Pistolero
Pistolero is Heavy infantry in Age of Empires III, available from the Commerce Age; Fortress Age (Native Americans); obtained through Tavern (Europeans), Native Embassy (Native Americans)*, Monastery (Asians), Lombard (Italians).
Recorded values
- Cost
- 90 Coin
- Available
- Commerce Age; Fortress Age (Native Americans) · Tavern (Europeans) ; Native Embassy (Native Americans)* ; Monastery (Asians) ; Lombard (Italians)
- Training
- 40 sec · 4 population · 18 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 150 hit points · 30% hand resistance · 4.5 speed · 16 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 12 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Cavalry; 2.2x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged attack
- 15 damage · 2-12 range · 1.5 attack interval
- Siege attack
- 24 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Tavern (Europeans), Native Embassy (Native Americans), Monastery (Asians), or Lombard (Italians). It has 150 hit points. It moves at 4.5 speed and uses 4 population. Training costs 90 Coin; it takes 40 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 12 damage. Ranged attack deals 15 damage. Siege attack deals 24 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 3.0× against Cavalry and 2.2× against Shock troops.
Matchup & timing
Pistoleros are short-range outlaw infantry: their pistol reaches 2–12 and fires every 1.5 seconds, while the hand attack counters Cavalry and Shock troops. Use them to reinforce a nearby fight or punish a unit that enters range, not to trade volleys with long-range Skirmishers. Check the Native Embassy, Tavern or other listed map access before planning a Pistolero queue.
Outlaw pistol unit profile
The Pistolero is a Commerce Age Outlaw from The WarChiefs. It costs 90 Coin, trains in 40 seconds and uses four population in the current profile. It has 150 hit points, 30 percent hand resistance, speed 4.5 and sight 16. Its pistol attack deals 15 damage at a variable range of two to 12 every 1.5 seconds. Its 12-damage melee attack reaches 1.5 and fires every 1.5 seconds, dealing three times damage against Cavalry and 2.2 times against Shock troops. Its siege attack deals 24 damage at range six every three seconds. These values make it faster and somewhat stronger than a standard Musketeer in some early matchups, while its Outlaw cost and population load make it less efficient as the game progresses. Use it when its Commerce Age timing or faction availability fills a gap in the normal army roster.
Cavalry counter and formation use
Pistoleros are strong against Cavalry and Shock troops because of their melee multipliers and 30 percent hand resistance. They can hold a line against a charge while firing at range, but Light Infantry, counter-skirmishers and Artillery are listed counters. Keep them behind a screen until the enemy Cavalry approaches, then let their melee attack do its work. Their ranged attack’s minimum range of two means they are less comfortable when targets are right beside them; create space for the pistol shots or use the melee attack when the target closes. The unit is faster than a standard Musketeer, which can help it reposition, but it should not chase ranged Infantry into an unsupported fight.
Map and civilization access
Pistoleros are available on maps including Amazonia, Araucania, Bayou, Carolina, Colorado, Dakota, Orinoco, Painted Desert, Pampas, Rockies, Sonora, Unknown, Yucatán and Yukon. European civilizations use a Tavern, Asian civilizations a Monastery and Italians a Lombard. Native American civilizations require Gun Running at a Native Embassy, after which they can train Pistoleros regardless of map. Lakota Outlaw Band or Bandit Gang shipments may include them in a random pool; Argentina and Maya can receive them through their corresponding outlaw cards, and Haiti can use Brethren of the Coast if the Tavern unit is available. These routes differ from direct continuous production, so check whether the card pool guarantees the unit or only offers a random outlaw shipment.
Population and age scaling
The Pistolero’s four-population cost makes the unit expensive to mass even though it costs only Coin. The Theaters card or an equivalent effect can reduce its population requirement, improving the value of a small group. Outlaw upgrades Compunction, Folk Heroes or Wild West can increase hit points and damage in the Industrial and Imperial Ages by 30 and 50 percent. Even with these bonuses, a standard Musketeer can eventually outdamage it through ordinary upgrades. Dutch, German and Chinese players may find Pistoleros useful because they lack a conventional Musketeer, unless a stronger Mercenary such as a Fusilier or Highlander is available. For other factions, compare the unit against the standard Infantry roster before committing to repeated production.
Version changes and practical use
Update 23511 changed the Pistolero’s Coin cost from 120 to 90, population from five to four and ranged attack from 30 to 15, while increasing the hand attack interval and changing its range profile. Earlier descriptions of a slow-firing, high-damage pistol unit therefore refer to a different balance state. The modern Pistolero fires more frequently and is better understood as a fast outlaw Musketeer with a strong hand Cavalry counter, not a one-shot rifleman. Its 40-second training time and map-dependent access still limit how quickly it can be replaced. Use a small force to answer enemy Cavalry or fill a civilization’s musket gap, then transition to upgraded standard units or Mercenaries if the game continues.
