Recurve Bow is a technology in Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten that is unique to the Magyars and can be researched at the Castle once the Imperial Age is reached. Once researched, it increases the range and attack of mounted archers by +1.
Strategy[]
With Recurve Bow, Cavalry Archers have exactly the same range as Arbalesters, allowing Cavalry Archers to outmatch other ranged units and letting them perform better hit-and-run tactics. When in pitched battle, Magyar Cavalry Archers can be regarded as mounted Arbalesters with much better statistics. Recurve Bow itself should be treated as the fourth tier of Fletching line, so the player should first research Bracer, since these Blacksmith technologies benefit all ranged units and defensive structures and are cheaper than Recurve Bow.
Recurve Bow makes Magyar Cavalry Archers arguably the best in the game, right up with the Mangudai, though the former has more armor comparatively. While Turkish and Tatar Cavalry Archers are also above average, their unique technologies do not strengthen the main purpose of mounted archers, which is dealing damage from range, and not tanking damage.
The Magyars have very lacking economy advantages, and their Cavalry Archer bonus is confined to only training them faster. Unless the player has already decided to make Cavalry Archers as their main army, it is better to ignore this technology until the player performs a Cavalry Archer rush, since any irrelevant technologies the Magyars research will prove costly.
Team bonuses[]
Portuguese: Researching Recurve Bow is 25% faster.
Changelog[]
The Forgotten[]
- Recurve Bow increases only the range of Cavalry Archers by +1.
Rise of the Rajas[]
- With patch 5.5, Recurve Bow now increases both attack and range of Cavalry Archers by +1.
Dynasties of India[]
- With update 81058, Genitours benefit from Recurve Bow.
History[]
The military tactics employed by the Magyar tribes were similar to that of all other Eurasian Nomads; long-range arrow showering feigned retreats, ambush and surprise attack. Their blacksmith's manufactured their slightly curved sabers, but their main weapon was their recurved, bone reinforced, Magyar bows. Recurve bows made out of composite materials were used by, among other groups, the Persians, Parthians, Sarmatians, Scythians, Alans, Dacians, Cumans, Hyksos, Magyars, Huns, Bulgars, Greeks, Turks, Mongols, Koreans, and Chinese.
Scythian artifact showing archers shooting with recurve bows; from Crimea in the 4th Century BC
Hungarian archers used recurve bows, which were manufactured from laminates of wood glued with animal tissue like horn and sinew, to great destructive effect during the reign of the Hungarian Kingdom. The rise of the Mongols can be partially attributed to the good range and power of the bows of Genghis Khan's hordes. These bows were made of a bamboo core, with horn on the belly (facing towards the archer) and sinew on the back, bound together with animal glue. During the Middle Ages composite recurve bows were used in the drier European countries because the laminate glue would not moisten and thereby lose its adhesive power; the all-wooden straight longbow was the norm in humid areas.
