Fire Ship
ShipBase 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.
Stop searching after the game
The coach calls out counters live, the moment the unit shows up.
Try it freeEvolution
The coach's briefing
The Fire Ship is the Castle Age evolution. 120 HP, better attack, and 1.47 speed make it more effective at closing distance and winning fights. Upgrade immediately if you're facing War Galleys - you need the extra stats to survive the approach. Keep mixing with your own Galleys.
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 Fire Ship is your **Castle Age Galley-line counter**. It scales well into mid-game naval combat.
Tactical Playbook
Faster Approach
1.47 speed (vs the Fire Galley's 1.36) helps close distance. Still need support but less vulnerable during approach.
Better Trades
3 attack with improved fire damage wins trades vs War Galleys in close combat.
Force Engagements
Use your Fire Ships to force enemy War Galleys to retreat, then push with your own Galleys.
Critical Point
**Cannon Galleons destroy you**. In Imperial Age, Cannon Galleons outrange everything. Don't try to close the distance - you'll die before getting in range.
Understanding The Stats
The Fire Ship offers meaningful improvements over the Fire Galley for Castle Age naval control.
More HP
+20 HP for surviving the approach. Critical upgrade.
Better Speed
Faster approach means less damage taken while closing.
Improved Armor
+2 PA helps survive Galley arrows during approach.
Faster Train
Much faster than Fire Galley's 65s. Maintain production.
Coach's Tip
Your 36s train time matches War Galleys. In sustained naval fights, keep both Docks producing. Never let production lapse.
Mechanics & Bonuses
Attack Bonuses
| Target | Bonus Dmg |
|---|---|
| Galley-type ship | +1 |
Armor Classes
Ship
Takes bonus from Heated Shot, Fire Ships, and Demolition Ships.
Fire Ship
Vulnerable to units with bonus damage vs this class.
Key Upgrades
Castle Age
Imperial Age
Civilizations
* 49 civilizations have access to this unit.
Other Units
AoE Coach analysis
Context & meta
The Fire Ship is the upgraded close-range fire warship: 120 HP, 3 attack, 2 melee armor, 4 pierce armor, 2.5 range, 1.47 speed and 5 line of sight. It costs 75 wood and 45 gold and trains in 27 seconds. The official help gives the categories: strong versus the Galley-line and weak versus the Hulk-line. Its 27-second production makes the unit much easier to mass than the first Fire Galley, while the short range still dictates the fight. Fire Ships are not ranged artillery. They are a fleet tool for closing, focusing and burning through the ship line that cannot meet them at contact.
History & balance
The Fire Ship is the stable version of the close-range fire plan. Once the upgrade is complete, the 27-second train time turns a single timing into a repeatable fleet identity, but the official counter category remains important: Hulk-line ships can contest the space where Fire Ships want to fight. This gives the unit a clear place in a match history. It is excellent when the opponent has committed to Galley-line hulls, yet it is not a universal water answer that ignores scouting. The design rewards the player who recognizes the enemy's production before choosing the upgrade, then converts that information into a fast, focused mass.
In pro play
The professional habit with Fire Ships is to mass before the decisive fight. Their 75 wood, 45 gold cost and 27-second training support continuous production when the fleet keeps its movement simple: approach together, focus the closest target and turn before the enemy can surround you. Use them to deny a Dock, protect a crossing or force Galley-line ships away from shore. Do not split a small group across two targets; short-range units lose value when damage is scattered. If the opponent transitions to Hulk-line ships, read the new engagement instead of queuing by habit. Fire Ships are strongest when the composition matches the water and the queue has a clear objective.
How to counter it
The classic mistake against Fire Ships is producing more Galleys after the official matchup has already turned against them. The official help gives the categories: strong versus the Galley-line and weak versus the Hulk-line. In practice, Hulk and War Hulk answer by meeting the fire ships at close range, where their melee profile is relevant and the Fire Ship cannot kite away. Keep the formation compact enough to focus but open enough to avoid demolition blasts, and do not let the fight drift under an enemy Dock. If Fire Ships keep winning your water fights and you do not know what to build or when, AoE Coach reads your match-up and gives you the counter composition and timing.