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The Commerce Age (Colonial Age before the Definitive Edition) is the second Age in Age of Empires III, after the start of the game in the Exploration Age. The Commerce Age is characterized by the start of a civilization's formal military and small battles over resources may break out, as players develop their economy.

In-game, this is often characterized by a focus on obtaining several sets of 200 wood, the cost required for construction of the main military buildings. Alternatively, civilizations may focus on the 1,000 coin required to get ahead to the Fortress Age and forgo development during Commerce Age, for earlier access to advanced units such as a shipment of Falconets. Large crates sent by Home City Cards tend to play an important role in either of these developments.

The Commerce Age also marks the spread of specialist work such as religion through introduction of the first healing units such as the Priest, Imam, or Missionary. Artillery is sometimes available in the Commerce Age; civilizations with access to Grenadiers are able to build the Artillery Foundry at this Age rather than in Fortress Age. Similarly, the Dutch can train the Skirmisher.

Advancing to the Commerce Age will have following effects;

Methods[]

Advancement to the next Age requires the selection of a method to advance with. Different civilizations will have different methods available:

Politician Bonuses Civilization(s)
The Governor
The Governor
Ships 1 Outpost Wagon and 200 coin; +100 coin* British
Dutch
French
Italians
Maltese
Ottomans
Spanish
Swedes
Politician imam
The Imam
Ships 1 Mosque Wagon and 1 Imam, Mosque built limit +1 Increased Ottomans
Politician inventor
The Inventor
The Explorer can use Hot Air Balloon; + 300 XP*
All
Politician logistician
The Logistician
Ships 1 Arsenal Wagon with 1 free Arsenal Technology; +1 Arsenal Wagon* British
Italians
Maltese
Ships 1 Halberdier; Halberdiers can be trained in the Commerce Age Dutch
Ships 1 Military Wagon and 1 Arsenal Wagon French
Swedes
Ships 1 Arsenal Wagon; Exploration and Commerce Age Home City Cards give one additional Uhlan Germans
Crossbowmen, Pikemen*, and Musketeers can be trained at Town Centers; Crossbowmen and Musketeers get +1 ranged attack range, Pikemen get +0.5 hand attack range Portuguese
Ships 1 Military Wagon; Blockhouses support 15 population Russians
Exploration Age Home City Cards are shipped twice as fast and also ships 200 food, 100 wood, 100 coin Spanish
The Naturalist
The Naturalist
Ships 2 Settlers and 2 semi-fattened Cows British
Dutch
French
Maltese
Ottomans
Portuguese
Russians
Spanish
Swedes
Ships 1 Settler Wagon and 2 semi-fattened Cows Germans
The Philosopher Prince
The Philosopher Prince
Ships 500 food; + 250 food* British
Germans
Italians
Ottomans
Portuguese
Russians
Spanish
The Quartermaster
The Quartermaster
Ships 400 wood Dutch
French
Germans
Maltese
Ottomans
Portuguese
Russians
Swedes
The Medici
The Medici
Ships 1 Settlers and 1 Lombard Wagon; + 1 Settler* Italians
* With the Advanced Politicians Italian Home City Card

Aztecs[]

Member
Colonial age up
Aztec messenger
The Messenger
Ages up three times as fast
Aztec wise woman
The Wise Woman
Ships 1 Farm Travois and Villagers gather from Farms and Estates 10% faster
Aztec warrior
The Warrior
Ships 2 Skull Knights
Aztec shaman
The Elder
Ships 1 War Hut Travois, War Huts and Nobles' Huts get +10% hit points and attack
Aztec chief
The Chief
The Aztec War Chief gets +20% hit points and +25% attack, and can use the Swashbuckler Attack ability

Haudenosaunee[]

Member
Colonial age up
Iroquois messenger
The Messenger
Ages up three times as fast; ships 1 Travois
Iroquois wise woman
The Wise Woman
Ships 200 food, 100 wood, 100 coin, and 1 Travois
Iroquois warrior
The Warrior
Ships 2 Aennas and 1 Travois
Iroquois shaman
The Elder
Ships 2 Travois
Iroquois chief
The Chief
Ships 2 Villagers and 1 Healer*

Incas[]

Member
Colonial age up
Politician inca messenger
The Messenger
Ages up three times as fast and Chasquis can receive Economic Home City shipments; ships 1 Chasqui and Chasqui train limit +1
Politician inca wisewoman
The Wise Woman
Ships 3 Priestesses, and 1 Chasqui; Chasqui train limit +1
Politician inca warleader
The Warrior
Ships 3 Chimu Runners and 1 Chasqui; Chasqui train limit +1
Politician inca shaman
The Elder
Grants Lumber Ceremony and Forest People Ceremony; ships 1 Chasqui and Chasqui train limit +1
Politician inca chief
The Chief
Ships 2 Builder Travois and 1 Chasqui; Chasqui train limit +1

