Songhai is a Commerce Age Alliance option in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals, available to the Hausa. Allying with Songhai to advance into the Commerce Age or higher provides the following benefits:
Technologies[]
| Age | Technology | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 Songhai Raid
|
500 influence | Spawns 5 Raiders |
| Age | Technology | Cost | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
 Timbuktu Chronicle
|
500 influence | Grants influence equal to 10% of the total cost of enemy units killed (up to 3,000 influence) and buildings destroyed (up to 3,000 influence) by the player |
 Mansa Musa Epic
|
Grants coin equal to 10% of the total resources earned by the player from mining (up to 100,000 coin) and Trade Routes (up to 2,000 coin) |
Shipments[]
: 1 Camp Builder, 2 Chests of Coin (200 coin)- : 1 Huge Chests of Coin and 2 Chests of Coin (700 coin)
- : 2 Huge Chests of Coin (1,000 coin)
- : 4 Huge Chests of Coin (2,000 coin)
Strategy[]
For players that prefer cavalry raids, the Songhai are the alliance the player should pick. Instead of unlocking a unit, like most other alliances, the Songhai instead unlock the Songhai Raid ability, which spawns 5 Raiders and can be repeatedly researched at the Town Center. It is a heavy cavalry with high mobility that deals great siege damage, making it a great option for a rush. This feature and the Timbuktu Chronicle technology makes the Songhai a great option for the Commerce Age for rushing. Later on, it helps for sustaining attacks with cavalry.
The Songhai University technologies are useful for gathering coin and influence faster, making this alliance also useful when the player tries to spam mercenaries, natives, and coin-costing units.
Recommended alliances[]
- Akan: Akan Gold Economy ships 1 Gold Prospector Wagon and makes Villagers gather from mines 10% faster. With this technology and Mansa Musa Epic, the player can earn a great amount of coin.
- Berbers: The Berber Salt Camel and the Salt Mine it builds are a secure way to earn coin, and with the Mansa Musa Epic, the player will earn even more. Berber Nomads also gather the mines faster.
- Moroccans: Mass Cavalry reduces cavalry training time by 35%, which is useful for training extra Raiders at the War Camp.
- Hausa: Bayajidda Epic synergizes with Timbuktu Chronicle, so the Raiders from the Songhai Raid will be more cost-effective, as the influence returns will be better.
- British: Cavalry Cuirass will be helpful for the Raiders.
- Fulani: The Goats and Gerewol Festival will help to generate influence faster, so the player can use the Songhai Raiders more often.
Recommended shipments[]
- Chests of Coin: The coin earned from them is counted by Mansa Musa Epic.
- Durbar Parade: Raiders get +5% speed; Lifidi Knights get +10% speed; Raiders and Lifidi Knights move 50% faster while in Trample Mode and get +1/+2 Area of Effect for their normal/Trample Mode hand attack
- Hand Cavalry Damage: Raiders and Lifidi Knights get +15% attack
- Hand Cavalry Hitpoints: Raiders and Lifidi Knights get +15% hit points
- Hadeija Emirate: Ships 4 Raiders and 3 Lifidi Knights; he Elite Hand Cavalry upgrade is free and researched instantly; the Champion Hand Cavalry upgrade cost and research time -50%; the Legendary Hand Cavalry upgrade cost and research time -20%.
- Amina Epic: Gives 4.2 and 6 influence for every Raider and Lifidi Knight, respectively trained.
- 5 Raiders and Infinite 7 Raiders: The 5 Raiders card is already available in Commerce Age. With this and Shongai Raid, the player may get 10 Raiders very early on the Commerce Age for a rush.
- Any attack upgrade: The more the player destroys or kills, the more influence they may get from Timbuktu Chronicle.
- Hegemony: Fulani Archers, Maigadis, Javelin Riders, Raiders, and Akan Ankobia generate 0.03 influence/second. Lifidi Knights generate 0.06 influence/second.
- Any coin gathering improvement: For getting coin fast and then use Mansa Musa Epic.
Changelog[]
The African Royals[]
- Songhai Alliance ships 300 coin in the Commerce Age.
Knights of the Mediterranean[]
- With update 15.30007, Songhai Alliance ships 200 coin in the Commerce Age.
Trivia[]
- The Songhai were originally a strong contender to be included as a playable civilization in The African Royals instead of the Hausa, but were "demoted" to a Hausa alliance because lack of source material and a short history.
