Outpost (Age of Empires III)

The Outpost is a Tower-type defensive building in Age of Empires III.

Overview
They work like the Age of Empires II Outposts, whereas they increase line of sight, however now they can also attack enemy units and serve as a Home City drop-off point for shipments. Outposts have a fairly high amount of hitpoints, and a ranged attack. Outposts do 50% more damage to cavalry and light infantry, so scouting parties should be careful. They also have an anti-ship attack with an extremely long range, this can be particularly powerful if the TEAM Coastal Defenses card is sent by Spanish, French, Portuguese, or Russian allies. They can be upgraded to frontier outposts in the Fortress Age and fortified outposts in the Industrial Age. Outposts are more effective if surrounded by walls and a gate, slowing down enemy units, and effectively protecting your outpost until reinforcements arrive.

They can garrison villagers, making them effective at securing resources such as hunts, mines and gaining crucial map control. Outposts do not gain additional damage by garrisoning Villagers inside (unlike the Town Center). Outposts can first be built in the Discovery Age and can have 5200+ hitpoints in the Industrial Age, depending on upgrades and allied card combinations (Indian Team Improved Buildings, etc.).

Home City cards such as Extensive Fortifications can allow the player to construct more than 7 Outposts depending on their civilization.

Frontier upgrade
The Frontier Outpost is the upgrade available in the Fortress Age. The upgrade costs and. It features a greater attack(45) than the Outpost, but same amount of hitpoints and the anti-ship attack also remains unchanged.

Fortified Upgrade
The Fortified Outpost is the last upgrade available in the Industrial Age, costing and. It increases the attack and hitpoints of Outposts, and it gives them a cannon attack. Fortified Outposts have a large number of hitpoints, and their cannon attack is very good at killing infantry. The Fortified Outpost is a powerful defense building, although they will fall quickly to large armies. They are most effective if your army is defending from your opponents army in late game as the enemy is engaged in combat and does not have the time to kill the outposts. The outposts attack give you an edge in combat as well.

Shipments
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; margin-bottom:0px; margin-top:1px;" ! sab="1148" | Click for a list of Outpost related home city cards
 * - sab="1147"
 * - sab="1149"
 * sab="1150" |

Portuguese

 * }

History
"Outposts are buildings that are used to gain territory in a military conflict. One example of their use is in the disputed territory of Clipperton Island. The Island was originally charted by Magellan in 1521. It changed hands between Spain, France, and the United States. Eventually, Mexico claimed it and built an outpost to reinforce their claim. Even with the outpost, though, Clipperton Island continued to change hands well into the twentieth century."