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Zouave. High hitpoint multi-purpose ranged infantry mercenary. Fights well against all units.
—In-game description

The Zouave is a mercenary ranged infantry unit in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition added by update 23511. It is a ranged gunpowder infantry unit with no multipliers against any unit.

Overview[]

Zouave is a hybrid-type infantry unit that combines the attributes of heavy infantry and light infantry. They have a strong base attack, hit points, and high ranged resistance when compared to generic ranged infantry, but they have no attack multipliers and lack the heavy infantry and light infantry tags which made them not countered by light infantry or heavy cavalry. They perform as a solid general purpose infantry, but with a high coin cost.

Despite not possessing any multipliers, they act as a soft counter against light ranged cavalry and Infantry units due to their superior statistics. They are also not easily defeated by heavy cavalry. However, utilizing Zouaves against them is not recommended, since they are a not cost-effective counter for heavy cavalry, because of high cost and population. Zouaves are vulnerable to artillery, the same as other infantry. They are also vulnerable against lancer-type cavalry such as the Elmetto, or the Spanish Lancer, who have increased hit points and large multipliers against all infantry.

While Zouaves are available as one of the random selected mercenaries to be trained at the Mercenary buildings (Tavern, Saloon, Lombard, Monastery or the Palace), the Hausa can obtain them after choosing the Moroccans as the Commerce Age Alliance, allowing Zouaves to be trained at the Palace.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, light ranged cavalry, shock infantry
Weak vs. Lancers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points Flint lock Flint Lock (+10%)
Thin Red Line Thin Red Line (+20%, British only)
Cree Tanning Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Gadaa System Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Tar kilns Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Paper cartridge Paper Cartridge (+15%)
Yoga Yoga (+5%)
Smokeless Powder Smokeless Powder (+10%)
Clenched Fist Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack)
Armatoloi Armatoloi (+5%)
Armor Somali oryx shields Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+10% ranged resistance)
Speed Military Drummers Military Drummers (+10%)
Tillys Discipline Tilly's Discipline (+20%, Germans only)
Quechuan Mountaineering Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%)
Apache Endurance Apache Endurance (+5%)
Akan Drums Akan Fontomfrom (+5%)
Sight Town Watch Town Watch (+3)
Train time Standing Army Standing Army (-25%)
Immigrants Immigrants (-10%)
New Mexico Immigration New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only)
Strangers' Quarters Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only)
Quechuan Diet Quechuan Diet (-15%)
Akan Drums Akan Fontomfrom (-25%)
Blue Nile Ties Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only)
Philhellenism Philhellenism (-10%)
Train cost Mapuche Ad-mapu Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Golden liberty Golden Liberty (-5% coin)
Blue Nile Ties Blue Nile Ties (-15% coin; Ethiopians only)
Yemeni Relations Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, and 50% influence; Ethiopians only)
Philhellenism Philhellenism (-10%)
Penalties Coffee Trade Coffee Trade (-10% speed, Dutch only)
Thin Red Line Thin Red Line (-10% speed, British only)
Tillys Discipline Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost, Germans only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of cards related to the Zouave
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)

All[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Fencing School) Fencing School Infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Age II tech tree aoe3
Mexican Home City 3 (Liberation March) Liberation March Infantry, cavalry, and Shock Infantry get +5% speed and train time -35%
Age III tech tree aoe3
Baja California Home City (Outlaw Combat) Outlaw Combat Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and attack; Costs 750 coin
Revolution
South Africa Home City (Wanderlust) Wanderlust Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed
Revolution
"Fencing School" is not available to the Chinese, French, Japanese, Mexicans, Ottomans and Spanish.
"Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
The "Outlaw Combat" card is available to Baja California (retaining the card after reverting the Revolution) and Mexico.
The "Wanderlust" card is available to South Africa.

Africans[]

Card Description Age
Trainspeed africa Feudal Armies Unit train time -15%; Hero respawn time -15%
Age III tech tree aoe3

Chinese[]

Card Description Age
Western reforms Western Reforms All units get +8% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Acupuncture aoe3 Acupuncture Units' train time -20%
Age III tech tree aoe3

Dutch[]

Card Description Age
Dutch Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Infantry Hitpoints The player's infantry get +15% hit points; allied infantry get +10% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3

Ethiopians[]

Card Description Age
Ethiopian Home City 2 (TEAM Coffee Consumption) TEAM Coffee Consumption Ranged infantry get +5% speed
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Temenyas Temenyas Gunpowder infantry get +5% attack; Neftenya available in the Commerce Age
Age I tech tree aoe3
Ignatian spirituality Ignatian Spirituality All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Loyal warriors Loyal Warriors Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments)
Age I tech tree aoe3

