California (revolutionary)

This article is about the revolutionary civilization. For other uses, see California.

California
Revolutionary nation
Nation information
Introduced in	Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Mexico Civilization
Revolt from	Mexicans
Revolt Age	Industrial Age
Continent	North America
Home City	Sonoma
Demonym	Californians

California is one of the revolutionary nations in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, unique to the Mexicans and available in the Industrial Age.

Revolting to California costs 1,000 food, 1,000 wood, 1,000 coin, and is irreversible.

Effects

• Sets population space to 200.
• Removes training Settlers.
• Turns all villagers into Californios instead of Revolutionaries. Californios can be trained at Town Centers, Stables, Forts, and Steamers.
• Sets Cow train limit to 60.
• Herdable animals gather resources from Haciendas 100% faster.
• The General becomes Revolutionary General with a different model and portrait, and uses the United States General's dialogue files, but is otherwise identical.
• The Padre becomes Revolutionary Padre with a different model and portrait, but is otherwise identical.
• The in-game demonym changes to "Californians".

Home City Cards

• Green: TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
• Purple: Shipment that can be sent an INFINITE number of times

Card	Description
California Gold Rush	Ships 1 Gold Prospector Wagon; Town Centers spawn Settlers automatically every 38 seconds instead of training them
Bear Flag Revolt	Turns all villagers into Californios; the General gains access to the Inspiring Bear Flag ability, which also spawns 6 Pet Grizzly Bears; Pet Grizzly Bears take 2 population, and get a ×0.1 attack multiplier against artillery; costs 1,000 food, 1,000 wood, 1,000 coin
1 Gold Prospector Wagon	Ships 1 Gold Prospector Wagon
8 Settlers	Ships 8 Settlers
Crates of 1600 Food	Ships 1,600 food
Cords of 1600 Wood	Ships 1,600 wood
Chests of 1600 Coin	Ships 1,600 coin
2 Hacienda Wagons	Ships 2 Hacienda Wagons
Fortified Haciendas	Ships 1 Hacienda Wagon; Haciendas can use a ranged attack when garrisoned by villagers
TEAM Piñatas	Ships resources at random, the total amount of which depends on the Age this card is sent: 200 at Exploration Age; 400 at Commerce Age; 600 at Fortress Age; 1,000 at Industrial Age; 1,600 at Imperial Age
2 Covered Wagons	Ships 2 Covered Wagons; Town Center build limit +2
California Robber Barons	Ships 1 Factory Wagon; Factory build limit +1
Liberation March	Infantry, cavalry, and shock infantry get +5% speed and -35% train time
1 Ironclad	Ships 1 Ironclad
20 Californios	Ships 20 Californios
Russian-American Company	[Immigrant] Ships 1 Fort Wagon and 2 Blockhouse Wagons; villagers gather from huntables 30% faster
San Diego Port	Dock technologies are free but get +350% researche time
Recruit Manilamen	Ships 2 Wokou Junks; costs 300 food, 300 wood
San Francisco Bay	Ships 2 Sloops; Sloops get the Hide ability
Lancers of California	Imperial Charros and Imperial Dragoons enabled and free; costs 0 wood, 2,000 coin
Ranchos	Californios can gather from animals and Haciendas
California Ranching	Ships 2 Cows carrying additional 150 food for every Home City shipment sent before this one
Barbacoa	Haciendas automatically gathers fattened Herdable animals; herdable animals fatten 25% faster when tasked to Haciendas
California Haciendas	Haciendas get +2 build limit and can automatically gather resource crates
Stockyards	Herded animals fatten 30% faster when tasked to Livestock Pens, Farms, Villages, and Haciendas
California Statehood	Ships 1 State Capitol Wagon; State Capitol and its technologies are available (including Imperial Age ones): (California Trail, Mountain State Gold Rush, Cadets, Brigadier General, Legendary Native Warriors, Blockade, Spies)

Strategy

California focuses on economy with an emphasis on Haciendas, cavalry, and to a lesser extent defenses and navy. Since it is an Industrial Age revolution, it cannot revert to Mexico, like Texas and the European revolutions. Like most revolutions at that point in the game, it can be a finishing move, especially considering that the player may make a second wave of Californios with the Bear Flag Revolt shipment.

