Black Rider (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the Age of Empires III mercenary unit. For other uses, see Black Rider.

Black Rider
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Type	Cavalry Light ranged cavalry Ranged cavalry Gunpowder cavalry Mercenary
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Federal Americans) Palace (Africans) Stable (Swedes with the "Contract Black Riders" Home City Card, "German Mercenary Contracts" Home City Card or The Mercenary Contractor politician) Galleon (Swedes with the "German Mercenary Contracts" Home City Card) Lombard (Italians)
Cost	270 Coin 3 Population
Train time	47 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	520
Resistance	40% Hand
Speed	7.25
Line of Sight	15
Train XP	27
Kill XP	27
Ranged attack
Damage	40 Ranged
Range	12
Rate of Fire	3.0
Bonus damage	2.5x vs. Heavy cavalry 2.5x vs. Hand shock infantry 2.0x vs. Artillery 0.5x vs. Villager
Siege attack
Damage	14 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	18 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.5x vs. Heavy cavalry 2.5x vs. Hand shock infantry 2.0x vs. Artillery

“	Heavily armed German mercenary cavalry armed with pistols.	”
—In-game description

The Black Rider is a mercenary light ranged cavalry in Age of Empires III. The Black Rider fights on horseback, wearing black armor, and wields powerful handguns.

Overview

The Black Rider is a swift unit with a reasonable long range attack which can also take a lot of hits due to their substantial armor. Like its basic version, the Dragoon, the Black Rider is a type of ranged counter-cavalry unit. It is also good for killing enemy Artillery. The Black Rider has hand resistance, while the Dragoon has ranged resistance.

All European civilizations can pick the The Mercenary Contractor politician for aging up to the Imperial Age, and he will improve mercenaries (including the Black Rider) by increasing their hit points and attack by 50%.

Civilization differences

• The Germans can train Black Riders if the player sends the "Mercenary Camps" Home City Card, which upgrades the Tavern to the Mercenary Camp. Also, the Germans' Battleships can train Jaegers through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
• The Portuguese can upgrade Black Riders to Order Knights through the Order of the Tower and the Sword technology researched at the Church, when the "Treaty of Tordesillas" Home City Card is sent. It ships 11 Order Knights, availables them at the Tavern, and gives them +15% hit points and +30% hand attack damage.
• For the Swedes, Black Riders are available at the Tavern by default. They may also pick the The Mercenary Contractor politician for advancing to the Fortress Age, and by doing this, they will be able to train Black Riders at Stables, or send the "Contract Black Riders" Home City Card or the "German Mercenary Contracts" Home City Card to train them at Stables and Galleons.
• The United States can get Black Riders 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.	Heavy cavalry, hand shock infantry, artillery
Weak vs.	Heavy infantry, light infantry, ranged shock infantry, MercType2
Improvements
Hit points	Order of the Tower and the Sword (+15%; Portuguese only) Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+10%) Smokeless Powder (+10%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Yoga (+5%) Order of the Tower and the Sword (+30% hand attack; Portuguese only) Horsemanship (+1.0 multiplier vs. Walls; Lakota only) Wind Horses (-10% Rate of Fire) Carabinieri (-10% ranged Rate of Fire; Italians only)
Resistance	Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance)
Speed	Horse Secrets (+10%; Haudenosaunee only) Apache Endurance (+5%) Comanche Mustangs (+5%) Wind Horses (+0.5)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3) Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2)
Range	Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2)
Cost	Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Philhellenism (-10%) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, 50% influence; Ethiopians only)
Train time	Cheyenne Horse Trading (-40%) Mass Cavalry (-35%) Terror Charge (-20%; Indians only) Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Carabinieri (-10%; Italians only) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Shaman Drums (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only)
Other	Multinationalism (delivers 8 random European mercenaries) Order of the Tower and the Sword (delivers 11 Black Riders; Black Riders can be trained at the Tavern; Portuguese only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-50% mercenary shipments cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Black Rider

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)

• Definitive Edition
• The Asian Dynasties

Shared

Card	Description	Age
Cavalry Damage	Cavalry damage +15%
Cavalry Hitpoints	Cavalry hit points +15%
Cavalry Combat	Cavalry hit points and damage +15%
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -35%, speed +5%
Riding School	Cavalry train time -40%; Cuirassier, Oprichnik, and Hakkapelit train time -35% instead; Gatling Camel train time -20% instead

• "Cavalry Damage" is available to the British, Lakota, and Swedes.
• "Cavalry Hitpoints" is available to the British and Haudenosaunee.
• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the British, Dutch, French, Italians, Lakota, Mexicans, Ottomans, Russians, and Spanish.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Riding School" is available to Europeans (except the Maltese 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)

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
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%

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
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
Ignatian Spirituality	Unit (except herded animals) hit points +5%, regeneration rate +1.0 (even in combat)

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Hire German Black Riders	Delivers 7 Black Riders; costs 1,000 coin
Hire Holy Roman Army	Delivers 7 Jaegers, 5 Black Riders, and 4 Landsknechts; costs 2,000 coin
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)

