Javelin Rider
Javelin Rider is Ethiopians, Hausa ranged cavalry in Age of Empires III, available from the Commerce Age; obtained through War Camp, Fort, Battle Canoe.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · War Camp; Fort; Battle Canoe
- Training
- 35 sec · 1 population · 11 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 160 hit points · 10% ranged resistance · 7.0 speed · 15 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 10 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 4.5x vs. Heavy cavalry; 3.1x vs. Hand shock trooper; 2.5x vs. Artillery
- Ranged attack
- 10 damage · 2-12 range · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Heavy cavalry; 2.5x vs. Artillery; 2.2x vs. Hand shock trooper; 0.5x vs. Villager
- Siege attack
- 10 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through War Camp, Fort, or Battle Canoe. It has 160 hit points and 10% ranged resistance. It moves at 7.0 speed and uses 1 population. Training costs 65 Food and 50 Coin; it takes 35 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 10 damage. Ranged attack deals 10 damage. Siege attack deals 10 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 4.5× against Heavy cavalry, 3.1× against Hand shock trooper, and 2.5× against Artillery. Ranged attack bonuses: 3.0× against Heavy cavalry, 2.5× against Artillery, 2.2× against Hand shock trooper, and 0.5× against Villager.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (4.5×), Hand shock trooper (3.1×), Artillery (2.5×). Ranged attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (3×), Artillery (2.5×), Hand shock trooper (2.2×). Its reduced multipliers against Villager (0.5×) make it less suitable for those targets. Use ranged fire to focus Heavy cavalry, Artillery, and Hand shock trooper before they can close; hold the melee attack for Heavy cavalry, Hand shock trooper, and Artillery when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Ranged cavalry counter profile
The Javelin Rider is a light ranged cavalry unit available to the Ethiopians and Hausa from the Commerce Age. It costs 65 Food and 50 Coin, uses one population, takes 35 seconds to train and has 160 hit points, 10% ranged resistance, speed 7 and line of sight 15. Its ranged attack deals 10 damage at range 2–12 every 1.5 seconds, with 3× damage against Heavy Cavalry, 2.5× against Artillery and 2.2× against Hand Shock troops. Its hand attack also deals 10 damage every 1.5 seconds but has even stronger bonuses against those classes: 4.5× against Heavy Cavalry, 3.1× against Hand Shock troops and 2.5× against Artillery. This unusual close-combat bonus makes it capable of defending itself against some cavalry targets, but it remains classified as Light Ranged Cavalry and should not be thrown into every melee. The 0.5× ranged modifier against Villagers means it is not an efficient worker raider. Use its speed to maintain distance from slow units, threaten artillery from a flank, or kite heavy cavalry while the rest of the army attacks. If the enemy closes into hand range, its melee multipliers can punish the listed targets, but preserve an escape route because its 160 health and 10% ranged resistance do not make it a frontline tank. The unit’s attack bonuses changed across updates, as did health and training time; older pages may show 210 health and different multipliers. Its one-population cost supports a larger group than many cavalry units, but the 35-second queue still requires advance planning. War Camp is the regular production route, with Fort and Battle Canoe options under their listed conditions. Combine Javelin Riders with infantry that can screen them and with units that handle targets outside the javelin’s bonus profile.
Preserving mobility
The Javelin Rider’s high speed is part of its defense: use it to keep the enemy at a distance, rotate between exposed targets and retreat when a melee engagement is unfavorable. Its range of 12 is shorter than some specialist artillery counters, so it must approach carefully before attacking cannons. The strong hand bonuses mean that a cavalry unit that reaches the Riders can still take heavy damage, but the player should choose when to make contact rather than relying on those multipliers as armor. Avoid firing at Villagers when another target is available, since its ranged attack is reduced against them. Keep a route open behind the formation and use a screen to prevent enemy infantry from trapping the group.
Army pairing
The unit’s one-population cost makes it possible to field several Riders alongside Ethiopian or Hausa infantry, but each still takes 35 seconds to train. Use infantry to hold enemy melee units away while the Riders focus Heavy Cavalry, artillery or Hand Shock troops. If the opponent switches to Villagers or another target outside the bonus list, reposition rather than spending attacks inefficiently.
African ranged Cavalry counter
Ethiopians and Hausa can train the Javelin Rider from a War Camp, Fort or Battle Canoe. It costs 65 Food and 50 Coin, trains in 35 seconds, occupies one population and has 160 hit points, 10% ranged resistance and speed 7. Its 10-damage ranged attack fires every 1.5 seconds at range 2–12 and deals 3× damage against Heavy Cavalry, 2.5× against Artillery and 2.2× against Hand Shock troops. The hand attack is especially dangerous to Heavy Cavalry, with a 4.5× multiplier, and also counters Hand Shock troops and Artillery. This makes the unit a fast response to expensive mounted threats and exposed guns, though its relatively low health means it should not trade under concentrated fire. Use its speed to choose the engagement, maintain distance from anti-Cavalry Infantry and withdraw once the counter target is gone.