Royal Arquebusier

Royal Arquebusier
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean
Type	Infantry Light infantry Ranged infantry Gunpowder unit Rifle infantry Native warrior
Age	Commerce Age
Training
Trained at	Trading Post or Tambo on a House of Vasa palace Native Embassy
Cost	70 Food 30 Wood
Train time	26 seconds
Train limit	14 per House of Vasa palace
Statistics
Hit points	150
Resistance	10% Hand
Speed	4.5
Line of Sight	18
Ability	Combat Promotion*
XP train bounty	10
XP kill bounty	10
Ranged attack
Damage	12 Ranged
Range	2-15
Rate of Fire	3.0
Bonus damage	2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry 2.5x vs. Ranged shock infantry 1.5x vs. Heavy infantry 0.6x vs. Cavalry 0.6x vs. Shock infantry*
Siege attack
Damage	9 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	8 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry 2.0x vs. Ranged shock infantry 1.5x vs. Heavy infantry 0.75x vs. Cavalry 0.75x vs. Shock infantry*

“	Swedish Skirmisher that can fight in the frontline thanks to his high hitpoints and hand damage. Benefits from Promotions.	”
—In-game description

The Royal Arquebusier is a ranged infantry native warrior in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean that can be trained at a Trading Post built on a House of Vasa palace.

Overview

Royal Arquebusiers are ranged infantry units. They are available starting in the Commerce Age, effective against heavy infantry like Musketeers, but are vulnerable against melee cavalry and artillery. In comparison with other ranged infantry (like the Crossbowman or the State Militia), the Royal Arquebusier is similar in terms of range, speed, Line of Sight, and train time, has less ranged attack and increased food cost, but higher hit points, slightly higher hand attack, and resists hand damage.

Due to their increased hit points and hand resistance, in addition to their attack multipliers, the Royal Arquebusier can defeat melee heavy infantry like the Pikeman in close combat more easily. However, since heavy infantry also resist hand damage, it is recommended to make use of the Royal Arquebusier in ranged combat before entering melee.

Promotion

Royal Arquebusiers benefit from the Combat Promotion, which increases their hit points and damage for each enemy military unit they defeat, up to a maximum of three units. These values can be increased with Home City Cards or upgrades that benefit rifle infantry units, like Flint Lock or Paper Cartridge.

Promotion	Bronze Rank	Silver Rank	Gold Rank
Combat Promotion	+15% hit points and damage	+30% hit points and damage	+45% hit points and damage

Upgrades

Age	Upgrade	Cost	Effect
	Veteran Vasa	125 wood 125 coin	Upgrades Royal Arquebusiers to Veteran (+20% hit points and damage)
	Royal Guard Vasa	300 wood 300 coin	Upgrades Royal Arquebusiers and Winged Hussars to Royal Guard (+40% hit points and damage); requires Veteran Vasa
	Legendary Native Warriors Exalted Natives	1,500 food 1,500 wood	Upgrades native warriors to Legendary/Exalted/Imperial (+50% hit points and damage)

• The Legendary Native Warriors technology is available in the Capitol for European civilizations and the Mexicans, the State Capitol for the United States, and the Town Center for Asian (as Exalted Natives) and Native American civilizations.
• For African civilizations, native warriors are upgraded automatically and for free.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Heavy infantry, light ranged cavalry, ranged shock infantry
Weak vs.	Heavy cavalry, shock infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points	Flint Lock (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Paper Cartridge (+15%) Smokeless Powder (+10%) Armatoloi (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Yoga (+5%) Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack) Somali Jile Daggers (-35% hand attack Rate of Fire) Counter Infantry Rifling (+1.0 multiplier vs. heavy infantry) Kalthoff Repeaters (+0.1 multiplier vs. light infantry)
Resistance	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance) Hualcana (+5% resistance; Inca only)
Range	Schützenfest (+1)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3) Schützenfest (+1)
Speed	Cherokee War Dance (+20%) Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only) Military Drummers (+10%) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time	Cree Kinship (-45%) Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only)
Cost	Philhellenism (-10%)
Other	Yoruba Herbalism (regenerates hit points when close to a tree or Berry Bush) Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties	Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Royal Arquebusier

