Age of Empires Series Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Starts a new colony by transforming into a Town Center. Most civilizations can only have 1 Town Center until the Fortress Age.
—In-game description

The Covered Wagon (Town Travois for Native American civilizations, Town Rickshaw for Asian civilizations, Town Center Builder for African civilizations) is a special civilian unit in Age of Empires III that builds a Town Center at no cost.

Overview[]

For most civilizations, the Covered Wagon can only be shipped from the Home City once the player selects a Home City Card, and can be useful for the player to expand their territory.

In the Nomad game mode, every player starts with one Covered Wagon.

The Portuguese receive one Covered Wagon at the beginning of each Age as a civilization bonus.

Most European civilizations can pick The Bishop for aging up into the Fortress Age which is a politician that gives the player one Covered Wagon.

The United States can train Covered Wagons at the State Capitol. Similarly the Texas and California revolutions available to the Mexicans may get the State Capitol with a Home City Card, which will allow them to train Covered Wagons. The California federal state of the United States also ships one Covered Wagon and increases its creation limit by +1.

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Covered Wagon
Some cards are highlighted with:
Green TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Purple Shipment that can be sent an INFINITE number of times
Red Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

All[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 1 (Covered Wagon)Chinese Home City 1 (Town Rickshaw) 1 Covered Wagon Ships 1 Covered Wagon; Town Center build limit +1
Age III tech tree aoe3
1
Spanish Home City 4 (Stone Masions) Stonemasons Settlers, Coureurs des Bois, Settler Wagons, Villagers, wagons, and travois build buildings 65% faster
Age II tech tree aoe3
10
Ottoman Home City 1 (2 Covered Wagons) 2 Covered Wagons Ships 2 Covered Wagons; Town Center build limit +2
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10
The 1 Covered Wagon card is available to All civilizations, except Inca, Maltese, and Ottomans. Japanese have Town Rickshaw (Red) card instead.
The Stonemasons card is available to European civilizations and the Aztecs.
The 2 Covered Wagons card is available to Mexicans, Inca, Ottomans and Portuguese.

Asians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Land reforms Land Reforms Villagers and rickshaws build buildings 50% faster and buildings' build bounty doubled
Age II tech tree aoe3
10

Chinese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Chinese Home City 1 (Town Rickshaws + 5 Villagers) Town Rickshaw + 5 Villagers Ships 1 Town Rickshaw and 5 Villagers; Town Center build limit +1
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10

Germans[]

Card Description Age HC level
German Home City 1 (Conestoga Wagons) TEAM Conestoga Wagons Ships 1 Covered Wagon/Town Travois/Town Rickshaw; Town Center build limit +1
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
1

Indians[]

Card Description Age HC level
Shivajis tactics TEAM Shivaji's Tactics All units get +5% hit points and attack
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
Indian Home City 1 (2 Town Rickshaws) 2 Town Rickshaws Ships 2 Town Rickshaws; +1 Villager; Town Center build limit +2
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10

Haudenosaunee[]

Card Description Age HC level
Iroquois Home City 5 (Oneida Support) Oneida Support Ships 1 Town Travois and 10 Villagers; costs 1,000 coin; Town Center build limit +1
Age III tech tree aoe3
10

Hausa[]

Card Description Age
Hc hausa kingdom Hausa Kingdom Ships various Builders depending on the Age when this card is sent, including the previous one(s): 1 University Builder (Exploration Age), 1 Trade Builder (Commerce Age), 1 Palace Builder (Fortress Age), 1 Town Center Builder (Industrial Age), 5 Camp Builders (Imperial Age)
Age I tech tree aoe3

Inca[]

Card Description Age
Hc 5 builder travois Resettlements Ships 4 Villagers and 1 Town Travois*
Age III tech tree aoe3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Japanese Home City 1 (1 Town Rickshaw) Town Rickshaw Ships 1 Town Rickshaw; Town Center build limit +1
Age III tech tree aoe3
1

Lakota[]

Card Description Age HC level
German Home City 1 (Conestoga Wagons) TEAM Conestoga Wagons Ships 1 Covered Wagon/Town Travois/Town Rickshaw; Town Center build limit +1
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
10

Spanish[]

Card Description Age HC level
Spanish Home City 3 (Inquisition) TEAM Inquisition All units get +10 LOS
Age I tech tree aoe3
10

United States[]

Card Description Age
United States Home City 1 (Missouri River Expeditions) Missouri River Expeditions Ships 1 Covered Wagon; Town Center build limit +1; The General can summon the Hot Air Balloon
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
United States Home City 3 (TEAM Louisiana Purchase) TEAM Louisiana Purchase Ships 1 Covered Wagon; Existing and new Town Centers spawn 6 Bisons; Costs 750 coin
Age III tech tree aoe3

Trivia[]

  • If the player uses their Explorer to start construction of a Town Center and replaces him with a Covered Wagon, the Wagon will resume construction of the Town Center without being consumed in the process.

History[]

Covered wagons were so full of food and other supplies that settlers who traveled west could rarely expect to travel inside them. These wagons were so uncomfortable and bumpy that more than a few settlers were happy to walk. The ride could be so bumpy that a butter churn filled with milk at the beginning of the day would have produced butter by the end of the day. Covered wagons traveled about two miles per hour. Until steam-powered trains could reach the frontier, the West was won very slowly.

