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This article is about the unit in Age of Empires III. For the similar unit in Age of Empires II, see Skirmisher (Age of Empires II).

Skirmisher with low hitpoints, but a long-ranged attack. Good against infantry.
—In-game description

The Skirmisher is a ranged gunpowder infantry in Age of Empires III that can be trained at Barracks, Fort, and Galleons/Fluyts once the Fortress Age is reached.

Skirmishers are available to European civilizations except British (who have Rangers instead), Knights of St. John (Act I: Blood campaign), Maltese (who have Order Cassadores instead), Ottomans (who have Abus Gunners instead), Portuguese (who have Cassadores instead), Russians (who have Streltsy instead), Swedes (who may always train Jaegers at their Taverns instead), and Italians (who have Bersaglieri instead).

Overview[]

Skirmishers have a long-ranged attack that is suited to kiting the enemy from afar. They are strong at countering and defeating heavy infantry and ranged cavalry, but highly vulnerable to melee cavalry and artillery due to their relatively low hit points and a weak hand attack. They cost a relatively high amount of coin and it is not cost effective to use them against melee cavalry.

Typically they are used to create a strong mass ranged platform to support the rest of the army. Their long range ensures they can put all their damage to use as early as possible and makes them easy to control while kiting. They are effective against enemy Skirmishers and other ranged infantry, but their counter damage wards off cheaper heavy infantry attacks in melee, as well as harassment from fast ranged cavalry. When in position near enemy Settlers their range also makes them effective at harassing them while not committing too much to a bad position should a fight occur. When fighting heavy infantry it is advisable to take an Arsenal towards the time of the Industrial Age, in order to unlock Counter Infantry Rifling for an effective extra 50% attack against those units. Skirmishers are capable of sieging buildings, but this is a risky strategy due to the poor positioning required to do so, along with slow speed and low siege damage. It may be better to use them defensively in support of Falconets or Halberdiers instead.

If picking The Marksman for advancing to the Fortress Age with the French or Germans, the player gets six Skirmishers.

Comparisons[]

Spanish Unction-boosted Skirmishers will inflict 45.12 damage before multipliers with all attack upgrades that do not require an ally or minor native upgrade. French Skirmishers have the highest stand-alone HP in the endgame (as Imperial Voltigeurs), as they have a Royal Guard Upgrade (10%) and 15% and 20% hit point Home City Cards available to them.

The Cherokee Rifleman and Klamath Rifleman are comparable to Fortress Age Skirmishers but with much higher hit points and may be useful for civilizations that lack access to regular Skirmishers. They are available on maps featuring the Cherokee or Klamath, and available earlier in the Commerce Age. Note that these units cost wood instead of coin.

Upgrades[]

The Skirmisher starts at the Veteran level, giving them +20% hit points and attack.

If they are made available in the Commerce Age with the "TEAM House of Bonaparte" Home City Card, Skirmishers will be automatically upgraded to Veteran once the player reaches the Fortress Age.

Age Upgrade Cost Effect Civ.
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Guard infantry Guard Skirmishers 600 wood
600 coin
Upgrades Skirmishers to Guard (+30% hit points and attack)
Flag DutchDE
Spanish
Guard infantry Voltigeurs 750 wood
750 coin
Upgrades Skirmishers to Voltigeurs (Guard Skirmishers with +10% hit points and attack)
Flag FrenchDE
Guard infantry Prussian Needle Guns Upgrades Skirmishers to Needle Gunners (Guard Skirmishers with +10% hit points* and -0.25 Rate of Fire)
Flag GermanDE
Imperial Age
Imperial infantry Imperial Skirmishers 1,500 wood
1,500 coin
Upgrades Skirmishers to Imperial (+50% hit points and attack); Requires Guard Skirmishers
Flag DutchDE
Spanish
Imperial infantry Imperial Voltigeurs Upgrades Voltigeurs to Imperial Voltigeurs (+50% hit points and attack); Requires Voltigeurs
Flag FrenchDE
Imperial infantry Imperial Needle Guns Upgrades Needle Gunners to Imperial Needle Gunners (+50% hit points and attack); Requires Prussian Needle Guns
Flag GermanDE

