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Russian combination of Barracks and Outpost. Can defend the frontier or train infantry in groups. Also provides 5 population.
—In-game description

The Blockhouse is a military/defensive building in Age of Empires III that is unique to the Russians. It combines the functions of a Barracks and an Outpost by training and upgrading Russian infantry, attacking nearby enemies, and receiving Home City shipments, as well as supporting 5 population.

Tactics[]

Blockhouses are resource-friendly, with Russian players only having to pay wood for a fraction of the cost required for a Barracks and Outpost. "TEAM Cheap Barracks" will reduce the cost by 15%, while "TEAM Art of War" reduces it by 10%. If both cards are stacked, Blockhouses only cost 187 wood. However, using this method, Barracks and War Academies will be much cheaper than Blockhouses, at 40 wood and 90 wood respectively, drastically reducing their economic advantage.

Due to Blockhouses' dual-role, losing them will hinder the Russian player's defense and ability to train infantry simultaneously, which can sometimes lead to them being overwhelmed easily during an attack involving siege units.

In the Definitive Edition, choosing The Logistician to advance into the Commerce Age make Blockhouses support 15 population instead of 5.

Units[]

Age Unit Cost Pop. Civ.
Age II tech tree aoe3
Strelet de 10 Streltsy 375 food
100 wood
10
Flag RussianDE
Russians rekrut portrait aoe3de 5 Rekruts 281 food
93 coin
5
Russians poruchik portrait aoe3de 4 Poruchiks 150 food
210 coin
4
OldHanArmy Old Han Army 255 food
180 wood
6
Chinese
StandardArmy Standard Army 255 food
170 coin
5
MingArmy Ming Army 345 food
120 wood
Mongolian army icon aoe3de Mongolian Army 230 food
170 coin
4
Age III tech tree aoe3
TerritorialArmy Territorial Army 285 food
255 coin
6
BlackFlagArmy-New Black Flag Army 380 food
360 coin
8
ForbiddenArmy Forbidden Army 480 food
360 coin
ImperialArmy Imperial Army 480 food
255 coin
7
State militia aoe3de State Militia 50 food
40 wood
1
Flag American act3 aoe3de
Regular aoe3de Regular 55 food
50 coin
Sharpshooter icon aoe3 Sharpshooter 40 food
75 coin
Revolution
Crossbow aoe3de Crossbowman 40 food
40 wood
Finland flag revolt
Pikeman aoe3de Pikeman
Carolean Carolean 65 food
40 coin
Insurgente portrait Insurgente 70 food
California flag revolt
Soldado portrait Soldado 90 food
80 coin
2
Emboscador portrait Salteador 60 food
60 coin
1

Upgrades[]

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Age III tech tree aoe3
Frontier blockhouse Frontier Blockhouse 400 wood
200 coin
Upgrades Blockhouses into Frontier Blockhouses (+50% attack, support +5 more population)
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Fortified blockhouse Fortified Blockhouse 800 wood
400 coin
Upgrades Blockhouses into Fortified Blockhouses (+50% hit points, +50% attack, support +5 more population, +100% anti-ship attack and a bombard attack with an AOE of 3); requires Frontier Blockhouse

Civilization differences[]

In the Definitive Edition, the "Castrametation" Home City Card allows the Explorer to build Blockhouses.

  • United States can Ships 2 Blockhouse Wagons with "Russian-American Company" Home City Card. The Blockhouses can train infantry units same as the Barracks.

Revolution[]

  • Revolting to Finland automatically upgrades Blockhouses to Frontier if they are not already for the Russians, and removes their build limit.
  • Revolting to Hungary and Romania increases Blockhouses' build limit by one with each Home City shipment.

Further statistics[]

Building strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, cavalry, shock infantry, ships
Weak vs. Siege units, artillery
Improvements
Hit points State Constitutions State Constitutions (+25%; United States only)
Flying Buttress Flying Buttress (+20%)
Byzantine legacy Byzantine Legacy (+15%)
Attack Heated Shot Heated Shot (+50% multiplier vs. ships)
Line of Sight Somali lighthouses Somali Lighthouses (+10)
Gas Lighting Gas Lighting (+4)
Build time Cree Textile Craftsmanship Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-25%)
Cost Tupi Forest Burning Tupi Forest Burning (-20% wood)
Cree Textile Craftsmanship Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-10%)
Other Blockhouse Icon Blockhouse Wagon (ships 1 Blockhouse Wagon and allows villagers to build Blockhouses; Chinese only)
Iroquois league Haudenosaunee League (can train Haudenosaunee Tomahawks and Haudenosaunee Mantlets)
Oresund customs Öresund Customs (generates 0.25 coin/sec.)
Som ajuran engineers Somali Ajuran Engineers (build limit +4)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Blockhouse
Some cards are highlighted with:
Green TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Purple Shipment that can be sent an INFINITE number of times
Red Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

