Armored Pistoleer

Armored Pistoleer
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean
Type	Infantry Heavy infantry Ranged infantry Gunpowder infantry Musket infantry Mercenary
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Americans) Palace (Africans) Lombard (Italians)
Cost	250 Coin 4 Population
Train time	60 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	560
Resistance	60% Hand
Speed	4.0
Line of Sight	16
Special ability	Deflection
XP train bounty	25
XP kill bounty	25
Ranged attack
Damage	45 Ranged
Area of Effect	1
Range	12
Rate of Fire	3.0
Siege attack
Damage	46 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	25 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	3.0x Cavalry 2.25x Shock infantry

“	Heavy ranged infantry mercenary from Savoy who uses his thick darkened armor to deflect some of the damage inflicted to nearby allies. Pistol attack deals area damage.	”
—In-game description

The Armored Pistoleer is a mercenary gunpowder infantry unit in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean.

Overview

The Armored Pistoleer is a heavy ranged infantry with high hit points, hand resistance, and base attack. It is effective against cavalry and shock infantry, but vulnerable against light infantry and artillery.

Unlike other heavy infantry units, the Armored Pistoleer has more hit points and is highly resistant against hand attacks. In addition to its increased attack, which causes splash damage in ranged mode, and its melee multipliers, the Armored Pistoleer excels at defeating cavalry and shock infantry units, and is slightly effective against heavy infantry like Halberdiers or Doppelsoldners. The Armored Pistoleer also has the Deflection passive ability, which allows it to absorb some of the damage inflicted to nearby player or ally units in a radius of 12.

They take more population spaces, are expensive, and have slow speed and training time, but they are tanky infantry units useful to protect another units from enemy attacks. However, it is recommended to combine Armored Pistoleers with Hussars to defeat long-ranged infantry units (like Skirmishers) or artillery units, which can counter all infantry.

Special abilities

• Deflection: Absorb 25% of the damage inflicted to nearby allies within 12 range.

Civilization differences

• The Germans' Battleships can train Armored Pistoleers through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
• The Maltese can train Armored Pistoleers at the Tavern if they select The Mercenary Contractor to age up to the Fortress Age.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Cavalry, shock infantry
Weak vs.	Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points	Corselet (+25%; Spanish only) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Flint Lock (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Paper Cartridge (+15%) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Smokeless Powder (+10%) Armatoloi (+5%) Yoga (+5%) Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack) Socket Bayonet (+20% hand attack)
Resistance	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Speed	Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only) Military Drummers (+10%) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time	Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only)
Cost	Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-15%; Germans only) Philhellenism (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, 50% influence; Ethiopians only)
Penalties	Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only) Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only) Second Guarantee (+30% train time; Mexicans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Armored Pistoleer

Some cards are highlighted with:
Green	TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Red	Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue	Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

All

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen	Ranged infantry get +10% damage; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% damage instead
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
Fencing School	Infantry (except Warrior Priests and Skull Knights) and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Outlaw Combat	Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage (costs 500 coin for Baja California)

• "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Fencing School" is available to the Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish) and Indians.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available to the Mexicans upon revolting to Baja California and Europeans upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico.

Africans

Card	Description	Age
Feudal Armies	All units' train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments)

British

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Grenadier Guards	Musket infantry and grenade troopers get +15% hit points

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure	Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
Western Reforms	All units get +8% hit points and damage
Acupuncture	All units' (except monks) train time -20%; Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army spawn time -5%

• "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead
Dutch States Army	Mercenary train time -15% and shipments arrive time -20%; mercenaries (except Napoleon Guns and Li'l Bombards) get +7% speed; Highlanders can be trained at Barracks, Royal Horsemen at Stables, and both at the Tavern; Pikemen, Halberdiers, Skirmishers, Hussars, and Ruyters cost +10%

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Coffee Consumption	Ranged infantry get +5% speed
Temenyas	Gunpowder infantry get +5% damage; Neftenya can be trained in the Commerce Age
Ignatian Spirituality	All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Hire Armored Pistoleers	Delivers 7 Armored Pistoleers; costs 1,000 coin
Mercenary Loyalty	Mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -25% (-10% for INFINITE cards)
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Wanderlust	Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed

• "Hire Armored Pistoleers" is available to the French, Maltese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• "Mercenary Loyalty" reduces cost of "Hire Armored Pistoleers" by 25%.
• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

French

Card	Description	Age
Royal Fencing School	Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Cult of the Supreme Being	The player gains +10% XP from training units and other players receive -10% XP from defeating them; Sansculottes gather resources from Crates 50% faster; food from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 25% faster; wood from trees and Mango Groves and coin from mines 20% faster; food from huntable and herdable animals, Mills, Farms and coin from Estates 15% faster

• "Cult of the Supreme Being" is available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage
Adler von Lübeck	Delivers 1 Battleship and 1 Privateer; Battleships can train mercenaries; costs 900 food, 900 wood, 900 coin

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Conservative Tactics	Infantry get +10% hit points and damage

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Sahelian Kingdoms	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage; mercenaries and outlaws get +10% hit points and damage

Inca

Card	Description	Age
Road Building	Land military units get +10% speed
TEAM Inca Bridges	Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed

• "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.

