Desperado
Desperado is a Mexican Heavy infantry mercenary recruited through a Saloon or Tavern. Its Shootout Attack is a charged ranged burst, giving it a stronger short-range option than its regular shot.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 90 Coin
- Available
- Commerce Age; Revolution (Mexico) · Saloon; Tavern
- Training
- 40 sec · 4 population · 18 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 150 hit points · 20% hand resistance · 4.5 speed · 18 line of sight
- Ranged attack
- 15 base damage · range 12 · attack interval 1.5
- Siege attack
- 24 base damage · range 6 · attack interval 3.0
- Hand attack
- 12 base damage · range 1.5 · attack interval 1.5 · bonus damage: 2.0x vs. Cavalry; 1.6x vs. Shock troops
- Shootout attack (charged)
- 15 (2) base damage · range 14 · attack interval 0.9 · recharge 30
Role, availability & values
The unit occupies four population and costs Coin. Its regular ranged attack reaches 12, while the charged Shootout Attack reaches 14 and records multiple damage hits; it also has a close hand attack and building siege damage.
Matchup & timing
Use Desperado when the charged burst can be delivered into a valuable target, then pull it back before melee units surround it. Its high population and Coin cost make it a specialist addition rather than a cheap frontline replacement.
Shootout and mercenary role
The Desperado is a Mexican heavy infantry mercenary available in the Commerce Age through a Saloon or Tavern, with Mexico access under its revolution rules. It costs 90 Coin, uses four population, takes 40 seconds to train and has 150 hit points, 20% hand resistance, speed 4.5 and line of sight 18. Its regular ranged attack reaches 12, while Shootout Attack is a charged burst at range 14. The ability gives the unit a strong moment of damage, but the four-population cost means it should be hired for a specific engagement rather than as a basic infantry mass. Move it with the army, fire Shootout at a valuable target when the burst can connect and retreat before melee units surround it. A close hand attack and building siege damage provide fallback options, but its main value is ranged pressure. Saloon and Tavern access can vary by civilization and map, and Mexican revolution rules should not be applied to every player. The 40-second training time means the unit cannot answer an attack instantly; queue it in advance when its charged damage supports the plan. Compare the cost with other mercenaries in the building’s current roster and leave population for frontline units. The Desperado is strongest when supported by regular troops and an escape route, not when sent ahead alone.
Shootout timing and production
The Desperado is a Mexican mercenary with a charged Shootout Attack, available from a Saloon or Tavern and under Mexico revolution access where applicable. Its 90-Coin cost, four-population use and 40-second train time make it a costly specialist. Keep it with a screen, then use the range-14 charged burst against a target worth the investment. The regular ranged attack reaches 12, and its hand and siege attacks are secondary ways to contribute. Because the burst is charged, the unit is strongest when the player can choose the moment of contact rather than standing in a long exchange. Four population also means that multiple Desperados can crowd out supporting infantry. Check the current mercenary menu because Saloon and Tavern rosters vary by map and release. Mexican revolution access should not be generalized to every civilization. Use it to create a high-damage moment in a mixed force and retreat before cavalry or melee infantry can surround it.
Avoiding the population trap
Four population per Desperado makes a large group difficult to support. A few hires can create a charged burst, while ordinary infantry fills the frontline and absorbs contact. Do not let a mercenary queue consume the population needed for counters.
Burst then disengage
After Shootout Attack connects, fall back while the ability recharges. The Desperado’s normal ranged attack has shorter range, so do not keep it at the front once the charged burst has been spent.
Mercenary selection
Compare the Desperado with the Saloon or Tavern’s other recruits. Its burst attack and four-population cost make it appropriate for a focused fight, while ordinary infantry may provide more total bodies for the same population.
Counter response
A charged burst can punish a unit that enters range, but the Desperado should retreat if cavalry or melee infantry closes. Its Coin and population cost make replacement too expensive for a bad trade.
Keep the charge for a priority target
Shootout Attack reaches 14, beyond the regular attack’s range 12. Wait until a priority unit enters that window, fire the charged burst and then reposition while it recharges.
Mexican outlaw and charged Shootout
The Desperado is a Definitive Edition outlaw available to Mexicans in the Commerce Age and Mexico through its revolutionary context. It costs 90 Coin, takes 40 seconds to train and uses four population. The unit has 150 hit points, 20% hand resistance, speed 4.5 and sight 18. Its ranged attack deals 15 damage at range 12 every 1.5 seconds; the 12-damage hand attack has bonuses against Cavalry and Shock troops, and its Siege attack deals 24 damage. Shootout Attack is a charged ranged attack at range 14 that fires a two-shot burst and recharges every 30 seconds. Mexican Standoff affects its ranged modes. Train Desperados at a Saloon or Tavern when their mixed gunpowder profile fits the army.
Population cost and card interaction
The four-population cost is unusually high, so a small group can displace several ordinary units from the army. Use Desperados to add burst fire and a mobile Outlaw role, while keeping enough population for a screen and counters. Their hand bonuses help if Cavalry closes, but 150 hit points do not make them a replacement for a dedicated anti-Cavalry line. Mexican Standoff modifies their attacks, so check the card and current profile before calculating damage or building a timing around Shootout. A Saloon or Tavern queue takes time and requires Coin, which competes with Age advancement and other specialists; avoid massing the unit if a more population-efficient ranged Infantry option addresses the same threat.