Swiss Pikeman

This article is about the mercenary unit in Age of Empires III. For other uses of the term, see Pikeman.

Swiss Pikeman
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III
Type	Infantry Heavy infantry Hand infantry Pikeman Archaic infantry* Mercenary
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Tavern (Europeans) Monastery (Asians) Saloon (Americans) Palace (Africans) Lombard (Italians) Barracks (Swedes with the "Contract Swiss Pikemen" Home City Card) Galleon (Swedes with the "Contract Swiss Pikemen" Home City Card)
Cost	160 Coin 2 Population
Train time	36 seconds
Statistics
Hit points	325
Resistance	30% Hand
Speed	5.0
Line of Sight	12
Train XP	16
Kill XP	16
Siege attack
Damage	64 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	22 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	5.0x vs. Cavalry 3.5x vs. Shock infantry

“	Elite Swiss mercenary armed with a pike. Good against cavalry.	”
—In-game description

The Swiss Pikeman is mercenary heavy infantry in Age of Empires III.

Overview

The Swiss Pikeman are a serious threat to many units, due to their hit points and multipliers, especially cavalry. In addition, they have a high siege attack, allowing them to destroy buildings fairly easily and are also quite fast for infantry making them a good all-around unit. However like all infantry they will be defeated by artillery.

When using Swiss Pikemen, be on the lookout for Spy and Ninja units as they will be a threat, killing them with ease due to bonuses against fighting mercenaries.

Campaign appearances

In some campaign scenarios, Swiss Pikemen appear to assist the players' forces. For example, in the Act I: Blood level Into the Caves, three Swiss Pikemen are provided at the start to help defend the player's colony.

Civilization differences

• The Dutch can upgrade Swiss Pikemen to Waardgelders through the "Waardgelders" Home City Card, which allows the player to train them at Barracks and the Tavern from the Commerce Age, and changes their cost to 155 coin. A few hidden effects of this card reduce Swiss Pikemen's hit points and damage by 20%, and their movement speed to 4.75, until reaching the Fortress Age.
• The Germans' Battleships can train Swiss Pikemen through the "Adler von Lübeck" Home City Card (if they are available in the Tavern).
• The Swedes have the "Contract Swiss Pikemen" card, which ships 12 Swiss Pikemen and allows them to be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Cavalry, shock infantry, buildings
Weak vs.	Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery, MercType2
Improvements
Hit points	Corselet (+25%; Spanish only) Maya Cotton Armor (+20%) Infantry Breastplate (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack	Customized Merc Weapons (+30%; John Black's Mercenaries only) Zapotec Cult of the Dead (+20%) Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%) Master Lessons (+10%) Yoga (+5%) Mapuche Tactics (+50% siege attack)
Resistance	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance) Hualcana (+5%; Inca only)
Speed	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	Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-15%; Germans only) Philhellenism (-10%) Somali Oryx Hide Shields (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, 50% influence; Ethiopians only)
Train time	Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only) Wallenstein's Contracts (-10%; Germans only)
Other	Multinationalism (delivers 8 random European mercenaries) Wallenstein's Contracts (-50% mercenary shipments cost; Germans only)
Penalties	Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only) Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Swiss Pikeman

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)

• Definitive Edition
• The Asian Dynasties

Shared

Card	Description	Age
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%

• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Fencing School" is available to the Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish) 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)

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
Waardgelders	Delivers 4 Swiss Pikemen; enables Swiss Pikeman to be trained at Barracks and Taverns for 155 coin from the Commerce Age, but its hit points and damage -20%, speed -5% until advancing to the Fortress Age; costs 500 coin
Dutch States Army	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%

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
Ignatian Spirituality	Unit (except herded animals) hit points +5%, regeneration rate +1.0 (even in combat)

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Hire Highland Mercenary Army	Delivers 8 Swiss Pikemen, 6 Highlanders, and 4 Harquebusiers; costs 2,000 coin
Hire Swiss Pikemen	Delivers 12 Swiss Pikemen; costs 1,000 coin
Loyal Warriors	Native warrior, mercenary, and outlaw cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Outlaw Combat	Outlaw and mercenary hit points and damage +15%
Kraton Guards	Pikeman hit points and damage +20%; Revolutionary hit points and damage +15%
Wanderlust	Land military and land villager hit points +5%; land villager and construction wagon speed +5% (can be sent 3 times)

• "Hire Highland Mercenary Army" is available to the British, Dutch, Russians, and Spanish.
• "Hire Swiss Pikemen" is available to the Dutch, French, and Spanish.
• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico.
• "Kraton Guards" is available to the Dutch and Portuguese upon revolting to Indonesia.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa.

