The Elephant is a huntable animal and source of food in Age of Empires, Age of Mythology, Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms, and Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties.
Age of Empires 
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The Elephant, as it appears in the Definitive Edition
Elephants are a large Food source, although with a high number of hit points, they are difficult to take down. They provide a large amount of food and to have access to a herd is useful when the player needs a quick food boost, although fishing will give an equal amount of food, faster, but with no (or less) danger. At least 5 Villagers should be used when attacking elephants, as they will charge and attack when hunted. Any less than 5 villagers puts the player's villagers at risk and are likely to lose at least one. Alternatively, since elephants move slowly, Villagers (or Archers) can use hit-and-run tactics to wear it down.
Villagers hunting elephants
The elephant's tendency to charge at attackers can also be used to the player advantage in that he or she can lure it closer to their Town Center or Storage Pit so that the food can be harvested more quickly before spoiling. Elephants do not attack unless first provoked, unlike the more aggressive Lion and Alligator, so the player can safely move Villagers or other units through packs of elephants so long as they are not looking to start a fight with them.
| Animals in Age of Empires | |
| Huntables | Gazelle · Elephant |
|---|---|
| Predators | Alligator · Lion · Crocodile |
| Marine creatures | Shore Fish · Tuna · Salmon · Whale |
| Animal Kings | Lion King · Alligator King · Gazelle King · Elephant King |
| Other | Lion (tame) |
| Cut | Horse · Goat |
Age of Empires II Edit
The Elephant is introduced in The African Kingdoms as a huntable animal. Found mainly in maps set in Africa or India, it behaves similarly to the Wild Boar, attacking any unit which provokes it. It is quite fast and deals a large amount of melee damage, so it is recommended to hunt it with a substantial group of Villagers. It gives even more food than the Wild Boar, peaking at 400, which makes it, along with the Rhinoceros, the most valuable wildlife food source in Age of Empires II.
| Animals in Age of Empires II | |
| Friendly huntables | Deer · Ostrich · Zebra |
|---|---|
| Aggressive huntables | Wild Boar · Javelina · Elephant · Rhinoceros |
| Wild animals | Wolf · Jaguar · Bear · Lion · Crocodile · Tiger · Komodo Dragon |
| Marine creatures | Shore Fish · Snapper · Tuna · Perch · Salmon · Marlin · Dorado · Dolphin · Box Turtles |
| Herdables | Sheep · Turkey · Cow · Llama · Goat · Water Buffalo |
| Other | Horse · Wild Horse · Camel · Iron Boar |
Age of Mythology Edit
The Elephant in Age of Mythology has the most Hit Points out of all the huntable animals in the game by far; having twice as many as the animal with the second largest amount, the Rhinoceros. Elephants are also worth 50% more Food that can be gathered, so they are usually worth the risk.
Indian Elephant
History Edit
"Scientific name -- Loxodonta africana
Size -- Up to 14,300 lbs.
Diet -- grasses, leaves, fruit
Until recently it was thought there were only two living elephant species, the African elephant and the smaller Asian elephant. However, recent DNA studies suggest that there are actually two species of African elephant; Loxodonta cyclotis, lives in forests. The savannah African elephant is the largest modern land animal, weighing around seven tons. They form herds of ten to fifteen individuals always led by a matriarch. Because of their size, elephants have few predators. Elephants have an important effect on savannahs because they keep trees and shrubs under control, allowing grasses to dominate the environment. Elephants live for about sixty years and die as their molars wear down, preventing them from eating plants. Elephant gestation lasts for 22 months and calves can be born at 200 lbs."
"Scientific Name -- Elephas maximus (Indian)
Size -- Up to 10,800 lbs.
Diet -- grasses, leaves, fruit
Famous for its muscular snout and regal curved tusks, the elephant is the world’s largest land animal. Because of its immense appetite, an elephant will often stay close to areas with abundant supplies of water and vegetation, although herds migrate seasonally to find fresh resources.
Even with a long natural lifespan of sixty years or more, the elephant has faced a number of challenges to its survival. During the last 40 million years, the number of elephant species on earth has dropped from more than 600 to only three: the savannah and forest elephants of Africa, and the Asian elephant. This is due to climate fluctuations and the resulting vegetation changes, as well as the negative impact of humanity."
Age of Empires III Edit
Wild Elephants in Ceylon
Settlers gathering from an Elephant in Deccan
The Elephant is also a large Food source in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties. Like the elephants in Age of Empires and Age of Mythology, Wild Elephants are huntable animals. Unlike in Age of Mythology and Age of Empires, elephants in Age of Empires III do not attack when hunted and are harmless. They can be found on some Asian Maps (including Indochina, Deccan, Borneo, and Ceylon).
History Edit
"Scientific Name: Elephas maximus (Indian); Loxodonta Africana (African)
Approx. Size: 3.5 tons (Indian); 7 tons (African)
Diet: Grasses, leaves, twigs, bark, shoots, fruit, flowers, roots, tubers, bulbs
Famous for its muscular snout and regal curved tusks, the elephant is the world’s largest land animal. Because of its immense appetite, an elephant will often stay close to areas with abundant supplies of water and vegetation, although herds migrate seasonally to find fresh resources.
Even with a long natural lifespan of sixty years or more, the elephant has faced a number of challenges to its survival. During the last 40 million years, the number of elephant species on earth has dropped from more than 600 to only three: the savannah and forest elephants of Africa, and the Asian elephant. This is due to climate fluctuations and the resulting vegetation changes, as well as the negative impact of humanity.
Mature elephants have no natural enemies except the human being. During the twentieth century, the elephant population fell from an estimated 5-10 million to nearly 400,000."
Military elephants Edit
In every game of the series, elephants are typically available to some Asian and African civilizations as heavy cavalry units. The following military units use/are elephants:
- War Elephant in Age of Empires, Age of Empires II, Age of Mythology, and Age of Empires III
- Armored Elephant (upgrade in Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome)
- Elephant Archer in Age of Empires and Age of Empires II
- Battle Elephant in Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas
- Elite Battle Elephant (upgrade)
- Ballista Elephant in Rise of the Rajas
Elephant heroes in the series:
- Hero Hannibal (The Rise of Rome)
- Khosrau (Age of Empires II HD: The Forgotten)
- Abraha Elephant (Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms)
- Dagnajan (The African Kingdoms)
- Tabinshwehti (Rise of the Rajas)
- Bayinnaung (Rise of the Rajas)
- Suryavarman I (Rise of the Rajas)
The following units appear exclusively in Age of Empires III: Asian Dynasties, only are available only to the Indians:
Four military elephants: Siege Elephant, Flail Elephant, Howdah, and Mahout Lancer (from left to right)
