“ | 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. |
---|---|---|---|---|
10 Streltsy | 375 food 100 wood |
10 | ||
5 Rekruts | 281 food 93 coin |
5 | ||
4 Poruchiks | 150 food 210 coin |
4 | ||
Old Han Army | 255 food 180 wood |
6 | ||
Standard Army | 255 food 170 coin |
5 | ||
Ming Army | 345 food 120 wood | |||
Mongolian Army | 230 food 170 coin |
4 | ||
Territorial Army | 285 food 255 coin |
6 | ||
Black Flag Army | 380 food 360 coin |
8 | ||
Forbidden Army | 480 food 360 coin | |||
Imperial Army | 480 food 255 coin |
7 | ||
State Militia | 50 food 40 wood |
1 | ||
Regular | 55 food 50 coin | |||
Sharpshooter | 40 food 75 coin | |||
Crossbowman | 40 food 40 wood |
|||
Pikeman | ||||
Carolean | 65 food 40 coin | |||
Insurgente | 70 food | |||
Soldado | 90 food 80 coin |
2 | ||
Salteador | 60 food 60 coin |
1 |
- Crossbowmen, Pikemen, and Caroleans can be trained at Blockhouses if revolting from the Swedes.
Upgrades[]
Age | Upgrade | Cost | Effect |
---|---|---|---|
Frontier Blockhouse | 400 wood 200 coin |
Upgrades Blockhouses into Frontier Blockhouses (+50% attack, support +5 more population) | |
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 Asian Dynasties, the Chinese in random map games can build Blockhouses by allying with the Russians at the Consulate, which provides the Blockhouse Wagon shipment that ships a namesake unit capable of building a Blockhouse for free. Unlike its standard counterpart however, the Chinese Blockhouse train War Academy and Castle banner armies, Flamethrowers, Hand Mortars, and have a build limit of one. It also allows Chinese Villagers to build a new Blockhouse should the first one be destroyed.
- The Indians in the Act III: India campaign can build Blockhouses in the same way as the Chinese in random map games, however, only (rescued) European Settlers can build extra Blockhouses after the shipment.
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 (+25%; United States only) Flying Buttress (+20%) Byzantine Legacy (+15%) |
Attack | Heated Shot (+50% multiplier vs. ships) |
Line of Sight | Somali Lighthouses (+10) Gas Lighting (+4) |
Build time | Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-25%) |
Cost | Tupi Forest Burning (-20% wood) Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-10%) |
Other | Blockhouse Wagon (ships 1 Blockhouse Wagon and allows villagers to build Blockhouses; Chinese only) Haudenosaunee League (can train Haudenosaunee Tomahawks and Haudenosaunee Mantlets) Öresund Customs (generates 0.25 coin/sec.) 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 |
---|---|---|---|
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 | 1 | |
Heavy Fortifications | Grants all defensive building upgrades (if not already); costs 250 wood | 25 | |
Improved Buildings | Buildings get +40% hit points | 10 | |
TEAM Improved Buildings | Buildings get +25% hit points | 10 | |
TEAM Coastal Defenses | Buildings get +0.8 multiplier against ships | 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 | War Academies, Barracks, Stables, Corrals, and Caravanserais cost -30%; Blockhouses, Nobles' Huts, and War Huts cost -10% | 1 | |
Extensive Fortifications | Frontier fortifications, Walls, and Fort get +25% hit points; Castle build limit +100%; Blockhouse build limit +1 | 10 |
Ethiopians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM 1 Camp Builder | Ships 1 Camp Builder |
Europeans[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
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 | 25 | |
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 | 1 | |
Blockhouse Cannon | Falconets and Mortars can be trained at Blockhouses | 10 | |
Suomenlinna | Ships 4 Blockhouse Wagons and 1 Fort Wagon; Fort build limit +1 | N/A | |
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 | N/A | |
Grand Duchy of Finland | Enables Counter Dragoons and Counter Jaegers for training at Stables and Barracks or Blockhouses respectively | N/A | |
Finnish Taiga | Existing Houses/Torps and Blockhouses spawn 1 tree | N/A | |
Blackberries | Existing Houses/Torps and Blockhouses spawn 1 Berry Bush | 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 |
---|---|---|
TEAM Mariachi | For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed | |
Russian-American Company | Ships 1 Fort Wagon and 2 Blockhouse Wagons; villagers gather food from huntable animals 30% faster |
- "Russian-American Company" is available upon revolting to California.
Ottomans[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Military Wagons | Ships 2 Military Wagons | 25 |
- Military Wagons can construct Blockhouses for Russians.
Russians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Detinets | Ships 2 Blockhouse Wagons; Blockhouses get +25% hit points | 1 | |
Advanced Frontier Defenses | Ships 3 Outpost Wagons; upgrades Blockhouses to Frontier level | 10 | |
Sevastopol | Town Center, Wall, Blockhouse, and Fort build time -50% | 40 | |
Military Frontier | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Grenzer/Dorobant; Grenzers/Dorobants can now build Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
Hajduks | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Hajduk; Hajduks can be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
12 Crabats | Ships 12 Crabats; Crabats can be trained at Taverns, Stables, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
10 Pandours | Ships 10 Pandours; Pandours can be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
Hungarian Grenadiers | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Hungarian Grenadier; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
Magyar Hussars | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Magyar Hussar; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
Wallachian Horse Archers | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Wallachian Horse Archer; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
Roșior Dragoons | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Roșior Dragoon; Roșior Dragoon can be trained at Forts; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | 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 |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Spanish Road | Barracks cost -50%; War Academies and War Camps cost -25%; Blockhouses, War Huts, Nobles' Huts, and Kallankas cost -15% | 1 |
Swedes[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Contract Irish Brigadiers | Ships 9 Irish Brigadiers; Irish Brigadiers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 500 coin | |
Contract Swiss Pikemen | Ships 12 Swiss Pikemen; Swiss Pikemen can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
Contract Landsknecht Mercenaries | Ships 3 Landsknechts; Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks and Blockhouses, and available from the Commerce Age; costs 300 coin | |
Contract Giant Grenadiers | Ships 8 Giant Grenadiers; Giant Grenadiers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
Contract Hessian Jaegers | Ships 10 Jaegers; Jaegers can be trained at Barracks, Blockhouses, and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
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 |
- Swedes get Blockhouses upon revolting to Finland.
United States[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Westward Expedition | Ships 4 Military Wagons | |
Russian-American Company | [Immigrant] Ships 2 Blockhouse Wagons; Villagers gather from huntable animals 30% faster | |
Watauga Association | Ships 2 Outpost Wagons; all existing and newly-constructed Outposts and Blockhouses spawn 2 State Militia and support 10 population |
- "Watauga Association" is available upon selecting the Tennessee Federal State.
Changelog[]
Age of Empires III[]
- Blockhouses provide 5 population.
The WarChiefs[]
- Blockhouses cannot reveal stealth enemies and has a ×1.5 ranged multiplier against shock infantry.
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[]
- With update 38254, Blockhouses have been reverted to providing 5 population.
- With update 47581, Blockhouses can reveal stealth enemies.
- With update 61213, Blockhouses built by the Chinese by allying with the Russians at the Consulate now can train Castle banner armies, Flamethrowers and Hand Mortars.
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. | ” |