Line of Sight, often abbreviated to LOS, is a gameplay element in most strategy games. Line of Sight refers to the vision an object grants to its owner (and often allies and spectators, but rarely enemies) over the surrounding area, uncovering the Fog of War.
As both buildings and units are created, with the latter moving, the fog of war around them is cleared away. The death of a unit results in the fog of war recovering the area. Since units and buildings differ in their Line of Sight numbers, some are better for scouting than others and most Age of Empires games feature units that specialize in scouting.
Concept[]
While traditional board games provide perfect information to all participants, real-time strategy (RTS) games use the fog of war and Line of Sight to keep one players movements and decisions secret from the others unless scouted. Thus every player has their own field of Line of Sight which in general differs from that of other players while such fields are allowed to overlap each other. Areas of conflict are always inside of overlapping Line of Sight.
RTS games like Starcraft only hide information from opponents in a grey shroud while revealing knowledge of the map setup to all players. The Age of Empires series goes one step further. Maps are generated randomly and hide information from all players initially. Thus besides of the observation of the map initial exploration is required as well.
Fog of War[]
Removing the black fog is important to find the resources on which to rely once the player runs out of the starting resources, as well as to learn about the map setup for territorial ambitions and to find the enemies and sometimes even allies on the map, whereas removing the grey shroud is required to keep track of the other players actions and thus control over certain areas.
An exception to the rule of Line of Sight are ranged units. While they themselves in the Age of Empires series have Line of Sight matching or surpassing their range, other players will spot them when being hit by such ranged units even if the ranged units should be out of Line of Sight. For a short amount of time they are added to the victims players Line of Sight to show where exactly ranged attacks came from.
Age of Empires[]
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Age of Empires II[]
In Age of Empires II, Cartography allowed players to share Line of Sight of allies. With patch 5.7, it was removed from the game as a technology and its effects granted automatically upon construction of a Market. With update 73855, Cartography effects now apply at the start of the game on standard settings, thus making players share their ally's Line of Sight from the start of the game.
Units[]
Buildings[]
Units | Base LOS | Max. LOS |
---|---|---|
Castle | 11 | 20 |
Outpost | 12 | 20 |
Watch Tower, Guard Tower, Keep, Harbor, Krepost, Donjon | 10 | 20 |
Upgrades and bonuses[]
All upgrades that increase range also increase the Line of Sight by the same amount (but not vice versa). As such, the section is further divided. Unless mentioned otherwise, the technology is generic.
- Line of Sight upgrades only
- All infantry units receive +2 Line of Sight upon advancing to the Feudal Age.
- Eagle Scout receive another +1 (for a total of +3) Line of Sight upon advancing to the Feudal Age.
- Scout Cavalry line and Outposts receive +2 Line of Sight upon advancing to the next Age every time.
- Fletching, Bodkin Arrow and Bracer give +1 Line for Sight to Town Centers.
- Siege Engineers gives +1 Line of Sight for Siege Tower and Battering Ram line.
- Town Watch and Town Patrol give +4 Line of Sight for buildings, except Farms, Fish Traps, walls and gates.
- Spies allows the player to see the enemy's Line of Sight. Treason reveals all enemy Kings for a short time.
- Armenians: Infantry have +2 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Burmese: Relics are visible on the map from the game start (team bonus).
- Chinese: Town Center has +7 Line of Sight.
- Ethiopians: Outposts have +3 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Franks: Knight line units have +2 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Japanese: Galley line units have a +50% longer Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Koreans: Villagers have +3 Line of Sight.
- Malay: Docks have double Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Mongols: Scout Cavalry line has +2 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Sicilians: Transport Ships have +5 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Tatars: Mounted archers have +2 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Vietnamese: Enemy positions are visible at game start.
- Range upgrades
- Fletching, Bodkin Arrow and Bracer give +1 Line of Sight for Archer, Cavalry Archer, Skirmisher, and Galley lines, and most unique archers and ships. They also give +1 Line of Sight to defensive structures.
