Levied Bowman
Levied Bowman is Africans ranged infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Exploration Age; obtained through Hut, Battle Canoe. Its listed ability is The lower the hit points, the lower the ranged attack Rate of Fire.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 70 Influence
- Available
- Exploration Age · Hut; Battle Canoe
- Training
- 12 sec · 1 population
- Durability & mobility
- 100 hit points · 20% ranged resistance · 4.0 speed · 20 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 7 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.0x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 1.25x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.75x vs. Cavalry; 0.75x vs. Shock troops; 0.25x vs. Villager
- Ranged attack
- 16 damage · 2-16 range · 3.0 attack interval · bonuses: 2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.6x vs. Cavalry; 0.6x vs. Shock troops; 0.25x vs. Villager
- Siege attack
- 4 damage · 6 range · 3.0-1.5 attack interval
- Ability
- The lower the hit points, the lower the ranged attack Rate of Fire
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Hut or Battle Canoe. It has 100 hit points and 20% ranged resistance. It moves at 4.0 speed and uses 1 population. Training costs 70 Influence; it takes 12 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 7 damage. Ranged attack deals 16 damage. Siege attack deals 4 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 2.0× against Light ranged cavalry, 2.0× against Ranged shock trooper, 1.25× against Heavy infantry, 0.75× against Cavalry, 0.75× against Shock troops, and 0.25× against Villager. Ranged attack bonuses: 2.5× against Light ranged cavalry, 2.5× against Ranged shock trooper, 2.0× against Heavy infantry, 0.6× against Cavalry, 0.6× against Shock troops*, and 0.25× against Villager. Special ability or role: The lower the hit points, the lower the ranged attack Rate of Fire.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Light ranged cavalry (2×), Ranged shock trooper (2×), Heavy infantry (1.25×). Ranged attack is especially effective against Light ranged cavalry (2.5×), Ranged shock trooper (2.5×), Heavy infantry (2×). Its reduced multipliers against Cavalry (0.75×), Shock troops (0.75×), Villager (0.25×), Cavalry (0.6×), Shock troops (0.6×) make it less suitable for those targets. Use ranged fire to focus Light ranged cavalry, Ranged shock trooper, and Heavy infantry before they can close; hold the melee attack for Light ranged cavalry, Ranged shock trooper, and Heavy infantry when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Declining rate of fire and counter role
Levied Bowmen cost 70 Influence, train in 12 seconds, occupy one population and begin with 100 hit points. Their ranged attack deals 16 damage at range 2–16 and fires every three seconds, but its rate of fire slows as the unit loses health. Preserve injured Bowmen behind the line rather than leaving them exposed, since damage reduces both their survival and their output. The ranged profile is strong against Light ranged cavalry and ranged shock troops, deals increased damage to Heavy infantry, and is reduced against Cavalry and Shock troops. The unit costs Influence rather than Food or Wood, which makes it an alternative way to spend the African resource without directly drawing on those two stockpiles. A Hut or Battle Canoe can provide access; the Bowmen are light support, not a durable front line.
Patch history for multipliers
The ranged bonus against Light ranged cavalry and ranged shock troops rose from 2.0× to 2.5× in a Knights of the Mediterranean update. Its penalty against Cavalry and Shock troops also changed, settling at 0.6× in the listed current profile. The Bowman is classified as Light infantry, foot archer and archaic infantry in the later patch set, which matters when the opponent’s counter bonuses are applied.
Influence cost and battlefield timing
Because the Bowman costs 70 Influence, Hut levies can turn the African resource into an early ranged screen without using the usual Food-and-Wood unit cost. The unit’s lower-health firing penalty means wounded Bowmen lose attack tempo as well as durability. Rotate damaged units back and replace them from the Hut or Battle Canoe before a fight against their counter classes.
Influence-funded African ranged infantry
The Levied Bowman is an African ranged-infantry unit recruited with 70 Influence through a Hut or Battle Canoe. It occupies one population, costs no standard Food or Coin in the recorded profile and trains in 12 seconds, making Influence the key constraint. Its 16-damage ranged attack carries bonuses against Light ranged cavalry, Ranged shock troopers and Heavy infantry, but is reduced against Cavalry, Shock troops and Villagers. At 100 hit points and 20% ranged resistance, it should remain behind a screen and focus on the classes its attack is designed to punish.
Health-dependent rate of fire
The Levied Bowman’s Rate of Fire decreases as its hit points fall. This makes early damage especially costly: a badly wounded archer not only survives fewer hits but also deals damage less often. Rotate injured units out of the line when possible, and focus fire with healthy Bowmen rather than leaving damaged ones exposed. Their four speed limits retreat against cavalry, so keep anti-cavalry support close. Use Influence for Levied Bowmen when the army needs a ranged counter and when the same resource is not already committed to another alliance or mercenary purchase. Their six-damage siege profile is incidental, not a substitute for dedicated siege.