| “ | Russian hand cavalry. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The Cossack is a melee heavy cavalry in Age of Empires III that is unique to the Russians, which replaces the Hussar, and can be trained at Stables, Forts, and Galleons.
In-game information[]
| “ | Cossacks are a unique Russian cavalry unit with good speed and decent hitpoints, but no range. A Cossack does all of his damage in melee combat. They are similar to but weaker than the Hussars of other nations, and a solid cavalry unit that is good at raiding, assaulting artillery, and fleeing a losing battle. When training Cossacks, it is a good idea to train a complementary unit, preferably one with range, that can soften up the enemy units before the Cossacks get close. |
” |
Overview[]
The Cossack functions as the Russian version of the Hussar. Although they are somewhat weaker than Hussars, they are cheaper, train faster and only occupy one slot of population. This means that they can be produced in large numbers compared to most other cavalry, which take up two slots of population, and are good as raiding cavalry. With the proper cards and upgrades, an almost colossal army of Cossacks can be used to overwhelm opponents. An effective method of using them is to raid enemy Settlers and as a counter to enemy hand cavalry, as they can defeat even some of the best heavy cavalry when fully upgraded, due to their massive numbers. Only a mass of heavy infantry or light ranged cavalry such as Bow Riders or Cavalry Archers can stand up to them. They are also very efficient if used against shock infantry and artillery.
When training Cossacks, it is a good idea to train a complementary unit, preferably one with range, that can soften up enemy units before the Cossacks get close. Streltsy and/or Cavalry Archers can be used with Cossacks to counter heavy infantry and other cavalry, and to assist in the destruction of buildings, a Russian player can mix in some Oprichniks.
Upgrades[]
| Age | Upgrade | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 Veteran Cossacks
|
200 wood 200 coin |
Upgrades Cossacks to Veteran (+20% hit points and damage) |
 |
 Guard Cossacks
|
600 wood 600 coin |
Upgrades Cossacks to Guard (+30% hit points and damage); requires Veteran Cossacks |
 |
 Imperial Cossacks
|
1,500 wood 1,500 coin |
Upgrades Cossacks to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Guard Cossacks |
Consulate unit[]
| “ | Russian hand cavalry. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The Siberian Cossack is a counterpart of the Cossack, which starts with +10% hit points and damage.
Upgrades[]
The Siberian Cossack is automatically upgraded in the Fortress Age, Industrial Age, and Imperial Age:
+20% hit points and damage- +30% hit points and damage
- +50% hit points and damage
Civilization differences[]
- The Chinese can get Siberian Cossacks by allying with the Russians at the Consulate, which provides Russian Expeditionary Company which includes 4 Siberian Cossacks, and through the "Intervention" Home City Card, which ships 6 Siberian Cossacks if Russian allies are picked.
Further statistics[]
Home City Cards[]
- Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Cossack
| Some cards are highlighted with: | |
| Green | TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team |
| Blue | Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds) |
| 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% | |
 Banner School
| Banner army train time -30%; Summer Palace banner army spawn time -7% |  |
 Good Faith Agreements
| Consulate unit train time -50%; Consulate technology cost -40% (-300 export for Brigades), research time -50% (except Brigades) |  |
 Intervention
| The Consulate ally sends a shipment of their units | |
- "Intervention" ships 6 Siberian Cossacks (if Russian allies are picked).
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack
| Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry damage +15% | |
| 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 | |
- "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Shivaji's Tactics
| Unit hit points and damage +5% | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
- "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Sengoku
| Unit upgrade cost -20% | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Mustangs
| Cavalry and shock infantry cost -10% | |
| 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% | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Mariachi
| For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10% | |
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 4 Cossacks
| Delivers 4 Cossacks | |
 7 Cossacks
| Delivers 7 Cossacks | |
 9 Cossacks
| Delivers 9 Cossacks | |
 5 Cossacks
| Delivers 5 Cossacks | |
 Boyars
| Cossack, Oprichnik, and Cavalry Archer hit points and damage +10% | |
 Cavalry Combat
| Cavalry hit points and damage +15% | |
 TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions
| Cavalry and shock infantry hit points +10%, Line of Sight +4 | |
 Riding School
| Cavalry train time -40%; Cuirassier, Oprichnik, and Hakkapelit train time -35% instead; Gatling Camel train time -20% instead | |
 Bashkir Rebellion
| Transforms all Cossacks into Bashkir Archers; grants Tengri Discipline Training; enables Bashkir Archers to be trained and upgraded to Honored at Trading Posts on Tengri Shrines and Native Embassies; removes Bashkir Archers' training limit, but now they cost 1 population | |
 Finnhorses
| Hussar, Hakkapelit, Cossack, Oprichnik, Cavalry Archer, and Counter Dragoon hit points +20% |  |
- "Finnhorses" is available upon revolting to Finland.
| Card | Description | Age |
|---|---|---|
 TEAM Spanish Inquisition
| Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10 | |
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Reforms
|
All units get +8% hit points and damage | |
40 |
| Acupuncture
|
All units' (except Shaolin Masters, Heavy Cannons, Flying Crows, and Summer Palace banner armies) train time -20% | |
40 |
| Banner School
|
Banner army train time -30%; Summer Palace banner army spawn time -7% | |
10 |
| Good Faith Agreements
|
Consulate units' train time -50%; Consulate technologies' cost -40% (-400 export for Brigades) and research time -50% (except Brigades) | |
1 |
| Intervention
|
The Consulate ally sends a shipment of their units | |
10 |
- "Intervention" ships 6 Siberian Cossacks (if Russian allies are picked).
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack
|
Heavy cavalry and Coyote Runners get +15% attack | |
10 |
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM Cavalry Attack
|
Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack | |
10 |
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM Shivaji's Tactics
|
All units get +5% hit points and damage | |
25 |
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades
|
Unit upgrades cost -20% | |
1 |
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Cossacks
|
Ships 4 Cossacks | |
1 |
 6 Cossacks
|
Ships 6 Cossacks | |
1 |
| 9 Cossacks
|
Ships 9 Cossacks | |
10 |
| 5 Cossacks
|
Ships 5 Cossacks | |
10 |
| Boyars
|
Streltsy, Cossacks, and Oprichniks get +15% hit points and damage | |
25 |
| Cavalry Combat
|
Cavalry get +15% hit points and damage | |
10 |
| TEAM Cavalry Scouts
|
Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight | |
1 |
| Riding School
|
Cavalry train time -40% | |
10 |
| Card | Description | Age | HC level |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEAM Inquisition
|
All units get +10 Line of Sight | |
10 |
Changelog[]
Age of Empires III[]
- The Cossack's in-game description is "Russian light cavalry."
Definitive Edition[]
- The Cossack's in-game description is "Russian hand cavalry."
History[]
| “ | The Cossacks fled a life of poverty and serfdom in Moscow to settle as a free people on the frontiers of Imperial Russia, where they became legendary and feared horsemen. Every man rode and fought; the Cossacks did not have an army, they were an army. The Russian government understood the value of having these very territorial, independent warriors as a buffer to invasion and established an alliance with them, giving the Cossacks land and property. The Cossacks wore furred caps, long overcoats, loose trousers, and tall boots. They carried lances, sabers, short pikes, and muskets. |
” |
Gallery[]
Blue player's Cossack
The Cossack's history portrait
Cossack of Life Guards Cossacks Regiment
In-game Cossack
In-game Veteran Cossack
In-game Guard/Imperial Cossack
In-game Cossack in the Definitive Edition
In-game Veteran Cossack in the Definitive Edition
In-game Guard/Imperial Cossack in the Definitive Edition
Cossack image from the Compendium section