French[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 2 (Ranged Infantry Attack) TEAM Tirailleurs Sénégalais Ranged infantry get +15% attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
French Home City 3 (Royal Fencing School) Royal Fencing School Infantry and Shock infantry train time -40%; +3 Royal Musketeers
Age II tech tree aoe3
French Home City 5 (9 Zouaves) Hire Zouaves Ships 9 Zouaves; costs 1,000 coin
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Germans[]

Card Description Age
German Home City 5 (Improved Mercenaries) Improved Mercenaries Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack +3 Uhlans
Age III tech tree aoe3

Haudenosaunee[]

Card Description Age
Iroquois Home City 2 (Scout Infantry) TEAM Scout Infantry Infantry get +8 LOS
Age II tech tree aoe3

Hausa[]

Card Description Age
Hausa Home City Cards 5 (Sahelian Kingdoms) Sahelian Kingdoms Native warriors get +15% hit points and attack; mercenaries and outlaws get +10% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Inca[]

Card Description Age
Inca Home City 2 (TEAM Inca Bridges) TEAM Inca Bridges Infantry, Villagers, Healer units, and Envoys get +5% speed; +1 Chasqui
Age I tech tree aoe3

Indians[]

Card Description Age
Dravidian martial arts Dravidian Martial Arts All units get +15% hand attack +1 Villager
Age II tech tree aoe3
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Indian Home City 3 (Conscript Sepoys) Zamindars Infantry train time -20%; receives 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Villager with every Home City shipment; +2 Sepoys
Age II tech tree aoe3

Italians[]

Card Description Age
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
Italian Home City 2 (Schiavoni Swords) Schiavoni Swords All cavalry and infantry get +15% hand attack
Age II tech tree aoe3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age
Onin war Onin War Infantry get +33% siege attack
Age II tech tree aoe3

Maltese[]

Card Description Age
Maltese Home City 2 (TEAM Knights of the Round Table) TEAM Knights of the Round Table Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center owned by the player; all units get +2% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3

Mexicans[]

Card Description Age
Mexican Home City 2 (TEAM Mariachi) TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Age I tech tree aoe3
Federal card colegio de san nicolas Colegio de San Nicolás Ships 500 XP; units and buildings get +8 LOS; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds
Age II tech tree aoe3
Federal card national servant National Servant All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing speed increased by 200%
Imperial Age
Maya Home City (Pok Ta Pok) Pok Ta Pok Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time
Revolution
Rio Grande Home City (Bastimento) Bastimento Infantry train time -25%; Revolutionary train time -50%
Revolution
"Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
"National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
The "Bastimento" card is available upon revolting into Rio Grande.
The "Pok Ta Pok" card is available upon revolting into the Maya.

Ottomans[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Fencing School) Matrakci School Infantry and shock infantry train time -30%; Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, and Humbaraci train time -40% instead
Age II tech tree aoe3

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age
Portuguese Home City 2 (Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Russians[]

Card Description Age
Russian Home City 2 (Ransack) Ransack Infantry get +50% siege attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Russian Home City 3 (Dueling School) Dueling School Infantry train time -25%; Skull Knights spawn 25% faster; banner army train time -12%
Age II tech tree aoe3

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 2 (Peninsular Guerrillas) Peninsular Guerrillas Ranged infantry get +20% attack and Skirmishers now see the LOS of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Spanish Inquisition All units get +10 LOS; +1 Inquisitor
Age II tech tree aoe3

Swedes[]

Card Description Age
Swedish Home City 5 (German Mercenary Contracts) German Mercenary Contracts Mercenaries get +25% hit points and attack; Jaegers and Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

United States[]

Card Description Age
US Home City 5 (Poker) Poker Ships 13 random mercenaries; Up to three random mercenaries available at Saloon; Costs 3,500 coin
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Federal card indiana mobilization Indiana Mobilization Ships an additional Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game including this one; all units and technologies including Age advancements train and research 10% faster; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Age III tech tree aoe3
Federal card new york zouaves New York Zouaves Ships 10 Zouaves and 1 more everytime this shipment is sent; costs 1,500 coin
Imperial Age
Federal card hamilton's own Hamilton's Own Ships 2 Li'l Bombards and 4 Napoleon Guns; mercenaries get +25% hit points and attack; costs 2,500 coin
Imperial Age
"Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
"New York Zouaves" and "Hamilton's Own" are available upon selecting the New York Federal State.

Changelog[]

Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition[]

Age3DE Icon The African Royals[]

  • With update 50830, Zouaves cost 350 coin.
  • With update 13.690, Zouaves cost 300 coin and 3 population, have 360 hit points, 40% ranged resistance, 38 ranged damage and are no longer tagged as Rifle infantry and thus no longer affected by Counter Infantry Rifling.

