Alain Magnan

Alain Magnan is a playable hero of the Knights of St. John and is also an Explorer/cavalry unit in Age of Empires III. Alain is the commander of the Knights of St. John and also the superior of a fellow knight, Morgan Black. Unlike other explorers he cannot claim treasures. He can somewhat effectively use Trample Mode against the Ottomans (dealing the same damage as a Veteran Cuirassier with more hitpoints and a bigger area of effect), this is due to the fact Into the Caves begins with a Priest capable of healing him after heavy fighting on top of his own regeneration and a nearby Field Hospital. He is voiced by Richard Doyle.

Biography
"The commander of the Knights of St. John, Alain has devoted his whole life to the order. Though he can sometimes seem haughty and dismissive of his lessers, he is a superb tactician and an excellent horseman whose personal bravery in battle is unquestioned. Decades spent fighting his Ottoman foes have only strengthened Alain's resolve. Alain is a man of many secrets and seems to know what is going on in every corner of the world." During the Siege of Malta, Alain led a cavalry march when a signal fire was lit, saving Morgan and the fort he was defending. Following a small battle to push the last of the Ottomans from Malta, Alain presented Morgan with his own Flagship and sent him to the New World. Once there he sought out information on The Fountain of Youth and waged a campaign against the Spanish, who were also seeking the fountain. Soon Morgan and his newly formed allies, Elisabet Ramsey and Sahin cleared the way to fight the Circle of Ossus and discovered that Alain was the acting commander of the secret society. During the battle at the Fountain of Youth, Alain was killed, but the crippled Circle lived on to fight another day.

Trivia

 * Alain Magnan is the only explorer in Age of Empires III that rides a horse, it isn't until later expansions that other mounted explorers make an appearance.
 * Alain Magnan is one of the strongest villains in the game. His personal guard (hussars) are much stronger than that of the other villains.