Zapotec Lightning Warrior

Zapotec Lightning Warrior
Information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs
Type	Infantry Heavy infantry Hand infantry Native warrior
Age	Commerce Age
Training
Trained at	Trading Post or Tambo on a Zapotec settlement Native Embassy
Cost	40 Food 60 Wood
Train time	30 seconds
Train limit	15 per Zapotec settlement
Statistics
Hit points	190
Resistance	10% Hand
Speed	4.5
Line of Sight	12
XP train bounty	10
XP kill bounty	10
Siege attack
Damage	24 Siege
Range	6
Rate of Fire	3.0
Hand attack
Damage	12 Hand
Rate of Fire	1.5
Bonus damage	2.5x Cavalry 2.25x Heavy infantry 2.0x Shock infantry

“	Zapotec warrior armed with a shield and a sword to counter Infantry and Cavalry.	”
—In-game description

The Zapotec Lightning Warrior is melee heavy infantry native warrior in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs that can be trained at a Trading Post built on a Zapotec settlement which replaces the Aztecs in the expansion, thus the Zapotec Lightning Warrior acts as a replacement to the Aztec Jaguar Warrior.

Overview

The Zapotec Lightning Warrior is similar to the Aztec Jaguar Prowl Knight. It is capable of countering both heavy infantry and cavalry, much like its Aztec counterpart, but it is cheaper, has less siege damage and hand damage, and has a low hand resistance. It can prove to be a cost-efficient unit and an all-around combatant due to its availability in the Commerce Age.

Upgrades

Age	Upgrade	Cost	Effect
	Zapotec Warrior Societies	100 wood 75 coin	Upgrades Zapotec Lightning Warriors to Elite (+25% hit points and damage)
	Champion Zapotec	400 wood 300 coin	Upgrades Zapotec Lightning Warriors to Champion (+35% hit points and damage); requires Zapotec Warrior Societies
	Legendary Native Warriors Exalted Natives	1,500 food 1,500 wood	Upgrades native warriors to Legendary/Exalted/Imperial (+50% hit points and damage)

• The Legendary Native Warriors technology is available in the Capitol for European civilizations and the Mexicans, the State Capitol for the United States, and the Town Center for Asian (as Exalted Natives) and Native American civilizations.
• For African civilizations, native warriors are upgraded automatically and for free.

Civilization differences

• The Inca has the "American Allies" Home City Card, which enables them to ally with the Zapotec, and allows to train Zapotec Lightning Warriors at Native Embassies.

Revolutions

• Mexico can train Zapotec Lightning Warriors at Native Embassies through the "Central American Allies" Home City Card.

Further statistics

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs.	Cavalry, shock infantry, heavy infantry, buildings
Weak vs.	Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery
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	Zapotec Cult of the Dead (+20%) Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%) Master Lessons (+10%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Yoga (+5%) Mapuche Tactics (+50% siege attack)
Resistance	Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance) Hualcana (+5% resistance; Inca only)
Line of Sight	Town Watch (+3)
Speed	Cherokee War Dance (+20%) Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only) Military Drummers (+10%) Push of Pike (+10%; Swedes only) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time	Cree Kinship (-45%) Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only)
Cost	Philhellenism (-10%) Somali Oryx Hide Shields (-10%)
Other	Yoruba Herbalism (regenerates hit points when close to a tree or Berry Bush) Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)
Penalties	Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only) Push of Pike (+10% train time; Swedes only) Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only)

Home City Cards

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Zapotec Lightning Warrior

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

All

Card	Description	Age
Native Treaties	Each different allied native tribe sends a shipment of their respective native warriors (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)
Native Alliance	Native warrior train limit +20% and cost -10% (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Native Warriors	Native warriors cost -25% (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)
Native Warrior Combat	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage
TEAM Native Weapon Trade	Native warrior train limit +20%
Blood Brothers	Upgrades native warriors to Elite/Disciplined/Veteran and Champion/Honored/Royal Guard; Native Embassies get +40% hit points and +5 build limit (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)
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)
TEAM 14 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 14 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; grants Zapotec Warrior Societies; costs 1,000 coin

• "Native Treaties" is available to Africans, Europeans (except the Maltese), Federal Americans, and Native Americans, and ships 4 Zapotec Lightning Warriors if the player had built a Trading Post on a Zapotec settlement.
• "Native Alliance" is available to the Aztecs, Inca, Indians, and Japanese.
• "Native Warriors" is available to Europeans, the Lakota and Mexicans.
• "Native Warrior Combat" is available to the French, Haudenosaunee, and Inca, and also Mexicans upon revolting to the Maya, and British upon revolting to Haiti.
• "TEAM Native Weapon Trade" is available to the Dutch and Lakota, and also British and French upon revolting to Canada.
• "Blood Brothers" is available to the Aztecs, French, Germans, Haudenosaunee, Lakota, Portuguese, Russians, and Spanish, and also British upon revolting to Canada or Haiti.
• "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
• "Fencing School" is available to Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish), the Aztecs and Indians.
• "TEAM 14 Zapotec Allies" is available to the Aztecs and Mexicans.

