= Bowman =

Learn how to train and utilize the Bowman unit in Age of Empires IV. Discover its strengths, weaknesses, and how to counter it effectively with this in-depth guide.

Alright, let's talk about the Bowman in Age of Empires IV. It's one of the first archer units you'll likely encounter, and while it's not the strongest kid on the block, knowing how to use it (and how to deal with it) is super important when you're just starting out.

Stats / Weaknesses:

• Hit points: 35 (Pretty fragile!)
• Attack: 3 (Doesn't hit super hard)
• Armor: 0 (No protection, vulnerable to everything)
• Range: 5 (Shortest range of the archers)
• Speed: Medium
• Cannot be upgraded directly.

• You need to have built your Town Center, Barracks, and Archery Range first.

Cost:

• 40 Food, 20 Wood (Relatively cheap, good for early game spam)

Train at: Archery Range

What makes it tick?

So, the Bowman is your absolute basic archer. It's cheap to produce, which means you can churn out a lot of them early on. They're good for harassing enemy villagers, picking off weak military units, or just generally softening up an enemy army before your melee units charge in. Because they're so fragile and have no armor, you definitely don't want them getting into close combat. Keep them behind your tougher units!

Making the Bowman Better (Research):

While the Bowman itself can't be upgraded, you can research technologies that make archers in general much more effective. The key one here is the Improved Bowman research, which gives you a stronger version of the basic Bowman. Beyond that:

• Alchemy: Increases attack strength.
• Ballistics: Increases accuracy, meaning fewer arrows will miss.
• Leather Armor, Scale Armor, and Chain Mail: These increase armor, making your archers tougher to kill.
• Woodworking, Artisanship, and Craftsmanship: These boost range, letting your archers shoot from further away.

These upgrades are crucial if you plan on relying on archers. Don't skip them!

Other Archers to Know:

As you advance, you'll unlock more specialized archers like the Chariot Archer, Elephant Archer, and Horse Archer. These usually have unique strengths and weaknesses, so keep an eye out for them.

A Little History (Why Bows Rule):

It's pretty cool that the game includes this bit of history. Bows have been around forever in warfare. They were great because you didn't need as much training or bravery as, say, a swordsman who had to face enemies up close. Bowmen could fight from a distance, behind walls, or from ambushes. They weren't usually the ones who won battles outright by taking ground, but they were essential for disrupting enemy formations, causing casualties, and lowering morale before the main infantry clash. A good volley of arrows could really set up your melee troops for success!