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in: Age of Empires III, Commerce Age, Ranged infantry

Crossbowman (Age of Empires III)

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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires III. For other uses, see Crossbowman.

“ Archaic archer. Good against infantry. ”
—In-game description

The Crossbowman is an archer in Age of Empires III that can be trained at a Barracks, Fort, and Galleon.

Crossbowmen are available to the French, Germans, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedes.

Overview[]

Crossbowmen are ranged infantry units that use crossbows in battle. They are counter infantry units that are useful for attacking heavy infantry such as Musketeers, but are easily defeated by melee cavalry and artillery. They are similar in many ways to Skirmishers. Although the Crossbowmen might be out-ranged by their Skirmisher counterparts, they are cheaper and are trainable earlier in the game. The exceptions to this rule reside in the Dutch who can train Skirmishers in the Commerce Age and the French through the use of the "TEAM Early Skirmishers" Home City Card which allows them and their allies to train Skirmishers in the Commerce Age.

Spanish players have the option of being able to train Crossbowmen and Pikemen very quickly (6.75 seconds) in the Commerce Age, due to the "TEAM Archaic Soldier Training" and "Liberation March" cards, and can train instantly if the cards are also used with the Standing Army improvement.

The Portuguese can train Crossbowmen and Pikemen more quickly (5.4 seconds) in the Commerce Age, due to the Ordenança technology from the Church, sent by the "Treaty of Tordesillas" card, and the "Fencing School" card.

If the player picks The Adventurer for aging up into the Fortress Age with the Spanish or Maltese, the player will receive 8 Crossbowmen.

Upgrades[]

Age Upgrade Cost Effect Civ.
Veteran Crossbowmen 200 wood
200 coin 		Upgrades Crossbowmen to Veteran (+20% hit points and damage)
Portuguese
Portuguese
Spanish
Spanish
 Guard Crossbowmen 600 wood
600 coin 		Upgrades Crossbowmen to Guard (+30% hit points and damage); requires Veteran Crossbowmen and The Papal Guard
Spanish
Spanish
Order Besteiros 750 wood
750 coin 		Upgrades Crossbowmen to Order Besteiros (Guard Crossbowman with +10% hit points and damage); requires Veteran Crossbowmen
Portuguese
Portuguese
Arbalesters Upgrades Crossbowmen to Arbalesters (Guard Crossbowmen with +5% hit points and damage, and +1 range); requires Veteran Crossbowmen
Imperial Age
Imperial Age
 Imperial Crossbowmen 1,500 wood
1,500 coin 		Upgrades Crossbowmen to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Guard Crossbowmen and The Papal Guard
Spanish
Spanish
Imperial Order Besteiros Upgrades Order Besteiros to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Order Besteiros
Portuguese
Portuguese
Imperial Arbalesters Upgrades Arbalesters to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Arbalesters

Civilization differences[]

Age of Empires III[]

  • Before the Definitive Edition, the Portuguese have Besteiros, which upgrades their Crossbowmen to Veteran (if not already) and gives them +30% hit points and damage, and renames them to Besteiro.

Definitive Edition[]

  • Choosing The Papal Guard to advance into the Industrial Age allows the Guard Crossbowmen upgrade for free (Royal Guard upgrade cost -60% resources for the Portuguese) and Crossbowmen to be upgraded to Imperial. However, the Swedes are the only civilization with access to Crossbowman who cannot upgrade them beyond Veteran, even with The Papal Guard.
  • Choosing The Logistician to advance into the Commerce Age with the Portuguese gives Crossbowmen +1 Line of Sight and range and enables to train them at Town Centers.
  • The Germans can turn all Crossbowmen into Landwehrs through the "Scharnhorst Reform" Home City Card, which also grants them a Guard and Imperial upgrade.
  • The Portuguese can turn all Crossbowmen into Ordinance Riflemen through Ordenança.

Consulate Besteiro[]

“ Archaic archer. Good against infantry. ”
—In-game description

The Order Besteiro (Besteiro before the Definitive Edition, Ordinance Besteiro before update 15.30007) is a counterpart of the Crossbowman, which starts with +10% hit points and damage.

