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Heavy ranged Somali javelineer. Attacks closer targets faster. Counters cavalry from range.
—In-game description

The Somali Issa Warrior is a ranged heavy infantry native warrior in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals that can be trained at a Trading Post or Tambo built on a Somali kingdom.

In-game information[]

The Issa Warrior is a powerful Somali heavy infantry unit who wields a javelin. Issa Warriors attack closer targets faster but can also counter cavalry at range.

Overview[]

The Somali Issa Warrior is a native warrior version of the Gascenya. It is strong against melee cavalry and attacks faster when enemies are close, and has slightly more attack range than the Gascenya.

Any player can obtain the Somali Issa Warrior as a treasure reward on African maps such as Horn and Swahili Coast.

Upgrades[]

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Somali Warrior Societies 150 wood
100 coin
Upgrades Somali Issa Warriors to Elite (+25% hit points and damage)
Champion Somali 400 wood
300 coin
Upgrades Somali Issa Warriors to Champion (+35% hit points and damage); requires Somali Warrior Societies
Imperial Age
Imperial Age
Legendary Native Warriors
Exalted Natives
1,500 food
1,500 wood
Upgrades Somali Issa Warriors to Legendary (+50% hit points and damage)

Civilization differences[]

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Cavalry, shock infantry
Weak vs. Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Improvements
Hit points Corselet (+25%; Spanish only)
Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only)
Cree Tanning (+5%)
Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only)
Armatoloi (+5%)
Yoga (+5%)
Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only)
Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack)
Socket Bayonet (+20% hand attack)
Resistance Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance)
Hualcana (+5% resistance; Inca only)
Speed Cherokee War Dance (+20%)
Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only)
Military Drummers (+10%)
Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%)
Akan Fontomfrom (+5%)
Apache Endurance (+5%)
Line of Sight Town Watch (+3)
Cost Philhellenism (-10%)
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)
Other Jagiellonian Legacy (delivers 7/9/17 Somali Issa Warriors if the Somali Alliance was chosen for the Ethiopians to reach the Fortress/Industrial/Imperial Age respectively)
Yoruba Herbalism (regenerates hit points when close to a tree or Berry Bush)
Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only)
Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)
Second Guarantee (+30% train time; Mexicans only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Somali Issa Warrior
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)
Shared
Card Description Age
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen Ranged infantry damage +10%; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry damage +15% instead
Native Treaties Each different allied native tribe sends a shipment of their respective native warriors
Native Alliance Native warrior cost -10%, train limit +20%
Native Warriors Native warrior cost -25%
Native Warrior Combat Native warrior hit points and damage +15%
TEAM Native Weapon Trade Native warrior train limit +20%
Blood Brothers Upgrades native warriors to Elite/Disciplined/Veteran and Champion/Honored/Royal Guard; Native Embassy build limit +5, hit points +40%
Liberation March Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -35%, speed +5%
Fencing School Infantry (except Warrior Priest and Skull Knight) and shock infantry train time -40%
  • "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
  • "Native Treaties" is available to Africans (in the Industrial Age), Europeans (except the Maltese), Federal Americans, and Native Americans, and ships 3 Somali Issa Warriors if the player had built a Trading Post or Tambo on a Somalis kingdom.
  • "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 Unit train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15% (also affects shipments)
Asians
Card Description Age
Native Warrior Hitpoints Native warrior hit points +30%, speed +10%
Native Warrior Attack Native warrior train time -25%, damage +30%
  • "Native Warrior Hitpoints" is not available to the Japanese.
  • "Native Warrior Attack" is not available to the Indians.
British
Card Description Age
TEAM Grenadier Guards Musket infantry and grenade trooper hit points +15%
Chinese
Card Description Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villager, healing unit, Envoy, and Disciple speed +5%
Western Reforms Unit hit points and damage +8%
Acupuncture Unit (except monk) train time -20%; Summer Palace banner army, Flying Crow, and Heavy Cannon spawn time -5%
  • "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.
Dutch
Card Description Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints Infantry hit points +10%; Dutch-only infantry hit points +15% instead
Ethiopians
Card Description Age
TEAM Coffee Consumption Ranged infantry speed +5%
Ignatian Spirituality Unit (except herded animals) hit points +5%, regeneration rate +1.0 (even in combat)
11 Somali Allies Delivers 11 Somali Issa Warriors; costs 500 influence
Europeans
Card Description Age
Loyal Warriors Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Sevites Maroon, native warrior, and villager hit points regeneratation rate 0.25%; Yoruba Eso Riders lose 0.35% hit points per second instead, Militiamen lose 1.9% hit points per second, and for both stops at 25% hit points