Civilization differences[]

  • As seen above, the French and Germans can upgrade Skirmishers to Royal Guard and Imperial Guard.
  • Dutch Skirmishers can be trained from the Commerce Age; they will be automatically upgraded to Veteran once the player reaches the Fortress Age.
  • John Black's Mercenaries can only upgrade Skirmishers to Guard.
  • United States in Act III can upgrade Skirmishers to Imperial.
  • The Inca can get Skirmishers through the "Tupac Rebellion" Home City Card, which turns Jungle Bowmen into Guard Skirmishers.

Karelian Jaeger[]

Skirmisher with low hitpoints, but a long-ranged attack. Good against infantry. Gathers from trees, resource crates, and constructs Blockhouses.
—In-game description

The Karelian Jaeger is an upgrade of the Skirmisher unique to Finland, which replaces Revolutionaries with the following differences:

Upgrades[]

The Karelian Jaeger automatically gets Veteran and Guard level (total +50% hit points and attack) upon revolting to Finland.

Variants[]

Skirmisher with low hitpoints, but a long-ranged attack. Good against infantry.
—In-game description

The Prussian Needle Gunner (Prussian Needle Gun before the Definitive Edition) is a counterpart of the Skirmisher, which starts with +10% hit points and attack.

Upgrades[]

The Prussian Needle Gunner is automatically upgraded in the Fortress Age, Industrial Age and Imperial Age:

  • Fortress age up +20% hit points and attack
  • Industrial age up +30% hit points and +20% attack
  • Imperial age up +50% hit points and attack

Civilization differences[]

Revolutionary[]

  • Chile can get Prussian Needle Gunners through the "Military Parade" Home City Card, which includes 15 Prussian Needle Gunners.

Skirmisher with low hitpoints, but a long-ranged attack. Good against infantry.
—In-game description

The Voltigeur is a counterpart of the Skirmisher, which starts with +10% hit points and attack.

Upgrades[]

The Voltigeur is automatically upgraded in the Fortress Age, Industrial Age and Imperial Age:

  • Fortress age up +20% hit points and attack
  • Industrial age up +30% hit points and attack
  • Imperial age up +50% hit points and attack

Civilization differences[]

The Deserted Skirmisher is a Treasure guardian variant of the Skirmisher. It uses slightly modified stats from the base unit.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Heavy infantry, light cavalry, ranged shock infantry
Weak vs. Heavy cavalry, hand shock infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points Grand Encampment Grand Encampment (+25%; campaign United States only)
Flint lock Flint Lock (+10%)
Cree Tanning Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar kilns Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Paper cartridge Paper Cartridge (+15%)
Iroquois lacrosse Iroquois Lacrosse (+10%; vanilla Age of Empires III only)
Smokeless Powder Smokeless Powder (+10%)
Armatoloi Armatoloi (+5%)
Yoga Yoga (+5%)
Clenched Fist Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack)
Somali jile daggers Somali Jile Daggers (-35% hand attack Rate of Fire)
Counter Infantry Rifling Counter Infantry Rifling (+1.0 multiplier vs. heavy infantry)
Kalthoff repeaters Kalthoff Repeaters (+0.1 multiplier vs. light infantry)
Resistance Somali oryx shields Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance)
Hualcana Hualcana (+5% resistance; Inca only)
Range Schutzenfest Schützenfest (+1)
Line of Sight Town Watch Town Watch (+3)
Schutzenfest Schützenfest (+1)
Speed Tillys Discipline Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only)
Military Drummers Military Drummers (+10%)
Quechuan Mountaineering Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%)
Akan Drums Akan Fontomfrom (+5%)
Apache Endurance Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time Standing Army Standing Army (-25%)
Akan Drums Akan Fontomfrom (-20%)
Quechuan Diet Quechuan Diet (-15%)
Immigrants Immigrants (-10%)
Cost Mapuche Ad-mapu Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Golden liberty Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost)
Other GermanBrigade icon German Brigade (ships 19 Prussian Needle Gunners; Chinese only)
Merritocracy Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties Grand Encampment Grand Encampment (-25% speed; campaign United States only)
Tillys Discipline Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Skirmisher
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)

All[]

Card Description Age
Team ranged infantry damage TEAM Senegalese Riflemen Ranged infantry get +10% attack; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% attack instead
Age III tech tree aoe3
Mexican Home City 3 (Liberation March) Liberation March Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
Age III tech tree aoe3
  • "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
  • "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans (also revolting to California and Rio Grande) and Spanish (also revolting to Chile).

