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Early automatic-fire weapon. Better against infantry than buildings.
—In-game description

The Gatling Gun is an artillery unit introduced in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs that is unique to revolting European civilizations and can be trained at the Artillery Foundry. A precursor to modern-day machine guns, the Gatling Gun fires at a rapid rate, which tears apart infantry at a brisk pace.

In the Definitive Edition, Gatling Guns are only available to the United States and their revolutionary version. The former can train Gatling Guns at the Artillery Foundry once the Fortress Age is reached and can upgrade them, while the latter can also train Gatling Guns at the Fort and they have 25% more hit points but cannot be upgraded.

While the South American (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Gran Colombia, Peru and Revolutionary Mexico, except Haiti) Revolutionary States cannot train Gatling Guns, they can be still shipped from Home Cities.

Overview[]

The Gatling Gun is unusual compared to the other artillery pieces in the game, with the exception of the Organ Gun. While devastating against infantry they are less effective against cavalry and buildings, doing reduced damage against them. However, due to their high rate of fire they can still do good damage against them if in groups.

With the "Coffee Mill Guns" Home City Card, the Gatling Gun is able to fire endlessly without reload. This allows them to deal a huge amount of damage and makes them capable of defeating an entire army if used in large numbers (10-20 units).

Upgrades[]

The Gatling Gun upgrades are only available to the United States.

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Guard artillery Heavy Gatling Guns 250 food
250 wood
Upgrades Gatling Guns to Heavy Gatling Guns (+25% hit points and attack)
Imperial Age
Imperial artillery Imperial Gatling Guns 1,500 wood
1,500 coin
Upgrades Gatling Guns to Imperial (+50% hit points and attack); requires Heavy Gatling Guns

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, ships, buildings
Weak vs. Cavalry, shock infantry, artillery especially Culverins, Arrow Knights
Improvements
Hit points Professional gunners Professional Gunners (+10%)
Tar kilns Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Smokeless Powder Smokeless Powder (+5%)
Heated Shot Heated Shot (+50% multiplier vs. ships)
Som ajuran engineers Somali Ajuran Engineers (+20% multiplier vs. Frontier fortification)
Line of Sight Gunners Quadrant Gunner's Quadrant (+6)
Town Watch Town Watch (+3)
Speed Trunion Trunion (+15%)
Apache Endurance Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time Immigrants Immigrants (-10%)
New Mexico Immigration New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only)
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[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Gatling Gun
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)

Chinese[]

Card Description Age
Ottoman Home City 2 (Light Artillery Hitpoints) Siege Hitpoints Artillery and Flamethrowers get +15% hit points; grenade troopers get +20% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
Ottoman Home City 2 (Artillery Attack) Siege Attack Artillery and Flamethrowers get +15% attack; grenade troopers get +20% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
Artillery Combat Siege Combat Artillery get +15% hit points and attack; Flamethrowers and grenade troopers get +20% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Western reforms Western Reforms All units get +8% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Acupuncture aoe3 Acupuncture All units' train time -20%, spawn time -5%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Banner school Banner School Banner army train time -30%; Summer Palace banner army spawn time -7%
Age II tech tree aoe3
Team engineering school TEAM Engineering School Artillery, Fixed Gun, Siege Elephant, Flamethrower, Ram, Mantlet, and Haudenosaunee Mantlet train time -15%; Heavy Cannon, Great Bombard, Rocket, Flying Crow, and Gatling Camel train time -5%
Age II tech tree aoe3

Ethiopians[]

Card Description Age
Ignatian spirituality Ignatian Spirituality All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Ethiopian Home City 5 (Italian Firearms) Italian Firearms Ships 3 Li'l Bombards; artillery except Culverins get +25% Area of Effect; costs 2,500 influence
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Europeans[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 3 (Engineering School) Engineering School Artillery, Fixed Gun, Siege Elephant, Flamethrower, Ram, Mantlet, and Haudenosaunee Mantlet train time -30%; Heavy Cannon, Great Bombard, Rocket, Flying Crow, and Gatling Camel train time -10%
Age II tech tree aoe3
Gran Colombia Home City (Gatling Guns) 4 Gatling Guns Ships 4 Gatling Guns
Revolution
Indonesia Home City (Lantakas) Lantakas Artillery, buildings, and ships get +15% attack
Revolution
South Africa Home City (Wanderlust) Wanderlust Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed
Revolution
United States Home City (Knox Continental Artillery) Knox's Continental Artillery Ships 5 Consulate Culverins; artillery get +10% hit points and -10% train time; Culverins get +20% hit points and -25% train time instead; costs 500 wood
Revolution
  • "Engineering School" is available to the French and Swedes.
  • "4 Gatling Guns" is available upon revolting to Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Gran Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and United States.
  • "Lantakas" is available to the Dutch and Portuguese upon revolting to Indonesia.
  • "Wanderlust" is available to the Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.
  • "Knox's Continental Artillery" is available to the British, Dutch, French, Italians, and Swedes upon revolting to the United States.

