Skirmisher

Standard building: 0

Ram: 0

Archer: 0

Anti-leitis: 0

The **Skirmisher** is an anti-archer ranged unit that can be trained at the Archery Range. Skirmishers are similar to the Slinger in *Age of Empires I*.

## Tactics

Skirmishers are very weak to everything except archers. With a weak and slow attack, as well as a minimum range, they deal almost no damage to infantry and cavalry. However, their attack bonus against archers can make them valuable against any archer-using opponent, especially if the player's civilization's bonuses benefit infantry or heavy cavalry. Their anti-archer role is helped greatly by their impressive base pierce armor.

Unless created to retaliate against enemy archers, Skirmishers make poor ranged support. Thus, training Skirmishers should be avoided unless opponents are going heavy on archer units.

As Skirmishers cost no gold, they are considered trash units and as such they become especially important in the late game when gold becomes scarce and players have to rely on a wood and food economy. However, because of their cheap cost and quick build time it is possible (in some circumstances) to overwhelm the opposition with sheer quantity.

Although Skirmishers deal bonus damage against Spearmen, their minimum range can be exploited by them. In small numbers, Spearmen can defeat Skirmishers, but in large groups the Skirmishers will win.

Skirmishers are good counters against Mamelukes because they are very cost effective as they cost no gold. They are the trash unit of choice to field against Mamelukes because they take no bonus damage (as opposed to Light Cavalry) and cannot be hit-and-run (as opposed to Spearmen).

## Civilization bonuses

* Aztecs: Skirmishers are created 11% faster.
* Bulgarians: Researching archer armor and attack upgrades at the Blacksmith costs 50% less food.
* Burmese: Researching Faith is 50% cheaper.
* Byzantines: Skirmishers are 25% cheaper.
* Celts: Skirmishers can convert herdables even if enemy units are next to them.
* Chinese: Technologies that benefit Skirmishers are 10%/15%/20% cheaper in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age.
* Koreans: Skirmishers cost 20% less wood. Armor upgrades are free.
* Lithuanians: Skirmishers move 10% faster.
* Portuguese: Skirmishers are upgraded to Elite Skirmishers 30% faster. All relevant upgrades are researched 30% faster.
* Spanish: Blacksmith upgrades that benefit Skirmishers don't cost gold.
* Tatars: Skirmishers deal 50% bonus damage from cliffs and elevations. Thumb Ring is free.
* Turks: Chemistry is free.
* Vietnamese: Skirmishers have +20% hit points. Conscription is free.

## Team bonuses

* A team containing Berbers: With Kasbah researched, researching Conscription is 25% faster.
* A team containing Britons: Skirmishers are created and upgraded 20% faster. Researching Thumb Ring is 20% faster.
* A team containing Malians: Researching Chemistry and Ballistics is 80% faster.
* A team containing Saracens: Skirmishers have +1 attack against standard buildings.
* A team containing Teutons: Skirmishers are more resistant to conversion.
* A team containing Lithuanians: Researching Heresy and Faith is 20% faster.
* A team containing Bulgarians: Researching archer armor and attack upgrades at the Blacksmith is 80% faster.

## Changelog

### *The Age of Kings*

* The Elite Skirmisher upgrade costs 250 **wood**, 160 **gold**.

### *The Conquerors*

* Skirmishers receive an attack bonus of +3 against Spearmen.
* Heresy introduced.
* Thumb Ring introduced.
* Britons: Yeomen introduced. It is only available in the Imperial Age.

### *The Forgotten*

* Britons: Yeomen moved to the Castle Age.

### *The African Kingdoms*

* With patch 4.8, the Elite Skirmisher upgrade now costs 200 **wood**, 100 **gold**.
* Ethiopians: Initially, Skirmishers fire 15% faster. With patch 4.8, that bonus was taken away and Skirmishers no longer have an increased Rate of Fire.
* Italians: Before patch 4.8, Pavise affects Skirmishers. With patch 4.8, Pavise does not affect Skirmishers anymore.

### *Rise of the Rajas*

* Vietnamese: Initially, Skirmishers have +10%/+15%/+20% HP in the Feudal/Castle/Imperial Age. With patch 5.8, they now have +20% HP.

### *Definitive Edition*

* Elite Skirmisher upgrade cost increased to 230 **wood**, 130 **gold**.
* Koreans: Initially, Archers cost 15% less wood. With update 39284, they cost 20% less wood.
* Koreans: With update 42848, Archer Armor upgrades are free.
* Lithuanians: With update 36906, Tower Shields grants +2 pierce armor instead of +1.
* Bulgarians: With update 42848, researching archer armor and attack upgrades at the Blacksmith costs 50% less food. As team bonus, Blacksmiths now work 80% faster (up from 50% faster).
* Portuguese: With update 42848, all technologies are researched 30% faster.