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Silk Armor is a technology in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition that is unique to the Tatars and can be researched at the Castle once the Castle Age is reached. Once researched, it gives the Scout Cavalry line, the Steppe Lancers and Cavalry Archers +1/+1 armor.

Strategy[]

Silk Armor works in a similar way to a Blacksmith armor upgrade for Steppe Lancers, Light Cavalry and Cavalry Archer line by giving extra pierce armor to those units. Tatars already have full Blacksmith improvements for these three units, while also having free Parthian Tactics and Thumb Ring. In this sense, a fully upgraded Tatar Heavy Cavalry Archer has +7 pierce armor and excels at taking down enemy archers and soaking up pierce damage. Combined with the 50% more damage from higher ground and +2 Line of Sight, this puts them at the same level as their Mongol, Hun, Turk, Magyar and Cuman counterparts. The same goes for a fully upgraded Tatar Hussar, and enables their Steppe Lancers to better perform in fast raids against an opponent's settlement.

The technology itself should be treated as another Blacksmith upgrade and, considering its gold cost, it may be prioritized over Ring Archer Armor and Plate Barding Armor, especially if the player is using a combination of these units (Light Cavalry, Steppe Lancers and Cavalry Archers) If the player is focusing more on just Cavalry Archers or just Stable Units and Keshiks, Ring Archer Armor and Plate Barding Armor should be prioritized instead. In any case is preferable that the Tatar player researches first Leather Archer Armor and Chain Barding Armor before researching Silk Armor (as those increase melee and pierce armor and improves more units, as well as costing less gold, even combined, than Silk Armor).

Silk Armor also affects Genitours and Kipchaks if the player has a Berber and/or Cuman ally, putting both units among the best.

Since update 42848, Silk Armor grants additional melee armor, which makes the units affected quite competent at melee fights. With all upgrades, the Tatar Heavy Cavalry Archer gets the highest melee armor of any archer unit in the game, with a total of 6.

Team bonuses[]

  • CivIcon-Portuguese Portuguese: Researching Silk Armor is 25% faster.

Changelog[]

AoEIIDE icon Definitive Edition[]

  • Initially, Silk Armor only affects Cavalry Archers and the Scout Cavalry line. With update 36202, Steppe Lancers are also affected.
  • Initially, Silk Armor only provides +1 pierce armor. With update 42848, it provides +1 melee armor as well.

History[]

Mongolian armor has a long history. Mongol armor drew its influence from Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian styles. Most Mongolian armor was of scale and lamellar variety. Most armor was made of hardened leather and iron, laced together onto a fabric backing, sometimes silk. Genghis Khan was once said to have issued all his horsemen with silk vests, as an arrow hitting silk does not break the silk but ends up embedding the arrow in the flesh wrapped in silk, allowing the arrow to be removed by gently teasing the silk open. This is opposed to the usual method of removing barbed arrows—cutting them out, or pushing them right through an injured limb and out of the other side. These silk vests functioned much like the padded armor used by European and Byzantine soldiers of the era, such as Gambesons.[1]

Trivia[]

References[]