Some cards are highlighted with:
Green	TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Red	Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue	Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

All

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen	Ranged infantry get +10% damage; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% damage instead
Native Treaties	Each different allied native tribe sends a shipment of their respective native warriors (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
Native Alliance	Native warrior train limit +20% and cost -10% (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Native Warriors	Native warriors cost -25% (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
Native Warrior Combat	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage
TEAM Native Weapon Trade	Native warrior train limit +20%
Blood Brothers	Upgrades native warriors to Elite/Disciplined/Veteran and Champion/Honored/Royal Guard; Native Embassies get +40% hit points and +5 build limit (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
Fencing School	Infantry (except Warrior Priests and Skull Knights) and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)

• "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
• "Native Treaties" is available to Africans, Europeans (except the Maltese), Federal Americans, and Native Americans, and ships 4 Royal Arquebusiers if the player had built a Trading Post on a House of Vasa palace.
• "Native Alliance" is available to the Aztecs, Inca, Indians, and Japanese.
• "Native Warriors" is available to Europeans, the Lakota and Mexicans.
• "Native Warrior Combat" is available to the French, Haudenosaunee, and Inca, and also Mexicans upon revolting to the Maya, and British upon revolting to Haiti.
• "TEAM Native Weapon Trade" is available to the Dutch and Lakota, and also British and French upon revolting to Canada.
• "Blood Brothers" is available to the Aztecs, French, Germans, Haudenosaunee, Lakota, Portuguese, Russians, and Spanish, and also British upon revolting to Canada or Haiti.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Fencing School" is available to Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish), the Aztecs and Indians.

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)

Asians

Card	Description	Age
Native Warrior Hitpoints	Native warriors get +30% hit points and +10% speed (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Native Warrior Attack	Native warriors get +30% damage and -25% train time

• "Native Warrior Hitpoints" is not available to the Japanese.
• "Native Warrior Attack" is not available to the Indians.

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure	Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
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%

• "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Coffee Consumption	Ranged infantry get +5% speed
Temenyas	Gunpowder infantry get +5% damage; Neftenya can be trained in the Commerce Age
Ignatian Spirituality	All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Mercenary Loyalty	Mercenary and native warrior shipments cost -25% (-10% for INFINITE cards)
11 Vasa Allies	Delivers 11 Royal Arquebusiers; costs 500 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
Sevites	Maroons, native warriors, and villagers now regenerate hit points at a rate of 0.25% per second when idle; Yoruba Eso Rider hit point degeneration rate -60% and Militiaman hit point degeneration rate -10%, and for both stops at 25% hit points
Louverture Liberation	Delivers 6 Citizens; Citizens can be trained at Town Centers for 70 coin; Fishing Boats can be trained at Docks; native warriors get +20% hit points and +5% speed
Wanderlust	Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed

• "11 Vasa Allies" is available to the Russians and Swedes.
• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Sevites" and "Louverture Liberation" are available to the British and French upon revolting to Haiti.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

Federal Americans

Card	Description	Age
Indian Friendship/Chimayo Genizarios	Each different allied native tribe sends a large shipment of their respective native warriors and upgrades them to Elite and Champion; native warriors train time -10%; native warrior shipments and "Native Treaties" arrive time -50%; costs 500 food, 500 wood

• "Indian Friendship" is available to the United States and "Chimayo Genizarios" to the Mexicans.

French

Card	Description	Age
Wilderness Warfare	Coureurs des Bois, Cree Coureurs des Bois, native warriors, Skirmishers, and Settlers get +20% hit points
TEAM French Auxiliaries Combat	Native warriors get +10% hit points and damage
Royal Fencing School	Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
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 Herded animals, Mills, Farms and coin from Estates 15% faster

• "Cult of the Supreme Being" is available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Conservative Tactics	Infantry get +10% hit points and damage
Native Warrior Conscription	Native warrior cost -25% and train limit +20%
Wampum	Training units and constructing buildings grants +35% XP; unit train time -20%, siege unit and artillery train time -5% instead

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
Couriers	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -45%
TEAM Inca Bridges	Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed

• "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.

