Merchant Ship (Age of Empires)

This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the unit in Chronicles, see Merchant Ship (Chronicles).

Merchant Ship
Unit information
Introduced in	Age of Empires
Type	Trade Boat
Civilization	All civilizations
Age	Bronze Age
Training
Trained at	Dock
Wood	75
Gold	60
Training time	50 seconds (base) 29 seconds 25 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	200
Melee armor	0
Pierce armor	0
Speed	2.5
Line of Sight	4
Ability	Trade
Upgraded from
Upgraded from	Trade Boat

“	Used to trade with Docks of other civilizations to exchange resources for gold. The Merchant Ship is faster and has more hit points than the Trade Boat.	”
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The Merchant Ship is a trade vessel in Age of Empires available in the Bronze Age. It is the upgrade of the Trade Boat.

Gameplay

The upgrade requires 200 food, 75 wood, and increases the hit points by 80 and the movement speed from 2.0 to 2.5.

Because Merchant Ships move more quickly than Trade Boats, they increase the average gold earned per minute; however, they do not carry more gold per trip. Their improved durability also allows them to survive longer on more dangerous missions, e.g. routes leading past enemy towers.

Return of Rome

They can trade between the player and any other player's Docks, generating gold on each trip upon returning to the player's Dock.

Before Return of Rome

The Merchant Ship allows players to trade by gaining gold at another player's Dock in exchange for any of the other three resources. Note that the traded resources are lost, and not tributed to the other player.

Civilization bonuses

• Greeks: Merchant Ships have +20% speed.
• Macedonians: Merchant Ships have +2 Line of Sight and are four times more resistant to conversion.
• Minoans: Merchant Ships cost -25%/-30% in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Palmyrans: Merchant Ships provide 20% more gold per trip.
• Yamato: Merchant Ships have +20%/+25% hit points in the Bronze/Iron Age.

Team bonuses

• Palmyrans: Researching technologies that benefit Merchant Ships are 30% faster.

Changelog

Age of Empires

• Merchant Ships have 250 hit points and cost 100 wood.
• Minoans: Merchant Ships cost -30%.
• Palmyrans: Merchant Ships provide twice as much gold per trip.
• Yamato: Merchant Ships have +30% hit points.

Definitive Edition

• Merchant Ships have 200 hit points.
• Yamato: Upon release, Merchant Ships have +25% hit points. With update 38862, they have +20% hit points.

Return of Rome

• Merchant Ships now do not require goods and resources to generate gold.
• Merchant Ships cost 75 wood, 60 gold.
• Palmyrans: Merchant Ships provide 20% more gold per trip.
• Palmyrans (team bonus): Technologies benefiting Merchant Ships are researched 30% faster.
• Minoans: With update 99311, Merchant Ships cost -25%/-30% in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Yamato: With update 99311, Merchant Ships have +20%/+25% hit points in the Bronze/Iron Age.

History

“	As civilization spread around the Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, and China Sea, larger trading ships came into use to carry bulk cargoes such as olive oil from Greece, cedar wood from Lebanon, grain from Egypt, and rice from China. Typical ancient Merchant Ships had keels and were built of planks, but did not have interior framing. They carried a single mast for a mainsail and were steered with a large paddle. Their broad beam allowed for cargoes far beyond those of dugout canoes. Recent underwater discoveries of ancient merchant ships indicate they had good sailing qualities and required only a small crew.	”
—the Age of Empires manual

Gallery

Merchant Ships in the Definitive Edition.

A group of Merchant Ships in the original game.