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Heavy artillery that fires a rocket and is good against infantry or buildings.
—In-game description

The Rocket is an artillery unit in Age of Empires III that is unique to the British, which replaces the Heavy Cannon, and can only be trained at the Factory or shipped from the Home City.

Overview[]

Rockets are an artillery unit available to the British and the campaign version of the United States. They replace Heavy Cannon for the former, while the latter can train them from the Artillery Foundry as with any regular artillery piece. In the case of the British, they are one of the two unique units produced from the Factory, the other being the Great Bombard. They have a faster rate of fire than both the Heavy Cannon and the Great Bombard. They are as effective against infantry units as they are against buildings due to their high rate of fire and high attack. They are also more effective against cavalry due to a lack of damage penalty against them.

Hidden cost (British)[]

Producing Rockets at a Factory requires 90 seconds (85.5 with Chinese TEAM Engineering School card). The average resource gather rate of a Factory is 5.5 every second (before the building upgrade (+20%)). This means that the Rocket, while appearing to be free, will have a cost dependent upon how effective the Factory gathers a needed resource. In many cases, this cost can exceed the base value of the unit.

Upgrades[]

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Imperial Age
Imperial artillery Imperial Rockets 1,500 wood
1,500 coin
Upgrades Rockets to Imperial (+50% hit points and attack)

Civilization differences[]

  • The Hausa can get Rockets through British Army technology, which ships 3 Rockets, that are automatically upgraded to Imperial.
  • The Mexicans can get Rockets upon revolting to the Maya through the "British Weapon Trade" Home City Card, which ships 4 Rockets.
  • The United States can get Rockets through the "5 Captured Rockets" Home City Card.

Consulate Rocket[]

Heavy artillery that fires a rocket and is good against infantry or buildings.
—In-game description

The Consulate Rocket is a counterpart of the Rocket, which starts with +10% hit points and attack.

Upgrades[]

The Consulate Rocket is automatically upgraded in the Imperial Age:

  • Imperial age up +50% hit points and attack

Civilization differences[]

  • The Indians can get Consulate Rockets named Mysorean Rockets through the "2 Mysorean Rockets" Home City Card.

Further statistics[]

Unit strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Most units, buildings
Weak vs. Cavalry, shock infantry, Culverins, Arrow Knights
Improvements
Hit points Professional gunners Professional Gunners (+10%)
Tar kilns Tar Kilns (+5%)
Attack Smokeless Powder Smokeless Powder (+5%)
Heated Shot Heated Shot (+50% multiplier vs. ships)
Som ajuran engineers Somali Ajuran Engineers (+20% multiplier vs. Frontier fortification)
Line of Sight Gunners Quadrant Gunner's Quadrant (+6)
Town Watch Town Watch (+3)
Speed Trunion Trunion (+15%)
Apache Endurance Apache Endurance (+5%)
Train time Mass Production Mass Production (-25%)
Immigrants Immigrants (-5%)
Other British Army British Army (ships 3 Rockets; Hausa only)
Merritocracy Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Rocket
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)

British[]

Card Description Age
British Home City 2 (3 Rockets) 3 Congreve Rockets Ships 3 Rockets
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
British Home City 2 (2 Rockets Infinite) 2 Rockets Ships 2 Rockets
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
South Africa Home City (Wanderlust) Wanderlust Land units get +5% hit points; land villagers and wagons get +5% speed
Revolution
United States Home City (Knox Continental Artillery) Knox's Continental Artillery Ships 5 Consulate Culverins; artillery get +10% hit points and -10% train time; Culverins get +20% hit points and -25% train time instead; costs 500 wood
Revolution
  • "Wanderlust" is available upon revolting to South Africa, and can be sent 3 times.
  • "Knox's Continental Artillery" is available upon revolting to the United States.

Chinese[]

Card Description Age
Team engineering school TEAM Engineering School Artillery, Fixed Gun, Siege Elephant, Flamethrower, Ram, Mantlet, and Haudenosaunee Mantlet train time -15%; Heavy Cannon, Great Bombard, Rocket, Flying Crow, and Gatling Camel train time -5%
Age II tech tree aoe3

Indians[]

Card Description Age
Indian Home City 2 (INF Mysorean Rockets) 2 Mysorean Rockets Ships 2 Mysorean Rockets; costs 1,000 food
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age
Japanese Home City 2 (Team Japanese Artillery Damage) TEAM Odzutsu Mortars Artillery get +10% attack
Age III tech tree aoe3
Japanese Home City 3 (Cheaper Unit Upgrades) TEAM Sengoku Unit upgrades cost -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3

Maltese[]

