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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires II. For the unit class, see Light cavalry.

Fast cavalry for scouting and raiding. Resistant to conversion.
Age of Empires II description

The Light Cavalry is a light cavalry unit in Age of Empires II that can be trained at the Stable once the Castle Age is reached. It is a fast unit with resistance to conversion that excels at taking down Monks and siege weapons, and is good vs archers. Its combat abilities against other melee units such as heavy cavalry units, camels, or infantry is severely limited, though.

Light Cavalry cost only food to create, making them a viable alternative if the player is low on other resources. The entire Scout Cavalry line has the same Line of Sight. They all receive a +2 bonus to their Line of Sight upon every Age advance, for a total of 10 Line of Sight in the Imperial Age.

Tactics[]

The Light Cavalry has an exceptionally high Line of Sight and movement speed, solid pierce durability but poor combat skills. Against groups of siege weapons, Elite Skirmishers, or Monks, they have the speed and attack needed to run down and kill groups, though combat with melee units should be avoided.

As an upgrade, the Light Cavalry has +15 hit points, +2 attack, and +4 anti-Monk attack, which for its low cost makes it very valuable.

In the Castle Age, the Light Cavalry is generally outclassed by the Knight, thanks to the latter's much better stats. As gold becomes more valuable, however, the Light Cavalry becomes useful as a raiding unit due to its low cost.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Skirmishers, Villagers, siege weapons, archers, Monks
Weak vs. Most melee units, Genoese Crossbowmen
Upgrades
Hit points BloodlinesDE Bloodlines (+20)
Attack Forging aoe2de Forging (+1)
IronCastingDE Iron Casting (+1)
BlastFurnaceDE Blast Furnace (+2)
UniqueTechImperialDE Farimba (+5, Malians only)
UniqueTechCastle-DE Manipur Cavalry (+4 against archers, Burmese only)
UniqueTechImperialDE Lechitic Legacy (33% blast damage in 0.5 tile radius, Poles only)
UniqueTechImperialDE Wootz Steel (attack ignores armor, Dravidians only)
Armor ScaleBardingArmorDE Scale Barding Armor (+1 Armoricon aoe2demelee/ +1 Range-armoricon aoe2depierce)
ChainBardingDE Chain Barding Armor (+1 Armoricon aoe2demelee/ +1 Range-armoricon aoe2depierce)
PlateBardingArmorDE Plate Barding Armor (+1 Armoricon aoe2demelee/ +2 Range-armoricon aoe2depierce)
UniqueTechCastle-DE Silk Armor (+1 Armoricon aoe2demelee/ +1 Range-armoricon aoe2depierce, Tatars only)
Conversion resistance Devotion icon AoE2DE Devotion (+1 min, +1 max)
FaithDE Faith (+4 min, +4 max)
HeresyDE Heresy (die upon getting converted)
UniqueTechCastle-DE First Crusade (+4 min, +4 max, Sicilians only)
Attack speed UniqueTechCastle-DE Stirrups (+33% attack speed, Bulgarians only)
Movement speed HusbandryDE Husbandry (+10%)
Resource cost UniqueTechCastle-DE Kshatriyas (-25% food, Gurjaras only)
Creation speed ConscriptionDE Conscription (+33%)
UniqueTechImperialDE Chivalry (+40%, Franks only)
UniqueTechCastle-DE Steppe Husbandry (+100%, Cumans only)
Other UniqueTechImperialDE Aznauri Cavalry (-15% population space, Georgians only)
Upgrade Hussar upgrade aoe2de Hussar
Winged-hussar upgrade Winged Hussar (Lithuanians and Poles only)

Civilization bonuses[]

  • CivIcon-Bengalis Bengalis: Light Cavalry have +2 attack against Skirmishers.
  • CivIcon-Berbers Berbers: Light Cavalry are 15%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Bulgarians Bulgarians: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Light Cavalry cost -50% food.
  • CivIcon-Burmese Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Burgundians Burgundians: Researching Husbandry and upgrading to Hussar is 50% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Celts Celts: Light Cavalry can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
  • CivIcon-Chinese Chinese: Technologies that benefit Light Cavalry are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Cumans Cumans: Light Cavalry move 10%/15% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Franks Franks: Light Cavalry have +20% hit points.
  • CivIcon-Georgians Georgians: Light Cavalry regenerate 15% hit points per minute. Light Cavalry receive -20% (-40% instead of -25%) damage on higher elevations.
  • CivIcon-Gurjaras Gurjaras: Light Cavalry deal +30%/+40% bonus damage in the Castle/Imperial Age.[note 1]
  • CivIcon-Magyars Magyars: Forging, Iron Casting, and Blast Furnace are free. Light Cavalry are 15% cheaper.
  • CivIcon-Mongols Mongols: Light Cavalry have +30% HP.
  • CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians: Light Cavalry take -33% bonus damage.
  • CivIcon-Spanish Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Light Cavalry cost no gold. Researching technologies that benefit Light Cavalry provides 20 gold each.
  • CivIcon-Tatars Tatars: Light Cavalry deal +20% damage (+50% instead of +25%) from elevations.
  • CivIcon-Turks Turks: The Hussar upgrade is free. Light Cavalry have +1 pierce armor.
  • CivIcon-Vietnamese Vietnamese: Conscription is free.