Africans

Card	Description	Age
Feudal Armies	All units' train time -15%; hero respawn time -15%
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments)

Asians

Card	Description	Age
Native Warrior Hitpoints	Native warriors get +30% hit points and +10% speed (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians)
Native Warrior Attack	Native warriors get +30% damage and -25% train time

• "Native Warrior Hitpoints" is not available to the Japanese.
• "Native Warrior Attack" is not available to the Indians.

Aztecs

Card	Description	Age
9 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 9 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; costs 500 coin
24 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 24 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; grants Zapotec Warrior Societies; costs 1,000 coin
17 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 17 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; grants Zapotec Warrior Societies and Champion Zapotec; costs 1,000 coin

Chinese

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure	Delivers 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed
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%

• "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.

Dutch

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead

Ethiopians

Card	Description	Age
Ignatian Spirituality	All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat

Europeans

Card	Description	Age
Loyal Warriors	Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin
Sevites	Maroons, native warriors, and villagers now regenerate hit points at a rate of 0.25% per second when idle; Yoruba Eso Rider hit point degeneration rate -60% and Militiaman hit point degeneration rate -10%, and for both stops at 25% hit points
Louverture Liberation	Delivers 6 Citizens; Citizens can be trained at Town Centers for 70 coin; Fishing Boats can be trained at Docks; native warriors get +20% hit points and +5% speed
Wanderlust	Land military units and land villagers get +5% hit points; land villagers and construction wagons get +5% speed

• "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
• "Sevites" and "Louverture Liberation" are available to the British and French upon revolting to Haiti.
• "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.

Federal Americans

Card	Description	Age
Indian Friendship/Chimayo Genizarios	Each different allied native tribe sends a large shipment of their respective native warriors and upgrades them to Elite and Champion; native warriors train time -10%; native warrior shipments and "Native Treaties" arrive time -50%; costs 500 food, 500 wood

• "Indian Friendship" is available to the United States and "Chimayo Genizarios" to the Mexicans.
• "Indian Friendship"/"Chimayo Genizarios" ships 8 Zapotec Lightning Warriors if the player had built a Trading Post on a Zapotec settlement.

French

Card	Description	Age
Wilderness Warfare	Coureurs des Bois, Cree Coureurs des Bois, native warriors, Skirmishers, and Settlers get +20% hit points
TEAM French Auxiliaries Combat	Native warriors get +10% hit points and 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

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

Haudenosaunee

Card	Description	Age
TEAM Scout Infantry	Delivers 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight
Conservative Tactics	Infantry get +10% hit points and damage
Native Warrior Conscription	Native warrior cost -25% and train limit +20%
Wampum	Training units and constructing buildings grants +35% XP; unit train time -20%, siege unit and artillery train time -5% instead

Hausa

Card	Description	Age
Sahelian Kingdoms	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage; mercenaries and outlaws get +10% hit points and damage

Inca

Card	Description	Age
Road Building	Land military units get +10% speed
Couriers	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry train time -45%
TEAM Inca Bridges	Delivers 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed
American Allies	Delivers 1 Native Embassy Travois; Native Embassy can be built in the Exploration Age; allows choosing a native ally, granting access to their respective native warrior and technologies at Native Embassies; player can choose from Carib, Mapuche, and Zapotec

• "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" 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
Zamindars	Infantry train time -20%; delivers 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with each Home City shipment, including this one

Italians

Card	Description	Age
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points
Schiavoni Swords	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% all melee attack damage

Japanese

Card	Description	Age
Onin War	Infantry get +33% siege attack damage
TEAM Sengoku	Unit upgrades cost -20%
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
Moccasins	Infantry get +10% speed
Black Arrow	Native warriors train time -85%
Winter Counts	Training units grants +40% XP and constructing buildings grants +20% XP

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
National Servant	All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster
Bastimento	Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead
Pok Ta Pok	Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time

• "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
• "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
• "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 get +50% siege attack damage
Dueling School	Infantry train time -25%

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
Central American Allies	Delivers 3 Native Embassy Travois; allows Apache Cavalry, Maya Holcan Javelineers, Navajo Riflemen, and Zapotec Lightning Warriors to be trained at Native Embassies, and upgrades them to Elite; the player is considered to be allied with the Apache, Maya, Navajo, and Zapotec for Native Treaties

• "Central American Allies" is available upon revolting to Mexico.

