Minor civilization

A Native American minor civilization's settlement as it appears in the game (Cheyenne).

An Asian minor civilization's settlement (Sufi Mosque).

An African minor civilization's settlement (Akan).

Minor civilizations (also referred to as minor tribes, Natives, or Native allies) feature throughout the campaign scenarios and random maps of Age of Empires III. All playable civilizations can ally with a minor civilization by constructing Trading Posts at settlement sites. Each minor civilization typically offers three technologies to research and access to at least one unique military unit; trained in limited amounts with two unit upgrades.

Players retain access to the minor civilization's technologies and units for as long as the Trading Post is not destroyed. After the release of Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals, there are a total of 28 minor civilizations in normal game and three more exclusive to the campaigns.

Units

Native units always cost a certain amount of wood, food, and/or coin, but never population. Instead, native units have a build limit which players can increase by allying with further settlements of the same minor civilization.

From The WarChiefs, players can build Native Embassies to train allied minor civilization units at locations beyond the Trading Post site.

Upgrades

All native units' hit points and damage can be upgraded first in Fortress Age by +25% for 200 wood and 150 coin and a second time by +40% in Industrial Age for 400 wood and 300 coin. The native unit upgrades from Age of Empires III and The WarChiefs are called Elite and Champion while in The Asian Dynasties they are called Disciplined and Honored. In the Imperial Age, players can improve hit points and damage again by researching Legendary Native Warriors in the Capitol for 1,500 food and 1,500 wood.

A wide array of Home City cards can boost native units.

Native mercenaries

Most civilizations can send native allies from their Home City, which are technically mercenary shipments as they cost Coin. Furthermore, native units sent from Home City have their own build limit, an additional mercenary tag and they are treated by the game as different units. Because of that the visually identical native mercenaries and native units will not simultaneously select when double-clicking one of them. Military unit upgrades in the native settlement still affect both, native mercenaries and native units.

Ships

Certain ships can be trained from the Dock if the player builds a Trading Post on a minor civilization settlement, which vary depending on the minor civilization allied with:

• Building a Trading Post on a Native American settlement grants the ability to train Canoes;
• Building a Trading Post on a Holy Site settlement on Borneo, Ceylon, Deccan, Fertile Crescent, Indochina, Indonesia and Malaysia maps grants the ability to train Marathan Catamarans;
• Building a Trading Post on a Holy Site settlement on Hokkaido, Honshu, Korea, Manchuria, Parallel Rivers, Regicide and Yellow River maps grants the ability to train Wokou Junks;
• Building a Trading Post on a native African settlement grants the ability to train Privateers;

On Horn and Swahili Coast maps, Bandit Catamarans can be trained from the Dock by default.

List

While Age of Empires III and The WarChiefs feature Native American settlements, the paradigma changes in The Asian Dynasties to religious communities or Holy Sites (as developer Big Huge Games labels them in the game manual), and later, in Knights of the Mediterranean to European royal houses.

Age of Empires III

Age of Empires III included the following twelve Native American settlements:

Tribe	Units	Technologies	Maps
Aztecs (replaced by Zapotecs)	Aztec Eagle Warrior Aztec Jaguar Warrior	Aztec Initiation Aztec Chocolate Recipes Aztec Chinampa Aztec Garland Wars	Sonora Yucatan
Carib	Carib Blowgunner Carib Ambusher*	Carib Kasiri Beer Carib Garifuna Drums Carib Ambush Party Carib Ceremonial Feast	Amazonia Caribbean Florida Hispaniola Orinoco
Cherokee	Cherokee Rifleman Settler*	Cherokee War Dance Sequoyah's Cherokee Syllabary Cherokee Basket Weaving	Bayou Carolina New England Ozarks
Comanche	Comanche Horse Archer	Comanche Trade Language Comanche Horse Breeding Comanche Mustangs	Colorado Dakota Great Plains Ozarks Rockies Texas
Cree	Cree Tracker Cree Coureur des Bois	Cree Tanning Cree Kinship Cree Textile Craftsmanship	Dakota Great Lakes Saguenay Yukon
Haudenosaunee (replaced by Huron)	Haudenosaunee Tomahawk Haudenosaunee Mantlet	Haudenosaunee Lacrosse Haudenosaunee League Haudenosaunee Morning Wars	Great Lakes New England
Lakota (replaced by Cheyenne)	Lakota Axe Rider Lakota Dog Soldier	Lakota Hunting Grounds Lakota Horse Trading Lakota Dog Soldiers	Great Lakes Great Plains Rockies
Maya	Maya Holcan Spearman Medicine Man	Maya Cotton Armor Maya Calendar	Mexico Orinoco Sonora Yucatan
Nootka	Nootka Clubman Nootka War Chief*	Nootka Bark Clothing Nootka Potlatch Loyal Nootka War Chief	Alaska California Cascade Range Northwest Territory Yukon
Quechua	Quechua Huaminca Quechua Bolas Warrior	Quechuan Metalworking Quechuan Diet Quechuan Mountaineering	Amazonia Andes Andes - Upper Araucania Gran Chaco Pampas Pampas Sierras
Seminole	Seminole Sharktooth Bowman	Seminole Guerilla Wars Seminole Bowyer	Bayou Carolina Florida
Tupi	Tupi Blackwood Archer Buttercup the Pet Cougar	Tupi Poison Arrow Frogs Tupi Forest Burning Tupi Animal Lore	Amazonia Gran Chaco Minas Gerais Orinoco Pampas Pampas Sierras

