Skirmisher
The Skirmisher is light ranged infantry whose primary role is dealing with Heavy Infantry from a distance. It trades the Musketeer’s close-range cavalry defense for stronger ranged damage against its preferred targets.
Recorded values
- Available
- Fortress Age; Commerce Age (Dutch) · European Barracks; Fort; Galleon; Fluyt (Dutch) ; American Citadel
- Training
- 33 sec · 1 population · 12 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 120 hit points · 30% ranged resistance · 4.0 speed · 24 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 6 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.0x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.75x vs. Cavalry; 0.75x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged attack
- 15 damage · 2-20 range · 3.0 attack interval · bonuses: 2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.6x vs. Cavalry; 0.6x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 12 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
Role & counters
Skirmishers can pressure Musketeers, Janissaries and other Heavy Infantry. Their ranged fire is vulnerable to cavalry closing the distance, and artillery can outrange them or punish a tightly packed formation. Exact production access and statistics depend on civilization and Age.
When to field it
Train Skirmishers when Heavy Infantry make up a substantial part of the opposing army. Protect them with anti-cavalry or a durable frontline, and spread out when artillery is present. Add other unit types for targets outside their role instead of relying on Skirmishers as a complete army.
Which civilizations field the unit
The standard Skirmisher is available to many European civilizations, normally from Fortress Age, and is trained at Barracks or Forts. Dutch players can access it in Commerce Age and also train it from Galleons or Fluyts. Several rosters use a different unit instead: British Rangers, Maltese Order Cassadores, Ottoman Abus Gunners, Portuguese Cassadores, Russian Streltsy, Swedish Jaegers, and Italian Bersaglieri. These substitutions fill related roles but do not make every Skirmisher card or stat apply identically. Confirm the civilization, version, and production building before using a standard Skirmisher strategy. The unit’s timing is a key difference between ordinary European access and the Dutch early option.
Cost, durability, and movement
A Skirmisher costs 50 Food and 65 Coin, trains in 33 seconds, and takes one population. It has 120 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, 4.0 movement speed, and 24 line of sight. This is a comparatively fragile profile for an infantry unit expected to fight in the main army. The ranged resistance helps against ranged damage but does not solve its vulnerability to melee pressure or artillery. Its Coin cost can also compete with aging and with cavalry or artillery production. Plan an economy that can continue producing both resources if the unit is meant to form a large mass rather than a single shipment-supported group.
Long-range attack profile
The ranged attack deals 15 damage every three seconds, with a range from two to twenty. Its range is the defining tactical advantage: Skirmishers can begin firing before many infantry reach their own effective range. Their hand attack deals only six, and their siege attack is 12 at range six. The latter is not a reason to use them as dedicated siege; artillery or specialized siege units are better suited to that job. Keep the ranged line at a useful distance, but close enough that the army can screen it and take objectives. Firing range provides time to respond, not immunity from being surrounded.
Bonus damage and preferred targets
The current profile gives the ranged attack a 2.5 multiplier against Light Ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troops and 2.0 against Heavy Infantry. This makes Skirmishers useful against infantry lines and certain ranged cavalry, especially when a large mass can maintain uninterrupted fire. Their own hand attack has a 2.0 multiplier against Light Ranged Cavalry, Ranged Shock Troops, and Heavy Infantry, but those units should not be allowed to reach them merely to use it. Focus fire and target selection let the bonus damage remove the opponent’s useful units before they can close or escape. Do not confuse their favorable targets with every unit carrying an infantry label.
Why cavalry and shock troops are dangerous
The ranged attack has a reduced 0.6 multiplier against Cavalry and Shock Troops in the current profile. Its hand attack also has unfavorable multipliers against these threats. Heavy Cavalry can cross the firing gap, while shock troops can engage the vulnerable backline. A Skirmisher-only force therefore lacks a reliable answer to a direct charge. Keep anti-cavalry troops or a durable screen in the composition, use terrain and controlled movement to deny a clean approach, and retreat toward support when cavalry commits. Ranged resistance does not cancel the danger once melee units have reached the formation.
Artillery and formation control
Artillery is another major threat because a low-hit-point ranged formation can lose several units to a well-placed volley. Avoid bunching every Skirmisher in one dense area and keep mobile troops ready to pressure enemy guns. When the opponent fields artillery, reposition the firing line and protect its retreat rather than standing still to trade. Open space can help the army maintain distance from infantry, while narrow paths or buildings can allow cavalry to trap the unit. Formation and movement are part of its defense: a Skirmisher that cannot preserve space often loses the benefit of its twenty-range attack.
