Counter Infantry Rifling
Counter Infantry Rifling is a Commerce Age military upgrade that sharpens specialist rifle units against infantry. It increases Rifle Infantry bonus damage against Heavy Infantry and counter-skirmisher bonus damage against Light Infantry.
Research profile
- Age
- Commerce Age
- Civilization
- Africans; Europeans; Federal Americans; Haudenosaunee; Lakota
- Research location
- Arsenal (Africans, Europeans, Federal Americans) ; Longhouse (Haudenosaunee) ; Teepee (Lakota)
- Home City Card
- "New Ways" (Haudenosaunee and Lakota)
- Research time
- 30 seconds
- Wood cost
- 200
- Coin cost
- 200
- Effect
- Rifle infantry ranged and hand attack bonus damage against heavy infantry +1.0x; Counter-skirmishers ranged and hand attack bonus damage against light infantry +1.0x; Fire Thrower grenade and flame attack bonus damage against heavy infantry +0.75x, rocket attack bonus damage against infantry +0.75x
Effect
The technology affects different roles in the roster: Rifle Infantry receive the Heavy Infantry bonus, while counter-skirmishers receive the Light Infantry bonus. Its recorded effects also include Fire Throwers and rockets, so consult the eligible-unit list for the civilization before planning around it.
Research condition
Available in the Commerce Age at Arsenal (Africans, Europeans, Federal Americans) , Longhouse (Haudenosaunee) , Teepee (Lakota). Research time: 30 seconds. Cost: 200 wood, 200 coin. Civilization-specific building access can vary.
Research decision
Research when the relevant specialist units are already part of the army or are the next planned production. It is most useful against the armor classes named in its effect; it does not make every infantry unit a general-purpose counter.
Version changes and target classes
Counter Infantry Rifling is researched in the Commerce Age at an Arsenal for 200 Wood and 200 Coin, with a 30-second research time; Haudenosaunee can use a Longhouse and Lakota a Teepee. In the original profile it improves rifle-armed skirmishers against Heavy infantry. The WarChiefs version also affected Navajo Riflemen, while Definitive Edition initially removed that interaction and later Knights of the Mediterranean updates restored it. The current effect is not simply the old Heavy infantry bonus: Counter-skirmishers gain increased damage against Light infantry instead. The technology also applies to selected specialist attacks such as Fire Throwers, and eligible units have changed through patches. Check the active version and unit list before researching, because it does not grant a universal bonus to every ranged infantry unit. It is best when the army already contains the affected specialists and the opposing roster includes the armor class they counter.
Eligible units and patch scope
The affected roster has changed over time. Definitive Edition added or corrected effects for Renegados, Thuggees, Pirates with Letter of Marque and Nizam Fusiliers in Volley Mode; it initially removed Navajo Riflemen, then later updates restored their benefit. Knights of the Mediterranean shifted the technology’s Counter-skirmisher effect toward Light infantry instead of the traditional Heavy infantry bonus. Fire Throwers can benefit despite not being rifle infantry, while Zouaves and Papal Zouaves do not receive it. These exceptions make it important to identify the exact unit and game version before spending 200 Wood and 200 Coin.
The bonus is tied to specialist attacks
Counter Infantry Rifling is a 30-second Commerce Age upgrade costing 200 Wood and 200 Coin. At an Arsenal it is available to eligible African, European and Federal American civilizations; Haudenosaunee research it at the Longhouse and Lakota at the Teepee. Its current listed bonuses are additional 1.0× attack multipliers: Rifle Infantry gain the bonus against Heavy Infantry, while Counter-skirmishers gain it against Light Infantry. Fire Throwers receive a 0.75× additional bonus against Heavy Infantry on grenade and flame attacks, and their rocket attack gains 0.75× against Infantry. These effects belong to the named weapon and unit classes; the upgrade does not give every ranged Infantry unit a general damage increase. Check the roster and attack mode before paying, especially where a unit has several attacks or a special mode.