| “ | Russian combination of Barracks and Outpost. Can defend the frontier or train infantry in groups. Also provides 5 population. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The Blockhouse is a military/defensive building in Age of Empires III that is unique to the Russians. It combines the functions of a Barracks and an Outpost by training and upgrading Russian infantry, attacking nearby enemies, and receiving Home City shipments, as well as supporting 5 population.
Tactics[]
Blockhouses are resource-friendly, with Russian players only having to pay wood for a fraction of the cost required for a Barracks and Outpost. "TEAM Cheap Barracks" will reduce the cost by 15%, while "TEAM Art of War" reduces it by 10%. If both cards are stacked, Blockhouses only cost 187 wood. However, using this method, Barracks and War Academies will be much cheaper than Blockhouses, at 40 wood and 90 wood respectively, drastically reducing their economic advantage.
Due to Blockhouses' dual-role, losing them will hinder the Russian player's defense and ability to train infantry simultaneously, which can sometimes lead to them being overwhelmed easily during an attack involving siege units.
In the Definitive Edition, choosing The Logistician to advance into the Commerce Age make Blockhouses support 15 population instead of 5.
Units[]
| Age | Unit | Cost | Pop. | Civ. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
10  Streltsy
|
375 food 100 wood |
10 |  |
5  Rekruts
|
280 food 95 coin |
5 | ||
4  Poruchiks
|
210 food 150 coin |
4 | ||
 Old Han Army
|
255 food 180 wood |
6 |  | |
 Standard Army
|
255 food 170 coin |
5 | ||
 Ming Army
|
345 food 120 wood | |||
 Mongolian Army
|
230 food 170 coin |
4 | ||
 |
 Territorial Army
|
285 food 255 coin |
6 | |
 Black Flag Army
|
380 food 360 coin |
8 | ||
 Forbidden Army
|
480 food 360 coin | |||
 Imperial Army
|
480 food 255 coin |
7 | ||
 State Militia
|
50 food 40 wood |
1 |  | |
 Regular
|
55 food 50 coin | |||
 Sharpshooter
|
40 food 75 coin | |||
 |
 Crossbowman
|
40 food 40 wood |
 | |
 Pikeman
| ||||
 Carolean
|
65 food 40 coin | |||
 Insurgente
|
70 food |  | ||
 Soldado
|
90 food 80 coin |
2 | ||
 Salteador
|
60 food 60 coin |
1 |
- Crossbowmen, Pikemen, and Caroleans can be trained at Blockhouses if revolting from the Swedes.
Upgrades[]
| Age | Upgrade | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 Frontier Blockhouse
|
400 wood 200 coin |
Upgrades Blockhouses into Frontier Blockhouses (+50% ranged attack damage, support +5 population) |
 |
 Fortified Blockhouse
|
800 wood 400 coin |
Upgrades Blockhouses into Fortified Blockhouses (+50% hit points, support +5 population, +100% anti-ship attack damage and get a bombard attack); requires Frontier Blockhouse |
Civilization differences[]
- In The Asian Dynasties, the Chinese in random map games can build Blockhouses by allying with the Russians at the Consulate, which provides the Blockhouse Wagon shipment that ships a namesake unit capable of building a Blockhouse for free. Unlike its standard counterpart however, the Chinese Blockhouse train War Academy and Castle banner armies, Flamethrowers, Hand Mortars, and have a build limit of one. It also allows Chinese Villagers to build a new Blockhouse should the first one be destroyed.
- The Indians in the Act III: India campaign can build Blockhouses in the same way as the Chinese in random map games, however, only (rescued) European Settlers can build extra Blockhouses after the shipment.
- United States can Ships 2 Blockhouse Wagons with "Russian-American Company" Home City Card. The Blockhouses can train infantry units same as the Barracks.
Revolution[]
- Revolting to Finland automatically upgrades Blockhouses to Frontier if they are not already for the Russians, and removes their build limit.
- Revolting to Hungary and Romania increases Blockhouses' build limit by one with each Home City shipment.
