Wokou Horseman
Wokou Horseman is ranged cavalry in Age of Empires III, available from the Commerce Age; obtained through Tavern (Europeans), Monastery (Asians), Lombard, Wokou Junk.
Recorded values
- Cost
- 180 Coin
- Available
- Commerce Age · Tavern (Europeans) ; Monastery (Asians) ; Lombard; Wokou Junk
- Training
- 40 sec · 4 population · 36 XP per train
- Durability & mobility
- 250 hit points · 30% hand resistance · 6.5 speed · 15 line of sight
- Hand attack
- 12 damage · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: Same as ranged attack
- Ranged attack
- 18 damage · 12 range · 1.5 attack interval · bonuses: 3.0x vs. Heavy cavalry; 2.5x vs. Hand shock trooper; 2.0x vs. Artillery; 0.5x vs. Villager
- Siege attack
- 12 damage · 6 range · 1.5 attack interval
Role, availability & values
Production is available through Tavern (Europeans), Monastery (Asians), Lombard, or Wokou Junk. It has 250 hit points. It moves at 6.5 speed and uses 4 population. Training costs 180 Coin; it takes 40 seconds to train. Attack profile: Hand attack deals 12 damage. Ranged attack deals 18 damage. Siege attack deals 12 damage. Hand attack bonuses: Same as ranged attack. Ranged attack bonuses: 3.0× against Heavy cavalry, 2.5× against Hand shock trooper, 2.0× against Artillery, and 0.5× against Villager.
Matchup & timing
Ranged attack is especially effective against Heavy cavalry (3×), Hand shock trooper (2.5×), Artillery (2×). Its reduced multipliers against Villager (0.5×) make it less suitable for those targets. Use ranged fire to focus Heavy cavalry, Hand shock trooper, and Artillery before they can close. Keep a frontline between this unit and threats that can reach it safely.
Current statistics and combat role
The Wokou Horseman is a Commerce Age East Asian outlaw light cavalry unit. It costs 180 coin, takes 40 seconds to train, uses four population, and has 250 hit points. It moves at speed 6.5, has line of sight 15, and carries 30% hand resistance. Its ranged attack deals 18 damage at range 12 every 1.5 seconds, with a 3.0 multiplier against heavy cavalry, 2.5 against hand shock troops, and 2.0 against artillery; Villagers take half damage. The hand attack deals 12 damage every 1.5 seconds with the same multipliers. Its siege attack deals 12 damage at range 6 every 1.5 seconds. These bonuses make it a specialized cavalry hunter, but its light-cavalry classification and four-population cost make it vulnerable to heavy infantry and light infantry.
Map availability and recruitment
The unit is part of the Asian outlaw pool on maps including Central Asia, Central Plain, Himalayas, Hokkaido, Honshu, Kamchatka, Korea, Manchuria, Mongolia, Parallel Rivers, Siberia, Silk Road, Yamal, and Yellow River. European civilizations recruit it from a Tavern, Asian civilizations from a Monastery, and Italians from a Lombard; a Wokou Junk can also train it. The Lakota may receive Wokou Horsemen through the Outlaw Band or Bandit Gang random outlaw shipments. Argentina and Maya revolution decks can also include it in those pools. Because it is map- and card-dependent, it should not be assumed available on every map or from every outlaw building.
Target selection and counters
Use Wokou Horsemen to intercept heavy cavalry, hand shock troops, or exposed artillery. Their 12-range shot can damage a target while the rider maintains distance, but the unit is not designed to kite indefinitely. Heavy infantry and light infantry are listed as its principal weaknesses; skirmishers can punish its large four-population footprint, while a melee screen can pin it down. Villagers are poor targets because of the 0.5 multiplier, so a faster horseman does not automatically become an efficient raider. Keep the Wokou with other cavalry or a screen that can remove light infantry. It is most effective when the opponent fields the specific cavalry or artillery units covered by its multipliers.
Outlaw age improvements
The Wokou Horseman automatically gains 30% hit points and damage in the Industrial Age and another 50% in the Imperial Age when Compunction, Folk Heroes, or Wild West is researched, depending on whether the civilization is Asian, European, or American. These improvements help it remain useful beyond the Commerce Age, while general ranged cavalry bonuses can add attack or range. Patch history matters: the original profile took 70 seconds to train, used five population, had a 12-damage ranged shot, and had different resistance. Current Definitive Edition values are 40 seconds, four population, and 18 ranged damage. Do not compare an older replay to the current unit without checking its patch.
Economic trade-off
The Wokou's all-coin price competes with age advancement and other mercenaries, while four population can crowd out support units. Its strongest value is a rapid answer to heavy cavalry or artillery on a map where the outlaw pool includes it. If the opponent shifts toward infantry counters, stop replacing losses and use a different cavalry or ranged unit. The unit's speed can help it reinforce distant fights, but preserve its health by disengaging before heavy infantry surrounds it.
Using outlaw improvements
Outlaw-specific age improvements are the main way to keep this unit relevant after its initial map-based recruitment. Compunction for Asian factions, Folk Heroes for Europeans, and Wild West for Americans add 30% hit points and damage in the Industrial Age and 50% in the Imperial Age. They apply alongside relevant ranged-cavalry bonuses, but do not change the Wokou's four-population footprint or weak matchups. A fully upgraded force can hit hard against heavy cavalry, yet still needs protection from heavy infantry and light infantry. This makes the unit a specialist: train enough to meet the cavalry threat, but do not build the whole army around it if the opponent can switch to skirmishers.
Practical deployment
The Wokou's 6.5 speed and ranged attack allow it to support a cavalry engagement without immediately entering hand combat. Focus the heavy cavalry that threatens the rest of the army, then pull back when infantry counters arrive. Its short 12 range is enough to contribute behind a frontline, but not enough to stay safe against Skirmishers. Since the unit awards substantial experience when trained and killed, avoid feeding small groups into enemy fire. Wait until a full escort can protect the four-population mercenary before challenging a defended position.
Maintaining the mercenary group
Wokou Horsemen generate 36 experience when trained or killed in the current profile. Their fast 40-second training time helps replenish them, but the 180-coin cost and four population mean replacements still compete with age-ups and other mercenaries. Keep them together with a screen so the group survives long enough to trade against heavy cavalry and artillery.
Disengaging from infantry counters
The Wokou should leave a fight as soon as heavy infantry or light infantry reaches it. Its ranged bonus is aimed at cavalry, shock troops, and artillery; it does not gain a bonus against the units most likely to stop its movement. Use its speed to disengage and re-enter from another angle rather than accepting a prolonged melee.
Outlaw light cavalry to counter mounted units
The Wokou Horseman is outlaw Light Cavalry with slightly more hit points than its ordinary comparison. It is best used against Cavalry and can move quickly to intercept a flank or raid exposed units. Light Infantry is its principal vulnerability, so avoid sending the Horseman into a ranged formation without a screen. Its access and limit depend on the relevant Saloon or card option.
Age upgrades and outlaw timing
Wokou Horsemen receive Industrial and Imperial Age upgrades when the applicable Compunction, Folk Heroes or Wild West options are researched. Their effectiveness therefore depends on both the age and the upgrade route. Outlaws can be efficient earlier but may lose value as standard units improve, so compare the cost and population before maintaining production. Use their mobility to answer a cavalry threat, then shift the army if the opponent adds light infantry.