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
Zamindars	Infantry train time -20%; delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with each Home City shipment, including this one

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% all melee attack damage

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
Onin War	Infantry get +33% siege attack damage
TEAM Sengoku	Unit upgrades cost -20%
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
Moccasins	Infantry get +10% speed
Black Arrow	Native warriors train time -85%
Winter Counts	Training units grants +40% XP and constructing buildings grants +20% XP

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
Guerrilla Tactics	Rifle infantry get +15% hit points and damage; Salteadores get the Guerrilla Tactics ability
Plan of Miramare	Turns all Salteadores into Voltigeurs; rifle infantry get +2 Line of Sight and range (including ability range); costs 750 food, 750 wood
TEAM Mariachi	For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Colegio de San Nicolás	Delivers Large Collection of Books (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
Bastimento	Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok	Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time

• "Guerrilla Tactics" is also available upon revolting to Yucatán.
• "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "Bastimento" is available upon revolting to Rio Grande.
• "Pok Ta Pok" is available upon revolting to the Maya.

Ottomans

Card	Description	Age
Matrakci School	Infantry and shock infantry train time -30%; Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, and Humbaraci train time -40% instead

Portuguese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints	Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points

Russians

Card	Description	Age
Ransack	Infantry get +50% siege attack damage
Dueling School	Infantry train time -25%

Spanish

Card	Description	Age
Peninsular Guerrillas	Ranged infantry get +20% damage, musket infantry get +10% damage instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic units get +10 Line of Sight

United States

Card	Description	Age
Continental Rangers	Rifle infantry get +15% hit points and damage
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

• "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.

Changelog

Knights of the Mediterranean

• With update 13.12327, Royal Arquebusiers benefit from the Combat Promotion (incorrectly referred as Valor Promotion in the patch notes) which increases their hit points and damage for each enemy military unit they defeat.
• Originally, Royal Arquebusiers' in-game description was "Swedish Skirmisher that can fight in the frontline thanks to his high hitpoints and hand damage.". With update 13.12327, the Royal Arquebusiers' in-game description is "Swedish Skirmisher that can fight in the frontline thanks to his high hitpoints and hand damage. Benefits from Promotions."
• Originally, Royal Arquebusiers have a ×2.0 ranged multiplier against light ranged cavalry and ranged shock infantry, and ×0.75 against cavalry and hand shock infantry. With update 13.58326, they have a ×2.5 ranged multiplier against light cavalry and ranged shock infantry, ×0.6 vs. cavalry and ×0.5 vs. shock infantry. With update 14.3853, the melee multiplier vs. hand shock infantry is changed to shock infantry.

In-game dialogue

The Royal Arquebusier speaks Swedish using the Swedish Crossbowman's dialogue files.

Trivia

• In its portrait and in-game model, the Royal Arquebusier is armed with a matchlock arquebus. However, it is tagged as Rifle infantry, possibly for balance reasons due to its multipliers against heavy infantry and light cavalry.
• The Royal Arquebusier resembles arquebusiers from the 17th century.
• The Royal Arquebusier is the second unit that uses an arquebus, the first one being the Chinese Arquebusier.

History

“

The House of Vasa ruled Sweden and much of Poland during the 16th and 17th centuries. When engaged in the Thirty Years' War (1618-48), Gustavus Adolphus assembled an army that he diligently trained himself, using innovative tactics to compete with the larger and better-equipped armies of his adversaries. The royal arquebusiers were one component of this combined arms force, and they helped engineer groundbreaking victories at battles such as Breitenfeld and River Lech.

”

Gallery

Royal Arquebusier image from the Compendium section

An in-game Royal Arquebusier