Chasqui
Chasqui is Incas infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Exploration Age; obtained through Town Center, Tambo, Native Embassy. Its listed ability is Claims treasures (with the "Quipi Kamayuks" card) ; Builds Town Centers and Tambos.
Recorded values
- Available
- Exploration Age · Town Center; Tambo; Native Embassy
- Training
- 15 sec · 0 population · 10 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 120 hit points · 20% ranged resistance · 6.5 speed · 22 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 6 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 5.0x vs. Mercenary; 3.0x vs. Treasure guardian; 0.25x vs. Villager
- Siege attack
- 5 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Ability
- Claims treasures (with the "Quipi Kamayuks" card) ; Builds Town Centers and Tambos
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Town Center, Tambo, or Native Embassy. It has 120 hit points and 20% ranged resistance. It moves at 6.5 speed and uses 0 population. Training costs 50 Wood and 50 Coin; it takes 15 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 6 damage. Siege attack deals 5 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 5.0× against Mercenary, 3.0× against Treasure guardian, and 0.25× against Villager. Special ability or role: Claims treasures (with the "Quipi Kamayuks" card) ; Builds Town Centers and Tambos.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Mercenary (5×), Treasure guardian (3×). Its reduced multipliers against Villager (0.25×) make it less suitable for those targets. Hold the melee attack for Mercenary and Treasure guardian when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Inca zero-population utility unit
Chasqui is an Inca Exploration Age unit trained at the Town Center, Tambo or Native Embassy. It costs 50 Wood and 50 Coin, takes 15 seconds to train and uses zero population, making it a rare utility unit that does not consume army capacity. The profile lists 120 hit points, 20% ranged resistance, speed 6.5 and line of sight 22. Its hand attack deals six damage, with a 5× bonus against Mercenaries and 3× against Treasure guardians, while its damage against Villagers is reduced to 0.25×. The five-damage siege attack is not a substitute for dedicated siege units. Chasqui can build Town Centers and Tambos, and with the Quipi Kamayuks card it can claim Treasures. Its speed makes it useful for scouting routes and reaching a construction site, while its zero population cost allows it to accompany an army without displacing combat units. Keep in mind that the 50/50 resource cost and weak general attack still matter. Use it for building, map utility and the specific bonuses rather than sending it into an ordinary infantry fight.
Construction and Treasure utility
Use the Chasqui’s speed to reach a Town Center or Tambo site, then protect it during construction. The Quipi Kamayuks card is required for its Treasure-claiming ability, and its combat bonuses remain specialized.
Zero population does not mean free
The unit avoids population use, but still costs 50 Wood and 50 Coin. Train it when its construction, scouting or card-enabled Treasure ability serves a purpose, rather than treating it as a costless combat unit.
Tambo and Town Center construction
Chasqui can construct both Town Centers and Tambos, so it may support expansion or minor-civilization access. Scout the site first and keep an escort nearby; its zero population cost does not protect it from attack.
Tambo access
When using a Chasqui to place a Tambo at a Native settlement, scout the site and escort the unit. The structure can establish access to a minor civilization, but the Chasqui is vulnerable while building.
Construction escort
Chasqui’s speed helps it reach a building site, but 120 hit points leave it vulnerable while separated. Scout and escort the unit before it begins a Town Center or Tambo.
Fast Inca support and construction
The Chasqui is a fast Inca infantry unit available through the Town Center, Tambo or Native Embassy. At 6.5 speed and zero population, it can move ahead of the main force without reducing the population available for ordinary troops. Its 120 hit points and 20% ranged resistance give it enough resilience for scouting nearby routes, while its hand attack has bonuses against Mercenaries and Treasure guardians. It can build Town Centers and Tambos, letting it extend map presence when the location is safe. With only six base hand damage and five siege damage, it should not be mistaken for a front-line fighter or a building destroyer.
Card-dependent treasure utility
The Quipi Kamayuks card grants the listed Treasure-claiming ability, so verify the card is present before planning to use the Chasqui as a second Explorer. At 50 Wood and 50 Coin and a 15-second training time, it is a quick support option, and its zero-population cost is particularly useful when an army is near the limit. Use the unit to establish a Tambo or Town Center in territory the Inca can defend, or to move with an expedition and help against the specific guardians or mercenary targets its attack suits. Keep it away from Villagers and unsupported combat: its 0.25 multiplier against Villagers and modest base damage make those poor targets.