Coyote Runner
The Coyote Runner is a fast Aztec melee shock troop that supplies mobile pressure without being ordinary Cavalry. It becomes available in the Commerce Age, costs 85 Food and 25 Wood, and uses one population. Its speed 6.25 lets it reach ranged Infantry and artillery, while its unusual class interactions mean that some Cavalry counters affect it differently from a Hussar. That distinction can help it survive a partial counter, but Heavy infantry and ranged Cavalry remain serious threats.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · War Hut; Fort; American Citadel
- Training
- 27 sec · 1 population · 11 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 155 hit points · 10% ranged resistance · 6.25 speed · 12 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 18 damage · 1.5 attack interval
- Siege attack
- 11 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Ability
- Stealth mode (with the "Silent Strike" card)
Role & counters
A Coyote Runner has 155 hit points, 10% ranged resistance, and an 18-damage hand attack. It takes 27 seconds to train at the War Hut and contributes 11 experience when trained. The unit’s one-population cost allows Aztecs to field a broad mobile group, but its melee-only attack means it must cross enemy fire to deal damage. The Silent Strike Home City Card grants a stealth option; detection can reveal the group, and the card’s access should not be confused with a permanent baseline ability.
When to field it
Use Coyote Runners to flank ranged Infantry, chase exposed artillery, or force the opponent to protect a second approach while the Aztec main force holds the center. Avoid charging into Heavy infantry or pursuing ranged Cavalry that can keep firing as it retreats. Their unusual class does not make them immune to anti-cavalry damage, so exploit terrain and numbers and keep a withdrawal route open. Add ranged Aztec units to pressure the units that would otherwise stop the Coyote group.
Unit class and cost
The Coyote Runner is a fast Aztec melee shock troop introduced in The WarChiefs. It is trained at the War Hut from the Commerce Age and costs 85 Food and 25 Wood, taking 27 seconds to train. The current profile lists 155 hit points, 10 percent ranged resistance, speed 6.25, 18 hand damage, and one population. Its affordable Wood cost and speed let the Aztecs produce mobile pressure without using conventional Cavalry. The unit is not classified as ordinary infantry or cavalry; it behaves like cavalry in many interactions but receives smaller counter bonuses from some units. This unusual classification is part of its identity and explains why its matchups can differ from a normal Hussar or Heavy cavalry unit.
Targets and counters
Coyote Runners are useful against ranged infantry and Artillery, which they can reach quickly with their speed. They are vulnerable to Heavy infantry and ranged cavalry, so they should not charge into a prepared Musketeer line or pursue Dragoons without support. Because their class differs from standard Cavalry, some anti-cavalry units deal less bonus damage to them; this can let them survive a counter longer than expected, but it does not make them immune. They do not take the same multipliers from some anti-infantry units as true infantry. Use them to pressure a gap, surround exposed ranged units, or chase guns after the frontline is occupied. Pair them with Aztec ranged units and durable troops so the opponent must divide attention.
Movement and stealth support
Coyote Runners move at speed 6.25 and use only one population, which makes them valuable for flanking and map response. The Silent Strike Home City Card grants Stealth mode, letting them approach or disengage from a position where the opponent lacks detection. Stealth should be used to set up a target or avoid a bad fight; Heroes, Town Centers, and other detection can reveal them. They have 155 hit points in the current profile, increased from 150 by update 20322, but remain less durable than many Heavy cavalry units. Avoid splitting them into tiny raiding groups when the opponent has enough defenders to trap them. Their movement helps them choose a fight, and their low population cost allows them to mass, but they still need a safe retreat route.