- Block Printing gives +3 Line of Sight for Monks and Missionaries.
- Siege Engineers gives +1 Line of Sight for all ranged siege units.
- Aztecs: Atlatl unique technology gives +1 Line of Sight for Skirmisher line and Genitours.
- Armenians: Cilician Fleet gives +1 Line of Sight for the Galley line and Dromons.
- Britons: Yeomen unique technology gives +1 Line of Sight for foot archers. Foot archers (except Skirmishers) have +1/+2 Line of Sight in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Byzantines: Greek Fire unique technology gives +1 Line of Sight for Fire Galley line.
- Franks: Bearded Axe unique technology gives +1 Line of Sight for Throwing Axeman.
- Hindustanis: Shatagni unique technology gives +2 Line of Sight for Hand Cannoneers.
- Khmer: Scorpions have +1 Line of Sight (team bonus).
- Koreans: Eupseong unique technology gives +2 Line of Sight for Watch Tower line. Shinkichon unique technology gives +1 Line of Sight for Mangonel line.
- Lithuanians: Hill Forts unique technology gives +3 Line of Sight for Town Center.
- Magyars: Recurve Bow unique technology gives +1 Line of Sight for Cavalry Archer line.
- Tatars: Timurid Siegecraft unique technology may give +1 Line of Sight for Trebuchet.
- Teutons: Crenellations unique technology gives +3 Line of Sight for Castle.
- Turks: Artillery unique technology gives +2 Line of Sight for Bombard Cannon, Cannon Galleon, and Bombard Tower.
Trivia[]
- Despite Siege Engineers increasing range for ranged siege units only, it also gives +1 Line of Sight to the ram line and the Siege Tower.
- For most units with range, their Line of Sight is simply . For all other remaining units, it is . The Fire Galley line is the only exception having Line of Sight.
- Line of Sight for units and buildings is capped at 20 tiles so further bonuses or technologies cannot provide more.
- "marco" and "polo" cheat codes can be used to reveal map and remove fog of war respectively. The cheat code "natural wonders" grants the line of sight of gaia.
Age of Mythology[]
God powers[]
- Spy grants Line of Sight over an enemy unit.
- Vision grants Line of Sight over a large area for twenty seconds.
- God powers like Meteor and Locust Swarm grant Line of Sight over the affected area.
- God powers like Plague of Serpents, Ancestors, Fimbulwinter, Nidhogg, Walking Woods, Sentinel, Carnivora, and Tartarian Gate create units providing Line of Sight.
- Most god powers capable of damaging the opponent directly require the caster to have Line of Sight in the target area.
Technologies[]
Common[]
- Signal Fires (+6 building Line of Sight)
- Carrier Pigeons (+6 building Line of Sight)
- Line upgrades like Medium Infantry add Line of Sight to units as well. They are available for all human units and are divided into Medium in the Classical Age, Heavy in the Heroic Age, and Champion in the Mythic Age. Units available in later Ages might miss out on the first line upgrades.
- Wall line upgrades like Stone Wall may also provide + 2 Line of Sight to walls.
- Relic Pelt of Argus + 6 Line of Sight for units
- Relic Harter's Folly + 2 Line of Sight for scouts
- Relic Head of Orpheus + 8 Line of Sight for buildings
- Relic Trios' Bow + 2 Line of Sight and range for archers
- Omniscience grants Line of Sight over all players on the map. Its price depends on the amount of hostile units and is only affordable in the very late game or when one of the players is facing defeat and should already have resigned. Thus it helps the winning players to avoid searching the whole map and ending the game.
Greeks[]
- Lord of Horses (+4 Line of Sight to cavalry)
- Winged Messenger (Pegasi + 6 Line of Sight)
- Oracle (+6 Line of Sight to all units, +8 Line of Sight to all buildings)
Egyptians[]
- Egyptian Pharaohs gain automatically 6 Line of Sight in the Heroic Age and 2 Line of Sight in the Mythic Age.