• "Hire German Black Riders" is available to the Dutch and French.
• "Hire Holy Roman Army" is available to the Dutch, French, Russians, and Spanish.
• "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.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +10%; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +15% instead
Spanish Riding School	Cavalry speed +10%, +4 Uhlans
Hire German Black Riders	Delivers 9 Black Riders; costs 1,000 coin
Hire Holy Roman Army	Delivers 8 Jaegers, 6 Landsknechts, and 5 Black Riders; costs 2,000 coin
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenary hit points and damage +15%, +3 Uhlans
Mercenary Camps	Upgrades the Tavern to Mercenary Camp: build time -25%, cost, build bounty and hit points -50%, coin auto gather rate -60%, build limit +3; enables Landsknechts, Jaegers, Giant Grenadiers, Black Riders, and Pandours to be trained at Mercenary Camps, +3 Uhlans
Adler von Lübeck	Delivers 1 Battleship and 1 Privateer; enables Battleships to train mercenaries; costs 900 food, 900 wood, 900 coin

• "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.

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
Road Building	Land military speed +10%

Indians

Card	Description	Age
Dravidian Martial Arts	Unit all melee attack damage +15%; Rajput hand attack damage +20% instead, +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	Unit hit points and damage +5%

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry all melee attack damage +15%
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +10%; Italians-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +15% instead
Black Company	Delivers 5 Armored Pistoleers and 5 Black Riders; costs 500 food, 500 wood, 500 coin

• "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
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

Lakota

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Mustangs	Cavalry and shock infantry cost -10%

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
Outlaw Combat	Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%; costs 500 coin

• "Colegio de San Nicolas" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to Baja California.

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age
Akincis	Light ranged cavalry bonus damage against villagers +100%; Cavalry Archer train time -15%

Portuguese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM House of Aviz	Enables Dragoon, Ruyter, Cavalry Archer, Rifle Rider, Musket Rider, Yabusame, and Carbine Cavalry to be trained from the Commerce Age; Zamburak, Eagle Runner Knight, Bolas Warrior, Black Rider, and Ming Army train time -15%; Mongolian Army train time -7%

Russians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions	Cavalry and shock infantry hit points +10%, Line of Sight +4

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
Ranged Cavalry Combat	Ranged cavalry hit points and damage +15%
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
Contract Black Riders	Delivers 7 Black Riders; enables Black Riders to be trained at Stables and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin

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
Seminole Ponies	Delivers 9 Hussars; cavalry train time -10%; hand cavalry hit points and damage +15%, speed +5%	Imperial Age

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

Shared

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Riding School	Cavalry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Villager for the Indians)		10

• "Riding School" is available to Europeans 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

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Cavalry Combat	Cavalry get +15% hit points and damage		10
Hire German Black Riders	Delivers 7 Black Riders; costs 1,000 coin		10
Hire Holy Roman Army	Delivers 7 Jaegers, 5 Black Riders, and 4 Landsknechts; costs 2,000 coin		25

• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the Dutch, Ottomans, and Russians.
• "Hire German Black Riders" is available to the Dutch, French, and Germans (with +2 extra Black Riders).
• "Hire Holy Roman Army" is available to the Dutch, French, Germans (with +1 extra Jaeger, Black Rider, and Landsknecht), Russians, and Spanish.

Germans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% damage		10
Spanish Riding School	Cavalry get +10% speed; +4 Uhlans		25
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

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Irregulars	Light ranged cavalry get +100% bonus damage against villagers		25

Russians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Cavalry Scouts	Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight		1

Spanish

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 Line of Sight		10

Changelog

Age of Empires III

• Black Riders have 10 hand damage. Black Riders shipped by the Order of the Tower and the Sword technology are each renamed to Tower and Sword Rider.

Definitive Edition

• The Tower and Sword Rider was renamed to Order Knight.

Knights of the Mediterranean

• With update 14.43676, Black Riders have 18 hand damage. Order Knights received new models.

In-game dialogue

The Black Rider, similar to the units of the Germans, speaks modern Standard German with a standard theater pronunciation ("Bühnendeutsch"), although this does not represent the form of German spoken in the Age of Empires III timeframe.

• Select 1 Ja? - Yes?
• Select 2 Bereit - Ready
• Select 3 Auftrag? - Order?
• Move 1 Jawohl - Yes
• Move 2 Verstanden - Understood
• Move 3 Wird erledigt - It will be done
• Attack 1 Angriff! - Attack!
• Attack 2 In den Kampf! - Into the fight!
• Attack 3 Jawohl! - Yes!

History

“

Black Riders were also known as "devil riders" because of the blackened armor they wore. They first appeared in Germany in the sixteenth century. The Riders developed a special tactic known as "caracole," which allowed them to effectively bombard infantry units with constant weapons fire. In caracole, cavalry units created a tight formation. The units in front fired their weapons, and then quickly charged to the back to reload. The units that were just behind them fired immediately after the first row charged backwards to reload.

”

Gallery

An in-game Black Rider

Black Rider model

The Black Rider's history portrait

In-game Black Rider in the Definitive Edition

In-game Order Knight, Black Rider after researching the Order of the Tower and the Sword technology since update 14.43676

Black Rider image from the Compendium section