Mercenary (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the unit type in Age of Empires III. For other uses of the term, see Mercenary.

Mercenaries are a class of special military units in Age of Empires III that can be shipped from the Home City or trained at the mercenary buildings (Tavern for European civilizations, Monastery for Asian civilizations, Saloon for Federal American civilizations and Palace for African civilizations). Native Americans cannot train mercenaries since they lack equivalent mercenary buildings, but they can ship mercenaries with Home City Cards.

The choice of mercenaries available to a player depends on multiple factors such as the played civilization, the current map, as well as random selection.

They are defined in game files by the Mercenary tag, so Spies, Ninjas, Native Scouts (with the "Advanced Scouts" Home City Card), Maigadis, and Inquisitors have a bonus against them.

Overview

A Barbary Corsair, one of the mercenaries in Age of Empires III

Mercenaries only cost coin, and they are more expensive, stronger, and use up more population than their regular unit counterparts. Mercenary buildings can train mercenaries, but the availability of each mercenary changes on every random map.

Although not technically a mercenary, the technologies provided by the "improved Church" cards function similarly to mercenaries, such as St. Petersburg Dragoons for the Russians and Young Guard for the French, as the player pays a high amount of resources and can only research them once, although this doesn't use up any of their Home City shipments.

Since the Definitive Edition, the British, Dutch, Ottomans, Portuguese, and Swedes can choose The Mercenary Contractor to advance into the Fortress Age, which allows the Tavern to train certain mercenaries regardless of the map. The Mercenary Contractor also improves the hitpoints and attack of Industrial and Imperial Age mercenaries if a player picks him for advancing into the Imperial Age, and this can be done with all European civilizations.

List of mercenaries

Age of Empires III

• Barbary Corsair: Pirate mercenary from the Barbary Coast. (based on Rodelero)
• Black Rider: Heavily armed German mercenary cavalry armed with pistols. (based on Dragoon)
• Hackapell: Heavy cavalry mercenary from Finland. (based on Uhlan)
• Highlander: Powerful Musketeer from Scotland. (based on Musketeer)
• Jaeger: Hessian skirmisher mercenary. Good against infantry. (based on Skirmisher)
• Landsknecht: Flamboyant German heavy infantry mercenary. (based on Halberdier)
• Mameluke: Bold cavalry mercenary from Egypt.
• Manchu: Chinese cavalry archer mercenary. (based on Cavalry Archer)
• Ronin: Japanese Samurai mercenary. (based on Doppelsoldner)
• Stradiot: Heavy cavalry mercenary from the Balkans. (based on Hussar)
• Swiss Pikeman: Elite Swiss mercenary armed with a pike. Good against cavalry. (based on Pikeman)

The WarChiefs

• Elmetto: Heavy cavalry armed with a lance. Good against infantry. (based on Lancer)
• Fusilier: Powerful ranged infantry mercenary.
• Li'l Bombard: Powerful heavy artillery from the foundries of Europe. (based on Great Bombard)
• Ninja: Japanese assassin. Highly effective against mercenaries, Explorers, War Chiefs, and Monks.

The Asian Dynasties

• Arsonist: Mercenary light artillery that throws fire bombs to destroy buildings. Also good against infantry. (based on Grenadier)
• Iron Troop: Mercenary foot archer from China that wears heavy armor. Good against infantry.
• Jat Lancer: An elite Indian mercenary armed with a lance. Good against archers, skirmishers, and artillery. (based on Lancer)
• Yojimbo: Heavily armed mercenary cavalry good with both a bow and a sword. Good against cavalry.

Definitive Edition

• Harquebusier: Heavy cavalry mercenary with a powerful short ranged attack. (replaces Hackapell)
• Napoleon Gun: Small but mighty field gun with an additional case shot attack. Moves and fires quickly. (based on Leather Cannon)
• Zouave: Zouave. High hitpoint ranged infantry.