Gunslinger shipment and outlaw pools
Lakota can receive Pistoleros through Outlaw Band and Bandit Gang shipment pools and can upgrade them to Gunslingers with the Hire Gunslingers card. The shipments are random outlaw pools, so they may not guarantee a Pistolero. Argentina and Maya have corresponding random outlaw shipments, while Haiti can use Brethren of the Coast to train the unit if it is available at a Tavern. Native American civilizations use Gun Running to unlock Pistolero production from a Native Embassy regardless of map. These access routes create different timing and replenishment patterns. A direct Tavern or Embassy queue supports continued production, while a card provides a one-time force or upgrade. Check the faction’s exact route before relying on the outlaw for a specific timing attack.
Choosing the ranged or hand attack
At a range of two to 12, the Pistolero can contribute pistol fire while approaching, but targets that close inside its minimum range push it toward the hand attack. The 12-damage melee strike fires every 1.5 seconds and deals three times damage to Cavalry and 2.2 times to Shock troops. Its ranged attack deals 15 damage at a 1.5-second interval, making it a faster firing unit than older profiles suggest. Keep the Pistolero in a formation where it can use the pistol first and meet a Cavalry charge with its melee bonus. The 30 percent hand resistance helps it survive contact, but its 150 health does not make it a frontline Heavy Infantry replacement against sustained ranged fire.
Late-game upgrade ceiling
Compunction, Folk Heroes or Wild West enables the Pistolero’s Industrial and Imperial upgrades, each increasing hit points and damage by 30 and 50 percent respectively. These outlaw improvements can keep a small contingent useful, but they do not erase the standard Musketeer’s long-term upgrade advantage. The four-population requirement is especially costly in a large army, so use Theaters or equivalent population reductions if available. A Pistolero shipment or early Tavern group can answer Cavalry; repeated late-game production is justified only if the unit still fills a clear gap in the civilization roster.
When not to rely on Pistoleros
A Pistolero force is a poor choice when the opponent has strong Light Infantry, counter-skirmishers or Artillery, all of which can attack before the pistol unit makes full use of its Cavalry bonus. Its 30 percent hand resistance helps against melee pressure, but its 150 hit points and 4.5 speed are not enough to overcome concentrated ranged fire. If no Cavalry or Shock troops are present, standard Musketeers, Skirmishers or a Mercenary may use resources and population more efficiently. Keep the Pistolero for the matchup it counters.
Theater population and fighting line
The Theaters Home City shipment can reduce the Pistolero’s population requirement, making a small outlaw force less expensive in army capacity. The discount has particular value when using Pistoleros to protect expensive Artillery or cavalry counters. Keep them in a line behind the frontline and use their 12-range pistol attack before targets enter melee. When Cavalry gets close, the 3-times hand multiplier and 30 percent hand resistance let them respond, but they should not be left to fight Heavy Infantry or Artillery without support. Their role is a mobile musket substitute with a specialized close-range counter, not a general-purpose line Infantry unit.
A practical opening for outlaw production
Before investing in a Tavern or Native Embassy, confirm that the map or faction route supports Pistoleros. A Home City outlaw shipment can be random, so it is not always a reliable substitute for direct production. If the opponent has early Cavalry, train a modest group and keep it near the Settlers or ranged line it must protect. If no target matches its bonuses, delay the Coin investment and build a more general unit. The Pistolero’s value comes from timing and matchup, not from being the strongest unit at every stage.
Choosing a target before committing
A Pistolero attack is most efficient when it can focus a Cavalry or Shock troop target for multiple volleys. Its 15 ranged damage fires every 1.5 seconds, while the three-times Cavalry multiplier belongs to the hand attack. Let Cavalry close only when the Pistoleros have support and room to use that melee bonus. Against other Infantry, use its ranged attack from behind the line and avoid prolonged trades with Light Infantry.
Preserving an outlaw contingent
Keep a reserve of Coin for reinforcements if the Pistolero is serving as the main Cavalry counter. The 40-second queue is long enough that a loss during a raid can leave the next attack uncovered. Use its speed to withdraw after a successful interception and let other units handle a prolonged siege. A small, preserved group can contribute across several fights and justify the population and upgrade investment.
Fast outlaw Musketeer for an early timing
The Pistolero is an outlaw armed with a pistol. Compared with a standard Musketeer, it moves faster and has a slightly stronger profile in the documented comparison, which can make it useful for an early pressure timing. Like other outlaws, it costs relatively little Coin but uses substantial population; the Theaters shipment can reduce its population requirement. Access and limits depend on the Saloon or applicable card.
Use its speed before standard upgrades take over
Pistoleros are easiest to justify in the Commerce Age, when their mobility can help them choose engagements and threaten exposed infantry. As standard units receive age upgrades, the outlaw’s high population cost and limited replacement route become less attractive. Keep them with support against Heavy Cavalry and do not trade them into artillery or a concentrated counter. If the Theaters card is not in the deck, reserve population for the rest of the army before ordering a large group.