Halberdier (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the unit in Age of Empires III. For the similar unit in other games of the series, see Halberdier.

Halberdier
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Type	Infantry Heavy infantry Hand infantry
Civilization(s)	See description
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Barracks Fort Galleon Fluyt (Dutch) American Citadel
Cost	50 Food 70 Coin 1 Population
Train time	33 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	200
Resistance	20% Hand
Speed	4.25
Line of Sight	12
Train XP	12
Kill XP	12
Siege attack
Damage	36 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	28 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.0× vs. Cavalry 1.5× vs. Shock infantry

“	Slow, heavy infantry with a large attack.	”
—In-game description

The Halberdier is a melee heavy infantry in Age of Empires III that can be trained at a Barracks, Fort, and Galleon/Fluyt once the Fortress Age is reached.

Halberdiers are available to the Dutch, French, Italians, John Black's Mercenaries (Act II: Ice campaign), and Portuguese. Before update 14.43676, the Russians also had access to Halberdiers; now, they have Poruchiks instead.

Overview

The Halberdier is a powerful hand infantry unit, good against cavalry and shock infantry, but vulnerable to Skirmishers and artillery. It is similar to the Pikeman in terms of its purpose and function. However, it is more versatile, dealing much more damage to non-cavalry/shock infantry units, has more health and damage, and can be upgraded to Guard and Imperial, but has less speed and siege damage when accounted for cost. Halberdiers have extremely high attack and hit points for an infantry unit, but are slow, and thus struggling to catch up to almost anything to get into melee range. This makes them generally better for defensive purposes than as a primary offensive unit. The Dutch are somewhat able to overcome this weakness by combining the "Military Reforms" Home City Card and Military Drummers for a total of 5.525 speed. Training 5-10 Halberdiers and placing them behind artillery to guard from cavalry flanks is an extremely cost-effective way to defend cannons. Unlike Musketeers, they will automatically block and melee down cavalry, and can go into cover mode, which greatly increases their durability.

Additionally, Halberdiers are able to beat almost any melee infantry that gets into combat with them (with the notable exception of the Jaguar Prowl Knight), making them more versatile than Pikemen.

In the Definitive Edition, the Dutch can train Halberdiers as early as the Commerce Age if they Age up with The Logistician. They will then be Veteran Halberdiers already in the Commerce Age, which means they will not be upgraded once they reach the Fortress Age.

Promotion

The French can give Halberdiers a Combat Promotion through the "French Royal Army" Home City Card, which increases their hit points and damage after defeating an enemy military unit, up to a maximum of three enemy units.

Promotion	Bronze Rank	Silver Rank	Gold Rank
Combat Promotion	+5% hit points and damage	+15% hit points and damage	+25% hit points and damage

Upgrades

The Halberdier starts at the Veteran level, though this does not increase their hit points and damage.

Age	Upgrade	Cost	Effect	Civ.
	Guard Halberdiers	600 wood 600 coin	Upgrades Halberdiers to Guard (+30% hit points and damage)	Italians Portuguese
	Stadswachten	750 wood 750 coin	Upgrades Halberdiers to Stadswacht Halberdiers (Guard Halberdiers with +10% hit points and damage)
Imperial Age	Imperial Halberdiers	1,500 wood 1,500 coin	Upgrades Halberdiers to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Guard Halberdiers	Italians Portuguese
	Imperial Stadswachts		Upgrades Stadswacht Halberdiers to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Stadswachts