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 2 (Team Japanese Artillery Damage) TEAM Odzutsu Mortars Artillery get +10% attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
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
Mexico card Plan of Veracruz Plan of Veracruz [Plan] Turns all Outposts into Falconets; upgrades Falconets to Field Guns (if not already); artillery get +4 Line of Sight; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
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 get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; 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 200% faster
Imperial Age
Baja California Home City (Artillery) Artillery Ships 1 Falconet, Gatling Gun, or Horse Artillery, chosen randomly, and 2 Quaker Guns
Revolution

Ottomans[]

Card Description Age
Ottoman Home City 2 (Topcular) Topçular Artillery, Abus Gunners, and Humbaracis get +15% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age
Ottoman Home City 2 (Light Artillery Hitpoints) Artillery Hitpoints Grenade troopers get +30% hit points; artillery get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3

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

United States[]

Card Description Age
United States Home City 2 (TEAM 2 Gatling Guns) TEAM 2 Gatling Guns Ships 2 Gatling Guns for the entire team
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
US Home City 2 (Coffee Mill Guns) Coffee Mill Guns Gatling Guns fire continuously instead of in bursts
Age III tech tree aoe3
United States Home City 2 (Rolling Artillery) Rolling Artillery Ships 3 → 2 → 1 Gatling Gun(s); resets after every three uses (4th, 7th, 10th, etc.)
Age III tech tree aoe3
Federal card indiana mobilization Indiana Mobilization Ships 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game including this one; unit train time (except Heavy Cannons), technology research time, and age-up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Age III tech tree aoe3
Federal card marions diversions Marions Diversions Artillery get +5% speed; Quaker Guns available at the Artillery Foundry
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Federal card connecticut shipwrights Connecticut Shipwrights Ship train time -50%; building build time -35%; artillery train time -15%, Heavy Cannon train time -10% instead
Imperial Age
  • "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
  • "Marions Diversions" is available upon selecting the South Carolina Federal State.
  • "Connecticut Shipwrights" is available upon selecting the Connecticut Federal State.

Europeans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Portuguese Home City 2 (Artillery Hitpoints) TEAM Artillery Hitpoints Artillery, Abus Guns, and Grenadiers get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Gran Colombia Home City (Gatling Guns) 4 Gatling Guns Ships 4 Gatling Guns
Revolution
1
  • "TEAM Artillery Hitpoints" is available to the Ottomans and Portuguese.
  • "4 Gatling Guns" is available upon Revolution.

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

Ottomans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Ottoman Home City 2 (Artillery Attack) Artillery Attack Artillery, Abus Guns, and Grenadiers get +15% attack
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[]

The WarChiefs[]

  • Gatling Guns are avaliable to all revolutionary civilizations.
  • They cost 100 wood, 300 coin, give 40 XP when trained or killed, and train in 45 seconds.

Definitive Edition[]

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

  • With update 13.9057, Steamers can train Gatling Guns for the United States.
  • With update 13.58326, Damage multiplier against Cavalry changed to 0.25x and against Shock Infantry to 0.15x.

Trivia[]

  • Originally, the Gatling Gun shared the same portrait as the Organ Gun in-game, even though it had its own portrait in the game files (as seen above) which was used by the 4 Gatling Guns Home City Card in the Revolution Deck. That was fixed in the Definitive Edition.
  • The Gatling Gun has the second fastest rate-of-fire after the Flamethrower, together with the Organ Gun, if every shot from a volley is counted separately.
  • The Gatling Gun were originally planned to be trained in the Industrial Age instead of by revolting first.
  • The Gatling Gun unit model visually resembles a Colt 1874 Gatling gun. This is slightly anachronistic considering the time period the game and its expansions were set in (between the 1500s and the year 1850).
    • The in-game history section mentions the Gatling Gun's invention taking place in 1861. In reality, the Gatling gun's final designs were completed in 1862 and the weapon was first fielded for service in 1863 during the American Civil War.
  • If the player is playing with the Portuguese and researches the Rabaulds upgrade at the Artillery Foundry and then revolts, they will get a Gatling Gun with a unique model. However, this will not affect the unit's statistics. This feature was removed in the Definitive Edition.
    • This model of the Gatling Gun uses a Broadwell Drum, developed in 1870 by Lewis W. Broadwell.
  • With the release of the United States civilization, the Gatling Gun received visual upgrades, which change as U.S. Army uniforms evolve over the years:
    • The unupgraded Gatling Gun crew wear uniforms of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), but the Gatling Gun was first fielded for service in 1863 during the American Civil War. This may be a reference to soldiers wearing American Revolutionary Uniforms in the American Civil War.[1] This visual is also used by the Gatling Guns of the revolutionary civilizations since update 23511.
    • The Heavy Gatling Gun crew wear uniforms similar to those used by the U.S. Army during the War of 1812.
    • The Imperial Gatling Gun crew wear uniforms similar to those worn during the American Civil War, and the Gatling Gun model uses the Accles Drum, developed in 1883 by James George Accles. This visual was used by the Gatling Guns of the revolutionary civilizations before update 23511, but the Gatling Gun model used the conventional vertical magazine.

History[]

The Gatling gun was invented by Richard Gatling in 1861. Although not precisely a machine gun, it nonetheless offered devastating firepower for its time. The operator of the gun would turn a hand crank, which rotated six gun barrels around a central shaft. Cartridges were continuously fed into the barrels as they made their rotation.

The Gatling gun saw its first limited action on the battlefields of the U.S. Civil War, where its rapid fire of up to 600 rounds a minute proved extremely deadly. The gun was also used in multiple conflicts worldwide during the latter half of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, until it eventually was replaced by the modern machine gun, with its automatic action.

Gallery[]

References[]

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
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 revolution 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
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