- Egyptian Priests gain automatically 8 Line of Sight in the Classical Age, 6 Line of Sight in the Heroic Age and 2 Line of Sight in the Mythic Age.
- Hands of the Pharaoh (+2 Line of Sight and range for Priests)
- Crocodilopolis (Petsuchos + 4 Line of Sight and range)
Norse[]
- Eyes in the Forest (+3 Line of Sight to infantry)
Atlanteans[]
- Focus (Atlantean Oracle Line of Sight gaining takes -1 second)
- Lemurian Descendants (+9 Line of Sight to all human units)
- Eyes of Atlas (+9 Line of Sight to all myth units)
- Guardian of Io (+5 Line of Sight to Argus)
Trivia[]
- Classical Age cavalry provide very little Line of Sight. Both the Greek Hippeus and the Norse Raiding Cavalry grant only 8 Line of Sight while Villagers provide 14, infantry 16, and ranged units even more Line of Sight. Since the Line of Sight value is a radius around the unit, the area covered by Line of Sight greatly differs with only small changes in numbers. This makes it more difficult to raid the enemy with cavalry early on.
- Only possible before the final Extended Edition patch:
- The player can check if an opponent is taking an explored but currently not observed Settlement by trying to build one themselves. If the player is not allowed to, another player is already building it.
- Another exploit is the selecting of explored but currently not observed huntables. If the hit point bar is not shown, the animals are already dead and likely to be hunted right now or already have been hunted.
- Egyptian Priests and Fishing Ships can create Obelisks, which provide moderate Line of Sight. The Egyptians can also construct the Lighthouse in the Mythic Age, which provides a gigantic Line of Sight.
Age of Empires III[]
Technologies[]
- Town Watch (+2 Line of Sight to units)
- Gas Lighting (+4 Line of Sight to buildings)
- Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2 Line of Sight to ranged light cavalry and +1 Line of Sight to ranged heavy cavalry)
- Gunner's Quadrant (+6 Line of Sight to artillery)
- Ottoman Consulate (Indians, +10 Line of Sight to all units)
- Disciplined Gurkha, Honored Gurkha, Exalted Gurkha (Indians, +1 Line of Sight to Gurkhas)
- Veteran Abus Gunners, Guard Abus Gunners (Ottomans, +1 Line of Sight to Abus Gunners)
- Infantry Guns, Imperial Infantry Guns (Swedes, +1 Line of Sight to Leather Cannons)
- Lacrosse (Haudenosaunee, +2 Line of Sight to Aennas, Forest Prowlers and Tomahawks)
- Chincha Rafts gain +2 Line of Sight upon reaching Fortress Age and Industrial Age (Inca)
- Sebastopol Mortars gain +6 Line of Sight upon reaching Industrial Age and Imperial Age (Ethiopians)
- Somali Lighthouses (+10 Line of Sight to Outposts, Docks, Ports, Trading Posts, Blockhouses, War Huts, Castles, Fixed Guns, and Watch Towers)
- Army of the Pure (+2 Line of Sight to Chakram Throwers)
Home City cards[]
- Agents ((British, Dutch, Germans, Portuguese, United States), +15 Line of Sight to Spies)
- Offshore Support ((British, Ottomans, Aztecs, Incas, Italians, Maltese), +2 Line of Sight to warships)
- European Cannons ((Indians, Japanese, Chinese, Ethiopians, Hausa, Mexicans), +2 Line of Sight to warships)
- Armada (Spanish, +2 Line of Sight to warships)
- Grenade Launchers, Washington's Legion (+2 Line of Sight to Grenadiers)
- Yeomen (British, +4 Line of Sight to Longbowmen)
- Temple of Tlaloc Support (Aztecs, +4 Line of Sight to Eagle Runner Knights)
- Way of the Bow (Japanese, +2 Line of Sight to Yumi Archers)
- Rangefinding (Portuguese, +8 Line of Sight to Mortars)
- Genitours (Portuguese, +4 Line of Sight to Dragoons)
- Morutaru Range (Japanese, +4 Line of Sight to Morutarus)
