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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires. For the unit in Age of Empires II, see War Galley (Age of Empires II).

Upgrade of the Scout Ship. The War Galley has more hit points, attack strength, and range. Required to build Fire Galley.
—In-game description in the Definitive Edition

The War Galley is a warship featured in Age of Empires. It is available at the Dock once the Bronze Age is reached as an upgrade of the much lighter Scout Ship. The War Galley has more hit points, attack strength, and range than a Scout Ship. Once the Iron Age is reached, it can be upgraded to a more improved ship, the Trireme. Ships are two times more resistant to enemy conversions than regular units.

Upgrading Scout Ships to War Galleys is required to be able to train Fire Galleys in the Iron Age.

Gameplay[]

On water maps, it is a good idea to research War Galley as soon as the player advances to the Bronze Age, since the War Galley surpasses its predecessor, the Scout Ship, in all aspects.

Despite having a weaker attack value than its successor, it has a faster fire rate and its projectile travels faster. In naval maps, Hittite players can make War Galley production a priority, since their civilization bonus gives their War Galleys extra range. Due to their extra range, they can outrange even a fully upgraded Trireme and harass enemy land units near the shore, giving their own units great support.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, Villagers, Priests
Weak vs. Elephant Archers, siege units, towers
Upgrades
Attack Alchemy (+1)
Range Woodworking (+1)
Artisanship (+1)
Craftsmanship (+1)
Accuracy Ballistics (hit moving targets)
Upgrades Trireme

Civilization bonuses[]

  • Greeks: War Galleys have +20% speed.
  • Hittites: War Galleys have +2/+3 range in the Bronze/Iron Age.
  • Lac Viet: War Galleys are trained 25% faster.
  • Macedonians: War Galleys are four times more resistant to conversion.
  • Minoans: War Galleys cost -25%/-30% in the Bronze/Iron Age.
  • Persians: War Galleys fire 25%/33% faster in the Bronze/Iron Age.
  • Yamato: War Galleys have +20%/+25% hit points in the Bronze/Iron Age.

Team bonuses[]

  • Palmyrans: Upgrading War Galleys to Triremes and researching technologies that benefit War Galleys are 30% faster.

Changelog[]

Age of Empires[]

  • War Galleys take 60 seconds to train and 100 seconds to upgrade.
  • Minoans: War Galleys cost -30%.
  • Yamato: War Galleys have +30% hit points.

Definitive Edition[]

  • War Galleys take 70 seconds to train and 200 seconds to upgrade.
  • Yamato: Upon release, War Galleys have +25% hit points. With update 38862, they have +20% hit points.

Return of Rome[]

  • Persians: War Galleys fire 25%/33% faster in the Bronze/Iron Age.
  • Palmyrans (team bonus): Technologies benefiting War Galleys are researched 30% faster.
  • Minoans: With update 99311, War Galleys cost -25%/-30% in the Bronze/Iron Age.
  • Yamato: With update 99311, War Galleys have +20%/+25% hit points in the Bronze/Iron Age.

History[]

The appearance of the ram triggered an arms race in ship design.  Hulls were strengthened to support ever-heavier rams on the bow.  As hulls grew larger, more oarsmen were required to provide power.  A deck was added and a second group of oarsmen was placed there.  This increased power without increasing length, but the deck made the ship somewhat instable.  A ship with two levels of rowers was called a bireme.
Age of Empires manual

Unit line: War Galley


Scout Ship

War Galley

Trireme

Gallery[]

Units in Age of Empires
Civilian Villager · Trade Cart · King
Other Priest · Slinger · Artifact
Civilian ship Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship
Trade Boat · Merchant Ship
Infantry Clubman · Axeman
Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legionary
Hoplite · Phalangite · Centurion
Archer Bowman
Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman
Chariot Archer
Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer
Elephant Archer
Cavalry Scout
Chariot · Scythe Chariot
Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract
War Elephant · Armored Elephant
Camel Rider
Siege Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult
Ballista · Helepolis
War Ship Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme
Catapult Trireme · Juggernaut
Fire Galley
Light Transport · Heavy Transport
Scenario Editor-only units
Alfred the Alpaca · Bactrian Camel · Camel · Chieftain · Cobra Car · Donkey · Explorer · Furious the Monkey Boy · General · High Priest · Horse · Mercenary (removed) · Penguin · Pharaoh · Raft · Sharkatzor · War Chest
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