Bedouin Horse Archer
Bedouin Horse Archer is a Fortress Age ranged cavalry unit appearing in the Barbary Pirates and Moroccan rosters. The recorded production routes are the Stable and Galleon; scenario-specific access can differ.
Recorded values
- Available
- Fortress Age · Stable; Galleon; Native Embassy (Unknown); Watch Tower (Unknown)
- Training
- 36 sec · 2 population · 16 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 265 hit points · 40% hand resistance · 6.75 speed · 18 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 5.5 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 4.5x vs. Heavy cavalry; 3.5x vs. Hand shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Artillery
- Ranged attack
- 15 damage · 16 range · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Heavy cavalry; 2.0x vs. Artillery; 1.75x vs. Hand shock trooper; 0.5x vs. Villager
- Siege attack
- 8 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Stable or Galleon. It has 265 hit points. It moves at 6.75 speed and uses 2 population. Training costs 100 Food and 60 Coin; it takes 36 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 5.5 damage. Ranged attack deals 15 damage. Siege attack deals 8 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 4.5× against Heavy cavalry, 3.5× against Hand shock trooper, and 2.0× against Artillery. Ranged attack bonuses: 3.0× against Heavy cavalry, 2.0× against Artillery, 1.75× against Hand shock trooper, and 0.5× against Villager.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (4.5×), Hand shock trooper (3.5×), Artillery (2×). Ranged attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (3×), Artillery (2×), Hand shock trooper (1.75×). Its reduced multipliers against Villager (0.5×) make it less suitable for those targets. Use ranged fire to focus Heavy cavalry, Artillery, and Hand shock trooper before they can close; hold the melee attack for Heavy cavalry, Hand shock trooper, and Artillery when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Mobile anti-cavalry archer
The Bedouin Horse Archer is a Fortress Age light ranged cavalry unit used by the Barbary Pirates and Moroccans in Definitive Edition Historical Battles. It replaces the Cavalry Archer in those scenario forces and costs 100 Food and 60 Coin, takes 36 seconds to train and uses two population. Its current profile has 265 hit points, 40% hand resistance, speed 6.75 and line of sight 18. The ranged attack deals 15 damage at range 16 every 1.5 seconds. Its multipliers are 3.0 against Heavy Cavalry, 2.0 against Artillery, 1.75 against hand Shock Troops and 0.5 against Villagers. The hand attack is only 5.5 damage, although it has a 4.5 Cavalry multiplier and 3.5 against hand Shock Troops; siege damage is eight at range six every three seconds. The unit’s mounted speed and ranged attack make it a mobile counter to heavy cavalry and exposed artillery. Keep it moving at range and focus one cavalry target at a time. It is weak to Heavy Infantry and Light Infantry, which can punish it if it is caught in a prolonged exchange. Its 40% hand resistance helps against melee but is not ranged resistance; do not leave it stationary under skirmisher fire. Use the speed 6.75 to kite, flank and withdraw, while a separate screen keeps enemy infantry from closing in. On the Unknown random map, the Bedouin Horse Archer is available as a native warrior from the Watch Tower or Native Embassy, with a limit of eight and no population cost. Home City Cards and technologies that affect native warriors can improve that version. Moroccan Allegiance at the Native Embassy unlocks training at Stables, War Academies, War Camps and Commanderies. This is distinct from the Historical Battle version, which is a regular two-population unit and replaces the Cavalry Archer in scenario composition. Moroccans can research Guard Bedouin Horse Archers in the Industrial Age for 1,000 Wood and 1,000 Coin, granting 30% hit points and damage. The Unknown map has a different sequence: Berber Warrior Societies adds 20% hit points and damage, Champion Berbers grants Guard after that for 600 of each resource, and Legendary Native Warriors or Exalted Natives can add 50% at the Imperial Age. African civilizations upgrade native warriors automatically. Do not combine the scenario unit’s Guard access with the Unknown map’s technology path. Use the Bedouin Horse Archer when the enemy has cavalry, shock troops or artillery worth hunting. It is not an efficient way to attack Villagers because of its ranged penalty, and its two-population cost makes careless losses expensive. Keep a mixed force with infantry or other units that can answer its Light Infantry counters. In a scenario army, use it to screen artillery and chase down exposed targets, not to lead into a fortified base.
Compare with dedicated cavalry and artillery counters
The Bedouin Horse Archer is a specialized ranged cavalry unit whose target multipliers reward attacking Heavy Cavalry, Artillery and hand Shock Troops. Its 15 ranged damage has a fast 1.5-second interval, so repeated volleys add up quickly when the target is vulnerable. Keep the unit at range 16 and use its speed to avoid returning melee damage. Against Heavy Infantry and Light Infantry, however, the multipliers work against it; those units can force the Archer to retreat or remove it if it becomes surrounded. Pair it with a melee screen or another ranged unit that can defeat those counters. The scenario roster uses it to replace the Cavalry Archer, so it can fill the mobile anti-cavalry role during Historical Battles. On Unknown, the eight-unit native limit and zero population cost make it an unusual recruit, but its access depends on the map’s Native Embassy or Watch Tower. Moroccan Allegiance unlocks production from multiple military buildings, making the unit available to a wider set of armies. Read the map rule before assuming that the Historical Battle Stable route is available in standard play.
Preserve hit-and-run mobility
At two population per unit, Bedouin Horse Archers are a costly group to replace. Rotate damaged riders out of the fight and keep them from being trapped by Heavy Infantry. Their ranged attack is the main damage source; use the hand attack only when a valuable target can be finished safely.
Prioritize the unit it counters
Use its cavalry and artillery multipliers to focus the opponent’s most expensive exposed target. If only infantry is available, keep the Horse Archer at range and wait for a better engagement rather than trading into its counters.
Estimate damage before committing to a target
The Horse Archer’s 15-damage ranged attack fires every 1.5 seconds. Before enemy resistance and upgrades, that is 45 damage per volley against Heavy Cavalry (15 × 3.0), 30 against Artillery (15 × 2.0), and 26.25 against hand Shock Troops (15 × 1.75). Its 0.5 multiplier against Villagers yields only 7.5 damage per shot, so the unit is a poor substitute for dedicated raiders. The hand attack is also mode-specific: its 5.5 base damage is multiplied against Cavalry and Shock Troops, but the low base value and contact requirement make ranged fire the safer choice. Treat these products as comparisons of the attack profile, not guaranteed health lost; the target’s resistance and current upgrades still matter. Use the unit to remove valuable cavalry or exposed guns, then withdraw before infantry can pin it down.