Chinese[]

Card Description Age
Chinese Home City 1 (TEAM Yongle Infrastructure) TEAM Yongle Infrastructure Ships 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
Age II tech tree aoe3
Western reforms Western Reforms All units get +8% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Acupuncture aoe3 Acupuncture All units' (except Shaolin Masters) train time -20%; Summer Palace banner army, Heavy Cannon, and Flying Crow spawn time -5%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Banner school Banner School Banner army train time -30%; Summer Palace banner army spawn time -7%
Age II tech tree aoe3
Good faith agreements Good Faith Agreements Consulate units' train time -50%; Consulate technologies' cost -40% (-300 export for Brigades) and research time -50% (except Brigades)
Age I tech tree aoe3
  • "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch[]

Card Description Age
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Attack) Infantry Attack Pikemen, Halberdiers, Skirmishers, Revolutionary Sharpshooters, and Musketeers get +15% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
Dutch Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead
Age II tech tree aoe3
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Combat) Infantry Combat Pikemen, Halberdiers, Skirmishers, Revolutionary Sharpshooters, and Musketeers get +15% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Dutch Home City 5 (Dutch States Army) Dutch States Army Mercenary train time -15% and shipments arrive time -20%, and get +7% speed (except Napoleon Guns and Li'l Bombards); enables training of Highlanders at Barracks, Royal Horsemen at Stables, and both at the Tavern; Pikemen, Halberdiers, Skirmishers, Hussars, and Ruyters cost +10%
Age III tech tree aoe3
South Africa Home City (Wanderlust) Wanderlust Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed
Revolution
  • "Wanderlust" is available upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

Ethiopians[]

Card Description Age
Ethiopian Home City 2 (TEAM Coffee Consumption) TEAM Coffee Consumption Ranged infantry get +5% speed
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Europeans[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 2 (7 Skirmishers) 7 Skirmishers Ships 7 Skirmishers (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age III tech tree aoe3
French Home City 2 (9 Skirmishers) 9 Skirmishers Ships 9 Skirmishers (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
French Home City 2 (8 Skirmishers) 8 Skirmishers Ships 8 Skirmishers (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age III tech tree aoe3
French Home City 2 (12 Skirmishers) 12 Skirmishers Ships 12 Skirmishers (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
French Home City 2 (14 Skirmishers) 14 Skirmishers Ships 14 Skirmishers
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Spanish Home City 3 (Fencing School) Fencing School Infantry and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age II tech tree aoe3
Gran Colombia Home City (Colombian Army) Colombian Army Imperial upgrades for Independence Guards, Cassadores, Skirmishers, Landwehrs, and Ordinance Riflemen can be researched at Barracks; Imperial upgrades for Independence Guards, Cassadores, Skirmishers, and Landwehrs cost -60%
Revolution
Northern Wilderness Northern Wilderness Karelian Jaegers can gather natural resources (at the same rate as Settlers); Fishing Boats can be trained at Docks
Revolution
Portuguese Home City 2 (Gunpowder Infantry Combat) Jaeger Combat Jaegers get +15% hit points and attack; Karelian Jaegers and Counter Jaegers get +20% hit points and attack
Revolution
United States Home City (Morgan Continental Sharpshooters) Morgan's Continental Sharpshooters Ships 12 Revolutionary Sharpshooters; turns all Skirmishers/Bersaglieri/Rangers into Revolutionary Sharpshooters; Revolutionary Sharpshooter available at Forts
Revolution
United States Home City (Pennsylvania Long Rifles) Pennsylvania Long Rifles Skirmishers, Rangers, Bersaglieri, and Papal Zouaves get +3 Line of Sight and +2 range; State Militia, Militiamen, and Spies get +4 Line of Sight and range
Revolution
  • "7 Skirmishers", "9 Skirmishers", and "8 Skirmishers" are available to the Dutch, French, and Germans.
  • "12 Skirmishers" is available to the French and Germans.
  • "14 Skirmishers" is available to the Dutch and French.
  • "Fencing School" is not available to the French and Spanish.
  • "Colombian Army" is available to the Germans, Portuguese, and Spanish upon revolting to Gran Colombia.
  • "Northern Wilderness" and "Jaeger Combat" are available to the Russians and Swedes upon revolting to Finland.
  • "Morgan's Continental Sharpshooters" and "Pennsylvania Long Rifles" are available to the British, Dutch, French, Italians, and Swedes upon revolting to the United States.

