
The crossbow was the signature military technology of the Han Dynasty into the Three Kingdoms era
Crossbowmen are a Ranged Infantry unit available from the start of the base game (Rise of the Warlords 190 AD) in Total War: Three Kingdoms. They can only be recruited in Strategist and Commander retinues. It is preferable to recruit with Strategists since they uniquely provide more important buffs compared to Commanders. Buffs available include additional ammunition and range, faster rate of fire and improved base damage as well as armor piercing damage.
Overview[]
In open field engagements and sieges, Crossbowmen can be exceptionally useful in several ways. In the early game they outrange all other Archers by a safe distance. They are also far more effective against armored troops, just as they were historically.
Proper Use[]
Crossbows are usually positioned directly behind your main battle line so as to make the most of their ranged attack. In this position they are protected from enemy archer fire and Cavalry while they whittle down the enemy as the two lines come together. Alternatively, they can be set directly in front of your line at the outset to harass the enemy line and quickly pulled back to safety before the lines clash. Manually controlling Crossbowmen targets is recommended if the enemy has a healthy number of shielded (anti-missile) units on their line. It is better to manually target unshielded spear infantry units or any units with exposed flanks as a first choice.
Recruiting Options[]
In the early game, it generally doesn't make a lot of difference if crossbows are recruited from Strategists or Commanders except when it comes to Ammunition count or Ancillaries that provide bonuses to crossbows. That will change when your Strategists start leveling up and acquire the right skills to support their ranged retinues. By turn 15 or 20, it will be better to have most of your Crossbowmen with Strategist heroes due to the ranged buffs only they will provide, such as Judgement (+25% ranged base damage) plus the all important, additional ammunition. Both Strategists and Sentinels have the Precision skill (+10% ranged AP damage, +10% firing rate) but Sentinels can't recruit Crossbowmen. Both of these skills are easily accessible on the Skill Tree for most Strategists, while they tend to be many XP levels away for most other hero types. These are the principal reasons for recruiting Crossbowmen in Strategist retinues almost exclusively.
- Type: Medium Crossbow Infantry
- Base cost to recruit: 350
- Base unit upkeep: 110
Description[]

In-game (vanilla units)
Ranged Infantry units are relatively inexpensive soldiers that do more than their fair share of work disposing of enemy soldiers on the battlefield. When handled adeptly, they will rapidly increase their skill and efficiency in doing their deadly duties with few losses of their own. These well trained and moderately armored Crossbowmen are a cornerstone of a strong army and they support and compliment each element of the combined force. They are worth the extra cost if you are at war and your economy allows it.
Total War: Three Kingdoms Units | |
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Earth | Bandit Warriors・Chen Peacekeepers・Dao Swordguard Cavalry・Handmaid Guard・Imperial Household Cavalry・Jaizi Raiders・Jian Cavalry Captain・Jian Sword Guard Cavalry (Total War: Three Kingdoms)・Messengers of Heaven・Mounted Sabre Defectors・Mounted Sabre Militia・Northern Sabre Cavalry・Northern Sabre Cavalry Captain・Northern Veteran Sabre Cavalry・Qiang Raiders・Sabre Cavalry・Tiger Cubs・Virtuous Noblemen・White Wave Horsemen・Xiongnu Noble Cavalry・Yellow Dragons・Yellow Turban Horsemen |
