| This article is about the unit. For the technology, see Improved Bow. |
Improved Bowman is a unit in Age of Empires. Note that it is not an upgrade of the Bowman, since a new tile slot appears once the "upgrade to improved bow" is researched. Improved Bow must be researched at the Archery Range before they can be created.
Improved Bowmen are available to all civilizations except for the Assyrians, Greeks, Hittites, and Sumerians.
The Improved Bowman is not generally used in combat, since most civilizations that can train this unit can improve it to Composite Bowmen. Improved Bowmen have more hit points, attack, and range than the Bowman, but still need to be upgraded to compete with other Bronze Age units. Their primary role in combat is taking out Stone/Tool Age infantry such as the Axeman.
Upgrades 
Edit
Tool Age Edit
- Leather Armor Archers: increases armor by 2.
- Woodworking: increases range by 1.
Bronze Age Edit
- Scale Armor Archers: increases armor by 2.
- Artisanship: increases range by 1.
- Improved Bowman can be upgraded to Composite Bowman.
Iron Age Edit
- Alchemy: increases attack by 1.
- Ballistics: increases accuracy.
- Chain Mail Archers: increases armor by 2.
- Craftsmanship: increases range by 1.
| Archery Range Tree | ||
|---|---|---|
Civilization bonuses Edit
- Minoans: Improved Bowmen have +2 range.
- Macedonians: Improved Bowmen are four times more resistant against enemy conversion.
- The Improved Bowman is not available for Assyrians, Greeks, Hittites, and Sumerians.
History Edit
"The simple bow was improved by using better materials and by better training. Employing better wood or strips of laminated wood increased the tensile strength of the bow, increasing power and thus range. Arrows were improved also by such changes as metal arrowheads. In modern times, hundreds of bronze arrowheads were recovered from an archaeological excavation of the battlefield at Thermopylae. On this site a Spartan force under Leonidas had perished under a hail of Persian arrows after delaying the huge Persian army for many days."
Gallery Edit
| Units in Age of Empires | |
 Age of Empires | |
|---|---|
| Priest · Villager · Trade Boat · Merchant Ship · Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship · Light Transport · Heavy Transport | |
| Infantry | Clubman · Axeman · Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legion · Bowman · Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman · Hoplite · Phalanx · Centurion |
| Cavalry | Scout · Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract · Chariot · Chariot Archer · Elephant Archer · Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer · War Elephant |
| Siege | Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult · Ballista · Helepolis |
| Navy | Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme · Catapult Trireme · Juggernaught |
 The Rise of Rome | |
| Armored Elephant · Camel Rider · Fire Galley · Scythe Chariot · Slinger | |