All[]

Card Description Age HC level
Portuguese Home City 3 (Cheap Outposts) TEAM Natural Lookouts Outposts, Outpost Wagons, Blockhouses, War Huts, Castles and Watch Towers cost -30% wood; Nobles' Huts and Palaces cost -15% wood and coin
Age I tech tree aoe3
1
Spanish Home City 3 (Heavy Fortifications) Heavy Fortifications Grants all defensive building upgrades (if not already); costs 250 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
Spanish Home City 3 (Improved Buildings) Improved Buildings Buildings get +40% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10
Team improved buildings TEAM Improved Buildings Buildings get +25% hit points
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10
French Home City 5 (Coastal Defenses) TEAM Coastal Defenses Buildings get +0.8 multiplier against ships
Age II tech tree aoe3
25
  • "TEAM Natural Lookouts" is available to the Haudenosaunee and Portuguese.
  • "Heavy Fortifications" is available to the Mexicans, Russians, Swedes, and United States.
  • "Improved Buildings" is available to the Chinese, Mexicans, Russians, and Swedes.
  • "TEAM Improved Buildings" is available to the Inca, Indians, and Maltese.
  • "TEAM Coastal Defenses" is available to Europeans and Federal Americans.

Chinese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Team art of war TEAM Art of War War Academies, Barracks, Stables, Corrals, and Caravanserais cost -30%; Blockhouses, Nobles' Huts, and War Huts cost -10%
Age I tech tree aoe3
1
Spanish Home City 3 (Extensive Fortifications) Extensive Fortifications Frontier fortifications, Walls, and Fort get +25% hit points; Castle build limit +100%; Blockhouse build limit +1
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Ethiopians[]

Card Description Age
Team camp wagon TEAM 1 Camp Builder Ships 1 Camp Builder
Age I tech tree aoe3

Europeans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Russian Home City 2 (Strelet Horde) Strelet Horde All existing and newly-constructed Blockhouses will spawn 5 Streltsy after 150 seconds; Streltsy get +10% hit points, +2 Line of Sight and range
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
Russian Home City 3 (Barracks Hitpoints) TEAM House of Romanov Barracks, War Camps and War Academies get +100% hit points; Blockhouses, Kallankas, War Huts, and Nobles' Huts get +50% hit points; Watch Towers get +10% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
1
Russian Home City 3 (Blockhouse Cannon) Blockhouse Cannon Falconets and Mortars can be trained at Blockhouses
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
Suomenlinna Suomenlinna Ships 4 Blockhouse Wagons and 1 Fort Wagon; Fort build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Armfelt autonomy Armfelt's Autonomy Blockhouse build limit +4; enables Imperial upgrades for Caroleans, Hakkapelits, and Rekruts (as well as Counter Dragoons and Counter Jaegers, after sending "Grand Duchy of Finland" Home City Card) with -50% cost
Revolution
N/A
Finnish counter army Grand Duchy of Finland Enables Counter Dragoons and Counter Jaegers for training at Stables and Barracks or Blockhouses respectively
Revolution
N/A
Finland Home City (Finnish Taiga) Finnish Taiga Existing Houses/Torps and Blockhouses spawn 1 tree
Revolution
N/A
Swedish Home City 3 (Blackberries) Blackberries Existing Houses/Torps and Blockhouses spawn 1 Berry Bush
Revolution
N/A
  • "Strelet Horde", "TEAM House of Romanov", and "Blockhouse Cannon" are available to the Russians, and also Swedes upon revolting to Finland.
  • "Suomenlinna", "Armfelt's Autonomy", "Grand Duchy of Finland", "Finnish Taiga", and "Blackberries" are available upon revolting to Finland.

Mexicans[]

Card Description Age
Mexican Home City 2 (TEAM Mariachi) TEAM Mariachi For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed
Age I tech tree aoe3
US Home City 5 (Russian-American Company) Russian-American Company Ships 1 Fort Wagon and 2 Blockhouse Wagons; villagers gather food from huntable animals 30% faster
Revolution
  • "Russian-American Company" is available upon revolting to California.

Ottomans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Ottoman Home City 3 (Team Defenses) TEAM Military Wagons Ships 2 Military Wagons
Age III tech tree aoe3
25
  • Military Wagons can construct Blockhouses for Russians.

