Minor civilization

Minor civilizations (often just called Natives, Minors, Allies, Native Allies) are a common element of random maps in Age of Empires III. They usually offer 3 technologies to research as well as 1 military unit to train which can be built in limited amounts and upgraded twice. All major civilizations can ally with minor civilizations through the construction of a Trading Post on a designated socket at their settlements. Players have access to the technologies and units of the minor civilizations only as long as the Trading Post exists. Including the two expansions there is a total of 22 minor civilizations.

Units
Most minor civilizations offer one military unit, which can be upgraded twice. Native units always cost a certain amount of wood and food and never coin and population space. Furthermore native units have a build limit which players can increase by allying with further settlements of the same minor civilization.

Upgrades
All native units' hitpoints and damage can be upgraded first in Fortress Age by +25% for 200 wood and 150 coin and a second time by +40% in Industrial Age for 400 wood and 300 coin. The native unit upgrades from Age of Empires III and The Warchiefs are called Elite and Champion while in The Asian Dynasties they are called Disciplined and Honored. In Imperial Age players can improve hitpoints and damage again by researching Legendary Native Warriors in the Capitol for 1500 food and 1500 coin.

Finally there is a wide array of homecity cards which can boost native units.

Civilizations
Age of Empires III itself and every expansion came with a selection of various minor civilizations. While in Age of Empires III and The Warchiefs these are native american settlements the paradigma changes in The Asian Dynasties to religious communities or Holy Sites as Big Huge Games called them in its game manual.

Age of Empires III
Age of Empires III included the following x native american settlements:
 * Aztecs
 * Carib
 * Cherokee
 * Comanche
 * Cree
 * Inca
 * Iroquois
 * Lakota
 * Maya
 * Nootka
 * Seminole
 * Tupi

The Warchiefs
The Warchiefs removed the Aztecs, Iroquois and Lakota as minor civilizations, because they were added as major civilizations. It also added the following 7 native american settlements:
 * 1) Apache
 * 2) Cheyenne
 * 3) Huron
 * 4) Klamath
 * 5) Mapuche
 * 6) Navajo
 * 7) Zapotec

The Asian Dynasties
The Asian Dynasties added the following 6 religious communities
 * 1) Bhakti Temple
 * 2) Jesuit Mission
 * 3) Shaolin Temple
 * 4) Sufi Mosque
 * 5) Udasi Temple
 * 6) Zen Temple