Further statistics[]
| Building strengths and weaknesses | |
|---|---|
| Strong vs. | Infantry, cavalry, shock infantry, ships |
| Weak vs. | Siege units, artillery |
| Improvements | |
| Hit points |  State Constitutions (+25%; United States only) Flying Buttress (+20%) Byzantine Legacy (+15%)
|
| Attack |  Heated Shot (+50% multiplier vs. ships)
|
| Line of Sight |  Somali Lighthouses (+10) Gas Lighting (+4)
|
| Cost |  Tupi Forest Burning (-20% wood) Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-10%)
|
| Build time | Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-25%)
|
| Other |  Blockhouse Wagon (delivers 1 Blockhouse Wagon, allows villagers to build Blockhouses; Chinese only) Haudenosaunee League (can train Haudenosaunee Tomahawks and Haudenosaunee Mantlets) Öresund Customs (auto gather 0.25 coin) Somali Ajuran Engineers (build limit +4)
|
Home City Cards[]
- Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Blockhouse
| 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 |
| Blue | Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds) |
- Shared
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Natural Lookouts
| Outpost, Outpost Wagon, Blockhouse, War Hut, Castle, and Watch Tower cost -30%; Nobles' Hut and Palace cost -15% |  |
 Heavy Fortifications
| Grants all defensive building upgrades; costs 250 wood | |
 Improved Buildings
| Building hit points +40% | |
 TEAM Improved Buildings
| Building hit points +25% | |
 Russian-American Company
| Delivers 2 Blockhouse Wagons; villager gather work rate for hunted animals +20% | |
 TEAM Coastal Defenses
| Building anti-ship attack bonus damage against ships +0.8 | |
- "TEAM Natural Lookouts" is available to the Haudenosaunee and Portuguese.
- "Heavy Fortifications" is available to the Mexicans, Russians, Swedes, and United States.
- "Improved Buildings" is available to the Chinese, Mexicans, Russians, and Swedes.
- "TEAM Improved Buildings" is available to the Inca, Indians, and Maltese.
- "Russian-American Company" is available to the Russians and United States.
- "TEAM Coastal Defenses" is available to Europeans and Federal Americans.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Art of War
| Barracks, War Academy, Caravanserai, Corral, and Stable cost -30%; Blockhouse, War Hut, Nobles' Hut, and Kallanka cost -10% | |
 Extensive Fortifications
| Castle build limit +100%; frontier fortification, Wall, and Fort hit points +25%, Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM 1 Camp Builder
| Delivers 1 Camp Builder | |
- Europeans
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 Strelet Horde
| All existing and newly constructed Blockhouses will spawn 5 Streltsy after 150 seconds; Strelet hit points +10%, Line of Sight and ranged attack range +2 | |
 TEAM House of Romanov
| Barracks, War Camp, and War Academy hit points +100%; Blockhouse, Kallanka, War Hut, and Nobles' Hut hit points +50%; Watch Tower hit points +10% | |
 Blockhouse Cannon
| Delivers 1 Falconet; enables Falconets and Mortars to be trained at Blockhouses | |
 Suomenlinna
| Delivers 4 Blockhouse Wagons and 1 Fort Wagon; Fort build limit +1 | |
 Armfelt's Autonomy
| Blockhouse build limit +4; enables Imperial upgrades for Caroleans, Hakkapelits, Rekruts, and Cavalry Archers (as well as Counter Dragoons and Counter Jaegers, after sending "Grand Duchy of Finland" Home City Card); Imperial Caroleans, Drabants, Rekruts, Counter Dragoons, and Counter Jaegers cost -50%; costs 500 coin | |
 Grand Duchy of Finland
| Enables Counter Jaegers to be trained at Barracks and Blockhouses; enables Counter Dragoons to be trained at Stables; costs 500 coin | |
 Finnish Taiga
| Each Torp, House, and Blockhouses spawns 1 tree | |
 Blackberries
| Each Torp/House and Blockhouse spawns 1 Berry Bush | |
- "Strelet Horde", "TEAM House of Romanov", and "Blockhouse Cannon" are available to the Russians, and also Swedes upon revolting to Finland.
