Raider
Raider is Hausa Heavy 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
- 30 sec · 1 population · 14 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 180 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 7.0 speed · 16 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 22 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Treasure guardian; 1.5x vs. Infantry; 0.67x vs. Heavy infantry
- Siege attack
- 26 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Trample attack
- 14.67 damage · 2.0 attack interval · bonuses: Same as hand attack
Role, availability & values
Production is available through War Camp, Fort, or Battle Canoe. It has 180 hit points and 30% ranged resistance. It moves at 7.0 speed and uses 1 population. Training costs 100 Food and 45 Coin; it takes 30 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 22 damage. Siege attack deals 26 damage. Trample attack deals 14.67 damage. Hand attack bonuses: 2.0× against Treasure guardian, 1.5× against Infantry, and 0.67× against Heavy infantry.
Matchup & timing
Hand attack is especially effective against Treasure guardian (2×), Infantry (1.5×). Its reduced multipliers against Heavy infantry (0.67×) make it less suitable for those targets. Hold the melee attack for Treasure guardian and Infantry when they enter contact. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Hausa heavy cavalry and counter role
Raider is Hausa Heavy Cavalry available in the Commerce Age from the War Camp, Fort or Battle Canoe. It costs 100 Food and 45 Coin, uses one population and takes 30 seconds to train. The unit has 180 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, speed 7.0 and line of sight 16. Its hand attack deals 22 damage every 1.5 seconds and has a 2× bonus against Treasure guardians and 1.5× against Infantry, but deals reduced damage against Heavy Infantry. The siege attack deals 26 at range six; its trample attack deals 14.67 and inherits the hand attack’s listed multipliers. The Raider is a mobile unit for selecting engagements, clearing suitable guardians and pressuring exposed infantry. It should not be thrown into Heavy Infantry without support because of the damage penalty, and its population and Coin cost compete with other Hausa units. Use speed to reach a vulnerable target, then withdraw if anti-cavalry arrives. War Camp and Fort production serve land forces, while Battle Canoe access can support a hybrid-map plan; protect the source and gather enough Coin to replace losses.
Using mobility and avoiding heavy infantry
At 7.0 speed, Raider can choose when to approach and is particularly useful for striking isolated infantry or assisting an Explorer against Treasure guardians. Its reduced damage against Heavy Infantry warns against a direct charge into a prepared line. Scout for pikes or other anti-cavalry before committing, and keep a route open to disengage. The 30% ranged resistance helps against ranged fire but does not make the unit safe under concentrated attack. Trample can affect nearby targets, but the attack inherits the same matchup pattern as the hand attack; do not rely on it to erase the Heavy Infantry penalty. Hausa players should balance the 100 Food and 45 Coin cost against other units that can cover the army’s weaknesses. Reinforce from the War Camp or Fort and keep Battle Canoe production safe on hybrid maps.
Hausa army role
Raider is most effective as a mobile pressure unit and a counter to exposed infantry, not as a tool for engaging every target. Its reduced effectiveness against Heavy Infantry and the Coin cost make scouting and retreat timing important.
Hausa cavalry and target selection
The Hausa Raider is Commerce Age Heavy cavalry produced at the War Camp, Fort or Battle Canoe. Its 7.0 speed makes it useful for flanking and responding across the map, while the 22-damage hand attack has bonuses against Treasure guardians and Infantry. The profile is weaker against Heavy infantry, so avoid committing Raiders into a durable melee line. With 180 hit points and 30% ranged resistance, they can threaten exposed targets but should not remain under concentrated fire. Use the Raider’s mobility to choose engagements and return before the enemy’s anti-cavalry force can surround it.
Siege, trample and economical production
Raiders cost 100 Food and 45 Coin, use one population and train in 30 seconds. A 26-damage siege attack gives them a way to pressure an exposed building; the 14.67 trample profile can add area damage when enemies are grouped. These options are secondary to the unit’s mobility and should be used only when the approach is safe. Keep an escape route open, coordinate with infantry or ranged units that can handle Heavy infantry and avoid chasing targets into a prepared defense. The Battle Canoe route offers production near water when available, but a forward queue is useful only if the site can be protected.