The Knights of St. John or the Order of St. John was a European religious organization that fought during the Crusades and controlled Malta and parts of Italy. They are featured as a campaign-exclusive civilization in Age of Empires III.
Overview[]
This campaign-exclusive civilization is limited to the Fortress Age and is generally unable to access gunpowder units - most notably, they are entirely reliant on Home city Shipments for Falconets. There as some exceptions - notably, they have access to the Mortar in the Fortress Age and often begin with Highlanders as starting units.
They share two unique units with the Spanish and share the Mediterranean architectural style for many of their buildings. Moreover, their Home City was originally based on the Spanish Home City, although after the release of Knights of the Mediterranean, their Home City now reuses the Maltese Home City (albeit with different buildings).
In Act I: Blood, Morgan Black and the Knights fought forces of the Ottoman Empire, the Spanish, and later the Circle of Ossus over the The Fountain of Youth, a legendary waterfall said to bestow eternal life.
Features[]
The Knights of St. John do not have civilization-specific features, although they may train the Mortar in the Fortress Age, and the Heavy Fortifications card is available for them in the Fortress Age, granting them Fortified Outposts sooner than any other civilization.
Almost all of their units speak a variant of Middle English, using the same dialogue files as the British, except for the Rodelero and Lancer, who speak Castilian Spanish.
Unique units[]
Rodelero: Fast-moving sword and buckler infantry.- Hoop Thrower: Knights of Malta that throw flaming hoops at Janissaries.
- Lancer: Heavy cavalry armed with a lance for killing infantry.
Heroes and special units[]
During the campaign many of the heroes have special units and ships that accompany them on their adventure, they generally can't be replaced if lost.
- Alain Magnan
- Morgan Black
- Morgan's Flagship – A strong flag ship for Morgan that cannot be trained.
- Highlander – A Mercenary Musketeer that Morgan seems to have as a personal bodyguard. They cannot be retrained.
- Elisabet Ramsey (later on)
- Lizzie's Flagship – A strong flag ship for Lizzie that cannot be trained. It can train additional pirates.
- Lizzie's Buccaneers – Lizzie's pirates (trainable).
- Fire Ships – Special suicide units, trainable in The Fountain of Youth? and available via Home City.
- Sahin The Falcon (later on)
- Janissary – not trainable.
Native allies[]
- Maya (The Ottoman Fort)
- Carib (The Ottoman Fort)
- Aztec (The Ottoman Fort, Temples of the Aztec)
- Seminole (A Pirate's Help, Spanish Treasure Fleet, The Fountain of Youth)
- Inca (Freed prisoners, during Spanish Treasure Fleet)
Trivia[]
- The Knights of St. John are minor opponents in the Saladin campaign in Age of Empires II in the The Horns of Hattin and The Siege of Jerusalem scenarios. There, they were known as the Knights Hospitallers, and were represented by the Teuton civilization. They also make an appearance in the Barbarossa's March scenario in the Barbarossa campaign. In Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, they appear again as enemies in the A Titan Amongst Mortals scenario of the Tamerlane campaign.
- The flag used by the Knights in the game is based on the flag used by the Knights Hospitaller during the crusades. During the game's timeframe, they used a white cross on a red background, both on their flags and uniforms. This was corrected with the addition of the Maltese as a playable civilization.
- The Definitive Edition expansion Knights of the Mediterranean introduces the Maltese as a playable civilization with the same base. Their Home City is Malta's real life capital Valletta, instead of all of Malta.