Card Description Age
Maltese Home City 2 (TEAM Knights of the Round Table) TEAM Knights of the Round Table Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center owned by the player; all units get +2% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3

Mexicans[]

Card Description Age
Mexico card Plan of Veracruz Plan of Veracruz [Plan] Turns all Outposts into Falconets; upgrades Falconets to Field Guns (if not already); artillery get +4 Line of Sight; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
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
Federal card colegio de san nicolas 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
Age II tech tree aoe3
Federal card national servant National Servant All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster
Imperial Age
Maya Home City (British Weapon Trade) British Weapon Trade Ships 12 Redcoats and 4 Rockets; Light Cannons get +70% hit points; costs 1,000 wood
Revolution
  • "Liberation March" is also available to the Spanish.
  • "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
  • "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
  • "British Weapon Trade" is available upon revolting to the Maya.

Spanish[]

Card Description Age
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Spanish Inquisition Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight
Age II tech tree aoe3

United States[]

Card Description Age
United States Home City 2 (5 Captured Rockets) 5 Captured Rockets Ships 5 Rockets; costs 1,000 food, 1,000 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Federal card marions diversions Marion's Diversions Artillery get +5% speed; Quaker Guns available at the Artillery Foundry
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
  • "Marion's Diversions" is available upon selecting the South Carolina Federal State.

British[]

Card Description Age HC level
British Home City 2 (2 Rockets) 2 Congreve Rockets Ships 2 Rockets
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10
British Home City 2 (3 Rockets) 3 Congreve Rockets Ships 3 Rockets
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
British Home City 2 (2 Rockets Infinite) 2 Rockets Ships 2 Rockets
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
40

Chinese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Team engineering school TEAM Engineering School Abus Gunner, Grenadier, Culverin, Falconet, Mortar, Organ Gun, Mantlet, Ram, Light Cannon, Petard, Horse Artillery, Siege Elephant, Morutaru, Flaming Arrow, Hand Mortar, and Flamethrower train time -40%; Heavy Cannon, Great Bombard, Rocket, and Flying Crow train time -10%
Age II tech tree aoe3
25

Europeans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Portuguese Home City 2 (Artillery Hitpoints) TEAM Artillery Hitpoints Artillery, Abus Gunners, and Grenadiers get +15% hit points
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Indians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25

Japanese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Japanese Home City 3 (Cheaper Unit Upgrades) TEAM Cheaper Unit Upgrades Unit upgrades cost -20%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1

Spanish[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 Line of Sight
Age I tech tree aoe3
10

Changelog[]

Age of Empires III[]

  • Rockets are trained in 98 seconds.
  • Rockets' projectiles have a velocity of 30.
  • Rockets have no multiplier against infantry.

Definitive Edition[]

  • Rockets are now trained in 90 seconds.
  • Rockets' projectiles now have a velocity of 45.

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

History[]

The first rockets used in warfare were developed by the Chinese and Indians. The principle is not dissimilar to a bottle rocket, where explosive propellant (gunpowder) propels a missile (the rocket) and is stabilized by a stick that extends well beyond the body of the rocket. It was William Congreve, a British officer, who developed their use for warfare in the Napoleonic era. His rockets were tubes capped by cones and filled with gunpowder and either shrapnel or shot. They were fired from structures that consisted of a ladder with supports for the body of the rocket and a frame to prop up both ladder and rocket. These were tall affairs, and needed to be, when the stick of a large rocket could be as long as 15 feet! The "rockets' red glare" in the Star-Spangled Banner, the national anthem of the US, refers to the rockets used by the British navy in their assault on Fort McHenry in 1814.

Gallery[]

