Irish Brigadier

Irish Brigadier
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean
Type	Infantry Heavy infantry Ranged infantry Gunpowder infantry Musket infantry Mercenary
Age	Commerce Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Federal Americans) Palace (Africans) Lombard (Italians)
Cost	100 Coin 1 Population
Train time	40 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	160
Resistance	40% Hand
Speed	4.0
Line of Sight	16
Ability	Combat Promotion
XP train bounty	10
XP kill bounty	10
Ranged attack
Damage	25 Ranged
Range	12
Rate of Fire	3.0
Siege attack
Damage	22 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	22 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.0x Cavalry 1.6x Shock infantry

“	Affordable Musketeer from Ireland with a high hand attack. Benefits from promotions.	”
—In-game description

The Irish Brigadier is a mercenary heavy infantry unit in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean.

Overview

The Irish Brigadier is a heavy ranged infantry based on the Musketeer. It is effective against cavalry and shock infantry in melee combat, but vulnerable against light infantry and artillery.

Compared with the Musketeer, the Irish Brigadier has more attack, hit points, and hand resistance, but trains slower and costs only coin. Irish Brigadiers are cheaper than most mercenaries and take one population space. Additionally, they deal more damage against cavalry and shock infantry due to their increased hand attack and multipliers. Since they are available in the Commerce Age, they can fulfill the role of Musketeers for civilizations that lack of these units, like the Dutch or the Germans. However, Irish Brigadiers are weak compared to other mercenary Musketeers like the Highlander or the Fusilier, who have more hit points and attack. Therefore, players would favor these units over Irish Brigadiers as soon as they age up to the Fortress Age.

While Irish Brigadiers are available as one of the random selected mercenaries to be trained at the Mercenary buildings (Tavern, Saloon, Lombard, Monastery, or the Palace).

Promotion

Irish Brigadiers benefit from the Combat Promotion. This ability increases their hit points and attack after defeating an enemy military unit, up to a maximum of three enemy units. These values can be higher with Home City Cards or upgrades that benefit Musketeer-type units' hit points and attack, like Flint Lock or Socket Bayonet.

Promotion	Bronze Rank	Silver Rank	Gold Rank
Combat Promotion	+15% hit points and attack damage	+30% hit points and attack damage	+45% hit points and attack damage

Civilization differences

• The Spanish can upgrade Irish Brigadiers to Wild Geeses through the Wild Geese technology, researching at the Church once the Fortress Age is reached and the "Royal Decree to Claim the New World" Home City Card has been sent. It ships 12 Irish Brigadiers, allows them to be trained at the Tavern, reduces their hand attack Rate of Fire by 15%, and increases their speed by 0.25.
• The Swedes can train Irish Brigadiers from Barracks, Galleons, and Blockhouses if the player sends the "Contract Irish Brigadiers" Home City Card.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Cavalry, shock infantry
Weak vs.	MercType2, light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points	Corselet (+25%; Spanish only) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Flint Lock (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Paper Cartridge (+15%) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Smokeless Powder (+10%) Armatoloi (+5%) Yoga (+5%) Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack) Socket Bayonet (+20% hand attack) Wild Geese (-15% hand attack Rate of Fire; Spanish only)
Resistance	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance) Hualcana (+5%; Inca only)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Speed	Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only) Military Drummers (+10%) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%) Wild Geese (+0.25; Spanish only)
Train time	Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only)
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)
Other	Multinationalism (ships 8 random European mercenaries) Wild Geese (ships 12 Irish Brigadiers; Irish Brigadiers can be trained at the Tavern; Spanish only)
Penalties	Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only) Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only) Second Guarantee (+30% train time; Mexicans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Irish Brigadier

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)

All

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen	Ranged infantry get +10% damage; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% damage instead
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
Fencing School	Infantry (except Warrior Priests and Skull Knights) and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Outlaw Combat	Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage (costs 500 coin for Baja California)

• "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Fencing School" is available to the Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish) and Indians.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available to the Mexicans upon revolting to Baja California and Europeans upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico.

Africans

Card	Description	Age
Feudal Armies	All units' train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments)

British

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Grenadier Guards	Musket infantry and grenade troopers get +15% hit points

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure	Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
Western Reforms	All units get +8% hit points and damage
Acupuncture	All units' (except monks) train time -20%; Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army spawn time -5%

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

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead
Dutch States Army	Mercenary train time -15% and shipments arrive time -20%; mercenaries (except Napoleon Guns and Li'l Bombards) get +7% speed; Highlanders can be trained at Barracks, Royal Horsemen at Stables, and both at the Tavern; Pikemen, Halberdiers, Skirmishers, Hussars, and Ruyters cost +10%

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Coffee Consumption	Ranged infantry get +5% speed
Temenyas	Gunpowder infantry get +5% damage; Neftenya can be trained in the Commerce Age
Ignatian Spirituality	All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Hire Irish Brigadiers	Delivers 9 Irish Brigadiers; costs 500 coin
Mercenary Loyalty	Mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -25% (-10% for INFINITE cards)
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Wanderlust	Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed

• "Hire Irish Brigadiers" is available to the British, Dutch, French, Germans (with +2 extra Irish Brigadiers), Maltese, and Spanish.
• "Mercenary Loyalty" reduces cost of "Hire Irish Brigadiers" by 25%.
• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

French

Card	Description	Age
Royal Fencing School	Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Cult of the Supreme Being	The player gains +10% XP from training units and other players receive -10% XP from defeating them; Sansculottes gather resources from Crates 50% faster; food from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 25% faster; wood from trees and Mango Groves and coin from mines 20% faster; food from huntable and herdable animals, Mills, Farms and coin from Estates 15% faster

• "Cult of the Supreme Being" is available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Conservative Tactics	Infantry get +10% hit points and damage

