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This article describes user-generated, unofficial content.
* The content described on this page has not been implemented in a retail version of any game of the Age of Empires series and is therefore currently unavailable on officially released games. |
The Napoleonic Era (also known as NE) is a non-commercial and fan-based modification for Ensemble Studios' RTS game, Age of Empires III. The mod expands the game with new gameplay elements, units, buildings, maps, sounds, music, civilizations, and a better AI.[1]
The mod is focused on the events revolving around the Napoleonic Wars in Europe and all around the globe. The Napoleonic Wars were chosen as the mod's theme because they were regarded as the most influential military events during the time period of Age of Empires III, which did not cover Europe, Africa, and Western Asia as historical spheres of interest.[2]
Currently the mod's webpage is down, and the former Project Leaders work now with Forgotten Empires, making a new release of the mod very unlikely. A lot of features and ideas has been implemented in the Definitive Edition and subsequent expansions.
Features[]
Napoleonic Era features new gameplay elements, returning a few well-missed elements from Age of Empires II, like removing the limit of builders working on one building, improving the arsenal and new abilities for Explorers. In addition to the 14 regular civilizations already offered by Age of Empires III and its two official expansion packs (The WarChiefs and The Asian Dynasties), the Napoleonic Era presents the players with an additional set of new playable civilizations that hold their own unique units, technologies, buildings, home cities and tactical abilities.
To fit the new theme of the wars occurring in Europe, Napoleonic Era includes many new random maps, e.g. from Europe, America, Northern Africa, Western Asia, and even other places around the world, many of them consist completely new native allies like Bavarians, Finns, or Greeks.
Civilizations[]

Swiss Guards from the Swiss civilization
Napoleonic Era adds the Americans, Austrians, Italians, Polish, Prussians, Swedish Swiss, while also redesigning the existing French and Germans. Other civilizations gain some new unique units and cards.
Sandy Petersen from Ensemble Studios once admitted that the Swedish and the Italians were planned to be civilizations in the original game, as the Elmeti and Fusilier mercenaries show.[3] However, other civilizations like the Swedish and Italian civilizations in Napoleonic Era are creations of the Napoleonic Era Core Team. Former releases also contained unfinished but playable Persian and Inca bonus civilizations. The Inca were dropped, while the Danish civilization was announced[4] but never featured in any update.
United States[]
- Civilization: United States several types of gatherers available to them, each with different strengths and weaknesses. They do not start with an Explorer, but need to use their Frontiersmen to gather treasures who can be used as skirmishers. American Politicians grant additional bonuses for aging up, beyond granting shipments of units or resources. At each age, the player also gains an additional Frontiersman. Covered Wagons can also turn into mills or plantations. They can recruit Continental Marines from the Dock and Town Center to protect the country and attack the enemy. Instead of mercenaries, Americans can ship auxiliary troops and immigrants from European countries.
- Unique units: Frontiersman, Miner, Slave, Lookout, Ranch, Marine, Mounted Rifleman
- Buildings Consulate, Lookout, Ranch
- Royal Guard units: Mounted Rifleman, Skirmisher
- Personality: George Washington
Austrians[]
- Civilization: The Austrians have special technologies and bonuses that make them a powerful civilization The Austrians age up with Food and wood instead of food and coin, and instead of only food for age 1, it costs food and wood. Austrian settlers are much cheaper than those of other civilizations and get even cheaper by every age. They have special unique fortified buildings for defense. Their politician system provides a similar array of options at each age-up: either resources, settlers, Mercenaries, or defensive buildings. The Homecity contains powerful cards for improving their native allies and mercenaries. Buildings repair themselves automatically and immigrants from European countries.
- Unique units: Grenzer, Line Infantry
- Buildings Watchtower, Keep
- Royal Guard units: Grenzer, Hussar
- Personality: Maria Theresa
French[]
- Civilization: The French start with 7 Sansculottes (renamed Coureurs) , allowing them a powerful start. French units train faster than those of other civilizations. This bonus improves as they advance in age. French Infantry is trained in Academies, barracks that can heal and garrison infantry and settlers. Another bonus is the access to a number of elite units that can only be accessed in limited numbers, including a wider array of University units than any other civilization. The French have technologies which upgrade their elite units and which allows them to create an early blockade (at the expense of their own team's ability to acquire new upgrades).