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
TEAM House of Bernadotte	Heavy infantry get +15% hit points

United States

Card	Description	Age
United States Army	The General, Minutemen, and heavy infantry get +15% hit points and damage
Indiana Mobilization	Delivers 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game including this one; unit train time (except Heavy Cannons), technology research time, and age-up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood

• "Indiana Mobilization" is available upon selecting the Indiana Federal State.

All

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Native Treaties	Each different allied native tribe sends a shipment of their respective native warriors (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans)		1
Native Warriors	Native warriors cost -25% (also +3 Uhlans for the Germans)		10
Native Warrior Combat	Native warriors get +25% hit points and damage		25
TEAM Native Warrior Societies	Native warrior train limit +30%		25
Blood Brothers	Upgrades native warriors to Elite/Disciplined and Champion/Honored (also +4 Uhlans for the Germans)		25
Fencing School	Infantry (except Skull Knights) train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Villager for the Indians)		10

• "Native Treaties" is available to Europeans and Native Americans, and ships 4 Zapotec Lightning Warriors if the player had built a Trading Post on a Zapotec settlement.
• "Native Warriors" is available to Europeans and Native Americans (except the Iroquois).
• "Native Warrior Combat" is available to the French and Iroquois.
• "TEAM Native Warrior Societies" is available to the Dutch and Native Americans.
• "Blood Brothers" is available to the Aztecs, French, Germans, Iroquois, Portuguese, Russians, Sioux, and Spanish.
• "Fencing School" is available to the Aztecs, Europeans (except the Ottomans), and Indians.

Asians

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Native Alliance	Native warrior train limit +20% and cost -10% (also +1 Villager for the Indians)		1
Native Warrior Hitpoints	Native warriors get +30% hit points and +10% speed (also +1 Villager for the Indians)		10
Native Warrior Attack	Native warriors get +30% damage and -25% train time		10

• "Native Alliance" is not available to the Chinese.
• "Native Warrior Hitpoints" is not available to the Japanese.
• "Native Warrior Attack" is not available to the Indians.

Aztecs

Card	Description	Age	HC level
9 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 9 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; costs 500 coin		1
24 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 24 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; grants Zapotec Warrior Societies; costs 1,000 coin		10
30 Zapotec Allies	Delivers 30 Zapotec Lightning Warriors; grants Zapotec Warrior Societies; costs 2,000 coin		40

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

French

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Wilderness Warfare	Coureurs des Bois, native warriors, and Skirmishers get +20% hit points		25
TEAM Improved Native Warrior Combat	Native warriors get +15% hit points and damage		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
Infantry Attack	Infantry get +15% damage		10
Infantry Hitpoints	Infantry get +15% hit points		10
Infantry Combat	Infantry get +15% hit points and damage		25
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
TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades	Unit upgrades cost -20%		1

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

Sioux

Card	Description	Age	HC level
Wind Runner	Infantry get +10% speed		10
Black Arrow	Native warriors train time -85%		10

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 WarChiefs

• Zapotec Lightning Warriors have 11 hand attack, 30 siege attack, train in 20 seconds, and have a x2.5 damage multiplier against heavy infantry, x2.0 against cavalry and x1.5 against shock infantry.

Definitive Edition

• Zapotec Lightning Warriors have 12 hand attack, 24 siege attack, train in 30 seconds, and have a x2.5 multiplier against cavalry, x2.0 against shock infantry, and x2.5 against heavy infantry.

The African Royals

• Although it is not listed in the patch notes, with update 50830, the Zapotec Lightning Warrior portrait has been updated.

Knights of the Mediterranean

• With update 15.59076, Zapotec Lightning Warrior damage multiplier against heavy infantry reduced from 2.5x to 2.25x.

In-game dialogue

Main article: Zapotec#In-game_dialogue

Trivia

• The weapon used by the Zapotec Lightning Warrior is a Macuahuitl, or obsidian sword, similar to one used by the Jaguar Prowl Knight.

History

“

The Zapotec, a Mesoamerican people who developed an advanced civilization, inhabited cities as well as towns, their homes built from stones and mortar. They had an early written language system, which perhaps influenced other Mesoamerican writing systems developed as by the Aztec, Maya, and Mixtec. One of the most powerful and sacred forces of nature to the Zapotec was lightning, personified by Cociyo or the Thunder God. Images of the Thunder God often reflected a serpentine nature, perhaps mirroring the undulating movements of lightning as it strikes the earth. Dressed for battle in lightweight yet sturdy cotton armor, the lightning warrior was an elite infantryman feared throughout Mesoamerica during the 1500s.

”

Gallery

Zapotec Lightning Warrior image from the Compendium section

The Lightning Warrior's history portrait

An in-game Zapotec Lightning Warrior model

In-game Zapotec Lightning Warrior in the Definitive Edition