Russians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City (Frontier Defense) Detinets Ships 2 Blockhouse Wagons; Blockhouses get +25% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
1
Spanish Home City 3 (Advanced Frontier Defenses) Advanced Frontier Defenses Ships 3 Outpost Wagons; upgrades Blockhouses to Frontier level
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
Russian Home City 3 (Sevastopool) Sevastopol Town Center, Wall, Blockhouse, and Fort build time -50%
Age II tech tree aoe3
40
Romania Home City (Military Frontier) Military Frontier Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Grenzer/Dorobant; Grenzers/Dorobants can now build Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Romania Home City (Hadjuks) Hajduks Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Hajduk; Hajduks can be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Romania Home City (Crabats) 12 Crabats Ships 12 Crabats; Crabats can be trained at Taverns, Stables, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Romania Home City (Pandours) 10 Pandours Ships 10 Pandours; Pandours can be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Hungary Home City (Hungarian Grenadiers) Hungarian Grenadiers Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Hungarian Grenadier; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Hungary Home City (Hungarian Hussars) Magyar Hussars Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Magyar Hussar; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Romania Home City (Wallachian Horse Archers) Wallachian Horse Archers Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Wallachian Horse Archer; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
Romania Home City (Rosior Dragoons) Roșior Dragoons Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Roșior Dragoon; Roșior Dragoon can be trained at Forts; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1
Revolution
N/A
  • "Military Frontier", "Hajduks", "12 Crabats", and "10 Pandours" are available upon revolting to Hungary and Romania.
  • "Hungarian Grenadiers" and "Magyar Hussars" are available upon revolting to Hungary.
  • "Wallachian Horse Archers" and "Roșior Dragoons" are available upon revolting to Romania.

Spanish[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Cheap Barracks) TEAM Spanish Road Barracks cost -50%; War Academies and War Camps cost -25%; Blockhouses, War Huts, Nobles' Huts, and Kallankas cost -15%
Age I tech tree aoe3
1

Swedes[]

Card Description Age
Swedish Home City 5 (Contract Irish Brigadiers) Contract Irish Brigadiers Ships 9 Irish Brigadiers; Irish Brigadiers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 500 coin
Age II tech tree aoe3
Swedish Home City 5 (Contract Swiss Pikemen) Contract Swiss Pikemen Ships 12 Swiss Pikemen; Swiss Pikemen can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin
Age III tech tree aoe3
Swedish Home City 5 (Contract Landsknechts) Contract Landsknecht Mercenaries Ships 3 Landsknechts; Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks and Blockhouses, and available from the Commerce Age; costs 300 coin
Age II tech tree aoe3
Maltese Home City 5 (Hire Giant Grenadiers) Contract Giant Grenadiers Ships 8 Giant Grenadiers; Giant Grenadiers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin
Age III tech tree aoe3
Swedish Home City 5 (Contract Hessian Jaegers) Contract Hessian Jaegers Ships 10 Jaegers; Jaegers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin
Age III tech tree aoe3
Swedish Home City 5 (German Mercenary Contracts) German Mercenary Contracts Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack; Landsknechts and Jaegers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
  • Swedes get Blockhouses upon revolting to Finland.

United States[]

Card Description Age
United States Home City 3 (TEAM Westward Expansion) TEAM Westward Expedition Ships 4 Military Wagons
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
US Home City 5 (Russian-American Company) Russian-American Company [Immigrant] Ships 2 Blockhouse Wagons; Villagers gather from huntable animals 30% faster
Age III tech tree aoe3
Federal card watauga association Watauga Association Ships 2 Outpost Wagons; all existing and newly-constructed Outposts and Blockhouses spawn 2 State Militia and support 10 population
Age III tech tree aoe3
  • "Watauga Association" is available upon selecting the Tennessee Federal State.

Changelog[]

Age of Empires III[]

The WarChiefs[]

The Asian Dynasties[]

  • Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate, due to a bug, cannot train banner armies and cannot be upgraded into Frontier Blockhouses and into Fortified Blockhouses.
  • Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate have a build limit of 4.

Definitive Edition[]

  • The Blockhouse is tagged as Frontier fortification.
  • Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate now can train War Academy banner armies, can be upgraded into Frontier Blockhouses and into Fortified Blockhouses through the Hill Castle and Mountain Castle technologies, respectively, and have a build limit of 1.
  • With update 13088, the Blockhouse has a ×1.3 ranged multiplier against shock infantry.
  • With update 20322, Blockhouses provide 10 population.

