The Stradiot is the middle ground between the Mameluke and the Hackapell, in terms of both hit points and attack. Therefore, although having no attack bonuses, it is quite a powerful unit. They are effective in combat against artillery and light infantry. Being one of the fastest cavalry units in Age of Empires III, they can also be useful for raiding. However they are weak against heavy infantry, light cavalry, and, being mercenaries, Spies and Ninja.
The Germans' Battleships can train Stradiots through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
The United States can get Stradiots through the "Poker" Home City Card, in the pool of random mercenaries shipped, which also randomly enables them in Saloons.
Mercenary train time -15%, speed (except Napoleon Gun and Li'l Bombard) +7%; mercenary shipment arrive time -20%; enables Highlander to be trained at Barracks and Taverns, Royal Horseman at Stables and Taverns; Pikeman, Halberdier, Skirmisher, Hussar, and Ruyter cost +10%
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%
"Cult of the Supreme Being" is available upon revolting to Revolutionary France.
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
Temporarily reveals all enemies and treasures; Axe Rider can now loot treasures for double the resources or XP; hand cavalry bonus damage against treasure guardian +2.0
Transforms all Dragoons into Chinacos; hand cavalry speed +5%; costs 250 food, 250 wood
TEAM Mariachi
For the next 30 seconds, military building training and research work rate +400%, unit speed +10%
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
National Servant
Unit (except herded animals) hit points +10%; Padre heal work rate +200%
Imperial Age
Outlaw Combat
Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%; costs 500 coin
Mercenary hit points and damage +20%; enables Landsknechts and Jaegers to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns (for Landsknechts), and Galleons; enables Black Riders to be trained at Stables and Galleons
Delivers 13 random mercenaries; enables up to 3 random mercenaries at Saloons; costs 3,500 coin
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
Hamilton's Own
Delivers 2 Li'l Bombards and 4 Napoleon Guns; mercenary hit points and damage +25%; costs 2,500 coin
Imperial Age
Seminole Ponies
Delivers 9 Hussars; cavalry train time -10%; hand cavalry hit points and damage +15%, speed +5%
Imperial Age
"Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
"Hamilton's Own" is available upon selecting the New York Federal State.
"Seminole Ponies" is available upon selecting the Florida Federal State.
The Stradiotto were originally the cavalry of Giorgio Castriota, an Albanian who was raised a hostage of the Ottoman court, which named him Iskander Bey. He escaped his captivity and led a rebellion against the Ottomans that expelled them from Albania. His forces, the remnants of which were the Stradiots, used guerilla tactics and the rugged Albanian terrain to repel the Ottoman Turks. The Stradiots were later employed as mercenaries by the Venetians in the sixteenth century.
These cavalrymen were unruly and could be counted on to break off from a fight to raid camps or supply trains. They wore turkish clothes, including baggy pants and shirts and turkish mail, but eschewed turbans for European helmets. They typically carried short spears called assegai that had points on both ends, but also used swords, maces, and crossbows.