Range

A comparison of maximum ranges of different units in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. From top to bottom: Bombard Cannon, Longbowman, Arbalester, Skirmisher and Cavalry Archer.

Range is the value which measures the maximum distance a unit or building can attack in each of the games in the Age of Empires series.

Overview

Range is measured in a variety of different ways depending on the game.

In Age of Empires and Age of Empires II, range measurements are based on tiles. In Age of Mythology, range is measured in feet rather than occupied space.

Note that both units and buildings may also have a minimum range meaning they cannot attack targets that are too close to them.

Units and buildings with long range

The following section shows units and buildings (fully upgraded) with the longest range in every game of the series.

Age of Empires

Units

•  Heavy Catapult - 15
•  Priest - 13 (16 for the Egyptians)
•  War Galley - 13 (for the Hittites only, 9 for the other civilizations)
•  Juggernaught - 12
•  Helepolis - 12
•  Composite Bowman - 10 (12 for the Minoans)
•  Chariot Archer - 10
•  Elephant Archer - 10
•  Heavy Horse Archer - 10
•  Trireme - 10

Buildings

•  Ballista Tower - 10 (12 for the Choson)

Age of Empires II

Units

•  Trebuchet - 17 (19 for the Tatars)
•  Elite Cannon Galleon - 15 (17 for the Turks)
•  Bombard Cannon - 13 (14 for the Turks)
•  Monk - 12
•  Elite Longbowman - 12 (Britons only)
•  Arbalester - 11 (for the Britons only, 8 for the other civilizations)
•  Galleon - 10
•  Siege Onager - 10 (for the Koreans only, 9 for the other civilizations)
•  Elite Caravel - 10 (Portuguese only)
•  Elite Longboat - 10 (Vikings only)
•  Missionary - 10 (Spanish only)
•  Elite Caravel - 10 (Portuguese only)
•  Elite Skirmisher - 9 for the Aztecs and Britons only, 8 for the other civilizations)
•  Imperial Skirmisher - 9 (for the Aztecs and Britons only, 8 for the Vietnamese and allies only)
•  Heavy Scorpion - 9 (Khmer only, 8 for the other civilizations)

Buildings

•  Castle - 11 (13 for the Teutons)
• All towers - 11 (13 for all Korean towers and the Turkish Bombard Tower)
• Krepost - 10 (Bulgarians only)
• Town Center - 6 (9 for the Lithuanians)

Age of Mythology

Units

• Ballista - 30 feet
• Petrobolos - 28 feet
• Catapult - 28 feet
• Onager - 28 feet
• Sitting Tiger - 28 feet
• Gastraphetes - 24 feet
• Cheiroballista - 20 feet
• Fire Lance - 20 feet
• Chariot Archer - 20 feet (24 for Ra and Set)
• Arcus - 20 feet

Buildings

• Mirror Tower - 22 feet
• All other towers - 20 feet
• Town Center - 20 feet
• Fortress - 20 feet
• Migdol Stronghold - 20 feet
• Palace - 20 feet
• Castle - 20 feet
• Hill Fort - 20 feet

Age of Empires III

Units

• Monitor - 70 (Long-range Bombardment Attack ability)
• Ironclad - 80 (Long-range Bombardment Attack ability)
• Mortar - 40 (50 Portuguese only)
• Morutaru - 40 (46 Japanese only)
• Culverin - 34
• Hand Mortar - 34
• Light Cannon - 32
• Arrow Knight - 30
• Frigate - 30
• Tlaloc Canoe - 30
• War Canoe - 30
• Atakabune - 28
• Great Bombard - 28
• Siege Elephant - 28
• Tekkousen - 28

Buildings

• Outpost - 40 (anti-ship attack)
• Fort - 40 (anti-ship attack)
• Town Center - 40 (anti-ship attack)

Trivia

• The range of defensive buildings effectively creates a tier system based on whether attacking units can safely outrange them. For example, in Age of Empires II, the range of Town Centers is set at 6, a number that can only be surpassed by Castle Age units and technologies. This makes attacking enemy Town Centers a risky enterprise in most situations before the Castle Age. Similarly, a Castle's range of 11 means that only a small handful of units (including a Castle's own Trebuchets) is ever able to attack Castles safely.