Slingers have an attack bonus of +2 against archers and also have 2 pierce armor. Since the Definitive Edition, they also have a higher attack bonus of +4 against mounted archers. They have a small increased attack against walls and towers, but it is only +0.6 so not that relevant for the game. Ships, infantry (assuming the Slingers do not run for it), and cavalry can all take them out very easily. They are easily overpowered by Bronze Age units and are often obsolete by that time.
Slingers have higher bonus attack (+4) against mounted archers (bonus against foot archers unchanged).
After CU9, Slingers take 28 seconds to train. With update 38862, they take 35 seconds to train.
Slinger damage dealt to walls and towers reduced by ~50%.
History[]
“
Slingers were light troops who threw stones at the enemy, causing casualties and disrupting formations. A barrage of heavy stones could cause wounds and bone fractures. The stone was held in a cloth sling and swung in a vertical loop to build centrifugal force. One end of the sling was released, launching the stone. Slingers were an alternative to archers and javelin men. They threw stones of different weights, depending on the range to the target. Roman art shows slingers throwing rocks the size of grapefruit, probably at short range. Specially shaped stones could be thrown accurately to a respectable distance. The best known slinger of antiquity was David, who slew the Philistine champion Goliath in single combat with a shot to the head. A contingent of Rhodesian slingers were part of the 10,000-man mercenary force whose march home from Persia is described by Xenophon in his book Anabasis.
”
—The Rise of Rome manual
Trivia[]
The Slinger is the only unit at the Barracks that does not have an upgrade.
Stone Mining (+1)
Siegecraft (+1)
Alchemy (+1)
Ballistics (hit moving targets)
Bronze Shield (+0/+1)
Iron Shield (+0/+1)
Tower Shield (+0/+1)
Logistics (-0.5 population usage)
Age of Empires
The Rise of Rome
