Ranged cavalry

Ranged cavalry are mounted units that attack foes from a distance, using weapons such as bows or firearms. They appear in every game of the Age of Empires series.

Overview

Ranged cavalry units typically combine the speed of cavalry units with the ranged combat capabilities of archers or ranged infantry. This allows them to outmaneuver pursuing enemies or reach fights quicker than conventional ranged units. However, this typically comes in exchange for a higher resource cost and shorter range than their unmounted counterparts. Furthermore, ranged cavalry units are often vulnerable both to units that counter cavalry and units that counter archers, making them potentially frail.

It is worth noting that there are some units across the series that, despite being ranged cavalry, do not move as quickly as conventional cavalry units. These include the Elephant Archer from Age of Empires, the War Wagon from Age of Empires II, and the Howdah from Age of Empires III. These units instead tend to feature more hit points or armor than typical ranged units to offset this.

Ranged cavalry units are usually widely available, though not universally so. For example, most civilizations in Age of Empires II are able to create Cavalry Archers, with the exception of the American civilizations, due to their lack of access to horses.

Age of Empires

The Horse Archer is one of three available ranged cavalry options.

Age of Empires has three ranged cavalry lines available to various civilizations: the Chariot Archer, Elephant Archer, and Horse Archer. These are all trained at the Archery Range.

List of ranged cavalry units

• Chariot Archer: costs 40 food, 70 wood (trash unit).
• Horse Archer → Heavy Horse Archer: costs 50 food, 70 gold.
• Elephant Archer: costs 180 food, 60 gold.

Ranged cavalry heroes

• Ramesses (Chariot Archer)
• Prince Shotoku (Heavy Horse Archer)
• Osroes I (Heavy Horse Archer)

Civilization bonuses

• Assyrians: Chariot Archers and Horse Archers fire 33% faster.
• Carthaginians: Elephant Archers have +25% hit points.
• Egyptians: Chariot Archers have +33% hit points.
• Hittites: Chariot Archers, Horse Archers, and Elephant Archers have +1 attack.
• Lac Viet: Chariot Archers, Horse Archers, and Elephant Archers have +2 melee armor and are created 25% faster.
• Macedonians: Horse Archers are four times more resistant to conversion.
• Persians: Elephant Archers move 25% faster.
• Phoenicians: Elephant Archers cost -25%.
• Yamato: Horse Archers cost -15%.

Team bonuses

• Phoenicians: Chariot Archers and Elephant Archers have +2 line of sight.

Trivia

• The Hittites and Lac Viet are the only civilizations to have access to all three lines of ranged cavalry.
• The Greeks, Minoans, and Romans lack any ranged cavalry options.

Age of Empires II

Mounted archers in Age of Empires II, the most common form of ranged cavalry.

Main article: Mounted archer unit (Age of Empires II)

In comparison to the original game, Age of Empires II has a wide variety of ranged cavalry units. In addition to the archers on horses, there are gunners, dart throwers, javelin throwers, etc. on horses. There are units on camels and elephants also. However, there are also some units which are not categorised in the "archer" umbrella, viz, the Mameluke (cavalry), Ballista Elephant (cavalry siege), and Steppe Lancer (cavalry with extended range).

List of ranged cavalry units

• Cavalry Archer → Heavy Cavalry Archer: costs 40 wood, 60 gold.
• Mameluke → Elite Mameluke (Saracens only): costs 55 food, 85 gold.
• Mangudai → Elite Mangudai (Mongols only): costs 55 wood, 65 gold.
• War Wagon → Elite War Wagon (Koreans only): costs 100 wood, 60 gold.
• Conquistador → Elite Conquistador (Spanish only): costs 60 food, 70 gold.
• Elephant Archer → Elite Elephant Archer (Bengalis, Dravidians, and Gurjaras only): costs 80 food, 70 gold.
• Camel Archer → Elite Camel Archer (Berbers only): costs 50 wood, 60 gold.
• Genitour → Elite Genitour (Berbers and allies only): costs 40 food, 35 wood (trash unit).
• Arambai → Elite Arambai (Burmese only): costs 75 wood, 60 gold.
• Ballista Elephant → Elite Ballista Elephant (Khmer only): costs 100 food, 80 gold.
• Steppe Lancer → Elite Steppe Lancer (Cumans, Mongols, Tatars only): costs 70 food, 40 gold.
• Kipchak → Elite Kipchak (Cumans only): costs 60 wood, 35 gold.
• Elite Kipchak (allies of Cumans after the latter has Cuman Mercenaries researched): free - maximum of 5 per Castle (trash unit).
• Ranged Ratha → Ranged Elite Ratha (Bengalis only): costs 60 wood, 60 gold.
• Khan: Scenario Editor unit; has a glow but is not a hero unit

