Heavy Riverboats
Heavy Riverboats is a Commerce Age technology for African civilizations, researched at the Port. It increases warship hit points by 25%, making the affected fleet more durable without raising its damage or movement speed. The research costs 400 Wood and 400 Coin and takes 30 seconds. It is a naval upgrade, so its return depends on having warships that will remain active in a river or coastal contest.
Research profile
- Age
- Commerce Age
- Civilization
- Africans
- Research location
- Port
- Research time
- 30 seconds
- Wood cost
- 400
- Coin cost
- 400
- Effect
- War ship hit points +25%
Effect & research conditions
Complete the research at the Port before committing the fleet to sustained combat. The added hit points help warships withstand incoming damage, but ships can still be focused down, outnumbered or countered. Combine the durability bonus with scouting, positioning and repairs where available; it does not replace those choices.
Research condition
African civilizations; Commerce Age; researched at the Port; costs 400 Wood and 400 Coin; 30-second research time; warship hit points +25%.
When to research
Research Heavy Riverboats when controlling waterways matters and the fleet is expected to remain in action long enough for extra durability to matter. It is less attractive on a land-focused map or when no warships are planned. Compare its 400 Wood and 400 Coin cost with the ships, land army or infrastructure needed to hold the objective.
Durability upgrade, not additional firepower
Heavy Riverboats improves warship hit points by 25%. It does not increase a ship’s attack, range, movement speed or the amount of water it can control, so the fleet still needs a sound position and enough firepower to win an engagement. The additional durability matters most when ships will remain exposed while contesting a river crossing, protecting a landing or holding a coastal route. Focused fire and unfavorable numbers can still remove an upgraded vessel; keep damaged ships out of range when possible and avoid assuming the bonus makes a small fleet safe against a larger one.
Research after identifying a naval objective
The African Commerce Age upgrade is researched at the Port and costs 400 Wood and 400 Coin, with a 30-second research time. Those resources could instead contribute to ships, a Dock or the land force protecting the shoreline. Scout first and identify a route or fleet that will remain active long enough to benefit. On a land-focused generation with no important water objective, the research can sit unused; on a contested river, improving several warships before a sustained fight can help preserve the existing investment. Heavy Riverboats strengthens the vessels you already field, so it is most useful when the fleet is large enough to justify the cost and can be repaired or withdrawn between engagements.