French[]

Card Description Age
French Home City 2 (Tirailleurs) Tirailleurs Turns all Crossbowmen into Skirmishers
Age III tech tree aoe3
Spanish Home City 2 (Hand Infantry Hitpoints) Ranged Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowmen, Musketeers, Skirmishers, and Revolutionary Sharpshooters get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
French Home City 2 (Early Skirmishers) TEAM House of Bonaparte Skirmishers, Cassadores, Forest Prowlers, Wakina Rifles, Sharpshooters, Neftenyas, Imperial Army, and Territorial Army can be trained in the Commerce Age; Longbowman, Strelet, Otontin Slinger, Gurkha, Yumi Archer, Jungle Bowman, Leather Cannon, Desert Archer, and Jaeger train time -20%
Age I tech tree aoe3
French Home City 3 (Royal Fencing School) Royal Fencing School Infantry and shock infantry train time -40%; +3 Royal Musketeers
Age II tech tree aoe3
French Home City 3 (Wilderness Warfare) Wilderness Warfare Coureurs des Bois, Cree Coureurs des Bois, Skirmishers, native warriors, and Settlers get +20% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
French Home City 2 (12 Skirmishers) 12 Skirmishers Ships 12 Skirmishers
Revolution
Revolutionary French Home City (Grande Armee) Grande Armée Allows you to research Imperial upgrades for your military units at a reduced cost; imperial unit upgrades cost -50%
Revolution

Germans[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 2 (Hand Infantry Hitpoints) Long-range Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowmen, Skirmishers, and Landwehrs get +15% hit points; +4 Uhlans
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Haudenosaunee[]

Card Description Age
Iroquois Home City 2 (Scout Infantry) TEAM Scout Infantry Ships 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3

Inca[]

Card Description Age
Inca Home City 2 (Road Building) Road Building Land military units get +10% speed
Age II tech tree aoe3
Inca Home City 2 (TEAM Inca Bridges) TEAM Inca Bridges Ships 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed
Age I tech tree aoe3
Revolution Tupac Rebellion Turns all villagers into Revolutionaries, Plumed Spearmen into Guard Musketeers, Chimu Runners into Guard Hussars, Jungle Bowmen into Guard Skirmishers, Bolas Warriors into Veteran Dragoons, Huaracas into Guard Grenadiers, and Macemen into Guard Soldados; costs 1,500 food, 1,500 wood, 1,500 coin
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
  • "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.

Indians[]

Card Description Age
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age
Japanese Home City 3 (Cheaper Unit Upgrades) TEAM Sengoku Unit upgrades cost -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Maltese[]

Card Description Age
Maltese Home City 2 (TEAM Knights of the Round Table) TEAM Knights of the Round Table Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center owned by the player; all units get +2% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3

Mexicans[]

Card Description Age
Mexican Home City 2 (Guerrilla Tactics) Guerrilla Tactics Rifle infantry get +15% hit points and attack; Salteadores get the Guerrilla Tactics ability
Age III tech tree aoe3
Mexican Home City 2 (Plan of Tuxtepec) Plan of Miramare [Plan] Turns all Salteadores into Voltigeurs; rifle infantry get +2 Line of Sight and range; costs 1,000 food, 1,000 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Mexican Home City 2 (TEAM Mariachi) TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Age I tech tree aoe3
Federal card national servant National Servant All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster
Imperial Age
Maya Home City (Pok Ta Pok) Pok Ta Pok Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time
Revolution