- "Suomenlinna", "Armfelt's Autonomy", "Grand Duchy of Finland", "Finnish Taiga", and "Blackberries" are available upon revolting to Finland.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Mariachi
| For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10% | |
| Russian-American Company
| Delivers 2 Blockhouse Wagons and 1 Fort Wagon; villager gather work rate for hunted animals +20% | |
- "Russian-American Company" is available upon revolting to California.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Military Wagons
| Delivers 2 Military Wagons; enables Military Wagons to build Outposts | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 Detinets
| Delivers 2 Blockhouse Wagons; Blockhouse hit points +20%; grants Frontier Blockhouses | |
 Advanced Frontier Defenses
| Delivers 3 Outpost Wagons; grants Frontier Outpost and Frontier Blockhouse | |
 Sevastopol
| Town Center, Wall, Blockhouse, and Fort build time -50% | |
 Military Frontier
| Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Grenzer/Dorobant; enables Grenzers/Dorobants to build Outposts/Blockhouses, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
 Hajduks
| Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Hajduk; enables Hajduks to be trained at Outposts/Blockhouses, Barracks, Taverns, Forts, and Galleons, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
 12 Crabats
| Delivers 12 Crabats; enables Crabats to be trained at Outposts/Blockhouses, Stables, Taverns, Forts, and Galleons, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
 10 Pandours
| Delivers 10 Pandours; enables Pandours to be trained at Outposts/Blockhouses, Barracks, Taverns, Forts, and Galleons, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
 Hungarian Grenadiers
| Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Hungarian Grenadier; fully replaces Grenadiers and Humbaracis with Hungarian Grenadiers at Barracks, Artillery Foundries, Forts, Galleons, and on the map; enables them to be trained at Outposts/Blockhouses, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
 Magyar Hussars
| Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Magyar Hussar (Hussar with +200% hit points and +50% damage), +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1; costs 500 coin | |
 Wallachian Horse Archers
| Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Wallachian Horse Archer (Cavalry Archer with -25% hit points, -33% Rate of Fire, and +10% speed); enables Wallachian Horse Archers to be trained at Outposts/Blockhouses, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
 Roșior Dragoons
| Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Roșior Dragoon; enables Roșior Dragoons to be trained at Forts, +1 Outpost Wagon; Outpost/Blockhouse build limit +1 | |
- "Military Frontier", "Hajduks", "12 Crabats", and "10 Pandours" are available upon revolting to Hungary and Romania.
- "Hungarian Grenadiers" and "Magyar Hussars" are available upon revolting to Hungary.
- "Wallachian Horse Archers" and "Roșior Dragoons" are available upon revolting to Romania.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Spanish Road
| Barracks cost -50%; War Academy and War Camp cost -25%; Blockhouse, War Hut, Nobles' Hut, and Kallanka cost -15% | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 Contract Irish Brigadiers
| Delivers 9 Irish Brigadiers; enables Irish Brigadiers to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; costs 500 coin | |
 Contract Swiss Pikemen
| Delivers 12 Swiss Pikemen; enables Swiss Pikemen to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
 Contract Landsknechts
| Delivers 3 Landsknechts; enables Landsknechts to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Taverns from the Commerce Age; costs 300 coin | |
 Contract Giant Grenadiers
| Delivers 8 Giant Grenadiers; enables Giant Grenadiers to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
 Contract Hessian Jaegers
| Delivers 10 Jaegers; enables Jaegers to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
 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 | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Westward Expedition
| Delivers 4 Military Wagons | |
 Watauga Association
| Delivers 2 Outpost Wagons; frontier fortification population support +10; all existing and newly constructed Outposts and Blockhouses spawn 2 State Militia | |
- "Watauga Association" is available upon selecting the Tennessee Federal State.
Changelog[]
Age of Empires III[]
- Blockhouses provide 5 population.
The WarChiefs[]
- Blockhouses cannot reveal stealth enemies and has a ×1.5 ranged multiplier against shock infantry.
The Asian Dynasties[]
- Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate, due to a bug, cannot train banner armies and cannot be upgraded into Frontier Blockhouses and into Fortified Blockhouses.
- Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate have a build limit of 4.
Definitive Edition[]
- The Blockhouse is tagged as Frontier fortification.
- Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate now can train War Academy banner armies, can be upgraded into Frontier Blockhouses and into Fortified Blockhouses through the Hill Castle and Mountain Castle technologies, respectively, and have a build limit of 1.
- With update 13088, the Blockhouse has a ×1.3 ranged multiplier against shock infantry.
- With update 20322, Blockhouses provide 10 population.
The African Royals[]
- With update 38254, Blockhouses have been reverted to providing 5 population.
- With update 47581, Blockhouses can reveal stealth enemies.
- With update 61213, Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate now can train Castle banner armies, Flamethrowers and Hand Mortars.
History[]
| “ | A blockhouse is a military building that is often fortified for protection. A blockhouse is similar to a fort, but while a fort has multiple buildings, a blockhouse has only one structure. In the New World, blockhouses were used for defense on the frontier. Russian blockhouses built along the west coast were hexagonal in shape and usually had multiple stories. | ” |
Gallery[]
In-game Blockhouse in the Definitive Edition
In-game Frontier Blockhouse in the Definitive Edition
In-game Fortified Blockhouse in the Definitive Edition
All different Blockhouse models (from left to right): Unupgraded Blockhouse, Frontier Blockhouse and Fortified Blockhouse
Blockhouse image from the Compendium section