Upgrades[]

The Order Besteiro 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[]

Age of Empires III[]

Definitive Edition[]

  • The Ethiopians can ship 10 Order Besteiros with Portuguese Crusaders, which also allows them to be trained at War Camps. These Order Besteiros do not receive the starting +10% hit points and damage bonus, unlike their regular counterparts.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Heavy infantry, light ranged cavalry, ranged shock infantry
Weak vs. Heavy cavalry, hand shock infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points Maya Cotton Armor (+20%)
Infantry Breastplate (+10%)
Cree Tanning (+5%)
Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Seminole Bowyer (+15%)
Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%)
Iroquois Lacrosse (+10%; vanilla Age of Empires III only)
Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs (+10%)
Armatoloi (+5%)
Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Yoga (+5%)
Clenched Fist (+25% hand damage)
Somali Jile Daggers (-35% hand attack Rate of Fire)
Carib Garifuna Drums (+1.0 multiplier vs. villagers)
Kalthoff Repeaters (+0.1 multiplier vs. light infantry)
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)
Sarmatism (+1)
Schützenfest (+1)
Range Sarmatism (+1)
Schützenfest (+1)
Train time Standing Army (-25%)
Akan Fontomfrom (-20%)
Quechuan Diet (-15%)
Immigrants (-10%)
Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Ethiopians only)
Other Portuguese Crusaders (delivers 10 Order Besteiros and allows them to be trained at War Camps; Ethiopians only)
Jagiellonian Legacy (delivers 8 Crossbowmen if The Adventurer was chosen for the Spanish)
Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties High Crusade (-5% hit points; Knights of St. John only)
Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Crossbowman
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 Senegalese Riflemen Ranged infantry damage +10%; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry damage +15% instead
  • "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
Asian
Card Description Age
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 11 Besteiros (if Portuguese allies are picked).
Chinese
Card Description Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villager, healing unit, Envoy, and Disciple speed +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
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)
Feudal Armies Unit train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Hegemony Gascenya, Shotel Warrior, Neftenya, Javelin Rider, and Ordinance Besteiro auto gather 0.03 influence; Oromo Warrior auto gather 0.09 influence

Europeans[]