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age
Portuguese Home City 2 (Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Russians[]

Card Description Age
Russian Home City 2 (Ransack) Ransack Infantry get +50% siege attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Russian Home City 3 (Dueling School) Dueling School Infantry train time -25%
Age I tech tree aoe3

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 2 (Peninsular Guerrillas) Peninsular Guerrillas Ranged infantry get +20% attack, musket infantry get +10% attack instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Spanish Inquisition Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3
Military Parade Military Parade Ships 15 Prussian Needle Gunners and 10 Prussian Uhlans; costs 2,200 coin
Revolution
  • "Military Parade" is available upon revolting to Chile.

Chinese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Western reforms Western Reforms All units get +8% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
40
Acupuncture aoe3 Acupuncture All units' (except Shaolin Masters, Heavy Cannons, Flying Crows, and Summer Palace banner armies) train time -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
40
Banner school Banner School Banner army train time -30%; Summer Palace banner army spawn time -7%
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Good faith agreements Good Faith Agreements Consulate units' train time -50%; Consulate technologies' cost -40% (-400 export for Brigades) and research time -50% (except Brigades)
Age I tech tree aoe3
1

Dutch[]

Card Description Age HC level
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Attack) Infantry Attack Pikemen, Halberdiers, and Skirmishers get +15% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Dutch Home City 2 (Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Iroquois Home City 2 (Infantry Combat) Infantry Combat Pikemen, Halberdiers, and Skirmishers get +15% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
25

Europeans[]

Card Description Age HC level
French Home City 2 (7 Skirmishers) 7 Skirmishers Ships 7 Skirmishers (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age III tech tree aoe3
1
French Home City 2 (9 Skirmishers) 9 Skirmishers Ships 9 Skirmishers (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1
French Home City 2 (8 Skirmishers) 8 Skirmishers Ships 8 Skirmishers (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
French Home City 2 (12 Skirmishers) 12 Skirmishers Ships 12 Skirmishers (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10
French Home City 2 (14 Skirmishers) 14 Skirmishers Ships 14 Skirmishers
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
Spanish Home City 3 (Fencing School) Fencing School Infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
  • "7 Skirmishers", "9 Skirmishers", and "8 Skirmishers" are available to the Dutch, French, and Germans.
  • "12 Skirmishers" is available to the French and Germans.
  • "14 Skirmishers" is available to the Dutch and French.

French[]

Card Description Age HC level
French Home City 2 (Tirailleurs) Tirailleurs Turns all Crossbowmen into Skirmishers
Age III tech tree aoe3
40
Spanish Home City 2 (Hand Infantry Hitpoints) Ranged Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowmen and Skirmishers get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
French Home City 2 (Ranged Infantry Attack) TEAM Ranged Infantry Attack Gunpowder infantry and archers get +15% attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
French Home City 2 (Early Skirmishers) TEAM Early Skirmishers Skirmishers, Cassadores, Forest Prowlers, Wakina Rifles, Imperial Army, and Territorial Army can be trained in the Commerce Age; Longbowman, Strelet, Otontin Slinger, Gurkha, and Yumi Archer train time -20%
Age I tech tree aoe3
25
French Home City 3 (Wilderness Warfare) Wilderness Warfare Coureurs des Bois, Skirmishers, and native warriors get +20% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
25

Germans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 2 (Hand Infantry Hitpoints) Long-range Infantry Hitpoints Crossbowmen and Skirmishers get +15% hit points; +4 Uhlans
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1

Indians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25

Iroquois[]

Card Description Age HC level
Iroquois Home City 2 (Scout Infantry) TEAM Scout Infantry Infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Japanese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Japanese Home City 3 (Cheaper Unit Upgrades) TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades Unit upgrades cost -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1

Portuguese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Portuguese Home City 2 (Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints) TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10