- Unique units: Chasseur, Grognard, Sansculotte, Red Lancer
- Unique Buildings Academy
- Royal Guard units: Musketeer, Cuirassier
- Personality: Napoleon Bonaparte
Germans[]
- Civilization: The Germans keep their Settler Wagons, but instead of Uhlans they get extra Doppelsoldners with each shipment while Mercenary shipments ship extra mercenaries. The Germans have access to the Reichstag, which is a unique German version of the University, that offers banner armies containing units that can usually not be built by Germans such as Musketeers and Dragoons. It also grants them access to the Garde du Corps, a heavy elite cavalryman with a devastating melee attack to break infantry formations.
- Unique units: Settler Wagon, Doppelsoldner, Reichstag, Garde du Corps, Royal Guards
- Royal Guard units: Hussars, Hand Cannoneer, Skirmisher
- Personality: Augustus the Strong
Italy[]
- Civilization: The Italians have access to more technologies than other civilizations. Their economic upgrades and market exchange are slightly better than they are for other civilizations. They also have stronger buildings; most of their buildings are constructed by their architect heroes. Italy starts with resources already in their inventory. They also gain their first shipment earlier than other civilizations. Another bonus is the large bandwidth of politicians which allows them to age up more cheaply to the Colonial, Fortress, and Industrial age, however, they do not provide any other bonuses. The Italians can also make a huge basilica, which can make Church units and Nuncios, (unique Italian priest that boosts nearby units stats and, with a Basilica upgrade, can get an attack that kills most units) Gives a trickle of coin and other resources, and serves as a University.
- Unique units: Merchant, Architect, Inquisitor, Nuncio, Condottieri, Utili
- Royal Guard units: Crossbowman, Utili
- Unique Buildings: Basilica, Patron Saint, Equestrian Statue
- Personality: Cesare Borgia
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth[]
- Civilization bonus: The Commonwealth starts with an outpost wagon, allowing them to establish early map control. All Polish units and buildings have extra Line of Sight. Buildings are cheaper, but weaker than those of other civilizations. Their Mill and Plantations are especially cheap, though they have a lower gatherer limit than typical. The Polish use Farms rather than Mills and Livestock Pens, and they gather faster from their Farms early on. Their Farms and Plantations also provide housing space. The Polish cannot hunt without using a card to enable Settlers to do so. They can construct Stables in the Discovery Age, allowing them to muster Cavalry earlier in Colonial than most civilizations. Can send Kozaks, including Kozak Cavalry Archers and Kozak Lancers.
- Unique units: Szlachcic, Lisowczyk, Tabor, Pancerni, Partyzant
- Royal Guard units: Hussar, Pancerni
- Unique Buildings: Farm
- Personality: Jan So
Sweden[]
- Civilization: The Swedish military unit line upgrades are much cheaper than those of other civilizations, also most Swedish units can be upgraded to Royal Guard status. Swedish settlers are more expensive, limited to an amount of 50 and train slowly. Sweden gains all woodcutting upgrades for free as they age up. In addition, Sweden gains the Hunting Dogs and Placer Mines upgrades for free. The Swedish Explorer can create copper and gold mines in exchange for food. The Swedish have the ability to train Hackapells and Fusiliers on any map with a special card. The bronze cannon is a fire arrow resembling cannon that can fire at a fast speed or switch into a mode with an even faster speed sacrificing damage per cannonball.
- Unique units: Drabant, Leather Cannon
- Royal Guard units: Musketeer, Skirmisher, Fusilier, Drabant, Dragoon, Grenadier, Pikeman
- Unique Buildings: Torp
- Personality: Charles XII
Swiss Confederacy[]
- Civilization: The Swiss are a mobile army civilization. They require few and inexpensive buildings (barracks costs gold and can moved by turning it into a wagon via the tent), and have few gatherers.Their gatherers can also be used as skirmishers and can use stealth while still being able to gather. They have mobile supply wagons which produce a constant stream of resources, are able to supply the Swiss army with crates of additional resources, provide economic and church upgrades, train surgeons and can act as a mobile dropoff point for shipments. The Swiss have early access to Halberdiers, but late access to Musketeers. They have access to an additional Arsenal-style upgrade for their Halberdier-type units. They have Royal Guard Level Crossbowman with a tent improvement but they do not have imperial level hussars.