Age3DE Icon Knights of the Mediterranean[]

In-game dialogue[]

The Zouave speaks French, using previously unused Coureur des Bois's dialogue.

Trivia[]

  • The Zouave is named after the regiments of Berbers from the Zwawa group of tribes in Algeria, who had gained a martial reputation fighting for local rulers under the Ottoman Empire, and fought as light infantry in the French Army.
  • Numerous Zouave regiments were organized from soldiers of the United States of America who adopted the name and the North African–inspired uniforms during the American Civil War. The Union army had more than seventy volunteer Zouave regiments throughout the conflict, while the Confederates fielded about twenty-five Zouave companies.
  • The Zouave portrait is a modified portrait of the Highlander.

History[]

During the 19th century, Zouaves were a light infantry force in the French army recruited primarily from their overseas territories in Africa — an origin which their name reflects. While the units were initially indigenous, they soon drew only on European inhabitants of the occupied regions. These units grew to be held in high regard for their decorated members and success on the field, but eventually declined as they were repurposed as conscription units during the latter part of the 19th century.

Gallery[]

Mercenary and outlaw units in Age of Empires III
Aoe3 unit type mercenary Mercenaries
InfantryMercenary armored pistoleer portrait Armored Pistoleer · Arsonist aoe3de Arsonist · Askari aoe3de portrait Askari · Corsair de Barbary Corsair · Cannoneer portrait aoe3de Cannoneer · Dahomey amazon aoe3de portrait Dahomey Amazon · Fusilier de Fusilier · Mercenary giant grenadier portrait Giant Grenadier · Highlander de Highlander · Mercenary irish brigade portrait Irish Brigadier · Iron troop aoe3de Iron Troop · Jaeger portrait aoe3de updated Jaeger · Landsknecht de Landsknecht · Ninja de Ninja · Mercenary pandour portrait Pandour · Ronin de Ronin · Swiss pikeman aoe3de Swiss Pikeman · Zouave icon aoe3de Zouave
CavalryBlack rider aoe3de Black Rider · Mercenary bosniak rider portrait Bosniak · Elmeti aoe3de Elmetto · Gatling camel aoe3de portrait Gatling Camel · Hackapell aoe3de Hackapell · Harquebusier icon Harquebusier · Jat lancer de Jat Lancer · Kanuri guard aoe3de portrait Kanuri Guard · Mameluke aoe3de Mameluke · Manchu de Manchu · Mercenary mounted rifleman portrait Mounted Rifleman · Mercenary royal horseman portrait Royal Horseman · Sennar horseman aoe3de portrait Sennar Horseman · Stradiot aoe3de Stradiot · Yojimbo aoe3de Yojimbo · Zenata rider aoe3de portrait Zenata Rider
ArtilleryLil bombard aoe3de Li'l Bombard · Napoleon gun icon aoe3de Napoleon Gun · Gatling camel aoe3de portrait Gatling Camel
ShipBattleship portrait Battleship · Privateer aoe3de Privateer · War dhow portrait aoe3de War Dhow · Wokou junk aoe3de Wokou Junk · Xebec portrait aoe3de Xebec
Outlaws
InfantryAfrican vagabond portrait African Vagabond · Colonial looter portrait Colonial Looter · Dacoit aoe3de Dacoit · Desert archer portrait aoe3de Desert Archer · Desert warrior portrait aoe3de Desert Warrior · Hajduk portrait Hajduk · Highwayman dismounted portrait Highwayman · Inquisitor portrait Inquisitor · Pistolero aoe3de Pistolero · Renegado aoe3de Renegado · Thuggee aoe3de Thuggee · Blind monk aoe3de Wokou Monk · Wayward ronin aoe3de Wokou Ronin
Shock infantryPirate aoe3de Pirate · Wokou pirate aoe3de Wokou Pirate
CavalryComanchero icon aoe3de Comanchero · Cossack daredevil portrait Cossack Daredevil · Crabat portrait Crabat · Desert raider portrait aoe3de Desert Raider · Highwayman dismounted portrait Highwayman · Wokou horseman aoe3de Wokou Horseman
ArtilleryCaptured mortar aoe3de Captured Mortar
ShipCatamaran aoe3de Marathan Catamaran
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesGunslinger aoe3de Gunslinger · Cowboy aoe3de Cowboy · Owlhoot aoe3de Owlhoot
Flag MexicanDE MexicansDesperado portrait Desperado · Vaquero portrait Cuatrero · Bandido portrait Bandido
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