Cavalry · Fortress Age
Howdah
Howdah (proto ID ypHowdah) is a cavalry unit in AoE3: Definitive Edition 100.19.18309 from the Fortress Age: 667 hit points, ranged 60 every 3 s at range 16 (×2.25 vs Artillery, ×2.2 vs Coyote Man, ×2.75 vs Heavy Cavalry); melee 33 every 1.5 s (×2.25 vs Artillery, ×2.2 vs Coyote Man, ×2.75 vs Heavy Cavalry), 20% ranged resist. It costs 250 food, 350 coin and takes 60 s to train at the Fort and Caravanserai. For the same resources it loses hardest to the Qiang Pikeman (edge ×4.3) and beats the Siege Elephant hardest. 2 civilizations have it.
Quick answers (5)
- What counters Howdah in AoE3?
- For the same resources, Qiang Pikeman (×4.3), Levied Spearman (×4.2), Puma Spearman (×4.1) and Veteran Halberdier (×3.7) beat it hardest among regular units (base stats, AoE3: Definitive Edition 100.19.18309).
- What is Howdah good against?
- For the same resources it beats Siege Elephant (×3.1), Gatling Gun (×3), Hand Mortar (×2.6) and Culverin (×2.4) hardest.
- How much does Howdah cost in AoE3?
- 250 food, 350 coin; 60 s to train; 6 population (AoE3: Definitive Edition 100.19.18309).
- Which civilizations have Howdah?
- Ethiopians and Indians.
- What is the proto ID of Howdah?
- ypHowdah — the name scenario triggers, AI scripts and mods use.
250
350High-hitpoints ranged Elephant cavalry effective against cavalry and artillery.
- Population
- 6
- Line of sight
- 20
- Ranged resist
- 20%
- Available from
- IIIFortress
- XP when killed
- 60
- Game ID
ypHowdah
In the game's words
How to use it
The Howdah is a sturdy Indian cavalry unit featuring a carriage full of archers that fire devastating long-range attacks. Other cavalry units are no match for the Howdah’s strength and toughness. It does great damage to cavalry, artillery, and siege units. The Howdah can be trained at a Caravanserai.
History
Howdah is the traditional name for a carriage that is strapped across an elephant’s back, allowing it to carry human riders, including the “mahout,” the beast’s human handler. Howdahs often featured grand decoration and were used as processional carriages. Early Mughal rulers preferred travel by elephant because of the impression it made, both during peacetime and at war. Although elephants have been used in warfare for centuries, the Mauryan Empire of ancient India first used the howdah in combat in about 300 BCE. Soon afterwards, elephant howdahs provided safety to many Carthaginian archers and javelineers during the Punic Wars of 264-146 BCE. In battle, elephants with ornate howdahs acted as standard bearers, visual representations of the army’s might. More importantly, they provided a relatively safe location from which ranged units could gain a more expansive view of the battlefield and fire on their enemy from above. From this elevated vantage point, they could choose their targets more effectively.
From the game's History encyclopedia (Cavalry).
Attacks
| Attack | Damage | Every | Range | Multipliers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranged (defend) | 60 ranged | 3 s | 16 | ×2.25 vs Artillery×2.2 vs Coyote Man×2.75 vs Heavy Cavalry×0.5 vs Villager |
| Meleearea 1 | 33 melee | 1.5 s | — | ×2.25 vs Artillery×2.2 vs Coyote Man×2.75 vs Heavy Cavalry |
| Siege | 50 siege | 3 s | — | — |
Counters, worked out
Armies of equal cost, base stats (no upgrades or cards). "Edge" = how many times the winner's spending the loser would need to draw. This unit hits an area, so one-on-one figures understate it against groups.
Howdah beats
Siege Elephantedge ×3.1
Gatling Gunedge ×3
Hand Mortaredge ×2.6
Culverinedge ×2.4
Organ Gunedge ×2.3
Flail Elephantedge ×1.8
Rifle Rideredge ×1.8
Humbaraciedge ×1.7
Beats Howdah
Qiang Pikemanedge ×4.3
Levied Spearmanedge ×4.2
Puma Spearmanedge ×4.1
Veteran Halberdieredge ×3.7
Pikemanedge ×3.7
Tomahawkedge ×3.5
Club Warrioredge ×3.4
Rodeleroedge ×3.1
How this is worked out
Each hit: damage × every multiplier that matches the target's types × (1 − the target's resist to that damage). Two ranged units trade shots; against a melee-only unit the better of ranged and melee is used. Damage per second = hit ÷ seconds between attacks.
Armies bought with the same resources fight by Lanchester's square law: strength = (resources ÷ unit cost)² × damage per second × hit points. The edge is the square root of the strength ratio. All matchups.
Trained at
Civilizations
Home City cards that ship it
Cards and technologies that change it
Foreign Trading CompaniesFood cost +2%, Coin cost +2%
Good Will AgreementsInfluence cost −15%, population −1
Mughal Elephant Armorshand resist +0.1
Exalted HowdahHowdah: hit points +50%, damage +50%
Honored HowdahHowdah: damage +30%, hit points +30%
Professional HandlersHowdah: population −1
Crushing ForceElephant: damage (Melee) +15%, damage (Melee (defend)) +15%, damage (Trample) +15%
Elephant CombatElephant: hit points +20%, damage +20%
Tame ElephantsElephant: Coin cost −10%, Wood cost −10%, Food cost −10%, train time −10%
Smokeless PowderGunpowder Cavalry: damage +10%
CarabinieriRanged Cavalry: time between attacks (Ranged (defend)) −10%, time between attacks (Ranged (stagger)) −10%, time between attacks (Ranged) −10%, time between attacks (Bow) −10%, time between attacks (Guardian Ranged) −10%, time between attacks (Repeating Ranged) −10%, train time −10%
Ranged Cavalry CaracoleRanged Cavalry: damage +10%, range (Ranged (stagger)) +2
Ranged Cavalry CombatRanged Cavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%
Ignatian SpiritualityUnit Class: hit points +5%
End RelationsMilitary: line of sight −7
Ottoman AlliesMilitary: line of sight +7
TEAM Spanish InquisitionMilitary: line of sight +10
Town WatchMilitary: line of sight +3
AcupunctureUnit: train time −25%
Cult of the Supreme BeingUnit: XP for building +10%, XP for kills −10%
Feudal ArmiesUnit: train time −15%
Gadaa SystemUnit: hit points +5%, damage +5%
Golden LibertyUnit: Coin cost −5%
Mapuche Ad-mapuUnit: Coin cost −10%
TEAM Shivaji's TacticsUnit: damage +5%, hit points +5%
Torii GatesUnit: XP for building +60%
Torii GatesUnit: XP for building +60%
Torii GatesUnit: XP for building +60%
Torii GatesUnit: XP for building +60%
WampumUnit: XP for building +35%, train time −20%
Western ReformsUnit: damage +8%, hit points +8%
Winter CountsUnit: XP for building +40%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: damage +15%, hit points +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%Cavalry CombatCavalry: hit points +15%, damage +15%…and 32 more that change every Howdah.
Source: protoy.xml and techtreey.xml, AoE3: DE 100.19.18309 (build 25040513).