Card Description Age
8 Crossbowmen Delivers 8 Crossbowmen
10 Crossbowmen Delivers 10 Crossbowmen
20 Crossbowmen Delivers 20 Crossbowmen
24 Crossbowmen Delivers 24 Crossbowmen
Fencing School Infantry (except Warrior Priest and Skull Knight) and shock infantry train time -40%
Rhode Island Militia Delivers 10 State Militia and 5 Militiamen; Caravels, Galleons/Fluyts, Frigates, and Ironclads get +10% ranged attack damage per garrisoned State Militia and/or Militiaman (up to +60%); fully replaces Crossbowmen/Longbowmen, Pikemen, and Halberdiers with State Militia at Barracks, Forts, and on the map; grants Veteran State Militia; enables Guard State Militia
  • "8 Crossbowmen" is available to the French, Germans, Maltese, and Portuguese.
  • "10 Crossbowmen" is available to the French, Germans, Maltese, and Portuguese.
  • "20 Crossbowmen" is available to the Germans and Maltese.
  • "24 Crossbowmen" is available to the French, Germans, Maltese, Portuguese, and Spanish.
  • "Fencing School" is not available to the French, Maltese, and Spanish.
  • "Rhode Island Militia" is available to the French and Swedes upon revolting to the United States.
French
Card Description Age
Cent-Suisses Crossbowman, Pikeman, and Halberdier hit points and resistance +10%
Tirailleurs Transforms all Crossbowmen into Skirmishers
Ranged Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowman, Musketeer, Skirmisher, and Revolutionary Sharpshooter hit points +15%
Royal Fencing School Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Germans
Card Description Age
Scharnhorst Reform Fully replaces Crossbowmen with Landwehrs at Barracks, Home City, and on the map, +3 Uhlans
Long-range Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowman, Skirmisher, and Landwehr hit points +15%, +4 Uhlans
Haudenosaunee
Card Description Age
TEAM Scout Infantry Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry Line of Sight +8
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
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics Unit hit points and damage +5%
Foreign Trading Companies Adds 0.75 to export trickle rate; banner army export cost -15%; Indian unit cost +2.5% (Hindu Villager, Fishing Boat, and Sacred Cow cost +5% instead), +1 Hindu Villager
Japanese
Card Description Age
Onin War Infantry siege attack damage +33%
TEAM Sengoku Unit upgrades cost -20%
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%
12 Crossbowmen Delivers 12 Crossbowmen
Steel Bolts Crossbowman Line of Sight and ranged attack range +2, bonus damage against heavy infantry +0.75, siege attack damage +2 and range +12
Archaic Soldier Attack Crossbowman and Pikeman damage +15%
Archaic Soldier Hitpoints Crossbowman and Pikeman hit points +15%
Archaic Soldier Combat Crossbowman and Pikeman hit points and damage +15%
Squires Military building training and research work rate +80%; Fort training and research work rate +260% instead
Mexicans
Card Description Age
TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%
Portuguese
Card Description Age
Naval Infantry Enables Caravels to train Crossbowmen, Ordinance Riflemen (if available), Pikemen, and Halberdiers; Monitors and Ironclads to train Musketeers, Cassadores, and Grenadiers (if available); Frigates to train all Barracks units; Battleships to train all Barracks units and Grenadiers; Caravels, Frigates, Monitors, Ironclads, and Battleships now tagged as recruiting ships
Spanish
Card Description Age
TEAM Hidalgos Pikeman, Crossbowman, Aenna, Cetan Bow, Longbowman, Otontin Slinger, Yumi Archer, and Pavisier train time -40%; Old Han Army train time -30%; Jungle Bowman, Plumed Spearman, Fulani Archer, Desert Archer, Puma Spearman, Insurgente, Standard Army, and Ming Army train time -15%
Archaic Infantry Hitpoints Hand infantry and foot archer hit points +15%; Rodelero hit points +20% instead
Archaic Infantry Combat Hand infantry and foot archer hit points and damage +15%
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
Liberation March Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -35%, speed +5%
TEAM Spanish Inquisition Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10

Asian
Card Description Age HC level
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 (also +1 Villager for the Indians)
10
  • "Intervention" ships 11 Besteiros (if Portuguese allies are picked).
Dutch
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +15% hit points
10
Europeans
Card Description Age HC level
8 Crossbowmen Ships 8 Crossbowmen (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
1
10 Crossbowmen Ships 10 Crossbowmen (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
1
24 Crossbowmen Ships 24 Crossbowmen (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
10
Fencing School Infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
10
  • "8 Crossbowmen" is available to the French, Germans, and Portuguese.
  • "10 Crossbowmen" is available to the French, Germans, and Portuguese.
  • "24 Crossbowmen" is available to the French, Germans, Portuguese, and Spanish.
French
Card Description Age HC level
Tirailleurs Turns all Crossbowmen into Skirmishers
40
Ranged Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowmen and Skirmishers get +15% hit points
10
TEAM Ranged Infantry Attack Gunpowder trooper and archers get +15% attack
10
Germans
Card Description Age HC level
Long-range Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowmen and Skirmishers get +15% hit points; +4 Uhlans
10
Indians
Card Description Age HC level
Dravidian Martial Arts All units get +15% hand damage; +1 Hindu Villager
40
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and damage
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
40
TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades Unit upgrades cost -20%
1
Russians
Card Description Age HC level
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 Archaic Soldier Training Pikeman, Longbowman, Crossbowman, Aenna, Cetan Bow, Otontin Slinger, Yumi Archer, and Old Han Army train time -50%; Standard Army and Ming Army train time -25%
10
TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 Line of Sight
10

Changelog[]

The Asian Dynasties[]

Definitive Edition[]

