Bison
Bison is a huntable animal in Age of Empires III. Its carcass contains 500 Food, making it a substantial natural resource source for a developing economy.
Recorded values
- Durability & mobility
- 30 hit points · 2.0 speed · 18 line of sight
Role, availability & values
Settlers hunt Bison and gather Food from the carcass; the recorded data supports up to eight gatherers. The herd is finite and belongs to the map wildlife, so its location and safety depend on the selected map and generated layout.
Matchup & timing
Use nearby Bison to maintain early Villager production while the area is safe. Scout for another Food source before the herd is exhausted, and move workers if the hunt becomes exposed to raids. Herd the animals toward a safer gathering location when possible.
Herding, Food yield and shipment access
Bison typically appear in herds of five or more, each containing 500 Food and having 30 hit points. They run away when attacked, so the Explorer can herd them toward the Town Center or another safer hunting area before Settlers begin gathering. The Lakota can also receive Bison through shipments: The Wise Woman reward scales from six in Commerce to twelve in Fortress, twenty in Industrial and thirty in Imperial Age. Cheyenne Hunting Grounds can deliver twelve, and the Canadian Revolution’s Great Buffalo Hunt provides ten while improving Villager gathering from huntable animals by 10%. Bison appear on western maps such as Great Plains, Painted Desert, Sonora and Texas. Their size makes them a valuable food reserve, but moving a herd too far can waste travel time or expose it to an opponent. Scout the path and start gathering before nearby herds are completely depleted.
Herd sizes and map uses
Because Bison flee when attacked, Herding them closer to a Town Center or safe gathering location reduces the time Settlers spend exposed. Their 500-Food carcasses make them valuable targets for the Lakota shipments as well as natural hunts. Check the route before pushing a herd across a battlefield, and do not confuse the rare White Buffalo from the Act II: Ice scenario with ordinary Bison herds on random maps.