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An Eastern pirate in search of booty. Good against villagers and skirmishers.
—In-game description

The Wokou Pirate is an East Asian outlaw in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties. It is available on the Borneo, Indochina, Indonesia and Malaysia maps.

Overview[]

The Wokou Pirate is an outlaw hand shock infantry unit armed with a sword, similar to the Pirate. Though not as strong as heavy cavalry units, it has a unique bonus against Villagers, making them neat for harassing an enemy's economy.

Wokou Pirates are best utilized in the early ages. As the game progresses, it will become harder to raid the enemy economy. Since the Definitive Edition, all outlaws can be upgraded to Imperial status with the respective outlaw upgrade technology, which every civilization has, so its usefulness still remains.

Upgrades[]

The Wokou Pirate upgrades in the Industrial Age and the Imperial Age when Compunction, Folk Heroes, or Wild West are researched.

  • +30% hit points and damage
  • +50% hit points and damage

Civilization differences[]

  • The Lakota can get Wokou Pirates through the "Outlaw Band" and "Bandit Gang" Home City Cards, in the pool of random outlaws shipped.

Revolutions[]

  • Argentina and the Maya can also get Wokou Pirates through the "Outlaw Band" (for Argentina) and "Bandit Gang" (for Maya) cards, in the pool of random outlaws shipped.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
Weak vs. Heavy infantry, light ranged cavalry, ranged shock infantry
Improvements
Hit points Compunction (+20%; Asians only)
Folk Heroes (+20%; Europeans only)
Maya Cotton Armor (+20%)
Infantry Breastplate (+10%)
Cree Tanning (+5%)
Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Customized Merc Weapons (+30%; John Black's Mercenaries only)
Compunction (+20%; Asians only)
Folk Heroes (+20%; Europeans only)
Zapotec Cult of the Dead (+20%)
Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%)
Master Lessons (+10%)
Yoga (+5%)
Mapuche Tactics (+50% siege attack)
Pillage (+25% siege attack multiplier vs. buildings)
Resistance Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance)
Pancerni (+10% ranged resistance)
Line of Sight Town Watch (+3)
Speed Apache Endurance (+5%)
Comanche Mustangs (+5%)
Train time Compunction (-50%; Asians only)
Folk Heroes (-50%; Europeans only)
Cheyenne Horse Trading (-40%)
Standing Army (-25%)
Quechuan Diet (-15%)
Immigrants (-10%)
Philhellenism (-10%)
Shaman Drums (-10%)
Cost Philhellenism (-10%)
Somali Oryx Hide Shields (-10%)
Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Wokou Pirate
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)

All[]

Card Description Age
Liberation March Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
Fencing School Infantry (except Warrior Priests and Skull Knights) and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Outlaw Band Delivers 19 random outlaws; costs 1,000 coin
Bandit Gang Delivers 20 random outlaws; costs 2,000 coin
Outlaw Combat Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and damage (costs 500 coin for Baja California)
  • "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
  • "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
  • "Fencing School" is available to Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish) and Indians.
  • "Outlaw Band" is available to the Lakota, and also Germans, Italians, and Spanish upon revolting to Argentina.
  • "Bandit Gang" is available to the Lakota, and also Mexicans upon revolting to the Maya.
  • "Outlaw Combat" is available to Europeans (upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico) and Mexicans (upon revolting to Baja California).

Asians[]

Card Description Age
Atonement Iron Troops/Jat Lancers/Yojimbos can be trained at the Monastery and available one age early; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1) (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)

Chinese[]

Card Description Age
Western Reforms All units get +8% hit points and damage
Acupuncture All units' (except monks) train time -20%; Heavy Cannon, Flying Crow, and Summer Palace banner army spawn time -5%

Europeans[]

Card Description Age
Theaters Upgrades the Tavern to the Theater which can train Ronin; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1)
Loyal Warriors Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Junín Hussars Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry get +5% speed and -30% train time (only get -20% train time if stacked with "Liberation March")
Wanderlust Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed
  • "Theaters" is not available to the Germans.
  • "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
  • "Junín Hussars" is available to the Portuguese and Spanish upon revolting to Peru.
  • "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