Team bonuses[]

Changelog[]

AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings[]

  • Light Cavalry are affected twice by Husbandry ( movement speed multiplier) – directly as a unit and indirectly as a part of the Cavalry unit class. Scout Cavalry are a part of the Scout unit class and thus are only affected once by Husbandry (directly as a unit).
  • Light Cavalry have a conversion resistance level of 3.

AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors[]

  • Light Cavalry receive an attack bonus of +10 against Monks.
  • Husbandry affects Light Cavalry only once (1.1 movement speed multiplier).
  • Hussar upgrade introduced.
  • Bloodlines introduced.
  • Heresy introduced.
  • Light Cavalry have a conversion resistance level of 8.
  • CivIcon-Franks Franks: Light Cavalry are generic.

AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten[]

AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms[]

  • CivIcon-Berbers Berbers: Initially, Light Cavalry were 20% cheaper from the Castle Age on. With patch 4.8, the bonus was staggered to 15%/20% in the Castle/Imperial Age.
  • CivIcon-Franks Franks: Light Cavalry benefit from the civilization bonus and have +20% HP.

AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the Rajas[]

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

  • CivIcon-Bulgarians Bulgarians: With update 42848, Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Light Cavalry cost -50% food.
  • Bulgarians (team bonus): Initially, Blacksmiths work 50% faster. With update 42848, Blacksmiths work 80% faster.
  • CivIcon-Burmese Burmese: With update 37650, Manipur Cavalry gives Light Cavalry +6 attack against standard buildings and no damage against buildings.
  • CivIcon-Cumans Cumans: Initially, Light Cavalry move 10% faster. With update 34055, the bonus was staggered to 10%/15% in the Castle/Imperial Age and Cumans lost access to Husbandry.
  • CivIcon-Indians Indians: With update 42848, Light Cavalry have +1/+2 pierce armor in the Castle/Imperial Age. Indians lose access to Plate Barding Armor.
  • CivIcon-Lithuanians Lithuanians: Initially, Light Cavalry gained +1 attack for each garrisoned Relic, up to +5. With update 34055, this bonus no longer affects Light Cavalry. The Hussar upgrade is available.
  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: With update 42848, technologies are researched 30% faster.
  • CivIcon-Tatars Tatars: Initially, researching Silk Armor gives Light Cavalry +0/+1 armor. With update 42848, researching Silk Armor gives Light Cavalry +1/+1 armor.
  • CivIcon-Turks Turks: With update 42848, Light Cavalry have +1 pierce armor.

AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West[]

  • CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians: Light Cavalry resist 50% bonus damage.

Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes[]

AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India[]

  • CivIcon-Gurjaras Gurjaras: Initially, mounted units had +50% bonus damage, so their Light Cavalry had additional +5 attack vs Monks. With update 66692, the bonus was reduced to +40%, so their Light Cavalry have additional +4 attack vs Monks. With update 73855, the bonus was reduced to +30% in the Castle Age, so the additional bonus was reduced to +3 in that Age.
  • CivIcon-Sicilians Sicilians: With update 66692, Light Cavalry resist 33% bonus damage.
  • CivIcon-Bengalis Bengalis: With update 81058, Light Cavalry get +2 attack against Skirmishers.

AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals[]

Heroes[]

There are four heroes in the game with the appearance of a Light Cavalry:

History[]

As Middle Age armies grew larger and campaigned farther afield, the importance of scouting grew. Many civilizations developed light cavalry, an improvement on scout cavalry, for this role. Light cavalry were better trained and better equipped for fighting. In battle they could be used to harass or charge enemy infantry or support their own knights in a charge. Light cavalry wore only partial armor and a shield and fought most commonly with a spear. Civilizations that could not afford extensive armor for warriors, such as barbarian groups from the East, put large contingents of light cavalry into the field.

Trivia[]

  • With 14 attack, the Malian Light Cavalry with Farimba is tied with the Elite Magyar Huszar with Corvinian Army for the second highest attack among all trash units, only behind the Malay Two-Handed Swordsman with Forced Levy (with 16 attack).
  • His icon shows him holding his sword in his left hand, while he holds it in his right hand in-game.
  • The Light Cavalry is the first of only two units to upgrade into two different units, via the Hussar or the Winged Hussar. The only other unit that can upgrade into two different units is the Long Swordsman.
  • The Light Cavalry is the only unit that moves slower than its predecessor (1.5 vs the Scout Cavalry's 1.55).
  • The Camel Scout line and the Scout Cavalry line are the only two units having two different lines of units.

Gallery[]

Notes[]

  1. Meaning they get +3/+4 attack against Monks in the Castle/Imperial Age.
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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