Elite Battle Elephant
Steppelancericon Steppe Lancer · Elitesteppelancericon Elite Steppe Lancer
Xolotlicon Xolotl Warrior
AoE2DE Armored Elephant icon Armored Elephant · AoE2DE Siege Elephant icon Siege Elephant
SiegeBattering ram aoe2DE Battering Ram · Capped ram aoe2DE Capped Ram · Siege ram aoe2DE Siege Ram
Mangonel aoe2DE Mangonel · Onager aoe2DE Onager · Siege onager aoe2DE Siege Onager
Scorpion aoe2DE Scorpion · Heavyscorpion aoe2DE Heavy Scorpion
Bombard cannon aoe2DE Bombard Cannon
Trebuchet aoe2DE Trebuchet
Petard aoe2DE Petard
Siegetower aoe2DE Siege Tower
War shipTransportship aoe2DE Transport Ship · Galley aoe2DE Galley · War galley aoe2DE War Galley · Galleon aoe2DE Galleon
Fire galley aoe2DE Fire Galley · Fireship aoe2DE Fire Ship · Fastfireship aoe2DE Fast Fire Ship
Demoraft aoe2DE Demolition Raft · Demoship aoe2DE Demolition Ship · Heavydemoship aoe2de Heavy Demolition Ship
Cannon galleon aoe2DE Cannon Galleon · Elite cannon galleon aoe2de Elite Cannon Galleon
AoE2 Dromon Dromon
Unique
ReligiousMissionaryIcon-DE Missionary · AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest
InfantryBerserkIcon-DE Berserk · Aoe2de Chakram Chakram Thrower · CondottieroIcon-DE Condottiero · Aoe2-icon-flemish-militia Flemish Militia · GbetoIcon-DE Gbeto · Aoe2de Ghulam Ghulam · HuskarlIcon-DE Huskarl · JaguarWarriorIcon-DE Jaguar Warrior · KamayukIcon-DE Kamayuk · Karambitwarrioricon-DE Karambit Warrior · AoE2 DE Legionary new icon Legionary · Aoe2-icon--obuch Obuch · SamuraiIcon-DE Samurai · Aoe2-icon-serjeant Serjeant · Shotelwarrioricon-DE Shotel Warrior · TeutonicKnightIcon-DE Teutonic Knight · ThrowingAxemanIcon-DE Throwing Axeman · Aoe2de Urumi Urumi Swordsman · AoE2 WarriorPriest Warrior Priest · WoadRaiderIcon-DE Woad Raider
ArcherArambaiicon-DE Arambai · CamelArcherIcon-DE Camel Archer · ChukoNuIcon-DE Chu Ko Nu · AoE2 CompositeBowman Composite Bowman · ConquistadorIcon-DE Conquistador · GenitourIcon-DE Genitour · GenoeseCrossbowmanIcon-DE Genoese Crossbowman · Imperialskirmishericon-DE Imperial Skirmisher · JanissaryIcon-DE Janissary · Kipchakicon Kipchak · LongbowmanIcon-DE Longbowman · MangudaiIcon-DE Mangudai · PlumedArcherIcon-DE Plumed Archer · Aoe2de ratha ranged Ranged Ratha · Rattanarchericon-DE Rattan Archer · SlingerIcon-DE Slinger · WarWagonIcon-DE War Wagon
CavalryBallistaelephanticon-DE Ballista Elephant · BoyarIcon-DE Boyar · Aoe2de camel scout Camel Scout · CataphractIcon-DE Cataphract · Aoe2de roman unique centurion icon Centurion · Aoe2-icon-coustillier Coustillier · Flaming camel icon Flaming Camel · ImperialCamelRiderIcon-DE Imperial Camel Rider · Keshikicon Keshik · Konnikicon Konnik · Leitisicon Leitis · MagyarHuszarIcon-DE Magyar Huszar · MamelukeIcon-DE Mameluke · AoE2 Monaspa Monaspa · Aoe2de ratha melee Melee Ratha · AoE2 Savar Savar · Aoe2de shrivamsha rider Shrivamsha Rider · TarkanIcon-DE Tarkan · WarElephantIcon-DE War Elephant · Aoe2-icon-winged-hussar Winged Hussar
SiegeAoe2-icon--houfnice Houfnice · Aoe2-icon-hussite-wagon Hussite Wagon · OrganGunIcon-DE Organ Gun
War shipCaravelIcon-DE Caravel · LongboatIcon-DE Longboat · Aoe2de Thirisadai Thirisadai · TurtleShipIcon-DE Turtle Ship
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