Keshik
Keshik is Chinese, Russians ranged cavalry in Age of Empires III, available from the Commerce Age.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 115 Food
- Available
- Commerce Age
- Training
- 33 sec · 1 population · 12 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 115 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 7.25 speed · 15 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 8 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Heavy cavalry; 2.5x vs. Hand shock trooper
- Ranged attack
- 8 damage · 12 range · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Heavy cavalry; 2.5x vs. Hand shock trooper; 0.5x vs. Villager
- Siege attack
- 5 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
It has 115 hit points and 30% ranged resistance. It moves at 7.25 speed and uses 1 population. Training costs 115 Food; it takes 33 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 8 damage. Ranged attack deals 8 damage. Siege attack deals 5 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 3.0× against Heavy cavalry and 2.5× against Hand shock trooper. Ranged attack bonuses: 3.0× against Heavy cavalry, 2.5× against Hand shock trooper, and 0.5× against Villager.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (3×), Hand shock trooper (2.5×). Ranged attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (3×), Hand shock trooper (2.5×). Its reduced multipliers against Villager (0.5×) make it less suitable for those targets. Use ranged fire to focus Heavy cavalry and Hand shock trooper before they can close; hold the melee attack for Heavy cavalry and Hand shock trooper when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Recruitment and army composition
The Keshik is not recruited as an isolated unit. The Chinese War Academy trains it as one component of the Ming Army or the Mongolian Army, so the player receives a mixed group and pays the cost and training time of that formation. Its own profile is inexpensive at 115 Food, one population, and 33 seconds in the current Definitive Edition data, but the formation commitment means the player cannot simply exchange every resource for Keshiks. This mixed recruitment is central to how the unit works: Keshiks provide mobile ranged pressure while their accompanying infantry or cavalry cover threats that a fragile horse archer should not meet directly. A Chinese player therefore chooses the army banner for its full roster and timing, then uses Keshiks as the anti-cavalry component inside it. The Russians have a separate route through the Kalmyks Home City Card, which ships sixteen Keshiks and improves them to Disciplined and Honored. This card based access should not be confused with ordinary Chinese War Academy training.
Combat profile and target selection
A Keshik has 115 hit points, 30 percent ranged resistance, speed 7.25, line of sight 15, and occupies one population. It attacks in melee for 8 damage every 1.5 seconds and fires for 8 damage every 1.5 seconds at range 12. Both attacks deal three times their listed damage against Heavy cavalry and 2.5 times against Hand shock troops; the ranged attack deals only half damage to Villagers. These bonuses explain why the unit can force cavalry away while remaining useful at a distance. It is also a ranged cavalry unit and can contribute against Artillery through its class role, although the default Keshik does not have an artillery damage multiplier. The first upgrade, Disciplined Keshik, adds a 0.75 multiplier against Artillery, so this distinction matters when deciding whether an unupgraded group should be sent to chase guns. Its siege attack is only 5 damage at range 6 with a three second interval, making it a poor replacement for dedicated siege units.
Strengths, vulnerabilities, and control
The low population cost is an important strength. A Keshik uses one population compared with two for units such as the Dragoon, and it costs less than most ranged cavalry. This lets an army field a larger number of horse archers within the same population cap, especially when paired with Steppe Riders in the Mongolian Army. The Chinese population advantage can make this formation particularly efficient. Keshiks also move quickly enough to disengage from slower infantry and hand cavalry, allowing them to change targets, chase retreating Heavy cavalry, and avoid a stationary fight. Their weak point is durability: 115 hit points is low for a cavalry unit, and speed cannot save them if they are surrounded or caught by ranged anti cavalry. Keep them moving, focus fire on expensive cavalry, and use the accompanying army units to prevent enemy skirmishers or melee troops from collapsing onto them. Do not send them into a concentrated anti cavalry line simply because their tooltip lists a cavalry bonus; damage multipliers are not protection from counter attacks.
Upgrade path and card support
The upgrade sequence is cumulative. In the Commerce Age, Disciplined Keshik costs 100 Wood and 50 Coin and grants 20 percent more hit points and damage, along with the artillery multiplier. In the Fortress Age, Honored Keshik costs 300 Wood and 300 Coin and adds 30 percent more hit points and damage; it requires Disciplined Keshik. Exalted Keshik is an Imperial Age upgrade costing 750 Wood and 750 Coin, adds 50 percent hit points and damage, and requires Honored Keshik. The large late game costs make it sensible to choose the upgrades when the army will remain a major part of the plan rather than spending the resources automatically. Mongolian Scourge and Old Han Army Reforms are notable Home City Cards for a Keshik and Steppe Rider army. A Russian Kalmyks shipment is a distinct use case because the card delivers a large group and upgrades it directly. Before committing to an upgrade, consider whether the army has enough screening units, whether the map permits the cavalry to maneuver, and whether the opponent is actually fielding targets that reward the Keshik's bonuses.
Version context
Keshik belongs to The Asian Dynasties and remains part of the Chinese roster in Definitive Edition. Russian access through Kalmyks is an additional card interaction. The current data lists 115 hit points, while the cited older value before update 14.43676 was 110; use the value for the edition and patch being played.
Chinese ranged cavalry in Banner Army formations
The Keshik is Chinese ranged Cavalry and often appears as part of a Banner Army rather than an ordinary Stable queue. It uses ranged attacks to pressure mounted targets and can reposition more easily than foot infantry. Because a banner supplies a fixed formation, plan around the Keshik’s role alongside the other units in the group. Protect it from light infantry and artillery, and avoid assuming it has the same cost or multipliers as a Dragoon.
Use mobility without losing the banner
Keshiks can support a flank or help screen vulnerable ranged units, but a Banner Army performs best when its components stay together. Focus on targets the Keshik handles well and withdraw when Skirmishers or anti-Cavalry units close in. China’s War Academy, Castle and Wonder options determine how banners arrive; use the Chinese civilization page for the selected age and composition.