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This article is about the civilization in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean. For the civilization in Age of Empires II, see Italians (Age of Empires II). |
| “ | Fabulously wealthy merchant republics, kingdoms, duchies, and even the Papacy had driven the Renaissance and dominated the trade networks of the Mediterranean. However, when the Italian polities were not engaged in conflicts abroad, they fought each other nearly incessantly, until the Risorgimento gave rise to the new Kingdom of Italy. | ” |
The Italians are a playable European civilization in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean.
While Christopher Columbus was famous for being the second European to discover America (with the Vikings being the first), the Italians colonization of the New World was very limited with the exception of the scrapped Thornton expedition by Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Despite this, the Italian city-states and mercenaries played a crucial role in slowing the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the Ottoman-Habsburg wars, which led to the decline of power and influence of the Ottoman Empire. The Italian city-states united as the Kingdom of Italy in the 19th century and established colonies of their own in Africa, which included modern day Eritrea, Somalia, Libya, and Ethiopia.
Home City[]
- (Default) Explorer names
- First names
- Alessandro, Amedeo, Amerigo, Antonio, Cesare, Christopher, Eugenio, Evangelista, Galileo, Giovanni, Giuseppe, Guglielmo, Leonardo, Luigi, Marco, Pietro, Pietro Paolo
- Last names
- Avogadro, Barsanti, Caboto, Columbus, Galvani, Garibaldi, Genovesi, Marconi, Mazzini, Meucci, Polo, Torricelli, Vespucci, Volta, da Verrazzano, da Vinci, de Brazza, de Galilei, di Beccaria
Torchy - An entertainer who performs tricks with fire (1 point)- Juggler - A juggling performer (1 point)
- Vendor Cart - A store on wheels hawking goods of all kinds (1 point)
- Home City Chatter - Enable this to show comments made by citizens strolling through this city (1 point)
- Custom House (original) - The original version of the Custom House (Default)
- Custom House (green) - The green version of the Custom House (1 point)
- Custom House (blue) - The blue version of the Custom House (1 point)
- Custom house stalls - Red and green stalls set up around the Custom House (1 point)
- Crates - These crates might be ready for Shipment to the New World (1 point)
- Gondolas - Gondolas cruising around the river banks (1 point)
- Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
- Day Lighting - The city during the day (Default)
- Night Lighting - The city at night (1 point)
- Foggy Night Lighting - The City on a foggy night (1 point)
- Stormy Night Lighting - The city on a stormy night (1 point)
- Palazzo party (formal) - Citizens of Italy gather at Palazzo Ducale before the party (1 point)
- Palazzo party (celebration) - Citizens of Italy celebrating at Palazzo Ducale (1 point)
- Basic Street Lamps - Simple technology to make streets just a little safer at night (1 point)
- Palazzo Ducale (original) - The original version of the Palazzo Ducale (Default)
- Palazzo Ducale (Italy) - The Italian themed version of the Palazzo Ducale (1 point)
- Palazzo Ducale (blue and gold) - The blue and gold version of the Palazzo Ducale (1 point)
- Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
- Musician - A strolling entertainer (1 point)
- The Reverend - A street preacher sharing the good news (1 point)
- Basilica (original) - The original version of the Basilica (Default)
- Basilica (red) - The red brick version of the Basilica (1 point)
- Basilica (gold) - The golden tiled version of the Basilica (1 point)
- Basilica Mooring - Mooring posts installed in front of the Basilica (1 point)
- Italian Flag - Display Italian flags on this building (Default)
- Venetian Flag - Display Venetian flags on this building (1 point)
- Italian Flag (pole) - Display Italian flags on the poles in front of this building (Default)
- Venetian Flag (pole) - Display Venetian flags on the poles in front of this building (1 point)
- Campanile (original) - The original version of the Campanile (Default)
- Campanile (Italy) - The Italian themed version of the Campanile (1 point)
