“ | Fast armored warrior. Good against skirmishers and artillery. | ” |
—In-game description |
The Coyote Runner is a melee shock infantry in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs that is unique to the Aztecs and can be trained at the War Hut once the Commerce Age is reached.
Overview[]
The agile Coyote Runner is a unique class of unit that is able to fulfill the role of a cavalry at a lesser cost and effective against ranged infantry and artillery, but vulnerable to heavy infantry and ranged cavalry.
Coyote Runners are not classed as true infantry and, as such, do not take multipliers from units such as Falconets or Naginata Riders. They behave like cavalry in every way, except that their counters have a smaller bonus against them.
Coyote Runners make decent early raiders and are very effective against early ranged infantry, such as Streltsy or Crossbowmen. The War Ceremony allows them to get very high damage in all ages. By shipping Coyote Combat, they are able to catch up to and snare most other cavalry, which can then be taken down with any of the Aztecs' many anti-cavalry units.
In Fortress Age, the temple support card can be used to greatly increase the Coyote Runner's attack (which stacks with the War Dance), and/or with Ruthlessness to vastly improve their raiding characteristics. Coyote Runners are well-rounded units, but behave similarly to Uhlans, having a high attack per population when compared to its low HP.
Combined with Eagle Runner Knights, they make a fearsome combo, countering most things, and negating entirely the usual weakness of Aztec armies to artillery. Eagle Runners are able to beat cavalry, Musketeers, and other ranged cavalry, while Coyotes block fire and take down ranged infantry. Only very fast melee infantry (Rodeleros are a good example) or extremely good ranged cavalry are a real threat to this composition.
Coyote Runners also possess Cover Mode (unlike other cavalry, which have trample mode), which if used halves both speed and attack, but gives them a 50% resist to both ranged fire and siege damage, allowing them to soak up an incredible amount of damage. Doing this is only advisable in small numbers and with a large number of ranged units behind to do damage while the Coyote Runners tank enemy fire. To illustrate, a Coyote Runner upgraded to Elite and with Coyote Combat in cover mode shipped will have roughly 435 ranged/ siege hit points, meaning it would take 5 unupgraded Falconets or over 30 Veteran Skirmishers to take a single Coyote Runner down in one volley. Utilizing cover mode takes good timing, but can completely change a fight if used well.
Upgrades[]
Age | Upgrade | Cost | Effect |
---|---|---|---|
Elite Coyote Runners | 200 wood 100 coin |
Upgrades Coyote Runners to Elite (+25% hit points and attack) | |
Champion Coyote Runners | 400 wood 200 coin |
Upgrades Coyote Runners to Champion (+25% hit points and attack); requires Elite Coyote Runners | |
Legendary Coyote Runners | 1,500 wood 1,500 coin |
Upgrades Coyote Runners to Legendary (+50% hit points and attack); requires Champion Coyote Runners |
Further statistics[]
As Coyote Runners are unique to the Aztecs, only technologies that they have access to are shown in the following table:
Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
---|---|
Strong vs. | Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery |
Weak vs. | Heavy infantry, light cavalry, ranged shock infantry |
Improvements | |
Hit points | Maya Cotton Armor (+20%) Comanche Horse Breeding (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%) |
Attack | Zapotec Cult of the Dead (+20%) Carib Kasiri Beer (+10%) Master Lessons (+10%) Yoga (+5%) Mapuche Tactics (+50% siege attack) |
Resistance | Sudanese Quilted Armor (+10% hand resistance) Pancerni (+10% ranged resistance) |
Speed | Apache Endurance (+5%) |
Train time | Cheyenne Horse Trading (-40%) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) Shaman Drums (-10%) |
Cost | Somali Oryx Hide Shields (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost with the "Aztec Mining" Home City Card) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost with the "Aztec Mining" Home City Card) |
Other | Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost) |
Home City Cards[]
As Coyote Runners are unique to the Aztecs, only their cards and other civilizations' TEAM cards are shown in the following tables:
- Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Coyote Runner
Some cards are highlighted with: | |
Green | TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team |
Blue | Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds) |
Aztecs[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
5 Coyote Runners | Ships 5 Coyote Runners | |
8 Coyote Runners | Ships 8 Coyote Runners | |
12 Coyote Runners | Ships 12 Coyote Runners | |
10 Coyote Runners | Ships 10 Coyote Runners | |
15 Coyote Runners | Ships 15 Coyote Runners | |
Coyote Combat | Coyote Runners get +20% hit points and +10% speed | |
Silent Strike | Coyote Runners can use stealth mode | |
War Hut Training | Coyote Runner, Otontin Slinger, and Puma Spearman train time -35% | |
Ruthlessness | Coyote Runners, Otontin Slingers, and Puma Spearmen get +0.5 attack multiplier against villagers | |
Fencing School | Infantry and shock infantry train time -40% | |
Chichimeca Rebellion | Turns all Puma Spearmen into Jaguar Prowl Knights, Coyote Runners into Eagle Runner Knights, and Otontin Slingers into Arrow Knights; villagers now turn into Warriors upon death; costs 1,000 food, 1,000 wood, 1,000 coin | |
Aztec Mining | Villagers gather coin from mines 40% faster; mines last 20% longer; changes Otontin Slingers and Coyote Runners wood cost to coin | |
Temple of Xipe Totec Support | Ships 7 Coyote Runners; Coyote Runners get +20% attack and +15% resistance; costs 500 coin | |
Religious Unity | Zapotec and Maya Allies, Renegade Spanish, Recruit Buccaneers, and (Great) Temple Support shipments cost -25% to -50% |
- "Religious Unity" reduces "Temple of Xipe Totec Support" cost by 50%.