Lakota[]

Member
Colonial age up
Sioux messenger
The Messenger
Ages up three times as fast
Sioux wise woman
The Wise Woman
Ships 6 Bisons and Villagers gather from huntable animals 10% faster
Sioux warrior
The Warrior
Ships 1 Tokala Soldier
Sioux shaman
The Elder
Ships 500 food
Sioux chief
The Chief
Ships 400 wood

Chinese[]

Wonder Shipment Bonuses
Confucian academy choice aoe3de
Confucian Academy
Colonial age up 4 Chu Ko Nu
Automatically train Flying Crows
Porcelain tower choice aoe3de
Porcelain Tower
- Automatically generates resources (Resource generation rate depends on the Age it was built)
Summer palace choice aoe3de
Summer Palace
Colonial age up 400 food
Automatically spawns War Academy banner armies
Temple of heaven choice aoe3de
Temple of Heaven
Colonial age up 3 Villagers
Allows Shaolin Master to heal injured units
Transcendence active ability (heals all of the owner's units)
White pagoda choice aoe3de
White Pagoda
Colonial age up 4 Disciples
Sacred Vault passive ability (increases Shaolin Master and Disciple hit points and attack, and the latter's train limit)

Indians[]

Wonder Shipment Bonuses
Agra fort choice aoe3de
Agra Fort
Colonial age up 2 Sepoys
Acts as if it was a Fort
Charminar gate choice aoe3de
Charminar Gate
Colonial age up 2 Sowars
Train Mansabdar units which enhances units of the same type
Karni mata choice aoe3de
Karni Mata
Colonial age up 200 food, 200 wood, 100 coin
Keepers of the Rats Aura (increases nearby villagers' gather rate)
Taj mahal choice aoe3de
Taj Mahal
Colonial age up 500 coin
Cease Fire active ability (temporarily stops all units from attacking)
Tower of victory choice aoe3de
Tower of Victory
Colonial age up 400 wood
Inspiration active ability (temporarily increases the hit points, attack, and speed of the owner's units)

Japanese[]

Wonder Shipment Bonuses
Golden pavillion choice aoe3de
Golden Pavilion
Colonial age up 3 Yumi Archers
Boosts one particular stats of the owner's land military units
Has advanced Arsenal technologies
Great buddha choice aoe3de
Great Buddha
Colonial age up 1 Naginata Rider and 1 Orchard Rickshaw
Informers active ability (temporarily see all enemies' LOS)
Shogunate choice aoe3de
Shogunate
Colonial age up 400 XP
Country in Chains passive ability (reduces the cost and train time of land military units)
Retrains Daimyo
Torii gates choice aoe3de
Torii Gates
Colonial age up 200 export
Kami Worship passive ability (increases XP acquisition rate)
Toshogu shrine choice aoe3de
Toshogu Shrine
Colonial age up 200 export
Acts as if it was two Shrines
Tomb of Ieyasu passive ability (increases the resource generation rate of all Shrines)

United States[]

Age Federal State Bonuses Federal Cards
Colonial age up
Federal state US massachussetts
Massachusetts
Ships 1 Military Wagon
Federal card plymouth settlers Plymouth Settlers: Ships 300 food and 1 Native Scout; all existing Town Centers spawn 3 Pilgrims
Federal card boston tea party Boston Tea Party: Arrives fast! Deposits 350 coin and exchanges all current food for 25% more coin
Federal state US virginia
Virginia
Federal card virginia plan Virginia Plan: Gives 2 Home City shipments
Federal card culpeper minutemen Culpeper Minutemen: Levy/Conscription global cooldown -50%; Minutemen hit point degeneration rate -50%; each Town Center spawns 6 Minutemen
Federal state US delaware
Delaware
Ships 300 food
Federal card fertile lowlands Fertile Lowlands: Ships 6 Cows with 150 food and 2 Homestead Wagons
Federal card delaware blues Delaware Blues: Ships 1 Regular for each shipment sent so far this game including this one
Federal state US pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Ships 1 Military Wagon
Federal card philadelphia convention Philadelphia Convention: Ships 1 Meeting House Wagon and Pennsylvania Pound, 1st Pennsylvania Rifles, and Pennsylvania Cavalry available at the Meeting House
Federal card tammany festival Tammany Festival: Ships 1 Native Embassy Travois; Cree technologies and units available at the Native Embassy
Federal state US rhode island
Rhode Island
Federal card corliss steam engine Corliss Steam Engine: Iron Horse cost removed and available in any Age; Steamers available in the Commerce Age and Ironclads available in the Fortress Age
Federal card slater textile mill Slater Textile Mill: Grants 30 food for every Villager and 20 wood for every Fishing Boat; Villagers cost -30 food and Fishing Boats cost -20 wood

