Age of Empires Series Wiki
Advertisement

Stealthy ranged infantry. Good against infantry and in an ambush.
—In-game description

The Forest Prowler is a gunpowder ranged infantry unit in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs that is unique to the Haudenosaunee and can be trained at the War Hut once the Fortress Age is reached.

Overview[]

The Forest Prowler has a long range and the stealth ability. It's good against heavy infantry and light cavalry at a range, while it's at a disadvantage in hand-to-hand fighting versus most units.

An excellent unit to use as an ambush warrior by switching to stealth and placed at a strategic point, such as a mountain pass on the map Himalayas-Upper, or Painted Desert. By combining them with Light Cannon they can take on any unit except rushing heavy cavalry such as Hussars, Sipahis, and Cuirassiers, thus it is wise to protect these expensive (when compared to Aennas) warriors with a screen of Tomahawks or a flanking force of Musket Riders.

The quality of Forest Prowlers are unparallelled when fighting units such as Doppelsoldners, Samurai, Musketeers, Ashigaru, Landsknechts, to name a few. They are more effective against light cavalry than most other rifle-armed units, and can take down Hussars with relative ease, if not forced into hand combat. Forest Prowlers are at perhaps their most effective in Turtles, as they can be within the protection of walls, using their superior range to slaughter enemy units endeavoring to siege the walls. When walls possess Bastion, the power of this strategy is compounded.

Upgrades[]

The Forest Prowler starts at the Elite level, giving them +25% hit points and attack.

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Champion ranged infantry Champion Forest Prowlers 400 wood
200 coin
Upgrades Forest Prowlers to Champion (+25% hit points and attack)
Imperial Age
Legendary ranged infantry Legendary Forest Prowlers 1,500 wood
1,500 coin
Upgrades Forest Prowlers to Legendary (+50% hit points and attack); requires Champion Forest Prowlers

Further statistics[]

As Forest Prowlers are unique to the Haudenosaunee, only technologies that they have access to are shown in the following table:

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 Cree Tanning Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar kilns Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Smokeless Powder Smokeless Powder (+10%)
Armatoloi Armatoloi (+5%)
Yoga Yoga (+5%)
Clenched Fist Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack)
Somali jile daggers Somali Jile Daggers (-35% hand attack Rate of Fire)
Counter Infantry Rifling Counter Infantry Rifling (+1.0 multiplier vs. heavy infantry)
Kalthoff repeaters Kalthoff Repeaters (+0.1 multiplier vs. light infantry)
Resistance Somali oryx shields Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance)
Range Lacrosse Lacrosse (+2)
Schutzenfest Schützenfest (+1)
Line of Sight Lacrosse Lacrosse (+2)
Schutzenfest Schützenfest (+1)
Speed Quechuan Mountaineering Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%)
Akan Drums Akan Fontomfrom (+5%)
Apache Endurance Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time Akan Drums Akan Fontomfrom (-20%)
Quechuan Diet Quechuan Diet (-15%)
Immigrants Immigrants (-10%)
Cost Mapuche Ad-mapu Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Golden liberty Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost)
Other Merritocracy Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)

Home City Cards[]

As Forest Prowlers are unique to the Haudenosaunee, only their cards and other civilizations' TEAM cards are shown in the following tables:

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Forest Prowler
Some cards are highlighted with:
Green TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Blue Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

All[]

Card Description Age
Team ranged infantry damage TEAM Senegalese Riflemen Ranged infantry get +10% attack; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% attack instead
Age III tech tree aoe3
  • "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.

