Germans (Consulate)

The Germans are a Consulate ally in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties, available only to the Chinese. Like all Consulate allies, 100 export is required to ally with them, or 25 export if the Diplomatic Intrigue card is sent beforehand. Doing so reduces the food cost of the Chinese banner armies by 15%.

Description

The Germans boost the economy and support in a rush with their passive effect to reduce the banner army food cost by 15%. Their improvements produce trickles of the three basic resources, with the same effect as the European cards Colbertism (which gives a trickle of 1.5 food/s), Distributivism (1.25 wood/s) and Capitalism (1.65 coin/s). These effects are greater on maps with few resources. Militarily, the German Consulate armies offer Zweihänder Doppelsoldners (a strong melee infantry). Prussian Needle Gunner Skirmishers (long-ranged anti-infantry), and Heavy Cannon (heavy artillery). The time required to train these armies varies, but can be reduced by 50% with the Letter of Good Faith Agreements card.

Technologies

Age	Improvement	Cost	Research time	Effect
	Food Trickle	200 export	30 seconds	Gives a trickle of 1.5 food per second
	Wood Trickle	250 export		Gives a trickle of 1.25 wood per second
	Coin Trickle			Gives a trickle of 1.65 coin per second
Imperial Age	German Brigade	2,300 export	90 seconds	Ships 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 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 creating more villagers or advancing to the next age more easily. Their improvements offer trickles of food, wood, or coin. These should be sent as soon as possible. The food can be used for villagers, and synergizes with the passive banner army ability. Wood can be used to build buildings and train armies, especially on water maps or maps with few trees. Coin is most useful when training expensive banner armies.

Zweihänder Doppelsoldners and Prussian Needle Gunner Skirmishers are useful units on the front line. The Zweihänder Doppelsoldner has high attack, area damage, and hit points, and is superior to Chinese units against heavy cavalry. Arquebusiers or Needle Gunner Skirmishers can support them against heavy infantry and light cavalry. Iron Flails and Meteor Hammers can eliminate artillery and light infantry. The Heavy Cannon is devastating to infantry, but vulnerable to heavy cavalry and artillery, so it should be paired with infantry or heavy cavalry.

In general, the Germans help in multiple strategies. Their passive bonus and trickles help in boom, rush, turtle, and naval strategies. The Doppelsoldner, Skirmisher, and Heavy Cannon are superior to the equivalent units of the Chinese, although the Chinese cavalry is of great help to German Consulate units, and melee infantry can serve as a shield while the German Consulate units deal damage.