Military units in Age of Empires III
Common/shared units
3Icon48px Age of Empires IIIExplorer aoe3de Explorer · Militiaman de Militiaman · Crossbow aoe3de Crossbowman · Pikeman aoe3de Pikeman · Halberdier de Halberdier · Musketeer icon aoe3de Musketeer · Skirmisher aoe3de Skirmisher · Grenadier de Grenadier · Hussar aoe3de Hussar · Dragoon aoe3de Dragoon · Cavalry archer portrait aoe3de updated Cavalry Archer · Falconet aoe3de Falconet · Culverin icon aoe3de Culverin · Mortar de Mortar · Heavy cannon de Heavy Cannon · Caravel aoe3de Caravel · Galleon aoe3de Galleon · Frigate aoe3de Frigate · Monitor aoe3de Monitor
3WCIcon48px The WarChiefsWarrior de Warrior · Horse art de Horse Artillery · Petard aoe3de Petard · Spy aoe3de portrait updated Spy · Native canoe aoe3de Canoe · War canoe aoe3de War Canoe · Ironclad aoe3de Ironclad
Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition*Captured mortar aoe3de Captured Mortar · Sloop aoe3de Sloop · Steamer aoe3de Steamer · Battleship portrait Battleship
The African RoyalsLevied spearman portrait aoe3de Levied Spearman · Levied bowman portrait aoe3de Levied Bowman · Levied gunner portrait aoe3de Levied Gunner · Javelin rider aoe3de Javelin Rider · Desert warrior portrait aoe3de Desert Warrior · Desert archer portrait aoe3de Desert Archer · Desert raider portrait aoe3de Desert Raider · Battle canoe portrait aoe3de Battle Canoe · Cannon boat portrait aoe3de Cannon Boat
Unique units
Flag BritishDE BritishLongbow aoe3de Longbowman · Ranger portrait Ranger · Rocket de Rocket
Flag DutchDE DutchRuyter de Ruyter · Fluyt aoe3de Fluyt
Flag FrenchDE FrenchCuirassier de Cuirassier
Flag GermanDE GermansGermans landwehr portrait Landwehr · Doppel de Doppelsoldner · Uhlan portrait aoe3de updated Uhlan · War wagon de War Wagon
Flag OttomanDE OttomansOttomans bashibozuk portrait Bashibozuk · Janissary aoe3de Janissary · Ottomans azap portrait Azap · Nizam icon Nizam Fusilier · Ottomans deli portrait Deli · Ottomans abus gunner portrait Abus Gunner · Ottomans humbaraci portrait Humbaraci · Great bombard de Great Bombard · Spy ottoman portrait Muhbir · Spahi de Sipahi · Galley aoe3de Galley
Flag PortugueseDE PortugueseOrdinance rifleman portrait Ordinance Rifleman · Cacador de Cassador · Organ aoe3de Organ Gun
Flag RussianDE RussiansStrelet de Strelet · Russians rekrut portrait aoe3de Rekrut · Russians poruchik portrait aoe3de Poruchik · Cossack de Cossack · Oprichink de Oprichnik
Flag SpanishDE SpanishRandelero de Rodelero · Lancer portrait aoe3de updated Lancer
Flag AztecDE AztecsAztecChief AoE3DE Aztec War Chief · Eagle scout aoe3de Eagle Scout · Coyote runner aoe3de Coyote Runner · Otontin slinger Otontin Slinger · Puma spearman de Puma Spearman · Arrow knight de Arrow Knight · Eagle runner knight de Eagle Runner Knight · Jaguar prowl knight de Jaguar Prowl Knight · Warrior priest de Warrior Priest · Skull knight aoe3de Skull Knight · Tlaloc aoe3de Tlaloc Canoe
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeIro warchief aoe3de Haudenosaunee War Chief · Aenna de Aenna · Tomahawk de Tomahawk · Forest prowler de Forest Prowler · Kanya de Kanya Horseman · Musket rider de Musket Rider · Ram aoe3de Ram · Iro mantlet de Mantlet · Light cannon de Light Cannon
Flag SiouxDE LakotaSx warchief aoe3de Lakota War Chief · Cetan de Cetan Bowman · Club warrior de Club Warrior · Wakina de Wakina Rifle · Axe rider de Axe Rider · Bow rider de Bow Rider · Rifle rider de Rifle Rider · Tashunke de Tashunke Prowler · Tokala soldier portrait updated Tokala Soldier
Flag ChineseDE ChineseShaolin master aoe3de Shaolin Master · Shaolin monk aoe3de Disciple · Sentry cn jp de Sentry · Irregular cn jp de Irregular · Chu ko nu aoe3de Chu Ko Nu · Qiang pikeman de Qiang Pikeman · Changdao de Changdao Swordsman · Arquebusier de Arquebusier · Steppe rider de Steppe Rider · Keshik de Keshik · Iron flail de Iron Flail · Meteor hammer de Meteor Hammer · Flamethrower de Flamethrower · Hand mortar de Hand Mortar · Flying crow de Flying Crow · Fire ship aoe3de Fire Junk · War junk aoe3de War Junk · Fuchuan aoe3de Fuchuan