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Sahelian Kingdoms	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage; mercenaries and outlaws get +10% hit points and damage

Inca

Card	Description	Age
Road Building	Land military units get +10% speed
TEAM Inca Bridges	Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed

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

Indians

Card	Description	Age
Dravidian Martial Arts	All units get +15% all melee attack damage; Rajputs get +20% all melee attack damage instead; +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and damage
Zamindars	Infantry train time -20%; delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with each Home City shipment, including this one

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% all melee attack damage

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
Onin War	Infantry get +33% siege attack damage
Bakufu	Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa get +5% speed, +10 Line of Sight and train units 15% faster; land military unit train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead

Lakota

Card	Description	Age
Moccasins	Infantry get +10% speed

Maltese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Knights of the Round Table	Delivers 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center and Command Post build; all units get +2% hit points
Squires	Military buildings train and research work 80% faster, except Forts which train and research work 260% faster

Mexicans

Card	Description	Age
Plan of Tuxtepec	Turns all Salteadores into Soldados; musket infantry get +1 Line of Sight and range; costs 500 food, 500 wood
TEAM Mariachi	For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Colegio de San Nicolás	Delivers Books of 500 XP; units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds
Bustamante	The General can build Field Hospitals for free; musket infantry get +10% hit points; Field Hospitals can train Soldados
National Servant	All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster
Bastimento	Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok	Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time

• "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "Bustamante" is available upon selecting the San Luis Potosí Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "Pok Ta Pok" is available upon revolting to the Maya.

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age
Matrakci School	Infantry and shock infantry train time -30%; Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, and Humbaraci train time -40% instead

Portuguese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints	Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points

Russians

Card	Description	Age
Ransack	Infantry get +50% siege attack damage
Dueling School	Infantry train time -25%

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
Peninsular Guerrillas	Ranged infantry get +20% damage, musket infantry get +10% damage instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
TEAM House of Bernadotte	Heavy infantry get +15% hit points
German Mercenary Contracts	Mercenaries get +20% hit points and damage; Jaegers and Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons
Contract Irish Brigadiers	Delivers 8 Irish Brigadiers; Irish Brigadiers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; costs 500 coin

• "Mercenary Loyalty" reduces cost of "Contract Irish Brigadiers" by 25%.

United States

Card	Description	Age
United States Army	The General, Minutemen, and heavy infantry get +15% hit points and damage
Poker	Delivers 13 random mercenaries; adds up to 3 random mercenaries to training at the Saloon; costs 3,500 coin
Indiana Mobilization	Delivers 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
Hamilton's Own	Delivers 4 Napoleon Guns and 2 Li'l Bombards; mercenary get +25% hit points and damage; costs 2,500 coin

• "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
• "Hamilton's Own" is available upon selecting the New York Federal State.

Changelog

Knights of the Mediterranean

• Originally, Irish Brigadiers had no hand attack multipliers against cavalry nor shock infantry. With update 13.10442, they have a ×2.0 hand attack multiplier against cavalry and a ×1.6 hand attack multiplier against shock infantry.
• Originally, Irish Brigadier's in-game description was "Affordable Muskeeter from Ireland with a high hand attack, but it does not counter Cavalry. Benefits from promotions.". With update 13.10442, the Irish Brigadier's in-game description is "Affordable Musketeer from Ireland with a high hand attack. Benefits from promotions.".
• With update 14.43676, Irish Brigadiers shipped by Wild Geese received new models. The Irish Brigadier's musket no longer shows a knife bayonet.

In-game dialogue

The Irish Brigadier speaks its namesake language, also known as Gaeilge, a Celtic language which is related to the Scottish Gaelic spoken by the Highlander. Both languages are descendants of Middle Irish, spoken by the Celts.

• Select 1 Réidh - Ready
• Select 2 A ceannasaí? - Commander?
• Select 3 Nua orduithe? - New orders?
• Move 1 Déantar é - It is done
• Move 2 Go maith - Good
• Move 3 Brostaigh suas! - Hurry up!
• Attack 1 Ionsai! - Attack!
• Attack 2 Go dtí an cath! - To the battle!-
• Attack 3 Éire go deo! - Ireland forever!
• Attack 4 Abhaigh linn! - Come with us!

Trivia

• The Irish Brigadier is based on the Irish Brigade which served France in the 18th century, particularly the Bulkeley Regiment.
  • Eventually, the Wild Geese (Irish soldiers who left their homeland) served as mercenaries in other European countries in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.
  • The History section mentions the role of the Saint Patrick's Battalion, an artillery/infantry unit of the Mexican Army formed by European expatriates and immigrants, that fought against the United States Army during the Mexican-American War. It was composed mainly by Irish immigrants, but also included German, Canadian, English, French, Scottish, Swiss, and Mexican soldiers. Numerous men who deserted from the United States Army also joined the battalion.
• The Irish Brigadier and the Cannoneer are the only two mercenary units that can be hired from Taverns and similar buildings in the Commerce Age. Additionally, they are the only two mercenary units that use one population space.

History

“

Though formidable fighters in their homeland, Irish troops were perhaps most renowned for their service as mercenaries in foreign conflicts, such as the 17th century so-called Flight of the Wild Geese. Although they most commonly served in French and Spanish armies, they also played a distinguished role in the Mexican-American War of 1846-48, where the San Patricios (St. Patrick's Battalion) fought for the Mexicans and were by all accounts their strongest unit in the conflict. Such was their prowess (and the attractiveness of their incentives) that many American troops even defected to join them.

”

Gallery

Irish Brigadier image from the Compendium section

An in-game Irish Brigadier

In-game Irish Brigadier since update 14.43676

In-game Irish Brigadier after researching the Wild Geese technology since update 14.43676