Chinese[]

Card Description Age
Chinese Home City 1 (TEAM Yongle Infrastructure) TEAM Yongle Infrastructure Ships 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
Age II tech tree aoe3
  • "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch[]

Card Description Age
Dutch Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead
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

French[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 2 (Early Skirmishers) TEAM House of Bonaparte Skirmishers, Cassadores, Forest Prowlers, Wakina Rifles, Sharpshooters, Neftenyas, Imperial Army, and Territorial Army can be trained in the Commerce Age; Bersaglieri can be trained in the Fortress Age; Strelet, Jaeger, Longbowman, Salteador, Otontin Slinger, Gurkha, Yumi Archer, Jungle Bowman, Leather Cannon, and Desert Archer train time -20%
Age I tech tree aoe3

Haudenosaunee[]

Card Description Age
Iroquois Home City 2 (6 Forest Prowlers) 6 Forest Prowlers Ships 6 Forest Prowlers
Age III tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 2 (8 Forest Prowlers) 8 Forest Prowlers Ships 8 Forest Prowlers
Age III tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 2 (9 Forest Prowlers) 13 Forest Prowlers Ships 13 Forest Prowlers
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Attack) Warhut Warrior Attack Aenna, Tomahawks, and Forest Prowlers get +15% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) Warhut Warrior Hitpoints Aenna, Tomahawks, and Forest Prowlers get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Combat) Warhut Warrior Combat Aenna, Tomahawks, and Forest Prowlers get +15% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 2 (Scout Infantry) TEAM Scout Infantry Ships 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 3 (Conservative Tacticcs) Conservative Tactics Infantry get +10% hit points and attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
Advanced War Huts Advanced War Huts War Huts gets +25% hit points and +6 build limit; Aenna, Tomahawk, and Forest Prowler train time -40%
Age III tech tree aoe3
Ottoman Home City 3 (Battlefield Construction) Battlefield Construction Aennas, Tomahawks, and Forest Prowlers can build War Huts, Corrals, and Siege Workshops
Age II tech tree aoe3
Haudenosaunee Home City 3 (Wampum) Wampum Training units and constructing buildings grants +35% XP; unit train time -20%, siege unit and artillery train time -5% instead
Age III tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 5 (Seneca Support) Seneca Support Ships 10 Forest Prowlers and 2 Travois; costs 1,000 coin
Age III tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 5 (National Unity) National Unity Cayuga Support, Onondaga Support, Seneca Support, Tuscarora Support, Oneida Support, and Mohawk Support shipments cost -25%
Age III tech tree aoe3

Inca[]

Card Description Age
Inca Home City 2 (TEAM Inca Bridges) TEAM Inca Bridges Ships 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed
Age I tech tree aoe3
  • "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.

Indians[]

Card Description Age
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age
Japanese Home City 3 (Cheaper Unit Upgrades) TEAM Sengoku Unit upgrades cost -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

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

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

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Spanish Inquisition Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3

Dutch[]

Card Description Age HC level
Dutch Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

French[]

Card Description Age HC level
French Home City 2 (Ranged Infantry Attack) TEAM Ranged Infantry Attack Gunpowder infantry and archers get +15% attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
French Home City 2 (Early Skirmishers) TEAM Early Skirmishers Skirmishers, Cassadores, Forest Prowlers, Wakina Rifles, Imperial Army, and Territorial Army can be trained in the Commerce Age; Longbowman, Strelet, Otontin Slinger, Gurkha, and Yumi Archer train time -20%
Age I tech tree aoe3
25

Indians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25

Iroquois[]

Card Description Age HC level
Iroquois Home City 2 (6 Forest Prowlers) 6 Forest Prowlers Ships 6 Forest Prowlers
Age III tech tree aoe3
1
Iroquois Home City 2 (8 Forest Prowlers) 8 Forest Prowlers Ships 8 Forest Prowlers
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
Iroquois Home City 2 (9 Forest Prowlers) 9 Forest Prowlers Ships 9 Forest Prowlers
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Attack) Infantry Attack Infantry get +15% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Combat) Infantry Combat Infantry get +15% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
25
Iroquois Home City 2 (Scout Infantry) TEAM Scout Infantry Infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Ottoman Home City 3 (Battlefield Construction) Battlefield Construction Aennas, Tomahawks, and Forest Prowlers can build War Huts, Corrals, and Siege Workshops
Age II tech tree aoe3
25
Iroquois Home City 5 (Seneca Support) Seneca Support Ships 10 Forest Prowlers and 2 Travois; costs 1,000 coin
Age III tech tree aoe3
1
Iroquois Home City 5 (National Unity) National Unity Cayuga Support, Onondaga Support, Seneca Support, Tuscarora Support, Oneida Support, and Mohawk Support shipments cost -25%
Age III tech tree aoe3
40

