“ | Powerful Musketeer from Scotland. | ” |
—In-game description |
The Highlander is a mercenary in Age of Empires III. It is a stronger version of the Musketeer.
Overview[]
Like the Musketeer, Highlanders are solid ranged units that are effective against cavalry and decent against heavy infantry. Highlanders are more effective against infantry than their counterparts simply because they have such high damage, though they are still vulnerable to Light Infantry and artillery who outrange them. They are also relatively effective against buildings.
All European civilizations can pick The Mercenary Contractor for aging up to the Imperial Age, and he will improve mercenaries (including the Highlander) by increasing their hit points and attack by 50%.
Campaign appearances[]
In some scenarios of the Act I: Blood campaign, a number of Highlanders, while they cannot be trained by Knights of St. John, accompany the knights, most likely because of the presence of Scottish knight hero Morgan Black. In Act III: India of The Asian Dynasties, the East India Company deploys Highlanders against the rebelling Indians.
Further statistics[]
Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
---|---|
Strong vs. | Cavalry, shock infantry |
Weak vs. | Light infantry, counter-skirmishers, artillery |
Improvements | |
Hit points | Corselet (+25%; Spanish only) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Flint Lock (+10%) Cree Tanning (+5%) Gadaa System (+5%; Ethiopians only) Navajo Weaving (+5%) Tar Kilns (+5%) |
Attack | Paper Cartridge (+15%) Second Guarantee (+15%; Mexicans only) Smokeless Powder (+10%) Armatoloi (+5%) Yoga (+5%) Clenched Fist (+25% hand attack) Socket Bayonet (+20% hand attack) |
Resistance | Somali Oryx Hide Shields (+5% ranged resistance) Hualcana (+5%; Inca only) |
Range | The Black Watch (+1; British only) |
Line of Sight | The Black Watch (+3; British only) Town Watch (+3) |
Speed | Tilly's Discipline (+20%; Germans only) Military Drummers (+10%) Quechuan Mountaineering (+10%) Akan Fontomfrom (+5%) Apache Endurance (+5%) |
Train time | Standing Army (-25%) Akan Fontomfrom (-20%) Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Quechuan Diet (-15%) Immigrants (-10%) New Mexico Immigration (-10%; United States only) Philhellenism (-10%) Strangers' Quarters (-10%; Africans only) |
Cost | Blue Nile Ties (-15%; Ethiopians only) Philhellenism (-10%) Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) Yemeni Relations (exchanges cost for 50% coin, 50% influence; Ethiopians only) |
Other | Multinationalism (ships 8 random European mercenaries) The Black Watch (ships 8 Highlanders; Highlanders can be hired at the Tavern and get the Regeneration ability; British only) |
Penalties | Corselet (-15% speed; Spanish only) Tilly's Discipline (+10% cost; Germans only) Second Guarantee (+30% train time; Mexicans only) |
Home City Cards[]
- Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Highlander
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 |
---|---|---|
TEAM Senegalese Riflemen | Ranged infantry get +10% attack; French and Hausa-only ranged infantry get +15% attack instead | |
Liberation March | Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time | |
Fencing School | Infantry and shock infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians) | |
Outlaw Combat | Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and attack (also upgrades Filibusters to Veteran and costs 500 coin for Baja California) |
- "TEAM Senegalese Riflemen" is available to the French and Hausa.
- "Liberation March" is available to the Mexicans and Spanish.
- "Fencing School" is available to the Europeans (except the French, Maltese, Ottomans, and Spanish) and Indians.
- "Outlaw Combat" is available to the Mexicans upon revolting to Baja California and Europeans upon revolting to the Barbary States, Hungary, and Mexico.
Africans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Feudal Armies | All units' train time -15%; hero respawn time -15% | |
Loyal Warriors | Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15% (also affects shipments) |
British[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Grenadier Guards | Musket infantry and grenade troopers get +15% hit points |
Chinese[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Yongle Infrastructure | Ships 1 Mongol Scout; infantry, land villagers, healing units, Envoys, and Disciples get +5% speed | |
Western Reforms | All units get +8% hit points and attack | |
Acupuncture | All units' train time -20% |
- "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" does not stack with the Inca "TEAM Inca Bridges" card.
