Light Transport

Light Transport
Age	Tool Age
Trained at	Dock
Type	Civilian Vessel
Cost	150 Wood
HP	150
Upgraded To	Heavy Transport
Cost to Upgrade	300 Food 150 Wood

The Light Transport is a unit in Age of Empires that carries other units across water. It is able to carry 5 other units (every unit counts as one, be it a villager or Heavy Catapult) and can transport them any distance. They are lightly armored and have no armament and as such need escorting with war ships. They can be upgraded to the Heavy Transport with greater capacity and more survivability in the Iron Age. They are best used in groups, and with expensive units spread out, so that if one is lost, it is less likely to be the one with 5 Heavy Catapults or Centurions. Boats are also twice as resistant to conversion as regular units.

Civilization Bonuses Edit

• Minoans: Light Transports cost 30% less wood.
• Yamato: Light Transports have 30% more HP.
• Carthaginians: Light Transports move 30% faster.
• Macedonians: Light Transports are four times more resistant against conversion.

History Edit

The earliest use of boats in war were primarily to carry men across rivers, lakes, or seas to raid and plunder. They were lightly armored but were armed with ranged weapons carried by the passengers. The most suitable boat for this purpose was built as a compromise between speed and capacity. Raiders did not want to spend long periods in boats making a crossing and needed to surprise their enemies. The boat also had to carry a reasonable number of raiders and have room for any booty to be brought back. The fastest boats of ancient times were galleys powered by sails when possible but mainly by oars. The Greek penteconter with 50 oars was a common transport for troops. In most cases, the crew of oarsmen became raiders when they reached their destination.

 — The Age of Empires manual

Units in Age of Empires
Age of Empires
Priest · Villager · Trade Boat · Merchant Ship · Fishing Boat · Fishing Ship · Light Transport · Heavy Transport
Infantry	Clubman · Axeman · Short Swordsman · Broad Swordsman · Long Swordsmen · Legion · Bowman · Improved Bowman · Composite Bowman · Hoplite · Phalanx · Centurion
Cavalry	Scout · Cavalry · Heavy Cavalry · Cataphract · Chariot · Chariot Archer · Elephant Archer · Horse Archer · Heavy Horse Archer · War Elephant
Siege	Stone Thrower · Catapult · Heavy Catapult · Ballista · Helepolis
Naval	Scout Ship · War Galley · Trireme · Catapult Trireme · Juggernaut
The Rise of Rome expansion
Armored Elephant · Camel Rider · Fire Galley · Scythe Chariot · Slinger
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