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This article is about the civilizations in Age of Empires III. For the civilizations in the other games of the series, see Civilization. |
The playable civilizations of Age of Empires III number twenty-two in total. In the single-player campaign and on most maps, they are complemented by native minor civilizations that can be accessed using Trading Posts.
Much like the previous games, these civilizations have unique strengths and weaknesses, as well as unique units, buildings, and technologies.
In Age of Empires III, each civilization's technology tree greatly differs by the region. They are currently divided into 5 parts (Africans, Asians, Europeans, Native Americans, and Federal Americans). Certain civilizations can also perform revolutions, turning into one of several distinct new civilizations. These new civilizations are considered revolutionary nations, and not counted among the base civilizations.
Listed below are all civilizations and their specialities in Age of Empires III and its expansions.
The civilization flags in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition.
The civilization flags in the original Age of Empires III and its expansions.
Age of Empires III[]
British[]
- Civilization bonus: Build Manor Houses, which replace normal Houses and spawn Settlers.
- Unique units: Longbowman, Ranger, Rocket
- Royal Guard units: Redcoat Musketeer, King's Life Guard Hussar
- Home City: London
Dutch[]
- Civilization bonus: Begins with an Envoy. Train Merchants instead of Settlers, which cost coin instead of food and gather coin 15% faster. Can build unique buildings called Banks which generate coins.
- Unique units: Merchant, Envoy, Ruyter, Fluyt
- Royal Guard units: Stadswacht Halberdier, Carabineer Ruyter
- Home City: Amsterdam
French[]
- Civilization bonus: Begins with a Native Scout. Train Coureur des Bois instead of Settlers, which gather and fight better.
- Unique units: Coureur des Bois, Cuirassier
- Royal Guard units: Voltigeur Skirmisher, Gendarme Cuirassier
- Home City: Paris
Germans[]
- Civilization bonus: Receive free Uhlans with every Home City shipment. Have an extra type of Settler — Settler Wagons — which gathers and fights better. Mercenaries are available earlier and they have more shipments of them.
- Unique units: Settler Wagon, Landwehr, Doppelsoldner, Uhlan, War Wagon
- Royal Guard units: Needle Gunner Skirmisher, Prussian Uhlan
- Home City: Berlin
Ottomans[]
- Civilization bonus: Town Centers spawn Yörük, Villagers which cost no food. Artillery have extra Line of Sight. Have access to the most unique units compared to European civilizations.
- Unique units: Yörük, Imam, Bashibozuk, Janissary, Azap, Nizam Fusilier, Muhbir, Deli, Abus Gunner, Humbaraci, Great Bombard, Galley, Sipahi
- Royal Guard units: Rumeliot Deli, Ulufeli Humbaraci
- Home City: Istanbul
Portuguese[]
- Civilization bonus: Receives a free Covered Wagon for every Age advanced and starts with 7 Settlers.
- Unique units: Ordinance Rifleman, Cassador, Organ Gun
- Royal Guard units: Order Besteiro Crossbowman, Ordinance Pikeman, Legionario Musketeer, Legion Dragoon
- Home City: Lisbon
Russians[]
- Civilization bonus: Villagers and infantry are trained in groups. Have Blockhouses instead of Outposts and Barracks, which combines the functions of both. Have a population limit of 210.
- Unique units: Strelet, Rekrut, Poruchik, Cossack, Oprichnik
- Royal Guard units: Dvoryanin Cavalry Archer, Pavlov Grenadier
- Home City: St. Petersburg
Spanish[]
- Civilization bonuses: Experience points are earned faster. Home City shipments also arrive faster.
- Unique units: War Dog, Missionary, Rodelero, Lancer
- Royal Guard units: Tercio Pikeman, Espadachin Rodelero, Garrochista Lancer
- Home City: Seville
The WarChiefs[]
All military units of The WarChiefs civilizations are unique, with the exceptions of Canoes and War Canoes.
Aztecs[]
- War Chief bonus: Doubles experience gained in combat by nearby units.
- Civilization bonus: Begins with a Warrior Priest, that can heal units and count as two villagers at the Community Plaza.
- Home City: Tenochtitlan
Haudenosaunee[]
- War Chief bonus: Boosts hit points of nearby units.
- Civilization bonus: Begins with a Travois, that can construct buildings for free. Trees last 75% longer.
- War Council: Caughnawaga
Lakota[]
- War Chief bonus: Boosts speed of nearby units.
- Civilization bonus: Begins with 200 population and huntable animals last 10% longer, but cannot build walls until the Industrial Age. Have unique Teepees, which provides a small hitpoints bonus to nearby friendly units.
- War Council: Great Council (Hunkpapa before the Definitive Edition)
The Asian Dynasties[]
All military units of The Asian Dynasties civilizations are unique, with the exceptions of Monitors and all Indian ships. Each Asian civilization builds Consulates to acquire alliance army shipments and bonuses, in addition to Wonders for advancing in Age.
