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Archer

The archer, the ranged unit of the Iron age

Ranged units (Ranged Unit) are a military units class with short attack range and attack from a distance. Up until the Progressive Era, ranged units receive an attack bonus from standing in rocks. They are usually one of the second units unlocked in each age and have very high attack, low defense, moderate speed and short attack range as all the same-age units. They receive an attack bonus against heavy units, which can very effectively eliminate opposing heavy unit walls and take less damage from heavy units, but are not guaranteed to kill heavy enemy units in 2 hits at all the same age. Fast units are very fast and able to charge to any ranged unit past their short range without getting attacked.

Having low defense does make ranged units extremely vulnerable to all sources of damage without receiving counter attack and not the highest speed, but only their passive defense bonus vs. heavy units. They rely heavily on units to protect them. Generally heavy units, light units and late game fast units can do the same. Try to avoid to artillery units, so they can be avoided in 2 hits vs opponent artillery units in all cases at all the same age. For this reason having some light units present helps negate that threat. Their bonus is most effective against heavy units, but weak against fast units and light units when standing in forests. They are not effective against artillery units, because artillery units are able to attack ranged units due to their short range and nearly to be defeated as before.

All that being said, ranged unit has advantage a lot of damage and can able to kill preceded heavy units and maybe same-age light units in 2 hits, but cannot escape from the enemy fast units, light units and artillery units (unless there is rough of terrain in the way) due to their moderate speed and also cannot take preceded fast units in 2 hits due to fast unit's defense bonus vs ranged units, but can escape only against heavy units. They can also should stay to protect with light units and help to kill somewhat enemy fast units, fast units will reach your ranged units. An army of combination 8 ranged units can be effective in the defensive structures and can be used to attack neighbors and even world map without any enemy fast units or enemy artillery units. Ranged units will target other ranged units and next to hit enemy artillery units, but will lose of many depending on terrain slowing down the enemy. They are vulnerable if the enemy contains fast units, artillery units and also light units, but effective if the enemy contains large groups of heavy units and small groups of light units.

Through the ages ranged unit changes substantially. Their range does not changes almost every age, but will start change range in the late middle ages and should be taken into account. It always has low defense and very high attack. From the high middle ages to the late middle ages the range goes up one. From the late middle ages to the colonial age the range goes up one. From the colonial age to the industrial age the range goes up one. This opens up many strategies. The biggest change it has is in early middle ages it becomes the mounted archer. This is based off of the Mongol mounted archers. It is basically a iron age archer on a horse. Most people decide to use this mounted archer for it being 2 ages behind in stats. Like everything it is not without use but does not work well in a turn based game. However, the mounted archer is the only ranged unit can escape somewhat heavy units, also light units and other ranged units, it can attack opposing on 1st turn and is effective against both artillery units and heavy units, but is the even more deadly compare to fast units and artillery units with ability Dug-in.

Once a player begins using and facing the Progressive Era's units and beyond, battle change significantly, with a much greater emphasis on terrain and unit bonuses. Ranged units should primarily be used to attack the enemy's light units and also artillery units when in the Modern Era only, with a care being taken to avoid both fast units and heavy units.

*In update of version 0.10.1.8027(5.7.2012), all short ranged unit received a terrain attack bonus of 2 on rocks.

*In update of version 0.17(19.9.2012), Terrain gives a scaling bonus with unit strength.

Units Properties[]

SlingerArcherMounted ArcherCrossbowmanLongbow ArcherMusketeerRiflemanSniperParatrooperMG TeamAnti-Aircraft VehicleAnti-Materiel SniperSatellite SpotterSurrogate SoldierSub CruiserNautilusNinjaTesla WalkerNail StormGhost BlasterHarpoon GrenadierPressurizerGravity Gunner