Russians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Russian Home City 3 (Dueling School) Dueling School Infantry (except Skull Knights), Old Han Army, and Territorial Army train time -25%; Black Flag Army, Standard Army, Ming Army, and Imperial Army train time -12%
Age II tech tree aoe3
25

Spanish[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 Line of Sight
Age I tech tree aoe3
10

Changelog[]

The Asian Dynasties[]

Definitive Edition[]

The African Royals[]

  • With update 43871, the Skirmisher portrait has been updated to align with his in-game appearance.
  • With update 47581, the Skirmisher portrait has been updated to more accurately represent the in-game unit.

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

  • With update 13.9057, the Skirmisher is tagged as Light Infantry.
  • With update 13.58326, the Skirmisher has a ×2.5 ranged multiplier against light cavalry and ranged shock infantry, ×0.6 vs. cavalry and ×0.5 vs. shock infantry.
  • With update 14.43676, Skirmishers have a ×0.6 ranged multiplier against shock infantry. The Dutch Skirmisher in the Commerce Age, the Karelian Jaeger, and Voltigeur and Prussian Needle Gun upgrades received new models.

Trivia[]

History[]

Skirmishers were lightly armed and armored riflemen who used their speed to move quickly about the battlefield and perform a number of military roles. They defended flanks, helped artillerymen with cannon, dragged wounded soldiers off of the battlefield, and performed hit-and-run attacks on advancing enemy armies. Napoleonic-era skirmishers were effective against rigid ranks of musketeers because the fire of musketeers was less effective on the loose, informal skirmisher lines.

Many skirmishers in the nineteenth century were armed with rifles; the range and accuracy of these weapons made skirmishers dangerous enemies. Early rifles could only be fired once every minute or two, though later breechloading and repeating models could fire much more rapidly. One model fired so fast, a commander ordered his men to focus their fire on a single enemy skirmisher so that they could recover his rifle to examine it.

Gallery[]

See also[]

