The Alligator is an animal that appears in Age of Empires and Age of Empires III.
Age of Empires[]
Alligators are slow predators typically found near water. They attack any player unit which comes too close (within around 4 cells). Being so slow, they are easily outran by nearly all units, so they are most dangerous for Villagers attempting to build Docks, fishing or performing other coastal jobs which require them to stay in one place.
If slain by a Villager, Alligators yield 100 food. However, this is of limited use, as their food yield decays at the extremely rapid rate of 1 food per second, and they are generally located in small numbers and away from optimal Storage Pit sites. It is possible to lure them towards Storage Pits for faster food acquisition, but this can be a lengthy, attention-demanding task with a small reward. If an Alligator is hunted down by a Villager, bring as many nearby Villagers to the site as possible to gather the food before the carcass decays.
In many cases, it may be better just to use military units to eliminate the nuisance that Alligators pose. This eliminates their food yield, but may be more efficient than to spend Villager time kiting and spearing it for a small helping of food.
In Age of Empires: Definitive Edition, the animals are known as Crocodiles rather than Alligators. Other than that, the two animals are identical in stats and food provided.
Trivia[]
- The presence of alligators in the game (originally set in the eastern Mediterranean only) is a mistake, as these were based on the species Alligator mississippiensis which is only found in the southern United States. However, a second species, A. sinensis, lives in eastern China and is believed to have inspired ancient Chinese myths about dragons.
Age of Empires III[]
The Alligator is an animal treasure guardian in Age of Empires III. It generally appears on North and South American maps such as Bayou, Amazonia, and Yucatan, but also Caribbean. It is a low- to moderate-strength guardian that suffers from having a small number of hit points, making it relatively easy to clear. Many treasures are protected by groups of Alligators, which can quickly deal a lot of damage due to their lower Rate of Fire. Its high speed also prevents ranged Heroes from kiting them.
History[]
“ | Scientific Name: Alligator mississippiensis Approx. Size: 9 ft. long; 200 lb. Diet: Fish, frogs, snails, mammals Alligators are distinguished from crocodiles by a number of features. An alligator's eyes do not face forward as much as a crocodiles'. Both the upper and lower teeth are visible when a crocodile shuts its mouth; an alligator's closed mouth reveals only upper teeth. The easiest and most reliable method to distinguish between the two is the alligator's broad snout. Alligators range throughout the southeastern portion of North America. Female alligators lay dozens of eggs and cover them with vegetation to keep them warm. The temperature of the eggs as they incubate determines the gender of the babies that hatch. Adult alligators dig holes by thrashing their bodies and digging with claws and snout. The purpose of these holes is to ensure that the alligator has a place to shelter during the hottest part of summer and droughts. It can also provide water for other animals during especially dry seasons, which, not coincidentally provides food for the enterprising alligator. The word alligator comes from a corruption of the Spanish word for the animal they encountered in the Florida wetlands, "el lagarto" - the lizard. | ” |
Trivia[]
- Despite appearing in all American tropical maps, the American alligator is only found in the southern U.S. in reality, from Texas to the Carolinas. It is presumably used as a stand in for other crocodilians like caimans and crocodiles. However, it is absent from southern Asian maps, where saltwater crocodiles should be found.
Gallery[]
Animals in Age of Empires | |
---|---|
Until Definitive Edition | |
Huntables | Gazelle · Elephant |
Predators | Alligator · Lion · Crocodile |
Marine creatures | Shore Fish · Tuna · Salmon · Whale |
Animal Kings | Lion (Alpha) · Crocodile (Alpha) · Gazelle (Alpha) · Elephant (Alpha) |
Other | Lion (tame) |
Decorative | Bird · Dragon |
Cut | Horse · Goat |
Including Return of Rome | |
Huntable | Deer · Ibex · Iron Boar · Javelina · Ostrich · Rhinoceros · Wild Boar · Zebra |
Herdable | Cow · Goat · Goose · Llama · Pig · Sheep · Turkey · Water Buffalo |
Predator | Bear · Dire Wolf · Jaguar · Komodo Dragon · Rabid Wolf · Snow Leopard · Tiger · Wolf |
Civilian | Bactrian Camel · Camel · Donkey · Horse |
Military animals | Alfred the Alpaca · Furious the Monkey Boy · Penguin |
Decorative | Wild Bactrian Camel · Wild Camel · Wild Horse |
Marine animals | Box Turtles · Dolphin · Dorado · Marlin · Perch · Snapper |