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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 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 cavalry, it does not benefit from the "TEAM House of Aviz" card, which reduces the train time of Commerce Age light cavalry and enables Fortress Age light cavalry to be trained in the Commerce Age.

Upgrades[]

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

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Guard cavalry Guard War Wagons 600 wood
600 coin
Upgrades War Wagons to Guard (+30% hit points and attack)
Imperial Age
Imperial cavalry Imperial War Wagons 1,500 wood
1,500 coin
Upgrades War Wagons to Imperial (+50% hit points and attack); requires Guard War Wagons

Civilization differences[]

Revolutionary[]

  • (Definitive Edition) South Africa can train War Wagons upgraded to Imperial 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 Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%)
Cree Tanning Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar kilns Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Ranged Cavalry Caracole Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+10%)
Smokeless Powder Smokeless Powder (+10%)
Yoga Yoga (+5%)
Resistance Sudanese quilted armor Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance)
Range Ranged Cavalry Caracole Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2)
Line of Sight Town Watch Town Watch (+3)
Ranged Cavalry Caracole Ranged Cavalry Caracole (+2)
Speed Apache Endurance Apache Endurance (+5%)
Comanche Mustangs Comanche Mustangs (+5%)
Train time Cheyenne Horse Trading Cheyenne Horse Trading (-40%)
Mass Cavalry Mass Cavalry (-35%)
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 Merritocracy 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
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Damage) Cavalry Damage Cavalry get +15% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Hitpoints) Cavalry Hitpoints Cavalry get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3

Europeans[]

Card Description Age
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Combat) Cavalry Combat Cavalry get +15% hit points and attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Spanish Home City 3 (Riding School) Riding School Cavalry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
Age II tech tree aoe3
South Africa Home City (Wagon Warfare) Wagon Warfare Replaces Dragoons/Ruyters with War Wagons at Stables, Forts, and Galleons/Fluyts; upgrades War Wagons to Imperial; costs 1,000 wood
Revolution
South Africa Home City (Wanderlust) Wanderlust Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed
Revolution
  • "Cavalry Combat" is available to the British and Dutch.
  • "Wagon Warfare" and "Wanderlust" are available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

Germans[]

Card Description Age
German Home City 2 (Cavalry Attack) TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% attack; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack instead
Age III tech tree aoe3
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Hitpoints) Cavalry Hitpoints Uhlans, War Wagons, Comancheros, and Prinz Chevaulegers get +15% hit points; +2 Uhlans
Age II tech tree aoe3
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Combat) Cavalry Combat Uhlans, War Wagons, Comancheros, Llaneros, and Prinz Chevaulegers get +15% hit points and attack; +3 Uhlans
Age III tech tree aoe3
German Home City 2 (3 War Wagons) 3 War Wagons Ships 3 War Wagons; +3 Uhlans
Age III tech tree aoe3
German Home City 2 (4 War Wagons) 4 War Wagons Ships 4 War Wagons; +4 Uhlans
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
German Home City 2 (Princely Bavarian Chevaulegers) Princely Bavarian Chevaulegers Replaces War Wagons in the Stables and Home City with naturalized Wittelsbach Chevaulegers, called Prinz Chevaulegers, that can be trained and upgraded; +8 Prinz Chevaulegers; costs 500 food
Age III tech tree aoe3
German Home City 3 (Spanish Riding School) Spanish Riding School Cavalry get +10% speed; +4 Uhlans
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
  • "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" 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

Italians[]

Card Description Age
German Home City 2 (Cavalry Attack) TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% attack; Italians-only heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack instead
Age III tech tree aoe3
  • "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.

Japanese[]

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

Lakota[]

Card Description Age
Sioux Home City 2 (Mustangs) TEAM Mustangs Cavalry and shock infantry cost -10%
Age III tech tree aoe3

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 (TEAM Mariachi) TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Age I tech tree aoe3

Russians[]

Card Description Age
Russian Home City 2 (Cavalry Scout) TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight
Age I tech tree aoe3

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Spanish Inquisition Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3

Germans[]

Card Description Age HC level
German Home City 2 (Cavalry Attack) TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Hitpoints) Cavalry Hitpoints Uhlans and War Wagons get +15% hit points; +2 Uhlans
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
British Home City 2 (Cavalry Combat) Cavalry Combat Uhlans and War Wagons get +15% hit points and attack; +3 Uhlans
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
German Home City 2 (3 War Wagons) 3 War Wagons Ships 3 War Wagons; +3 Uhlans
Age III tech tree aoe3
1
German Home City 2 (4 War Wagons) 4 War Wagons Ships 4 War Wagons; +4 Uhlans
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1
German Home City 3 (Spanish Riding School) Spanish Riding School Cavalry get +10% speed; +4 Uhlans
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25

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

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

Russians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Russian Home City 2 (Cavalry Scout) TEAM Cavalry Scout Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight
Age I tech tree aoe3
1

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

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
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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