Japanese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Japanese Home City 3 (Cheaper Unit Upgrades) TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades Unit upgrades cost -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Portuguese Home City 2 (Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10

Russians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Russian Home City 3 (Dueling School) 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%
Age II tech tree aoe3
25

Spanish[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 Line of Sight
Age I tech tree aoe3
10

Changelog[]

3WCIcon48px The WarChiefs[]

  • Forest Prowlers train in 33 seconds, have 110 hit points and and 16 ranged damage.

3ADIcon48px The Asian Dynasties[]

Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition[]

Age3DE Icon Knights of the Mediterranean[]

History[]

The classic stereotype of the Iroquois, even today, is the stealthy warrior slinking cat-like through the woods, senses keen, and armed with a loaded musket. Iroquois ambushes could be devastating, as unseen enemies opened fire on European troop columns from bushes and trees. The usual response for a defeated enemy was to retreat to a town or fort, which is when of course the Iroquois would unleash their feared siege techniques.

The Iroquois preferred this kind of shadowy warfare. Its effectiveness was proven by the fact that the Americans adopted these techniques in their revolution against the British in 1776. The Americans had been taught how to use the forests by the Iroquois themselves, in their periodic conflicts.

Trivia[]

  • Despite being introduced in The WarChiefs, the unit's concept art appears on the original Age of Empires III cover art.
  • The Forest Prowler had many alternate names during development. It was called the Musket Warrior, Musket Runner, Forest Runner, and finally Forest Prowler. It is unknown if any of those names coincided with different unit stats or roles. The Forest Prowler's internal file name is still xpMusketWarrior and its icon and portrait is iro_forrest_runner.

Gallery[]