French[]

Card Description Age
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry get +15% damage
Royal Fencing School Delivers 3 Royal Musketeers; infantry and shock infantry train time -40%
Cult of the Supreme Being The player gains +10% XP from training units and other players receive -10% XP from defeating them; Sansculottes gather resources from Crates 50% faster; food from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 25% faster; wood from trees and Mango Groves and coin from mines 20% faster; food from huntable and Herded animals, Mills, Farms and coin from Estates 15% faster

Germans[]

Card Description Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% damage; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% damage instead
Witch Hammer Delivers 3 Inquisitors; Inquisitors can be trained at Taverns/Mercenary Camps, Town Centers, Church, Outposts, and Command Posts; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1); +2 Uhlans
  • "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card card.

Indians[]

Card Description Age
Dravidian Martial Arts All units get +15% all melee attack damage; Rajputs get +20% all melee attack damage instead; +1 Hindu Villager
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and damage

Italians[]

Card Description Age
TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% damage; Italian-only heavy cavalry, light ranged cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% damage instead
Schiavoni Swords Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% all melee attack damage
  • "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.

Japanese[]

Card Description Age
Bakufu Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa get +5% speed, +10 Line of Sight and train units 15% faster; land military unit train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead

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 build; all units get +2% hit points
Squires Military buildings train and research work 80% faster, except Forts which train and research work 260% faster

Mexicans[]

Card Description Age
TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Colegio de San Nicolás Delivers Large Collection of Books (500 XP); units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds

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
TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack Hand infantry get +15% damage
Archaic Infantry Hitpoints Hand infantry and foot archers get +15% hit points; Rodeleros get +20% hit points instead
Archaic Infantry Combat Hand infantry and foot archers get +15% hit points and damage
TEAM Spanish Inquisition Delivers 1 Inquisitor; military and economic units get +10 Line of Sight

Swedes[]

Card Description Age
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Attack Hand infantry and hand cavalry get +15% damage
Hand Infantry/Hand Cavalry Hitpoints Hand infantry and hand cavalry get +15% hit points

All[]

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 Indians.

Asians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Atonement Iron Troops/Jat Lancers/Yojimbos can be trained at the Monastery and available one age early; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1) (also +1 Villager for the Indians)
10

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
Dance Hall Upgrades the Saloon to the Dance Hall which can train Ronin; outlaws take -2 population (to a minimum of 1)
1

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[]

Definitive Edition[]

In-game dialogue[]

The Wokou Pirate speaks Japanese.

History[]

The term "wokou" is a combination of the Chinese word "wo," referring to Japanese, and "kou," meaning bandit or invasion.

Beginning in the thirteenth century, no group of sailors was as feared or as mighty as the plundering wokou pirates, a clan of Japanese raiders and smugglers who terrified the Chinese and Korean coasts. The first attacks occurred in 1223, triggering immediate calls for the Kamakura shogunate of Japan to corral these scoundrels and prevent further attacks on the Korean coast. In 1227, as a show of strength, the shogun had ninety suspected wokou pirates decapitated before the visiting Korean envoy.

During the Mongol invasions of the mid-thirteenth century, wokou attacks fell in number, most likely due to a heightened military preparedness on the part of both the Japanese and Korean governments. But this did not last. In the late fourteenth century, as central authority in Japan weakened, the wokou took full advantage, even branching out to initiate attacks along the coast of China. They profited highly from a severe trade embargo forced on Japan by the Qin and then Ming Dynasties of China, reaping rewards as black markets flourished. The wokou experienced periods of rise and decline, even attacking China with a makeshift fleet in 1419, but they ultimately became obsolete.

At its peak, the wokou culture was enough to threaten even the most powerful Asian rulers, and to appeal to the most ordinary of citizenry. Many men left behind their lives to seek fortunes at sea. Chinese merchants, militiamen, smugglers, Korean pirates, Portuguese sailors, traders, and even missionaries joined up with the notorious wokou pirates.

