Hackapell

This article is about the mercenary in the original Age of Empires III. For the Swedish unit in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, see Hakkapelit.

Hackapell
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Type	Cavalry Heavy cavalry Hand cavalry Mercenary
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Americans) Palace (Africans) Lombard (Italians)
Cost	300 Coin 3 Population
Train time	50 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	295
Resistance	30% Ranged
Speed	6.75
Line of Sight	15
Train XP	30
Kill XP	30
Siege attack
Damage	30 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	121 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Trample attack
Damage	80 Hand
Area of Effect	3
Rate of Fire	2.0

“	Heavy cavalry mercenary from Finland.	”
—In-game description

The Hackapell is a mercenary cavalry in Age of Empires III. Hackapells are a very delicate heavy cavalry that function as improved Uhlans.

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.

Overview

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%.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Weak vs.	Heavy infantry, light ranged cavalry, ranged shock infantry, MercType2
Improvements
Hit points	Cavalry Cuirass (+10%) Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Yoga (+5%) Pillage (+25% siege attack multiplier vs. buildings) Wind Horses (-10% Rate of Fire)
Resistance	Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance) Pancerni (+10% ranged resistance)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Speed	Comanche Mustangs (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%) Wind Horses (+0.5)
Cost	Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-15%; Germans only) Philhellenism (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, 50% influence; Ethiopians only)
Train time	Cheyenne Horse Trading (-40%) Mass Cavalry (-35%) Terror Charge (-20%; Indians only) Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Shaman Drums (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only)
Other	Wild Geese (delivers 5 Hackapells; Spanish only before update 5208)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Hackapell

Some cards are highlighted with:
Green	TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Red	Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue	Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

• Definitive Edition
• The Asian Dynasties

Shared

Card	Description	Age
Cavalry Damage	Cavalry damage +15%
Cavalry Hitpoints	Cavalry hit points +15%
Cavalry Combat	Cavalry hit points and damage +15%
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -35%, speed +5%
Riding School	Cavalry train time -40%; Cuirassier, Oprichnik, and Hakkapelit train time -35% instead; Gatling Camel train time -20% instead

• "Cavalry Damage" is available to the British, Lakota, and Swedes.
• "Cavalry Hitpoints" is available to the British and Haudenosaunee.
• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the British, Dutch, French, Italians, Lakota, Mexicans, Ottomans, Russians, and Spanish.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Riding School" is available to Europeans (except Maltese and Spanish) and Indians.

Africans

Card	Description	Age
Feudal Armies	Unit train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors	Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15% (also affects shipments)

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
Western Reforms	Unit hit points and damage +8%
Acupuncture	Unit (except monk) train time -20%; Summer Palace banner army, Flying Crow, and Heavy Cannon spawn time -5%

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
Dutch States Army	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%

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
Ignatian Spirituality	Unit (except herded animals) hit points +5%, regeneration rate +1.0 (even in combat)

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Blandengues	Hand cavalry cost -20%
Loyal Warriors	Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Outlaw Combat	Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%
Junín Hussars	Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry train time -30%, speed +5% (train time -20% and no speed bonus if stacked with Liberation March)
Wanderlust	Land military and land villager hit points +5%; land villager and construction wagon speed +5% (can be sent 3 times)

• "Blandengues" is available to the Germans, Italians, and Spanish upon revolting to Argentina.
• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico.
• "Junín Hussars" is available to the Portuguese and Spanish upon revolting to Peru.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa.

French

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack	Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry damage +15%
Cult of the Supreme Being	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.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +10%; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +15% instead
Spanish Riding School	Cavalry speed +10%, +4 Uhlans
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenary hit points and damage +15%, +3 Uhlans

• "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Sahelian Kingdoms	Native warrior hit points and damage +15%; mercenary and outlaw hit points and damage +10%

Inca

Card	Description	Age
Road Building	Land military speed +10%

Indians

Card	Description	Age
Dravidian Martial Arts	Unit all melee attack damage +15%; Rajput hand attack damage +20% instead, +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	Unit hit points and damage +5%

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry all melee attack damage +15%
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +10%; Italians-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +15% instead

• "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
Bakufu	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

Lakota

Card	Description	Age
Morning Star	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
TEAM Mustangs	Cavalry and shock infantry cost -10%

Maltese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Knights of the Round Table	Delivers 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center and Command Post present on the map; unit hit points +2%

Mexicans

Card	Description	Age
Plan of Casa Mata	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

• "Colegio de San Nicolas" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to Baja California.

Russians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions	Cavalry and shock infantry hit points +10%, Line of Sight +4

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
Hand Cavalry Attack	Hand cavalry damage +15%
Hand Cavalry Hitpoints	Hand cavalry hit points +15%
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Hitpoints	Hand infantry and hand cavalry hit points +15%
German Mercenary Contracts	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

United States

Card	Description	Age
Indiana Mobilization	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.

Shared

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Riding School	Cavalry train time -40%		10

• "Riding School" is available to Europeans and Indians.

Chinese

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Western Reforms	All units get +8% hit points and attack		40
Acupuncture	Unit train time -20%		10

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Cavalry Combat	Cavalry get +15% hit points and damage		10
Hire Finnish Hackapells	Ships 6 Hackapells; costs 1,000 coin		10
Hire Highland Mercenary Army	Ships 6 Highlanders, 4 Hackapells, and 8 Swiss Pikemen; costs 2,000 coin		25

• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the Dutch, Ottomans, and Russians.
• "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.

French

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry and Coyote Runners get +15% attack		10

Germans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and Coyote Runners get +15% attack		10
Spanish Riding School	Cavalry get +10% speed; +4 Uhlans		25
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack; +3 Uhlans		10

Indians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Dravidian Martial Arts	All units get +15% hand attack; +1 Villager		40
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and attack		25

Russians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Cavalry Scouts	Cavalry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight		1

Spanish

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 Line of Sight		10

In-game dialogue

The Hackapell speaks Finnish.

• Select 1 Mitä? - What?
• Select 2 Valmiina - Ready
• Select 3 Käsky? - Order(s)?
• Move 1 Kyllä - Yes
• Move 2 Aion - 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 3 Selvä - Roger
• Attack 1 Hyökkäykseen! - To attack!
• Attack 2 Hyökätkää! - Attack!
• Attack 3 Selvä - 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 in-game history section states that Gustavus Adolphus was a Finnish king; he was actually Swedish, though Finland was part of Sweden at that time. It also describes the warcry as "Hakka paalle", though the correct form would be "Hakkaa päälle".

History

“	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.	”
—In-game history

Gallery

In-game Hackapell

The Hackapell's history portrait

Hackapell model

In-game Hackapell in the Definitive Edition

Hackapell image from the Compendium section