Villager that constructs buildings and gathers resources.
”
—In-game description
The Settler is an economic unit in Age of Empires III that can be trained by European and American civilizations at the Town Center. Settlers are the backbone of every civilizations' economy, performing key tasks such as resource gathering and building construction. Unlike their equivalents in previous games, Settlers have a train limit.
In standard random map games, European and American civilizations start with six Settlers, although there are several exceptions (see Civilization differences).
The French have Coureurs des Bois instead of Settlers which are more expensive but are superior in combat and gathering. Native American, Asian, and African civilizations have Villagers which are identical in all but name to Settlers.
Settlers can be garrisoned inside Town Centers, Outposts, and Forts to protect themselves from the enemy. A Settler is required inside a Town Center in order to activate its ranged attack.
However, if Settlers are put into combat, it is best to send them into melee range. Their ranged attack is relatively weak, and they can attack faster with melee compared to ranged.
Tasks[]
Settlers gathering food from a bison.
Settlers can be assigned with the following tasks:
Settlers can build most of the buildings given the player has the right amount of resources and is at the right Age, and there are enough spaces for the building.
Settlers can gather food from Berry Bushes, Cherry Orchards, and huntable animals. Settlers may also be tasked to a Mill, Farm or Rice Paddy which will generate infinite Food, but at a slower rate. Alternatively, food can also be gathered from livestock.
Settlers can gather wood from trees which usually can be found plenty and rarely runs out. Alternatively, they can gather from Mango Groves.
Settlers can gather coin from Mines and tasking settlers to work on an Estate or Rice Paddy will generate Coin, similarly to a Mill.
When resource shipments arrive from the Home City, they do so in the form of Crates of Food, Cords of Wood, Chests of Coin, Collection of Books (experience), and Tokens of influence at the assigned shipment arrival point, which usually is the first Town Center, but can be changed to certain other units and buildings. They must be unpacked by a gatherer (such as the Settler) in order to add them to your resources.
The British get one free Settler when a Manor is built. With the "Estates" Home City Card, Settlers can be trained at Manors, although their train time is doubled in both Manors and Town Centers.
Dutch Settlers cost 100 coin and have a train limit of 50, but gather from mines 15% faster.
The Germans start with 3 Settler Wagons instead of Settlers, but can still train Settlers.
The Italians receive a free Settler with every technology researched.
Ottoman Settlers are automatically spawned by Town Centers, which takes almost twice as long as training them (48 seconds instead of the normal 25 seconds per Settler); the spawn rate can be increased by Millet System, Koprulu Viziers, and Grand Bazaar. They also start with a limit of 25, which can be increased to 45 with Galata Tower District, 70 with Topkapi, and 99 with Tanzimat.
Russian Settlers are trained in groups of three, which are individually 10% cheaper (costing 270 food total) and 42% faster (taking 53 seconds). However, they start with only 5 Settlers.
Revolution[]
In The WarChiefs and The Asian Dynasties, when a European player revolts, all of their Settlers will turn into Revolutionaries which can be trained in place of Settlers at Town Centers (and Manors for the British if the "Estates" Home City Card has been sent before revolting).
In the Definitive Edition, the Settler's interaction with revolution has been expanded:
Settlers will turn into Revolutionaries when a European or Mexican player revolts to most revolutionary nations except the following, where they turn into different units:
When a European player revolts to Canada (as the British) or South Africa, they will retain Settlers but with the following changes:
Revolting to South Africa increases Settlers' gather rate by 10%.
Most revolutionary nations have the "Citizenship" Home City Card which allows them to train Settlers as Citizens, but they cost 70 coin. The "Salitrera" card for Chile also have the same effect.
Barbary States, Brazil, and Indonesia have the "Dhimma", "Minas Gerais", and "Aceh Pepper Exports" Home City Card which allows them to train Settlers as they were before revolting.
Métis Pathfinder[]
Revolting to Canada as the British turns Settlers into Métis Pathfinders with +17 ranged attack but are otherwise identical in all but name and appearance.