Indians

Card	Description	Age
Dravidian Martial Arts	All units get +15% all melee attack damage; Rajputs get +20% all melee attack damage instead; +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and damage
Zamindars	Infantry train time -20%; delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with each Home City shipment, including this one

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% all melee attack damage
Savoyard Company	Delivers 6 Royal Horsemen and 9 Armored Pistoleers; costs 1,000 food, 1,000 wood, 1,000 coin
Black Company	Delivers 5 Black Riders and 5 Armored Pistoleers; costs 500 food, 500 wood, 500 coin
TEAM House of Savoy	Delivers 4 Armored Pistoleers; costs 750 coin

• "Mercenary Loyalty" reduces cost of "Savoyard Company", "Black Company", and "TEAM House of Savoy" by 25%.

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
Onin War	Infantry get +33% siege attack damage
Bakufu	Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa get +5% speed, +10 Line of Sight and train units 15% faster; land military unit train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead

Lakota

Card	Description	Age
Moccasins	Infantry get +10% speed

Maltese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Knights of the Round Table	Delivers 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center and Command Post build; all units get +2% hit points
Squires	Military buildings train and research work 80% faster, except Forts which train and research work 260% faster

Mexicans

Card	Description	Age
Plan of Tuxtepec	Turns all Salteadores into Soldados; musket infantry get +1 Line of Sight and range; costs 500 food, 500 wood
TEAM Mariachi	For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Colegio de San Nicolás	Delivers Books of 500 XP; units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds
Bustamante	The General can build Field Hospitals for free; musket infantry get +10% hit points; Field Hospitals can train Soldados
National Servant	All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster
Bastimento	Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok	Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time

• "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "Bustamante" is available upon selecting the San Luis Potosí Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "Bastimento" is available upon revolting to Rio Grande.
• "Pok Ta Pok" is available upon revolting to the Maya.

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age
Matrakci School	Infantry and shock infantry train time -30%; Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, and Humbaraci train time -40% instead

Portuguese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints	Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points

Russians

Card	Description	Age
Ransack	Infantry get +50% siege attack damage
Dueling School	Infantry train time -25%

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
Peninsular Guerrillas	Ranged infantry get +20% damage, musket infantry get +10% damage instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
TEAM House of Bernadotte	Heavy infantry get +15% hit points
German Mercenary Contracts	Mercenaries get +20% hit points and damage; Jaegers and Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons

United States

Card	Description	Age
United States Army	The General, Minutemen, and heavy infantry get +15% hit points and damage
Poker	Delivers 13 random mercenaries; adds up to 3 random mercenaries to training at the Saloon; costs 3,500 coin
Indiana Mobilization	Delivers 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game including this one; unit train time (except Heavy Cannons), technology research time, and age-up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Hamilton's Own	Delivers 4 Napoleon Guns and 2 Li'l Bombards; mercenary get +25% hit points and damage; costs 2,500 coin

• "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
• "Hamilton's Own" is available upon selecting the New York Federal State.

Changelog

Knights of the Mediterranean

• Originally, Armored Pistoleers had 37 hand damage and 53 ranged damage. With update 13.10442, they have 25 hand damage and 45 ranged damage.
• With update 13.12327, the Armored Pistoleer image from the Compendium section was updated.
• Originally, Armored Pistoleers had 660 hit points. With update 13.18214, they have 560 hit points.

In-game dialogue

The Armored Pistoleer speaks French using the French Mortar's dialogue files.

Trivia

• The Armored Pistoleer is based on the Cuirassiers from the Duchy of Savoy, which eventually became part of the Carabinieri (the Italian gendarmerie).
  • Its in-game appearance is based on the Cuirassiers from the 16th century, as the unit wears a Savoyard style three quarter armor with a closed burgonet helm which resembles a human face. Three quarter armor was used until the late 17th century, when the limb armor was discarded and Cuirassiers kept only the breast and backplate.
• The Armored Pistoleer is tagged as musket infantry, although he does not wield a musket.
• Despite not using a musket, he is seen with one in its Compendium section image. This was corrected in update 13.12327.

History

“

During the early-modern period, one military innovation made by Franco-Italian states in particular was the use of dismounted elite infantry in instances where fighting on foot was preferable to being astride a horse. One such group, the Savoyard cuirassiers, flourished during the 17th century, fighting in full plate armor while wielding pistols and swords. The sight of these troops, particularly their peculiar burgonet helms – which resembled an otherworldly face – struck fear into even the most hardened adversaries.

”

Gallery

Updated Armored Pistoleer image from the Compendium section

Armored Pistoleer image from the Compendium section, before update 13.12327

An in-game Armored Pistoleer

Armored Pistoleers fighting in melee mode