Military units in Age of Empires III
Common/shared units
3Icon48px Age of Empires IIIExplorer aoe3de Explorer · Militiaman de Militiaman · Crossbow aoe3de Crossbowman · Pikeman aoe3de Pikeman · Halberdier de Halberdier · Musketeer icon aoe3de Musketeer · Skirmisher aoe3de Skirmisher · Grenadier de Grenadier · Hussar aoe3de Hussar · Dragoon aoe3de Dragoon · Cavalry archer portrait aoe3de updated Cavalry Archer · Falconet aoe3de Falconet · Culverin icon aoe3de Culverin · Mortar de Mortar · Heavy cannon de Heavy Cannon · Caravel aoe3de Caravel · Galleon aoe3de Galleon · Frigate aoe3de Frigate · Monitor aoe3de Monitor
3WCIcon48px The WarChiefsWarrior de Warrior · Horse art de Horse Artillery · Petard aoe3de Petard · Spy aoe3de portrait updated Spy · Native canoe aoe3de Canoe · War canoe aoe3de War Canoe · Ironclad aoe3de Ironclad
Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition*Captured mortar aoe3de Captured Mortar · Sloop aoe3de Sloop · Steamer aoe3de Steamer · Battleship portrait Battleship
The African RoyalsLevied spearman portrait aoe3de Levied Spearman · Levied bowman portrait aoe3de Levied Bowman · Levied gunner portrait aoe3de Levied Gunner · Javelin rider aoe3de Javelin Rider · Desert warrior portrait aoe3de Desert Warrior · Desert archer portrait aoe3de Desert Archer · Desert raider portrait aoe3de Desert Raider · Battle canoe portrait aoe3de Battle Canoe · Cannon boat portrait aoe3de Cannon Boat
Unique units
Flag BritishDE BritishLongbow aoe3de Longbowman · Ranger portrait Ranger · Rocket de Rocket
Flag DutchDE DutchRuyter de Ruyter · Fluyt aoe3de Fluyt
Flag FrenchDE FrenchCuirassier de Cuirassier
Flag GermanDE GermansGermans landwehr portrait Landwehr · Doppel de Doppelsoldner · Uhlan portrait aoe3de updated Uhlan · War wagon de War Wagon
Flag OttomanDE OttomansOttomans bashibozuk portrait Bashibozuk · Janissary aoe3de Janissary · Ottomans azap portrait Azap · Nizam icon Nizam Fusilier · Ottomans deli portrait Deli · Ottomans abus gunner portrait Abus Gunner · Ottomans humbaraci portrait Humbaraci · Great bombard de Great Bombard · Spy ottoman portrait Muhbir · Spahi de Sipahi · Galley aoe3de Galley
Flag PortugueseDE PortugueseOrdinance rifleman portrait Ordinance Rifleman · Cacador de Cassador · Organ aoe3de Organ Gun
Flag RussianDE RussiansStrelet de Strelet · Russians rekrut portrait aoe3de Rekrut · Russians poruchik portrait aoe3de Poruchik · Cossack de Cossack · Oprichink de Oprichnik
Flag SpanishDE SpanishRandelero de Rodelero · Lancer portrait aoe3de updated Lancer
Flag AztecDE AztecsAztecChief AoE3DE Aztec War Chief · Eagle scout aoe3de Eagle Scout · Coyote runner aoe3de Coyote Runner · Otontin slinger Otontin Slinger · Puma spearman de Puma Spearman · Arrow knight de Arrow Knight · Eagle runner knight de Eagle Runner Knight · Jaguar prowl knight de Jaguar Prowl Knight · Warrior priest de Warrior Priest · Skull knight aoe3de Skull Knight · Tlaloc aoe3de Tlaloc Canoe
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeIro warchief aoe3de Haudenosaunee War Chief · Aenna de Aenna · Tomahawk de Tomahawk · Forest prowler de Forest Prowler · Kanya de Kanya Horseman · Musket rider de Musket Rider · Ram aoe3de Ram · Iro mantlet de Mantlet · Light cannon de Light Cannon
Flag SiouxDE LakotaSx warchief aoe3de Lakota War Chief · Cetan de Cetan Bowman · Club warrior de Club Warrior · Wakina de Wakina Rifle · Axe rider de Axe Rider · Bow rider de Bow Rider · Rifle rider de Rifle Rider · Tashunke de Tashunke Prowler · Tokala soldier portrait updated Tokala Soldier
Flag ChineseDE ChineseShaolin master aoe3de Shaolin Master · Shaolin monk aoe3de Disciple · Sentry cn jp de Sentry · Irregular cn jp de Irregular · Chu ko nu aoe3de Chu Ko Nu · Qiang pikeman de Qiang Pikeman · Changdao de Changdao Swordsman · Arquebusier de Arquebusier · Steppe rider de Steppe Rider · Keshik de Keshik · Iron flail de Iron Flail · Meteor hammer de Meteor Hammer · Flamethrower de Flamethrower · Hand mortar de Hand Mortar · Flying crow de Flying Crow · Fire ship aoe3de Fire Junk · War junk aoe3de War Junk · Fuchuan aoe3de Fuchuan
