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Mercenary siege infantry that is good against infantry. Throws fire bombs to destroy buildings.
—Arsonist in-game description
Mercenary light artillery that throws fire bombs to destroy buildings. Also good against infantry.
—Repentant Arsonist in-game description

The Arsonist is a mercenary ranged heavy infantry unit in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties.

Overview[]

Available for certain civilizations from the Home City, Arsonists can sometimes be trained from the Tavern (or equivalent building). The Arsonist costs only coin, and has a powerful ranged attack with good area effect. The Arsonist also has a high siege attack making it strong against buildings being able to level bases in short seconds.

Essentially a powerful mercenary version of the Grenadier, the Arsonist is weak against heavy cavalry, artillery, ranged cavalry, and being a mercenary, is weak against all spy units, such as the Spy and Ninja.

The Arsonist is similar to the Hoop Thrower, available in the Age of Empires III Act 1 campaign.

Their ability 'Burning Damage' affects their target with a burning effect dealing 1 siege damage per second for 10 seconds, which can stack with multiple hits. It deals full damage when applied to buildings, and 0.4x damage to cavalry and shock infantry. Note that the effect is only applied by their siege, melee, and rocket attacks. Their default ranged attack does not apply any burning damage.

Special Abilities[]

  • Burning Damage (Passive): Burning damage inflicts further damage after the target was hit.

Civilization differences[]

  • The Germans' Battleships can train Arsonists through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
  • The Indians can upgrade Arsonists to Rocketeers through the "Rocketeers" Home City Card, that attack units with rockets at longer range and can be trained at Castles and the Monastery.
  • The United States can get Arsonists through the "Poker" Home City Card, in the pool of random mercenaries shipped, which also randomly enables them in Saloons.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry in groups, buildings
Weak vs. Cavalry, shock infantry, artillery, MercType2
Improvements
Hit points Cree Tanning (+5%)
Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Armatoloi (+5%)
Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Yoga (+5%)
Clenched Fist (+25% hand damage)
Incendiary Grenades (+15% siege attack multiplier vs. buildings and +1 ranged attack Area of Effect)
Resistance Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance)
Speed Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only)
Military Drummers (+10%)
Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%)
Akan Fontomfrom (+5%)
Apache Endurance (+5%)
Line of Sight Town Watch (+3)
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)
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)
Penalties Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Arsonist
Some cards are highlighted with:
Green TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Purple Shipment that can be sent an INFINITE number of times
Red Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