Mexicans[]

Age Federal State Bonuses Federal Cards
Colonial age up
Chiapas
Chiapas
Ships 1 Military Wagon
Federal card maya revolt Tzotzil Uprising: Ships 3 Maya Holcan Javelineers for each constructed Hacienda
Federal card maya crops Maya Crops: All existing and newly constructed Haciendas spawn Maya Crops containing 300 food
Durango
Durango
Federal card fortified haciendas Fortified Haciendas: Ships 1 Hacienda Wagon; Haciendas gain a ranged attack when villagers are garrisoned inside them
Federal card cerro de mercado Cerro de Mercado: Arrives fast! Deposits 350 coin and exchanges all current wood for 25% more coin
Michoacán
Michoacán
Federal card colegio de san nicolas Colegio de San Nicolás: Ships 500 XP; units get +4 LOS and buildings get +8; temporarily reveals the enemy's position
Federal card michoacan fishermen Michoacán Fishermen: Ships 2 Dock Wagons; ships 1 Fishing Boat for each shipment sent so far this game including this one
Querétaro
Querétaro
Federal card arteaga reforms Arteaga Reforms: Arrives fast! The next Federal State research double its reward and the next upgrade researched at a Barracks is free
Federal card queretaro haciendas Querétaro Haciendas: Ships 1 Hacienda Wagon and Haciendas now support 20 population
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala
Federal card tlaxcala alliance Tlaxcala Alliance: Ships 1 Native Embassy Travois; Conquistador, Smokeless Powder, Flying Buttress, Tlaxcala Initiation, and Tlaxcaltec Chocolate Recipes available at Native Embassy; Tlaxcaltec Scouting/Raiding/War Party available at Town Center; The player is considered to be allied with the Jesuit Mission for "Native Treaties"
Federal card tlaxcala textiles Tlaxcala Textiles: Ships 2 Settlers; each new and existing Hacienda musters 2 Settlers

Ethiopians[]

Age Ally Shipments Bonuses
Colonial age up
Alliance Somalis
Somalis
Colonial age up 1 Native Embassy Builder and 400 influence
Alliance Habesha
Habesha
Colonial age up 1 Camp Builder and 300 coin
Alliance Jesuits
Jesuits
Colonial age up 1 Church Wagon and 400 XP
Alliance Portuguese
Portuguese
Colonial age up 1 Arsenal Builder and 300 wood
Alliance Sudanese
Sudanese
Colonial age up 1 Native Embassy Builder and 400 influence

Hausa[]

Age Ally Shipments Bonuses
Colonial age up
Alliance Berbers
Berbers
Colonial age up 1 Native Embassy Builder and 400 influence
Alliance Hausa
Hausa
Colonial age up 1 Hausa Builder and 300 wood
Alliance Moroccans
Moroccans
Colonial age up 1 Mosque Wagon and 400 XP
Alliance Songhai
Songhai
Colonial age up 1 Camp Builder and 300 coin
Alliance Akan
Akan
Colonial age up 1 Native Embassy Builder and 400 influence

Available units and buildings[]

Ages in the Age of Empires series
ReturnRome-AoEIcon Age of Empires
Stone Age Icon (DE) Stone Age · Tool Age Icon (DE) Tool Age · Bronze Age Icon (DE) Bronze Age · Iron Age Icon (DE) Iron Age

Cut: Prehistoric Age · Republic Age
AoE2-DLCicon-0 Age of Empires II
DarkageDE Dark Age · FeudalageDE Feudal Age · CastleageDE Castle Age · ImperialageDE Imperial Age
Aom original icon Age of Mythology
ArchaicAge Archaic Age · ClassicalAge Classical Age · HeroicAge Heroic Age · MythicAge Mythic Age · SecretsOfTheTitans Titan Age
3Icon48px Age of Empires III
Age I tech tree aoe3 Exploration Age · Age II tech tree aoe3 Commerce Age · Age III tech tree aoe3 Fortress Age · Age IV tech tree aoe 3 Industrial Age · Age V tech tree aoe 3 Imperial Age

Revolution Revolution
GameIcon-AoE4 Age of Empires IV
GameIcon-DarkAgeAoE4 Dark Age · GameIcon-FeudalAgeAoE4 Feudal Age · GameIcon-CastleAgeAoE4 Castle Age · GameIcon-ImperialAgeAoE4 Imperial Age
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