Unique technologies in Age of Empires II
AoE2-DLCicon-0 The Age of Kings civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Britons Yeomen · CivIcon-Byzantines Greek Fire · CivIcon-Celts Stronghold · CivIcon-Chinese Great Wall · CivIcon-Franks Bearded Axe · CivIcon-Goths Anarchy · CivIcon-Japanese Yasama · CivIcon-Mongols Nomads · CivIcon-Persians Kamandaran · CivIcon-Saracens Bimaristan · CivIcon-Teutons Ironclad · CivIcon-Turks Sipahi · CivIcon-Vikings Chieftains
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Britons Warwolf · CivIcon-Byzantines Logistica · CivIcon-Celts Furor Celtica · CivIcon-Chinese Rocketry · CivIcon-Franks Chivalry · CivIcon-Goths Perfusion · CivIcon-Japanese Kataparuto · CivIcon-Mongols Drill · CivIcon-Persians Citadels · CivIcon-Saracens Counterweights · CivIcon-Teutons Crenellations · CivIcon-Turks Artillery · CivIcon-Vikings Bogsveigar
AoE2-DLCicon-1 The Conquerors civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Aztecs Atlatl · CivIcon-Huns Marauders · CivIcon-Koreans Eupseong · CivIcon-Mayans Hul'che Javelineers · CivIcon-Spanish Inquisition
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Aztecs Garland Wars · CivIcon-Huns Atheism · CivIcon-Koreans Shinkichon · CivIcon-Mayans El Dorado · CivIcon-Spanish Supremacy
AoE2-DLCicon-2 The Forgotten civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Incas Andean Sling · CivIcon-Italians Pavise · CivIcon-Magyars Corvinian Army · CivIcon-Slavs Detinets
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Incas Fabric Shields · CivIcon-Italians Silk Road · CivIcon-Magyars Recurve Bow · CivIcon-Slavs Druzhina
AoE2-DLCicon-3 The African Kingdoms civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Berbers Kasbah · CivIcon-Ethiopians Tigui · CivIcon-Malians Royal Heirs · CivIcon-Portuguese Carrack
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Berbers Maghrebi Camels · CivIcon-Ethiopians Farimba · CivIcon-Malians Torsion Engines · CivIcon-Portuguese Arquebus
AoE2-DLCicon-4 Rise of the Rajas civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Burmese Howdah · CivIcon-Khmer Tusk Swords · CivIcon-Malay Thalassocracy · CivIcon-Vietnamese Chatras
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Burmese Manipur Cavalry · CivIcon-Khmer Double Crossbow · CivIcon-Malay Forced Levy · CivIcon-Vietnamese Paper Money
AoE2-DLCicon-5 The Last Khans civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Bulgarians Stirrups · CivIcon-Cumans Steppe Husbandry · CivIcon-Lithuanians Hill Forts · CivIcon-Tatars Silk Armor
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Bulgarians Bagains · CivIcon-Cumans Cuman Mercenaries · CivIcon-Lithuanians Tower Shields · CivIcon-Tatars Timurid Siegecraft
AoE2Icon-LordsWest Lords of the West civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Burgundians Burgundian Vineyards · CivIcon-Sicilians First Crusade
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Burgundians Flemish Revolution · CivIcon-Sicilians Hauberk
Dawn of the Dukes icon Dawn of the Dukes civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Bohemians Wagenburg Tactics · CivIcon-Poles Szlachta Privileges
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Bohemians Hussite Reforms · CivIcon-Poles Lechitic Legacy
AoE2Icon-DynastiesIndia Dynasties of India civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Bengalis Paiks · CivIcon-Dravidians Medical Corps · CivIcon-Gurjaras Kshatriyas · CivIcon-Hindustanis Grand Trunk Road
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Bengalis Mahayana · CivIcon-Dravidians Wootz Steel · CivIcon-Gurjaras Frontier Guards · CivIcon-Hindustanis Shatagni
AoE2Icon-ReturnRome Return of Rome civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Romans Ballistas
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Romans Comitatenses
AoE2Icon-MountainRoyals The Mountain Royals civilizations
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Armenians Cilician Fleet · CivIcon-Georgians Svan Towers
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Armenians Fereters · CivIcon-Georgians Aznauri Cavalry
Removed technologies
UniqueTechCastle-DECivIcon-Persians Boiling Oil · CivIcon-Saracens Camelry · CivIcon-Saracens Madrasah · CivIcon-Mayans Obsidian Arrows · CivIcon-Slavs Orthodoxy · CivIcon-Koreans Panokseon
UniqueTechImperialDECivIcon-Vikings Berserkergang · CivIcon-Persians Mahouts · CivIcon-Sicilians Scutage · CivIcon-Saracens Zealotry
Revised technologies
UniqueTechImperialDE Couriers · UniqueTechImperialDE Manipur Cavalry · UniqueTechImperialDE Paper Money · UniqueTechCastle-DE Royal Heirs
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