Mameluke (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the unit in Age of Empires III. For the unit in Age of Empires II, see Mameluke (Age of Empires II).

Mameluke
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Type	Cavalry Heavy cavalry Hand cavalry Mercenary
Age	Industrial Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Americans) Palace (Africans) Lombard (Italians) Stable (Egypt revolution) Fort (Egypt revolution) Galleon (Egypt revolution)
Cost	400 Coin 4 Population
Train time	60 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	1,450
Resistance	40% Ranged
Speed	6.5
Line of Sight	15
XP train bounty	40
XP kill bounty	40
Siege attack
Damage	40 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	34 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Trample attack
Damage	23 Hand
Area of Effect	3
Rate of Fire	2.0

“	Bold cavalry mercenary from Egypt.	”
—In-game description

The Mameluke is a mercenary heavy cavalry in Age of Empires III. In contrast to the Age of Empires II version, the Mameluke in Age of Empires III rides a white horse instead of a camel.

Overview

The Mameluke boasts some of the highest hit points for a cavalry unit (1,450 in any age, without upgrades). This is far greater than even the two other non-Lancer hand cavalry mercenaries (namely, Stradiots and Hackapells), though their attack is lower than both (around that of a Hussar). Naturally, this excessive durability allows them to best even anti-cavalry units, such as Rodeleros and Pikemen. With all hit point improvement upgrades (Comanche) and cards (Indian and Russian allies), the German Egyptian Mameluke is the unit and/or melee cavalry with the highest hit points, 2,682.

All European civilizations can pick The Mercenary Contractor for aging up to the Imperial Age, and he will improve mercenaries (including the Mameluke) by increasing their hit points and attack by 35%.

Historical Battles appearances

Mamelukes are available to the Barbary Pirates civilization in the Algiers Historical Battle. They can be trained starting from the Fortress Age and upgraded to Guard at Stables, and have reduced stats: 800 hit points, 22 hand attack damage, 120 food, 120 coin cost, take 2 population, 40 seconds train time, and 20 XP train bounty.

Upgrades

Age	Upgrade	Cost	Effect	Civ.
	Guard Mamelukes	600 wood 600 coin	Upgrades Mamelukes to Guard (+30% hit points and attack)

Civilization differences

• The Ethiopians can get Mamelukes after choosing the Arab Alliance for aging up into the Imperial Age.
• The Germans' Battleships can train Mamelukes through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
• The Ottomans can train Mamelukes through the The Mercenary Contractor politician.

Revolutions

• Revolting to Egypt allows to train Mamelukes at Stables, Forts, and Galleons. Also, every shipment from the revolutionary Egypt deck delivers one additional Mameluke.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Light infantry, 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	Kapikulu Corps (+10% hand resistance; Ottomans only) Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance) Pancerni (+10% ranged resistance)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Speed	Apache Endurance (+5%) Comanche Mustangs (+5%) Wind Horses (+0.5)
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)
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	Wallenstein's Contracts (-50% mercenary shipments cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards

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

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

All

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

• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the British, Dutch, French, Italians, Mexicans, Ottomans, Russians, and Spanish.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Riding School" is available to Europeans (except the Maltese 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
Cavalry Damage	Cavalry get +15% damage
Cavalry Hitpoints	Cavalry get +15% hit points

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
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%

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
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
Ignatian Spirituality	All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Blandengues	Hand cavalry cost -20%
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Junín Hussars	Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry get +5% speed and -30% train time (only get -20% train time if stacked with "Liberation March")
Wanderlust	Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed

• "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.
• "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, and can be sent 3 times.

French

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack	Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry get +15% damage
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
Rustam's Regiment	Delivers 5 Mamelukes and 5 Gatling Camels; costs 1,798 coin

• "Cult of the Supreme Being" and "Rustam's Regiment" are available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack	Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% damage; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% damage instead
Spanish Riding School	Cavalry get +10% speed; +4 Uhlans
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage
Adler von Lübeck	Delivers 1 Battleship and 1 Privateer; Battleships can train mercenaries; costs 900 food, 900 wood, 900 coin

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

Hausa

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

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

Italians

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

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

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
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
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 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 Casa Mata	Turns all Dragoons into Chinacos; hand cavalry get +5% speed; costs 250 food, 250 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
National Servant	All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster

• "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age
Ottoman Mercenary Army	Delivers 3 Mamelukes, 6 Barbary Corsairs, and 4 Stradiots; costs 2,000 coin
Hire Egyptian Mamelukes	Delivers 4 Mamelukes; costs 1,000 coin
Mercenary Loyalty	Mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -25% (-10% for INFINITE cards)

• "Mercenary Loyalty" reduces cost of "Ottoman Mercenary Army" by 10% and "Hire Egyptian Mamelukes" by 25%.

