Outlaw (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the unit type in Age of Empires III. For the hidden unit in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, see Outlaw (Age of Empires II).

Comanchero, an outlaw unit

Outlaws are units in Age of Empires III with a cheap coin cost, but who use up more population than mercenaries. In the game files, since update 23511, they are referred to as AbstractOutlaw. With update 15.59076, the icon for outlaws was added.

They are not to be confused with mercenaries, even though they have a similar function to them, so they aren't countered by Spies, Ninjas, Native Scouts with the Advanced Scouts Home City Card, or Maigadis. Only the United States General through the Sheriff Home City Card and the Carabiniere deal bonus damage against them.

Outlaws also shouldn't be confused with treasure guardians that share the same unit models, but differ in names, stats, and can be sniped by Heroes.

They are trainable from the Tavern (for European civilizations), Native Embassy (for Native American civilizations), Saloon (for American civilizations), Monastery (for Asian civilizations), Lombard (for the Italians), and Watch Tower (for African civilizations) from the Commerce Age.

The types of outlaws available at the Tavern or Monastery depends on the map, with a selection of them available in every game. On the other hand, the Native Embassy, the Saloon, and the Watch Tower can only train preset outlaws for their respective civilizations. All outlaws requiring population can have their population cost reduced by 2 if a civilization has access to the Theaters, Atonement, Dance Hall or Cantinas Home City Cards.

Prior to the Definitive Edition, outlaws could only be upgraded with +35% hit points and attack. This limits their usefulness to only before the Industrial Age. Since the Definitive Edition, all outlaws can be upgraded more than before, similar to Guard and Imperial levels, with the respective outlaw technology which every civilization has.

List of outlaws

Age of Empires III

• Pirate (Amazonia, Caribbean, Hispaniola, New England, Orinoco, Patagonia, Saguenay): A dangerous Pirate.

The WarChiefs

• Comanchero (Alaska, Andes, Araucania, Baja California, California, Great Lakes, Great Plains, Mexico, Northwest Territory, Painted Desert, Pampas, Patagonia, Saguenay, Sonora, Texas, Yucatán, Yukon): A dangerous outlaw on horseback.
• Pistolero (Amazonia, Araucania, Bayou, Carolina, Colorado, Dakota, Orinoco, Painted Desert, Pampas, Rockies, Sonora, Unknown, Yucatán, Yukon): A dangerous outlaw with a pistol.
• Renegado (Alaska, Andes, Baja California, Bayou, California, Carolina, Colorado, Dakota, Great Lakes, Great Plains, New England, Rockies, and Texas): A dangerous outlaw with a rifle.

The Asian Dynasties

• Dacoit (Bengal, Borneo, Ceylon, Deccan, Fertile Crescent, Himalayas, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Punjab, Silk Road): A dangerous Indian highwayman armed with a pistol.
• Thuggee (Bengal, Ceylon, Deccan, Fertile Crescent, Punjab): A dangerous Indian thug armed with a rifle.
• Wokou Horseman (Central Asia, Central Plain, Himalayas, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kamchatka, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Parallel Rivers, Siberia, Silk Road, Yamal, Yellow River): A nomadic horseman. Good against cavalry.
• Wokou Monk (Central Asia, Central Plain, Kamchatka, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Parralel Rivers, Silk Road, Yellow River): A Monk with keen senses. Good against infantry.
• Wokou Pirate (Borneo, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia): An Eastern pirate in search of booty. Good against cavalry and buildings.
• Wokou Ronin (Hokkaido, Honshu): A Japanese swordsman with no master. Good against cavalry and buildings.

Definitive Edition

• Corsair Marksman (Barbary States, Hausa): Corsair skirmisher armed with a Kabyle musket to ambush infantry, villagers and rival pirates.
• Cowboy (United States): Outlaw armed with a revolver who can gather from livestock and build Livestock Pens.
• Gaucho (Argentina): Cavalry that hurls bolas which can slow down enemies. Gathers from livestock and builds Livestock Pens.
• Jagunço (Brazil): A dangerous outlaw on horseback armed with a rifle. Effective against Heavy Cavalry and Heavy Infantry.
• Llanero (Gran Colombia): Hand cavalry with a powerful lance attack. Very effective against infantry.
• Morochuco (Peru): Cavalry armed with a revolver who can gather from livestock and build Livestock Pens.
• Mounted Granadero (Argentina): Ranged cavalry with a powerful grenade attack. Very effective against buildings.
• Captured Mortar: Artillery captured and operated by Native Americans. Fires an exploding shell at buildings or ships.

With the introduction of the United States, the following units were introduced for this civilization as unique versions of the Comanchero, Pistolero and Renegado, respectively, are their preset outlaws and they can only train them regardless of the map.

• Cowboy: A dangerous outlaw on horseback.
• Gunslinger: A dangerous outlaw with a pistol.
• Owlhoot: A dangerous outlaw with a rifle.