- Unique units: Supply Wagon, Forager, Reislaufer, Swiss Guard
- Royal Guard units: Reislaufer, Swiss Guard
- Unique Buildings: Tent, Bivouac
- Personality: Henri Dufour
Random maps[]
In Napoleonic Era 2.1.7b are over 20 new random maps:
Natives[]
The mod covers new native civilizations from Europe, Asia and Africa:
Minor Civilization | Continents | Technologies address | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Bavarians | Europe |
Food, Gunpowder units range |
Gebirgsschuetze (Long-ranged Skirmisher) |
Barbary Pirates | Africa | Outlaws, Warships, Slaves | Qrsan (Skirmisher vs. Explorers, Natives, Settlers, Hand Infantry), Raqiq (Settler), Xebec (Galley) |
Egyptians | Africa/Asia | Farming, Unit training | Fallah (Rodelero) with spear |
Finns | Europe | Settlers, Fishing, Huntables, Hackapells | Jääkäri (Skirmisher with extra bonus vs. Treasure Guardians) |
Mongols | Asia | Gather rates, Cavalry | Mangudai (Cavalry Archer), Mongol Scout |
Maltese | Europe/Africa/Asia | Healing, Gather upgrade costs | Hoop Thrower, Maltese Knight |
Tuareg | Africa | Cavalry, Market | Tuareg (Lancer) |
Wurttembergers | Europe | Settler Wagons, Fortress Age | Horse Grenadier (Mounted Grenadier) |
Westphalians | Europe | Outposts, Food trickle | Brunswicker (Skirmisher) |
Hashashins |
Asia | Hashashin abilities | Hashashin (Ninja) |
Buildings[]
Napoleonic Era adds a couple of new shared and unique buildings.
University[]
All European civilizations in Napoleonic Era can build the University for 300 wood in Industrial Age, which grants access to powerful technologies and elite units, whose availability varies depending on civilization. These units all have in common that they usually have many hit points, inflict a lot of damage, cost no less than 3 pop and can only be obtained from single, expensive technologies. The elite units are:
- Sharpshooter (Slow-moving Skirmishers with high base damage and bonus vs. heavy infantry)
- Chevauxleger (Heavy Dragoon)
- Swashbuckler (Light Melee Infantry with quick ROF and Critical hit chance of 15%)
- Conscript (Weak Musketeer-Skirmisher hybrid with quick ROF that gets stronger by unit amount)
- Garde du Corps (Cuirassier; yet unique to Germans)
Universities also provide unique technologies to each civilization that can be compared to the unique technologies from Age of Empires II. Additionally the University offers that 2-4 out of over 70 ultimate technologies that are picked randomly each match. The technologies cost nothing, but their advantages are always coming in exchange for downsides such as notably decreasing hit points or raising costs.
For example, the Americans can give one of their unique settlers a huge hit points and attack bonus while the Swiss University can make their unique settlers use stealth and gather while being stealthy.
Italians and Germans are two civilizations that get unique versions of the University, which cost more resources, take longer to build, but are also more powerful.
Reichstag[]
The Reichstag is the German version of the university, that costs 450w and takes 60 seconds to build. It has all features of a University, but additionally offers 6 banner armies from historically relevant states from within the Holy Roman Empire containing some units that can usually not be built by Germans (i.e. Grenadiers or Dragoons). Among regular units there are also German themed natives and mercenaries featured in these armies such Hessian Jaegers, Landsknechte or Black Riders. This new system called Reichsarmee can be used to build large powerful armies or to just complement the regular German troops.[5]
Basilica[]
Italians can build the Basilica, that costs 500 wood and 500 coin and takes 240 seconds to build. The Basilica gives trickles to resources, gives many more unique upgrades and can spawn its unique church units for free.
Native Consulate[]
The United States can build a consulate using a frontiersman and ally with 3 Native American civilizations instead of European ones. These are the Sioux, Cherokee and Iroquois of which each features 2-3 different armies with native units and technologies. Contrary to the Asian Consulate an ally can only be picked 3-4 times. Thereafter the player will be stuck with the last ally. Re-allying with a people allows the same improvements to be researched again which can be useful when trying to obtain Dog Soldiers from the Sioux and Light Cannon from the Cherokee. The Iroquois focus more on siege weapons and anti cavalry, the Sioux focus on cavalry and the Cherokee are focused on ranged units
Keep[]
The Keep is a unique Austrian Fort that can be built by explorers and is weaker but also cheaper than the ordinary Fort. The build limit is increased by sending keep wagons from the home city. They are capable of training Austrian infantry, cavalry, Falconets and the Landsknecht, but will initially only train Landsknecht, Grenzers and Line Infantry unless an upgrade at the Keep is researched. Up to 4 Keeps can be present at one time.