Ranged cavalry heroes

• Dagnajan (Elephant-mounted Archer)
• Francisco de Orellana (Conquistador)
• Genghis Khan (Mangudai)
• Girgen Khan (Mounted Archer)
• Gonzalo Pizarro (Conquistador)
• Ibrahim Lodi (Mounted Archer)
• Jarl (Mounted Throwing Axeman)
• Khosrau (Elite Elephant Archer)
• Kotyan Khan (Mounted Archer)
• Musa ibn Nusayr (Camel Archer)
• Osman (Mounted Archer)
• Prithviraj (Mounted Archer)
• Qutlugh (Mounted Archer)
• Saladin (Mameluke)
• Shaybani Khan (Mounted Archer)
• Subotai (Mounted Archer)
• Tabinshwehti (Elephant Archer)
• Tamerlane (Mangudai)
• Tariq ibn Ziyad (Genitour-like)
• Urus Khan (Kipchak)

Civilizations

Civilization bonuses

• Bengalis: Elephant Archers receive -25% bonus damage and are more resistant to conversion.
• Bulgarians: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit ranged cavalry units cost -50% food.
• Burgundians: Researching Husbandry is 50% cheaper.
• Burmese: Researching Devotion and Faith is 50% cheaper.
• Celts: Ranged cavalry units can convert herdable animals even if enemy units are next to them.
• Chinese: Technologies that benefit ranged cavalry units are 5%/10%/15% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
• Cumans: Ranged cavalry units move 10%/15% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age.
• Dravidians: Elephant Archers attack 25% faster.
• Franks: Ranged cavalry units have +20% hit points.
• Georgians: Ranged cavalry units regenerate 10/15 hit points per minute in the Castle/Imperial Age.
• Incas: Genitours cost -20%/25% food in the Castle/Imperial Age.
• Italians: Researching Ballistics and Chemistry is 33% cheaper.
• Japanese: Mounted archers have +2 attack against archers, except Skirmishers.
• Koreans: Ranged cavalry units cost -20% wood. Archer armor upgrades are free.
• Huns: Mounted archer units are 10%/20% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
• Mongols: Mounted archers fire 25% faster. Steppe Lancers have +30% hit points.
• Portuguese: Ranged cavalry units cost -20% gold. All technologies benefiting them are researched 30% faster.
• Saracens: Ranged camels have +25% hit points.
• Sicilians: Ranged cavalry units receive -50% bonus damage.
• Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit ranged cavalry units cost no gold. Researching technologies that benefit archer units provides 20 gold each.
• Tatars: Ranged cavalry units deal +20% damage (+50% instead of +25%) when attacking from hills. Thumb Ring and Parthian Tactics are free.
• Turks: Chemistry is free.
• Vietnamese: Mercenary Kipchaks, Cavalry Archers, Genitours, and Elephant Archers have +20% hit points. Conscription is free.

Team bonuses

• Berbers: Genitours are available at the Archery Range starting in the Castle Age.
• Britons: Cavalry Archers, Elephant Archers and Genitours are created and upgraded 10% faster. Researching Thumb Ring and Parthian Tactics is 20% faster.
• Bulgarians: Blacksmith upgrades are researched 80% faster.
• Gurjaras: Ranged camels and ranged elephants are created 25% faster.
• Hindustanis: Steppe Lancers and ranged camels have +2 attack against standard buildings.
• Huns: Steppe Lancers are created and upgraded 20% faster. Researching Bloodlines and Husbandry is 20% faster.
• Lithuanians: Researching Devotion, Faith, and Heresy is 20% faster.
• Malians: Researching Ballistics and Chemistry is 80% faster.
• Tatars: Mounted archers have +2 Line of Sight.
• Teutons: Ranged cavalry units are more resistant to conversion.

Unique technologies

• Andean Sling: Minimum range of Genitours removed.
• Atlatl: Genitours +1 attack and range.
• Aznauri Cavalry: Ranged cavalry units take -15% population space.
• Cuman Mercenaries: Player and allies can train up to 5 free Mercenary Kipchaks per Castle for free (Cumans).
• Double Crossbow: Ballista Elephants fire an additional bolt (Khmer).
• First Crusade: Ranged cavalry units are more resistant to conversion (Sicilians).
• Frontier Guards: Elephant Archers get +4 melee armor (Gurjaras).
• Hul'che Javelineers: Genitours throw extra spear that deals 1 damage.
• Kasbah: Ranged cavalry trained at the Castle are created and upgraded faster for the whole team (Berbers).
• Kshatriyas: Ranged cavalry units cost -25% food (Gurjaras).
• Maghrebi Camels: Ranged camels regenerate 15 hit points per minute (Berbers).
• Medical Corps: Ranged elephants regenerate 30 hit points per minute (Dravidians).
• Paiks: Rathas and ranged elephants attack 20% faster (Bengalis).
• Recurve Bow: Increases the range and attack of mounted archer units by +1 (Magyars).
• Silk Armor: Mounted archer units and Steppe Lancers get +1/+1 armor (Tatars).
• Sipahi: Mounted archer units get +20 hit points (Turks).
• Steppe Husbandry: Cavalry Archers and Steppe Lancers are created 100% faster (Cumans).
• Tower Shields: Genitours have +2 pierce armor.