Military units in Age of Empires III
Common/shared units
3Icon48px Age of Empires IIIExplorer aoe3de Explorer · Militiaman de Militiaman · Crossbow aoe3de Crossbowman · Pikeman aoe3de Pikeman · Halberdier de Halberdier · Musketeer icon aoe3de Musketeer · Skirmisher aoe3de Skirmisher · Grenadier de Grenadier · Hussar aoe3de Hussar · Dragoon aoe3de Dragoon · Cavalry archer portrait aoe3de updated Cavalry Archer · Falconet aoe3de Falconet · Culverin icon aoe3de Culverin · Mortar de Mortar · Heavy cannon de Heavy Cannon · Caravel aoe3de Caravel · Galleon aoe3de Galleon · Frigate aoe3de Frigate · Monitor aoe3de Monitor
3WCIcon48px The WarChiefsWarrior de Warrior · Horse art de Horse Artillery · Petard aoe3de Petard · Spy aoe3de portrait updated Spy · Native canoe aoe3de Canoe · War canoe aoe3de War Canoe · Ironclad aoe3de Ironclad
Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition*Captured mortar aoe3de Captured Mortar · Sloop aoe3de Sloop · Steamer aoe3de Steamer · Battleship portrait Battleship
Age3DE Icon The African RoyalsLevied spearman portrait aoe3de Levied Spearman · Levied bowman portrait aoe3de Levied Bowman · Levied gunner portrait aoe3de Levied Gunner · Javelin rider aoe3de Javelin Rider · Desert warrior portrait aoe3de Desert Warrior · Desert archer portrait aoe3de Desert Archer · Desert raider portrait aoe3de Desert Raider · Battle canoe portrait aoe3de Battle Canoe · Cannon boat portrait aoe3de Cannon Boat
Unique units
Flag BritishDE BritishLongbow aoe3de Longbowman · Ranger portrait Ranger · Rocket de Rocket
Flag DutchDE DutchRuyter de Ruyter · Fluyt aoe3de Fluyt
Flag FrenchDE FrenchCuirassier de Cuirassier
Flag GermanDE GermansGermans landwehr portrait Landwehr · Doppel de Doppelsoldner · Uhlan portrait aoe3de updated Uhlan · War wagon de War Wagon
Flag OttomanDE OttomansOttomans bashibozuk portrait Bashibozuk · Janissary aoe3de Janissary · Ottomans azap portrait Azap · Nizam icon Nizam Fusilier · Ottomans deli portrait Deli · Ottomans abus gunner portrait Abus Gunner · Ottomans humbaraci portrait Humbaraci · Great bombard de Great Bombard · Spy ottoman portrait Muhbir · Spahi de Sipahi · Galley aoe3de Galley
Flag PortugueseDE PortugueseOrdinance rifleman portrait Ordinance Rifleman · Cacador de Cassador · Organ aoe3de Organ Gun
Flag RussianDE RussiansStrelet de Strelet · Russians rekrut portrait aoe3de Rekrut · Russians poruchik portrait aoe3de Poruchik · Cossack de Cossack · Oprichink de Oprichnik
Flag SpanishDE SpanishRandelero de Rodelero · Lancer portrait aoe3de updated Lancer
Flag AztecDE AztecsAztecChief AoE3DE Aztec War Chief · Eagle scout aoe3de Eagle Scout · Coyote runner aoe3de Coyote Runner · Otontin slinger Otontin Slinger · Puma spearman de Puma Spearman · Arrow knight de Arrow Knight · Eagle runner knight de Eagle Runner Knight · Jaguar prowl knight de Jaguar Prowl Knight · Warrior priest de Warrior Priest · Skull knight aoe3de Skull Knight · Tlaloc aoe3de Tlaloc Canoe
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeIro warchief aoe3de Haudenosaunee War Chief · Aenna de Aenna · Tomahawk de Tomahawk · Forest prowler de Forest Prowler · Kanya de Kanya Horseman · Musket rider de Musket Rider · Ram aoe3de Ram · Iro mantlet de Mantlet · Light cannon de Light Cannon
Flag SiouxDE LakotaSx warchief aoe3de Lakota War Chief · Cetan de Cetan Bowman · Club warrior de Club Warrior · Wakina de Wakina Rifle · Axe rider de Axe Rider · Bow rider de Bow Rider · Rifle rider de Rifle Rider · Tashunke de Tashunke Prowler · Tokala soldier portrait updated Tokala Soldier
Flag ChineseDE ChineseShaolin master aoe3de Shaolin Master · Shaolin monk aoe3de Disciple · Sentry cn jp de Sentry · Irregular cn jp de Irregular · Chu ko nu aoe3de Chu Ko Nu · Qiang pikeman de Qiang Pikeman · Changdao de Changdao Swordsman · Arquebusier de Arquebusier · Steppe rider de Steppe Rider · Keshik de Keshik · Iron flail de Iron Flail · Meteor hammer de Meteor Hammer · Flamethrower de Flamethrower · Hand mortar de Hand Mortar · Flying crow de Flying Crow · Fire ship aoe3de Fire Junk · War junk aoe3de War Junk · Fuchuan aoe3de Fuchuan
