John Black's Mercenaries roster index
John Black's Mercenaries is a campaign or scenario roster in Age of Empires III. Its entries describe story or special-faction content; this index does not imply that the faction is selectable in standard Supremacy or Skirmish.
Linked game entries
- Unit pages
- 9
- Building pages
- 0
- Technology pages
- 2
Scenario faction roster
The lists are grouped into units, buildings and technologies, then organized by the Age recorded in the game data. Shared options can appear in more than one civilization index; inclusion does not mean an item is unique. Follow an entry to check its cost, production or research site, prerequisites, counters and version band. A Home City Card, map alliance or scenario rule may change access, so this list is not a fixed build order.
Scope and availability
Scope: Age of Empires III campaign or scenario content. Availability is mission-specific; follow the linked scenario for the actual roster and objectives.
How to read the tree
Use this roster while reading the related story missions. The mission page determines which units are actually available and what the player must do; use individual unit entries for combat roles and values. Do not assume campaign access carries over into multiplayer.
Units by Age
Commerce Age: Grenadier · Uhlan. Fortress Age: Halberdier. Age not specified: John Black · Ká:nien · Nonahkee · Stuart Black. Exploration Age: Settler. Fortress Age; Revolution (South Africa): War Wagon
Buildings by Age
No buildings are represented in the saved game-fact records for this roster.
Technologies by Age
Related campaign entries
Check the entry for version and prerequisites
An index can include options recorded across multiple Age of Empires III releases. Older faction names, card unlocks, research prerequisites and campaign-only rules can change availability. Check the linked page’s version band and conditions before applying an option to a specific game.
Act II: Ice force and mission availability
John Black’s Mercenaries are a campaign faction for Act II: Ice, not a standard civilization selected for ordinary Supremacy play. The act uses German-style military options such as Uhlans, Skirmishers and War Wagons, alongside John Black and Ká:nien. Their availability depends on the scenario’s starting force, buildings and Home City choices. The index’s Age lists reflect entries explicitly assigned to the faction in saved game records; they are not a promise that every listed unit can be trained in every mission. Check the specific Act II mission page before planning a production line or assuming that a campaign unit persists into the next scenario.
Use the roster as a campaign lookup
Use the unit entries to check the combat roles and numerical profiles of the units a mission actually provides. Uhlans offer a mounted option, Skirmishers provide ranged infantry, and War Wagons are a heavier ranged cavalry choice; protect each group from its listed counters and keep the army composition tied to the objective. John Black and Ká:nien are named campaign characters, while the generic unit entries explain the supporting force. The campaign can change the available troops between missions, so use the mission briefing and objective panel as the final authority for the active roster.