Stealth mode is a special ability introduced in Age of Empires III: The WarChiefs and for Musofadi units in Age of Empires IV.
Age of Empires III[]
Available to a limited range of units, activating this mode renders the unit invisible to enemy Line of Sight (LOS). While in this mode, units move at half their normal speed and no longer engage enemy units automatically. They will abandon stealth mode if ordered to attack by the player.
Units cannot switch to stealth mode if enemy units or buildings are nearby.
Some units and buildings have the AbstractCanSeeStealth tag and will uncloak stealthy enemy units within their LOS. Not all stealth units are also anti-stealth. Notable anti-stealth units include virtually all skirmish Heroes, Forts, Outposts, War Huts and Town Centers.
When Spies is researched, the player can see other players' stealth units whether they're in stealth mode or not.
List of stealth-capable buildings[]
War Hut (Inca, with Cloud Fortresses Home City Card)- Stronghold (with Cloud Fortresses Home City Card)
List of stealth-capable units[]
- Lakota War Chief (with Heyoka Home City Card, keeps his normal speed when stealthy)
- Sohei Archer (with Intonjutsu Stealth)
- Eagle Scout
- Native Scout
- Spy
- Navajo Rifleman
- Coyote Runner (with Silent Strike Home City Card)
- Shinobi (only loses a quarter of his speed)
- Forest Prowler
- Jaguar Prowl Knight
- Ninja
- Tashunke Prowler
- Chimu Runner (with Cloud Warriors Home City Card)
- Jungle Bowman (with Cloud Warriors Home City Card)
- Aztec Jaguar Warrior *
- Salteador
- Chinaco (with Zapata Maneuvers Home City Card)
- Inquisitor
- Savolax Jaeger
List of buildings that can uncloak stealthed enemies[]
- Fort
- Town Center
- Agra Fort
- King's Hill
- War Hut *
- Nobles' Hut *
- Castle *
- Regent's Castle *
- Outpost *
- Tower *
- Stronghold
List of units that can uncloak stealthed enemies[]
- Native Scout
- Ninja
- Envoy
- War Dog
- Explorer Dog
- Spy
- Shinobi
- Mongol Scout
- Hot Air Balloon *
- Advanced Hot Air Baloon *
- Pets *
- Inquisitor
- Heroes
Stealth tactics[]
Stealth is a useful tactic against a human opponent. In proper use, it can end a game, or bring a game close to completion.
The most useful units for using stealth on are the Prowlers of the Native American civilizations. They are not only capable of stealth and surveillance, but combat as well. For example, a squad of Tashunke Prowlers can stealth into a large grove of trees, and when Villagers appear, can use their area-of-effect attack to quickly destroy them, then stealth back to avoid enemy retaliation. This can pay off by wasting the enemy's resources, as they would have to purchase the Villagers, and removing their potential to collect resources. A Haudenosaunee Forest Prowler, with Home City Cards, can stealth behind the enemy base and create a forward base, which forces the enemy to divert their troops, which can hurt civilizations with more population-intensive units (like Cuirassiers), as they are less effective when split up. Also, an Aztec Jaguar Prowl Knight can stealth into an an enemy base and wreak havoc with the superior sieging ability.
However, this does not mean that Native American civilizations are the only ones capable of using stealth effectively. A pair of Japanese Monks with a few Monastery upgrades can stealth into an enemy base, sabotage some buildings - notably economic buildings or Houses (Anything else is likely to require multiple sabotages), and use Smoke Screen to escape when in danger. A European civilization can use a Spy to ambush a lone Explorer, War Chief, or Monk on their way to capture a Trading Post.
Age of Empires IV[]
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