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

Hussite horse-drawn wagon outfitted with cannon.
—In-game description

The War Wagon is a ranged gunpowder cavalry unit in Age of Empires III that is unique to the Germans and can be trained at the Stable, Fort, and Galleon once the Fortress Age is reached. It is a horse-drawn wagon outfitted with two light cannons which functions similarly to Dragoons but are more powerful.

War Wagons are also available to John Black's Mercenaries in the Act II: Ice campaign.

Overview[]

The War Wagon functions as the German mounted counter-cavalry (light ranged cavalry) unit. Just as expensive as the French Cuirassier, the War Wagon has strong single target ranged damage with medium range, longer than a Musketeer.

The War Wagon has a hand resistance multiplier instead of ranged multiplier. War Wagons enjoy the benefit of a 3x damage multiplier against cavalry, which allows them to shred cavalry intense armies with ease. Fully upgraded Imperial War Wagons can easily shred Imperial melee cavalry in 3-4 hits and take down Mamelukes and Imperial Gendarmes in 6-7 hits.

There are two unique traits that War Wagons have compared to other ranged cavalry. One is their unusually high health (an Imperial War Wagon has 900 hit points without any cards, while something like an Imperial Dragoon has half of that), which allows them to tank reasonably well against most sources of damage. Even though heavy infantry have bonus melee multipliers on them, the War Wagon's high health and 20% hand resistance can reduce the damage they deal onto them. The other unique trait is their extremely high ranged damage and higher range. An Imperial War Wagon deals 79 ranged damage without any cards, and with all cards (not including Native technology as it is not present in all maps), deals 88 damage instead. This allows War Wagons to function as ranged infantry just as well without suffering from the low health they usually have, as their damage is similar to that of Imperial Skirmishers, who are good against heavy infantry.

However, the War Wagon moves slowly and has a low turn rate when compared to most ranged units, as it shoots off light cannons and not from pistols. This can make it rather hard to perform hit-and-run attacks with them. War Wagons are also expensive, costing 150 food and coin, in addition to occupying 3 population slots. This will severely limit the variety in the player's armies if they train a large number of War Wagons for units to help defend them from enemy rushes. However, they are still good units to be shipped from the Home City to offset their high costs.

With all hit point improvement upgrades (Comanche) and cards (Indian and Russian allies), the Imperial War Wagon is the ranged cavalry with the second highest hit points, 1,175 which is next to Exalted Howdahs.

While the War Wagon is light ranged cavalry, it does not benefit from the "TEAM House of Aviz" Home City Card, which reduces the train time of Commerce Age light ranged cavalry and enables Fortress Age light ranged cavalry to be trained in the Commerce Age.

In Knights of the Mediterranean, Germans who send the "Princely Bavarian Chevaulegers" Home City Card will replace the War Wagons with Prinz Chevaulegers. They will still benefit from any Home City Cards that improve a War Wagon's performance.

Upgrades[]

The War Wagon starts at the Veteran level by default without increasing hit points and damage, they can be only upgraded to Guard and Imperial.

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Guard War Wagons 600 wood
600 coin
Upgrades War Wagons to Guard (+30% hit points and damage)
Imperial Age
Imperial Age
Imperial War Wagons 1,500 wood
1,500 coin
Upgrades War Wagons to Imperial (+50% hit points and damage); requires Guard War Wagons

Civilization differences[]

Revolutionary[]

  • (Definitive Edition) South Africa can train Guard War Wagons instead of Dragoons (if revolting from the British) or Ruyters (if revolting from the Dutch) if the "Wagon Warfare" Home City Card is sent. This card costs 1,000 wood and takes 60 seconds to arrive, instead of the usual 40 seconds.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Heavy cavalry, hand shock infantry, artillery
Weak vs. Heavy infantry, light infantry
Improvements
Hit points Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%)
Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+10%)
Smokeless Powder (+10%)
Yoga (+5%)
Resistance Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance)
Speed Apache Endurance (+5%)
Comanche Mustangs (+5%)
Line of Sight Town Watch (+3)
Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2)
Range Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2)
Cost Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost)
Train time Cheyenne Horse Trading (-40%)
Mass Cavalry (-35%)
Quechuan Diet (-15%)
Immigrants (-10%)
Other Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)