Louverture Liberation Delivers 6 Citizens; enables Citizens to be trained at Town Centers for 70 coin; enables Fishing Boats to be trained at Docks; native warrior train limit +20%, speed +5%
Wanderlust Land military and land villager hit points +5%; land villager and construction wagon speed +5% (can be sent 3 times)
  • "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.
French
Card Description Age
Wilderness Warfare Coureur des Bois, Cree Coureur des Bois, native warrior, Skirmisher, and Settler hit points +20%
TEAM French Auxiliaries Combat Native warrior hit points and damage +10%
Royal Fencing School Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Cult of the Supreme Being Unit train bounty +10%, kill bounty -10%; Sansculotte gather work rate for crates +50%, Berry Bush and Cherry Orchard +25%, tree, Mango Grove, mine +20%, huntable animals, herded animals, Mill, Farm, and Estate +15%
Haudenosaunee
Card Description Age
TEAM Scout Infantry Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry Line of Sight +8
Conservative Tactics Infantry hit points and damage +10%
Native Warrior Conscription Native warrior cost -25%, train limit +20%
Wampum Unit train bounty +35%, train time -20%, siege unit and artillery train time -5% instead; building build bounty +35%
Hausa
Card Description Age
Sahelian Kingdoms Native warrior hit points and damage +15%; mercenary and outlaw hit points and damage +10%
Inca
Card Description Age
Road Building Land military speed +10%
Couriers Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -45%
TEAM Inca Bridges Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villager, healing unit, and Envoy speed +5%
  • "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.
Indians
Card Description Age
Dravidian Martial Arts Unit all melee attack damage +15%; Rajput hand attack damage +20% instead, +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics Unit hit points and damage +5%
Zamindars Delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with every future Home City shipment, including this one; infantry train time -20%
Italians
Card Description Age
Infantry Hitpoints Infantry hit points +15%
Schiavoni Swords Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry all melee attack damage +15%
Japanese
Card Description Age
Onin War Infantry siege attack damage +33%
TEAM Sengoku Unit upgrade cost -20%
Bakufu Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa speed +5%, Line of Sight +10, training and research work rate +15%; land military train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead
Lakota
Card Description Age
Moccasins Infantry speed +10%
Black Arrow Native warrior train time -85%
Winter Counts Unit train bounty +40%; building build bounty +20%
Maltese
Card Description Age
TEAM Knights of the Round Table Delivers 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center and Command Post present on the map; unit hit points +2%
Mexicans
Card Description Age
Plan of Tuxtepec Transforms all Salteadores into Soldados; musket infantry Line of Sight, ranged and mortar attack range +1; costs 500 food, 500 wood
TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%
Chimayó Genizarios Each different allied native tribe sends a large shipment of their respective native warriors and upgrades them to Elite and Champion; native warrior train time -10%; "Native Treaties" arrive time -50%; costs 500 food, 500 wood
Colegio de San Nicolas Delivers 1 Large Collection of Books (500 XP); unit Line of Sight +4; building (except Wall) Line of Sight +8; reveals enemy units' positions for 20 seconds
Bustamante Field Hospital cost free, but does not grant build and kill bounty; enables the General to build Field Hospitals; enables Soldado to be trained at Field Hospitals; musket infantry hit points +10%
National Servant Unit (except herded animals) hit points +10%; Padre heal work rate +200%
Imperial Age
Imperial Age
Bastimento Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok Infantry train time -10%, speed +10%
  • "Chimayó Genizarios" ships 6 Somali Issa Warriors if the player had built a Trading Post on a Somalis kingdom.
  • "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
  • "Bustamante" is available upon selecting the San Luis Potosí 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
Russians
Card Description Age
Ransack Infantry siege attack damage +50%
Dueling School Infantry train time -25%
Spanish
Card Description Age
Peninsular Guerrillas Ranged infantry damage +20%, musket infantry damage +10% instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds
TEAM Spanish Inquisition Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10
Swedes
Card Description Age
TEAM House of Bernadotte Heavy infantry hit points +15%
United States
Card Description Age
United States Army The General, Minuteman, and heavy infantry hit points and damage +15%
Indian Friendship Each different allied native tribe sends a large shipment of their respective native warriors and upgrades them to Elite and Champion; native warrior train time -10%; "Seminole Scouts", "Apache Scouts", "Navajo Scouts", "1st Michigan Volunteer Sharpshooters", and "Native Treaties" arrive time -50%; costs 500 food, 500 wood
Indiana Mobilization Delivers 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game, including this one; unit train time, technology research time, Age up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
  • "Indian Friendship" ships 6 Somali Issa Warriors if the player had built a Trading Post on a Somalis kingdom.
  • "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.

