German Allies

The Germans are a Consulate ally in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties, available only to the Chinese. Like all Consulate allies, it requires 100 export to ally with them (25 export if the Diplomatic Intrigue Home City Card was sent). Doing so reduces the food cost of the Chinese banner armies by 15%.

Description

The Germans are a Consulate ally focused on economy and can support a rush with their passive effect and technologies that give trickles of resources. The army options grant the player access to Zweihänders, Prussian Needle Gunners, and Consulate Heavy Cannon. The time required to train these armies varies, but can be reduced by 50% with the "Good Faith Agreements" Home City Card.

Technologies

Age	Improvement	Cost	Research time	Effect
	Food Trickle	200 export	30 seconds	Adds 1.5 to food trickle rate
	Wood Trickle	250 export		Adds 1.25 to wood trickle rate
	Coin Trickle			Adds 1.65 to coin trickle rate
Imperial Age	German Brigade	2,300 export	90 seconds	Delivers 19 Prussian Uhlans and 15 Prussian Needle Gunners

• The Good Faith Agreements card reduces technology cost by 40% and research time by 50%, except for Brigades, whose cost are reduced by 300 export and do not research faster.

Armies

Age	Army	Cost	Train time	Pop.	Consists of
	German Expeditionary Company	400 export	20 seconds	6	3 Zweihänders
	German Expeditionary Force	800 export	40 seconds	13	3 Zweihänders 7 Prussian Needle Gunners
	German Expeditionary Army	1,600 export	60 seconds	25	18 Prussian Needle Gunners 1 Heavy Cannon

• The Good Faith Agreements Home City Card reduces army train time by 50%.

Strategy

The Germans are a useful ally in boom and rush strategies. Their passive bonus reduces the food cost of all Chinese banner armies, saving food that can be used for training more Villagers or advancing to the next Age faster. Their technologies offer trickles of food, wood, or coin, with the same effect as the European Home City Cards Colbertism (which gives a trickle of 1.5 food/s), Distributivism (1.25 wood/s) and Capitalism (1.65 coin/s). These trickles of resources are greater on maps with few resources and should be sent as soon as possible. The Food Trickle can be used to train Villagers, and also combines with the passive bonus. Wood Trickle can be used to build buildings and train banner armies, especially on water maps or maps with few trees. Coin Trickle is most useful for training expensive banner armies.

Zweihänders and Prussian Needle Gunners are useful units on the front line. The Zweihänder has high hit points and attack with Area of Effect, and is superior to Chinese units against heavy cavalry. Arquebusiers or Prussian Needle Gunners can support them against heavy infantry and light ranged cavalry, while Iron Flails and Meteor Hammers can protect them against light infantry and artillery. The Consulate Heavy Cannon is strong against infantry, but vulnerable to heavy cavalry and artillery, so it should be combined with heavy infantry or heavy cavalry.

In general, the Germans help in multiple strategies. Their passive bonus and resource trickles help in boom, rush, turtle, and naval strategies. The Zweihänder, Prussian Needle Gunner, and Heavy Cannon are superior to the equivalent units of the Chinese, although the Chinese cavalry is a greatly support to the German Consulate units.

Changelog

The Asian Dynasties

• The German ally bonus reduces the cost of banner armies by 15 resources.

Definitive Edition

• The German ally bonus reduces the food cost of banner armies by 20%.

The African Royals

• With update 13.690, the German ally bonus reduces the food cost of banner armies by 15%.