This article is about the unit in Age of Empires III. For the related unit in Age of Empires II, see Galleon (Age of Empires II). |
“ | Galleon. Slow, powerful ship resistant to building fire that can train units. | ” |
—In-game description |
The Galleon is a military ship in Age of Empires III that can be trained at the Dock once the Commerce Age is reached. It can transport land units and train infantry and cavalry, and are resistant to defensive structures due to being classified as a siege unit; Outposts and Town Centers do half their damage against them.
Galleons are available to European civilizations (except the Dutch, who have Fluyts instead), and the Indians.
Overview[]
The Galleon is a fast and powerful military main battle ship that is capable of training infantry and cavalry directly onto foreign soil, acting as a mobile Barracks and Stables. Note that it will be unable to fire with its cannons during this process. They are significantly more resilient than the Caravel due to increased health and resistance. They may not have as high a DPS output as Caravels, but they still perform sufficiently as an attack vessel.
Most civilizations will find the Galleon capable of surviving battles in the early ages, especially when compared to a Caravel and make good tanks in the frontline while the latter exploit their higher damage. However Spanish Galleons (with cards) make excellent attack vessels and damage sponges in any age.
The Galleon can produce units normally available at a Barracks or Stable for that civilization, as well as Grenadiers and Abus Gunners. The Spanish Galleons can also produce Pirates if a Home City Card is sent, though this is no longer the case in the Definitive Edition.
Spanish Galleons and countering them[]
The Spanish have the strongest Galleons in the game if they take advantage of their cards. If they choose to do so the Spanish galleon has more hit points than any other ship sailing the seas in Age of Empires III and The WarChiefs, except the Spanish Frigate which has only 525 more.
With the release of The Asian Dynasties expansion, the Spanish Fuchuan becomes the highest hit point vessel in the game (25 more hit points than the Spanish Frigate) when received via the "TEAM 1 Fuchuan" card sent by a Chinese ally. Spanish Galleons can easily hold their own against the more expensive Frigates, Tekkousen, and Fuchuan or outrun them if necessary.
While extremely durable, the Spanish Galleon is slower than a Tlaloc Canoe and can't retreat effectively from combat with them. It also lacks the range of many other ships, this can be exploited by an opponent as a means of overcoming the durability and shoreline attack power. Particularly dangerous are the Fuchuan (with "European Cannons"), Tlaloc Canoes (with Water Ceremony and "Offshore Support"), Canoe (with Water Ceremony, "Offshore Support", or Charging Ceremony) and Monitors or Ironclads due to their long-range shots. When attacking enemy shores with the ship, Culverins can be dangerous to the Galleon. Augmented Fire Ships (with Home City Cards, etc.) can also be dangerous in large groups.
Blocking Galleon training[]
Walling up the shore so that there is no free space will prevent Galleons from training units onto the shore, as well as preventing any ships from being able to land troops. Even if a 1-2 area gap is left somewhere along the walled up coast (between the shore and wall), only 1-2 units will be landed or trained; units will not appear behind the enemy wall.
Units[]
The Galleon must be close to the shore to train the units, and will also be unable to move and attack while doing so.
- The Swedes can train Crossbowmen since update 14825.
- The French, Germans, Portuguese, and Spanish can train Grenadiers as well once the "Grenade Launchers" Home City Card is sent.
Civilization differences[]
- The British Galleons can train Rangers instead of Longbowmen after researching the Queen's Rangers technology.
- The German Galleons can train Prinz Chevaulegers instead of War Wagons after sending the "Princely Bavarian Chevaulegers" Home City Card.
- The Mexicans can get Galleons through the "Captured Galleons" Home City Cards. These Galleons can train Insurgentes, Soldados, Salteadores, Chinacos, and Dragoons. These Galleons can train Regulars instead of Mexican infantry after revolting to Texas.
- The Swedes' Galleons can train different mercenaries depending on the Home City Card sent.
Revolutionary[]
- Revolting to Argentina allows Galleons to train Gauchos, and also Mounted Granaderos after sending the "Granaderos" Home City Card.
- Revolting to the Barbary States allows Galleons to train Barbary Warriors and Corsair Marksmen.
- Revolting to Brazil allows Galleons to train Jagunços.
- Revolting to Chile allows Galleons to train Mapuche Bolas Riders after sending the "7 Mapuche Bolas Riders" Home City Card.