The African Royals[]

History[]

A blockhouse is a military building that is often fortified for protection. A blockhouse is similar to a fort, but while a fort has multiple buildings, a blockhouse has only one structure. In the New World, blockhouses were used for defense on the frontier. Russian blockhouses built along the west coast were hexagonal in shape and usually had multiple stories.

Gallery[]

Buildings in Age of Empires III
Common
Dock aoe3de Dock · House indian aoe3de House · Livestock pen aoe3de Livestock Pen · Market icon aoe3de Market · Native embassy DE icon Native Embassy · Stables aoe3de Stable · Towncenter aoe3de Town Center · Trading post african aoe3de Trading Post · Wall aoe3de Wall
EuropeansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Artillery depot aoe3de Artillery Foundry · Barracks aoe3de Barracks · Capitol aoe3de Capitol · Church aoe3de Church · Plantation aoe3de Estate (formerly Plantation) · Fort aoe3de Fort · Mill aoe3de Mill · Outpost aoe3de Outpost · Tavern icon de Tavern
Native AmericansCommunity plaza aoe3de Community Plaza (formerly Fire Pit) · Corral aoe3de Corral · Plantation aoe3de Estate (formerly Plantation) · Farm aoe3de Farm · Tribal marketplace icon Tribal Marketplace · War hut aoe3de War Hut
AsiansJapan barracks aoe3de Barracks · Japan castle aoe3de Castle · Consulate icon aoe3de Consulate · Monastery aoe3de Monastery · China rice paddy icon aoe3de Rice Paddy · Advanced wonders Wonder
Federal AmericansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Artillery depot aoe3de Artillery Foundry · Barracks aoe3de Barracks · Capitol aoe3de Capitol · Plantation aoe3de Estate · Fort aoe3de Fort · Mill aoe3de Mill · Outpost aoe3de Outpost · Saloon aoe3de Saloon
AfricansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Field portrait aoe3de Field · Granary portrait aoe3de Granary · Hut portrait aoe3de Hut · Livestock market aoe3de Livestock Market · Palace portrait aoe3de Palace · Port portrait aoe3de Port · War camp aoe3de portrait War Camp · Watch tower aoe3de portrait Watch Tower
Unique
Flag BritishDE BritishHouse aoe3de Manor House
Flag DutchDE DutchBank aoe3de Bank
Flag GermanDE GermansMercenary camp portrait Mercenary Camp
Flag OttomanDE OttomansChurch aoe3de Mosque
Flag RussianDE RussiansBlockhouse aoe3de Blockhouse
Flag AztecDE AztecsNobles aoe3de Nobles' Hut
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeIro house icon Longhouse · Artillery depot aoe3de Siege Workshop
Flag SiouxDE LakotaTeepee icon DE Teepee
Flag ChineseDE ChineseChinese village aoe3de Village · China waracademy aoe3de War Academy
Flag IndianDE IndiansCaravanseraiDE Caravanserai · MangoGroveDE Mango Grove · SacredFieldDE Sacred Field
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseCherry orchard portrait aoe3de Cherry Orchard · Dojo aoe3de Dojo · Shrine aoe3de Shrine
Flag IncanDE IncaInca kallanka Kallanka · Inca kancha house Kancha House · Inca stronghold Stronghold · Inca tambo Tambo
Flag SwedishDE SwedesSwedish torp Torp
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesMeeting house aoe3de icon Meeting House · State capitol aoe3de icon State Capitol
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansMountain monastery portrait aoe3de Mountain Monastery
Flag Hausa HausaUniversity portrait University
Flag MexicanDE MexicansCathedral portrait Cathedral · Hacienda portrait Hacienda
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansBasilica portrait Basilica · Lombard portrait Lombard
Flag MalteseDE MalteseCommandery portrait Commandery · Depot portrait Depot · Fixed gun portrait aoe3de Fixed Gun · Hospital portrait Hospital
Situational
Aztec temple portrait American Citadel (formerly Maya Castle) · Athos monastery portrait Athos Monastery · Battery tower portrait Battery Tower · Factory aoe3de Factory · Field hospital aoe3de Field Hospital · Regent's Castle aoe3de Regent's Castle
Scenario Editor/campaign only
Cherokee Warhut Portrait Cherokee War Hut · Wall aoe3de Command Post · Fixed gun portrait aoe3de Fixed Gun · Fort Tower icon AoE3DE Fort Tower · Gunpowder Stores icon AoE3DE Gunpowder Stores · Ossuary AoE3DE Ossuary · Fountain Youth Portrait The Fountain of Youth · Tower aoe3de Tower
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