- Stone Towers (Aztecs, +6 Line of Sight to War Huts and Nobles' Huts)
- Yamashiro (Japanese, +6 Line of Sight to Castles)
- Bakufu (Japanese, +20 Line of Sight to Daimyo and Shogun)
- High Ground (Incas, +15 Line of Sight to War Huts, Town Centers, Tambos and Strongholds)
- Snaplock (Swedes, +3 Line of Sight to Caroleans and +1 Line of Sight to Hakkapelits)
- Long Rifles (United States, +4 Line of Sight to State Militia and Minuteman)
- Mississippi Steamers (United States, +2 Line of Sight to Steamers)
- Massina Madrasahs (Hausa, +10 Line of Sight to Universities)
- Refurbished Firearms (Mexicans, +2 Line of Sight to Soldados)
- Steel Bolts ((Italians, Maltese), +2 Line of Sight to Pavisiers/Crossbowmen)
- Dignitaries (Maltese, +4 Line of Sight to Hospitallers)
- Flintlock Rockets (Maltese, +2 Line of Sight to Sentinels)
- (Advanced) Hot Air Balloon (Summons a unique scout unit with a Line of Sight of 38)
- TEAM Inquisition (Spanish, +10 Line of Sight to all units)
- TEAM Cavalry Scouts (Russians, +4 Line of Sight to cavalry)
- TEAM Infantry Scouts (Haudenosaunee, +8 Line of Sight to infantry)
- TEAM Ranged Cavalry Combat (Swedes, +1 Line of Sight to all ranged cavalry)
Advancing in age also grants a Line of Sight upgrade to buildings :
Age | Line of Sight bonus |
---|---|
7 | |
4 | |
4 | |
4 |
Age of Empires IV[]
In Age of Empires IV, Line of Sight works quite differently to previous games in the series. In addition to the base Line of Sight value and any specific upgrades, a number of factors can influence the sight range of a unit or building. At high elevations, the maximum Line of Sight listed for a unit or building comes into effect, provided there are no obstacles, such as walls and forests, obstructing its view in a given direction. This includes units positioned on Stone Walls. Units and buildings at lower elevations will have shorter sight ranges, and may be unable to see units and buildings positioned on hills or over cliffs that appear above them. Outposts, Keeps, and Stone Wall Towers are an exception to this.[note 1] Forests and walls obscure the terrain on the other side of them from a unit's Line of Sight.
Another unique feature of Age of Empires IV are Stealth Forests, which appear as areas of reddish-brown vegetation interspersed with trees, through which units can move and on which buildings can be placed. Most units and buildings have their Line of Sight restricted by Stealth Forests, and enemy units within a Stealth Forest will only be revealed if directly next to the other player's unit, or when a unit comes under attack. Some units and buildings have the ability to see into Stealth Forests as in other terrain, notably Scouts, Outposts, and Landmark Town Centers. These also automatically reveal units with Stealth abilities, namely the Malians' Musofadi Warrior and Gunner, and the Japanese Shinobi.
Likewise, water maps feature areas of Stealth Water, which appear as large patches of seaweed which restrict the vision of most ships. As the Scout Ship was removed during the game's development, the role of scouting on water was transferred to the Fishing Boat, which is able to see into Stealth Water. It also has the second-highest Line of Sight of any ship. These features allow for dynamic ambush tactics without the need for special stealth abilities, through the positioning of units in Stealth Forests (or Water) or on hills or cliffsides to hide them from other players. It also gives Scouts and functionally similar units added importance, even after the entirety of the map has been explored, while likewise giving incentive to build Outposts, especially in areas of low natural visibility.
