Although Harquebusiers 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. Harquebusiers should be used like Hussars, but mixed with regular hand cavalry or other heavy cavalry mercenaries.
Harquebusiers 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 Harquebusier is the melee cavalry with the highest attack, 281.93. They act as a hybrid cavalry. They have a really high ranged attack equivalent to a Guard Dragoon, which makes them really strong at range.
Although the UI lists a ×2.0 multiplier against pets and Coyote Runners, the Harquebusier has a hidden ×0.5 multiplier against "melee infantry", which includes all pets and units with the AbstractCoyoteMantag. The net result is that they simply do base damage to pets and Coyote Runners. The same happens with the Hakkapelit.
The Hire Finnish Harquebusier card is available to Dutch, Germans (which ships 2 extra Harquebusiers), Portuguese, and Russians.
The Hire Highland Mercenary Army card is not available to Ottomans and Portuguese, and ships 1 extra Highlander, Harquebusier, and Swiss Pikeman for the Germans.
Originally, Harquebusiers had 97 ranged damage and a ranged rate of fire of 1.5. Since update 5208, they have 80 ranged damage, a ranged rate of fire of 2.0, and a ranged area of effect of 1.
Originally, Harquebusiers had 30% ranged resistance. With update 13088, they have 20% ranged resistance.
The African Royals[]
With update 43871, the Harquebusier portrait has been updated to align with his in-game appearance.
The harquebusier was the most common form of cavalry found throughout Western Europe during the early and mid 17th century. This type of cavalryman was characterised by the use of a form of carbine, the earliest type of carbine used was called a "harquebus" derived from arquebus. The switch of the harquebusier from a mounted support role, reliant on firearms, to one of shock-capable close combat cavalry came from Sweden (Hakkapelit). The harquebusier was first invented in France. The later harquebusier was used in a shock role by cavalry leaders of the English Civil War. They employed harquesbusiers very aggressively: charging with sword in hand, thus relegating their firearms to a secondary function.
The harquebusier would usually have been armed with a carbine, wheellock, snaphaunce or doglock flintlock, hung from a swivel attached to a baldric, pistols in saddle holsters, and a stout, straight-bladed, sword and a typical harquebusier would have an iron cuirass with a breast and backplate, and an open faced helmet such as a lobster-tailed pot.
Cavalry Cuirass (+10%)
Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%)
Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Pillage (+25% siege attack)
Customized Merc Weapons (+30%, John Black's Mercenaries only)
Yoga (+5%)
Town Watch (+2)
Comanche Mustangs (+10%)
Apache Endurance (+5%)
Mass Cavalry (-50%)
Cheyenne Horse Trading (-25%)
Incan Chasquis Messengers (-25%)
Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Wild Geese (ships 10 Harquebusiers, Spanish only)
Coffee Trade (-10% speed, Dutch only)
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