Ranch[]
The Ranch can be built by the United States and is a mix of stable and livestock that can produce sheep.
Look-Out[]
The Look-Out is an American tower that is used for reconnaissance purposes only as it provides additional LOS and is built by the Frontiersman. They have a build limit of 3.
Statues[]
The Italians can build 2 different statues that possess a unique ability, which can either boost nearby units or slowly generate XP.
Units[]
Napoleonic Era adds new units of all types, including shared, mercenary and native units.
Mercenaries[]
Unit | Type |
---|---|
Hajduk | Skirmisher |
Pavise | Crossbowman |
[]
Unit | Type |
---|---|
Fusilier | Musketeer |
Hand Cannoneer | Skirmisher |
Inquisitor | Ninja |
Sapper | Grenadier |
Chevauxleger | Dragoon |
Conscript | Musketeer |
Sharpshooter | Skirmisher |
Swashbuckler | Infantry |
Fusiliers, Hand Cannoneers, Inquisitors and Sappers are the only new units that aren't trained from the University.
Unique units[]
The following unique units were added in Napoleonic Era:
Unit | Civilization | Type |
---|---|---|
Corvette | Americans | Warship |
Frontiersman | Americans | Villager |
Gatling Gun | Americans | Artillery |
Marine | Americans | Skirmisher |
Miner | Americans | Villager |
Mounted Rifleman | Americans | Cavalry |
Grenzer | Austrians | Skirmisher |
Line Infantry | Austrians | Musketeer |
Rifleman | British | Skirmisher |
Geus | Dutch | Infantry |
Chasseur | French | Skirmisher |
Grognard | French | Grenadier |
Red Lancer | French | Cavalry |
Sansculotte | French | Villager |
Garde du Corps | Germans | Cavalry |
Architect | Italians | Villager |
Condottiero | Italians | Cavalry |
Merchant | Italians | Villager |
Nuncio | Italians | Priest |
Utili | Italians | Cavalry |
Azap | Ottomans | Infantry |
Camelry | Persians | Cavalry |
Elephant Archer | Persians | Cavalry |
Emir | Persians | Cavalry |
Ghulam | Persians | Infantry |
Megaphant | Persians | Cavalry |
Peasant | Persians | Villager |
Qizilbash | Persians | Cavalry |
Qurchi | Persians | Infantry |
Tofangchi | Persians | Infantry |
Lisowczyk | Polish | Cavalry |
Pancerny | Polish | Cavalry |
Partyzant | Polish | Infantry/Cavalry |
Szlachcic | Polish | Cavalry |
Tabor | Polish | Cavalry |
Cartographer | Portuguese | Explorer |
Velas Brancas | Portuguese | Fishing Boat |
Death Head Hussar | Prussians | Cavalry |
Langer Kerl | Prussians | Grenadier |
Schutze | Prussians | Musketeer |
Teutonic Knight | Prussians | Infantry |
Poleaxeman | Russians | Infantry |
Aventuro | Spanish | Cavalry |
Drabant | Swedish | Cavalry |
Leather Cannon | Swedish | Artillery |
Follower | Swiss | Villager |
Reislaufer | Swiss | Infantry |
Swiss Guard | Swiss | Infantry |
AI[]
The artificial intelligence (AI) in Napoleonic is based on the fan-made Draugur AI, but has been optimized for the mod by the team's member Cliff Kang. The AI takes use of the added mod content and is generally harder to beat than in the original game. The Napoleonic Era AI was optimized for Hard difficulty and is known for:
- Utilizing all buildings and units that were not used before.
- Smaller chance for computer players to spam artillery units.
- Use of Church and University technologies. This sometimes results in much earlier armies in the beginning since many Church technologies send units that do not require population space.
- Taking better use of native settlements including its technologies.
