Civilizations (Age of Empires III)

This article is about the civilizations in Age of Empires III. For the civilizations in the other games of the series, see Civilization.

The civilization flags in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition.

The civilization flags in the original Age of Empires III and its expansions.

The playable civilizations of Age of Empires III numbers 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.

Listed below are all civilizations and their specialities in Age of Empires III and its expansions.

Age of Empires III

British

• Civilization bonus: Build Manor Houses, which replace normal Houses and spawn Settlers. Good economy in early game and reliable backbone units — Musketeers and Hussars.
• Unique units: Longbowman, Ranger, Rocket
• Royal Guard units: Redcoat Musketeer, King's Life Guard Hussar
• Home City: London

See also: British Home City Cards

Dutch

• Civilization bonus: Villagers cost coin, can build unique buildings called Banks which generate coins. Cheap, population-efficient but decent light cavalry — the Ruyter.
• Unique units: Envoy, Ruyter, Fluyt
• Royal Guard units: Stadswacht Halberdier, Carabineer Ruyter
• Home City: Amsterdam

See also: Dutch Home City Cards

French

• Civilization bonus: Train Coureur des Bois instead of Settlers, which gather and fight better. Also has the strongest cavalry unit (excluding elephants) in the game — the Cuirassier.
• Unique units: Coureur des Bois, Cuirassier
• Royal Guard units: Gendarme Cuirassier, Voltigeur Skirmisher
• Home City: Paris

See also: French Home City Cards

Germans

• Civilization bonus: Receive free Uhlans with every Home City shipment, has an extra type of Settler — Settler Wagons — which gathers and fights better, Mercenaries are available earlier and they have more shipment cards of them.
• Unique units: Uhlan, Settler Wagon, Doppelsoldner, War Wagon
• Royal Guard units: Needle Gunner Skirmisher, Czapka Uhlan
• Home City: Berlin

See also: German Home City Cards

Ottomans

• Civilization bonus: Town Centers spawn Villagers for free. Has a wide variety of artillery units including the strongest one in game — the Great Bombard. Also has a reliable backbone infantry unit, the Janissary.
• Unique units: Imam, Abus Gun, Janissary, Spahi, Galley, Great Bombard, Nizam Fusilier
• Royal Guard units: Humbaraci Grenadier, Bostanci Hussar
• Home City: Istanbul

See also: Ottoman Home City Cards

Portuguese

• Civilization bonus: Extra Covered Wagon for every Age advanced, Explorer has ability to use Spyglass, extra Explorers from Home City shipments.
• Unique units: Cassador, Organ Gun
• Royal Guard units: Ordinance Besteiro Crossbowman, Legionario Musketeer, Legion Dragoon
• Home City: Lisbon

See also: Portuguese Home City Cards

Russians

• Civilization bonus: Villagers and infantry are trained in groups, cheap military units great for overwhelming other players with their large armies, has Blockhouses instead of Outposts and Barracks, which combines the functions of both.
• Unique units: Strelet, Cossack, Oprichnik
• Royal Guard units: Pavlov Grenadier, Tartar Cavalry Archer
• Home City: St. Petersburg

See also: Russian Home City Cards

Spanish

• Civilization bonuses: Experience points are earned faster. Home City shipments also arrive faster.
• Unique units: Lancer, Rodelero, Missionary, War Dog
• Royal Guard units: Garrochista Lancer, Espadachins Rodelero, Tercio Pikeman
• Home City: Seville

See also: Spanish Home City Cards

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: Have Warrior Priests that can heal or count as two people at the Community Plaza. Start with one Warrior Priest. Except ordinary War Hut, Nobles' Hut also acts as a Blockhouse, but with a longer range.
• Home City: Tenochtitlan

See also: Aztec Home City Cards

Haudenosaunee

• War Chief bonus: Boosts hit points of nearby units.
• Civilization bonus: Have Travois, and start with one in the beginning of the game that can build most buildings for free. The Haudenosaunee also have a unique Founder Ceremony in the Community Plaza which spawns Travois.
• War Council: Caughnawaga

See also: Haudenosaunee Home City Cards

Lakota

• War Chief bonus: Boosts speed of nearby units.
• Civilization bonus: Begins with 200 population and huntable animals last 10% longer. Cannot build walls until the Industrial Age. Have unique Teepees, which the player can only build up to ten (exception when a special card is sent) to provide a little health bonus to nearby friendly units.
• War Council: Hunkpapa

See also: Lakota Home City Cards

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: Have Villages instead of Houses which supports twice the population than the latter, and has migration cards that allow them to spawn one Villager at each Town Center and Village. Trains infantry and cavalry in groups called banner army. Only get one Monk at the start of the game, along with a Disciple.
• Home City: Beijing

See also: Chinese Home City Cards

Indians

• Civilization bonus: Villagers cannot kill livestock for food, but can build unique buildings called Sacred Field which livestock can be stationed to generate XP. There are no Villager cards, but they receive free Villagers with every Home City shipments. All Villagers trained from the Town Center cost wood instead of food.
• Home City: Delhi

See also: Indian Home City Cards

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. As a special advantage, most cards in the Japanese Home City may be sent twice.
• Home City: Edo

See also: Japanese Home City Cards

Definitive Edition

Incas

• 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

See also: Inca Home City Cards

Swedes

• Civilization bonus: Torps gather nearby resources. Mercenary shipments are cheaper and arrive more quickly. Advanced improvement available at the Arsenal.
• Unique units: Carolean, Leather Cannon, Hakkapelit
• Royal Guard Units: Dalkarl Pikeman and Drabant Hakkapelit
• Home City: Stockholm

See also: Swedish Home City Cards

United States

• Civilization bonus: Can levy Minutemen at regular intervals. General builds Forts instead of Town Centers and can plant an Inspiring Flag that increases the attack of nearby military units and buildings and are trained/constructed faster. Ages up with Federal States instead of politicians.
• Unique units: Minuteman, State Militia, Regular, Sharpshooter, Carbine Cavalry, Gatling Gun, Quaker Gun, Gunslinger, Cowboy, Owlhoot
• Royal Guard Units: Volunteer State Militia
• Home City: Washington D.C.

See also: United States Home City Cards

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 Mexican Federal State that unlocks two powerful unique cards.
• Unique units: Padre, Salteador, Insurgente, Soldado, Chinaco, Cuatrero, Bandido, Desperado
• Royal Guard Units: Vigilante Salteador, Charro Chinaco
• Home City: Mexico City

See also: Mexican Home City Cards

The African Royals

Ethiopians

• Civilization bonus: Ages up with alliances instead of politicians. Can build Mountain Monasteries on mines.
• Unique units: Ras, Abun, Gascenya, Shotel Warrior, Neftenya, Oromo Warrior, Sebastopol Mortar
• Home City: Gondar

See also: Ethiopian Home City Cards

Hausa

• Civilization bonus: Ages up with alliances instead of politicians. Can build Universities, which collect Influence and raise the effectiveness of nearby buildings.
• Unique units: Emir, Griot, Maigadi, Raider, Fulani Archer, Lifidi Knight
• Home City: Kano

See also: Hausa Home City Cards

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, Schiavone, Bersagliere, Papal Guard, Papal Lancer, Papal Zouave, Papal Bombard, Galleass
• Royal Guard units: Spingarde Culverin, Galilean Mortar
• Home City: Venice

See also: Italian Home City Cards

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
• Royal Guard units: Arbalester Crossbowman, Basilisk Culverin
• Home City: Valletta

See also: Maltese Home City Cards

Notes

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.