- Campanile (blue) - The blue and golden version of the Campanile (1 point)
- Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
- The Artist - An artist who sets up his easel and paints (1 point)
- Thug - A brutish and unpleasant fellow (1 point)
- Rialto (original) - The original version of the Rialto (Default)
- Rialto (gold) - The gold version of the Rialto (1 point)
- Rialto (Italy) - The Italian themed version of the Rialto (1 point)
- Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
- Drunk - A sailor who has overindulged in adult beverages (1 point)
- Nice Lady - A woman in a red dress (1 point)
- Fisherman - A man who would rather be fishing (1 point)
- Harbor (original) - The original version of the Harbor (Default)
- Harbor (red) - The red version of the Harbor (1 point)
- Harbor (green) - The green version of the Harbor (1 point)
- Italian Flag - Display Italian flags on this building (Default)
- Venetian Flag - Display Venetian flags on this building (1 point)
- Harbor Mooring - Mooring posts installed in front of the Harbor (1 point)
- Boats - Trading and fishing boats docked by the waterfront harbor (1 point)
- Patriotic Bunting - The citizens show their national pride by decorating with patriotic banners (1 point)
Characteristics[]
Civilization bonuses[]
- Starts with 600 food, 200 wood, three Settlers, and one Architect
- Receives a free Settler with every technology and economic buildings can research them in any age, but Home City shipments require +7% XP to be earned
- Can send Basilica units to spawn at any military shipment point
- Choose Politicians to advance in Age
- Royal Guard units: Culverin (Spingarde), Mortar (Galilean Mortar)
Unique units[]
- Architect: Unique civilian who can build for free but very slowly. By paying a wood cost, building foundations in progress will have their construction more quickly and allow settlers to work on them.
- Pavisier: Unique crossbowman that can change its armor with different stances. In the Defend Mode and Hold Ground stances, The Pavisier gains dual armor, resisting both ranged and hand damage simultaneously.
- Bersagliere: Skirmisher trained to move fast. Sounds a bugle after defeating an enemy to stun foes and boost ally speed.
- Schiavone: Specialized Light Infantry that only counters other Light Infantry, but does so very effectively.
- Papal Guard: Papal hand infantry that protects nearby allies by absorbing some of the inflicted damage. Can hook enemies with his halberd to slow them down. Possesses a powerful charged attack using his halberd.
- Papal Lancer: Papal heavy cavalry that absorbs some of the damage inflicted to nearby allies. Counters Infantry. Has no negative damage multipliers against Heavy Infantry.
- Papal Zouave: Papal ranged infantry with high hit points that absorbs some of the damage inflicted to nearby allies. Deals high damage but possesses no damage multipliers. Countered by Artillery.
- Papal Bombard: Papal Artillery that absorbs some of the damage inflicted to nearby allies. Good against Infantry.
- Galleass: Slow, powerful ship resistant to building fire that can train units.
Unique buildings[]
- Basilica: Ships powerful Papal allies and boosts nearby building construction speed.
- Lombard: Trains Outlaws and Mercenaries, but is also host to a unique investment mechanic, allowing the conversion of resources for free, but over time.
Politicians[]
- The Governor, The Inventor, The Logistician, The Philosopher Prince, The Medici (Commerce Age)
- The Adventurer, The Bishop, The Gentleman Pirate, The Marksman, The Mercenary Contractor (Fortress Age)
- The Cavalry Marshal, The Engineer, The Logistician, The Papal Guard, The Pope (Industrial Age)
- El Presidente, The General, The Inventor, The Mercenary Contractor, The Royalist (Imperial Age)
Revolutions[]
Overview[]
The Italians have a strong economy and strength at booming in mid-games, similar to the British. They get a free Settler for every technology researched, and Architects can construct a building without cost. The Lombard can exchange resources for another resource in shortage. It gives an opportunity for them to use resources flexibly.
The Italians do not have access to Skirmishers, so when they need to counter enemy heavy infantry and light cavalry, they should rely on Pavisiers in the early Ages and switch to the Bersaglieri after the Industrial Age.