Gallery[]

See also[]

Civilian units in Age of Empires III
General
AllFishing ship aoe3de Fishing Boat · Settler aoe3de Settler · Covered wagon aoe3de Covered Wagon/Town Travois/Town Rickshaw/Town Center Builder · Outpost wagon aoe3de Trading Post Wagon, Lakota trading post aoe3de Trading Post Travois, and Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Trading Post Rickshaw · Outpost wagon aoe3de Dock Rickshaw/Dock Wagon/Dock Travois · Native embassy DE icon Native Embassy Travois/Native Embassy Builder/Royal Embassy Wagon
EuropeansPriest aoe3de Priest · Factory wagon aoe3de Factory Wagon · Fort wagon aoe3de Fort Wagon · Factory wagon aoe3de Homestead Wagon · Outpost wagon aoe3de Military Wagon · Factory wagon aoe3de Prospector Wagon (Factory wagon aoe3de Silver · Factory wagon aoe3de Gold)
Europeans and USSurgeon aoe3de Surgeon · Outpost wagon aoe3de Outpost Wagon · Spc wagon aoe3de Estate Wagon · Spc wagon aoe3de Mill Wagon
Native AmericansVillager aztec aoe3de Villager · Haudenosaunee healer aoe3de Healer · Team native aoe3de Native Scout* · Aztec travois aoe3de Farm Travois · Aztec travois aoe3de War Hut Travois
AsiansChinese castle wagon aoe3de Castle Rickshaw · Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Market Rickshaw · Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Monastery Rickshaw
AfricansEthiopian fishing canoe portrait aoe3de Fishing Canoe · Camp portrait Camp Builder · Hausa builder portrait Kingdom Builder · Hausa builder portrait Livestock Market Builder · Palace portrait aoe3de Palace Builder · Hausa builder portrait Trade Builder · Watch tower aoe3de portrait Watch Tower Builder
Unique units
Flag DutchDE DutchVillager dutch merchant portrait Merchant · Envoy aoe3de Envoy · Bank wagon aoe3de Bank Wagon
Flag FrenchDE FrenchCoureur aoe3de Coureur des Bois
Flag GermanDE GermansSettler wagon aoe3de Settler Wagon
Flag OttomanDE OttomansVillager ottoman yoruk portrait Yörük · Imam de Imam
Flag SpanishDE SpanishMissonary de Missionary
Flag AztecDE AztecsWarrior priest de Warrior Priest · Aztec travois aoe3de Nobles' Hut Travois
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeTravois portrait aoe3de Travois (Haudenosaunee)
Flag ChineseDE ChineseOutpost Wagon Blockhouse Wagon · Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Consulate Rickshaw · Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Village Rickshaw · Mongol scout aoe3de Mongol Scout
Flag IndianDE IndiansIndian peasant aoe3de Hindu Villager · Indian castle grove aoe3de Grove Rickshaw · Indian town center rickshaw aoe3de Sacred Field Rickshaw
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseFactory wagon aoe3de Livestock Pen Wagon · Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Dojo Rickshaw · Japanese Town Center Rickshaw Military Rickshaw · Japanese grove aoe3de Orchard Rickshaw · Japanese grove aoe3de Rice Paddy Rickshaw · Chinese town center rickshaw aoe3de Shrine Wagon
Flag IncanDE IncaPriestess-icon-aoe3 Priestess · Travois inca AoE3de Builder Travois · Lakota trading post aoe3de Kallanka Travois · Lakota trading post aoe3de Stronghold Travois · Lakota trading post aoe3de Tambo Travois
Flag SwedishDE SwedesSpc wagon aoe3de Torp Wagon
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesFactory wagon aoe3de Coal Prospector Wagon · Outpost wagon aoe3de Infrastructure Wagon · Bank wagon aoe3de Meeting House Wagon · Bank wagon aoe3de State Capitol Wagon
Flag MexicanDE MexicansBank wagon aoe3de Cathedral Wagon · Factory wagon aoe3de Hacienda Wagon
Revolution RevolutionFactory wagon aoe3de Diamond Prospector Wagon · Sansculotte portrait Sansculotte
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansAbun portrait aoe3de Abun · Rickshaw1 icon portrait Indian Market Rickshaw · Mountain monastery portrait aoe3de Mountain Monastery Builder
Flag Hausa HausaGriot aoe3de portrait Griot · Bank wagon aoe3de Mosque Wagon · Hausa builder portrait Hausa Builder · University portrait University Builder
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansItalians architect portrait Architect · Bank wagon aoe3de Basilica Wagon · Bank wagon aoe3de Lombard Wagon
Flag MalteseDE MalteseOutpost wagon aoe3de Commandery Wagon · Spc wagon aoe3de Depot Wagon · Fort wagon aoe3de Fixed Gun Wagon
Miscellaneous
Berber nomad portrait Berber Nomad · Berber salt camel portrait Berber Salt Camel · Trading post african aoe3de Red Sea Wagon · Balloon portrait Hot Air Balloon · Cree coreur portrait updated Cree Coureur des Bois · Factory wagon aoe3de Arsenal Wagon · Bank wagon aoe3de Church Wagon · Outpost wagon aoe3de Frontier Post Wagon · Pilgrims icon definitive Pilgrim · Bank wagon aoe3de Athos Monastery Wagon · Outpost wagon aoe3de Battery Tower Wagon · Lakota trading post aoe3de American Citadel Travois
Advertisement