Marathan Dacoit
Marathan Dacoit is Heavy infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Commerce Age; obtained through Tavern (Europeans), Monastery (Asians), Lombard (Italians), Marathan Catamaran (Marathan).
Recorded values
- Cost
- 90 Coin
- Available
- Commerce Age · Tavern (Europeans) ; Monastery (Asians) ; Lombard (Italians) ; Marathan Catamaran (Marathan)
- Training
- 50 sec · 5 population · 18 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 140 hit points · 30% hand resistance · 4.5 speed · 16 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 20 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Cavalry; 2.25x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged attack
- 35 damage · 2-12 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Siege attack
- 20 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Tavern (Europeans), Monastery (Asians), Lombard (Italians), or Marathan Catamaran (Marathan). It has 140 hit points. It moves at 4.5 speed and uses 5 population. Training costs 90 Coin; it takes 50 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 20 damage. Ranged attack deals 35 damage. Siege attack deals 20 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 3.0× against Cavalry and 2.25× against Shock troops.
Matchup & timing
The Dacoit’s pistol reaches only 2–12 range, so move it with the main force rather than expecting it to skirmish from the back. Its 35 ranged damage and anti-Cavalry hand attack can punish troops that enter that short window. Use it as a map-dependent outlaw and account for its five-population cost before adding several.
Commerce Age outlaw profile
The Marathan Dacoit is an Indian Outlaw available from the Commerce Age on maps including Bengal, Borneo, Ceylon, Deccan, Fertile Crescent, Himalayas, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Punjab and Silk Road. It costs 90 Coin, takes 50 seconds to train and uses five population. The unit has 140 hit points, 30% hand resistance, speed 4.5 and line of sight 16. Its short-ranged pistol attack deals 35 damage at range 2–12 every three seconds, while the hand attack deals 20 damage every 1.5 seconds and gains 3.0× against Cavalry and 2.25× against Shock troops. The siege attack deals 20. It is a close-range outlaw that can defend itself in melee as well as fire a strong shot.
Use the pistol before committing to melee
The Dacoit's ranged attack can weaken a target as the unit approaches, then the hand attack supplies a faster follow-up. The attack has limited reach and a three-second reload, so it should not be treated like a long-range Skirmisher. Its 4.5 speed allows it to reposition, but the five-population cost makes losing a group expensive. Use the Dacoit against Cavalry or Shock troops after the enemy has entered its range, and let a frontline prevent opposing Heavy Infantry from freely closing. A mixed group can threaten several target classes, but this outlaw is not an efficient general-purpose ranged mass.
Recruitment and map pools
The map's outlaw roster determines whether a Marathan Dacoit is available. Europeans can hire it from a Tavern, Asian civilizations from a Monastery and Italians from a Lombard. Marathan Catamarans provide a civilization-specific route. The Lakota may receive Dacoits through Outlaw Band and Bandit Gang when the random shipment pool includes them; Argentina and Maya revolutions can access them through their respective outlaw cards. These routes are not equivalent: map recruitment depends on the settlement and building, while shipments may provide only a limited force.
Outlaw upgrades and population tradeoff
Compunction, Folk Heroes and Wild West unlock the listed Industrial and Imperial Age outlaw improvements, increasing hit points and damage by 30% and 50% at their respective stages. Availability depends on the civilization. The Marathan Dacoit's 90-Coin price can fit a plan that has Coin available but limited Food, yet each unit uses five population, more than many ordinary troops. Consider how many Dacoits can fit without removing the core army's Cavalry, ranged line or siege support. Their melee bonuses make them valuable as a specialist counter, but the high population burden rewards careful target selection rather than indiscriminate massing.
Counters and safe positioning
Heavy Infantry and Artillery can punish a short-ranged outlaw before it lands enough attacks, while its slow pistol reload reduces pressure against units that can retreat between volleys. Use cover from friendly troops and attack from the flank when the Dacoit's Cavalry bonus is needed. Do not chase a target outside its 12 range or leave it in a prolonged ranged exchange simply because of its hand resistance. The Dacoit is most effective when it can choose a brief engagement, fire into the right target class and withdraw before the opponent's full army responds.
