Age of Empires III
Age of Empires III

Mercenaries and Outlaws

Master Age of Empires III's Mercenaries and Outlaws. Learn their strengths, recruit them effectively, and deploy these powerful units to dominate the battlefie.

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Mercenaries and Outlaws

Beyond your standard military units, Age of Empires III offers a dynamic layer of strategic depth through Mercenaries and Outlaws. These unique units, often powerful and specialized, can turn the tide of battle if utilized correctly. Understanding where to find them, how to recruit them, and their specific strengths and weaknesses is crucial for any aspiring colonial power.

Recruiting Mercenaries

Mercenaries are elite units that can be hired through your Home City shipments. They are typically more expensive than standard units but offer superior stats, unique abilities, or fill specific tactical niches that your civilization might lack. Each civilization has access to a different pool of Mercenary cards, making Home City deck building a critical aspect of their integration.

  • Home City Shipments: Access your Home City screen and look for cards that specifically mention "Mercenaries." These cards will often deliver a small, powerful group of units directly to your Town Center or a designated rally point.
  • Resource Cost: Mercenaries primarily cost Coin, and often a significant amount. Ensure your economy can support their recruitment.
  • Availability: Mercenary cards become available at different ages. Some are accessible in the Colonial Age, while others require advancing to the Fortress or Industrial Age. Plan your Home City deck accordingly.
  • Examples of Mercenary Units:
    • Black Riders: Heavy cavalry, excellent for raiding and flanking maneuvers.
    • Landsknechts: Powerful melee infantry with an area-of-effect attack, devastating against massed infantry.
    • Swiss Pikemen: Formidable anti-cavalry units, ideal for defending flanks or engaging enemy cavalry charges.
    • Mamelukes: Ranged cavalry with high attack and speed, effective for hit-and-run tactics.

Dealing with Outlaws

Outlaws are neutral units found on the map, often guarding treasures or specific locations. Unlike Mercenaries, you cannot directly recruit Outlaws through your Home City. Instead, you must defeat them in combat to gain their allegiance or to clear the way to valuable resources.

  • Outlaw Camps: These are small encampments scattered across the map, often marked by a distinctive flag or campfire icon. They house groups of Outlaws.
  • Treasure Guardians: Many treasures on the map are guarded by Outlaws. Defeating these Outlaws allows your Explorer to collect the treasure, which can yield experience, resources, or even new units.
  • Gaining Allegiance: In some campaign missions or specific scenarios, defeating Outlaws might cause them to join your cause, offering a temporary boost to your military. This is less common in standard skirmish or multiplayer games.
  • Strategic Considerations:
    • Early Game Exploration: Your Explorer is crucial for scouting and clearing Outlaw camps to secure early treasures. Prioritize upgrading your Explorer's attack and hit points if you plan on aggressive treasure hunting.
    • Unit Composition: Outlaws come in various types (e.g., Pistoleros, Bandits, Renegades), each with different strengths. Adapt your military composition to effectively counter them. For instance, ranged units are often effective against melee Outlaws.
    • Experience Gain: Defeating Outlaws grants experience points, which contribute to your Home City shipments. Early Outlaw clearing can accelerate your Home City progression.
  • Common Outlaw Types:
    • Pistoleros: Ranged infantry, often found in groups. Vulnerable to cavalry.
    • Bandits: Melee infantry, typically well-armored. Best engaged with ranged units or heavy cavalry.
    • Renegades: Mixed units, sometimes including cavalry or even light artillery. Requires a balanced force to defeat.

Advanced Strategies for Mercenaries and Outlaws

  • Mercenary Rush: For civilizations with early access to powerful Mercenary cards (e.g., Ottoman Janissaries or British Longbowmen), a "Mercenary Rush" can be a viable early game strategy to overwhelm an unprepared opponent.
  • Defensive Mercenaries: Use Mercenaries to bolster your defenses during critical pushes from the enemy. Swiss Pikemen or Landsknechts can hold choke points effectively.
  • Flanking and Raiding: Fast Mercenary cavalry like Black Riders are excellent for raiding enemy villagers and disrupting their economy.
  • Outlaw Clearing Efficiency: In the early game, use your Explorer to lure Outlaws away from treasures one by one to minimize damage, especially if you have a weak starting military.
  • Map Control: Clearing Outlaw camps not only provides resources but also secures map control, allowing for safer expansion and resource gathering.

By mastering the recruitment of Mercenaries and the strategic handling of Outlaws, you can gain a significant advantage over your adversaries and lead your civilization to victory in Age of Empires III.