Rodelero
The Rodelero is Spanish hand infantry with unusually high movement speed for its class. Its sword attack carries a strong bonus against Cavalry, so it can catch mounted units and help an army close on vulnerable targets.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · European Barracks; Fort; Galleon; American Citadel; Steamer (Gran Colombia)
- Training
- 30 sec · 1 population · 10 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 135 hit points · 40% hand resistance · 6.0 speed · 12 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 11 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.5x vs. Cavalry; 2.25x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 10 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role & counters
Rodeleros have 40% hand resistance and deal bonus damage to Cavalry and Shock troops. Their short-ranged melee attack makes them less effective against ranged infantry that can kite them; they also do not replace dedicated siege units against buildings.
When to field it
Use their speed to pursue Cavalry, reach artillery or pressure a flank, while screening them from ranged fire. Pair them with ranged infantry when the opponent has a strong anti-infantry line.
Training profile and defensive properties
The Rodelero is Spanish Heavy infantry available in the Commerce Age. It costs 65 Food and 35 Coin, takes 30 seconds to train and uses one population. Its current profile lists 135 hit points, 40% hand resistance, speed 6 and line of sight 12. The hand attack deals 11 damage every 1.5 seconds and has a 3.5 multiplier against Cavalry and 2.25 against Shock troops. The combination of high hand resistance and unusual speed makes it different from a conventional slow infantry screen. It can survive hand attacks that would threaten other units and can catch targets attempting to disengage, but ranged fire still exploits its relatively limited hit points.
Cavalry counter and fast infantry use
Rodeleros are designed to fight cavalry and Shock troops in melee. Their bonus damage and mobility let them reach mounted units that are retreating, while their hand resistance reduces the value of an opponent’s hand-attack bonus. Their cavalry damage is lower than a Pikeman’s in the comparison described by the source, so do not assume that the Rodelero is the strongest anti-cavalry choice in every exchange. Its speed and durability are the differentiators. Against non-cavalry targets, the unit’s higher base hand damage can make it a capable melee fighter, but it remains vulnerable to ranged units. Use the speed to flank or close on isolated troops, not to charge through a prepared ranged line.
Avoid buildings and ranged counters
Rodeleros are inefficient at destroying buildings because their siege attack is low for a Heavy infantry unit. Pikemen and Musketeers are better choices when the objective is to raze a structure. Light infantry and artillery can also punish Rodeleros, and concentrated ranged fire can remove them before their hand resistance matters. If the opponent’s army is mostly ranged, use Lancers or other units to create a distraction and let Rodeleros attack a flank only when the approach is safe. Do not send them directly into Skirmisher-type units or a mass of ranged Heavy infantry, where speed may help them reach the target but will not keep them alive.
Spanish cards and Unction support
Spanish Home City cards can improve Rodelero hit points and damage, and the Missionary ability Unction can further increase the damage of nearby units. These bonuses reward keeping a core group alive and organized around the Missionaries. Unction does not remove the unit’s vulnerability to ranged attacks, so preserve the approach and protect the support units. Knights of St. John campaign Rodeleros have a separate card effect described in the source; campaign versions should not be assumed to share the exact multiplayer card set. Check the Spanish card and Missionary entries for the current effects rather than applying a historical damage total to every version.
Age scaling and practical composition
Rodeleros scale through ordinary age upgrades and Spanish support cards, making them a specialized melee unit that can remain useful later. Their one-population cost allows a larger group than a mercenary, but their production still uses the same resources needed for Lancers, artillery and shipments. Pair them with ranged units that can handle enemy infantry and with artillery that can pressure buildings. If the opponent switches to Skirmishers, heavy ranged infantry or artillery, do not keep expanding the Rodelero queue simply because the unit is already upgraded. Preserve the force for a cavalry response and invest in the missing counter.