Shared
Card Description Age
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen Ranged infantry damage +10%; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry damage +15% instead
Liberation March Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -35%, speed +5%
Fencing School Infantry (except Warrior Priest and Skull Knight) and shock infantry train time -40%
  • "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
  • "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
  • "Fencing School" is available to Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish) and Indians.
Africans
Card Description Age
Feudal Armies Unit train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15% (also affects shipments)
British
Card Description Age
British Grenadiers Grenade trooper damage +15%, siege attack damage +20%; Grenadier Line of Sight +2 and replaces it ranged attack with a mortar attack; card plays a jingle upon arrival
TEAM Grenadier Guards Musket infantry and grenade trooper hit points +15%
Chinese
Card Description Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villager, healing unit, Envoy, and Disciple speed +5%
Siege Hitpoints Artillery and Flamethrower hit points +15%; grenade trooper hit points +20%
Siege Attack Artillery and Flamethrower damage +15%; grenade trooper damage +20%
Siege Combat Artillery hit points and damage +15%; Flamethrower and grenade trooper hit points and damage +20%
Western Reforms Unit hit points and damage +8%
Acupuncture Unit (except monk) train time -20%; Summer Palace banner army, Flying Crow, and Heavy Cannon spawn time -5%
  • "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.
Dutch
Card Description Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry hit points +10%; Dutch-only infantry hit points +15% instead
Dutch States Army Mercenary train time -15%, speed (except Napoleon Gun and Li'l Bombard) +7%; mercenary shipment arrive time -20%; enables Highlander to be trained at Barracks and Taverns, Royal Horseman at Stables and Taverns; Pikeman, Halberdier, Skirmisher, Hussar, and Ruyter cost +10%
Ethiopians
Card Description Age
TEAM Coffee Consumption Ranged infantry speed +5%
Ignatian Spirituality Unit (except herded animals) hit points +5%, regeneration rate +1.0 (even in combat)
Europeans
Card Description Age
Loyal Warriors Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Outlaw Combat Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%
Wanderlust Land military and land villager hit points +5%; land villager and construction wagon speed +5% (can be sent 3 times)
  • "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
  • "Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico.
  • "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa.
French
Card Description Age
Royal Fencing School Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Cult of the Supreme Being Unit train bounty +10%, kill bounty -10%; Sansculotte gather work rate for crates +50%, Berry Bush and Cherry Orchard +25%, tree, Mango Grove, mine +20%, huntable animals, herded animals, Mill, Farm, and Estate +15%
Germans
Card Description Age
Improved Mercenaries Mercenary hit points and damage +15%, +3 Uhlans
Adler von Lübeck Delivers 1 Battleship and 1 Privateer; enables Battleships to train mercenaries; costs 900 food, 900 wood, 900 coin
Haudenosaunee
Card Description Age
TEAM Scout Infantry Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry Line of Sight +8
Hausa
Card Description Age
Sahelian Kingdoms Native warrior hit points and damage +15%; mercenary and outlaw hit points and damage +10%
Inca
Card Description Age
TEAM Inca Bridges Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villager, healing unit, and Envoy speed +5%
  • "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.
Indians
Card Description Age
Dravidian Martial Arts Unit all melee attack damage +15%; Rajput hand attack damage +20% instead, +1 Hindu Villager
Rocketeers Upgrades Arsonists to Rocketeers: bonus damage against infantry 1.25x, gets a rocket attack, and enables it to be trained at Castles and the Monastery, +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics Unit hit points and damage +5%
Zamindars Delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with every future Home City shipment, including this one; infantry train time -20%
Hire Indian Arsonists Delivers 6 Arsonists, +1 Hindu Villager; costs 1,000 coin
Hire Indian Mercenary Army Delivers 7 Arsonists and 5 Jat Lancers, +1 Hindu Villager; costs 2,000 coin
Italians
Card Description Age
Infantry Hitpoints Infantry hit points +15%
Schiavoni Swords Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry all melee attack damage +15%
Japanese
Card Description Age
Onin War Infantry siege attack damage +33%
Bakufu Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa speed +5%, Line of Sight +10, training and research work rate +15%; land military train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead
Maltese
Card Description Age
TEAM Knights of the Round Table Delivers 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center and Command Post present on the map; unit hit points +2%
Mexicans
Card Description Age
TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%
Colegio de San Nicolas Delivers 1 Large Collection of Books (500 XP); unit Line of Sight +4; building (except Wall) Line of Sight +8; reveals enemy units' positions for 20 seconds
National Servant Unit (except herded animals) hit points +10%; Padre heal work rate +200%
Imperial Age
Imperial Age
Outlaw Combat Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%; costs 500 coin
Bastimento Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok Infantry train time -10%, speed +10%
Ottomans
Card Description Age
Kuleli School Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, grenade trooper, and Bashibozuk hit points and damage +15%
Cebeci Abus Gunner and grenade trooper hit points +20%
Topçular Artillery, artillery trooper, and grenade trooper hit points and damage +15%
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
Artillery Hitpoints Grenade trooper hit points +30%; artillery hit points +15%
Russians
Card Description Age
Ransack Infantry siege attack damage +50%
Dueling School Infantry train time -25%
Spanish
Card Description Age
Peninsular Guerrillas Ranged infantry damage +20%, musket infantry damage +10% instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
TEAM Spanish Inquisition Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10
Swedes
Card Description Age
German Mercenary Contracts Mercenary hit points and damage +20%; enables Landsknechts and Jaegers to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns (for Landsknechts), and Galleons; enables Black Riders to be trained at Stables and Galleons
United States
Card Description Age
Poker Delivers 13 random mercenaries; enables up to 3 random mercenaries at Saloons; costs 3,500 coin
Indiana Mobilization Delivers 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game, including this one; unit train time, technology research time, Age up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Hamilton's Own Delivers 2 Li'l Bombards and 4 Napoleon Guns; mercenary hit points and damage +25%; costs 2,500 coin
Imperial Age
Imperial Age
  • "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
  • "Hamilton's Own" is available upon selecting the New York Federal State.
  • "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.

