Lakota Dog Soldier

The Lakota Dog Soldier is a unique cavalry unit of the Lakota minor natives in Age of Empires III. They can be sent via the Lakota Dog Soldiers research from a Lakota Trading Post (one Lakota Dog Soldier for every three minutes the game has lasted).

Overview
The Lakota Dog Soldiers are essentially an elite cavalry unit, with very high hitpoints, good attack, though average range resistance.

These traits make them excellent as a shock unit, but also as a meatshield, who can rapidly approach enemies and attract fire, while others go for the kill.

Comparison to the Sioux Dog Soldier
Compared to the Sioux Dog Soldier, a seemingly similar unit, there are certain similarities, but also some differences.

Both units are available as part of a research that sends a group whose size depends on the time that has passed; in the Sioux case, a Big Button named Sioux Dog Soldiers, available at the Town Center essentially provides Dog Soldiers the same way, but costs a very large sum of Food instead.

On top of that, they can also be "summoned" at the Fire Pit, at training times proportional to the Villagers dancing at the time.

Last, but not least, Sioux Dog Soldiers cost population, boast much lower hitpoints, and have a bonus against infantry, thus they occupy a role similar to Lancers. They also cost three population, though have a better ranged resistance. Still, these shortcomings, compared to the native unit, can be neutralized thanks to the fact they receive boni with each age, and are also affected by multiple Sioux Home City Cards.

History
"Dog Soldiers were an elite warrior society of the Cheyenne tribe that sometimes allied with the Lakota. They wore long sashes that dragged the ground, and carried sacred arrows that they would stab through the sash into the ground to show that they were ready to fight and die where they stood. They had a special song that they would sing when faced with death that only Dog Soldiers were allowed to sing. They were the fiercest warriors of the Cheyenne."