Civilization differences

• As seen above, the Dutch can upgrade Halberdiers to Royal Guard and Imperial Guard. If they pick The Logistician for advancing to the Commerce Age, they can train them in the Commerce Age and receive one.
• The Spanish cannot train Halberdiers but can ship 13 Guard Halberdiers through Royal Halberdiers. This Halberdiers gain the Regeneration ability and Combat Promotion.
  • Similarly, the Swedes can ship 16 Veteran Halberdiers through Gustavian Guards and turn all Pikemen into Halberdiers through the "Dalcarlian Rebellion" Home City Card.
• John Black's Mercenaries can only upgrade Halberdiers to Guard.
• The Haudenosaunee can ship up to 62 Halberdiers through the "Renegade Dutch" Home City Cards. Most probably, initially this card would also be available for the British, Ottomans, Germans, and Lakota, as game files contain entries of these civilizations' Halberdiers using the Dutch Halberdier's dialogue files, but this was cut out of the final version of the game.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Cavalry, shock infantry, buildings
Weak vs.	Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points	Corselet (+25%; Spanish only) Maya Cotton Armor (+20%) Infantry Breastplate (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Zapotec Cult of the Dead (+20%) Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%) Master Lessons (+10%) Yoga (+5%) Mapuche Tactics (+50% siege attack)
Resistance	Gustavian Guards (+5%; Swedes only) Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance)
Speed	Military Drummers (+10%) Push of Pike (+10%; Swedes only) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%) Gustavian Guards (+0.25; Swedes only)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Cost	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost)
Train time	Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%)
Other	Gustavian Guards (delivers 16 Veteran Halberdiers; Swedes only) Royal Halberdiers (delivers 13 Guard Halberdiers; Halberdiers get the Regeneration ability and Combat Promotions; Spanish only) Jagiellonian Legacy (delivers 6 Veteran Halberdiers if The Sergeant at Arms was chosen for the Dutch) Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties	Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only)

Home City Cards

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

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)

• Definitive Edition
• The Asian Dynasties

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure	Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villager, healing unit, Envoy, and Disciple speed +5%

• "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
8 Halberdiers	Delivers 8 Halberdiers
Military Reforms	Halberdier speed +20%, but hand attack bonus damage against infantry -0.25
Seventeen Provinces	Delivers 1 Halberdier for each military building present on the map (up to 17)
Flemish Revolution	Transforms all villagers into Halberdiers; costs 750 food, 750 wood, 750 coin
Belgian Revolution	Transforms all Pikemen, Halberdiers, and Ruyters into Revolutionaries; costs 500 food, 500 wood, 500 coin
Infantry Attack	Pikeman, Halberdier, Skirmisher, Revolutionary Sharpshooter, and Musketeer damage +15%
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry hit points +10%; Dutch-only infantry hit points +15% instead
Infantry Combat	Pikeman, Halberdier, Skirmisher, Revolutionary Sharpshooter, and Musketeer hit points and damage +15%
Dutch Counter Cavalry Force	Delivers 10 Halberdiers and 4 Ruyters
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%
Wanderlust	Land military and land villager hit points +5%; land villager and construction wagon speed +5% (can be sent 3 times)

• "Wanderlust" is available upon revolting to South Africa.

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
7 Halberdiers	Delivers 7 Halberdiers
8 Halberdiers	Delivers 8 Halberdiers
11 Halberdiers	Delivers 11 Halberdiers
13 Halberdiers	Delivers 13 Halberdiers
Fencing School	Infantry (except Warrior Priest and Skull Knight) and shock infantry train time -40%
Rhode Island Militia	Delivers 10 State Militia and 5 Militiamen; Caravels, Galleons/Fluyts, Frigates, and Ironclads get +10% ranged attack damage per garrisoned State Militia and/or Militiaman (up to +60%); fully replaces Crossbowmen/Longbowmen, Pikemen, and Halberdiers with State Militia at Barracks, Forts, and on the map; grants Veteran State Militia; enables Guard State Militia

• "7 Halberdiers" is available to the Dutch and Portuguese.
• "8 Halberdiers" is available to the Dutch, Italians, and Portuguese.
• "13 Halberdiers" is available to the Dutch and Italians.
• "Fencing School" is not available to the French.
• "Rhode Island Militia" is available to the Dutch, French, Italians, and Swedes upon revolting to the United States.

