Skirmisher (Age of Empires III)

The Skirmisher is a long-ranged light infantry unit that effectively counters infantry in Age of Empires III.

Overview
Skirmishers are strong at countering and defeating heavy infantry and light cavalry with their long-ranged attack, but highly vulnerable to cavalry and artillery due to their low hit points.

Dutch Skirmishers can be trained from Colonial Age since they do not have any other ranged infantry.

The Portuguese have Cassadores instead of Skirmishers, while the Russians have Streltsy instead of Skirmishers.

The British can send 26 Guard Skirmishers (Roger's Rangers) through their Church with The Glorious Revolution card.

Upgrades
The Skirmisher is automatically upgraded to Veteran (+20% hit points and attack) at the Fortress Age.

Home City cards
As the Skirmisher is exclusive to nearly all European civilizations, only other civilizations' TEAM cards that affects them are listed here. {| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%;" ! sab="1148" | Click for a list of related Home City cards
 * - sab="1147"
 * - sab="1149"
 * sab="1150" |

Germans

 * }

History
"Skirmishers were lightly armed and armored riflemen who used their speed to move quickly about the battlefield and perform a number of military roles. They defended flanks, helped artillerymen with cannon, dragged wounded soldiers off of the battlefield, and performed hit-and-run attacks on advancing enemy armies. Napoleonic-era skirmishers were effective against rigid ranks of musketeers because the fire of musketeers was less effective on the loose, informal skirmisher lines. Many skirmishers in the nineteenth century were armed with rifles; the range and accuracy of these weapons made skirmishers dangerous enemies. Early rifles could only be fired once every minute or two, though later breechloading and repeating models could fire much more rapidly. One model fired so fast, a commander ordered his men to focus their fire on a single enemy skirmisher so that they could recover his rifle to examine it."

Trivia

 * French Royal Guard Skirmishers are named after the Voltigeurs.
 * German Royal Guard Skirmishers are named after the needle gun they use, possibly the famous Dreyse model.
 * British Skirmishers are named after the Rogers' Rangers.