
Minimap of Dunes
โ | Shifting sands and rolling dunes cast long shadows across the Sahara. This vast, open landscape is far from barren, though โ mines are plentiful and although food is not too scarce, settlers will quickly find themselves out in the open as they venture away from their towns in search of food. There is no passing trade in the desert, only a Berber village in the middle of the map. Controlling the center will be much more difficult than it may appear. | โ |
—In-game information |
Dunes is a map in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, released in update 43871. It is based on the portion of the Sahara Desert located in Mauritania stretching into Morocco, Western Sahara and Algeria.
Overview[]



โ | Dunes: Open desert where animals are scarce. Though, Sand and Mines are plentiful! | โ |
—In-game description |
It consists of a single desert with scattered trees and animal herds, plenty of gold, and a single Berber settlement in the middle of the map that will be contested by players.
Click for a list of treasures and their guardians related to the Dunes
Treasure | Reward | Guardians |
---|---|---|
A stash of cassava worth | 30 food | 1x ![]() |
Parrot eggs belonging to a former Alaafin of Oyo worth | 85 food | 3x ![]() |
A bundle of desert dates worth | 145 food | 3x ![]() |
A basket of exotic fruits which grants | 200 food | 3x ![]() |
A stand of Dragon Blood Trees worth | 25 wood | 1x ![]() |
Looted Visigoth spoils of war by Musa ibn Nusayr worth | 80 wood | 2x ![]() |
A cache of acacia worth | 115 wood | 3x ![]() |
A stand of Dragon Blood Trees worth | 125 wood | 3x ![]() |
A cache of acacia worth | 165 wood | 3x ![]() |
An old Baobab tree containing | 400 wood | 5x ![]() |
A den of mongoose whose pelts are worth | 40 coin | 1x ![]() |
Coffee beans worth | 80 coin | 2x ![]() |
A cryptic message leading to one of Mansa Musa's lost gold bars worth | 150 coin | 3x ![]() |
A mysterious cave concealing certain riches worth | 250 coin | 6x ![]() |
A pair of fancy leather sandals which grant the wearer | 30 XP | 1x ![]() |
A pair of fancy leather sandals which grant the wearer | 40 XP | 1x ![]() |
A basket of exotic fruits which grants | 70 XP | 3x ![]() |
A written record of a philosophical problem-solving theory worth | 100 XP | 1x ![]() 1x ![]() |
A crate of Nadorcott which grants | 365 XP | 1x ![]() 2x ![]() 2x ![]() |
Acupuncture methods that increase settler hitpoints by 15%. | Villager hit points +15%; unit affected by villager upgrades hit points +5% | 5x ![]() |
A bloat of very hungry hippos guarding an assortment of recreational balls worth | 190 XP | 3x ![]() |
A branch from a kola tree that enables the discoverer's villagers to gather wood slightly more quickly. | Villager gather work rate for tree +15% | 2x ![]() |
An origin story about feral twins fighting over a dozen birds allows establishing an additional Town Center. | Delivers 1 Covered Wagon; Town Center build limit +1 | None |
Babylonian financial advice on passive income granting a small trickle of gold. | Adds 0.45 to coin trickle rate | 2x ![]() |
An ancient tree that sprouts a new branch every morning, granting a small trickle of wood. | Adds 0.375 to wood trickle rate | 2x ![]() |
An ancient cookbook on the art of seasoning food, granting a small trickle of food. | Adds 0.63 to food trickle rate | 2x ![]() |
An ancient Roman scroll on military tactics granting a small trickle of experience. | Adds 0.25 to XP trickle rate | 2x ![]() |
A broken down Military Wagon that can be repaired. | 1x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
An origin story about feral twins fighting over a dozen birds allows establishing an additional Town Center. | Delivers 1 Covered Wagon; Town Center build limit +1 | 2x ![]() 4x ![]() |
An old Outpost that can be refurbished. | 1x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
An empty House that can be claimed. | 1x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
An ancient building technique giving villagers 10% construction speed. | Building (except wonder) build time -10% | 4x ![]() |
An abandoned Economic Wagon that can be claimed. | 1x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
A trapped Goat awaiting a rescuer. | 1x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
Two stray Goats, which you can capture. | 2x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
A trapped Warthog awaiting a rescuer. | 1x ![]() | 2x ![]() |
Four stray Goats, which you can capture. | 4x ![]() | 3x ![]() |
A Nomad in need of rescue. | 1x ![]() | 4x ![]() |
Two stray Zebu Cattle, which you can capture. | 2x ![]() | 4x ![]() |
Four stray Zebu Cattle, which you can capture. | 4x ![]() | 6x ![]() |
Six stray Goats, which you can capture. | 6x ![]() | 6x ![]() |
Shaka's spear, granting your Hero 50% more damage. | Hero damage +50% | 3x ![]() |