Strelets
Values after after / represent the base values without the Russian discount and weakening.
First Appearance	Age of Empires III
Light Infantry
Cost	37,5/50 Food 10 Wood
Age Available	Colonial Age
Base Hit Points	72/90
Pop. Use	1
Speed	4.5
LOS	16
Resists	30% vs. Ranged
Melee Damage	4/5
Melee Multipliers	x2.0 vs. Infantry
Range Damage	8/10
Range Multipliers	x2.0 vs. Infantry
Range	14
Siege Damage	7/9
Siege Range	6
R.O.F.	1.5 / 3.0 (Ranged and Siege)
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The Strelets is a Russian light infantry unit in Age of Empires III.

Overview Edit

Streltsy are the Russian meat-shield and anti-infantry unit. The Strelets is weak and cheap, making it a useful unit in the Colonial Age. In the Industrial Age the Strelets are very weak and hits 200 population very easily. The costs in brackets are for referring to the blockhouse's ability to train Streltsy in groups of 10. You can get the original cost if you train from another Strelets-producing building such as the Fort or the Galleon. Streltsy are very cost-effective, and even more after the cards that upgrade them, but in Industrial Age, the hard core of your army should become Cossacks, Musketeers and Heavy Cannons.

Streltsy are useful to outnumber your enemy, taking down even musketeers when outnumbered enough. Outnumbering is very easy due to the production of 10 at a time. If you manage to get all the cards that upgrade the Strelet, do add them in your deck. In the game those cards are your first priority after getting a good economy. Once upgraded with all the cards, arsenal upgrades and barracks upgrades, you get very powerfull anti-infantry unit for a very cheap price. Strelets are very good at team games as nations that can boost strelets (Team cards) will make them even more powerful. Strelets are very cheap. They cost 2x less than a normal skirmisher. Strelets when buffed gets 23 damage and 3x multipliers to heavy infantry. Strelets are easy to mass and is a good choice against nations that rely on heavy infantry.

History Edit

The term "Streltsy" (plural of 'strelets' in the original Russian) refers to light infantry in the employ of the Tsar. They were the first standing infantry of the Russian army, but only received meager pay for their mostly meager services. There was elite group of mounted streltsy in employ of the Tsar who formed his bodyguards (the only way to be a member was to be a son of a member). This elite Streltsy regiment was disbanded by Peter the Great after an attempted revolt in which they were involved. Some streltsy were professional soldiers (conscription duties tended to last a while) that acted as personal bodyguards and messengers for the Tsar. Originally armed with bows (which is where their name came from), Strelets were later armed with long, heavy muskets and used their traditional axe as a makeshift stand for the musket.