Kiting without losing the army’s objective
Kiting uses the unit’s range by firing as enemies approach and moving away before they can engage. A successful retreat should move toward the rest of the army or a protected position, not pull the Skirmishers so far away that they abandon a Town Center, artillery piece, or objective. Their 4.0 speed supports controlled repositioning, but a cavalry force can still overtake them. Use short, deliberate moves, maintain a screen, and return to firing range once the immediate threat is handled. Kiting is most useful against slower infantry; it is not a substitute for a counter when the enemy can close quickly.
Age timing and production choices
For most civilizations, Fortress Age access means the player must invest in an age advance before relying on Skirmishers as the core ranged counter. The Dutch can field them earlier in Commerce Age, which creates a distinct timing window and lets them use naval production options. A Fort can provide forward production if its position is protected; Barracks production is safer near the base but farther from the front. Because several civilizations use named alternatives, read the roster rather than expecting standard training access. Match age timing to the opponent’s army: arriving after heavy infantry has already taken map control reduces the value of the counter unit.
Building an army around the specialist
A balanced force pairs Skirmishers with units that protect them from cavalry and give them time to fire. Heavy Infantry targets are the clearest reason to invest; the player should still retain a way to deal with artillery and fast melee units. If the opponent changes composition, adjust production rather than continuing to queue Skirmishers into unfavorable targets. Protect the ranged line while it attacks, then use its range to support a push once enemy counters are occupied. The unit’s contribution is measured by the damage it can safely deliver, not by how close it stands to the frontline.
Practical matchup checklist
Before training a large force, check that the opponent has units the Skirmisher counters, that the economy can sustain its Food and Coin costs, and that the army has a cavalry screen. During combat, focus fire heavy infantry or relevant ranged cavalry, preserve distance, and watch for artillery. Move back toward allies rather than scattering into open ground. If the civilization uses a replacement unit, check that unit’s own abilities and upgrades. These choices keep the Skirmisher in its intended role: a long-ranged specialist that pressures infantry while depending on the rest of the army to prevent a close engagement.
Combat summary and limits
The Skirmisher offers twenty range, strong multipliers against Heavy Infantry, and an efficient ranged response to certain light ranged cavalry. Its limitations are equally important: 120 hit points, 30% ranged resistance, a low-damage melee attack, and reduced damage against Cavalry and Shock Troops. Artillery can punish a clustered formation, and a high Coin cost makes poor target selection expensive. Train it when the opponent’s composition gives its bonus damage work to do, screen it from charges, and use its range to control a fight rather than expecting it to win alone. This role-based approach applies to the standard unit; named replacements require their own evaluation.
Why range changes the engagement
The twenty-range attack allows a Skirmisher line to participate before many opposing infantry can return fire. This is particularly useful when the army approaches across open ground: the unit can pressure Heavy Infantry while the opponent is still closing. Line of sight 24 supports target acquisition at long distance, but obstacles and formations can still block shots. Avoid sending the Skirmisher line so far forward that its range advantage vanishes into hand combat. Keep a clear firing lane and a reserve path behind allied units.
Manage the three-second firing cycle
A ranged attack every three seconds makes target selection important. Focus fire can remove a dangerous infantry unit, while splitting shots among several targets may leave all of them alive long enough to reach the formation. After firing, move only far enough to preserve the range advantage; excessive movement can leave allied units unsupported. The 15 base ranged damage and class multipliers provide strong output when shots land on favored targets. If the opponent uses cavalry or shock troops, changing position is not enough without an actual counter in the army.
Train the counter before it is urgent
Skirmishers typically arrive at Fortress timing for most civilizations, so plan the age-up and production building before enemy Heavy Infantry dominates the field. Dutch access from Commerce Age is a notable exception that allows an earlier response and earlier use of the ranged role. The 33-second train time means a player who waits until a charge begins may not have enough units. Scout the opposing barracks and shipments, then begin production when the composition signals a threat. Fort production is useful only if the Fort exists and is safe; a Barracks can supply reinforcements without exposing the forward position.
Protect the expensive Coin investment
The 65-Coin cost means losses to unfavorable targets are costly, especially when a player is also saving Coin for an age advance or artillery. Preserve the formation against heavy cavalry rather than trading units in melee, and do not use the low siege attack as a reason to stand near a defensive structure. If the opponent fields only units the Skirmisher counters, massing can be efficient; if the enemy adds artillery or cavalry, diversify. Resource balance should follow the opponent’s response rather than a fixed production ratio.
Civilization replacements are not identical
Rangers, Order Cassadores, Abus Gunners, Cassadores, Streltsy, Jaegers, and Bersaglieri occupy related places in their respective rosters, but have different stats, costs, availability, and upgrades. The standard Skirmisher’s 15 damage, twenty range, and class multipliers should not be copied to those replacements without checking their pages. The same warning applies when a Home City shipment changes a unit or unlocks an alternate production method. Compare the exact unit provided by the chosen civilization and version before building an army around it.