Name Properties
Attack/Defense/Range/Speed
Bonus Against Terrain Bonus and Special Skill Training Cost
Coins/Supplies/ Training Time
Building
Slinger 6 / 3 / 5 / 12 Heavy+3 Rocks A+1 60 / 15 / 1 hour Slinger Range
Slinger
Archer 10 / 4 / 5 / 12 Heavy+4 Rocks A+2 170 / 40 / 2 hours Archery Range
Archer
Mounted Archer 9 / 8 / 5 / 22 Heavy+5 Rocks A+3 250 / 60 / 4 hours Mounted Archer Range
Mounted Archer
Crossbowman 20 / 10 / 5 / 12 Heavy+6 Rocks A+3 340 / 80 / 4 hours Crossbow Range
Crossbowman
Longbow Archer 24 / 12 / 6 / 12 Heavy+7 Rocks A+4 420 / 100 / 4 hours Longbow Archer
Range
LongbowArcher
Musketeer 30 / 18 / 7 / 12 Heavy+10 Rocks A+6 350 / 350 / 4 hours Musketeer Range
Musketeer
Rifleman 38 / 25 / 8 / 12 Heavy+15 Rocks A+9 500 / 500 / 4 hours Rifleman Range
Rifleman
Sniper 30 / 30 / 12(8) / 18 Light+50 Bushes D+20; Forest D+40, 'Dug In"1 D+40 740 / 740 / 4 hours Sniper Camp
Sniper
Paratrooper 48 / 48 / 9(6)/ 18 Light+25, Artillery+40 Bushes D+20; Forest D+40; Rocks A+25; Entrenchment A+25

"Hides in forest";

Rapid Deployment (Starts the battle in a random field on the map and acts before any other units.)

740 / 740 / 4 hours Paratrooper Camp
Paratrooper
MG Team 70 / 55 / 10(7) / 14 Light+35, Fast+35 Contact! (Always retaliates when attacked in range.)

Entrenchment A/D+35 ;Rocks A/D+25 ;Dug-in"1 D+20

420 / 100 / 4 hours Machinegun Range
MG Team
Anti-Aircraft Vehicle 90 / 80 / 10(7) / 24 Light+60, Fast+80 Contact! (Always retaliates when attacked in range.)

Plains A/D+25

4000 / 1000 / 4 hours Air Defense Factory
Anti-Aircraft Vehicle
Anti-Materiel Sniper 100 / 70 / 16(11) / 20 Light+60, Fast+90 Rubble A/D+20

House A/D+40 ;Dug-in"1 D+50

5200 / 0 / 4 hours Anti-Materiel Range
Anti-Materiel Sniper
Satellite Spotter 80 / 100 / 14(10) / 22 Light+140, Artillery+70 Heat (Reduces attack of target) 20% 4800 / 1200 / 4 hours Satellite Uplink Center
Satellite Spotter
Surrogate Soldier 140 / 130 / 10(7) / 18 Fast +120, Light +140 Contact! (Always retaliates when attacked in range.)

Entrenchment A/D+80/60 ;House A/D+60/40 ;Dug-in"1 D+40

3750 / 3750 / 4 hours Surrogate Assembly
Surrogate Soldier
Sub Cruiser 150 / 140 / 12(8) / 22 Artillery +150, Light +130 Contact! (Always retaliates when attacked in range.)

Plains A+75; Bush D+60; Forest D+65; Dug-in"1 D+70

4500 / 3000 / 4 hours Cruiser Port
Sub Cruiser
Nautilus 150 / 140 / 12(8) / 22 Artillery +140, Light +140 Force Field (A unit with this skill absorbs damage points by 2, up to a minimum of 1 damage point.)

Entrenchment A/D+70; House A/D+50

3000 / 4500 / 4 hours Nautilus Drop
Nautilus
Ninja 290 / 220 / 8(6) / 20 Artillery +180, Light +240 Forest A+50; Rocks A+50; Swamp D+90

"Hides in forest";

Rapid Deployment (Starts the battle in a random field on the map and acts before any other units.)

6000 / 6000 / 4 hours Hidden School
Ninja
Tesla Walker 450 / 550 / 14(10) / 16 Artillery +250, Light +250 Rubble A/D+75;

"Gains increased damage output for each tile closer to the target and ignores Stealth"+12";

Keen Eye (Provides a 20% chance to double the damage when attacking enemy units.)

8400 / 3600 / 4 hours Tesla Works
Tesla Walker
Nail Storm 650 / 650 / 16(11) / 14 Artillery +300, Light +300 Rubble A/D+80/100;

"Hides in Rubble";

Keen Eye (Provides a 25% chance to double the damage when attacking enemy units.)

12000 / 3000 / 4 hours Nail Storm Range
Nail Storm
Ghost Blaster 850 / 850 / 14(10) / 16 Artillery +350, Light +350

"Gains increased damage output for each tile closer to the target and ignores Stealth"+10";

Keen Eye (Provides a 30% chance to double the damage when attacking enemy units.)

