| This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the unit in other games of the series, see War Elephant. |
The War Elephant is a heavy cavalry unit in Age of Empires that can be trained at the Stable once the Iron Age is reached. War Elephants are very slow and rather expansive, but pack a massive attack (including blast damage) and high health.
War Elephants are only available to a few civilizations.
Overview 
Edit
War Elephants have the most hit points of any land unit and an attack that damages all enemies around them. Their downside is that they are slow and therefore a great target for enemy siege units. Their slow speed also makes them very prone to conversion by enemy Priests. Civilizations that have bonuses for War Elephants include the Phoenicians, Persians, and the Carthaginians. Persian War Elephants are 50% faster while the Phoenicians can train them at a cheaper cost. Carthaginian War Elephants have 25% more hit points.
Further statistics Edit
| Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
|---|---|
| Strong vs. | Infantry, cavalry, buildings |
| Weak vs. | Priests, siege weapons, massed elite infantry, Camel Riders |
| Upgrades | |
| Armor |  Leather Armor Cavalry (+2/+0) Scale Armor Cavalry (+2/+0) Chain Mail Cavalry (+2/+0)
|
| Upgrades |  Armored Elephant
|
Civilization bonuses Edit
- Carthaginians: War Elephants have 25% more hit points.
- Macedonians: War Elephants have +2 Line of Sight and are four times more resistant against conversion.
- Persians: War Elephants are 20% faster.
- Phoenicians: War Elephants are 25% cheaper.
History Edit
"Elephants were tamed in antiquity but never domesticated. They were most useful as beasts of burden, but were employed in battle by several cultures, including the Phoenicians, Persians, and Indians. Elephants were much more intimidating than horses and much tougher as well. In addition, horses avoided elephants, making elephants, in theory, a great weapon against enemy cavalry. In practice, unfortunately, elephants rarely proved useful. They were difficult to acquire,train, and maintain. Hannibal attempted to take elephants across the Alps to attack Rome, but only one survived. No account of Alexander the Great's battles makes any mention of Persian elephants being effective. Elephants were difficult to control in battle and were likely to charge in any direction but the one desired, especially after being wounded. They were apparently more dangerous to friend than foe, being already nearer to friends and most likely to charge away from perceived danger through the friendly army arrayed around them."—Age of Empires manual
Gallery Edit
| Units in Age of Empires | |
 Age of Empires | |
|---|---|
| Priest · Villager · Trade Boat · Merchant Ship · Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship · Light Transport · Heavy Transport | |
| Infantry | Clubman · Axeman · Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legion · Hoplite · Phalanx · Centurion |
| Archers | Bowman · Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman · Chariot Archer · Elephant Archer · Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer |
| Cavalry | Scout · Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract · Chariot · War Elephant |
| Siege | Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult · Ballista · Helepolis |
| Navy | Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme · Catapult Trireme · Juggernaught |
 The Rise of Rome | |
| Armored Elephant · Camel Rider · Fire Galley · Scythe Chariot · Slinger | |
