Gurkha

The Gurkha is an Indian long-range skirmisher unit in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties.

Overview
They are very expensive and somewhat fragile but have a strong attack and long range, that increases with every upgrade for them at the barracks, going up to 21 range. The Gurkha can be trained at the Barracks in the Colonial Age. They are functionally the same as the skirmisher of European civilizations. They are strong against infantry but are weak against cavalry. They are stronger than an ordinary Skirmisher and are also available in Colonial Age meaning that the Indians can have a very powerful anti-infantry support even in the Colonial Age.

As such they should be escorted by heavy infantry to defeat any cavalry units that get too close while the Gurkhas snipe infantry that pose a threat.

Gurkhas, when combined with the Howdah can host a formidable all-rounder attack force as they provide multipliers against many categories of unit's in the game.

Gurkhas can also be rescued from certain treasures in South Asian maps such as Borneo, Indochina, or Deccan.

Upgrades
The overall stats for Gurkha can be improved by sending improvement-based shipments.

Disciplined Gurkha
Disciplined Gurkha is the first upgrade for the Gurkha. It is available for and  once Fortress Age is reached.
 * Hit Points: +20% (138)
 * Hand Attack: +20% (7)
 * Ranged Attack: +20% (19)
 * Siege Attack: +20% (14)

Honored Gurkha
Honored Gurkha is the second upgrade for the Gurkha. It is available for and  once Industrial Age is reached.
 * Hit Points: +30% (172)
 * Hand Attack: +30% (9)
 * Ranged Attack: +30% (24)
 * Siege Attack: +30% (18)

Exalted Gurkha
Exalted Gurkha is the third upgrade for the Gurkha. It is available for and  once Imperial Age is reached.
 * Hit Points: +50% (230)
 * Hand Attack: +50% (12)
 * Ranged Attack: +50% (32)
 * Siege Attack: +50% (24)

History
"The Gurkhas are a Nepalese ethnic group who originally claimed to be descendents of the northern India Rajputs, but who took their famous name from the small state of Gurkha in Nepal, which they conquered in the early sixteenth century. For 200 years, the Gurkhas expanded eastward, seeking to conquer all of Nepal. They succeeded, and by the mid-eighteenth century, the entire country was theirs and Hinduism was named the state religion. The Gurkhas attempted to invade Tibet but ultimately failed, and as war with the British broke out in India, they found their control waning. They did, however, discover a surprisingly fruitful partnership with the British occupational forces in India. Known for their short, curved sword called a kukri, the Gurkhas served in the armies of India and Great Britain, where more than 200,000 soldiers fought alongside the British in World War I, and in forty battalions in World War II."