Ronin function as a vastly superior version of the Doppelsoldner, their attacks dealing Area of Effect damage and having high multipliers against cavalry. The Ronin's siege damage is also extremely high, as they match those of an Imperial Doppelsoldner (without any upgrades).
When it comes to close combat, Ronin are almost invincible, capable of slaying any unit that comes in their path, including the strongest cavalry units such as the Mahout Lancers and other heavy infantry in mere seconds. Ronins can defeat any forms of infantry and cavalry relatively easily. Due to having very high hand damage, they can become nightmares to cavalry and infantry based armies. One of the ways to counter Ronin is to have artillery protected in the back with Heavy Infantry or to mix Spies and Ninjas in the army, as they have large bonuses against mercenaries.
Ronin can only be sent by the Ottomans and Portuguese at the Industrial Age through the "Asian Mercenary Army" Home City Card, which consists of 7 Manchu and 5 Ronin. However, the Portuguese can get them in the Fortress Age with the "Passage to Nipon" card, which sends 5 Ronin. In the original Age of Empires III, the Ronin, along with the Manchu, is the rarest mercenary due to the fact that it can only be hired by civilizations mentioned above. In The WarChiefs, all European civilizations have the "Dance Hall" card which enables Ronin to be trained from the Saloon. In the Definitive Edition, with update 23511, all European civilizations (except the Germans) have the "Theaters" card, which enables Ronin to be trained from the Tavern.
Civilization differences[]
The Germans' Battleships can train Ronin through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
The Japanese can get Ronin through the "Forty Seven Ronin" Home City Card, which turns all Wonders and Town Centers into Ronin. Also, the Japanese have the "Hire Ronin Samurai", "Hire Japanese Mercenary Army", and "Hire Ronin Samurai Army" cards, which ships 5, 5 and 15 Ronin respectively, and can be sent twice.
The United States can get Ronin through the "Poker" Home City Card, in the pool of random mercenaries shipped, which also randomly enables them in Saloons.
Hatamoto Samurai[]
“
Japanese Samurai mercenary.
”
—In-game description
The Hatamoto Samurai is a counterpart of the Ronin which starts with +10% hit points and attack. It is identical to the Ronin, but is easier to access, since it can be trained from the JapaneseConsulate if Japanese Isolation is chosen. With all attack improvement upgrades (Carib Kasiri Beer and Zapotec Cult of the Dead), Home City Cards (Indian and Spanish allies), the Japanese Isolation bonus, and the Golden Pavilion hand attack bonus, the Hatamoto Samurai is the hand infantry with the highest hand attack, 147.9.
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.
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
Ronin were samurai who had no lord and, by extension, an uncertain role in feudal Japan. A famous group of ronin were samurai loyal to the daimyo Asano, who was disgraced and forced by the strictures of honor to commit ritual suicide, or seppuku. His death made ronin out of 47 of his samurai, who set out to avenge their master's dishonor. They killed the daimyo Kira who had lured their master into disgrace and, while admired by the people and considered heroes, these Ronin were eventually sentenced to death. They were given permission to follow their daimyo into the afterlife by commiting seppuku, rather than being executed as criminals.
Ronin, as samurai, fought with a wide array of weapons: katana, nodachi, kama, jutte, and their bare hands - though the katana is iconically associated with samurai. They wore elaborate armor, enameled and richly decorated.
”
Trivia[]
There is an occasional glitch in the Scenario Editor where Ronins can attack, but will be unable to deal damage to other units, including other Ronin.
The Hatamoto Samurai's large bonus against cavalry is most likely a reference to the Nodachi/Odachi, a large two-handed sword intended to counter cavalry by using its size and mass to cut the horses' legs or slice into the horses' breasts.
In reality, Hatamoto Samurai were high-ranking Shogunate officers, not mercenaries. The term Hatamoto (旗本) itself roughly means bannermen and flag bearers.
+30% hit points and attack
Liberation March
Fencing School
Outlaw Combat
Feudal Armies
Loyal Warriors
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure
Western Reforms
Acupuncture
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints
Dutch States Army
Ignatian Spirituality
Hire Asian Mercenary Army
Mercenary Loyalty
Theaters
Wanderlust
Royal Fencing School
Cult of the Supreme Being
Improved Mercenaries
Adler von Lübeck
TEAM Scout Infantry
Sahelian Kingdoms
TEAM Inca Bridges
Dravidian Martial Arts
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics
Zamindars
Infantry Hitpoints
Schiavoni Swords
Onin War
Good Faith Agreements
Bakufu
Forty Seven Ronin
Hire Ronin Samurai
Hire Japanese Mercenary Army
Hire Ronin Samurai Army
TEAM Knights of the Round Table
Squires
TEAM Mariachi
Colegio de San Nicolás
National Servant
Bastimento
Pok Ta Pok
Matrakci School
Passage to Nippon
Ransack
Dueling School
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack
Archaic Infantry Hitpoints
Archaic Infantry Combat
TEAM Spanish Inquisition
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Attack
TEAM House of Bernadotte
German Mercenary Contracts
United States Army
Poker
Indiana Mobilization
Hamilton's Own
Dance Hall
TEAM Dueling School