French

Card	Description	Age
Cent-Suisses	Crossbowman, Pikeman, and Halberdier hit points and resistance +10%
French Royal Army	Musketeers and Halberdiers now benefit from Combat promotion
Royal Fencing School	Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
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.

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry Line of Sight +8
Conservative Tactics	Infantry hit points and damage +10%
11 Renegade Dutch	Delivers 11 Halberdiers; costs 500 coin
20 Renegade Dutch	Delivers 20 Halberdiers; grants Stadswachten; costs 1,500 coin

Inca

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Inca Bridges	Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villager, healing unit, and Envoy speed +5%

• "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.

Indians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	Unit hit points and damage +5%

Italians

Card	Description	Age
7 Halberdiers	Delivers 7 Halberdiers
Roman Tactics	Pavisier, Pikeman, and Halberdier hit points +10%, and get +0.3% damage for each Pavisier, Pikeman, Halberdier, Poruchik, and African Vagabond in a radius of 34 (up to +15%)
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry hit points +15%
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry all melee attack damage +15%

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Sengoku	Unit upgrade cost -20%

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
TEAM Mariachi	For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%

Portuguese

Card	Description	Age
10 Halberdiers	Delivers 10 Halberdiers
Constable	Pikeman, Halberdier, Hussar, and Llanero hit points and damage +15%; Spy hit points +15%, hand attack damage +6
Naval Infantry	Enables Caravels to train Crossbowmen, Ordinance Riflemen (if available), Pikemen, and Halberdiers; Monitors and Ironclads to train Musketeers, Cassadores, and Grenadiers (if available); Frigates to train all Barracks units; Battleships to train all Barracks units and Grenadiers; Caravels, Frigates, Monitors, Ironclads, and Battleships now tagged as recruiting ships

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack	Hand infantry damage +15%
Archaic Infantry Hitpoints	Hand infantry and foot archer hit points +15%; Rodelero hit points +20% instead
Archaic Infantry Combat	Hand infantry and foot archer hit points and damage +15%
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
Dalecarlian Rebellion	Transforms all Pikemen into Halberdiers
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Hitpoints	Hand infantry and hand cavalry hit points +15%
TEAM House of Bernadotte	Heavy infantry hit points +15%
Cudgel War	Pikeman, Halberdier, and Poruchik speed +10%, hand attack Rate of Fire -10%

• "Cudgel War" is available upon revolting to Finland.

Dutch

Card	Description	Age	HC level
11 Halberdiers	Ships 11 Halberdiers		10
8 Halberdiers	Ships 8 Halberdiers		10
Military Reforms	Halberdiers get +20% speed but -0.25 multiplier against infantry		25
Infantry Attack	Pikemen, Halberdiers, and Skirmishers get +15% attack		10
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points		10
Infantry Combat	Pikemen, Halberdiers, and Skirmishers get +15% hit points and damage		25
Dutch Counter Cavalry Force	Ships 10 Halberdiers and 4 Ruyters		25

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
7 Halberdiers	Ships 7 Halberdiers		1
10 Halberdiers	Ships 10 Halberdiers		1
8 Halberdiers	Ships 8 Halberdiers		10
13 Halberdiers	Ships 13 Halberdiers		25
Fencing School	Infantry train time -40%		10

• "7 Halberdiers", "10 Halberdiers", and "8 Halberdiers" are available to the Dutch and Portuguese.
• "13 Halberdiers" is available to the Dutch and Russians (at a level 1 Home City).