- Revolting to Egypt allows Galleons to train Stradiots and Mamelukes.
- Revolting to Finland allows Galleons to train Counter Jaegers after sending the "Grand Duchy of Finland" Home City Card.
- Revolting to Gran Colombia allows Galleons to train Llaneros.
- Revolting to Haiti allows Galleons to train Pirates, and also Dahomey Amazons after sending the "Royal Dahomets" Home City Card.
- Revolting to Hungary allows Galleons to train Hungarian Grenadiers for the Germans and Maltese, and replaces Humbaraci with Hungarian Grenadiers for the Ottomans.
- Revolting to Hungary and Romania allows Galleons to train Hajduks, Crabats, and Pandours after sending "Hajduks", "12 Crabats", and "10 Pandours" Home City Card respectively.
- Revolting to Indonesia allows Galleons to train Javanese Spearmen and Cetbang Cannons, and also War Elephants after sending the "Sumatran Elephants" Home City Card.
- Revolting to South Africa allows Galleons to train Trek Wagons.
Further statistics[]
Unit strengths and weaknesses | |
---|---|
Strong vs. | Infantry and cavalry close to shore, Monitors |
Weak vs. | Most warships such as Caravels and Frigates, artillery especially Culverins, defensive structures |
Improvements | |
Hit points | Armor Plating (+50%) Byzantine Legacy (+15%) Tar Kilns (+10%) |
Attack | Carronade (+25%) Somali Ajuran Engineers (+20% multiplier vs. Frontier fortification) |
Line of Sight | Town Watch (+3) |
Train time | Immigrants (-10%) |
Cost | Mapuche Ad-mapu (-10% coin cost) Golden Liberty (-5% coin cost) |
Other | Meritocracy (-20% upgrade cost) Öresund Customs (generates 0.3 coin/sec.) Queen's Rangers (can train Rangers instead of Longbowmen; British only) Savolax Jaegers (can train Jaegers; Swedes only) |
Penalties | High Crusade (-5% hit points; Knights of St. John only) |
Home City Cards[]
- Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Galleon
Some cards are highlighted with: | |
Green | TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team |
Blue | Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds) |
All[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Advanced Dock | Docks get +100% attack and heal ships 85% faster; warships' train time -33% (also +1 Villager for the Indians) | 10 | |
Improved Warships | Warships get +25% hit points and attack (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians) | 10 | |
TEAM Improved Warships | Warships get +10% hit points and attack | 10 | |
European Cannons | Warships get +15% attack, +2 Line of Sight and range (also +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians) | 25 | |
Admiralty | Dock warship technologies cost and research time -60% (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans; +1 Hindu Villager for the Indians) | 1 |
- "TEAM Improved Warships" is available to the Chinese and Maltese.
- "European Cannons" is not available to Europeans and Native Americans.
- "Admiralty" is not available to Africans and Native Americans.
Europeans[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
1 Galleon | Ships 1 Galleon (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans) | 1 | |
Naval Gunners | Warships get +20% attack | 25 | |
Offshore Support | Warships get +15% attack, +2 Line of Sight and range (also +2 Uhlans for the Germans) | 40 | |
Hajduks | Each Blockhouse spawns 1 Hajduk; Hajduks can be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
12 Crabats | Ships 12 Crabats; Crabats can be trained at Taverns, Stables, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
10 Pandours | Ships 10 Pandours; Pandours can be trained at Taverns, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, and Blockhouses; +1 Blockhouse Wagon; Blockhouse build limit +1 | N/A | |
Rhode Island Militia | Ships 10 Veteran State Militia and 5 Militiamen; Caravels, Galleons/Fluyts, Frigates, and Ironclads get +10% ranged attack per garrisoned State Militia and/or Militiaman (up to +60%); turns all Crossbowmen/Longbowmen and Pikemen into State Militia; State Militia replace Crossbowmen, Longbowmen, Pikemen, and Halberdiers at Barracks and Forts, and can be upgraded to Guard | N/A |
- "Naval Gunners" is available to the British, French, Maltese, Russians, and Swedes.
- "Offshore Support" is available to the Germans, Maltese, and Ottomans.
- "Hajduks", "12 Crabats", and "10 Pandours" are available upon revolting to Hungary and Romania.
- "Rhode Island Militia" is available to the British, Dutch, French, and Swedes upon revolting to the United States.
