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Ships 15 Old Guards (powerful Grenadiers) and researches Grenade Launchers. Any remaining Middle Guard are upgraded to Old Guard.
—In-game description

Old Guard is a technology in Age of Empires III that is unique to the French and can be researched at the Church once the Industrial Age is reached, the Edict of Nantes Home City Card has been sent, and Middle Guard is researched. Once researched, 15 Old Guards will appear in the Home City shipment point, the previous Middle Guards (if they still remain) will be renamed to Old Guards, Grenadiers and Old Guards use a hand mortar to attack, get +2 Line of Sight and range, and also Old Guards get +100% hand attack and +10% melee, ranged and siege resistance.

Old Guards are consulate units, start with +10% hit points and attack, and are automatically upgraded in every Age up starting from the Fortress Age.

Changelog[]

Age of Empires III[]

  • The technology is named Garde Imperial 3, ships regular Grenadiers, it grants +10% hit points and attack for Grenadiers, and the in-game description is "Ships 15 Old Guard Grenadiers. Any remaining Middle Guard are upgraded to Old Guard."

The WarChiefs[]

Definitive Edition[]

  • The technology is renamed to Imperial Old Guard.
  • With update 23511, the technology grants the Guard Grenadiers upgrade instead of granting additional hit points and damage.

Knights of the Mediterranean[]

  • With update 13.27885, the technology is renamed to Old Guard, ships Consulate Grenadiers, Grenadiers use a hand mortar to attack, and get +2 Line of Sight and range instead of researching Incendiary Grenades and Guard Grenadiers, and the in-game description is "Ships 15 Old Guards (powerful Grenadiers) and researches Grenade Launchers. Any remaining Middle Guard are upgraded to Old Guard."

Trivia[]

  • The French Expeditionary Company and French Expeditionary Force (if sent at the Industrial Age), available for the Chinese and the Indians in The Asian Dynasties through the Consulate by allying with the French, includes Old Guards.
  • Historically, the Old Guard were Napoleon Bonaparte's best soldiers. They were all veterans of his campaigns, and up until the Battle of Waterloo, they never surrendered or were defeated in battle. However, this is likely due to the fact that Napoleon didn't like to use them often. Even so, their sheer presence on the battlefield was enough to boost the French morale. The myth of their invulnerability was unquestioned, until they were defeated by the British at Waterloo.
Unique religious technologies in Age of Empires III
3Icon48px Age of Empires III
Flag BritishDE BritishThin Red Line · The Black Watch · Roger's Rangers · Queen's Rangers
Flag DutchDE DutchCoffee Trade · Red Lancers · Blue Guards
Flag FrenchDE FrenchCode Napoleon · Young Guard · Middle Guard · Old Guard
Flag GermanDE GermansTilly's Discipline · Wallenstein's Contracts · Zweihänder
Flag John Black's Mercenaries DE John Black's MercenariesIndian Friendship · Customized Merc Weapons
Flag Maltese Cross Knights of St. JohnCorselet · Tax Burden · High Crusade
Flag OttomanDE OttomansNew Order Infantry · Topçu Corps · Kapikulu Corps · Tufanci Corps*
Flag PortugueseDE PortugueseEncomienda Manor · Ordenança · Order of the Tower and the Sword · Besteiros*
Flag RussianDE RussiansWesternization · St. Petersburg Dragoons · Petrine Reforms · Lifeguard Jaegers
Flag SpanishDE SpanishCorselet · Royal Alabarderos · Wild Geese · Walloon Guards
Flag American act3 aoe3de United States (campaign)Grand Encampment · American Patriots
Age3DE Icon Definitive Edition
Flag SwedishDE SwedesPush of Pike · Savolax Jaegers · Gustavian Guards
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesPennsylvania Pound · 1st Pennsylvania Rifles · Pennsylvania Cavalry
Flag MexicanDE MexicansFirst Guarantee · Second Guarantee · Third Guarantee
Knights of the Mediterranean
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansCarabinieri · Risorgimento · Papacy
Flag MalteseDE MalteseTeutonic Knights · Crusader Knights · Knights of the Hospital
United States requires the "Philadelphia Convention" Federal Card to unlock unique religious technologies
* Before the Definitive Edition
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