Flag IndianDE IndiansBrahminDE Brahmin · Sentry IN de Sentry · Irregular IN de Irregular · Rajput de Rajput · Sepoy de Sepoy · Gurkha de Gurkha · Urumi de Urumi Swordsman · Sowar de Sowar · Zamburak mansabdar de Zamburak · Mahout de Mahout Lancer · Howdah aoe3de Howdah · Flail elephant de Flail Elephant · Siege elephant de Siege Elephant
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseIkkoIkkiDE Sohei Archer · Sentry cn jp de Sentry · Irregular cn jp de Irregular · Yumi archer de Yumi Archer · Ashigaru de Ashigaru Musketeer · Samurai aoe3de Samurai · Naginata de Naginata Rider · Yabusame de Yabusame · Flaming arrow aoe3de Flaming Arrow · Morutaru de Morutaru · Daimyo kiyomasa aoe3de Daimyo · Tokugawa aoe3de Shogun Tokugawa · Yamabushi aoe3de Yamabushi · Shinobi aoe3de Shinobi · Fune aoe3de Fune · Atakabune aoe3de Atakebune · Tekkousen aoe3de Tekkousen
Flag IncanDE IncaInca-war-chief-icon-aoe3 Inca War Chief · Chasqui-icon-aoe3 Chasqui · Jungle-bowman-icon-aoe3 Jungle Bowman · Plumed-spearman-icon-aoe3 Plumed Spearman · Chimu-runner-icon-aoe3 Chimu Runner · DE Bolas Warrior Icon Bolas Warrior · Huaraca-icon-aoe3 Huaraca · Inca Maceman Icon Maceman · Chincha raft aoe3de Chincha Raft
Flag SwedishDE SwedesCarolean Carolean · Hakkapelit-icon-aoe3 Hakkapelit · Leather-cannon-icon-aoe3 Leather Cannon
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesUs general aoe3de General · Us marine aoe3de Minuteman · State militia aoe3de State Militia · Regular aoe3de Regular · Sharpshooter icon aoe3 Sharpshooter · Carbine cavalry aoe3de Carbine Cavalry · Gatlin de Gatling Gun · Quaker gun icon Quaker Gun · Gunslinger aoe3de Gunslinger · Cowboy aoe3de Cowboy · Owlhoot aoe3de Owlhoot
Flag MexicanDE MexicansGeneral mx portrait General · Padre aoe3de portrait Padre · Insurgente portrait Insurgente · Soldado portrait Soldado · Emboscador portrait Salteador · Chinaco portrait Chinaco · Desperado portrait Desperado · Vaquero portrait Cuatrero · Bandido portrait Bandido
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansRas portrait aoe3de Ras · Oromo warrior portrait aoe3de Oromo Warrior · Gascenya portrait aoe3de Gascenya · Shotel warrior aoe3de Shotel Warrior · Neftenya portrait aoe3de Neftenya · Sebastopol mortar portrait aoe3de Sebastopol Mortar · War dhow portrait aoe3de War Dhow
Flag Hausa HausaEmir aoe3de portrait Emir · Fulani Fulani Archer · Raider aoe3de portrait Raider · Lifidi knight aoe3de portrait Lifidi Knight · Maigadi aoe3de portrait Maigadi · Xebec portrait aoe3de Xebec
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansItalians pavisier portrait Pavisier · Italians bersagliere portrait Bersagliere · Italians papal guard portrait Papal Guard · Italians schiavone portrait Schiavone · Italians papal lancer portrait Papal Lancer · Italians papal zouave portrait Papal Zouave · Italians papal bombard portrait Papal Bombard · Italians leonardo tank portrait Leonardo's Tank · Galleass portrait Galleass
Flag MalteseDE MalteseAlain icon aoe3de Grand Master · Hospitaller portrait Hospitaller · Maltese sentinel portrait Sentinel · Hoop thrower aoe3de Fire Thrower · Order galley portrait Order Galley · SPC Fire ship aoe3de Fire Ship
Revolution Revolution
Barbarystates rev barbary warrior portrait aoe3de updated Barbary Warrior · Bolivar icon aoe3de Bolivar · Californio portrait Californio · Cetbang aoe3de Cetbang Cannon · Oruc Reis Icon Corsair Captain · Berber arquebusier aoe3de Corsair Marksman · Cruzob avenger portrait Cruzob Avenger · Cruzob infantry portrait Cruzob Infantry · Comanchero icon aoe3de Cuerudo · Rev france eclaireur portrait aoe3de Eclaireur · Filibuster aoe3de Filibuster · Gatlin de Gatling Gun · Comanchero icon aoe3de Gaucho · Comanchero icon aoe3de Jagunço · Java spearman aoe3de Javanese Spearman · Comanchero icon aoe3de Llanero · Militia Officer portrait Militia Officer · Comanchero icon aoe3de Morochuco · Mounted Granadero Portrait Mounted Granadero · Colonial militia aoe3de Revolutionary · Us volunteer icon Revolutionary Sharpshooter · San martin portrait San Martin · Covered wagon aoe3de Trek Wagon
Advertisement