Elite Chu Ko Nu
ArcherBase values, before Blacksmith upgrades. The Blacksmith raises attack and armour for infantry, cavalry and archers — Blast Furnace, for instance, gives "+2 Attack for infantry & cavalry". Late in a game, the real numbers are higher.
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Chu Ko Nu
Castle Elite Chu Ko Nu
ImperialThe coach's briefing
The Elite Chu Ko Nu fires 5 bolts per attack instead of 3, and each deals 10 damage. Your potential DPS skyrockets to 50 damage per volley. This makes you absolutely devastating against anything that can't close the gap quickly. Massed Elite Chu Ko Nu behind Halberdiers is one of the strongest deathball compositions in the game.
STRONG AGAINST
You win these trades cost-effectively.
WEAK AGAINST
Avoid these fights or bring support.
Just lost against this unit?
Your coach names the counters during the match — not once the game is over.
Strategic Analysis
Tactical Identity
The Elite Chu Ko Nu is a **siege in archer form**. The 5-bolt attack with 10 damage each creates pseudo-AoE that rivals Scorpions for area denial.
Tactical Playbook
Infantry Annihilation
5 bolts at 10 damage = 50 potential. Champions have 70 HP. Two volleys delete them. Massed Champions melt.
Deathball Core
Put 30+ Elite Chu Ko Nu behind Halberdiers and Siege. The sustained damage output is unmatched.
Faster Training
13s train time (down from 16s) means you replace losses quickly. Keep your Castle working constantly.
Critical Point
Still **0 pierce armor**. A well-placed Onager shot wipes your entire army. Spread your units and have Rams or Siege to tank Onager shots.
Understanding The Stats
The Elite upgrade transforms the Chu Ko Nu from good to overwhelming. The jump from 3 bolts to 5 bolts is massive.
Five Bolts
Up from 3. Potential damage per volley is now 50 instead of 24.
Higher Damage
+2 per bolt over base. Combined with more bolts, DPS doubles.
More HP
+5 HP helps survive a bit longer. Still fragile overall.
Faster Training
Trains 3 seconds faster. Easier to mass and replace losses.
Coach's Tip
10 damage x 5 bolts = 50 potential per attack. For comparison, an Arbalester does 6 damage. You output the damage of 8 Arbalesters in one attack.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Spearman | +2 |
Armor Classes
Archer
Vulnerable to Skirmishers and Huskarls.
Unique Unit
Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.
Key Upgrades
Imperial Age
Civilizations
* 1 civilizations have access to this unit.
Other Units
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
Elite Chu Ko Nu is the Chinese elite archer whose identity is rapid fire. It costs 40 wood and 35 gold, trains in 13 seconds, and has 50 HP, 10 attack, 0 melee armor and 0 pierce armor. Its range is 4, speed 0.96, and line of sight 6. The unit can multiply damage against a group when it is protected, but its short range and zero armor make the front line a bad home. It needs a screen, a focus target, and enough room to retreat before enemy archers or siege reach the formation. The screen is part of the unit.
History & balance
The Chu Ko Nu turns a distinctive repeating crossbow concept into a lesson about volume over a long fight. The Chinese identity is visible in the rapid-fire profile, yet the unit still obeys the basic rules of ranged combat: every volley matters only if the army can keep the unit alive and in range. The Elite upgrade makes the stream more threatening, not more forgiving. A player who protects the firing line gets a wall of repeated damage; a player who sends it forward alone gives the enemy a clean target.
In pro play
Queue Elite Chu Ko Nus continuously and keep the group behind a durable screen. Their 13-second train time and 40-wood, 35-gold cost make a steady mass possible, while range 4 means the formation must start fighting before the opponent reaches it. Focus one infantry target, step back after the volley, and use terrain to prevent a siege piece from landing a perfect shot. Do not overvalue the rapid fire by splitting the army. The unit becomes efficient when every bolt contributes to the same protected target.
How to counter it
The classic mistake is meeting Elite Chu Ko Nus with infantry in the open and allowing rapid volleys to accumulate, or adding more archers to a fight where the enemy already has the range plan. The official help gives the categories: Infantry as a strength, and Archery and Siege as weaknesses. In practice, Elite Skirmishers have a real bonus against Archers; protected siege can also punish the low-armor formation with area damage. Keep the counter spread enough to avoid one volley deleting the front, then close from two directions. Struggling against Elite Chu Ko Nus without knowing what to produce or when? AoE Coach reads your matchup and gives you the composition + timing.