Outlaw role compared with a Musketeer
The Marathan Dacoit fills a Musketeer-like role in the outlaw roster: it can fight at range, has a meaningful hand attack and receives a 3.0× bonus against Cavalry. Its pistol attack deals 35 damage, but its 2–12 range and three-second reload make it different from a standard gunpowder line. At close range it can switch to a 20-damage hand attack with a 2.25× Shock troop bonus. Use the two attacks as complementary tools rather than assuming either one makes it a full replacement for a Musketeer. A protected Dacoit force can deter Cavalry while supporting the army against other targets.
Population and mercenary economics
Five population per Dacoit is a heavy investment for a unit that costs 90 Coin and takes 50 seconds to train. The low Coin price can appear attractive when the player has Coin income but wants to reserve Food, yet the population cost limits the size of the force. Compare it to other Outlaws and to standard Infantry that can be queued without a Tavern or Monastery. If the Dacoit is available only through a map pool or shipment, preserve the group and use it for Cavalry control rather than treating it as a replaceable frontline.
Upgrade and technology support
Compunction, Folk Heroes and Wild West provide the listed Industrial and Imperial Age outlaw improvements, raising hit points and damage by 30% and 50% at their respective stages. The relevant technology depends on the civilization family. General Infantry improvements can also benefit the Dacoit's hit points or attack where its tags allow. Because it is a five-population unit, an upgrade is most efficient after a group has been built and is expected to keep fighting. If the map's Tavern or Monastery access is exposed, defend the building before spending heavily on upgrades.
Map and shipment access
The Dacoit appears in the outlaw pools of South and Southeast Asian maps, including Bengal, Borneo, Ceylon, Deccan, Himalayas, Indochina, Indonesia, Malaysia, Punjab and Silk Road. The listed roster also includes Fertile Crescent. European civilizations use Taverns, Asian civilizations Monasteries and Italians Lombards; Marathan Catamarans have a specific training route. The Lakota can receive Dacoits through Outlaw Band or Bandit Gang if the random shipment includes them. Argentina and Maya revolutions can draw them through their corresponding cards. These conditions explain why a Dacoit-focused plan is map- and civilization-dependent.
Practical engagement pattern
Use a Dacoit group to punish Cavalry after it commits, or to add a strong ranged volley to an attack against a slower target. Keep it behind a screen until its short-range pistol can reach, then focus fire so the three-second reload produces meaningful damage. If the enemy brings Heavy Infantry or Artillery, reposition instead of taking a stationary exchange. Speed 4.5 is enough to move with an Infantry force but not enough to escape all mounted threats. Its best contribution is a timely counterattack against Cavalry and Shock troops, followed by a safe withdrawal.
Fielding the Dacoit in a mixed army
The Dacoit is most useful as a specialist inside a mixed force rather than as the only unit on the field. Its Cavalry and Shock troop multipliers give it a clear job, while its ranged resistance and 140 hit points let it survive some return fire. It still loses efficiency when Light Infantry, counter-skirmishers, or Artillery can attack from a favorable distance. Pair it with units that can force those counters to turn or retreat, and keep the Dacoits close enough to punish a mounted charge without exposing them as the first target.
Short-range infantry with a flexible attack
The Marathan Dacoit is quick short-ranged infantry with a strong ranged attack and a useful hand attack. It can operate like a Musketeer by threatening Cavalry and fighting at close range, while also resembling an Asian Pistolero in its broad role. This flexibility lets it support an Indian army without being limited to one target class. Keep it near the main force and use its hand attack when Cavalry closes rather than allowing it to be surrounded.
Upgrade and production choices
Dacoits receive their own age and upgrade improvements, so their value depends on the stage of the match and the supporting Indian economy. They still need help against artillery and specialized ranged infantry. Add them when scouting shows Cavalry or when a flexible front line is missing, then transition if the opponent shifts to counters. Maintain sufficient Food and Coin for Villagers, age advancement and other Indian units; a versatile unit can still become inefficient if it absorbs the entire production budget.