Dutch[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints | Infantry get +10% hit points; Dutch-only infantry get +15% hit points instead | |
Dutch States Army | Mercenary train time -15% and shipments arrive time -20%, and get +7% speed (except Napoleon Guns and Li'l Bombards); enables training of Highlanders at Barracks, Royal Horsemen at Stables, and both at Tavern; Pikemen, Halberdiers, Skirmishers, Hussars, and Ruyters cost +10% |
Ethiopians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Coffee Consumption | Ranged infantry get +5% speed | |
Temenyas | Gunpowder infantry get +5% attack; Neftenya available in the Commerce Age | |
Ignatian Spirituality | All units get +5% hit points and regeneration capability even while in combat |
Europeans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Hire Scottish Highlanders | Ships 9 Highlanders; costs 1,000 coin | |
Hire Highland Mercenary Army | Ships 8 Swiss Pikemen, 6 Highlanders, and 4 Harquebusiers; costs 2,000 coin | |
Loyal Warriors | Native warriors, mercenaries, and outlaws cost -15%; "TEAM 4 Zenata Rider", "Recruit Xebec", "Recruit Xebecs", and "15 Berber Allies" cost no coin | |
14 Blackwatch Highlanders | Ships 14 Black Watches (Highlanders); costs 1,000 coin | |
Albion Mercenary Legion | Ships 2 Highlanders, 2 Jaegers, and 3 Harquebusiers | |
Wanderlust | Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed |
- "Hire Scottish Highlanders" is available to the British, Russians, and Spanish.
- "Hire Highland Mercenary Army" is available to the British, Dutch, Germans (with +1 extra Swiss Pikeman, Highlander, and Harquebusier), Russians, and Spanish.
- "Loyal Warriors" is available to the Italians, Maltese, Ottomans, and Portuguese upon revolting to the Barbary States.
- "14 Blackwatch Highlanders" is available to the British and French upon revolting to Canada.
- "Albion Mercenary Legion" is available to the Germans, Portuguese, and Spanish upon revolting to Gran Colombia.
- "Wanderlust" is available to the British and Dutch upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.
French[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Royal Fencing School | Infantry and shock infantry train time -40%; +3 Royal Musketeers |
Germans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Improved Mercenaries | Mercenaries get +15% hit points and attack; +3 Uhlans |
Haudenosaunee[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Scout Infantry | Ships 1 Native Scout; infantry get +8 Line of Sight | |
Conservative Tactics | Infantry get +10% hit points and attack | |
Covenant Chain | Ships 4 Irish Brigadiers, 4 Highlanders, 3 Harquebusiers, and 2 Heavy Cannons; costs 2,000 coin |
Hausa[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Sahelian Kingdoms | Native warriors get +15% hit points and attack; mercenaries and outlaws get +10% hit points and attack |
Inca[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Road Building | Land military units get +10% speed | |
TEAM Inca Bridges | Ships 1 Chasqui; infantry, land villagers, healing units, and Envoys get +5% speed |
- "TEAM Inca Bridges" does not stack with the Chinese "TEAM Yongle Infrastructure" card.
Indians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Dravidian Martial Arts | All units get +15% hand attack; Rajputs get +20% hand attack instead; +1 Hindu Villager | |
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics | All units get +5% hit points and attack | |
Zamindars | Infantry train time -20%; receives 2 Sepoys instead of 1 Hindu Villager with every Home City shipment; +2 Sepoys |
Italians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Infantry Hitpoints | Infantry get +15% hit points | |
Schiavoni Swords | Infantry and cavalry get +15% hand attack |
Japanese[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Onin War | Infantry get +33% siege attack | |
Bakufu | Daimyo and Shogun Tokugawa get +5% speed, +10 Line of Sight and train units 15% faster; land military unit train time -20%, artillery and banner army train time -10% instead |
Lakota[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Moccasins | Infantry get +10% speed |
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 | |
Squires | Military buildings train and research work 80% faster, except Forts which train and research work 340% faster |
Mexicans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Plan of Tuxtepec | [Plan] Turns all Salteadores into Soldados; musket infantry get +1 Line of Sight and range; costs 500 food, 500 wood | |
TEAM Mariachi | For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed | |
Colegio de San Nicolás | Ships 500 XP; units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds | |
Bustamante | The General can build Field Hospitals for free; musket infantry get +10% hit points; Field Hospitals can train Soldados | |
National Servant | All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster | |
Bastimento | Villager train time -20%; infantry train time -25%, Revolutionary train time -50% instead | |
Pok Ta Pok | Infantry get +10% speed and -10% train time |
- "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
- "Bustamante" is available upon selecting the San Luis Potosí Federal State.
- "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
- "Bastimento" is available upon revolting to Rio Grande.
- "Pok Ta Pok" is available upon revolting to the Maya.