  • Crossbowmen ranged attack inaccuracy removed.
  • Guard and Imperial upgrades are available to the French, Germans and Spanish through The Papal Guard, while the Portuguese can now upgrade Crossbowmen into Royal Guard and Imperial through the same politician.
  • Crossbowmen have a ×2.0 ranged multiplier against light cavalry and ranged shock infantry, and ×0.75 against cavalry and hand shock infantry.
  • Originally, the Swedes cannot train Crossbowmen. With update 14825, the Swedes can train Crossbowmen, but cannot upgrade them to Guard and Imperial.
  • With update 23511, the Crossbowman is tagged as foot archer.
  • Ordinance Besteiro costs 1,000 wood, 1,000 coin.

The African Royals[]

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

  • With update 13.9057, the Crossbowman is tagged as light infantry.
  • With update 13.27885, the Portuguese no longer need The Papal Guard to upgrade Crossbowmen into Royal Guard and Imperial.
  • With update 13.58326, Crossbowmen have a ×2.5 ranged multiplier against light cavalry and ranged shock infantry, ×0.6 vs. cavalry and ×0.5 vs. shock infantry.
  • With update 14.43676, Crossbowmen have a ×0.6 ranged multiplier against shock infantry. Ordinance Besteiro and Arbalester upgrades received new models.
  • Originally, Arbalester costs 1,000 wood, 1,000 coin, researches in 30 seconds, and upgrades Crossbowmen to Arbalesters, which are Guard Crossbowmen with +10% hit points and damage. With update 14.43676, Ordinance Besteiro and Arbalester cost 750 wood, 750 coin, Arbalester researches in 20 seconds, and upgrades Crossbowmen to Arbalesters, which are Guard Crossbowmen with +5% hit points and damage.
  • With update 15.30007, Ordinance Besteiro and Imperial Ordinance Besteiros are renamed to Order Besteiros and Imperial Order Besteiros, respectively, and the Order Besteiros upgrade received a new model.

Trivia[]

  • The Crossbowman has three visual upgrades in total in the files, although the Discovery Age model is unused. This is because the game at one point was going to allow combat in the first Age, like in other Age of Empires games.
    • These Discovery Age model textures were updated for the Definitive Edition and now are used by the unupgraded Crossbowman (and consequently, the previous unupgraded Crossbowman textures were updated and now used by the Veteran Crossbowman, and the previous Veteran Crossbowman textures were updated and now used by the Guard Crossbowman).
  • Portuguese Royal Guard/Consulate Crossbowmen are named after the Military Order of Christ.
    • Before update 15.30007, they are named after the Ordenanças.
    • Before the Definitive Edition, Consulate Crossbowmen are simply named "Besteiro", which means "crossbowman" in Portuguese.
  • Maltese Royal Guard Crossbowmen are named after the Arbalester, which also is the upgrade of the equivalent unit in Age of Empires II.
  • The Dutch originally had access to training the Crossbowman, and there are unused voice files for Dutch Crossbowmen in the game files and in the Scenario Editor.
  • In the Definitive Edition, the Swedish Crossbowman uses the Swedish dialogue originally spoken by the Fusilier, while the Fusilier is a French mercenary unit and uses the French Grenadier's dialogue files.

History[]

“ Handheld crossbows began to appear in the tenth and eleventh centuries. Crossbowmen were attractive to military leaders because they took much less time to train than archers using bows. Firearms eclipsed Crossbows by the end of the sixteenth century.

Europeans, chiefly the Spanish, included crossbows amongst the muskets and cannon they brought to the New World. Cortes arrived with more than two dozen crossbows and less than ten muskets. Columbus' crew had crossbows when they landed in the West Indies. When the original stockpile of munitions ran out it was difficult or impossible to make or trade for more. Explorers had to be very careful with their limited supply. 		”

Gallery[]

See also[]