Like Fortress Age revolutions and Texas, the player cannot train Settlers in Town Centers, but is still able to train them at Haciendas and by sending the California Gold Rush shipment (which allows Settlers to be trained for free at Town Centers but slowly), making California viable in case the initial push fails. In their case, the Settlers will only cost time to be respawned.

Like Texas, California has a pretty good late game, due to access to the State Capitol and its Imperial Age technologies, as well as strong upgrade and development cards. Thus, it could be used as the late game plan for Mexico. This is especially helpful as Mexico's infinite Industrial Age shipments are pretty understated. The State Capitol is also able to train wagons, like with the United States. California's Cow buff upon revolting also allows for a much larger economy, using Cows as economic units, especially when the Settler train limit is reached. Using Cows also synergises with Barbacoa.

One strategy the player may follow once the first wave of Californios has attacked is to make a Cuatrero and Chinaco spam with Haciendas. For this, the player must have the TEAM Alta California Territory, Rancheros, and Charreada shipments previous to revolting and then use the California Haciendas shipment for increasing the limit of Haciendas (The State Capitol's wagons and Settlers should build them if possible, or use the infinite 2 Haciendas shipment) in order to keep a continuous flow of cavalry.

As Settlers become Californios, which are cavalry, it is a revolution recommended in open maps, due to the high mobility of the army. In a similar manner to American revolutions for Europeans, most of which have a cavalry unit able to gather from herdables, the Californios can also be useful for economy after the Ranchos cards has been sent.

Californios are light ranged cavalry whose ranged attack snares units they hit, and has an Area of Effect of 2. Its ranged attack counters cavalry (including light cavalry) and shock infantry, but has a reduced multiplier versus infantry and villagers (even more than normal). Its hand attack has no multipliers. Its stats are fairly bad for a light ranged cavalry, especially in the Industrial Age, including its speed, so it has relatively low offensive potential unless paired with other units. It also is not tagged as an outlaw, so does not benefit from Wild West.

San Diego Port is much stronger than it can seem at first, because it also unlocks some Imperial Age technologies. Similarly, Recruit Manilamen allows the training of Old Doug the Orangutan. This is helpful as pets are good in the late game for tanking in the front line due to few enemy units having an increased multipliers versus them (they count as hand infantry, but don't have the infantry tag, like hand shock infantry), are automatically upgraded in each Age, and their Age-up upgrades are much stronger than normal. Old Doug has an extremely fast training time of just 10 seconds, so is very useful in long battles taking place in the same area, as it has a low reinforcement time. Bear Flag Revolt can also generate a lot of value using pets, especially with Refreshing Beverages.

Like Texas, this revolution can be used in combination with the Commerce Age Revolutions (Baja California and Central America). By doing this, is the player may get a bigger repertory of cards that allow for more strategic flexibility. In this case, it is a wise idea to take over the Trade Route earlier in order to extract the most experience possible for more shipments and save the technology Día de Muertos to the latter stages of the game, after sending several waves of attackers in order to get a good return of experience from this technology. In case the player didn't revolt in the Commerce Age, California is still a great option, as the Federal Cards given by the Federal States can also enable interesting combos for this revolution.

