In the Definitive Edition, Hackapells are replaced with Harquebusiers due to the introduction of Hakkapelits for the Swedes, yet Hackapells are still available in the campaigns and some unknown maps. At the introduction of the new unit, Harquebusiers have almost same stats as the Hackapells, plus the short ranged attack.
Although Hackapells can strike with great force (they can kill Zamburaks with one hit), they should not be used on their own during battle, since their low hit points make them vulnerable to enemy attacks. They excel at raiding enemy Villagers - In two strikes, a Villager or Coureur is dead. Hackapells should be used like Hussars, but mixed with regular hand cavalry or other Heavy Cavalry mercenaries. Hackapells have significantly more attack but significantly fewer hit points than the Mameluke. With 12 Missionaries (Japanese ally), Unction, all attack improvement upgrades (Bhakti Temple) and cards (French and Indian allies), the Spanish Finnish Hackapell is the melee cavalry with the highest attack, 281.93.
All European civilizations can pick The Mercenary Contractor for aging up to the Imperial Age, and he will improve mercenaries (including the Hackapell) by increasing their hit points and damage by 50%.
Mercenary train time -15%, speed (except Napoleon Gun and Li'l Bombard) +7%; mercenary shipment arrive time -20%; enables Highlander to be trained at Barracks and Taverns, Royal Horseman at Stables and Taverns; Pikeman, Halberdier, Skirmisher, Hussar, and Ruyter cost +10%
Unit train bounty +10%, kill bounty -10%; Sansculotte gather work rate for crates +50%, Berry Bush and Cherry Orchard +25%, tree, Mango Grove, mine +20%, huntable animals, herded animals, Mill, Farm, and Estate +15%
"Cult of the Supreme Being" is available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.
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
Temporarily reveals all enemies and treasures; Axe Rider can now loot treasures for double the resources or XP; hand cavalry bonus damage against treasure guardian +2.0
Transforms all Dragoons into Chinacos; hand cavalry speed +5%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
TEAM Mariachi
For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%
Colegio de San Nicolas
Delivers 1 Large Collection of Books (500 XP); unit Line of Sight +4; building (except Wall) Line of Sight +8; reveals enemy units' positions for 20 seconds
National Servant
Unit (except herded animals) hit points +10%; Padre heal work rate +200%
Imperial Age
Outlaw Combat
Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%; costs 500 coin
Mercenary hit points and damage +20%; enables Landsknechts and Jaegers to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns (for Landsknechts), and Galleons; enables Black Riders to be trained at Stables and Galleons
Delivers 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game, including this one; unit train time, technology research time, Age up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Hamilton's Own
Delivers 2 Li'l Bombards and 4 Napoleon Guns; mercenary hit points and damage +25%; costs 2,500 coin
Imperial Age
Seminole Ponies
Delivers 9 Hussars; cavalry train time -10%; hand cavalry hit points and damage +15%, speed +5%
Imperial Age
"Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
"Hamilton's Own" is available upon selecting the New York Federal State.
"Seminole Ponies" is available upon selecting the Florida Federal State.
"Hire Finnish Hackapell" is available to the Dutch, Germans (which ships 2 extra Hackapells), Portuguese, and Russians.
"Hire Highland Mercenary Army" is not available to the Ottomans and Portuguese, and ships 1 extra Highlander, Hackapell, and Swiss Pikeman for the Germans.
Move 2Aion - I will (the translation is a bit awkward since "aion" as a word is almost never used alone in the Finnish language. Usually, after "aion" one needs to explain an intended action or deed. As such, "aion" on its own would translate into "I am going to (do something in the future)" rather than "I will")
Move 3Selvä - Roger
Attack 1Hyökkäykseen! - To attack!
Attack 2Hyökätkää! - Attack!
Attack 3Selvä - Roger
Trivia[]
One Hackapell is still available for the player during Saratoga, the fifth scenario of Act I: Fire.
The original Hackapell's icon and the art in the history portrait depicted a flintlock pistol and a saber, while the unit only wields the saber in combat.
The Hackapells, or Hakkapeliitta, were an elite cavalry of Finnish King Gustav II Adolph during the Thirty Years War. They get their name from their battle cry of, "Hakka paalle!" It roughly translates to "Cut them down!" but in spirit means, "Charge on!" Crying this, they were apparently so fearsome that their enemies thought they were protected by witchcraft.
Hackapells were very lightly armored, using their speed in the charge to get them into the thick of a fight quickly where they fought with swords and, later, small firearms.