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This article is about the unit. For the technology, see Improved Bow.

An advanced archery unit with improved hit points, attack strength, and range. Can be upgraded.
Age of Empires description

Improved Bowman is an archer unit in Age of Empires, available in the Bronze Age. Note that it is not an upgrade of the Bowman. Improved Bow must be researched at the Archery Range before they can be created.

The Improved Bowman can be upgraded to the Composite Bowman.

Civilizations[]

Aoede improved bowman available Available Aoede improved bowman unavailable Unavailable

Gameplay[]

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.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, Villagers
Weak vs. Cavalry, siege units
Upgrades
Attack Alchemy Alchemy (+1)
Range Woodworking Woodworking (+1)
Artisanship Artisanship (+1)
Craftsmanship Craftsmanship (+1)
Accuracy Ballistics Ballistics (hit moving targets)
Armor Leatherarmorarchersicon Leather Armor Archers (+2/+0)
Scalearmorarchersicon Scale Armor Archers (+2/+0)
Chainmailarchersicon Chain Mail Archers (+2/+0)
Upgrades Aoe improved bow icon Composite Bowman

Civilization bonuses[]

  • Lac Viet AOE DE ROR icon Lac Viet: Improved Bowmen are trained 25% faster and have +2 armor.
  • Macedonian AOE DE ROR icon Macedonians: Improved Bowmen are four times more resistant to conversion.
  • Minoan AOE DE ROR icon Minoans: Improved Bowmen have +1/+2 range in the Bronze/Iron Age.*
  • Yamato AOE DE ROR icon Yamato: Upgrading Improved Bowmen to Composite Bowmen costs -30%.*

Team bonuses[]

  • Palmyran AOE DE ROR icon Palmyrans: Upgrading Improved Bowmen to Composite Bowmen and researching technologies that benefit Improved Bowmen are 30% faster.
  • Phoenician AOE DE ROR icon Phoenicians: Improved Bowmen have +2 Line of Sight.

Changelog[]

ReturnRome-AoEIcon Age of Empires[]

  • Improved Bowmen have 5 frame delay.

Age of Empires Definitive Edition icon Definitive Edition[]

  • Improved Bowmen have 26 frame delay.

AoE2Icon-ReturnRome Return of Rome[]

  • Team bonuses added:
    • Palmyran AOE DE ROR icon Palmyrans: Upgrading Improved Bowmen to Composite Bowmen and researching technologies that benefit Improved Bowmen are 30% faster.
    • Phoenician AOE DE ROR icon Phoenicians: Improved Bowmen have +2 Line of Sight.
  • Yamato AOE DE ROR icon Yamato: Upgrading Improved Bowmen to Composite Bowmen costs -30%.
  • Minoan AOE DE ROR icon Minoans: With update 93001, Improved Bowmen have +1/+2 range in the Bronze/Iron Age.

History[]

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[]

Tech tree[]

Archery Range
Requires
AOEDE Barracks icon Barracks
Stone Age Icon (DE)
Tool Age Icon (DE)
Bronze Age Icon (DE)
Iron Age Icon (DE)
Aoede bowman available
Aoede improved bowman available
Requires
Aoe improved bow icon Improved Bow
Composite Bowman
Chariot Archer
Requires
Wheelicon Wheel
Horse Archer Aoede heavy horse archer available
Elephant Archer


Units in Age of Empires
CivilianReturnofrome female villager icon Villager · Returnofrome trade cart icon Trade Cart
OtherAoE2 DE priest icon Priest · Slinger-0 Slinger · Returnofrome artifact icon Artifact
Civilian ship1 Fishing Boat Fishing Boat · 2 Fishing Ship Fishing Ship
3 Trade Boat Trade Boat · 4 Merchant Ship Merchant Ship
5 Light Transport Light Transport · 6 Heavy Transport Heavy Transport
InfantryClubman Clubman · AxemanAoEDE Axeman
Short Swordsman Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman Broad Swordsman · AoE nuRoR Long Swordsman icon Long Swordsmen · Returnofrome legionary icon Legionary
HopliteDE Hoplite · AoE nuRoR Phalangite icon Phalangite · Returnofrome centurion icon Centurion
ArcherBowman aoe1de Bowman
Improved Bowman22 Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman Composite Bowman
Chariot Archer111 Chariot Archer
Horse Archer Horse Archer · Returnofrome heavy horse archer icon Heavy Horse Archer
EAICON DE Elephant Archer
CavalryScout-0 Scout
ChariotDE Chariot · ScytheDE Scythe Chariot
Cavalry111 Cavalry · Returnofrome heavy cavalry icon Heavy Cavalry · Returnofrome cataphract icon Cataphract
War ElephantDE War Elephant · Returnofrome armored elephant icon Armored Elephant
Camel RiderDE Camel Rider
SiegeStone ThrowerDE Stone Thrower · CatapultDE Catapult · Returnofrome heavy catapult icon Heavy Catapult
BallistaDE Ballista · Returnofrome helepolis icon Helepolis
War Ship7 Scout Ship Scout Ship · 8 War Galley War Galley · 9 Trireme Trireme
Catapult Trireme Catapult Trireme · Returnofrome juggernaut icon Juggernaut
10 Fire Galley Fire Galley
Scenario Editor-only units
Short Swordsman Chieftain · Donkey caravan aoe2DE Donkey · Clubman Explorer · Returnofrome heavy cavalry icon General · AoE2 DE priest icon High Priest · Returnofrome horse icon Horse · HeavyCavalryDE Mercenary (removed) · Penguin aoe2DE Penguin · AoE2 DE priest icon Pharaoh · 5 Light Transport Raft · Returnofrome artifact icon War Chest
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