6000 / 9000 / 4 hours Ghost Blaster Production Line
Ghost Blaster
Harpoon Grenadier 800 / 900 / 14(10) / 16 Artillery +400, Light +400 Broken Ground A/D+100/110;

Contact! (Always retaliates when attacked in range.);

Keen Eye (Provides a 35% chance to double the damage when attacking enemy units.)

7500 / 7500 / 4 hours Grenadier Armory
Harpoon Grenadier
Pressurizer 850 / 1000 / 14(10) / 16 Artillery +450, Light +450

"Gains increased damage output for each tile closer to the target and ignores Stealth"+10";

Keen Eye (Provides a 40% chance to double the damage when attacking enemy units.)

7500 / 7500 / 4 hours Military Base P.XI-V
Pressurizer
Gravity Gunner 925 / 1075 / 14(10) / 16 Artillery +500, Light +500

Contact! (Always retaliates when attacked in range.);

Keen Eye (Provides a 45% chance to double the damage when attacking enemy units.)

? / ? / 4 hours Gravity Gunner Vessel
Gravity Gunner

1 "Dug In" - Gains defense bonus if attacker is more than 2 spaces away

Combat Strategy[]

Death from Above

Units:3-5 ranged units, 1-3 light units, 2-3 heavy units and 0-2 artillery units.

The idea is that ranged units do the bulk of the work. If you have enough Light units for it to not be catastrophic if the enemy has Fast units. As the general rule is, do not have more ranged units than Light or heavy units. With this your heavy units lead the way as walls. The light is there to counter fast and artillery. Artillery units are optional but doable, just replace some ranged units with artillery units. Your 3 to 5 light or heavy units will protect the ranged units as they pummel enemy troops into the ground. Simple but effective. You could run into issues with too much ranged units. A problem with ranged units is they do not counter attack so free hits.

Rain and Shine:

Units: 2-3 ranged units, 2-3 light units, 2-3 heavy units and 1-2 artillery units.

The idea is having both ranged classes you can do several things while having equal amounts of Light or Heavy. The heavy will be able to push forward with the ranged units weakening the enemy army. Artillery units can be good, but can also not do enough to turn the table.

Pure Ranged Units:

Units: 8 Ranged units

This strategy uses your range and speed to make quick work of most units. If they have none or just a few fast units you can plow through with little resistance. Artillery units are still a threat being able to kill you as well as most units in 2 hits. Stay just out of movement range of all units and on the next turn move forward and shoot them down without getting a scratch. You may not lose any units but could lose many depending on terrain slowing down the enemy, and the numbers of their Fast and Artillery units. This can be very effective but you must play it out very well...

Defensive Fire:

Units: 4 Ranged Units, 4 Artillery Units.

This strategy is a simple, yet highly efficient strategy. You utilize range and speed to destroy enemies. Generally, the NPC will be leading troops right to you in conga-lines which means your artillery units can mow down the vanguard of the enemy forces, or their artillery units, giving you an advantage already by the first turn alone. Being able to deploy your close ranged archers during mid combat means you can kite the enemy while supporting with continuous fire against other targets. This tactic has allowed me to dominate the World Map, reaching Late Middle Age battles using simple Iron Age units consisting of Archers and Ballistas. It also works great as your defense team but is not the most ideal as the NPC will not strategically relocate your units.

Diversion:

Units: 6 Ranged Units, 0 to 2 Fast Units, 0 to 2 Light Units

This is a great strategy against any same-age army. Use fast or light units for the "diversion troops," depending on what units you are attacking. The "diversion troops" should move as far out as they can, in order to draw fire from the opposing units. Ranged units have a movement priority after Fast and Light units and equal to (most) heavy units. This means that your diversion troops move out first to draw fire. This draws the enemy units into the range of your ranged units. From this point, pick off enemies one at a time as they chase your diversion units. Be careful not to bring your ranged units out too far, as the AI automatically targets them over fast. Order of elimination is: Fast, Ranged, Light, Artillery, Heavy. Even after the diversion units die, it is easy to win the battle because at that point it is 6 ranged units versus a crippled army, which is not much of a contest.

Note*: Defensive Fire requires a strategic mind and some experience to use properly. Train a while against easier opponents or it'll lead to early frustrations!

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