The WarChiefs

With the introduction of the Aztecs, Haudenosaunee, and Lakota as major civilizations, The WarChiefs removes the Aztecs, Haudenosaunee, and Lakota minor civilizations which are now only present in the campaign:

Tribe	Units	Technologies	Maps
Apache	Apache Cavalry	Apache Cactus Use Apache Endurance Apache Raiders	Mexico Painted Desert Sonora Texas
Cheyenne (replaces Lakota)	Cheyenne Rider	Cheyenne Hunting Grounds Cheyenne Horse Trading Cheyenne Fury	Great Lakes Great Plains Ozarks Rockies
Huron (replaces Haudenosaunee)	Huron Mantlet	Huron Sun Ceremony Huron Trade Dominance Huron Fish Wedding	Great Lakes New England Plymouth Saguenay
Klamath	Klamath Rifleman	Klamath Work Ethos Klamath Huckleberry Feast Klamath Strategy	California Cascade Range Northwest Territory
Mapuche	Mapuche Ironwood Clubman Mapuche Bolas Rider (Definitive Edition)	Mapuche Ad-mapu Mapuche Tactics Mapuche Treaty of Quillin	Andes Andes - Upper Araucania Pampas Pampas Sierras
Navajo	Navajo Rifleman	Navajo Weaving Navajo Shepherds Navajo Craftsmanship	Baja California Mexico Painted Desert Sonora
Zapotec (replaces Aztecs)	Zapotec Lightning Warrior	Zapotec Cloud People Zapotec Cult of the Dead Zapotec Food of the Gods	Amazonia Andes Mexico Orinoco Yucatan

The Asian Dynasties

The minor civilizations in The Asian Dynasties differ from those in Age of Empires III and The WarChiefs in that they represent religious movements instead of ethnic groups.

The minor civilizations are:

Tribe	Units	Technologies	Maps
Bhakti Temple	Tiger Claw	Yoga Reinforced Gauntlets Vegetarianism	Bengal Ceylon Deccan Himalayas Himalayas Upper Silk Road
Jesuit Mission	Conquistador	Flying Buttress Smokeless Powder Christian Schools	Atlas Bahia Borneo Highlands Honshu Indochina Indonesia Ivory Coast Korea Minas Gerais Malaysia Pepper Coast Swahili Coast
Shaolin Temple	Rattan Shield	Clenched Fist Wood Clearing Dim Mak	Central Plain Manchuria Mongolia Silk Road Yellow River
Sufi Mosque	War Elephant	Pilgrimage Fasting Sharia	Borneo Darfur Deccan Fertile Crescent Horn Indochina Indonesia Malaysia Mongolia Nile Valley Silk Road Siwa Oasis Swahili Coast
Udasi Temple	Chakram	Sikh Gurus Punjabi New Year Army of the Pure	Deccan Himalayas Himalayas Upper Silk Road Punjab
Zen Temple	Sohei Naginata	Meditation Master Lessons Meritocracy	Ceylon Hokkaido Honshu Manchuria Parallel Rivers Silk Road Yellow River

Definitive Edition

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition introduces a single new American minor civilization, the Lenape, which is only available in the Battle of Queenston Heights scenario and the Unknown map.

Tribe	Units	Technologies	Maps
Lenape	Lenape Warrior	Lenape Ceremony Lenape Clans Lenape Three Sisters	Unknown

The African Royals

The minor civilizations introduced in The African Royals offer the largest number of native units and technologies.

Tribe	Units	Technologies	Maps
Akan	Akan Ankobia Akan Tufohen*	Akan Asafo Akan Fontomfrom Akan Gold Economy Akan Cocoa Beans Akan Palm Oil Exports	Gold Coast Ivory Coast Niger Delta Niger River Pepper Coast Savanna
Berbers	Berber Camel Rider Berber Nomad Berber Salt Camel Berber Sultan*	Berber Fantasia Berber Kings of the Desert Berber Dynasties Berber Salt Caravans Berber Ghorfas	Atlas Darfur Dunes Lake Chad Nile Valley Pepper Coast Siwa Oasis Tassili Tripolitania
Somalis	Somali Issa Warrior Somali Darood Militia Askari*	Somali Coinage Somali Jile Daggers Somali Ajuran Engineers Somali Local Forces Somali Berbera Seaport Somali Oryx Hide Shields Somali Lighthouses	Great Rift Highlands Horn Sudd Swahili Coast
Sudanese	Sudanese Dervish Askari* Sennar Horseman*	Sudanese Hakura System Sudanese Red Sea Trade Sudanese Quilted Armor Sudanese Local Forces	Darfur Highlands Lake Chad Nile Valley Sahel Siwa Oasis Sudd
Yoruba	Yoruba Oyo Legionary Yoruba Eso Rider	Yoruba Ida Swords Yoruba Twins Yoruba Herbalism Yoruba Wrestling Yoruba Eredo Legacy	Gold Coast Lake Chad Niger Delta Niger River Savanna

Knights of the Mediterranean

Instead of ethnic groups or religious movements, the minor civilizations introduced in Knights of the Mediterranean represents various royal dynasties in Europe.