Trivia

• Although Cavalry Archers are available to 38 of the 45 civilizations, only 6 civilizations get Heavy Cavalry Archers with all of their standard upgrades. This is because ranged cavalry units in Age of Empires II benefit from both archer and cavalry upgrades, which are often mutually exclusive.
• The Mamelukes, Steppe Lancers, and Jarl deal melee damage at range instead of pierce damage like other ranged cavalry.
• Steppe Lancers are the only form of ranged cavalry that never shoot or release their weapon in any way. Consequently, their range is only 1 tile.
• Ranged cavalry generally benefit from archer upgrades (in addition to Bloodlines, Husbandry and Parthian Tactics). However, the Jarl, Steppe Lancers, and Mamelukes benefit from cavalry upgrades instead. The Ballista Elephant benefits from cavalry armor and siege upgrades.
• Though the Mayans cannot train mounted units of any kind (unless allied with Berbers or Cumans), their unique Plumed Archer is much faster than most foot archers, but still slower than traditional cavalry archers. Hence, it gives them an analogous role to Cavalry Archers (more so when paired with the Mayans' strong Eagle Warriors, which serve as equivalent to melee cavalry).
• The Spanish second unique unit, the Missionary, is also a mounted unit, but does not qualify as ranged cavalry because it converts units instead of damaging them. However, Missionaries can technically kill if the opponent has researched Heresy.

Age of Mythology

The Atlantean ranged cavalry unit, the Turma.

Age of Mythology features ranged cavalry less prominently than other entries in the series. Three civilizations have access to one ranged cavalry unit each: the Egyptians' Chariot Archer, the Atlanteans' Turma, and the Chinese Mounted Archer.

List of ranged cavalry units

• Chariot Archer (Egyptians): costs 100 wood, 40 gold and 3 population.
• Mounted Archer (Chinese): costs 75 wood, 55 gold and 2 population.
• Turma (Atlanteans): costs 50 wood, 45 gold and 2 population.

Unique technologies

• Dragon Scales (Ao Kuang): increases hack armor by 10%.
• Heart of the Titans (Prometheus): costs 20% less wood and gold to upgrade into Turma Hero.
• Houyi's Bow (Chang'e): increases attack by 10%.
• Jade Rabbit (Chang'e): increases movement speed by 10%.
• Lemurian Descendants (Theia): increases LOS by 9.
• Orichalcum Mail (Rheia): decreases hack and pierce vulnerability by 10%.
• Bone Bow (Sekhmet): increases Chariot Archer range by 4.
• Stirrup (Chongli): increases hit points by 25%.
• Valley of the Kings (Thoth): decreases training time by 66%.
• Volcanic Forge (Leto): decreases pierce vulnerability by 10% (Extended Edition).

Trivia

• Though the Greeks cannot train ranged cavalry of their own, one of their myth units, the Centaur, essentially behaves like one.
• In contrast to other games, where ranged cavalry units often fill similar roles, the Chariot Archer, Mounted Archer, and Turma fill distinct roles. These roles resemble those of different units from across the Age of Empires series.
  • The Chariot Archer, similar to the Greek Toxotes or Atlantean Arcus, performs well against infantry units. This, combined with its speed, makes it comparable to Age of Empires II's Cavalry Archer.
  • The Mounted Archer has a powerful attack bonus against cavalry units. This is similar to the role of light ranged cavalry units in Age of Empires III, such as the Dragoon.
  • The Turma specializes in countering other archer units, similar to Slingers. It is somewhat comparable to the Genitour from Age of Empires II, as they are both ranged cavalry units armed with javelins that counter archers.

Age of Empires III

The most common ranged cavalry, the Dragoon.

In Age of Empires III, most ranged cavalry can be divided into two subcategories: light ranged cavalry and ranged heavy cavalry.

Most of them use bows or firearms (categorized as gunpowder cavalry), though there are a few that use other thrown weapons, including bolas, javelins, and grenades. Almost all ranged cavalry are unique units. In the game files, they have the AbstractRangedCavalry tag.