Flag IndianDE IndiansBrahminDE Brahmin · Sentry IN de Sentry · Irregular IN de Irregular · Rajput de Rajput · Sepoy de Sepoy · Gurkha de Gurkha · Urumi de Urumi Swordsman · Sowar de Sowar · Zamburak mansabdar de Zamburak · Mahout de Mahout Lancer · Howdah aoe3de Howdah · Flail elephant de Flail Elephant · Siege elephant de Siege Elephant
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseIkkoIkkiDE Sohei Archer · Sentry cn jp de Sentry · Irregular cn jp de Irregular · Yumi archer de Yumi Archer · Ashigaru de Ashigaru Musketeer · Samurai aoe3de Samurai · Naginata de Naginata Rider · Yabusame de Yabusame · Flaming arrow aoe3de Flaming Arrow · Morutaru de Morutaru · Daimyo kiyomasa aoe3de Daimyo · Tokugawa aoe3de Shogun Tokugawa · Yamabushi aoe3de Yamabushi · Shinobi aoe3de Shinobi · Fune aoe3de Fune · Atakabune aoe3de Atakebune · Tekkousen aoe3de Tekkousen
Flag IncanDE IncaInca-war-chief-icon-aoe3 Inca War Chief · Chasqui-icon-aoe3 Chasqui · Jungle-bowman-icon-aoe3 Jungle Bowman · Plumed-spearman-icon-aoe3 Plumed Spearman · Chimu-runner-icon-aoe3 Chimu Runner · DE Bolas Warrior Icon Bolas Warrior · Huaraca-icon-aoe3 Huaraca · Inca Maceman Icon Maceman · Chincha raft aoe3de Chincha Raft
Flag SwedishDE SwedesCarolean Carolean · Hakkapelit-icon-aoe3 Hakkapelit · Leather-cannon-icon-aoe3 Leather Cannon
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesUs general aoe3de General · Us marine aoe3de Minuteman · State militia aoe3de State Militia · Regular aoe3de Regular · Sharpshooter icon aoe3 Sharpshooter · Carbine cavalry aoe3de Carbine Cavalry · Gatlin de Gatling Gun · Quaker gun icon Quaker Gun · Gunslinger aoe3de Gunslinger · Cowboy aoe3de Cowboy · Owlhoot aoe3de Owlhoot
Flag MexicanDE MexicansGeneral mx portrait General · Padre revolution portrait Padre · Insurgente portrait Insurgente · Soldado portrait Soldado · Emboscador portrait Salteador · Chinaco portrait Chinaco · Desperado portrait Desperado · Vaquero portrait Cuatrero · Bandido portrait Bandido
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansRas portrait aoe3de Ras · Oromo warrior portrait aoe3de Oromo Warrior · Gascenya portrait aoe3de Gascenya · Shotel warrior aoe3de Shotel Warrior · Neftenya portrait aoe3de Neftenya · Sebastopol mortar portrait aoe3de Sebastopol Mortar · War dhow portrait aoe3de War Dhow
Flag Hausa HausaEmir aoe3de portrait Emir · Fulani Fulani Archer · Raider aoe3de portrait Raider · Lifidi knight aoe3de portrait Lifidi Knight · Maigadi aoe3de portrait Maigadi · Xebec portrait aoe3de Xebec
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansItalians pavisier portrait Pavisier · Italians bersagliere portrait Bersagliere · Italians papal guard portrait Papal Guard · Italians schiavone portrait Schiavone · Italians papal lancer portrait Papal Lancer · Italians papal zouave portrait Papal Zouave · Italians papal bombard portrait Papal Bombard · Italians leonardo tank portrait Leonardo's Tank · Galleass portrait Galleass
Flag MalteseDE MalteseAlain icon aoe3de Grand Master · Hospitaller portrait Hospitaller · Maltese sentinel portrait Sentinel · Hoop thrower aoe3de Fire Thrower · Order galley portrait Order Galley · SPC Fire ship aoe3de Fire Ship
Revolution Revolution
Barbarystates rev barbary warrior portrait aoe3de updated Barbary Warrior · Bolivar icon aoe3de Bolivar · Californio portrait Californio · Cetbang aoe3de Cetbang Cannon · Oruc Reis Icon Corsair Captain · Berber arquebusier aoe3de Corsair Marksman · Cruzob avenger portrait Cruzob Avenger · Cruzob infantry portrait Cruzob Infantry · Comanchero icon aoe3de Cuerudo · Rev france eclaireur portrait aoe3de Eclaireur · Filibuster aoe3de Filibuster · Gatlin de Gatling Gun · Comanchero icon aoe3de Gaucho · Comanchero icon aoe3de Jagunço · Java spearman aoe3de Javanese Spearman · Comanchero icon aoe3de Llanero · Militia Officer portrait Militia Officer · Comanchero icon aoe3de Morochuco · Mounted Granadero Portrait Mounted Granadero · Colonial militia aoe3de Revolutionary · Us volunteer icon Revolutionary Sharpshooter · San martin portrait San Martin · Covered wagon aoe3de Trek Wagon
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