Ottomans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Matrakci School | Infantry and shock infantry train time -30%; Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Abus Gunner, and Humbaraci train time -40% instead |
Portuguese[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints | Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points |
Russians[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Ransack | Infantry get +50% siege attack | |
Dueling School | Infantry train time -25% |
Spanish[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Peninsular Guerrillas | Ranged infantry get +20% attack, musket infantry get +10% attack instead; Skirmishers now see the Line of Sight of enemies they attacked for 3 seconds | |
TEAM Spanish Inquisition | Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight |
Swedes[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM House of Bernadotte | Heavy infantry get +15% hit points | |
German Mercenary Contracts | Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack; Jaegers and Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons | |
Contract Scottish Highlanders | Ships 9 Highlanders; Highlanders can be trained at the Tavern and Barracks; costs 1,000 coin |
United States[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
United States Army | The General, Minutemen, and heavy infantry get +15% hit points and attack | |
Scottish Immigrants | [Immigrant] Ships 1 Highlander for each Saloon, Meeting House and Trading Post (up to 10); costs 400 coin | |
Poker | Ships 13 random mercenaries; up to 3 random mercenaries available at Saloon; costs 3,500 coin | |
Indiana Mobilization | Ships 1 Carbine Cavalry for each shipment sent so far this game including this one; unit train time (except Heavy Cannons), technology research time, and age-up time -10%; costs 250 food, 250 wood | |
Hamilton's Own | Ships 4 Napoleon Guns and 2 Li'l Bombards; mercenaries get +25% hit points and attack; costs 2,500 coin |
All[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Fencing School | Infantry train time -40% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Villager for the Indians) | 10 |
- "Fencing School" is available to the Europeans (except the Ottomans) and Indians.
Chinese[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Western Reforms | All units get +8% hit points and attack | 40 | |
Acupuncture | All units' train time -20% | 10 |
Dutch[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Infantry Hitpoints | Infantry get +15% hit points | 10 |
Europeans[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Hire Scottish Highlanders | Ships 9 Highlanders; costs 1,000 coin | 10 | |
Hire Highland Mercenary Army | Ships 8 Swiss Pikemen, 6 Highlanders, and 4 Harquebusiers; costs 2,000 coin | 25 |
- "Hire Scottish Highlanders" is available to the British, Russians, and Spanish.
- "Hire Highland Mercenary Army" is available to the British, Dutch, Germans (with +1 extra Swiss Pikeman, Highlander, and Harquebusier), Russians, and Spanish.
French[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Ranged Infantry Attack | Gunpowder infantry and archers get +15% attack | 10 |
Germans[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Improved Mercenaries | Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack; +3 Uhlans | 10 |
Haudenosaunee[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Scout Infantry | Infantry get +8 Line of Sight | 10 |
Indians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Dravidian Martial Arts | All units get +15% hand attack; +1 Villager | 40 | |
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics | All units get +5% hit points and attack | 25 |
Japanese[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Onin War | Infantry get +33% siege attack | 40 |
Portuguese[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Gunpowder Infantry Hitpoints | Gunpowder infantry get +15% hit points | 10 |
Russians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Ransack | Infantry get +50% siege attack | 25 | |
Dueling School | Infantry (except Skull Knights), Old Han Army, and Territorial Army train time -25%; Black Flag Army, Standard Army, Ming Army, and Imperial Army train time -12% | 25 |
Spanish[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Inquisition | All units get +10 Line of Sight | 10 |
Marauding Highlander[]
The Marauding Highlander is a treasure guardian variant of the Highlander. It uses slightly modified stats from the base unit.
Changelog[]
Definitive Edition[]
- With update 23511, Highlanders are tagged as musket infantry.
Knights of the Mediterranean[]
- With update 14.43676, Highlanders shipped by The Black Watch received new models.
In-game dialogue[]
The Highlander speaks Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language, which is also spoken by Morgan Black.
- Select 1 Seadh? - Yes?
- Select 2 Deiseil - Ready
- Select 3 Dé'n t-òrdugh? - What is your order?
- Move 1 Tha mi a'tuigsinn - I understand
- Move 2 Nì mi sin - I'll do that
- Move 3 Mi cuir an seo 'ghas' (?) - I will go here
- Attack 1 Thoir Ionnsaigh! - Attack!
- Attack 2 Gu blàr! - To battle!
- Attack 3 Seadh, tha mi deiseil! - Yes, I'm ready!
Trivia[]
- The Highlander is based on Seven Years' War period Highlander regiments.
- The Black Watch version is based on Napoleonic Wars period Highlander regiments.
History[]
“ | The Highlanders were clansmen warriors and soldiers from the highlands of Scotland. A group of Highlanders raised in 1745 under the banner of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charles or the Young Pretender, fought against English royalist armies with the goal of restoring the Scottish line of kings (the Stuarts) to the throne of England. They were ultimately unsuccessful and many highlanders scattered to mainland Europe and America to escape the ruthless oppression of the Scottish Highlands. In their new homes, regiments of these Scotsmen fought as part of other armies. Highlanders carried swords, daggers and rifles. They wore kilts, bonnets (a seamless and brimless woolen cap typically with a strip of tartan around the headband) and double-breasted coats. | ” |