Desert Warrior

Desert Warrior
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals
Type	Infantry Heavy infantry Ranged infantry Musket infantry Outlaw
Age	Commerce Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Watch Tower (Africans) Lombard (Italians)
Cost	30 Food 75 Coin 3 Population
Train time	28 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	140
Resistance	20% Ranged
Speed	4.25
Line of Sight	16
Train XP	21
Kill XP	21
Ranged attack
Damage	14 Ranged
Range	2-12
Rate of Fire	1.5
Siege attack
Damage	24 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	12 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	3.5x vs. Cavalry 2.8x vs. Shock infantry

“	Hardy javelin warrior equipped with a large shield. The shield grants different armor types when switching combat stances. Good against cavalry.	”
—In-game description

The Desert Warrior is a heavy infantry outlaw in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals available on the Arabia, Atlas, Congo Basin, Darfur, Dunes, Dunes - The Eye, Gold Coast, Great Rift, Highlands, Horn, Ivory Coast, Lake Chad, Lake Victoria, Niger Delta, Niger River, Nile Valley, Pepper Coast, Saharan Routes, Sahel, Siwa Oasis, Sudd, Swahili Coast, Tassili, and Tripolitania maps. It has different resistances depending upon stance.

Overview

The Desert Warrior is a cheap replacement for a Musketeer-type outlaw. Similar to the Pavisier, they can swap resistances by changing stances, to minimize incoming damage.

An advantage of the Desert Warrior is that it has an excellent Rate of Fire and damage per second. They excel at dealing a lot of damage when backed by cavalry support. Additionally, they move a bit faster than the average musket infantry. The primary disadvantage is that they perform quite poorly in melee vs. cavalry unless manually toggled into a stance with hand resistance - which leaves them more vulnerable to any ranged support units or defensive buildings. Nevertheless, their ranged resist does give them more effective ranged hit points than a standard Musketeer.

Hausa players can combine them with Griots, which gives the Desert Warriors nearby a further speed boost and stuns enemies at range, much like a cavalry unit would snare them.

Outlaws in African maps usually cost more food and less coin. In most cases, this trait is an advantage, as coin is rarer than food.

Unit stance modifications

When Desert Warriors are assigned to different unit stances, their resistance changes:

• Volley Mode: 20% ranged resistance.
• Stagger Mode: 20% siege resistance.
• Melee Mode: 20% hand resistance.
• Defend Mode: 20% hand, ranged, and siege resistance, and -20% damage.
• Stand Ground: 20% hand, ranged, and siege resistance, and -20% damage.

Upgrades

The Desert Warrior upgrades in the Industrial Age and the Imperial Age when Compunction, Folk Heroes, or Nomadic Bandits are researched.

• +30% hit points and damage
• +50% hit points and damage

Civilization differences

• African civilizations can only train Desert Warriors, Desert Archers, and Desert Raiders as outlaws, regardless of the map.
• The Lakota can get Desert Warriors through the "Outlaw Band" and "Bandit Gang" Home City Cards, which are included in the pool of random outlaws shipped.

Revolutions

• Argentina and the Maya can also get Desert Warriors through the "Outlaw Band" (for Argentina) and "Bandit Gang" (for Maya) cards, which are included in the pool of random outlaws shipped.
• Haiti Battleships can train Desert Warriors through the "Brethren of the Coast" card (if they are available in the Tavern).

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Cavalry, shock infantry
Weak vs.	Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points	Corselet (+25%; Spanish only) Compunction (+20%; Asians only) Folk Heroes (+20%; Europeans only) Nomadic Bandits (+20%; Africans only) Wild West (+20%; Americans only) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Compunction (+20%; Asians only) Folk Heroes (+20%; Europeans only) Nomadic Bandits (+20%; Africans only) Wild West (+20%; Americans only) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Peacemakers (+10%) Armatoloi (+5%) Yoga (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack) Socket Bayonet (+20% hand attack)
Resistance	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% resistance in all stances)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Speed	Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only) Military Drummers (+10%) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time	Compunction (-50%; Asians only) Folk Heroes (-50%; Europeans only) Nomadic Bandits (-30%; Africans only) Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only)
Cost	Philhellenism (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost)
Other	Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties	Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only) Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Desert Warrior

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)

All

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen	Ranged infantry get +10% damage; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% damage instead
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
Fencing School	Infantry (except Warrior Priests and Skull Knights) and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Outlaw Band	Delivers 19 random outlaws; costs 1,000 coin
Bandit Gang	Delivers 20 random outlaws; costs 2,000 coin
Outlaw Combat	Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage (costs 500 coin for Baja California)

• "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.
• "Outlaw Band" is available to the Lakota, and also Germans, Italians, and Spanish upon revolting to Argentina.
• "Bandit Gang" is available to the Lakota, and also Mexicans upon revolting to the Maya.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available to Europeans (upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico) and Mexicans (upon revolting to Baja California).

