Heaven’s Reference Pages

Heavy Horse Archer
Age: Iron
Prerequisites: Build Town Center, build Storage Pit, build Barracks, build Archery Range, research Chain Mail for Archers, upgrade to Heavy Horse Archer.
Upgrade Cost: 1500 food, 800 gold
Research Cost: - - -
Cost: 50 food, 70 gold
Hit Points: 90
Attack: 8
Armor: - - -
Piercing Armor: 2
Range: 7
Speed: Fast
Upgrade of: Horse Archer
Special: +2 piercing armor against Ballista, Helepolis, and missile weapons.
Description:
The Heavy Horse Archer is joint fastest of all the units in the game, along with Palmyran Camels.
Researching Nobility increases hit points. Researching Alchemy increases attack strength. Ballistics increases accuracy. Leather Armor, Scale Armor, and Chain Mail increase armor. Woodworking, Artisanship, and Craftsmanship increase range.
Comments
The Heavy Horse Archer is a lot like the Horse Archer, except a step up. Many people ask if this upgrade is worth it, and I personally think it can make all the difference. Hittite HHA's are hard to take down, which is why many Hittite players implement them as a mainstream unit. The HHA upgrade is kinda expensive (check table below for upgrade costs), which is why many wonder if it is worth it. HHA upgrade is only available to a few civs, but I try to get it whenever possible, as soon as possible. This upgrade allows you to hold some of the most powerful archers in the game. I would even pick HHAs over elephant archers in a majority of cases, and anything the HA can do, the HHA can do it better. HHAs have 50% more HP also, which allows them to take more of a beating, and sustain siege weapon blows with more success. Heavy Horse Archers should not be used in every game. If you can only barely afford the upgrade, dont get it. Also if the opponant uses many catapults, dont get this upgrade, because you will probably not even be able to use it, and thats a lot of resources you just wasted.
Cherub Sting and Angel Washizu
History
In a few armies of the late ancient period the Horse Archer was equipped with helmet and limited body armor. This made the archer less vulnerable to arrows himself. The Heavy Horse Archer could get closer to the enemy and do more damage with bow fire with less risk to himself. Heavy Horse Archers were not a common unit, however. They were difficult to train, except for those cultures who were horse archers by common practice. Body armor for archers was a luxury that most armies could not afford.
  { Back to Unit Menu }