They can receive Papal units and counter-skirmisher units - Schiavoni - but they delay the shipments whenever they are being produced, so they should be sent in thoughtfully.
In-game dialogue[]
- Main article: Italians' dialogue lines
Almost all Italian units speak their namesake language, except for the Papal Guard and the Schiavone, who speak Zürich German and Croatian, respectively. Architects speak Middle Age Italian.
Economic[]
- Architect
- Sì? - Yes?
- Avete del tempo? - Have you got time?
- Qual è l'edificio? - What's the building?
- Lo costruiremo qui? - Are we going to build it here?
- Sì. - Yes
- Ne siete sicuro? - Are you sure?
- Gli italiani, migliore il fanno - Italians do it better
- Non mi si faccia fretta, codesta è arte! - Do not rush me, this is art!
- Presto fia concluso - It will be ready soon.
- Parlate per celia? - Are you kidding?
- Villager
- Ossequi - At your service
- Prego - Here you go
- Buondì - Good morning
- Come state? - How are you?
- Cacciatore - Hunter
- Tagliaboschi - Lumberjack
- Minatore - Miner
- Capomastro - Builder
- Cercatore - Finder
- Pescatore - Fisher
- Contadino - Farmer
- All'assalto! - Attack!
- Alle armi! - To arms!
- In bocca lupo - Good luck
Explorer[]
- Ove mi reco? - Where should I go?
- Ottimo - Good
- Ben comprendo - I understand
- Va bene - All right
- All'assalto! - To assault!
- Per la patria! - For the homeland!
- Sì! - Yes!
- Sono ferito. Non posso muovermi - I am wounded. I cannot move.
- Ora sto meglio - I'm feeling better
Infantry[]
- Pavisier
- Desti - Ready
- Comandi - Orders
- Non si lesto - Not so fast
- Un istante, di grazia - Give me a moment, please
- Malnato scudo - Damned shield
- Alla pugna! - To battle!
- All'assalto! - To assault!
- Sì! - Yes
- Musketeer/Bersagliere
- Sire - Sir?
- Pronti! - Ready
- Il farò - I'll do it
- Presto lo farò - I'll do it soon
- Alla marcia - Marching
- Alla pugna! - To battle!
- All'assalto! - To assault!
- Sì! - Yes
- Fuoco! - Fire!
- Pikeman
- Mio sire - My lord?
- Comandi? - Orders?
- Desti - Ready
- Pronti! - Ready
- Il farò - I'll do it
- Presto lo farò - I'll do it soon
- Alla marcia - Marching
- Alla pugna! - To battle!
- All'assalto! - To assault!
- Sì! - Yes
- Alle armi - To arms!
Cavalry[]
- Hussar
- Ove attaccheremo? - Where shall we attack?
- Comandi? - Orders?
- Pronto! - Ready!
- Galoppa - Gallop
- Subitamente - At last
- Endien - Let's go
- All'assalto - To assault!
- Alla carica - Charge!
- Alla pugna - To battle!
- Dragoon
- Mio sire - My lord
- Comandi? - Commands?
- Incedere! - Move!
- Più ratto - Faster
- Alla pugna! - To battle
- Per la patria! - For the homeland!
- Rincalzateli - Follow them!
Others[]
- Priest
- Ossequi - At your service
- Ove mi reco? - Where should I go?
- Buondì - Good morning
- E sia - As you wish
- In nomine Patris - In the name of the Father (Latin)
- Amen
- Ad ogni morte di Papa - Once in a blue moon (literally, "everytime a Pope dies")
- Iddio - God
- Valedie - Good bye (Latin)
- Spy
- Sì? - Yes?
- Chi è il mio obiettivo? - Who's my target?
- A chi perire è d'uopo? - Who needs to die?
- Ben inteso - Understood
- Subitamente - At last
- Sono invisibile - I am invisible
- All'assalto - To assault
- Assassino - Assassin
- Il cagnaccio perisce - That dog shall perish
Siege units[]
- Artillery
- Sire? - Sir?
- Pronti a far fuoco! - Ready to fire!