List of ranged cavalry units

Common

• Bedouin Horse Archer (archer, Barbary Pirates and Moroccans)
• Bow Rider (archer, Lakota only)
• Carbine Cavalry (United States only)
• Cavalry Archer (archer, Ottomans and Russians)
• Cowboy (United States only)
• Cuatrero (Mexicans only)
• Dragoon
• Hakkapelit (Swedes only)
• Howdah (Indians only)
• Javelin Rider (archer, Africans only)
• Keshik (archer, Chinese only)
• Mansabdar Howdah (Indians only)
• Mansabdar Zamburak (Indians only)
• Musket Rider (Haudenosaunee only)
• Rifle Rider (Lakota only)
• Ruyter (Dutch only)
• War Wagon (Germans only)
• Yabusame (archer, Japanese only)
• Zamburak (Indians only)

Native

• Apache Cavalry
• Chevauleger
• Comanche Horse Archer
• Conquistador
• Lipka Tatar
• Mapuche Bolas Rider
• Mounted Infantry
• Qizilbash
• Royal Dragoon
• Tatar Archer

Mercenary

• Black Rider
• Gatling Camel
• Harquebusier
• Kanuri Guard
• Manchu
• Mounted Rifleman
• Yojimbo
• Zenata Rider

Outlaw

• Comanchero
• Crabat
• Highwayman (Rider)
• Wokou Horseman

Revolutionary

• Californio (California)
• Cowboy (United States)
• Cuerudo (Mexico)
• Gaucho (Argentina)
• Independence Dragoon (Brazil)
• Mounted Granadero (Argentina)
• Jagunco (Brazil)
• Morochuco (Peru)
• Roșior Dragoon
• Wallachian Horse Archer (Romania)

Hero

• Emir (Hausa only)
• General Kichiro
• Ras (Ethiopians only)
• Yermak

Civilizations

Native technologies

• Apache:
  • Apache Endurance - Military unit speed +5%
  • Apache Raiders - Apache Cavalry multiplier vs. villager +2.0x
• Berbers:
  • Berber Dynasties - A Berber Sultan is created with the next shipment
  • Berber Fantasia - Zenata Riders, Berber Camel Riders, and Berber Sultans gain Musket Attack charged ability
• Bhakti Temple: Yoga - Cavalry attack +5%
• Cherokee: Cherokee War Dance - Native warrior speed +20%
• Cheyenne: Cheyenne Horse Trading - Cavalry train time -25%
• Comanche:
  • Comanche Horse Breeding - Cavalry hit points +10%
  • Comanche Mustangs - Cavalry speed +10%
• Cree: Cree Tanning - Cavalry hit points +5%
• House of Habsburg: Multinationalism - Ships 8 random European mercenaries (can include Black Riders, Harquebusiers, and Mounted Riflemen)
• House of Hanover: Acts of Union - Ships one Harquebusier
• House of Jagiellon: Sarmatism - Ships 5 Lipka Tatars, archers +1 range and LOS (Lipka Tatars +2)
• House of Vasa:
  • Golden Liberty - Unit coin cost -5%
  • Tar Kilns - Units +5% hit points
• House of Wittelsbach:
  • Ducal Berg Lancers - Ships 5 Chevaulegers, Chevaulegers +0.25 multiplier against infantry
  • Philhellenism - Native warriors, outlaws, and mercenaries are 10% cheaper and train 10% faster
• Mapuche: Mapuche Ad-mapu - Unit coin cost -10%
• Quechua: Quechuan Diet - Cavalry train time -25%
• Sudanese: Sudanese Quilted Armor - Cavalry +10% melee resistance
• Tengri Shrine:
  • Shaman Drums - Cavalry created 10% faster
  • Wind Horses - Cavalry +0.5 faster and -10% fire rate

Trivia

• Age of Empires III has the largest variety of ranged cavalry in the series.
• Though the Aztecs have no access to ranged cavalry, their fast ranged Eagle Runner Knights fulfill the same role.
• The originally cut Italian civilization had a planned unique ranged cavalry, the Mounted Crossbowman which is restored in some fan mods like Napoleonic Era.
• Although some cavalry units deal damage at range (like the Berber Camel Rider and Berber Sultan with Berber Fantasia, Chinaco, Llanero, Mansabdar Siege Elephant, Meteor Hammer, Oromo Warrior, and the Siege Elephant), they are not tagged as ranged cavalry.
• All ranged cavalry, with the exception of the Jagunço, Mounted Granadero, Mounted Infantry, Qizilbash, and Tatar Archer, have a negative multiplier against villagers in their ranged attack, while the Comanchero, Cowboy (Saloon), Cowboy (revolution), Cuatrero, Emir, Gatling Camel, Gaucho, Hakkapelit, Morochuco, Ras, War Wagon, Wokou Horseman, and Yermak also have in their melee attack.
• Update 43871 added an icon for ranged cavalry, but since no unit have multipliers against ranged cavalry to be displayed in the UI, the icon remains unused in the game files.

Age of Empires IV

Ranged cavalry return in Age of Empires IV. All ranged cavalry units are unique units, and only half of the civilizations have ranged cavalry units.

Main article: Ranged cavalry unit (Age of Empires IV)