Indians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and damage		25

Iroquois

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Infantry Attack	Infantry get +15% attack		10
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points		10
Infantry Combat	Infantry get +15% hit points and damage		25
TEAM Scout Infantry	Infantry get +8 Line of Sight		10
11 Renegade Dutch	Ships 11 Halberdiers; costs 500 coin		1
20 Renegade Dutch	Ships 20 Halberdiers; costs 1,000 coin		10

Japanese

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades	Unit upgrades cost -20%		1

Russians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
9 Halberdiers	Ships 9 Halberdiers		1
15 Halberdiers	Ships 15 Halberdiers		10
Ransack	Infantry get +50% siege attack		25
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%		25

Spanish

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack	Hand infantry get +15% attack		10
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 Line of Sight		10

Treasure guardian

Corrupted Watchman
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean
Type	Guardian
Civilization(s)	Mother Nature
Statistics
Hit points	200
Resistance	20% Hand
Speed	7.0
Line of Sight	12
Kill XP	14
Siege attack
Damage	36 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	24 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5

The Corrupted Watchman is a Treasure guardian variant of the Halberdier. It uses slightly modified stats from the base unit.

Changelog

Age of Empires III

• Halberdiers have 25 hand damage, 10% hand resistance, and 4.0 speed.
• The Russians can train Halberdiers.
• Halberdiers shipped by Royal Halberdiers use the Dutch Halberdier dialogue files.

Definitive Edition

• Halberdiers now have 28 hand damage and 20% hand resistance.
• The Logistician introduced for the Dutch.
• Halberdiers shipped by Royal Halberdiers now use the Spanish Pikeman dialogue files instead of the Dutch Halberdier's.

The African Royals

• With update 50830, Halberdiers have 4.25 speed.

Knights of the Mediterranean

• With update 14.43676, the Russians can train Poruchiks instead of Halberdiers.
• With update 14.43676, Halberdiers shipped by Royal Halberdiers, Gustavian Guards, and the Stadswachts upgrade received new models.
• With update 14.43676, the Royal Halberdier benefits from the Combat Promotion.

Trivia

• The Halberdier's function and its availability in the third age is similar to the Hoplite and Phalangite from the original Age of Empires.
• Despite being a weapon of German origin that was also used by the British and Spanish, none of them use it for balancing reasons.
• Dutch Royal Guard Halberdiers' name, Stadswacht, translates to "City Guard".
  • Before the Definitive Edition, they are named Nassauer, which refers to Maurice of Nassau who was the first to utilize linear infantry tactics on a large scale in Europe (confirmed by the Royal Guard upgrade, which is named Nassau's Linear Tactics). Contrary to the in-game upgrade, however, the tactic was introduced to Dutch musketeers rather than melee troops.

History

“

Riders with lances had better range than halberdiers, so halberdiers often fought alongside Pikemen. The axe blade of a halberd was more than capable of cleaving plate armor, flesh and bone alike, but because the halberdier had to swing the long weapon with both hands, he was virtually defenseless when attacking. This required tight coordination and unwavering resolve within a regiment of halberdiers. The halberd is essentially a very long-handled axe. It was a six foot staff of stout oak or ash topped by a long, stabbing spear point and a heavy axe blade balanced by a spike. The spear point was used to thrust and stab, the axe blade to cut through a mounted warrior's heavy armor, and the spike opposite the axe blade to push, or pull, riders off balance.

”

Gallery

In-game (Veteran) Halberdier

In-game Guard/Imperial Halberdier

(Veteran) Halberdier model

Guard/Imperial Halberdier model

The Halberdier's history portrait

In-game (Veteran) Halberdiers in the Definitive Edition

In-game Guard Halberdiers in the Definitive Edition

In-game Imperial Halberdiers in the Definitive Edition

In-game Royal Halberdier since update 14.43676

In-game (Imperial) Stadswacht Halberdier since update 14.43676

In-game Gustavian Guard since update 14.43676

Halberdier image from the Compendium section

In-game Halberdier and Corrupted Watchman

See also

• Poruchik – Russian equivalent
• Changdao Swordsman – Chinese equivalent
• Yamabushi – Japanese equivalent
• Nootka Clubman – Nootka equivalent
• Wokou Ronin – Outlaw equivalent
• Landsknecht – Mercenary equivalent