Synergistic shipments

Base deck

• Land Grab, 1 Hacienda Wagon and Alhondiga de Granaditas: Haciendas are a vital part of Mexico's economy. Also, they may act as shipment points for military units. For California, it is also necessary for training Settlers early, and most of the strategy for this revolution revolves around Haciendas.
• San Marcos Fair: Ships 3 semi-fattened Cows and 3 more for every 5 minutes of the game time, up to 30 minutes. Useful, as Cows can work at Haciendas. Synergises with Barbacoa.
• 3 Trading Post Wagons and Advanced Trading Post: If used as a second Revolution, it may be convenient to get control of the Trading Route in order to get more experience for shipments.
• Independence Movements: This is a lot more useful if using California as a second revolution.
• 20 Sheep: Sheep can also work at Haciendas and do not count against the training count of Cows. By getting this card, the player may free a lot more Settlers for other tasks.
• 1 Covered Wagon and 2 Covered Wagons: Useful for rebooming, especially with California Gold Rush.
• Leather Soldiers: Useful for Dragoons and Chinacos.
• Presidial Lancers: Useful for Chinacos.
• Cavalry Combat: Buffs Californios. Synergises with Lancers of California.
• Caballeros: Useful for Chinacos.
• Queen's Dragoons: Dragoons are a good pairing for Californios.
• Plan of Tacubaya and Plan of Casa mata: Useful for Dragoons and Chinacos.
• Palace of Iturbide: Town Centers gain a bombard attack that can be used even when not garrisoned by villagers. Useful for defense and a turtle strategy with California.
• Improved Buildings: Buildings get +40% hit points. Synergizes with Fortified Haciendas and Russian-American Company. Can be sent via base deck or Central America revolution.
• Advanced Arsenal: The improvements helps Californios.
• Plan of Iguala: The Third Guarantee technology is useful for this revolution.
• Factory and Porfiriato: As California has California Robber Barons, having additional Factories makes a good combination.
• Seven Laws: All Mexican unique units and buildings' train/build bounty +50% as long as at least one of each had been trained at any point in the game.
• Rancheros and Charreada: these shipments allows Haciendas to train Cuatreros and Chinacos, respectively. Considering the increased built limit of Haciendas with California, these two shipments allow for a continuous spam of cavalry.
• TEAM Copper Canyon, Ironmonger and Silversmith: Synergizes with California Gold Rush and the Infinite 1 Prospector Wagon shipment.
• Mexican Mint: Helpful for Haciendas coin generation as well as being a synergic shipment for California Gold Rush and Infinite 1 Prospector Wagon.
• TEAM Rendering Plant, Fish Market and Schooners: if playing on naval maps, Fishing Ships may be Useful as California is a Revolution with several naval shipments.
• Any Hacienda food and coin gathering shipments: Synergises with California's focus on Haciendas, especially California Haciendas.
• Improved Warships and European Cannons: California offers unique improvements for the navy, so having sturdier and stronger ships may be useful on naval maps.
• Mexican Standoff and Cantinas. Useful for Cuatreros.
• Tulancingo Cuirassiers, Spanish Sympathizers, Renegade Comanche and Renegade Apache: The cavalry units provided by these shipments can be a nice addition for a Californio raiding party.
• TEAM Alta California Territory: Ships 1 Hacienda Wagon and 7 semi-fattened Cows; Hacienda build limit +1.
• TEAM Nuevo México Territory: Ships 1 Covered Wagon; Town Center build limit +1; Synergizes with California Gold Rush.

