Arquebusier
Arquebusier is Chinese ranged infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Fortress Age.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 85 Coin
- Available
- Fortress Age
- Training
- 27 sec · 1 population · 9 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 97 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 4.0 speed · 24 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 5 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.0x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.75x vs. Cavalry; 0.75x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged attack
- 13 damage · 2-20 range · 3.0 attack interval · bonuses: 2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.6x vs. Cavalry; 0.6x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 9 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
It has 97 hit points and 30% ranged resistance. It moves at 4.0 speed and uses 1 population. Training costs 85 Coin; it takes 27 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 5 damage. Ranged attack deals 13 damage. Siege attack deals 9 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 2.0× against Light ranged cavalry, 2.0× against Ranged shock trooper, 2.0× against Heavy infantry, 0.75× against Cavalry, and 0.75× against Shock troops. Ranged attack bonuses: 2.5× against Light ranged cavalry, 2.5× against Ranged shock trooper, 2.0× against Heavy infantry, 0.6× against Cavalry, and 0.6× against Shock troops*.
Matchup & timing
Use Chinese Arquebusiers as the ranged element of a Banner Army: their range-20 profile targets Light ranged cavalry, Ranged shock troops and Heavy Infantry, while the matching Banner choice determines how they arrive with the rest of the formation. Keep the group together for support and replace it with a different banner when the enemy composition changes.
Chinese banner army ranged infantry
The Arquebusier is a Fortress Age Chinese light infantry unit included in the Territorial Army, Imperial Army and, before Definitive Edition, Black Flag Army. It is not trained as an individual unit; Chinese War Academy or Castle production delivers it through a banner army. Its listed 85-Coin cost and 27-second time are informational rather than a separate unit queue. It has 97 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed 4.0 and line of sight 24, using one population. The ranged attack deals 13 damage at range 2–20 every three seconds. It has a 2.5 multiplier against Light Ranged Cavalry and ranged Shock Troops, and 2.0 against Heavy Infantry; damage is reduced against Cavalry and Shock Troops. Its hand attack is only five damage, and siege damage is nine at range six every three seconds. The Arquebusier fills the Chinese skirmisher role: long-range fire against Heavy Infantry and light ranged cavalry, with enough ranged resistance to survive some return fire. It is vulnerable to Heavy Cavalry, hand Shock Troops, counter-skirmishers and Artillery. Keep it behind other banner units, focus one target and withdraw if cavalry reaches the line. Its low hit points make it a poor frontliner even when upgraded. The 24 line of sight helps reveal targets, but the unit should not move ahead of the force to scout alone. The Chinese banner system combines Arquebusiers with other troops in a formation, so their availability depends on the army chosen at the War Academy. Territorial and Imperial armies have different supporting units; use the rest of the banner to protect the Arquebusiers and handle threats they cannot counter. Old Han or other banner infantry can hold the frontline while cavalry and artillery deal with enemy counters. Because the unit cannot be queued separately, plan production around the complete banner composition rather than expecting to replace only the Arquebusier. Its upgrade path makes it unusually powerful in the Fortress Age. The unit receives Disciplined status automatically in the Fortress Age, adding 20% hit points and damage. Honored Arquebusiers cost 300 Wood and 300 Coin, increasing stats by 30%; Exalted requires Honored and costs 750 of each, increasing stats by 50%. Territorial Army Combat, Western Reforms and the British Allies Consulate passive bonus can add further hit points and damage, producing a strongly upgraded light infantry line. These bonuses come from separate cards and alliances; they are not intrinsic to every Arquebusier. Use Arquebusiers when the opponent relies on Heavy Infantry or light ranged cavalry and the Chinese army can protect them. Their 20 range allows them to engage before many infantry reach the line. If the enemy switches to heavy cavalry, add appropriate counters and avoid overproducing the unit. The Arquebusier is similar to a Skirmisher but belongs to the Chinese banner army and has its own cost, upgrade path and access conditions.
Scale the Fortress Age skirmisher line
The Arquebusier’s value increases with Chinese upgrades and cards. It receives Disciplined status automatically, while Honored and Exalted require the listed Wood and Coin costs. Territorial Army Combat, Western Reforms and the British Allies Consulate passive can add more hit points and attack; together with the default upgrade, these bonuses can bring the unit to roughly 50% more hit points and 43% more damage. This turns a modest base profile into a strong Fortress Age light infantry line while retaining its low individual population cost. The bonuses are separate, however, and require a deck and Consulate choice that support the plan. Because Arquebusiers arrive inside banners, use the whole formation efficiently. Keep Qiang Pikemen or other melee units in front to deter cavalry and let Arquebusiers focus Heavy Infantry or Light Ranged Cavalry. If the opponent makes artillery, add a counter unit and spread the ranged line with Stagger tactics. Avoid trying to micro only the Arquebusiers out of a banner that contains other troops; preserve the group’s support and position the entire army for the target.
Keep banner units together
The War Academy delivers Arquebusiers as part of a banner army, so use the formation’s other units to screen the light infantry and answer its counters. Do not count on a separate Arquebusier queue.
Transition when the enemy adds counters
If the opponent begins producing Heavy Cavalry or Artillery, keep Arquebusiers behind the formation and shift new banner production toward units that can answer those threats. Their anti-infantry bonuses remain useful, but the low hit points make them a poor counter to cavalry that reaches the line.
Control range and spacing
The range 20 attack gives Arquebusiers room to fire before many infantry reach them. Use Stagger when artillery threatens and keep the banner formation from clustering around a single target.
Chinese ranged Infantry and banner armies
The Arquebusier is a Fortress Age Chinese gunpowder Infantry unit that is fielded through Chinese banner armies. It costs 85 Coin, takes 27 seconds to train and uses one population. The unit has 97 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed four and sight 24. Its ranged attack deals 13 damage at range 2–20 every three seconds. It has bonuses against Light ranged Cavalry, Ranged Shock troops and Heavy Infantry, while Cavalry and Shock troops take reduced damage. The hand attack also carries class bonuses, though its base damage is only five. These figures make Arquebusiers useful as a long-range component in a mixed banner force, especially against the target classes their multipliers favor.
Use the banner composition rather than the name alone
Chinese armies arrive and train as banner groups, so the Arquebusier’s practical cost and availability depend on the selected army, its other included units and the current production access. Territorial Army and Imperial Army compositions can include Arquebusiers; the Black Flag Army access is profile-specific. Keep them behind melee or heavier units, since 97 hit points is low even with ranged resistance. Use their range to focus Heavy Infantry or mobile ranged targets, and add a separate answer for Cavalry that can close. The one-population space per Arquebusier helps the force size, but the whole banner still consumes resources and must be chosen deliberately. Do not treat the Arquebusier as a standalone European Barracks unit.