Manchu

Manchu
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Type	Cavalry Light ranged cavalry Ranged cavalry Archer Mercenary
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Federal Americans) Palace (Africans) Lombard (Italians)
Cost	220 Coin 2 Population
Train time	42 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	400
Resistance	40% Hand
Speed	7.25
Line of Sight	14
XP train bounty	22
XP kill bounty	22
Ranged attack
Damage	27 Ranged
Range	12
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.5x Heavy cavalry 2.0x Hand shock infantry 2.0x Artillery 0.5x Villager
Siege attack
Damage	11 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	14 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.5x Heavy cavalry 2.0x Hand shock infantry 2.0x Artillery

“	Chinese cavalry archer mercenary.	”
—In-game description

The Manchu is a mercenary mounted archer in Age of Empires III. It is a fierce mounted archer from China.

Overview

The Manchu is the mercenary version of the Cavalry Archer. It has a high rate of fire and an impressive amount of hit points. It also has a very high melee armor and base damage. All these factors combined make it an extremely effective counter to cavalry, without having to worry about micro-managing them or kiting. Unlike nearly every other mercenary, it takes the same amount of population space as its base unit; this allows it to be used even in the latest stages of the games without sacrificing military size, should it be available at the Tavern/Saloon/Monastery.

This unit is of particular interest to the Chinese. They are unable to mass produce anti-cavalry, and the units it can mass are fairly weak, so the Manchu (if available at the Monastery) can be trained to fill this usual hole in their composition, without sacrificing population space or draining limited wood supplies.

Civilization differences

• The Germans' Battleships can train Manchu through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
• The United States can get Manchu through the "Poker" Home City Card, in the pool of random mercenaries shipped, which also randomly enables them in Saloons.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Heavy cavalry, hand shock infantry, artillery
Weak vs.	Heavy infantry, light infantry, MercType2
Improvements
Hit points	Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Seminole Bowyer (+15%) Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%) Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+10%) Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs (+10%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Yoga (+5%) Carib Garifuna Drums (+1.0 multiplier vs. villagers) Horsemanship (+1.0 multiplier vs. Walls; Lakota only) Wind Horses (-10% Rate of Fire) Carabinieri (-10% ranged Rate of Fire; Italians only)
Resistance	Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance)
Range	Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2) Sarmatism (+1)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3) Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2) Sarmatism (+1)
Speed	Horse Secrets (+10%; Haudenosaunee only) 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%) Carabinieri (-10%; Italians only) 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) Philhellenism (-10%) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, 50% influence; Ethiopians only)

Home City Cards

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

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 Damage	Cavalry get +15% damage
Cavalry Hitpoints	Cavalry get +15% hit points
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)
Hire Manchurian Cavalry Archers	Delivers 9 Manchu; costs 1,000 coin
Outlaw Combat	Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage (costs 500 coin for Baja California)

• "Cavalry Damage" is available to the British and Lakota.
• "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 the Maltese and Spanish) and Indians.
• "Hire Manchurian Cavalry Archers" is available to the Chinese and Russians.
• "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)

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%
Hire Mandarin Mercenary Army	Delivers 10 Manchu and 7 Iron Troops; costs 2,000 coin
TEAM Imperial Manchu Vanguard	Delivers 5 Manchu; costs 1,000 coin

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
Hire Asian Mercenary Army	Delivers 5 Ronin and 7 Manchu; costs 2,000 coin
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 Asian Mercenary Army" is available to the Ottomans and Portuguese.
• "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.

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

Inca

Card	Description	Age
Road Building	Land military units get +10% speed

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
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
Akincis	Light ranged cavalry get +100% bonus damage against villagers; Cavalry Archer train time -15%

Russians

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

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
Ranged Cavalry Combat	Ranged cavalry get +15% hit points and damage
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
Hire Manchurian Cavalry Archers	Ships 9 Manchu; costs 1,000 coin		10

• "Riding School" is available to Europeans and the Indians.
• "Hire Manchurian Cavalry Archers" is available to the Chinese, Ottomans, and Russians.

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
Hire Mandarin Mercenary Army	Delivers 10 Manchu and 7 Iron Troops; costs 2,000 coin		25
TEAM 5 Manchu	Delivers 5 Manchu; costs 1,000 coin		25

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Cavalry Combat	Cavalry get +15% hit points and damage		10
Hire Asian Mercenary Army	Delivers 5 Ronin and 7 Manchu; costs 2,000 coin		25

• "Cavalry Combat" is available to the Dutch, Ottomans, and Russians.
• "Hire Asian Mercenary Army" is available to the Ottomans, Portuguese, and Spanish.

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

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Irregulars	Light ranged cavalry get +100% bonus damage against villagers		25

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
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 Line of Sight		10

In-game dialogue

Unlike other units native to China, the Manchu speaks their own Manchu language (Manju Gisun), an endangered language of Tungusic origin native to Manchuria and one of the official languages of the Qing dynasty.

• Select 1 Je? (ᠵᡝ) - Yes?
• Select 2 Cooha belheme jurambi. (ᠴᠣᠣᡥᠠ ᠪᡝᠯᡥᡝᠮᡝ ᠵᡠᡵᠠᠮᠪᡳ) - Troop(s) ready to set out.
• Select 3 Temgetu selgiyen? (ᡨᡝᠮᡤᡝᡨᡠ ᠰᡝᠯᡤᡳᠶᡝᠨ) - Official order(s)?
• Move 1 Je (ᠵᡝ) - Yes
• Move 2 Je (ᠵᡝ) - Yes
• Move 3 Bi uthai genembi (ᠪᡳ ᡠᡨᡥᠠᡳ ᡤᡝᠨᡝᠮᠪᡳ) - I immediately go
• Attack 1 Bire! (ᠪᡳᡵᡝ) - Charge!
• Attack 2 Wa! (ᠸᠠ) - Kill!
• Attack 3 Je! (ᠵᡝ) - Yes!

History

“	The Manchu people overthrew the Ming dynasty in the middle of the seventeenth century. They established the Ch'ing dynasty and tried to remain separate from the general populace of China. They had been a nomadic people once, riding and fighting from horseback, and tending crops and herds. The Ch'ing dynasty ruled China for about 300 years. Manchurian soldiers and warriors fought with recurve bows, swords, lances, halberds, and even their bare hands. They wore heavy robes that hung to the knee, allowing free movement on foot and horseback.	”
—In-game history section

Trivia

• The Manchu's history portrait mistakenly shows a Cavalry Archer.
• The In-game history section mistakenly refers to Manchus as nomadic, but Manchus in real life were sedentary farmers who lived in villages and cities in the forests and were not steppe nomads, unlike the Mongols. The in-game history even contradicts itself by later saying they tended crops which nomads did not do.
  • The misconception of Manchus being nomadic is primarily because the Manchus (and their ancestors in the Age of Empires II timeframe, the Jurchens) had a horse culture and clan structure similar to the Mongols (even adapting the "khan" title for their leaders).
• The Qing (Ch'ing) dynasty which fell in 1912 also lasted 268 years in northeastern China where the northern Ming fell in 1644, and less than that in all of China since the Southern Ming still lasted until 1683.

Gallery

An in-game Manchu in the Definitive Edition

An in-game Manchu in the original game

Manchus attacking Settlers

The Manchu's history portrait