Changelog[]

The African Royals[]

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

  • With update 14.3853, Somali Issa Warriors have a ×2.5 ranged multiplier against cavalry and ×1.9 against shock infantry.
  • With update 14.43676, Somali Issa Warriors train in 30 seconds and have a speed of 4.5.

In-game dialogue[]

Main article: Somalis (minor tribe)#In-game dialogue

History[]

The Issa were a subgroup of the Dir, a large people-group in modern-day Djibouti, who often competed with their rivals the Afar. The Issa comprised a key part of the Adal Sultanate (15th-16th centuries), which controlled much of East Africa and the trade therein.

Trivia[]

Gallery[]

See also[]

Native warriors in Age of Empires III
Age of Empires III
Aztecs Aztec Eagle Warrior · Aztec Jaguar Warrior
Carib Carib Blowgunner
Cherokee Cherokee Rifleman
Comanche Comanche Horse Archer
Cree Cree Tracker
Haudenosaunee Haudenosaunee Tomahawk · Haudenosaunee Mantlet
Lakota Lakota Axe Rider · Lakota Tokala Soldier
Maya Maya Holcan Spearman (former) · Maya Holcan Javelineer*
Nootka Nootka Clubman · Nootka War Chief
Quechua Quechua Huaminca · Quechua Bolas Warrior
Seminole Seminole Sharktooth Bowman
Tupi Tupi Blackwood Archer
The WarChiefs
Apache Apache Cavalry
Cheyenne Cheyenne Rider
Huron Huron Mantlet
Klamath Klamath Rifleman
Mapuche Mapuche Ironwood Clubman · Mapuche Bolas Rider*
Navajo Navajo Rifleman
Zapotec Zapotec Lightning Warrior
The Asian Dynasties
Bhakti Temple Tiger Claw · War Elephant**
Jesuit Mission Conquistador
Shaolin Temple Rattan Shield
Sufi Mosque Qizilbash*
Udasi Temple Chakram Thrower
Zen Temple Sohei Naginata
Definitive Edition
Lenape Lenape Warrior
Tengri Shrine Tatar Archer · Tengri Wolf
The African Royals
Akan Akan Ankobia · Akan Tufohen
Berbers Berber Camel Rider · Berber Sultan
Somalis Somali Issa Warrior · Somali Darood Militia
Sudanese Sudanese Dervish
Yoruba Yoruba Oyo Legionary · Yoruba Eso Rider
Knights of the Mediterranean
House of Bourbon Royal Musketeer · Royal Dragoon
House of Habsburg Mounted Infantry · Line Infantry
House of Hanover Totenkopf Hussar · Black Brunswicker · Drummer
House of Jagiellon Lipka Tatar · Shock Rider
House of Oldenburg Royal Huntsman · Northern Musketeer
House of Phanar Evzone · Boyar · Sacred Band Infantry
House of Vasa Royal Arquebusier · Winged Hussar
House of Wettin Trabant · Saxon Cuirassier
House of Wittelsbach Mountain Trooper · Chevauleger
* added in the Definitive Edition
** formerly Sufi Mosque unit