Federal cards

• Querétaro Haciendas (Querétaro): Haciendas support 20 population; Ships 1 Hacienda Wagon. Helpful for California Hacienda boom.
• Tzotzil Uprising (Chiapas): Ships 4 Maya Holcan Javelineers for every Hacienda built. Useful especially with the California Haciendas shipment.
• Maya Crops (Chiapas): Existing and new Haciendas spawn 300 food. Useful for California Hacienda boom.
• Tlaxcala Alliance (Tlaxcala): Provides the Smokeless Powder and Flying Buttress technologies at the Native Embassy, which benefit Calfornios and buildings. Also, enables Conquistadors, and the player is considered to be allied with Jesuit Mission.
• Tlaxcala Textiles (Tlaxcala): Ships 2 Settlers; Each new and existing Hacienda spawns 2 Settlers. Helpful for a California Hacienda boom and makes a good combo with Bear Flag Revolt.
• Michoacán Fisherman (Michoacán): Ships 2 Dock Wagons; Ships 1 Fishing Ship for every Home City shipment that had been sent before this one. Useful for naval maps.
• Sonora Cuatreros (Sonora): Cuatreros can gather food from animals; Ships 8 Cuatreros.
• Sonora Valleys (Sonora): Villagers gather from livestock 25% faster.
• Empresarios (Coahuila): Hacienda Settler training time reduced, which is helpful for a California Hacienda boom.
• Land of Zaragoza (Coahuila): Synergizes with Bear Flag Revolt.
• Recruit Privateers (Sinaloa): Ships 4 Privateers. Useful for complementing California Sloops and Wokou Junks.
• San Luis Patriots (San Luis Potosí): Ships 1 Chinaco for every Home City shipment before this one; Chinaco train time -10%, this effect is applied to Chinacos trained at Haciendas. Helpful for a California Hacienda cavalry spam.
• Tabasco Fruits (Tabasco): For the next 60 seconds, villagers gather from Haciendas 250% faster. Useful for a California Hacienda boom.
• Pánuco Waterway (Tamaulipas): Resource-only shipments can be sent without using Home City shipments but takes three times as long to arrive. Useful for the crate shipments from California.
• Tampico Customs (Tamaulipas): Dock technologies are free, but take x4.5 as long to be researched. Useful on naval maps.
• Our Lady of the Light (Guanajuato) The Cathedral generates +100% XP; Ships 1 Cathedral Wagon. Useful for getting more California shipments.
• El Bajío (Guanajuato): Hacienda technologies are free and researched instantly. Useful for a California Hacienda boom.

Commerce Age revolt cards

• TEAM Trickle Economics (Baja California): Trade Routes generate +60% resources; Trading Posts generate 0.75 XP/sec. Needed shipment for a Revolt-Revolt strategy with Baja California and California in order to get more experience.
• Outlaw Combat (Baja California): Outlaws and mercenaries get +15% hit points and attack Useful for Cuatreros.
• Land of Walker (Baja California): Inspiring Flags can be deployed anywhere and also reduces the cooldown of charged abilities. Synergizes with California Gold Rush.
• Baja California Territory (Baja California): Ships 3 Settlers; Haciendas attract nearby huntable animals to improve its work rate. Useful for a California Hacienda boom. Must be sent during the Baja California revolution.
• Our Lady of the Assumption (Central America): Cathedral experience generation rate +100% and build limit +1; Ships 1 Cathedral Wagon. Needed shipment for a Revolt-Revolt strategy in order to get more shipments.
• Santamaria's Fire (Central America): Receive a Petard with every Home City shipment including the ones from California.
• Town Militia (Central America): Town Centers get +50% attack and can use Town Militia. Must be sent during Central America revolution.
• Chipotle Tactics: The State Capitol can produce Trading Post Wagons and Outpost Wagons, which encourages the player to play aggressively for forward Trading Post and Outpost Locations, which means more buildings are likely to be destroyed on both sides, so Chipotle Tactics generates a lot more food.

Redundant shipments

These shipments are available in the base deck, and this revolution has them, but they can't be shipped twice. So if picking California, it is preferable to have a deck without the following cards, as the player can get them through this revolution:

• Fortified Haciendas (Durango)
• Robber Barons (Baja California)
• Liberation March
• Barbacoa
• San Diego Port (Tamaulipas): San Diego Port is a renamed Tampico Customs shipment.

Changelog

The African Royals

• Originally, Imperial Cavalry upgrades cost 1,500 wood and coin. With update 61213, the Lancers of California card allows Imperial Cavalry upgrades to be researched for free.

Trivia

• Alta California formed part of Mexico until the declaration of the California Republic in 1846, which lasted one month until the annexation by the United States of America.

Gallery

An Inspiring Bear Flag after the Bear Flag Revolt card is sent