In general, units with higher range have a longer Line of Sight, with ranged siege engines, such as the Counterweight Trebuchet, having the highest base Line of Sight of any unit in the game, at 17.78 tiles. Notably, the Huihui Pao, which has a longer range than the Counterweight Trebuchet, still has the same Line of Sight, meaning that in order to directly target a unit at the maximum extent of its range, another unit, ideally a Scout, must be positioned to provide Line of Sight to the area. Infantry generally have a longer Line of Sight than cavalry, to make up for their lack of mobility. Ships, with the exception of the incendiary ship, generally have a longer Line of Sight than land units, though shorter than ranged siege engines. Based on the in-game descriptions, Delhi Sultanate Scholars with All-Seeing Eye researched have the longest Line of Sight of any non-siege unit. However, player-run tests[1] have shown that Scouts gain more than the advertised 30% boost to their Line of Sight from the Spyglass technology, resulting in a greater Line of Sight.
The Imperial Palace landmark has the longest Line of Sight of any building, at 24.44 tiles, which also gives it the longest Line of Sight of anything in the game. Among common buildings, the Outpost has the longest Line of Sight, at 13.33 tiles, though a few civilizations have bonuses or technologies which can increase the Line of Sight of the Outpost, or of a unique equivalent. Town Centers rank second among common buildings, at 11.56 tiles. The Byzantines' Border Settlements technology gives their Houses a Line of Sight comparable to Town Centers, though without the Landmark Town Center's ability to see into Stealth Forests or reveal stealth units. The Dock also has a notably high Line of Sight, which extends equally on land as on water.
Notably in Age of Empires IV, a unit will retain its Line of Sight when garrisoned inside another unit or building. This means that a building or transport unit can have their Line of Sight effectively increased by having a unit with a longer Line of Sight garrisoned inside of it, while providing protection to that unit. As such, garrisoning a Scholar with All-Seeing Eye inside of a Battering Ram will give it a longer Line of Sight than a Keep and a similar Line of Sight to a Stone Wall Tower or Outpost, and can therefore be an effective way to safely scout out enemy defenses. In addition, Sacred Sites, once captured by a player, become revealed to all players, providing Line of Sight over their surface.
Units and buildings[]
The following is a list of common and notable units and buildings in Age of Empires IV by Line of Sight (in tiles).[1]
Technologies[]
- Spyglass (+30% for Scouts)
- All-Seeing Eye (+100% for Scholars, Delhi Sultanate only)
- Lookout Towers (+50% for Outposts, Delhi Sultanate only)
- Castle Watch (+6 for Wooden Fortresses, Rus only)
- Border Settlements (+7 for Houses, Byzantines only)
- Gion Festival (+2 for all buildings, Japanese only)
Abilities[]
- Scouting Falcon (Active) - Mongol Scouts and Khans can release a Falcon that provides vision in the area (10 tile radius) for 30 seconds. Has a cooldown time of 60 seconds.
- Setup Camp (Passive) - English Scouts can build campfires, which increase the Line of Sight of nearby allied units by +30%.
- Yorishiro Bonus (Passive) - Japanese buildings can have Yorishiro placed inside them to gain +2 Line of Sight.
Civilization bonuses[]
- English: Scouts have the Setup Camp ability to build campfires, which increase the Line of Sight of nearby allied units by +30% and also have a natural Line of Sight.
- Holy Roman Empire and Order of the Dragon: Outposts have +25% Line of Sight. Relics can be placed inside defensive structures to increase their Line of Sight by an additional 25%.
- Japanese: Can place Yorishiro inside buildings to increase their Line of Sight by 2.
Gallery[]
See also[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The in-game Line of Sight for a unit or building is determined by two values: base sight range and “height”, which is negligible for most units but significant for some buildings. Buildings with high height values therefore negate disadvantages from lower elevation, in the same way as do units on high elevation. Outposts, Keeps, and Stone Wall Towers (and equivalents) all have a height value of 501, which is why they do not suffer Light of Sight penalties due to elevation. The Imperial Palace has a height value of 5,000.