French[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack | Hand cavalry and hand shock infantry get +15% attack |
Germans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Cavalry Attack | Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% attack; Germans-only heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack instead |
- "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the Italian "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.
Indians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics | All units get +5% hit points and attack |
Italians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Cavalry Attack | Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +10% attack; Italians-only heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack instead |
- "TEAM Cavalry Attack" does not stack with the German "TEAM Cavalry Attack" card.
Japanese[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Sengoku | Unit upgrades cost -20% |
Lakota[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Mustangs | Cavalry and shock infantry cost -10% |
Maltese[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Knights of the Round Table | Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center owned by the player; all units get +2% hit points |
Mexicans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Mariachi | For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed |
Russians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Kamchatka Expeditions | Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight |
Spanish[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack | Hand infantry get +15% attack | |
TEAM Spanish Inquisition | Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight |
Aztecs[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
5 Coyote Runners | Ships 5 Coyote Runners | 1 | |
7 Coyote Runners | Ships 7 Coyote Runners | 1 | |
12 Coyote Runners | Ships 12 Coyote Runners | 10 | |
10 Coyote Runners | Ships 10 Coyote Runners | 10 | |
15 Coyote Runners | Ships 15 Coyote Runners | 25 | |
Coyote Combat | Coyote Runners get +20% hit points and +10% speed | 10 | |
Silent Strike | Coyote Runners can use stealth mode | 40 | |
War Hut Training | Coyote Runner, Macehualtin, and Puma Spearman train time -40% | 10 | |
Ruthlessness | Coyote Runners, Macehualtins, and Puma Spearmen get +0.5 attack multiplier against villagers | 40 | |
Temple of Xipe Totec Support | Ships 11 Coyote Runners; Coyote Runners get +20% attack; costs 1,000 coin | 10 | |
Religious Unity | Zapotec and Maya Allies, Renegade Spanish, Recruit Buccaneers, and (Great) Temple Support shipments cost -25% to -50% | 40 |
- "Religious Unity" reduces "Temple of Xipe Totec Support" cost by 50%.
French[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Hand Cavalry Attack | Heavy cavalry and Coyote Runners get +15% attack | 10 |
Germans[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Cavalry Attack | Heavy cavalry, light cavalry, and shock infantry get +15% attack | 10 |
Indians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics | All units get +5% hit points and attack | 25 |
Japanese[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades | Unit upgrades cost -20% | 1 |
Russians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Cavalry Scouts | Cavalry and shock infantry get +10% hit points and +4 Line of Sight | 1 |
Spanish[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Hand Infantry Attack | Hand infantry get +15% attack | 10 | |
TEAM Inquisition | All units get +10 Line of Sight | 10 |
Changelog[]
The WarChiefs[]
- Coyote Runners have 150 hit points.
Definitive Edition[]
- With update 20322, Coyote Runners have 155 hit points.
Knights of the Mediterranean[]
- Although not listed in the patch notes, with update 14.43676, the Legendary Coyote Runner upgrade received a new model.
Trivia[]
- The Coyote Runner wields a Cuahuitl (lit. "wood", in Nahuatl), an agave leaf-shaped wooden baton made of oak, used in battle to inflict blunt force trauma.
History[]
“ | Humorous, playful, and unpredictable, the coyote was considered sacred to the Aztec as well as many other Native peoples, and the Aztec coyote runner strove to emulate the animal's qualities in battle. Coyote runners wore teeth and fur to symbolize the coyote's physical appearance, coupled with bright colors and feathers to illustrate its capricious nature. The coyote runners were all left-handed because that made them more dangerous in combat. | ” |
Gallery[]
In other languages[]
- Spanish: Corredor Coyote
- Portuguese: Corredor Coiote