The African Royals

• Askari: Powerful well-drilled African musketeer mercenary ready to restore order. (based on Carolean)
• Cannoneer: Armored cannoneer mercenary from Portugal who fires a heavy musket inflicting siege damage. (based on Abus Gunner)
• Dahomey Amazon: Battle-tested woman bodyguard mercenary of the Dahomey armed with rifle to counter infantry. Attacks faster at close range by throwing knives.
• Gatling Camel: Egyptian mercenary equipped with an automatic-fire gun mounted on a camel. Good against infantry, particularly Heavy Infantry.
• Kanuri Guard: Heavily armored Kanuri cavalryman mercenary skilled in the use of muskets. Good against heavy cavalry. (based on Dragoon)
• Sennar Horseman: Heavy hand cavalry mercenary from Sudan with many hitpoints and dual armor. Good against light infantry and artillery. (based on Lifidi Knight)
• Zenata Rider: Mercenary Rider of the Berber Zenata armed with a shield and javelins. Good against cavalry and artillery. (based on Javelin Rider)

Knights of the Mediterranean

• Pandour: Notorious Skirmisher from the Balkans that counters Skirmishers. Can use stealth. (based on Schiavone)
• Giant Grenadier: Heavy ranged infantry mercenary that inflicts area damage with its ranged attack. (based on Soldado)
• Bosniak: Mercenary lancer with a powerful lance attack that charges while fighting. Benefits from Promotions. (based on Chinaco)
• Armored Pistoleer: Heavy ranged infantry mercenary from Savoy who uses his thick darkened armor to deflect some of the damage inflicted to nearby allies. Pistol attack deals area damage.
• Royal Horseman: Guard Cavalry mercenary riding a heavy war horse that damages units while moving. (based on Cuirassier)
• Irish Brigadier: Affordable Muskeeter from Ireland with a high hand attack. Benefits from promotions.
• Mounted Rifleman: Long ranged heavy cavalry mercenary. Strong against Infantry, specially Skirmishers. Countered by other cavalry.

Other tags

The game refers to several units without the Mercenary tag as mercenaries, such as mercenary warships. These units are unaffected by upgrades for and multipliers against mercenaries. They are divided into 4 tags:

MercType1

The MercType1 tag is given to units granted by Home City shipments of native warriors. These have their own build limit, which is not shared with their respective native warrior that can be trained from Trading Posts, Tambos, or Native Embassies. The only other units with this tag are the Skull Knight and Tokala Soldier, both of which can be trained from the Community Plaza.

MercType2

The MercType2 tag is given to units with multipliers against mercenaries, and the Shinobi. The list of units with this tag is as follows:

• Inquisitor: Sinister priest who spies and heals in the name of faith. Inflicts burning damage.
• Maigadi: Powerful heavy ranged infantry with a deadly heavy attack.
• Muhbir: Sneaky assassin. Highly effective against mercenaries and heroes such as Explorers. Attacks faster with less hitpoints and benefits from promotions.
• Ninja (also has the Mercenary tag)
• Spy: Sneaky assassin. Highly effective against mercenaries, Explorers, War Chiefs, and Monks.
• Shinobi: Stealthy ranged infantry. Good against infantry.

MercType3

Only 2 units have the MercType3 tag, both of which are campaign-only treasure guardians:

• Corsair Captain
• Outlaw Musketeer

MercType5

All mercenary warships have the MercType5 tag:

• Battleship: A mighty Ship of the Line that rules the waves and everything on it.
• Privateer: Mercenary warship.
• War Dhow: Powerful, heavy Mercenary Warship with very high hitpoints.
• Wokou Junk: Mercenary warship.
• Xebec: A powerful, agile mercenary warship that fires faster at close range. Inflicts high damage.

Technologies

The technologies that affect units with the mercenary tag are shown below:

• Customized Merc Weapons (Mercenaries get +30% attack, but buildings cost +30%, John Black's Mercenaries only)
• Blue Nile Ties (Mercenaries cost and train time -15%, Ethiopians with Arab Alliance)
• Yemeni Relations (Mercenaries cost changed to 50% coin, 50% influence, Ethiopians with Arab Alliance)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Mercenary tag

All

Card	Description	Age
Mercenary Loyalty*	Most mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -25%; +3 Uhlans, Wallenstein's Contracts cost -50%; (Industrial Age infinite mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -10%, Hire Ronin Samurai Army shipment cost -33%, Hire Indian Jat Lancers shipment cost -50%, Recruit Wokou +10 Petards shipment cost -10%)

• "Mercenary Loyalty" is available to Asians and Europeans.

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, Mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments)

Germans

Card	Description	Age
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack +3 Uhlans

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Sahelian Kingdoms	Native warriors get +15% hit points and attack; Mercenaries and Outlaws get +10% hit points and attack

Mexicans

Card	Description	Age
Outlaw Combat	Upgrades Filibusters to Veteran (if not already); outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and attack; costs 750 coin

"Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to Baja California.

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
German Mercenary Contracts	Mercenaries get +25% hit points and attack; Jaegers and Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons

Trivia

• Mercenaries are not available in the demo version.