Villagers gather from Mills, Farms, Rice Paddies (food), Fields (food), and Haciendas (food) 15% faster
10
Refrigeration
Villagers gather from Mills, Farms, Rice Paddies (food), Fields (food), and Haciendas (food) 20% faster
25
Furrier
Villagers gather from huntable animals 15% faster and gather from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 20% faster; Huntable animals last 7.5% longer; Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards last 10% longer
1
TEAM Furrier
Villagers gather from huntable animals 10% faster and gather from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 15% faster; Huntable animals last 5% longer; Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards last 7.5% longer
1
Spice Trade
Villagers gather from huntable animals, Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 20% faster; Huntable animals, Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards last 10% longer
10
Rum Distillery
Villagers gather from Estates, Rice Paddies (coin), Fields (coin), and Haciendas (coin) 20% faster
1
Cigar Roller
Villagers gather from Estates, Rice Paddies (coin), Fields (coin), and Haciendas (coin) 20% faster
1
Textile Mill
Villagers gather from Estates, Rice Paddies (coin), Fields (coin), and Haciendas (coin) 25% faster
Villagers gather from huntable animals 10% faster and gather from Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards 15% faster; Huntable animals last 5% longer; Berry Bushes and Cherry Orchards last 7.5% longer
Ships 800 food; Villagers gather from Mills 10% faster
Irish Immigrants
[Immigrant] Ships 2 Settlers and 2 additional Settlers for every 5 minutes of the game time (up to 30 minutes)
Federal[]
Card
Description
Slater Textile Mill
Gives 30 food or 20 wood (selected randomly) for every existing Settler and Fishing Boat; Land economic units cost -30 food; Fishing Boats cost -20 wood
Indiana Mobilization
Ships 1 Carbine Cavalry for every shipment that had been sent by the player, including this one; Unit train time, technology research time, and Age up time -10%; Costs 500 wood
Overmountain Settlers
Villagers get +12 ranged attack; Natural resources last 25% longer; Ships 4 Settlers
Vermont Coppers
Estate technologies are free and researched instantly; Coin gather rate +5%
Deere Steel Plow
Villagers gather from Mills and Estates 10% faster
Changelog[]
Definitive Edition[]
Originally, the Canada revolution increases the ranged attack of Settlers by 13. With update 3552, the Canada revolution increases the ranged attack of Settlers by 17.
Originally, Mexican Settlers had a train limit of 80. With update 61213, Mexican Settlers have a train limit of 85.
Trivia[]
Settlers come in the forms of men and women and the gender is randomly decided upon being trained from the Town Center. This feature is present since Age of Empires II.
German, Russian and Swedish settlers wear thick winter clothing while Ottoman, Mexican, Portuguese, and Spanish dress for sunny weather, men especially, who wear sombreros. British, Dutch and United States men don't wear hats and are dressed lightly, with breeches. They resemble the settler icon the most.
Additionally, while the icon shows white Settlers, the racial appearance of Settlers is also randomized, and the Settlers in game can appear as being of European, African, or Native American extraction. In contrast, European military units are always white.
Settlers always speak in the same language as the playing civilization and sound modest and willing.
Settlers seen as Treasures (trapped by wild animals or tightened up by bandits) have the British, Dutch and United States appearance, but upon being rescued, will immediately turn into the appearance of the Settlers/Villagers of their rescuers.
This is also the only way for the French, Native American and Asian civilizations to acquire Settlers and will sound as Coureur des Bois or Villagers, respectively. In the case of the French, it was also the only way to acquire female units, but certain Politicians in the Definitive Edition are another way. The French Settlers have the same appearance as the British, Dutch and United States Settlers.
History[]
“
Highly industrious and loyal to a fault, the Settler lives to work for you. Whether it's chopping down the seventeen thousandth tree, scurrying across the map to a distant pile of silver ore, or endlessly toiling away at a mill, the Settler is ready to happily tackle any tedious task. The Settler’s hobbies include running away from enemy soldiers, getting thrown into the river by enemy cannon fire, and crochet.
”
Gallery[]
Two East European Settlers
A Settler at work
British, Dutch, and United States Settler variant
Mexican, Ottoman, Portuguese, and Spanish Settler variant