Salteador
The Salteador is Mexican ranged Infantry that contributes fire against enemy foot units and supports the Mexican cavalry line. It needs a screen because mounted units can close quickly and exploit its ranged role.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · European Barracks; Fort; Steamer; American Citadel
- Training
- 35 sec · 1 population · 12 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 110 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 4.25 speed · 24 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 8.5 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.0x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 0.75x vs. Cavalry; 0.75x vs. Shock troops; 0.75x vs. Villager
- Ranged attack
- 17 damage · 1-18 range · 3.0 attack interval · bonuses: 2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.75x vs. Villager; 0.6x vs. Cavalry; 0.6x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 12 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Ability
- Reveals a radius of 24 around units attacked by the Salteador for 3 seconds (10 seconds with the "Observers" card); Stealth mode
Role & counters
Salteadors are accessed through the Mexican roster and its Federal or Revolution options. Their role and exact upgrade access depend on the selected state, cards and version, so consult the current Mexican technology tree. They should be combined with units that can protect them from cavalry and artillery.
When to field it
Use them behind Chinacos or another melee screen when ranged pressure is needed. Add units that can answer Cavalry or artillery rather than expecting Salteadors to cover every matchup. Choose the access route that fits the army instead of assuming every Mexican plan has the same unit availability.
Stealth skirmisher and target-revealing shots
The Salteador is a Commerce Age Mexican light infantry unit that replaces the Skirmisher. It costs 60 Food and 60 Coin, takes 35 seconds, uses one population and has 110 hit points with 30% ranged resistance. It moves at speed 4.25, has line of sight 24 and fires 17 damage at range 1–18 every three seconds. Its ranged multipliers are 2.5 against Light Ranged Cavalry and ranged Shock Troops, 2.0 against Heavy Infantry, 0.75 against Villagers, 0.6 against Cavalry and reduced damage against Shock Troops. Its hand attack deals 8.5 damage every 1.5 seconds, while siege damage is 12 at range six every three seconds. The Salteador’s distinctive passive reveals the location of units it damages in a radius of 24 for three seconds; the Observers card extends the reveal to ten seconds. This information is useful against an army moving through fog or trying to retreat, allowing the Mexican player to continue scouting a damaged target. It also has Stealth mode, which lets it approach or reposition without being seen. Guerrilla Tactics requires its Home City Card and provides seven seconds of stealth without a movement penalty, except while attacking; after an attack it re-enters stealth two seconds later. All Salteadores share a 90-second cooldown for the ability. Like a Skirmisher, the unit is effective against Heavy Infantry and Light Ranged Cavalry but weak against Heavy Cavalry and hand Shock Troops. Its 18 range is shorter than many conventional skirmishers, but its higher base damage and speed can make it effective in a mobile force. Use it to fire, reveal a target and move away before cavalry closes. The 30% ranged resistance helps against gunfire but does not protect it in melee. Keep a frontline unit between Salteadores and heavy cavalry. Veteran Salteadores cost 200 Wood and 200 Coin in the Fortress Age and add 20% hit points and damage. Vigilantes in the Industrial Age require the Veteran upgrade and cost 750 of each resource under current values; they add 40% hit points and damage, one line of sight and two ranged attack range while reducing Coin cost. Mexico’s age and revolution systems may make the unit available from different production buildings, including Barracks, Forts, Steamers or an American Citadel. Use Salteadores as the Mexican ranged infantry core when their stealth and scouting value matter. Focus fire on Heavy Infantry, reveal a retreating force and avoid spending their stealth cooldown just before a major fight. Against Artillery or Heavy Cavalry, use dedicated counters rather than relying on their low siege attack. The unit’s role combines skirmisher damage with information control, so surviving after a volley is as valuable as the damage dealt.
Use revealed targets to control fog of war
A Salteador volley can reveal a damaged enemy for three seconds even after the target retreats into fog. Keep the firing group in position to exploit the information: a second volley, cavalry interception or artillery shot can punish the retreat. Observers extends the reveal to ten seconds, which is useful when tracking a mobile army or scouting a flank. The passive vision effect does not increase attack range, so the Salteador must still be able to hit the target before it can reveal it. Stealth is most useful before contact or during a disengagement. Guerrilla Tactics temporarily removes the speed penalty while hidden, but attacking ends that protection briefly before stealth resumes. Use it to move across an exposed gap, reposition behind a screen or escape after firing. Do not assume a stealth unit is safe near enemy detection buildings or units that reveal Stealth; use scouting to identify those threats first.
Upgrade when the Mexican army relies on skirmishers
Veteran and Vigilante upgrades increase damage and durability, with Vigilantes adding range and vision. Research them when Salteadores will remain the core ranged line for several fights. If the enemy commits to Heavy Cavalry, invest in counters instead of paying to improve a unit that remains vulnerable.
Choose the right stance for each engagement
Salteadores should remain at range against Heavy Infantry and Light Ranged Cavalry, using the firing line to apply damage and reveal targets. If Heavy Cavalry approaches, retreat behind the frontline rather than relying on stealth to withstand the charge. Keep a second unit type ready to handle the threat.
Coordinate stealth with the reveal effect
A revealed target can be followed by the rest of the army, while the Salteador uses stealth to reposition. Keep the unit close enough to fire again, but do not attack before the shared cooldown is ready if Guerrilla Tactics is needed for escape.
Preserve the stealth retreat
Withdraw from the fight before the shared Guerrilla Tactics cooldown is needed for another reposition.
Stealth, range and target selection
Salteadores are Mexican ranged infantry whose stealth and mobility suit scouting and selective engagements. They threaten exposed ranged units and create uncertainty near resource lines, but do not replace a conventional front line. Approach from a route that avoids towers, Town Centers and concentrated troops. Stealth can set up a favorable first volley, yet detection and defenders remove that advantage quickly. Pair them with durable infantry or cavalry that can hold attention, and retreat when the opponent redirects its army. Their value comes from choosing when to fight and forcing defensive attention.
Availability depends on the political path
The Salteador appears in Mexican national options and can be modified by revolutionary routes. A Revolution may rename or replace it with a path-specific version, changing statistics, access or supporting cards. Treat the standard unit and a revolutionary variant as separate profiles. Confirm that the current political state and Home City Cards still grant access before planning mass production. Apply upgrades according to the unit’s actual class; do not assume it shares every improvement with ordinary Musketeers or Skirmishers. Exact values depend on the selected nation and version.
Current rifle profile and patch adjustments
Salteador is a Mexican ranged gunpowder Infantry unit with a rifle profile suited to fighting Heavy Infantry and selected ranged units. Its current Food cost is 60, hit points 110, speed 4.25 and maximum range 18. Food cost was 70 before update 61213; speed was 4.5 before update 56860. Its range previously reached 19 before update 15.59076 and 17 before patch 15.30007. The present ranged bonuses are 2.5× against Light Ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troopers and 2.0× against Heavy Infantry, while its Cavalry and Shock Troop modifiers are 0.6×. Those two anti-ranged bonuses were 2.0× before update 13.58326. Its current 110 hit points replaced a brief 115-point profile, and its Villager damage modifier is 0.75× since update 61213. Use it to target the classes its rifle is designed to pressure; its reduced multipliers against Cavalry make it vulnerable if left without a counter screen.