Africans

Card	Description	Age
Feudal Armies	All units' train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments)

Asians

Card	Description	Age
Atonement	Iron Troops/Jat Lancers/Yojimbos can be trained at the Monastery and available one age early; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1) (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)

British

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Grenadier Guards	Musket infantry and grenade troopers get +15% hit points

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure	Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
Western Reforms	All units get +8% hit points and damage
Acupuncture	All units' (except monks) train time -20%; Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army spawn time -5%

• "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Coffee Consumption	Ranged infantry get +5% speed
Shiftas	Villagers get +35% hit points; units affected by villager upgrades get +10% hit points; outlaws get +15% hit points and take -1 population (to a minimum of 1)
Ignatian Spirituality	All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Theaters	Upgrades the Tavern to the Theater which can train Ronin; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1)
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Brethren of the Coast	Delivers 1 Battleship with 10 Pirates in it; African, American and European outlaws, Pet Monkeys and some pets can be trained at Battleships; costs 1,000 coin
Wanderlust	Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed

• "Theaters" is not available to the Germans.
• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Brethren of the Coast" is available to the British and French upon revolting to Haiti.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

French

Card	Description	Age
Royal Fencing School	Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Cult of the Supreme Being	The player gains +10% XP from training units and other players receive -10% XP from defeating them; Sansculottes gather resources from Crates 50% faster; food from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 25% faster; wood from trees and Mango Groves and coin from mines 20% faster; food from huntable and Herded animals, Mills, Farms and coin from Estates 15% faster

• "Cult of the Supreme Being" is available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
Witch Hammer	Delivers 3 Inquisitors; Inquisitors can be trained at Taverns/Mercenary Camps, Town Centers, Church, Outposts, and Command Posts; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1); +2 Uhlans

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Sahelian Kingdoms	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage; mercenaries and outlaws get +10% hit points and damage
9 Desert Warriors	Delivers 9 Desert Warriors; costs 500 coin
Yawon Dandi	Desert Archers and Desert Warriors get +10% speed; Desert Raiders get +5% speed; outlaw train time -15%

Inca

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Inca Bridges	Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed

• "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.

Indians

Card	Description	Age
Dravidian Martial Arts	All units get +15% all melee attack damage; Rajputs get +20% all melee attack damage instead; +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and damage
Zamindars	Infantry train time -20%; delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with each Home City shipment, including this one

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% all melee attack damage

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
Onin War	Infantry get +33% siege attack damage
TEAM Sengoku	Unit upgrades cost -20%
Bakufu	Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa get +5% speed, +10 Line of Sight and train units 15% faster; land military unit train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead

Lakota

Card	Description	Age
Moccasins	Infantry get +10% speed

Maltese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Knights of the Round Table	Delivers 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center and Command Post build; all units get +2% hit points
Squires	Military buildings train and research work 80% faster, except Forts which train and research work 260% faster

Mexicans

Card	Description	Age
Plan of Tuxtepec	Turns all Salteadores into Soldados; musket infantry get +1 Line of Sight and range; costs 500 food, 500 wood
TEAM Mariachi	For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Colegio de San Nicolás	Delivers Large Collection of Books (500 XP); units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds
Bustamante	The General can build Field Hospitals for free; musket infantry get +10% hit points; Field Hospitals can train Soldados
Pok Ta Pok	Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time

• "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "Bustamante" is available upon selecting the San Luis Potosí Federal State.
• "Pok Ta Pok" is available upon revolting to the Maya.

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age
Matrakci School	Infantry and shock infantry train time -30%; Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, and Humbaraci train time -40% instead

Russians

Card	Description	Age
Ransack	Infantry get +50% siege attack damage
Dueling School	Infantry train time -25%

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
Peninsular Guerrillas	Ranged infantry get +20% damage, musket infantry get +10% damage instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic units get +10 Line of Sight

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
TEAM House of Bernadotte	Heavy infantry get +15% hit points

Changelog

The African Royals

• Originally, Desert Warriors cost 30 food, 70 coin, had 150 hit points, and have 15 ranged attack damage. With update 43871, Desert Warriors cost 30 food, 75 coin, have 140 hit points, and have 14 ranged attack damage.
• Desert Warriors cost 2 population.

Knights of the Mediterranean

• With update 13.18214, Desert Warriors cost 3 population.
• With update 13.58326, Desert Warriors give 21 XP when trained or killed.

In-game dialogue

The Desert Raiders speaks Kabyle/Taqbaylit using dialogue files of the Berbers, specifically those of the Berber Camel Rider, which, in turn, are reused from Berbers' military units' dialogue files in Age of Empires II HD: The African Kingdoms.

Trivia

• The Desert Warrior is tagged as musket infantry, although he does not wield a musket.

History

“

The deserts and plains of Africa played host to many nomadic and pastoralist groups. While some were largely peaceful, others practiced a far more predatory existence and raided rival groups and sedentary settlements to capture or extort resources.

”

Gallery

Desert Warrior image from the Compendium section

In-game Desert Warrior

See also

• Desert Archer
• Desert Raider