French

Card	Description	Age
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%

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

Germans

Card	Description	Age
Hire Highland Mercenary Army	Delivers 9 Swiss Pikemen, 7 Highlanders, and 5 Harquebusiers; costs 2,000 coin
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenary hit points and damage +15%, +3 Uhlans
Adler von Lübeck	Delivers 1 Battleship and 1 Privateer; enables Battleships to train mercenaries; costs 900 food, 900 wood, 900 coin

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry Line of Sight +8
Conservative Tactics	Infantry hit points and damage +10%

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%
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%
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%

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
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
Bastimento	Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok	Infantry train time -10%, speed +10%

• "Colegio de San Nicolas" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "Outlaw Combat" is available upon revolting to Baja California.
• "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
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack	Hand infantry damage +15%
Archaic Infantry Hitpoints	Hand infantry and foot archer hit points +15%; Rodelero hit points +20% instead
Archaic Infantry Combat	Hand infantry and foot archer hit points and damage +15%
TEAM Spanish Inquisition	Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10

Swedes

Card	Description	Age
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Hitpoints	Hand infantry and hand cavalry hit points +15%
TEAM House of Bernadotte	Heavy infantry hit points +15%
Contract Swiss Pikemen	Delivers 12 Swiss Pikemen; enables Swiss Pikemen to be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, Taverns, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin
German Mercenary Contracts	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

United States

Card	Description	Age
United States Army	The General, Minuteman, and heavy infantry hit points and damage +15%
Poker	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

• "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.
• "Hamilton's Own" is available upon selecting the New York Federal State.

Shared

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Fencing School	Infantry (except Skull Knights) train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Villager for the Indians)		10

• "Fencing School" is available to Europeans (except the Ottomans), and the Indians.

Chinese

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Western Reforms	All units get +8% hit points and damage		40
Acupuncture	All units' (except monks, Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army) train time -20%		10

Dutch

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points		10

Europeans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Hire Highland Mercenary Army	Delivers 6 Highlanders, 8 Swiss Pikemen, and 4 Hackapells; costs 2,000 coin		25
Hire Swiss Pikemen	Delivers 12 Swiss Pikemen; costs 1,000 coin		10

• "Hire Highland Mercenary Army" is available to the British, Dutch, Germans (with +1 extra Highlander, Swiss Pikeman and Hackapell), Russians, and Spanish.
• "Hire Swiss Pikemen" is available to the Dutch, French, and Spanish.

Germans

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Improved Mercenaries	Mercenaries get +20% hit points and damage		10

Indians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Dravidian Martial Arts	All units get +15% all melee attack damage; +1 Villager		40
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics	All units get +5% hit points and damage		25

Iroquois

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Scout Infantry	Infantry get +8 Line of Sight		10

Japanese

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Onin War	Infantry get +33% siege attack damage		40

Russians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Ransack	Infantry get +50% siege attack damage		25
TEAM 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%		25

Spanish

Card	Description	Age	HC level
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack	Hand infantry get +15% damage		10
TEAM Inquisition	All units get +10 Line of Sight		10

Changelog

The African Royals

• Although it is not listed in the patch notes, with update 13.4412, Swiss Pikemen are tagged as archaic infantry.

In-game dialogue

The Swiss Pikeman speaks German, but in modern Zürich German unlike the German civilization's ones. However, an older Swiss German accent would have been more period appropriate.

The normal text below denotes the Swiss Pikeman's dialogue in the Swiss dialect versus the standard German pronunciation in parentheses.

• Select 1 Ja? - Yes?
• Select 2 Bereiit (Bereit) - Ready
• Select 3 Uftrag (Auftrag) - Order?
• Move 1 Jawoll (Jawohl) - Yes, sir
• Move 2 Verschtande (Verstanden) - Understood
• Move 3 Wird gmacht (Wird gemacht) - It will be done
• Attack 1 Aagriff (Angriff) - Attack!
• Attack 2 Vorwärts (Vorwärts!) - Forward!
• Attack 3 Jawoll! (Jawohl!) - Yes, sir!

History

“

Swiss soldiers hired themselves out as mercenaries in many European nations. They were known for their discipline and drill with pike and halberd, but by the end of the sixteenth century had adopted the arquebus, and even mounted soldiers armed with arquebuses. Swiss pikemen were ruthless on the battlefield. They were known to hang their own men for panicking, for giving no quarter to enemies who surrendered, and for loyalty as long as they were paid. The phrase, "No silver, no Swiss," referred to the price of their loyalty, and the consequences of not paying them. Swiss mercenaries wore a variety of uniforms, favoring colorful Landsknecht-style dress with striped leggings and mismatched stockings, and bright, slashed doublets and sleeves in alternating colors.

”

Trivia

• Historically, the mercenary corps of Switzerland (Reisläufer) were bitter rivals of the Landsknecht, in large part due to the latter being considered their imitators, yet became increasingly popular upon introduction to the point of supplanting the Swiss all but entirely in service. The two forces were often opposed during the major European conflict of the early sixteenth century, the Great Italian Wars, where the results of their many clashes were often horrific.

Gallery

An in-game Swiss Pikeman in the original game

The Swiss Pikeman's history portrait

In-game Swiss Pikeman in the Definitive Edition

In-game Waardgelders shipped by the "Waardgelders" Home City Card since update 14.43676

Swiss Pikeman image from the Compendium section