Treasure guardian[]

The Smuggler is a treasure guardian with high hit points but relatively low hand damage. He can be dealt easily using artillery or anti-infantry units, but can be quite hard to beat in melee combat, so in early game, it is recommended to convert or snipe as many Smugglers as possible.

History[]

For centuries, smugglers have worked within the laws of all nations to exploit scarcity and produce a profit. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, restrictive economic policies of mercantilism encouraged smuggling in France, the Spanish colonies, and North America. When the British attempted to fight the practice by enforcing the Navigation Acts, they contributed to the growing resentment that exploded into the American Revolution. During the Prohibition era in the United States, smuggling flourished across the continent.

Today, with the existence of widespread commercial privacy and active black markets, smuggling is more common than ever. Smugglers worldwide often traffic in luxury articles, stolen art, electronic devices, and software.

Gallery[]

Mercenary and outlaw units in Age of Empires III
Mercenaries
Infantry Armored Pistoleer · Arsonist · Askari · Barbary Corsair · Cannoneer · Dahomey Amazon · Fusilier · Giant Grenadier · Highlander · Irish Brigadier · Iron Troop · Jaeger · Landsknecht · Ninja · Pandour · Ronin · Swiss Pikeman · Zouave
Cavalry Black Rider · Bosniak · Elmetto · Gatling Camel · Hackapell · Harquebusier · Jat Lancer · Kanuri Guard · Mameluke · Manchu · Mounted Rifleman · Royal Horseman · Sennar Horseman · Stradiot · Yojimbo · Zenata Rider
Artillery Li'l Bombard · Napoleon Gun · Gatling Camel
Ship Battleship · Privateer · War Dhow · Wokou Junk · Xebec
Outlaws
Infantry African Vagabond · Colonial Looter · Corsair Marksman · Cossack Daredevil · Desert Archer · Desert Warrior · Hajduk · Highwayman · Inquisitor · Marathan Dacoit · Marathan Thuggee · Pistolero · Renegado · Wokou Monk · Wokou Ronin
Shock infantry Pirate · Wokou Pirate
Cavalry Comanchero · Cossack Daredevil · Crabat · Desert Raider · Highwayman · Wokou Horseman
Artillery Captured Mortar
Ship Marathan Catamaran
Federal Americans Desperado · Cuatrero · Bandido · Gunslinger · Cowboy · Owlhoot
Treasure guardians in Age of Empires III
Humans African Vagabond · Ambushing Shongo Thrower · Bandit Blowgunner · Bandit Gunslinger · Bandit Rider · Bandit Rifleman · Blind Monk · Brigand · Camel Raider · Caravan Bandit · Colonial Gunslinger · Colonial Looter · Colonial Officer · Colonial Oppressor · Colonial Swashbuckler · Corrupted Watchman · Delinquent Thuggee · Deserted Hussar · Deserted Pikeman · Deserted Skirmisher · Fugitive Dacoit · Gunman · Haramija · Heretic · Klepht · Knife Thrower · Marauding Cossack · Marauding Jaeger · Marauding Janissary · Marauding Highlander · Marauding Landsknecht · Marauding Musketeer · Masterless Samurai · Mongol Rider · Pirate · Plague Doctor · Repressive Cuirassier · Robber Knight · Smuggler · Witch Hunter
Land animals Alligator · Baboon · Beast · Beast of Gévaudan · Black Bear · Black Panther · Brown Bear · Cougar · Coyote · Crocodile · Elephant Guardian · Ethiopian Wolf · Grizzly Bear · Hippo · Honey Badger · Hyena · Jaguar · Leopard · Lion · Lion-Tailed Macaque · Mad Dog · Monitor Lizard · Orangutan · Panda · Polar Bear · Rhino · Snow Leopard · Snow Monkey · Tibetan Macaque · Tiger · Warthog · White Tiger · Wild Boar · Wolf
Water animals Alligator · Crocodile · Great White Shark · Hippo · Orca
Ships Bandit Catamaran · Marauding Junk · Raiding Privateer
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