Royal House	Units	Technologies	Ability	Maps
House of Bourbon	Royal Musketeer Royal Dragoon Royal Horseman*	Bourbon Reforms Royal Tax Chouannerie Maison du Roi	Royal March	Alps Black Forest Corsica and Sardinia France Italy Low Countries Pyrenees Spain
House of Wittelsbach	Mountain Troopers Chevaleuger	Oktoberfest Ducal Berg Lancers Philhellenism Schützenfest	Alpine Horns	Alps Archipelago Baltic Sea Black Forest Bohemia Italy Saxony Scandinavia
House of Oldenburg	Royal Hunstman Royal Hunter* Northern Muskeeters	League of Armed Neutrality Hunting Expeditions Kalthoff Repeaters Öresund Customs	Scientific Expeditions	Archipelago Baltic Sea Courland Danish Straits Dnieper Basin Eurasian Steppe Finland Lithuania Pripet Marshes Saxony Scandinavia
House of Hanover	Black Brunswicker Totenkorpf Hussar Drummer	Royal Scots Grey Royal Card Games Acts of Union Victorian Era	Royal Fireworks	Danish Straits England Ireland Low Countries Saxony Scotland
House of Phanar	Evzone Boyar Sacred Band Infantry**	Armatoloi Athos Monasteries Byzantine Legacy Greek Shipyards	Greek Revolution	Anatolia Archipelago Balkan Mountains Carpathians Corsica and Sardinia Dnieper Basin Italy Wallachia
House of Jagiellon	Lipka Tatar Shock Rider	Pancerni Jagiellonian Legacy Sarmatism Folwarks	Balance of Powers	Baltic Sea Bohemia Budapest Carpathians Courland Dnieper Basin Eurasian Steppe Hungarian Plains Lithuania Pripet Marshes Vistula Basin
House of Vasa	Royal Arquebusier Winged Hussar	Golden Liberty Tar Kilns Koncerz Hanseatic League	Order of Vasa	Archipelago Baltic Sea Courland Danish Straits Dnieper Basin Finland Lithuania Pripet Marshes Scandinavia Vistula Basin
House of Habsburg	Line Infantry Mounted Infantry Magyar Hussar** Hungarian Grenadier**	Congress of Vienna Crown Lands Multinationalism Austro-Hungarian Empire	Radetzky March	Alps Balkan Mountains Black Forest Bohemia Budapest Corsica and Sardinia Hungarian Plains Italy Low Countries Pyrenees Spain
House of Wettin	Trabant Saxon Cuirassier	Leipzig Trade Fair Königstein Marriage Politics Royal Saxon Grenadier	Golden Reiter	Baltic Sea Bohemia Carpathians Low Countries Saxony Vistula Basin Wallachia

* These units are only available after researching technologies that ship or allow them to be trained by Trading Posts or Heroes

** Spawned via a Royal House ability

Trivia

• Near native villages, chattering can be heard. Small dialogues are hidden in the chatter, such as: Man: "The bounty is plentiful" and Little Girl: "Can I go?" Woman: "Let's go darling" Little Girl: "I don't think I can make it mommy" can be heard.
• Some random maps lack minor civilizations completely, like Patagonia and Siberia.
• The most diverse random map is Silk Road with five possible minor civilizations. If excluded as a variant of three other maps (Himalayas, Mongolia, and Yellow River) due to its changing environment, the title is shared by Amazonia, Orinoco, and Mexico, with four minor civilizations each.
• Deccan is the only Asian map besides Silk Road with more than two minor civilizations.
• Excluding the Lenape and the minor civilizations replaced in The WarChiefs, the most exclusive minor civilizations are the Seminole and the Klamath, which are found in three maps each.
  • The most exclusive Asian minor civilization is the Udasi Temple, found in five maps (two of which, Silk Road and Himalayas - Upper, are variants of other maps).
  • The most exclusive African minor civilizations are the Yoruba and Somalis, also present in five maps.
• The most common minor civilizations are the Sufi Mosque and the Jesuit Mission, each appearing in thirteen maps. They are also the only minor civilizations found in more than one continent (the Jesuits being present in all three), and the only introduced in The Asian Dynasties that are not identified as "temples".
  • The most common minor civilization that is exclusive to Africa is the Berbers, appearing in nine maps.
  • The most common that is exclusive to Asia is the Zen Temple, appearing in seven maps.
  • The most common that is exclusive to America is the Quechua, also appearing in seven maps.