Home City Cards[]

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

British
Card Description Age
Cavalry Damage Cavalry damage +15%
Cavalry Hitpoints Cavalry hit points +15%
Europeans
Card Description Age
Cavalry Combat Cavalry hit points and damage +15%
Riding School Cavalry train time -40%; Cuirassier, Oprichnik, and Hakkapelit train time -35% instead; Gatling Camel train time -20% instead
Wagon Warfare Fully replaces Dragoons/Ruyters with War Wagons at Stables, Forts, and Galleons/Fluyts; grants Guard War Wagons and enables Imperial War Wagons to be researched; costs 1,000 wood (arrives in 60 seconds)
Wanderlust Land military and land villager hit points +5%; land villager and construction wagon speed +5% (can be sent 3 times)
4 War Wagons Delivers 4 War Wagons
  • "Cavalry Combat" is available to the British and Dutch.
  • "Wagon Warfare", "Wanderlust", and "4 War Wagons" are available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa.
Germans
Card Description Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +10%; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +15% instead
Cavalry Hitpoints Uhlan, War Wagon, Prinz Chevauleger, and Comanchero hit points +15%, +2 Uhlans
Cavalry Combat Uhlan, War Wagon, Prinz Chevauleger, Comanchero, and Llanero hit points and damage +15%, +3 Uhlans
3 War Wagons Delivers 3 War Wagons, +3 Uhlans
4 War Wagons Delivers 4 War Wagons, +4 Uhlans
Princely Bavarian Chevaulegers Fully replaces War Wagons with Prinz Chevaulegers at Stables and Home City, +8 Prinz Chevaulegers; costs 500 food
Spanish Riding School Cavalry speed +10%, +4 Uhlans
  • "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.
Indians
Card Description Age
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics Unit hit points and damage +5%
Italians
Card Description Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +10%; Italians-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry damage +15% instead
  • "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.
Japanese
Card Description Age
TEAM Sengoku Unit upgrades cost -20%
Lakota
Card Description Age
TEAM Mustangs Cavalry and shock infantry cost -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%
Russians
Card Description Age
TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions Cavalry and shock infantry hit points +10%, Line of Sight +4
Spanish
Card Description Age
TEAM Spanish Inquisition Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic unit Line of Sight +10

Germans
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack
10
Cavalry Hitpoints Uhlans and War Wagons get +15% hit points; +2 Uhlans
10
Cavalry Combat Uhlans and War Wagons get +15% hit points and damage; +3 Uhlans
10
3 War Wagons Ships 3 War Wagons; +3 Uhlans
1
4 War Wagons Ships 4 War Wagons; +4 Uhlans
1
Spanish Riding School Cavalry get +10% speed; +4 Uhlans
25
Indians
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and damage
25
Japanese
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades Unit upgrades cost -20%
1
Russians
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Cavalry Scout Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight
1
Spanish
Card Description Age HC level
TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 Line of Sight
10

Trivia[]

History[]

These fortified carts were used to great effect by the infantry armies of the Hussites, followers of the Czech religious reformer John Huss (Jan Hus), who was excommunicated and burned at the stake early in the fifteenth century. John Zizka lead the Hussite forces against the armies of Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund. His army was largely comprised of peasants, and Zizka developed new tactics to suit the farm-grown sensibilities of his untrained soldiers. They armored farm wagons, used flails and pitchforks, and a number of howitzer artillery pieces. The armored wagons moved in trains and would circle up, forming an overlapping impromptu fortress from which they would fire their artillery baiting opposing armies into a response. The wagons could also be used in offense, charging into ranks of soldiers and knights, loaded with men firing into the groups of knights and infantry. When Zizka died, his skin was made into a drum used to summon Hussites to battle. The Hussite revolution, however, was eventually put down.

