I was wondering what happens to archery-type promotions once the unit upgrades to a gunpowder unit - do they keep them, or are they lost?

Specifically, I have a number of longbowman with Drill I, II and III, and I was wondering what happens to these when (if) I upgrade to riflemen. Will I keep the promotions, or are the non-gunpowder compatable promotions lost?

Please advise.

Sincerely,

Rebeew

all promotions are kept when upgrading.

When upgrading units, if u cant upgrade them all, u'll upgrade units that have already promotions because it makes then stronger. It may not apply to everything (like its useless to have stronger units that can beat archers if theres isnt archers anymore on the ennemy side)... but upgrade like city raiding and such is very usefull !

It's pretty common to upgrade melee units with city raider promotions to gunpowder units. Grenadiers are already really nice against defending riflemen - CRIII grenadiers trash them soooooooo much easier.

Drill III Infantry are pretty sweet, too. :D

There is one thing that hasn't been mentioned:

Yes, you keep all promotions (such as Drill I-III, City Raider I-III, etc.) when you upgrade. However, unless you have a warlord attached to the unit (in which case the upgrade would be free - just so you know), your units' experience will fall back down to 10 if it was above that before.

So a longbowman with Drill I, Drill II, Drill III, and Drill IV, and 19/26XP upgraded to a gunpowder unit will have Drill I-IV, and 10/26XP.

I think it's worth noting that with BtS, Gunpowder units can now take Drill promotions.

I think it's worth noting that with BtS, Gunpowder units can now take Drill promotions.

Yes, I love that addition. Drill IV muskets lay waste to almost everything earlier!