Russians

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

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
Hand Cavalry Attack	Hand cavalry get +15% damage
Hand Cavalry Hitpoints	Hand cavalry get +15% hit points
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Attack	Hand infantry and hand cavalry get +15% damage
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Hitpoints	Hand infantry and hand cavalry 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

United States

Card	Description	Age
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
Seminole Ponies	Delivers 9 Hussars; hand cavalry get +15% hit points and damage, and +5% speed; cavalry train time -10%

• "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.

All

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Riding School	Cavalry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Villager for the Indians)		10

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

Chinese

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Western Reforms	All units get +8% hit points and damage		40
Acupuncture	All units' (except monks, Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army) train time -20%		10

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Cavalry Combat	Cavalry get +15% hit points and damage		10
Hire Egyptian Mamelukes	Delivers 5 Mamelukes; costs 1,000 coin		10
Hire Mediterranean Mercenary Army	Delivers 3 Mamelukes, 6 Barbary Corsairs, and 4 Stradiots; costs 2,000 coin		25
Mercenary Loyalty	Mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -25% (-10% for INFINITE cards)		1

• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the Dutch, Ottomans, and Russians.
• "Hire Egyptian Mamelukes" is available to the Ottomans and Portuguese.
• "Hire Mediterranean Mercenary Army" is available to the Dutch, Germans (with +1 Barbary Corsair and Mameluke), and Russians.
• "Mercenary Loyalty" reduces cost of "Hire Egyptian Mamelukes" and "Hire Mediterranean Mercenary Army" by 25%.

French

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

Germans

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

Indians

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

Japanese

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

Russians

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

Spanish

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Cavalry Combat	Hand cavalry get +15% hit points and damage		10
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 Line of Sight		10

Changelog

The Asian Dynasties

• Due to a bug, the Repentant Mameluke can be trained in the Fortress Age.

Definitive Edition

• The Repentant Mameluke can be trained in the Industrial Age.

In-game dialogue

The Mameluke speaks Egyptian Arabic. This is also spoken by the Bedouin Horse Archer.

• Select 1 Aywa? (أيوا؟) - What?
• Select 2 Mosta'ed (مستعد) - I am ready
• Select 3 Amrak (أمرك؟) - Your order?
• Move 1 Na'am (نعم) - Yes
• Move 2 Hader (حاضر) - OK
• Move 3 Hanaffez (حا أنفذ) - I will do it.
• Attack 1 Hogoom! (!هجوم) - Attack!
• Attack 2 Ella alma'araka! (!إلى المعركة) To battle!
• Attack 3 Na'am! (!نعم) - Yes!

History

“

Mamelukes got their name from an Arabic word meaning "slave" or "owned." They were formed as a core soldiery of slave warriors, like the janissaries, valued because they had no allegiances except to their sultan. Eventually they grew so powerful that they installed themselves as the rulers of Egypt. Comprised originally of Turks and Mongols, and later to include Circassians and Georgians, the mamelukes were powerful soldiers and rulers in the Middle East for hundreds of years. Napoleon fought and defeated the mamelukes in the late eighteenth century when he attacked Cairo, later raising his own mameluke regiments. Rustam, a Georgian mameluke and one of Napoleon's personal bodyguards, came from these regiments. Mamelukes fought mounted with sword and shield. They adopted firearms much later - too late, perhaps, to maintain their military power.

”

Gallery

An in-game Mameluke

The Mameluke's history portrait

Reconstruction of a Mameluke on horseback

Arabian horse led by a Mamaluke, by Carle Vernet, 1815

An in-game Mameluke in the Definitive Edition