Military units in Age of Empires III
Common/shared units
Age of Empires III Explorer · Militiaman · Crossbowman · Pikeman · Musketeer · Grenadier · Halberdier · Skirmisher · Hussar · Dragoon · Cavalry Archer · Falconet · Culverin · Mortar · Heavy Cannon · Caravel · Galleon · Frigate · Monitor
The WarChiefs Warrior · Spy · Petard · Horse Artillery · Canoe · War Canoe · Ironclad
The Asian Dynasties/ Sentry · / Irregular
Definitive Edition*/ General · Captured Mortar · Sloop · Steamer · Battleship
The African Royals Levied Spearman · Levied Bowman · Levied Gunner · Javelin Rider · Battle Canoe · Cannon Boat
Unique units
British Longbowman · Ranger · Rocket
Dutch Ruyter · Fluyt
French Cuirassier
Germans Doppelsoldner · Landwehr · Uhlan · War Wagon
Ottomans Bashibozuk · Janissary · Azap · Abus Gunner · Humbaraci · Muhbir · Nizam Fusilier · Deli · Sipahi · Great Bombard · Galley
Portuguese Cassador · Ordinance Rifleman · Organ Gun
Russians Strelet · Rekrut · Poruchik · Cossack · Oprichnik
Spanish Rodelero · Lancer
Aztecs Aztec War Chief · Eagle Scout · Otontin Slinger · Puma Spearman · Warrior Priest · Arrow Knight · Jaguar Prowl Knight · Skull Knight · Coyote Runner · Eagle Runner Knight · Tlaloc Canoe
Haudenosaunee Haudenosaunee War Chief · Aenna · Tomahawk · Forest Prowler · Ram · Mantlet · Kanya Horseman · Musket Rider · Light Cannon
Lakota Lakota War Chief · Cetan Bowman · Club Warrior · Wakina Rifle · Axe Rider · Bow Rider · Rifle Rider · Tashunke Prowler · Tokala Soldier
Chinese Shaolin Master · Chu Ko Nu · Qiang Pikeman · Flamethrower · Changdao Swordsman · Arquebusier · Disciple · Steppe Rider · Keshik · Iron Flail · Meteor Hammer · Hand Mortar · Flying Crow · Fire Junk · War Junk · Fuchuan
Indians Brahmin · Rajput · Sepoy · Gurkha · Urumi Swordsman · Sowar · Zamburak · Flail Elephant · Mahout Lancer · Howdah · Siege Elephant
Japanese Sohei Archer · Yumi Archer · Ashigaru Musketeer · Samurai · Yamabushi · Shinobi · Naginata Rider · Yabusame · Daimyo · Shogun Tokugawa · Flaming Arrow · Morutaru · Fune · Atakebune · Tekkousen
Inca Inca War Chief · Jungle Bowman · Plumed Spearman · Bolas Warrior · Huaraca · Maceman · Chasqui · Chimu Runner · Chincha Raft
Swedes Carolean · Hakkapelit · Leather Cannon
United States Minuteman · State Militia · Regular · Gunslinger · Owlhoot · Sharpshooter · Cowboy · Carbine Cavalry · Gatling Gun · Quaker Gun
Ethiopians Ras · Gascenya · Neftenya · Shotel Warrior · Oromo Warrior · Sebastopol Mortar · War Dhow
Hausa Emir · Fulani Archer · Maigadi · Raider · Lifidi Knight · Xebec
Mexicans Padre · Insurgente · Soldado · Salteador · Desperado · Bandido · Chinaco · Cuatrero
Italians Pavisier · Papal Guard · Schiavone · Bersagliere · Papal Zouave · Papal Lancer · Papal Bombard · Leonardo's Tank · Galleass
Maltese Grand Master · Hospitaller · Sentinel · Fire Thrower · Order Galley · Fire Ship
Revolution
Barbary Warrior · Bolivar · Californio · Cetbang Cannon · Corsair Captain · Corsair Marksman · Cruzob Avenger · Cruzob Infantry · Cuerudo · Eclaireur · Filibuster · Gatling Gun · Gaucho · Jagunço · Javanese Spearman · Llanero · Militia Officer · Morochuco · Mounted Granadero · Revolutionary · Revolutionary Sharpshooter · San Martin · Trek Wagon
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