Flag IndianDE IndiansBrahminDE Brahmin · Sentry IN de Sentry · Irregular IN de Irregular · Rajput de Rajput · Sepoy de Sepoy · Gurkha de Gurkha · Urumi de Urumi Swordsman · Sowar de Sowar · Zamburak mansabdar de Zamburak · Mahout de Mahout Lancer · Howdah aoe3de Howdah · Flail elephant de Flail Elephant · Siege elephant de Siege Elephant
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseIkkoIkkiDE Sohei Archer · Sentry cn jp de Sentry · Irregular cn jp de Irregular · Yumi archer de Yumi Archer · Ashigaru de Ashigaru Musketeer · Samurai aoe3de Samurai · Naginata de Naginata Rider · Yabusame de Yabusame · Flaming arrow aoe3de Flaming Arrow · Morutaru de Morutaru · Daimyo kiyomasa aoe3de Daimyo · Tokugawa aoe3de Shogun Tokugawa · Yamabushi aoe3de Yamabushi · Shinobi aoe3de Shinobi · Fune aoe3de Fune · Atakabune aoe3de Atakebune · Tekkousen aoe3de Tekkousen
Flag IncanDE IncaInca-war-chief-icon-aoe3 Inca War Chief · Chasqui-icon-aoe3 Chasqui · Jungle-bowman-icon-aoe3 Jungle Bowman · Plumed-spearman-icon-aoe3 Plumed Spearman · Chimu-runner-icon-aoe3 Chimu Runner · DE Bolas Warrior Icon Bolas Warrior · Huaraca-icon-aoe3 Huaraca · Inca Maceman Icon Maceman · Chincha raft aoe3de Chincha Raft
Flag SwedishDE SwedesCarolean Carolean · Hakkapelit-icon-aoe3 Hakkapelit · Leather-cannon-icon-aoe3 Leather Cannon
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesUs general aoe3de General · Us marine aoe3de Minuteman · State militia aoe3de State Militia · Regular aoe3de Regular · Sharpshooter icon aoe3 Sharpshooter · Carbine cavalry aoe3de Carbine Cavalry · Gatlin de Gatling Gun · Quaker gun icon Quaker Gun · Gunslinger aoe3de Gunslinger · Cowboy aoe3de Cowboy · Owlhoot aoe3de Owlhoot
Flag MexicanDE MexicansGeneral mx portrait General · Padre revolution portrait Padre · Insurgente portrait Insurgente · Soldado portrait Soldado · Emboscador portrait Salteador · Chinaco portrait Chinaco · Desperado portrait Desperado · Vaquero portrait Cuatrero · Bandido portrait Bandido
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansRas portrait aoe3de Ras · Oromo warrior portrait aoe3de Oromo Warrior · Gascenya portrait aoe3de Gascenya · Shotel warrior aoe3de Shotel Warrior · Neftenya portrait aoe3de Neftenya · Sebastopol mortar portrait aoe3de Sebastopol Mortar · War dhow portrait aoe3de War Dhow
Flag Hausa HausaEmir aoe3de portrait Emir · Fulani Fulani Archer · Raider aoe3de portrait Raider · Lifidi knight aoe3de portrait Lifidi Knight · Maigadi aoe3de portrait Maigadi · Xebec portrait aoe3de Xebec
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansItalians pavisier portrait Pavisier · Italians bersagliere portrait Bersagliere · Italians papal guard portrait Papal Guard · Italians schiavone portrait Schiavone · Italians papal lancer portrait Papal Lancer · Italians papal zouave portrait Papal Zouave · Italians papal bombard portrait Papal Bombard · Italians leonardo tank portrait Leonardo's Tank · Galleass portrait Galleass
Flag MalteseDE MalteseAlain icon aoe3de Grand Master · Hospitaller portrait Hospitaller · Maltese sentinel portrait Sentinel · Hoop thrower aoe3de Fire Thrower · Order galley portrait Order Galley · SPC Fire ship aoe3de Fire Ship
Revolution Revolution
Barbarystates rev barbary warrior portrait aoe3de updated Barbary Warrior · Bolivar icon aoe3de Bolivar · Californio portrait Californio · Cetbang aoe3de Cetbang Cannon · Oruc Reis Icon Corsair Captain · Berber arquebusier aoe3de Corsair Marksman · Cruzob avenger portrait Cruzob Avenger · Cruzob infantry portrait Cruzob Infantry · Comanchero icon aoe3de Cuerudo · Rev france eclaireur portrait aoe3de Eclaireur · Filibuster aoe3de Filibuster · Gatlin de Gatling Gun · Comanchero icon aoe3de Gaucho · Comanchero icon aoe3de Jagunço · Java spearman aoe3de Javanese Spearman · Comanchero icon aoe3de Llanero · Militia Officer portrait Militia Officer · Comanchero icon aoe3de Morochuco · Mounted Granadero Portrait Mounted Granadero · Colonial militia aoe3de Revolutionary · Us volunteer icon Revolutionary Sharpshooter · San martin portrait San Martin · Covered wagon aoe3de Trek Wagon
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