Ottoman Allies

This article is about the consulate ally in Age of Empires III. For other uses, see Ottomans.

The Ottomans are a Consulate ally in Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties available only to the Indians. Like all Consulate allies, it requires 100 export to ally with them (25 export if the Diplomatic Intrigue Home City Card was sent). Doing so grants the player +7 Line of Sight to all units and buildings.

Description

The Ottomans are a Consulate ally that provide a wide variety of benefits, as their shipments are focused on sending economic and military units. The army options grant the player access to Rumeliots, Baghdad Janissaries, and Great Bombards. The time required to train these armies varies, but can be reduced by 50% with the "Good Faith Agreements" Home City Card.

Technologies

Age	Improvement	Cost	Research time	Effect
	6 Azaps	200 export	30 seconds	Delivers 6 Baghdad Azaps*
	4 Settlers	300 export		Delivers 4 Hindu Villagers* Hindu Villager train limit +4
	2 Great Bombards	850 export		Delivers 2 Great Bombards
Imperial Age	Ottoman Brigade	2,300 export	90 seconds	Delivers 13 Baghdad Janissaries and 4 Great Bombards

• The Good Faith Agreements card reduces technology cost by 40% and research time by 50%, except for Brigades, whose cost are reduced by 300 export and do not research faster.

Armies

Age	Army	Cost	Train time	Pop.	Consists of
	Ottoman Expeditionary Company	400 export	20 seconds	6	3 Rumeliots*
	Ottoman Expeditionary Force	800 export	40 seconds	13	3 Rumeliots* 7 Baghdad Janissaries
	Ottoman Expeditionary Army	1,600 export	60 seconds	27	13 Baghdad Janissaries 2 Great Bombards

• The Good Faith Agreements Home City Card reduces army train time by 50%.

Strategy

The Ottomans allow the player to explore maps faster with their passive bonus. This is most useful for novice players who are not familiar with some maps, and also allows the player to locate natural sources of resources and find the enemy in advance, know their position, spy on them, and know what type of strategy they are using in order to carry out a counterstrategy. Exploring maps can be even more effective with fast Indian cavalry units, notably the Sowar, which is the fastest heavy cavalry in the game.

The 4 Settlers do not cost population, allowing the player to save 400 wood that can be used to build military buildings, and is especially useful in a boom strategy.

The 6 Azaps are best used for an emergency if the base is being attacked, and are useful for counterattacking both heavy cavalry and light ranged cavalry, but can only be sent once, preventing them from being replaced. Sepoys, Urumi Swordsmen, Gurkhas, and Howdahs can perform these functions better than Baghdad Azaps, and can be massed and retrained.

Rumeliots, in comparison with Sowars, have more hand attack damage and hit points, and attack faster, while taking the same population, although are slightly slower. Rumeolits can be more useful if combined with Urumis Swordsmen and Sowars; the first are strong against heavy infantry and light ranged cavalry, and the second serve as a shock force and can protect against infantry. Gurkhas and Howdahs can be combined to eliminate heavy infantry and heavy cavalry from a distance. If possible, some Sepoys or Baghdad Janissaries can be combined, creating a complete army that combines melee and ranged units that complement each other well.

Baghdad Janissaries, if compared with Sepoys, have more hit points, siege damage and hand bonus damage against cavalry and shock infantry. If combined with infantry or cavalry, such as Sowars and Rajputs, or with Gurkhas and Howdahs, it will be a strong combination.

Great Bombards are strong against infantry and buildings, but are slow and fire very slowly, and vulnerable to heavy cavalry and artillery, so they should be combined with heavy infantry or heavy cavalry.

Changelog

The Asian Dynasties

• The Ottoman ally bonus gives units and buildings +10 Line of Sight.

Definitive Edition

• The Ottoman ally bonus gives units and buildings +7 Line of Sight.