With the introduction of the Mexicans, the following units were introduced for this civilization as unique versions of the Comanchero, Pistolero and Renegado, respectively, are their preset outlaws and they can only train them regardless of the map.

• Cuatrero: A dangerous outlaw on horseback.
• Desperado: A dangerous outlaw with a pistol.
• Bandido: A dangerous outlaw with a rifle.

The African Royals

With the introduction of the African civilizations, the following units were introduced for these civilizations as their preset outlaws, and they can only train them regardless of the map.

• Desert Archer (African maps): Secretive, skilled archer from the desert that can hit distant targets as well as shoot fast at short range. Good against infantry.
• Desert Warrior (African maps): Hardy javelin warrior equipped with a large shield. The shield grants different armor types when switching combat stances. Good against cavalry.
• Desert Raider: Plundering Desert Raider. Good against buildings.

Knights of the Mediterranean

• Hajduk (Anatolia, Balkan Mountains, Budapest, Carpathians, Dnieper Basin, Hungarian Plains, Lithuania, Pripet Marshes, Vistula Basin, Wallachia): Popular outlaw armed with a rifle. Good against other skirmishers. Benefits from promotions.
• Cossack Daredevil (Carpathians, Courland, Dnieper Basin, Eurasian Steppe, Finland, France, Lithuania, Pripet Marshes, Vistula Basin): Fast Cossack hand cavalry from the Wild Fields with a powerful lance attack that charges while fighting. Can dismount.
• Crabat (Anatolia, Balkan Mountains, Baltic Sea, Black Forest, Bohemia, Budapest, Danish Straits, Hungarian Plains, Italy, Rhine, Saxony, Wallachia): Fast light ranged cavalry that performs well against all units. Counters Heavy Cavalry in hand combat. Benefits from promotions.
• Inquisitor (Alps, Archipelago, Baltic Sea, Black Forest, Bohemia, Corsica and Sardinia, Danish Straits, England, Ireland, Italy, Low Countries, Pyrenees, Saxony, Scandinavia, Scotland, Spain and Wales): Sinister priest who spies and heals in the name of the faith. Inflicts burning damage.
• Highwayman (Alps, Archipelago, Corsica and Sardinia, Courland, England, Finland, France, Ireland, Low Countries, Pyrenees, Scandinavia, Scotland, Spain and Wales): Mounted Outlaw armed with a pistol. Can also use a deadly charged rifle attack and dismount from his horse. Good against Cavalry.

Unknown-exclusive

Some special outlaw/treasure guardian units do not appear in standard supremacy games, but might appear in the Unknown map.

• African Vagabond
• Bandit Blowgunner
• Buccaneer
• Colonial Looter
• Corsair Marksman
• Knife Thrower
• Marathan Arsonist

Technologies

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

• Folk Heroes (Outlaw hit points and attack +20%/+30%/+50% in Fortress Age/Industrial Age/Imperial Age, train time -50% Europeans only)
• Compunction (Outlaw hit points and attack +20%/+30%/+50% in Fortress Age/Industrial Age/Imperial Age, train time -50%, Asians only)
• Wild West (Outlaw hit points and attack +20%/+30%/+50% in Fortress Age/Industrial Age/Imperial Age, train time -50%, Americans and Native Americans only)
• Nomadic Bandits (Outlaw hit points and attack +20%/+30%/+50% in Fortress Age/Industrial Age/Imperial Age, train time -50%, Africans only)
• Refreshing Beverages (Outlaw and Hero charged ability cooldown -30%, Americans only)
• Peacemakers (Outlaw +10% hit points and attack, Americans only)

Home City Cards

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

Africans

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

Asians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Atonement	The Monastery can train Iron Troopers/Jat Lancers/Yojimbo and outlaws use -2 population, +1 Villager		25

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
Shiftas	Villagers get +35% hit points; Outlaws get +15% hit points and use -1 population

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Theaters	Upgrades the Tavern to the Theater which can train Ronin; Outlaws use -2 population		1

• The "Theaters" card is not available to the Germans.

Germans

Card	Description	Age
Witch Hammer	Ships 3 Inquisitors; Inquisitors can be trained at Tavern/Mercenary Camps, Town Centers, Church and Outposts; Outlaws use -2 population; +2 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
Cantinas	Upgrades the Saloon to the Cantina which can train Ronin; Outlaws use -1 population
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.

United States

Card	Description	Age
Dance Hall	Upgrades Saloon to Dance Hall which can train Ronins; Outlaws use -2 population

Trivia

• Update 38254 changed the word "Outlaw" to "Bandit" in the names of Wild West outlaw Treasure guardian units to better differentiate the trainable outlaws from the Treasure guardian units.
• Outlaws and Treasure guardians have different themes from popular culture: pirates, Wild West, Indian bandits, Japanese Jidaigeki, desert warriors, African natives and Victorian era colonial explorers.