Azap
Azap is Ottomans Heavy infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Commerce Age; obtained through European Barracks, Fort, Galleon, American Citadel.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · European Barracks; Fort; Galleon; American Citadel
- Training
- 29 sec · 1 population · 10 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 120 hit points · 20% hand resistance · 20% ranged resistance · 4.5 speed · 20 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 10 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 4.0x vs. Cavalry; 4.0x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged attack
- 8 damage · 3-14 range · 1.75 attack interval · bonuses: 3.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 3.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper
- Siege attack
- 20 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through European Barracks, Fort, Galleon, or American Citadel. It has 120 hit points and 20% ranged resistance. It moves at 4.5 speed and uses 1 population. Training costs 60 Food and 40 Wood; it takes 29 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 10 damage. Ranged attack deals 8 damage. Siege attack deals 20 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 4.0× against Cavalry and 4.0× against Shock troops*. Ranged attack bonuses: 3.5× against Light ranged cavalry and 3.5× against Ranged shock trooper.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Cavalry (4×), Shock troops (4×). Ranged attack is especially effective against Light ranged cavalry (3.5×), Ranged shock trooper (3.5×). Use ranged fire to focus Light ranged cavalry and Ranged shock trooper before they can close; hold the melee attack for Cavalry and Shock troops when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Current statistics and stance resistances
The Azap is an Ottoman Commerce Age infantry unit that combines a Pikeman's melee role with a bow. It costs 60 food and 40 wood, takes 29 seconds to train, occupies one population, and has 120 hit points. It moves at speed 4.5 and has line of sight 20. Melee Mode grants 20% hand resistance; Volley Mode grants 20% ranged resistance. The hand attack deals 10 damage every 1.5 seconds, with a 4.0 multiplier against cavalry and shock troops. At range 3–14, its bow deals 8 damage every 1.75 seconds, with a 3.5 multiplier against light ranged cavalry and ranged shock troopers. Its siege attack deals 20 damage at range 6 every 3 seconds. The stance lets the player choose which damage type to resist while the unit keeps its counter role, so set the formation to Melee when holding against a cavalry charge and Volley when exchanging ranged attacks.
Ottoman roster role and matchups
Azaps replace the Pikeman for the Ottomans. They counter cavalry and hand shock troops in melee, while the bow lets them threaten light ranged cavalry and ranged shock troops before those units can escape. Unlike a Crossbowman or Skirmisher, the Azap is not classified as light infantry; counter-skirmishers therefore do not receive their full light-infantry bonus against it. Their longer range can still let counter-skirmishers defeat Azaps over time. Heavy infantry does not take a special bonus from the Azap's ranged attack, so the Ottoman should use numbers or support rather than treating the bow as a universal answer. Skirmishers and artillery are dangerous, and faster ranged cavalry such as Harquebusiers or Mounted Riflemen can fire and withdraw before the Azap catches them. Screen the unit with cavalry and choose a stance that matches the incoming damage.
Economy and early production
The Azap costs only food and wood, with no coin requirement, which lets the Ottomans add anti-cavalry infantry without competing directly for coin used by age advancement or mercenaries. It trains quickly and can be massed for early pressure or settlement raids. Its lower siege damage and movement speed compared with a Pikeman make it less efficient at destroying buildings or chasing targets, so add dedicated siege or cavalry when the plan requires those jobs. The 3-range minimum on its bow also means the unit must close some distance before firing at nearby targets. Use it to defend a ranged army from cavalry while the bow attacks the opponent's light ranged cavalry. Against a heavy infantry push, add a proper ranged counter instead of relying on the Azap's modest ranged damage.
Upgrades and shared infantry bonuses
Veteran Azaps is the Fortress Age upgrade, researched at the Barracks for 200 wood and 200 coin. It increases hit points and damage and improves ranged range. Later Guard and Imperial steps raise their health and attacks further. Because the Azap counts as both hand infantry and ranged infantry, it benefits from improvements that apply to either class, including archer and infantry technologies. This dual role is one reason its stats differ from a standard Ottoman Pikeman: attack, range, rate of fire, and stance resistance all affect how it should be used. Maintain the upgrade chain if the Azap remains the core anti-cavalry unit; otherwise, invest in the supporting cavalry and artillery that cover its weaknesses.
Patch history and edition scope
The Azap was introduced to Definitive Edition with Knights of the Mediterranean and update 13.27885. It has received several balance changes: current food and wood costs are 60 and 40, training time is 29 seconds, hit points are 120, and the bow deals 8 damage at range 14. Earlier patches used other resource costs, 110 hit points, different multipliers, and a 6- or 8-damage ranged attack depending on the patch. Use the current profile for present matches and treat older recordings separately. The unit is an Ottoman roster entry and should not be confused with a generic pikeman or a unit from another Age of Empires game.
Veteran upgrade and stance discipline
Veteran Azaps costs 200 wood and 200 coin in the Fortress Age and improves hit points, damage, and bow range; later age upgrades add further durability and attack. Before a fight, decide whether the Azaps will receive hand or ranged damage and select the matching stance. Melee Mode is usually the safer choice when guarding against a cavalry charge; Volley Mode better protects them while they trade arrows with light ranged cavalry. Reposition as the threat changes, but avoid moving so much that the bow's short minimum range and faster firing rhythm are wasted.
Ranged minimum distance and screen
The bow's minimum range is 3, so Azaps cannot use it while an enemy remains in immediate melee contact. This makes their stance and formation important: Volley Mode helps during a ranged exchange, but cavalry that reaches the unit forces a switch to Melee Mode and engages the halberd attack. Keep friendly cavalry close enough to prevent skirmishers from kiting the Azaps indefinitely.
Fast Ottoman anti-cavalry at one population
The current Ottoman Azap profile costs 60 Food and 40 Wood, trains in 29 seconds and uses one population. It has 120 hit points, speed 4.5 and 20% resistance to both hand and ranged damage. Its hand attack deals 10 damage and receives a 4× multiplier against Cavalry and listed Shock targets. The ranged attack deals eight damage from range 3 to 14 every 1.75 seconds and has a 3.5× multiplier against Light ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troops. These modes let Azaps contribute against different threats, but the attack is not uniformly strong against every class. Use them to form a low-population screen for units such as Abus Gunners or artillery, and focus the attack that matches the target. Do not send them alone to siege: their 20 Siege damage is useful as support but does not make them a dedicated building counter. The profile reflects the Definitive Edition update cited in the entry; older references can show a different role and values.
Cheap anti-cavalry infantry and balance revisions
Azap is an Ottoman Commerce Age infantry option with a strong anti-cavalry purpose. Its current cost is 60 Food and 40 Wood, training time 29 seconds, hit points 120 and ranged interval 1.75 seconds. Earlier costs included 55 Food and 35 Wood before patch 15.30007, and 45 Food and 45 Wood before update 13.58326; it trained in 27 seconds before update 14.43676. Its current ranged attack deals 8 damage at maximum range 14, with 3.5× against Light Ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troopers. The ranged bonus was 3.0× before update 15.59076, and maximum range was 16 before that patch. Its hand attack now has a 4.0× bonus against Cavalry and Shock Troops; the latter modifier was 3.5× before update 14.43676. Use Azaps to deter cavalry and punish eligible ranged cavalry, while supporting them with units that can handle Infantry and artillery.