Fire | Bandit Raiders・Cataphracts・Destroyers of Treachery・Heavy Cataphracts・Heavy Tiger and Leopard Cavalry・Heavy Xiliang Cavalry・Imperial Lancer Cavalry・Jade Dragons・Lance Cavalry Captain・Lancer Cavalry・Mercenary Cavalry・Mercenary Cavalry Captain・Mounted Lancer Defectors・Mounted Lancer Militia・Northern Lancer Cavalry・Northern Lancer Cavalry Captain・Northern Veteran Lancers・Peasant Raiders・Qiang Marauders・Raider Cavalry・Righteous Vanguards・Southern Elephants・Tiger and Leopard Cavalry・Tyrant Slayers・War Elephants・Xianbei Riders・Xiliang Cavalry・Xiongnu Cataphracts・Xiongnu Cavalry |
Metal | Arm of the Supreme Peace・Axe Band・Axe Throwers・Bandit Warriors・Black Mountain Marauders・Bringers of Peace・Camp Crushers・Chanters・Chosen of the Eight Immortals・Chu Infantry・Dao Swordguard Captain・Dao Swordguards・Exemplars of the Tao・Fists of the Bandit Queen・Followers of the Flame・Hidden Axes・Huanglao's Paragons・Imperial Guard Captain・Imperial Guards・Imperial Sword Guard・Jian Infantry Captain・Jian Sword Guards・Liyang Daring Infantry・Mercenary Infantry・Mercenary Infantry Captain・Might of the Valley・Nanman Warriors・Nanman Warriors Captain・Nanzhong Champions・Northern Sabre Infantry・Northern Sabre Infantry Captain・Northern Veteran Sabre Infantry・Pearl Dragons・Peasant Volunteers・Peasant Warriors・People's Warband・Qiang Warriors・Qingzhou Assault Infantry・Rapid Tiger Infantry・Ravine Warriors・Redeemed Outlaws・Sabre Defectors・Sabre Infantry・Sabre Militia・Scholar-Warriors・Tiger Warriors・Valley Tribesmen・Venerable Wu・Warriors of Xu・Warriors of the Left・White Tiger Warriors・White Wave Veterans・Wuguo Axe Throwers・Wuling Fighters・Xu Raiders・Yellow Sky Heralds・Yellow Turban Warriors・Yellow Turban Warriors Captain・Youxia・Yue Remnant Warriors・Zhanmajian Infantry |
Water | Archer Captain・Archer Defectors・Archer Gang・Archer Militia・Archers・Archers of Jing・Archery Masters・Bandit Hunters・Black Mountain Hunters・Chen Royal Guard・Crossbowmen・Defenders of Earth・Dongzhoubing Marksmen・Fire Archers・Fury of Beihai・Heavy Crossbowmen・Heavy Mounted Archers・Heavy Repeating Crossbowmen・Hidden Vipers・Horseback Huntsmen・Imperial Palace Cavalry・Imperial Palace Crossbowmen・Javelin Throwers・Juggernaut・Men of the Forest・Mercenary Archers・Mercenary Archers Captain・Mounted Crossbows・Mounted Marksmen・Multiple Bolt Crossbow・Nanman Slingers・Nanzhong Elephants・Northern Mounted Archers・Northern Mounted Raiders・Onyx Dragons・Peasant Archers・Poachers・Qi Crossbowmen・Qiang Archers・Qiang Hunters・Repeating Crossbowmen・Sanjiang Poison Darts・Territorial Archers・The Land's Chosen・Thunder of Jian'an・Tiger Slingers・Trebuchet・Watchmen of the Peace・White Horse Fellows・White Horse Raiders・White Tiger Raiders・Wuling Slingers・Xianbei Horse Archers・Yaoguai Hunters・Ye Vanguard Crossbows・Yellow Turban Archers・Yellow Turban Archers Captain・Yi Archers・Yi Marksmen |
Wood | Azure Dragons・Bandit Gang・Black Mountain Outlaws・Bringers of Righteousness・Chu Spearmen・Defenders of Hebei・Defenders of the Empire・Dongzhoubing Defenders・Fervent Defenders・Gallants of the People・Guardians of the Land・Heavy Ji Infantry・Heavy Spear Guards・Imperial Defenders・Imperial Gate Guards・Infantry of Jing・Javelin Spear Guards・Javelin Spearmen・Ji Defectors・Ji Infantry・Ji Infantry Captain・Ji Militia・Militia of Virtue・Nanman Spearmen・Northern Ji Infantry・Northern Ji Infantry Captain・Northern Spear Guard Captain・Northern Spear Guards・Northern Veteran Ji Infantry・Northern Veteran Spears・Peasant Band・Peasant Spearmen・Protectors of Heaven・Qi Guardsmen・Qiang Polearms・Qingzhou Halberds・Qingzhou Spears・Reclaimers・Sanjiang Poison Spears・Shields of the South・Spear Guards・Spear Warriors・Spearmen Gang・Stalwart Shields・Territorial Spearmen・Tiger Guard・Warriors of Ye・Wolf Pack・Ye Vanguard Spearmen・Yellow Turban Spearmen・Yellow Turban Spearmen Captain・Yue Tribesmen・Zealots of the Way |