Worked out · AoE3: DE 100.19.18309
Best infantry
No. 1: Veteran Halberdier (fights won 99%), then Jaguar Prowl Knight (96%) and Maceman (95%). Every regular infantry unit of the 24 civilizations ranked by the share of equal-cost fights it wins against the other regular units, from their damage, multipliers, resists and cost.
| # | Name | Fights won | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Veteran Halberdier | 99% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 2 |  Jaguar Prowl Knight | 96% | loses hardest to Strelet |
| 3 |  Maceman | 95% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 4 |  Desperado | 90% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 5 |  Pistolero | 90% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 6 |  Poruchik | 89% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 7 |  Tomahawk | 87% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 8 |  Levied Gunner | 86% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 9 |  Changdao Swordsman | 78% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 10 |  Soldado | 78% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 11 |  Samurai | 77% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 12 |  Qiang Pikeman | 76% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 13 |  Puma Spearman | 75% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 14 |  Cetan Bowman | 74% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 15 |  Levied Spearman | 74% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 16 |  Sentinel | 73% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 17 |  Strelet | 73% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 18 |  Bandido | 71% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 19 |  Renegado | 71% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 20 |  Aenna | 70% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 21 |  Desert Warrior | 70% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 22 |  Levied Bowman | 70% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 23 |  Longbowman | 69% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 24 |  Club Warrior | 68% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 25 |  Carolean | 68% | loses hardest to Bandido |
| 26 |  Rodelero | 68% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 27 |  Musketeer | 67% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 28 |  Rekrut | 67% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 29 |  Regular | 65% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 30 |  Plumed Spearman | 64% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 31 |  Gascenya | 63% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 32 |  Otontin Slinger | 63% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 33 |  Pikeman | 62% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 34 |  Rajput | 60% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 35 |  Janissary | 58% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 36 |  Pavisier | 57% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 37 |  Sepoy | 57% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 38 |  Crossbowman | 56% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 39 |  Elite Mantlet | 56% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 40 |  Maigadi | 55% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 41 |  Minuteman | 53% | loses hardest to Veteran Lancer |
| 42 |  Desert Archer | 53% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 43 |  Hospitaller | 53% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 44 |  Arquebusier | 51% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 45 |  Abus Gunner | 49% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 46 |  Ashigaru Musketeer | 49% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 47 |  Fulani Archer | 49% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 48 |  Insurgente | 49% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 49 |  Veteran Cassador | 49% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 50 |  Doppelsoldner | 48% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 51 |  Piechur | 46% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 52 |  State Militia | 44% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 53 |  Yumi Archer | 44% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 54 |  Azap | 40% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 55 |  Skirmisher | 40% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 56 |  Wakina Rifleman | 39% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 57 |  Sharpshooter | 38% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 58 |  Salteador | 38% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 59 |  Gurkha | 37% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 60 |  Fire Thrower | 33% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 61 |  Bolas Warrior | 31% | loses hardest to Jaguar Prowl Knight |
| 62 |  Neftenya | 30% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 63 |  Forest Prowler | 29% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 64 |  Arrow Knight | 25% | loses hardest to Veteran Lancer |
| 65 |  Huaraca | 23% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 66 |  Bersagliere | 23% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 67 |  Jungle Bowman | 19% | loses hardest to Steppe Rider |
| 68 |  Humbaraci | 15% | loses hardest to Veteran Lancer |
| 69 |  Grenadier | 8% | loses hardest to Veteran Lancer |
| 70 |  Chu Ko Nu | 3% | loses hardest to Falconet |
| 71 |  Flamethrower | 0% |
How this is worked out
Equal-cost fights by Lanchester's square law: strength = (resources ÷ unit cost)² × damage per second × hit points; one hit = damage × the multipliers matching the target × (1 − its resist). Fights won = share of the other 122 regular units it beats.
Assumptions: Base stats: no upgrades, cards or civilization bonuses. Range and speed (kiting) are not modelled, which undersells skirmishers and archers; area damage counts on one target.