Read the target before charging
A Rodelero can cover ground quickly, but the correct target is more important than raw speed. Use its Cavalry multiplier against a mounted unit that is already engaged, or use its movement to catch a retreating target after the ranged line has been occupied. Do not send it into artillery or a dense ranged infantry formation simply because it can reach the back line; ranged fire bypasses the advantage of its hand resistance. If the opponent forms a screen, wait for a flank or use Lancers to create a second threat.
Pikeman comparison and siege limits
Pikemen usually provide higher anti-cavalry damage and stronger siege pressure, while Rodeleros offer more speed, hit points and hand resistance. Choose between them according to the job: use Pikemen when a building must be destroyed or a cavalry line must be stopped efficiently, and Rodeleros when catching or surviving hand-combat targets matters. Their 10 siege damage at range 6 is not enough to make them a primary building attacker.
How hand resistance changes the fight
The Rodelero’s 40 percent hand resistance is unusually high for ordinary infantry. It reduces damage from hand attacks, helping the unit withstand melee exchanges with units whose bonus damage would normally decide the fight. It does not provide equivalent protection from ranged attacks, so the Rodelero can still lose quickly to Skirmishers, Musketeers or artillery. Use it to meet a melee threat, body-block a route or pursue a retreating unit—not as a general-purpose tank against every attack type. Keep the formation moving so it can reach the target, then pull it away when ranged support turns toward it.
Preserve the unit’s speed advantage
Speed 6 lets Rodeleros choose when to enter a melee and catch retreating targets. Use that advantage to flank, intercept or disengage; if they remain still under ranged fire, their mobility provides no protection. Keep a route back to Spanish support units.
Match the cavalry threat
The 3.5 Cavalry multiplier makes a focused Rodelero group dangerous to mounted units, while its 2.25 Shock troop multiplier supports the same melee role. It is not a substitute for a ranged anti-cavalry unit, and it should disengage when artillery or Light infantry turns toward it. Keep the Spanish army nearby so the Rodeleros can retreat behind a screen.
Withdraw once the melee closes
After the Rodeleros reach a target, pull them away if ranged support turns toward them. Their hand resistance does not protect against that fire.
Retain a specialized reserve
Keep a group of Rodeleros behind the Spanish front line so they can respond when cavalry commits. Their high movement speed lets them reach the threatened flank, and the hand attack multiplier can punish mounted units that remain in combat. If the cavalry withdraws, stop at the screen rather than following into artillery or ranged infantry.
Keep Rodeleros with Spanish support
The unit is strongest when the rest of the army occupies the opponent’s ranged line. Let artillery or ranged infantry force the defender to hold position, then send Rodeleros around the side to engage cavalry or vulnerable troops. If the enemy’s formation turns toward them, withdraw and let the main army use the opening. This timing makes their mobility useful without exposing their weakness to concentrated ranged fire.
Use speed to reset the engagement
Withdraw before the ranged counters can pin the unit in place.
Fast Spanish hand Infantry
The Rodelero is a Commerce Age Spanish Heavy Infantry unit trained at a European Barracks, Fort or eligible ship. It costs 65 Food and 35 Coin, takes 30 seconds to train and uses one population. Its profile has 135 hit points, 40% hand resistance, speed six and sight 12. The hand attack deals 11 damage every 1.5 seconds, with 3.5× damage against Cavalry and 2.25× against Shock troops. A ten-damage Siege attack lets it contribute when the army reaches a building. Its unusually high speed for hand Infantry helps it catch mounted units and reach artillery, but it remains vulnerable to ranged fire on the way in.
Pursue without losing the screen
Use Rodeleros as mobile anti-Cavalry support or as a flank against exposed guns. Their hand resistance helps in close combat, while the speed-six profile makes them better able than slower Pike units to follow a target. They still need a screen against Skirmishers and massed ranged Infantry. Pair them with ranged troops that force the enemy to hold position, then send Rodeleros against Cavalry or artillery when the approach is open. Avoid sending them far ahead of the army; if they reach the target without support, the opponent can focus fire and remove them before the attack bonus matters. Their one-population cost makes replacement easier, but repeated losses still delay other Spanish production.