Upgrades and Aztec support systems
The Coyote Runner scales with Aztec Home City shipments, age upgrades, and support from the War Chief or Community Plaza. The Temple of Xipe Totec support and other civilization cards can improve the unit, while ceremonies can add military pressure or siege support to the overall army. Research the upgrades when the Coyote Runner is a central part of the composition; a large investment is wasted if the opponent has already shifted to strong Heavy infantry or ranged cavalry counters. The unit's hand attack can be strengthened, but its best value often comes from mobility and population efficiency. Protect the group with infantry that can hold Heavy infantry back, and use Coyote Runners to reach the ranged line once the approach opens.
Tactical use and retreat
A Coyote Runner should enter combat after the enemy formation is committed. Use other Aztec units to draw fire, then move the Coyote Runners around the side toward Skirmishers, Foot archers, or artillery. If the target is guarded by Heavy infantry, wait for support or attack a different position. When the opponent turns to face them, retreat and make the enemy move away from its objective. The unit's speed can create this kind of disruption even when it does not secure a kill. Do not leave a group under Town Center or Outpost fire while waiting for reinforcements, and do not attempt to fight every enemy unit in melee. Mobility is the Coyote Runner's main protection; preserve it by controlling the engagement.
Class interactions and counter decisions
Coyote Runners are shock troops and should be evaluated by the unit classes they face, not only by the cavalry-like animation. Some anti-infantry bonuses do not apply at full strength because Coyote Runners are not ordinary infantry, and their counter bonuses can be smaller than those against Heavy cavalry. Heavy infantry and ranged cavalry remain dangerous, so keep the group out of a frontal exchange with those units. If the enemy builds Musketeers, add support that can weaken or distract them before the Coyote Runners move in. If the enemy shifts to ranged cavalry, use Aztec units that can answer it rather than trying to win with Coyote Runners alone. The unit's mobility is strongest when it chooses the target and disengages before counters arrive.
Production and population use
At one population and a modest Wood cost, Coyote Runners can support a large Aztec force without consuming the same Food and Coin pattern as Heavy cavalry. Their War Hut training route is direct, and the 27 second build time helps replace a few losses. Keep the population advantage in perspective: each unit still needs Food and Wood, and a large group can be countered by Heavy infantry. Preserve space for the ranged units and siege needed to complement them. If the Aztec army is already at the population cap, replace Coyote Runners only when their mobility remains useful against the opponent.
Protecting the approach
Before charging, look for Outposts, Town Centers, and Heavy infantry positioned along the route. Coyote Runners can reach ranged units quickly, but defensive structures and body blocking can stop them from using that speed. Use a scout to identify the open side of the formation and attack only after another Aztec unit has drawn defenders away.
Choosing the right moment
If the opponent's ranged line is protected by Heavy infantry, wait for the defenders to move or split before sending Coyote Runners into the gap. A short retreat can draw the screen away and create a safer approach for the next charge.
Aztec shock Infantry and mobility
The Coyote Runner is a Commerce Age Aztec shock unit trained at a War Hut, Fort or American Citadel. It costs 85 Food and 25 Wood, trains in 27 seconds and uses one population. It has 155 hit points, 10% ranged resistance, speed 6.25 and sight 12. Its 18-damage hand attack fires every 1.5 seconds, while its 11-damage Siege attack can pressure structures after defenders are cleared. The speed and one-population cost help the Aztecs create a wide mobile force, but Coyote Runners have no special damage multiplier against Cavalry in the recorded profile. Use them to chase ranged Infantry, raid exposed positions and support a larger army rather than sending them alone into a Cavalry screen.
Stealth access and battlefield role
The Silent Strike Home City Card grants access to Stealth mode. This changes how the unit approaches the fight and can help set up a flank, but the ability depends on the card and should not be treated as an innate permanent state. Keep a normal screen nearby so the Coyote Runners can disengage if revealed or caught. Their 155 hit points and modest ranged resistance make concentrated fire dangerous. If their role is to reach artillery or vulnerable ranged units, scout the route and strike when the opponent’s army is committed elsewhere. Their Siege attack can assist a push, but dedicated siege and a counter to Heavy Cavalry are still needed in the Aztec composition.