Indians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Shivaji's Tactics | All units get +5% hit points and attack | 25 | |
Foreign Trading Companies | Gives a trickle of 0.75 export; Consulate Armies cost -15% export but Indian units cost +2.5% (except Villagers, Fishing Boats, and Sacred Cows which cost +5%); +1 Hindu Villager | N/A | |
Bombay Marine | Ships' train time -30% and train bounty +30%; +1 Hindu Villager | 1 |
Japanese[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Sengoku | Unit upgrades cost -20% | 1 |
Maltese[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Knights of the Round Table | Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Town Center owned by the player; all units get +2% hit points | |
Speronaras | Ships get +10% speed; Order Galleys and Fishing Boats get +30% speed instead |
Mexicans[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
TEAM Mariachi | For the next 30 seconds, military buildings work 400% faster and units get +10% speed | |
2 Captured Galleons | Ships 2 Galleons; costs 300 food, 300 wood | |
3 Captured Galleons | Ships 3 Galleons; costs 300 food, 300 wood | |
Colegio de San Nicolás | Ships 500 XP; units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds | |
National Servant | All units get +10% hit points; Padre healing 200% faster |
- "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
- "National Servant" is available upon selecting the Estado de México Federal State.
Portuguese[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
Navigation School | Warships cost and train time -20% | 25 | |
Lantakas | Artillery, buildings, and ships get +15% attack | N/A |
- "Lantakas" is available upon revolting to Indonesia.
Russians[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Cold Water Port | Warships cost -15% | 10 |
Spanish[]
Card | Description | Age | HC level |
---|---|---|---|
TEAM Spanish Inquisition | Ships 1 Inquisitor; all units get +10 Line of Sight | 10 | |
Spanish Galleons | Galleons get +30% hit points and attack | 10 | |
Armada | Warships get +20% hit points and +2 Line of Sight; Caravels can now train infantry units; Frigates can now train cavalry and artillery units; Monitors can now train Mortars; Battleships can now train infantry, cavalry, and artillery units | 10 | |
Spanish Treasure Fleet | Ships 3 Galleons | 25 |
Swedes[]
Card | Description | Age |
---|---|---|
Baltic Fleet | Ships 1 Frigate and 1 Galleon | |
Vasa | Ships 1 Battleship; Frigates and Galleons return 100 and Battleships 200 of their coin cost when sunk by enemy unit; costs 1,000 coin | |
Contract Irish Brigadiers | Ships 9 Irish Brigadiers; Irish Brigadiers can be trained at Barracks/Blockhouses and Galleons; costs 500 coin | |
Contract Swiss Pikemen | Ships 12 Swiss Pikemen; Swiss Pikemen can be trained at Barracks/Blockhouses and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
Contract Giant Grenadiers | Ships 8 Giant Grenadiers; Giant Grenadiers can be trained at Barracks/Blockhouses and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
Contract Black Riders | Ships 7 Black Riders; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
Contract Hessian Jaegers | Ships 10 Jaegers; Jaegers can be trained at Barracks/Blockhouses and Galleons; costs 1,000 coin | |
German Mercenary Contracts | Mercenaries get +20% hit points and attack; Jaegers and Landsknechts can be trained at Barracks and Galleons; Black Riders can be trained at Stables and Galleons |
Changelog[]
Age of Empires III[]
The African Royals[]
- With update 38254, Galleons cost 300 wood, 400 coin.
Knights of the Mediterranean[]
- With update 13.27885, Galleons cost 300 wood, 300 coin.
- With update 13.58326, Galleons give 60 XP when trained or killed.
History[]
“ | These square-rigged, three-masted warships were used primarily by European powers in the fifteenth through eighteenth centuries. Well-suited for carrying cargo and for war, galleons made up the bulk of the famous Spanish Treasure Fleet that carried plunder from the Americas back to Spain's waiting coffers. They carried around 30 cannon, fired from two decks in broadsides. Adaptations to the basic galleon design yielded heavy Spanish Galleons and the lighter, more maneuverable galleons of the British and other European nations. They were eventually replaced as multipurpose ships by the clipper, a fast cargo ship, and the massive Man-of-War. Approximate weight: 500 tons. Length: 120 feet. | ” |
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Fluyt – Dutch counterpart
- Fuchuan – Chinese analogue
- Atakebune – Japanese counterpart
- Steamer – Federal American counterpart
- Galleass – Italians counterpart