Gallery[]

Military units in Age of Empires III
Common/shared units
Age of Empires III Explorer · Militiaman · Crossbowman · Pikeman · Halberdier · Musketeer · Skirmisher · Grenadier · Hussar · Dragoon · Cavalry Archer · Falconet · Culverin · Mortar · Heavy Cannon · Caravel · Galleon · Frigate · Monitor
The WarChiefs Warrior · Horse Artillery · Petard · Spy · Canoe · War Canoe · Ironclad
Definitive Edition* Captured Mortar · Sloop · Steamer · Battleship
The African Royals Levied Spearman · Levied Bowman · Levied Gunner · Javelin Rider · Desert Warrior · Desert Archer · Desert Raider · Battle Canoe · Cannon Boat
Unique units
British Longbowman · Ranger · Rocket
Dutch Ruyter · Fluyt
French Cuirassier
Germans Landwehr · Doppelsoldner · Uhlan · War Wagon
Ottomans Bashibozuk · Janissary · Azap · Nizam Fusilier · Deli · Abus Gunner · Humbaraci · Great Bombard · Muhbir · Sipahi · Galley
Portuguese Ordinance Rifleman · Cassador · Organ Gun
Russians Strelet · Rekrut · Poruchik · Cossack · Oprichnik
Spanish Rodelero · Lancer
Aztecs Aztec War Chief · Eagle Scout · Coyote Runner · Otontin Slinger · Puma Spearman · Arrow Knight · Eagle Runner Knight · Jaguar Prowl Knight · Warrior Priest · Skull Knight · Tlaloc Canoe
Haudenosaunee Haudenosaunee War Chief · Aenna · Tomahawk · Forest Prowler · Kanya Horseman · Musket Rider · Ram · Mantlet · Light Cannon
Lakota Lakota War Chief · Cetan Bowman · Club Warrior · Wakina Rifle · Axe Rider · Bow Rider · Rifle Rider · Tashunke Prowler · Tokala Soldier
Chinese Shaolin Master · Disciple · Sentry · Irregular · Chu Ko Nu · Qiang Pikeman · Changdao Swordsman · Arquebusier · Steppe Rider · Keshik · Iron Flail · Meteor Hammer · Flamethrower · Hand Mortar · Flying Crow · Fire Junk · War Junk · Fuchuan
Indians Brahmin · Sentry · Irregular · Rajput · Sepoy · Gurkha · Urumi Swordsman · Sowar · Zamburak · Mahout Lancer · Howdah · Flail Elephant · Siege Elephant
Japanese Sohei Archer · Sentry · Irregular · Yumi Archer · Ashigaru Musketeer · Samurai · Naginata Rider · Yabusame · Flaming Arrow · Morutaru · Daimyo · Shogun Tokugawa · Yamabushi · Shinobi · Fune · Atakebune · Tekkousen
Inca Inca War Chief · Chasqui · Jungle Bowman · Plumed Spearman · Chimu Runner · Bolas Warrior · Huaraca · Maceman · Chincha Raft
Swedes Carolean · Hakkapelit · Leather Cannon
United States General · Minuteman · State Militia · Regular · Sharpshooter · Carbine Cavalry · Gatling Gun · Quaker Gun · Gunslinger · Cowboy · Owlhoot
Mexicans General · Padre · Insurgente · Soldado · Salteador · Chinaco · Desperado · Cuatrero · Bandido
Ethiopians Ras · Oromo Warrior · Gascenya · Shotel Warrior · Neftenya · Sebastopol Mortar · War Dhow
Hausa Emir · Fulani Archer · Raider · Lifidi Knight · Maigadi · Xebec
Italians Pavisier · Bersagliere · Papal Guard · Schiavone · Papal Lancer · Papal Zouave · Papal Bombard · Leonardo's Tank · Galleass
Maltese Grand Master · Hospitaller · Sentinel · Fire Thrower · Order Galley · Fire Ship
Revolution
Barbary Warrior · Bolivar · Californio · Cetbang Cannon · Corsair Captain · Corsair Marksman · Cruzob Avenger · Cruzob Infantry · Cuerudo · Eclaireur · Filibuster · Gatling Gun · Gaucho · Jagunço · Javanese Spearman · Llanero · Militia Officer · Morochuco · Mounted Granadero · Revolutionary · Revolutionary Sharpshooter · San Martin · Trek Wagon