Explorer

The Explorer is a special hero unit available for all European civilizations in Age of Empires III.

Overview
The Explorer is a tough infantry unit that explores the uncharted areas of the map and also provides economical and military benefits for the colony. The Explorer usually is available only once in the beginning of a game and has some special abilities to help himself. He can also regenerate health, which increases as the player Ages up.

Unlike other units who simply die when they reach 0 health, the Explorer will collapse in excruciating pain. The player can either pay as Ransom to whoever dealt the final blow (including Mother Nature). They may also help him back up on his feet with an allied unit or building (this also includes projectiles fired from friendly units). In order to get back on his feet, he must have at least 100 health.

The explorer can also build Town Centers and Trading Post. This allows the player a second attempt at rebuilding if their original colony was destroyed, provided that they have enough resources to build one and train settlers (except for the Ottomans, who get free Settlers). He builds a Trading Post faster then regular Settlers, nearing that of a Coureur des Bois or a Settler Wagon.

The explorer can explore and fight longer if he has a few units accompanying him. Explorers are very ineffective at raiding enemy settlements early in the game, as they only deal 25% damage against Settlers and Villagers. They are also very weak against Spies and Ninjas.

Their health and regeneration increases as the player Ages up, with 100 additional health with every Age. The Aztecs provide the Explorer with the Aztec Initiation research which greatly boosts his health and attack. Several "El Pollo Guapo" treasures, found on specific North American maps, can provide additional stats such as a 20% movement boost or 20-100% health boost, with this health boost stacking with other treasures and researches.

Every European civilization has its own Home City card for their Explorer, which improves his fighting ability and sends him a Dog companion. The Spanish explorer, already having war dogs of his own, does not get a Dog companion; instead, it boosts the health and attack of his War Dogs.

Home City cards
As the Explorer is exclusive to European civilizations, only Native American and Asian civilizations' TEAM cards that affects them are listed here.

History
"Explorers set out for the New World with a variety of backgrounds and missions. Some were nobles seeking fame and wealth; others were slaves forced to accompany their masters. Some wanted to claim new lands for the nations that sponsored their voyages; others wanted to explore the lands, their peoples, and the flora and fauna. Estevanico was a slave from Morocco, sold to the Spaniard Andres de Dorantes. Dorantes joined an expedition to explore the Gulf Coast from Florida to Mexico. The ill-fated venture ended with only eighty of the original crew floating on makeshift rafts, only two of which landed on the shores of Texas near Galveston with neither food, nor water. Dorantes and Estevanico set out on their own, traveling west and south. They were captives for five years, faith healers, and legends amongst the Native Americans of the area. They eventually reached Mexico City where the viceroy refused to allow Dorantes to search Texas for the Seven Cities of Gold. Dorantes sold Estevanico to the viceroy and left for Spain. Estevanico accompanied a missionary, Father Marcos de Niza, north ranging ahead and speaking to the Native Americans he encountered about the white men following in his wake. Estevanico had runners carry crosses back to Father Niza, their size indicating the promise of the region. Each new cross that Father Niza received was larger than the previous cross, and then he received one that was massive. Estevanico had discovered a Zuni pueblo; it is unknown whether he thought this pueblo was one of the Cities of Gold, but he spent an evening camped outside the town. In the morning, the Zuni attacked and killed him, fearing his presence was a bad omen."

Trivia

 * No in-game Explorer model resembles the Explorer's unit portrait. However, the images on each unique Home City Explorer card resemble each respective civilizations' Explorers.
 * An Explorer belonging to a civilization outside of the eight European civilizations, receives a random hero name from Age of Mythology.