State Militia
State Militia is a United States ranged infantry unit in Definitive Edition, also used by Texas. Its rifle attack is specialized against Light ranged cavalry and ranged shock units, while still contributing damage against Heavy infantry.
Recorded values
- Available
- Commerce Age · European Barracks; Fort; Steamer
- Training
- 27 sec · 1 population · 9 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 115 hit points · 25% ranged resistance · 4.5 speed · 16 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 7 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 2.0x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.0x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 1.5x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.75x vs. Cavalry; 0.75x vs. Shock troops
- Ranged attack
- 13 damage · 2-13 range · 3.0 attack interval · bonuses: 2.5x vs. Light ranged cavalry; 2.5x vs. Ranged shock trooper; 1.5x vs. Heavy infantry; 0.6x vs. Cavalry; 0.6x vs. Shock troops
- Siege attack
- 14 damage · 6 range · 3.0 attack interval
- Ability
- Gets +0.84% hit points for every State Militia in an Area of 32 (up to +16.8%)
Role & counters
The unit carries bonuses against Light ranged cavalry and ranged shock troops, but its attack is inefficient against ordinary Cavalry and Shock troops. Nearby State Militia can gain hit points from their group ability, so keeping the formation together supports its durability.
When to field it
Train State Militia when the opposing army relies on its marked ranged cavalry or ranged shock targets. Protect them from melee Cavalry and shock troops with a suitable frontline rather than treating them as a general-purpose Musketeer.
Current statistics and combat profile
In the current Definitive Edition profile, a State Militia costs 50 food and 40 wood, takes 27 seconds to train, occupies one population, and has 115 hit points with 25% ranged resistance. Its movement speed is 4.5 and its line of sight is 16. The unit attacks in melee for 7 damage every 1.5 seconds; at range it deals 13 damage every 3 seconds, with a range of 2 to 13. Its ranged attack has a 2.5 multiplier against light ranged cavalry and ranged shock troopers, 1.5 against heavy infantry, and 0.6 against cavalry and shock troops. The melee attack has corresponding multipliers of 2.0, 2.0, 1.5, 0.75, and 0.75. These values explain why it can pressure infantry and some specialist targets but is a poor answer to cavalry or shock troops. Patches have changed several of these numbers: older versions had different hit points, resistance, speed, cost, and multipliers, so the current profile should not be projected onto every historical build.
Formation durability and battlefield role
The State Militia is the United States' Commerce Age replacement for the Crossbowman. Its defining trait is a nearby-unit bonus: each State Militia within an area of 32 grants the group 0.84% additional hit points, up to the current 16.8% cap. The bonus rewards keeping the formation together. Two nearby militia already provide a small increase to each other's durability, while a full group approaches the cap; splitting them across distant fronts gives up that protection. Its relatively short 13 range means it cannot kite as safely as a conventional Skirmisher, although its 4.5 speed helps it reposition and withdraw from many slower infantry. It can just outrange a Musketeer, but that narrow advantage does not make it a universal ranged counter.
Matchups, upgrades, and practical use
Use State Militia as economical early ranged support when the opponent is leaning on heavy infantry or other targets covered by its multipliers. Keep them in supporting numbers with anti-cavalry protection: cavalry's reduced ranged damage multiplier and the militia's light durability against a charge make an unsupported line vulnerable. Artillery also punishes infantry formations, so spread or retreat the group when siege weapons are firing. The unit becomes more effective after its age upgrades. Veteran State Militia is researched in the Fortress Age for 200 wood and 200 coin and grants 20% more hit points and damage. The Industrial Age Volunteers upgrade improves them again; its current listed cost is 750 wood and 750 coin. Counter Infantry Rifling is a useful Fortress Age technology when the plan relies on them to fight heavy infantry, because the unit's short range otherwise limits its ability to perform the standard Skirmisher role. Their group bonus favors concentrated engagements, but do not cluster them so tightly that artillery can hit the whole formation.
Civilization access and version scope
The United States trains State Militia from its Barracks, Fort, or Steamer. The Mexican civilization can obtain the unit through the Texan revolution in the Industrial Age. The unit is a Definitive Edition addition and should not be treated as a standard roster choice for the original release, The WarChiefs, or The Asian Dynasties. Its type classification also changed during Definitive Edition updates: it is treated as light infantry from update 13.9057 onward. When comparing older strategy guides or recorded matches, check the patch-era numbers and classification before applying a present-day matchup assumption.
Upgrade path and faction variants
Their upgrade line has several distinct stages rather than a single universal improvement. Veteran State Militia is the Fortress Age upgrade; Volunteers is the Industrial Age step and requires Veteran, while Imperial Volunteers advances the unit again in the Imperial Age and requires Volunteers. In the current listing, Volunteers costs 750 wood and 750 coin, and Imperial Volunteers costs 1,500 of each resource. The Guard State Militia upgrade is a separate revolutionary option: it costs 600 wood and 600 coin and adds 30% hit points and damage. It is available to the British, Dutch, French, Italians, and Swedes after revolting to the United States and sending Rhode Island Militia. That card ships ten State Militia, replaces several listed basic infantry with them, and opens the Guard upgrade. A Mexican revolution to Texas converts Settlers into Volunteers and allows Volunteers to be trained in place of Settlers and Insurgentes. These routes make the unit's availability and final strength dependent on the chosen civilization and revolution, not only the normal United States age-up sequence. The main practical choice is whether to invest in the upgrade chain for a lasting ranged core or spend those resources on cavalry and artillery counters that protect its short-ranged formation.
Additional counters and shared bonuses
Its main favorable matchups are heavy infantry, light ranged cavalry, and ranged shock troopers; heavy cavalry, hand shock troops, counter-skirmishers, and artillery are dangerous answers. Shared technologies can also change field performance: Standing Army reduces training time by 25%, while Akan Fontomfrom reduces it by 20%; other listed civilization bonuses affect training time, speed, sight, and ranged resistance.
Early ranged anti-infantry unit
The State Militia is a ranged unit with an anti-infantry role and a profile comparable in availability to the Russian Strelet. It can support an early Commerce Age rush by adding ranged pressure, but its weaker combat statistics make it less effective as the game advances. Use it in a group and focus on infantry targets rather than expecting it to hold against Cavalry or artillery.
Use early numbers, then transition
State Militia can create a quick timing when the opponent has not yet built a full counter, but their lower durability makes prolonged fights costly. Keep a front line and add a stronger unit as the enemy ages up. Check the faction, Revolution or card source that grants them; their access and upgrades are not universal. A State Militia mass should have a clear early objective such as forcing Villagers to garrison or protecting a transition.