Use defensive ground and retreat routes
A Skirmisher line benefits from open ground where it can see and fire at approaching infantry, but the army still needs a protected route back to its base or frontline screen. Avoid placing the unit against a map edge or in a narrow choke where cavalry can trap it. If artillery threatens a firing position, relocate before the next volley and use mobile units to contest the guns. Terrain should help preserve space, not encourage the ranged line to remain stationary while the enemy’s counters close.
Reassess production after each enemy response
The value of a Skirmisher changes when the opposing army changes. Heavy Infantry or relevant light ranged cavalry make the unit attractive; heavy cavalry, shock troops, and artillery shift the balance. After each scouting report, compare the enemy’s current mix with the units already in the field and adjust the next queue. This avoids the common trap of continuing to produce a counter after the opponent has stopped using its target. Add an appropriate screen or switch part of the production to another unit instead of expecting one ranged line to solve every matchup.
Use the range to support objectives
Skirmishers can protect settlers, escort siege, or support a push by denying enemy infantry an easy approach. Their role is to influence the space around an objective while allied units hold it. A force that kites indefinitely but never contests the Town Center, Trade Route, or forward position does not convert its damage into map control. Once the enemy’s counters are occupied or removed, move the line forward behind its screen and keep enough distance to fire. The best position is one where the unit can contribute without becoming the first target.
Version-aware values
The recorded attack multipliers include historical adjustments: earlier versions used lower multipliers against Light Ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troops, and different penalties against Cavalry and Shock Troops. For current play, use the Definitive Edition values shown on the entry’s stat panel; consult the appropriate older-version note when comparing legacy balance. This matters because the unit’s counter role depends directly on those multipliers. Avoid carrying old forum or strategy numbers into a current match without checking the version label.
Practical summary for training and control
Build Skirmishers when their target classes are present, sustain the Food and Coin cost, and include protection against charges and artillery. Keep the line at range, focus fire on threatening infantry, and retreat toward allied screens rather than scattering. Use Dutch Commerce access where its earlier timing fits the game; other standard access is generally Fortress Age. Treat civilization replacements as separate units. This turns the Skirmisher’s excellent range and infantry damage into reliable value while respecting its low durability and poor close-combat performance.
Keep pressure while preserving the screen
When the Skirmisher line has a protected firing lane, use its range to soften Heavy Infantry before the opponent reaches the objective. Keep the screen between the ranged units and the enemy’s cavalry, and replace lost screens before committing to another push. If the opponent withdraws, advance only when the formation can remain protected; otherwise the Skirmishers may be caught by a counterattack on the march. The goal is to maintain safe damage and control the approach, not to let the vulnerable unit become the frontline.
Long-range anti-infantry formation
Skirmishers are ranged infantry designed to deal damage from a distance, especially against Heavy Infantry and light ranged cavalry. Their range makes it easier to focus fire and withdraw while the opponent closes, and a concentrated group can punish infantry caught without cavalry support. They are not a front line: relatively low hit points and a weak hand attack leave them exposed to Heavy Cavalry and artillery. Pair them with Musketeers, Pikemen or another suitable screen, and use terrain or a protected firing line to keep cavalry from reaching them.
When to kite and when to hold ground
Use their range to fire while repositioning, but do not kite so far that the army loses support or abandons an objective. Skirmishers can harass exposed Villagers from a safe distance, yet Town Centers and other defenses make prolonged raids risky. They can damage buildings, but low siege output and slow movement make them poor substitutes for dedicated siege units. In a defensive formation, their damage supports Falconets or Halberdiers; they should not be sent alone to batter a base. Their high Coin demand also makes it inefficient to trade them directly into melee Cavalry.
Upgrades and civilization differences
Skirmisher profiles vary across civilizations, and some factions field related units with different costs, resistance or attack bonuses. Use the page’s stat table for the selected version rather than assuming all Skirmishers are identical. In the Industrial Age, Counter Infantry Rifling can add a substantial bonus against Heavy Infantry when available, improving the unit’s specialized role. The Marksman age-up option for the French or Germans can grant six Skirmishers on advancing to the Fortress Age. These rewards can create an immediate ranged mass, but they still need protection from cavalry and artillery.
How later updates changed its class and multipliers
The current Skirmisher is classified as Light Infantry from update 13.9057 and as Rifle Infantry from update 23511. Its current 2.5× bonus against Light Ranged Cavalry and Ranged Shock Troopers was 2.0× before update 13.58326. Its current 0.6× modifier against Cavalry was 0.75× before that update. Against Shock Troops, the current modifier is 0.6×; it was 0.5× before update 14.43676 and 0.75× before update 13.58326, when the target classification was Hand Shock Trooper. These are historical matchup values; use the current modifiers for present play.