Askari
Askari is Heavy infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Fortress Age; obtained through Tavern (Europeans), Monastery (Asians), Saloon (Federal Americans), Palace (Africans), Lombard (Italians), Trading Post (with Sudanese Local Forces or Somali Local Forces).
Recorded values
- Cost
- 230 Coin
- Available
- Fortress Age · Tavern (Europeans) ; Monastery (Asians) ; Saloon (Federal Americans) ; Palace (Africans) ; Lombard (Italians) ; Trading Post (with Sudanese Local Forces or Somali Local Forces)
- Training
- 32 sec · 2 population · 23 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 400 hit points · 20% hand resistance · 4.5 speed · 16 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 32 damage · 1.5 attack interval
- Ranged attack
- 40 damage · 16 range · 3.0 attack interval · bonuses: 1.5x vs. Cavalry; 1.3x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 40 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Tavern (Europeans), Monastery (Asians), Saloon (Federal Americans), Palace (Africans), Lombard (Italians), or Trading Post (with Sudanese Local Forces or Somali Local Forces). It has 400 hit points. It moves at 4.5 speed and uses 2 population. Training costs 230 Coin; it takes 32 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 32 damage. Ranged attack deals 40 damage. Siege attack deals 40 damage. Ranged attack bonuses: 1.5× against Cavalry and 1.3× against Shock troops.
Matchup & timing
Ranged attack is especially effective against Cavalry (1.5×), Shock troops (1.3×). Use ranged fire to focus Cavalry and Shock troops before they can close. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
High-value ranged mercenary
The Askari is a Fortress Age African heavy-infantry mercenary recruited for 230 Coin and two population. It trains in 32 seconds and has 400 hit points, 20% hand resistance, speed 4.5 and line of sight 16. The ranged attack deals 40 damage at range 16 every three seconds, with 1.5× damage against Cavalry and 1.3× against Shock troops. Its 32-damage hand attack and 40-damage siege attack allow it to contribute when a fight closes or a structure is exposed. This is a durable and expensive specialist, not a cheap replacement for ordinary infantry. The Coin-only price makes it attractive when the economy can support mercenary hiring, but two population per Askari reduces the space available for the rest of the formation. Use the ranged attack to soften a dangerous cavalry approach and keep the unit protected from anti-infantry or artillery. If the enemy disengages, preserve the Askari rather than chasing far from support: its value comes from surviving to provide repeated volleys and counter pressure.
Recruitment and formation support
Eligible civilizations can obtain Askaris through Taverns, Monasteries, Saloons, Palaces or Lombards; some Trading Posts gain access through Sudanese or Somali Local Forces. These routes depend on the civilization, alliance and game mode. Since training takes 32 seconds, queue reinforcements before a decisive fight instead of waiting until the frontline has collapsed. Askaris have enough hit points to remain near the center of the army, but their 4.5 speed does not make them cavalry and they cannot safely outrun a fast counter. Pair them with units that protect against threats beyond their Cavalry and Shock troop bonuses. The ranged shot reaches 16, so place the Askari behind a durable screen and focus fire on one high-value target. Use the hand attack when a unit is already in contact, then withdraw if the enemy has a stronger melee counter. Their siege strike can contribute during a push, but a separate siege unit may be more efficient when structures are the only objective. The unit’s large health pool and high damage make it a strong reinforcement, but careful population management is essential when building a large mercenary force.
Use hit points to support an advance
The Askari can sustain more punishment than a light infantry unit, which makes it useful around a push that needs to hold its ground. Place it behind the first contact, let its 40-damage ranged attack focus on Cavalry or Shock troops, then use the hand attack only when the enemy is already engaged. Its two-population price and 230-Coin cost make it a limited force multiplier rather than an expendable screen. If the army is short on population, compare the Askari with two cheaper units that cover separate jobs. It can be recruited from different mercenary buildings or a Trading Post with Local Forces, but each source has its own availability. Protect the site and queue replacements before a long assault. The 400-hit-point pool helps it stay in the battle, yet artillery and concentrated anti-infantry fire can still remove an Askari before it pays back its high cost.
Manage population and Coin
An Askari costs 230 Coin and two population, so decide how many the army can support before adding a large group. Its 40-damage ranged shot and 400 hit points are powerful, but every Askari displaces other troops from the population cap. Pair a small number with cheaper frontline units, focus fire on Cavalry or Shock troops, and retain space for artillery or support. If the opponent changes to targets outside its bonuses, adjust production instead of continuing to spend Coin on a poor matchup.
Protect the mercenary production route
Askari hire sources include a Tavern, Monastery, Saloon, Palace, Lombard or a Trading Post with the specified Local Forces. These are alternative civilization routes, not a list of buildings available to every player. Scout the settlement or check the building’s mercenary menu before budgeting a large Coin reserve. Once trained, keep the Askari near the force it protects; a durable unit far from the fight cannot counter a cavalry charge.
Timing reinforcements
Train replacement Askaris before a siege begins, because the 32-second queue will not replace a lost screen immediately. Keep the mercenary building behind the army and use the unit’s 16-range shot as a protected volley rather than rushing into melee.
Why the ranged attack is the key matchup
The Askari’s 40-damage ranged attack fires every three seconds from range 16. Its class bonuses produce 60 damage against Cavalry and 52 against Shock troops before resistance and upgrades; by comparison, the 32-damage hand attack is a fallback rather than its best anti-cavalry tool. This gives the mercenary a distinct role from a generic Musketeer: let it shoot at approaching mounted units, while Light Infantry threatens its Heavy Infantry class. Askari are available from several civilization-specific mercenary buildings in the Fortress Age, and the Sudanese Local Forces or Somali Local Forces access route can also enable recruitment at a Trading Post. Their 230 Coin cost and two population make each loss significant, so screen them with units that can engage Light Infantry and avoid sending them into a close-range brawl.