Yabusame

Yabusame
Unit information
Introduced in	The Asian Dynasties
Type	Cavalry Light cavalry Ranged cavalry Archer
Civilization	Japanese
Age	Fortress Age
Training
Trained at	Stable Daimyo Atakabune
Population	2
Food	60
Coin	150
Statistics
Hit points	200
Resists	50% vs. Ranged
Speed	6.8
Line of Sight	22
XP train bounty	21
XP bounty	21
Melee damage
Attack	6
Multipliers	x3.5 vs. Heavy cavalry x2.5 vs. Coyote Runner x8.0 vs. Artillery
Rate of Fire	1.5
Ranged damage
Attack	8
Multipliers	x3.5 vs. Heavy cavalry x2.5 vs. Coyote Runner x8.0 vs. Artillery x0.5 vs. Villager
Range	18
Rate of Fire	1.5
Siege damage
Attack	13
Range	6
Rate of Fire	4.0

“	Japanese master of the bow and the horse. Good against cavalry and artillery.	”
—In-game description

The Yabusame is a mounted archer in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties that is unique to the Japanese and can be trained at Stable and Atakabune, and by a Daimyo once the Fortress Age is reached. It fires a bow from long range.

Overview

The Yabusame has one of the longest range of all cavalry in the game, but also has a low attack and hit-points. It is more powerful than most other cavalry archers due to its long range and the large multiplier against artillery. Like all of the ranged cavalry units it is also very good against other cavalry, but is better than most due to its exceptional range.

Their base hit points and attack are not exceptional, but there are many shipment cards which can increase their hit points and attack. Their attack can be boosted to 24, and hit points to 400. These statistics stack with the many auras and passive bonuses that Japan has access to, allowing them to become quite a powerful unit if properly invested in. In the Fortress Age, without Home City upgrades, they can reach over 12 attack, which gives them similar damage to cavalry as an Eagle Runner Knight or a Cavalry Archer, simply by using the Golden Pavilion and Daimyo bonuses. With cards, another 40% attack can be added (made even more powerful from auras stacking on the upgraded stats), making them potent long ranged anti-cavalry and anti-artillery support.

Yabusame combine well with Yumi Archers, which cost no coin; this can allow for massing of Yabusame with relative ease. A standard European Dragoon costs 180 resources each, while a Yabusame costs 210 (which can be lowered with the Shogunate Wonder). With Japan’s powerful economic bonuses, this small cost difference can often be considered negligible.

Upgrades

The Yabusame is automatically upgraded to Disciplined (+20% hit points and attack) at the Fortress Age.

Age	Upgrade	Cost	Effect
	Honored Yabusame	600 wood 600 coin	Upgrades Yabusame to Honored (+30% hit points and attack)
	Exalted Yabusame	1,500 wood 1,500 coin	Upgrades Yabusame to Exalted (+50% hit points and attack); requires Honored Yabusame

Further statistics

As Yabusame are unique to the Japanese, only technologies that they have access to are shown in the following table:

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Heavy cavalry, Coyote Runners, artillery
Weak vs.	Heavy infantry, ranged infantry, light cavalry
Improvements
Hit points	Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Navajo Weaving (+5%)
Attack	Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%) Carib Garifuna Drums (+1.0x multiplier vs. villagers) Seminole Bowyer (+25%) Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs (+10%) Yoga (+5%)
Speed	Comanche Mustangs (+10%) Apache Endurance (+5%)
Creation speed	Cheyenne Horse Trading (-25%) File:Inca Chaquis Messengers.png Incan Chasquis Messengers (-25%)
Train cost	Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost)
Other	Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)

Home City Cards

As Yabusame are unique to the Japanese, only their cards and other civilizations' TEAM cards are shown in the following tables:

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Yabusame

Green: TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team Red: Shipment that can be sent TWICE (Japanese only) Germans Card Description Age HC level TEAM Cavalry Attack Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and light infantry gets +15% attack 10 Indians Card Description Age HC level TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack 25 Japanese Card Description Age HC level 4 Yabusame Ships 4 Yabusame 1 6 Yabusame Ships 6 Yabusame 1 7 Yabusame Ships 7 Yabusame 10 Yabusame Attack Yabusame gets +20% attack 10 In-Yo Rush Yabusame gets +20% attack and +1.0x multiplier against artillery 25 TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades Unit upgrades cost -20% 1 Russians Card Description Age HC level TEAM Cavalry Scouts Cavalry and light infantry gets +10% hit points and +4 LOS 1 Spanish Card Description Age HC level TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 LOS 10

History

“

Yabusame is the ancient art of archery, or Kyudo, while riding on horseback. “Kyudo” is Japanese for “Way of the Bow.” The history of Yabusame is rooted in legend, beginning around 530 CE, when it is believed that the 29th emperor of Japan, Kinmei, prayed for "Tenka-taihei" (peace) and "Gokoku-houjyou" (good harvest) and then fired from horseback at three targets. The art of Yabusame has never strayed far from its roots and even today is perceived foremost as a ritual honoring the gods and calling forth their blessings. Minamoto No Yoritomo, first of Japan’s feudal shoguns, had great respect for the art of Yabusame and worked to establish it as a part of standard military training and practice. During his reign, Minamoto established the Ogasawara School, a specialized institution for teaching the arts of foot and mounted archery. He also started the Tsurugaoka Hachimanguu Yabusame Divine Performance, a showcase for the most highly talented Yabusame archers. The first event was held on August 15, 1187. Since that day the ceremony has been held every year to the present, although it went on temporary hiatus during the Pacific conflicts of World War II.

”

Gallery

An in-game (Disciplined) Yabusame.

An in-game Honored/Exalted Yabusame.

The Yabusame's history portrait

Yabusame concept art