Shared
Card Description Age HC level
Fencing School Infantry (except Skull Knights) train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Villager for the Indians)
10
  • "Fencing School" is available to Europeans (except the Ottomans), and the Indians.
Chinese
Card Description Age HC level
Western Reforms All units get +8% hit points and damage
40
Acupuncture All units' (except monks, Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army) train time -20%
10
Dutch
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +15% hit points
10
Germans
Card Description Age HC level
Improved Mercenaries Mercenaries get +20% hit points and damage
10
Indians
Card Description Age HC level
Dravidian Martial Arts All units get +15% all melee attack damage; +1 Villager
40
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and damage
25
Hire Indian Arsonists Delivers 6 Arsonists; costs 1,000 coin; +1 Villager
10
Hire Indian Mercenary Army Delivers 5 Jat Lancers and 7 Arsonists; costs 2,000 coin; +1 Villager
25
Iroquois
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Scout Infantry Infantry get +8 Line of Sight
10
Japanese
Card Description Age HC level
Onin War Infantry get +33% siege attack damage
40
Russians
Card Description Age HC level
Ransack Infantry get +50% siege attack damage
25
TEAM Dueling School Infantry (except Skull Knights), Old Han Army, and Territorial Army train time -25%; Black Flag Army, Standard Army, Ming Army, and Imperial Army train time -12%
25
Spanish
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 Line of Sight
10

Variants[]

Light artillery that throws fire bombs to destroy buildings.
—In-game description
The Indian Arsonist in The Asian Dynasties Act III: India campaign possesses much lower hit points and siege damage than the mercenary equivalent. However, its hand damage is slightly higher and takes up only one population. This unit is also accessible in the Scenario Editor under the Units category, as "SPC YP Arsonist".

Light artillery that throws fire bombs to destroy buildings.
—In-game description
The Marathan Arsonist is an Outlaw variant of the Arsonist, exclusive to Unknown maps.

Changelog[]

The Asian Dynasties[]

  • Arsonists cost 300 coin and 2 population.

Definitive Edition[]

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

  • With update 13.12327, Arsonists cost 250 coin and 3 population, and all attacks inflict siege damage as well as burning damage over time.

In-game dialogue[]

The Arsonist speaks Modern Hindi.

History[]

Before exploding into greater conflict, the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, also known as the First War of Indian Independence, consisted of series of smaller bouts of violence manifesting the Indian people's discontent with the British occupation and the prominent role of the British East India Company in daily life. The most common of these incidents involved arson. Several months before the rebellion ignited and united the country against the foreign occupation, a number of serious fires broke out in the areas surrounding the city of Calcutta. The arson of January 24, 1857 is often considered to be the turning point between scattered uprisings and the formation of a definitive resistance movement.
—In-game compendium section

Gallery[]

Mercenary and outlaw units in Age of Empires III
Mercenaries
Infantry Armored Pistoleer · Arsonist · Askari · Barbary Corsair · Cannoneer · Dahomey Amazon · Fusilier · Giant Grenadier · Highlander · Irish Brigadier · Iron Troop · Jaeger · Landsknecht · Ninja · Pandour · Ronin · Swiss Pikeman · Zouave
Cavalry Black Rider · Bosniak · Elmetto · Gatling Camel · Hackapell · Harquebusier · Jat Lancer · Kanuri Guard · Mameluke · Manchu · Mounted Rifleman · Royal Horseman · Sennar Horseman · Stradiot · Yojimbo · Zenata Rider
Artillery Li'l Bombard · Napoleon Gun · Gatling Camel
Ship Battleship · Privateer · War Dhow · Wokou Junk · Xebec
Outlaws
Infantry African Vagabond · Colonial Looter · Corsair Marksman · Cossack Daredevil · Desert Archer · Desert Warrior · Hajduk · Highwayman · Inquisitor · Marathan Dacoit · Marathan Thuggee · Pistolero · Renegado · Wokou Monk · Wokou Ronin
Shock infantry Pirate · Wokou Pirate
Cavalry Comanchero · Cossack Daredevil · Crabat · Desert Raider · Highwayman · Wokou Horseman
Artillery Captured Mortar
Ship Marathan Catamaran
Federal Americans Desperado · Cuatrero · Bandido · Gunslinger · Cowboy · Owlhoot