Requirements[]
Napoleonic Era 2.1.7b has automatic installers available for Windows and Mac OS X.[6] To be installed successfully, it requires either a fully patched Age of Empires III plus the two expansions The WarChiefs and The Asian Dynasties or the Age of Empires III Complete Collection on Steam. The mod preserves the playability of the original game and the possibility to play in ESO2 without requiring uninstallation.[7]
Reception[]
Napoleonic Era, that was originally started as a German project, gained early popularity already with its first version 0.1 being featured at the most popular German games magazines GameStar[8] and PC Games.[9]
Napoleonic Era 2.01, released in July 2009, has been the most successful mod version so far in terms of downloads. Even though older uploads of the mod have mostly been removed from the net already, the success can still be seen at some remaining uploads such as on GameFront[10] or the German software site CHIP,[11] at which it is still ranked among the top 50 mod downloads of the week.[12]
The newest versions NE 2.1.7 and NE 2.1.7b have been downloaded around 3500 times 18 days after release on 15 November in 2014 on platforms such as ModDB,[13] Heavengames,[14] Sourceforge[15] and GameFront.[16] Napoleonic Era was voted to the Top 100 mods of 2014 during the Mod Of The Year (MOTY) Awards on ModDB.[17]
Unreleased content of 2.2[]
- Unreleased mercenaries:
- Desert Archer (Skirmishers)
- Irish Wild Geese (Musketeers)
- Cairo Janissary (Musketeers)
- Some units were planned to be replaced:
- Chevauxlager by Mounted Chasseur,
- Szlachcic by Hetman
- Sharpshooter by Rifleman
- Some Royal Guard units would have unique skins:
- Mörners Hussars (Sweden Hussars)
- British Scots Grey (British Hussars)
- Argentinian Blandengues (Garrochistas Lancers)
- Hungarian Grenadiers
- Humbaraciler (Ottoman Grenadiers)
- Dragão da Legião (Portuguese Dragoons)
- Cent-Suisses (Reislaufer)
- Berner Dragoner (Swiss Dragoons)
- Freiburg Hussar (Swiss Hussars)
- Redcoats (British Musketeers)
- Unreleased units:
- Prussian Gardisten
- Scottish Clansmen
- Arab Bedouin
- Miquelet
- C-Husaren
- Foot Drabants
- Demilancers
- Raqiq
- Infante de Marina
- Finnish Jääkäri
- Sayyaf
- Qrsan
- Kongens Friskytter
- Unreleased European and African/Asian Outlaws:
- Outlaw Landsknechts
- Outlaw Musketeers
- Marauders
- Caravan Raiders
- Bandit Archers
- Outlaw Janissaries
- Grenadiers would be changed as a Elite Muskeeter and would have been able to be improved with grenade rifles in the arsenal.
- Integration of the Ottoman Civ mod by PredatoR: new techs, HC cards and building textures it also features unit designs for Ottoman units like Azaps, Tüfekci, Bashi-bazouk, Nizam i-cedid or Deli.
Trivia[]
- Alexander Fleger "Kastor" and Peter Piepenburg "Tilannus", the original project leaders of the mod, would eventually become members of the Forgotten Empires development team.
- A lot of content of Napoleonic Era was implemented in the Definitive Edition, especially in the expansion Knights of the Mediterranean
- Swedes, Incas, Italians, and Americans appear as new civilizations in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/notes/age-of-empires-iii-napoleonic-era/napoleonic-era-217b-for-windows-mac/996212063725892
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/notes/age-of-empires-iii-napoleonic-era/napoleonic-era-217b-for-windows-mac/996212063725892
- ↑ http://forum.agecommunity.com/forums/post/496394.aspx
- ↑ http://www.ne.elpea.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1966
- ↑ http://www.ne.elpea.net/downloads/ne/ne217b_release_notes.pdf
- ↑ http://www.moddb.com/mods/napoleonic-era/downloads
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/notes/age-of-empires-iii-napoleonic-era/napoleonic-era-217b-for-windows-mac/996212063725892
- ↑ http://www.gamestar.de/spiele/age-of-empires-3/downloads/age_of_empires_3,33260,1458891.html
- ↑ http://www.pcgames.de/Age-of-Empires-3-PC-35161/Downloads/Mod-erweitert-Formationssystem-und-neues-Volk-443162/
- ↑ http://www.gamefront.com/files/21666835/napoleonic_era.mpkg.zip?cda6c1
- ↑ http://www.chip.de/downloads/Napoleonic-Era-fuer-Age-of-Empires-3_35202497.html
- ↑ http://www.chip.de/Downloads-Download-Charts-Top-100-der-Woche_32368489.html?xbl_category=59495
- ↑ http://www.moddb.com/mods/napoleonic-era/downloads/
- ↑ http://aoe3.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=3695
- ↑ https://sourceforge.net/projects/aoe3-ne/files/
- ↑ http://www.gamefront.com/files/files/24614520/ne217_setup.exe
- ↑ http://www.moddb.com/groups/2014-mod-of-the-year-awards/top100