- Quali sono i miei obiettivi? - What are my targets?
- Il farò! - I'll do it!
- Presto lo farò!
- Sì! - Yes!
- Fuoco alle polveri - Fire in the hole!
- Fuoco! - Fire
- All'assalto!
- Mortar
- Orsù, favella! - Come on, speak!
- Mio sire? - My lord?
- Qualcosa distrugger si deve! - We need to destry something!
- Su con i mortari! - Up with the mortars!
- Moviam codesto basto - Let's move this load
- Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! (Laughing)
- Papal bombard
- Dai mostra delli cannoni ai nemici - Show the enemy our cannons
- Quali sono i miei obiettivi? - What are my targets?
- Fuoco alle polveri - Fire in the hole!
- Sì! - Yes!
- All'assalto!
History[]
| “ | As the early modern period dawned, the Italian peninsula was divided between a plethora of small states: merchant republics, kingdoms, duchies, and even the Papacy. These entities, most of which were fabulously wealthy, had driven the Renaissance and dominated the trade networks of the Mediterranean. Such high stakes invited conflict, however, and when the Italian polities were not engaged in conflicts abroad, they fought each other nearly incessantly. For a long time, trade networks between Europe and the lands to the east had flourished, but this changed during the 15th century when the expanding Ottoman Empire vanquished the declining Byzantine Empire and incorporated its lands. Intense rivalry between the Ottomans and European states led to the closure of the traditional trade routes east, and so the latter sought other ways to reach the trading hubs of Asia. While the Italian states spearheaded very few of these efforts, many of their people joined the exploration efforts that sailed in all directions, charting routes around Africa and also reaching the Americas. While many other European states settled these lands, the Italian states seldom did so, being preoccupied with Mediterranean trade and rivalries with the Ottomans and with each other. Further, as the settlement of other continents proved a lucrative business, competition was high, and the small Italian states did not have the power to compete with their larger neighbors in Europe. Although they played a pivotal role in early modern events in their sphere of influence, most notably the Wars of the Holy League against the Ottoman Empire (16th-17th centuries) and the Thirty Years' War (17th century), their decline progressed swiftly. By the time that the Napoleonic Wars began at the turn of the 19th century, their splendor was past, and they were easily conquered by the French Empire. Adversity drove ambition, however, and after the collapse of the French Empire in 1815, many residents of the Italian states saw the need for unity – a process that would consume the following six decades. Through war and diplomacy, these regions coalesced into one nation-state – largely thanks to the leadership of the so-called Four Fathers of the Fatherland: Victor Emmanuel, Camillo Benso, Giuseppe Mazzini, and most famously, Giuseppe Garibaldi. In 1871, the unification process – or Risorgimento – ended when the new Kingdom of Italy annexed the Papal States and proclaimed Rome its new capital. | ” |
Trivia[]
- The Italians were planned as a civilization in the original Age of Empires III in 2005, but were ultimately scrapped. However, two unique units for them were retained: the Elmetto as a mercenary unit and the Hoop Thrower as a campaign-only unit for the Knights of St. John.
- Although Italy had no colonies in the New World and only had explorers of Italian origin, the King of Tuscany Ferdinand I sent in 1608 an unsuccessful colonial expedition to what is now French Guiana (this would be colonized by the French only in 1630). The expedition was the only attempt by an Italian state to colonise the Americas.
- Although at first glance it may seem anachronistic, the Italian flag was based on the French revolutionary flag, beginning to be used by Italians from 1796 as a symbol of national unity until its definitive unification in 1861.
- The theme of the Italians is the Italian anthem Il Canto degli Italiani, composed in 1847 and used unofficially as the anthem of Italy since 1947.
Gallery[]
Official preview of the Italians
Venice, the Home City of the Italians
Italians concept art by Craig Mullins made for the original release of Age of Empires III, before the civilization was cut from the game
Sources[]
See also[]
- Italians (Age of Empires II) - The counterpart civilization in Age of Empires II: HD Edition