Chinese[]
- Civilization bonus: Begins with a goat. Have Villages instead of Houses which supports twice the population than the latter. Trains infantry and cavalry in groups called banner armies.
- Home City: Beijing
Indians[]
- Civilization bonus: Villagers cost wood instead of food and cannot kill livestock for food, but can build unique buildings called Sacred Field which livestock can be stationed to generate XP. Can receive free Villagers with every Home City shipments. Start with the first two wood upgrades researched already.
- Home City: Delhi
Japanese[]
- Civilization bonus: Have Shrines, which replace normal Houses and generate resources. Villagers cannot hunt animals for food, but can build Shrines next to wild animals to increase the resource trickle rate. Most Home City cards can be sent twice.
- Home City: Edo
Definitive Edition[]
Inca[]
- War Chief bonus: Boosts the attack and hit points of nearby native warriors.
- Civilization bonus: Kancha Houses produce food. Receives a free Chasqui each age who can construct Tambos; powerful Trading Posts which villagers can garrison in. Military units can garrison in Kallankas and Strongholds. Priestesses can convert enemies and work at the Community Plaza.
- Home City: Cuzco
Swedes[]
- Civilization bonus: Torps gather nearby resources. Mercenary shipments are cheaper and arrive more quickly. Advanced improvement available at the Arsenal.
- Unique units: Carolean, Hakkapelit, Leather Cannon
- Royal Guard Units: Dalkarl Pikeman, Drabant Hakkapelit
- Home City: Stockholm
United States[]
- Civilization bonus: Can levy Minutemen at regular intervals. Unlocks two Factory cards in the Industrial Age.
- Culture bonus: Starts with a General who can plant an Inspiring Flag and build Forts. Advances in Age by choosing a Federal State that unlocks two powerful unique cards.
- Unique units: Minuteman, State Militia, Regular, Sharpshooter, Carbine Cavalry, Gatling Gun, Quaker Gun, Gunslinger, Cowboy, Owlhoot
- National Guard Units: Volunteer State Militia
- Home City: Washington D.C.
Mexicans[]
- Civilization bonus: Livestock and Settlers may be tasked to Haciendas to produce resources or spawn units. Can revolt in earlier ages and return to Mexico afterwards. Gains an additional Padre hero early on. Can build the Cathedral.
- Culture bonus: Starts with a General who can plant an Inspiring Flag and build Forts. Advances in Age by choosing a Federal State that unlocks two powerful unique cards.
- Unique units: Padre, Salteador, Insurgente, Soldado, Chinaco, Cuatrero, Bandido, Desperado
- National Guard Units: Vigilante Salteador, Charro Chinaco
- Home City: Mexico City
The African Royals[]
Ethiopians[]
- Civilization bonus: Receives a free Mountain Monastery builder with each age up, which can build Mountain Monasteries on top of mines.
- Unique units: Ras, Abun, Gascenya, Shotel Warrior, Neftenya, Oromo Warrior, Sebastopol Mortar, War Dhow
- Home City: Gondar
Hausa[]
- Civilization bonus: Receives a free Sanga cattle with every shipment. Can build Universities, which collect Influence and raise the effectiveness of nearby buildings.
- Unique units: Emir, Griot, Maigadi, Raider, Fulani Archer, Lifidi Knight, Xebec
- Home City: Kano
Knights of the Mediterranean[]
Italians[]
- Civilization bonus: Starts with an Architect. Receives a free Settler with every technology and economic buildings can research them in any age. Can send Basilica units to spawn at any military shipment point.
- Unique units: Architect, Pavisier, Bersagliere, Schiavone, Papal Guard, Papal Lancer, Papal Zouave, Papal Bombard, Galleass, Leonardo's Tank
- Royal Guard units: Spingarde Culverin, Galilean Mortar
- Home City: Venice
Maltese[]
- Civilization bonus: Starts with a Grand Master. Maltese units gain additional hitpoints with each shipment and heal overtime when idle.
- Unique units: Grand Master, Hospitaller, Sentinel, Fire Thrower, Order Galley, Fire Ship
- Royal Guard units: Arbalester Crossbowman, Basilisk Culverin
- Home City: Valletta
Multiple civilizations trick[]
Before the Definitive Edition, with single civilization limitations for AI personalities, it is possible to assign the same civilization to several AIs in single-player skirmish using the following trick:
- First choose the number of players and pick the civilization of the last AI;
- Then decrease by one the number of players and pick the civilization of the last slot again;
- Repeat until there are two players;
- Then put the number of players back to what it was originally; the slots will all contain the civilization that was chosen.
Trivia[]
- Poland and Denmark were planned to be added in an expansion for the Definitive Edition which was eventually canceled, thus becoming cut content.
Home City map[]
The flags of civilizations are placed at the real world locations of their Home Cities stated in-game (revolutionary nations can be enabled using the filters).
