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This article is about the map in Age of Empires III. For the map in the other games of the series, see The Unknown. |
Minimap of Unknown
| “ | The mysterious Unknown! Snow or desert, land or water, Trade Routes or Natives or both - you never quite know what you're going to get. Expect the unexpected! | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
The different variations of the map.
Unknown is a random type map available in Age of Empires III since patch 1.07 which also features Hispaniola. The unique part of the map is that it has many different variations and possibilities making it a surprise every time. Just as the maps introduction suggests, "Expect the unexpected for Unknown!"
Overview[]
With a Trade Route always dividing the map in two, the rest of the map is completely randomized. Whether it will be snow, grass, or water, it is up to exploring to find out the surroundings. Choosing the proper deck can only be accomplished by knowing the surround terrain and tribes. Huntables can be plentiful or scarce, tribes may be from the Caribbean or Canada. No game is the same.
One problem with this map is due to randomness, sometimes players may experience a shortage of resources, Treasures, or not be provided with an Explorer, which can really upset the balance of the game. It may be helpful to create multiple decks and to choose which one suits the map. Features of the map might overlap, such as a Trade Route going over a river (in which case the Trade Route will raise the nearby waterlogged land) or a middle cliff holding unreachable coin mines and treasures. Occasionally, a player's Town Center, Explorer, and other starting units might be missing (causing them to lose immediately).
In the Definitive Edition, players frequently start with a random set of bonus units (including hero units), wagons/travois, and additional crates (Surströmming). Most common are Outpost Wagons and Dock Wagons, but there are also economic buildings like a Village Rickshaw, a Livestock Market Builder or Hacienda Wagon. Some Wagons will even construct special buildings which function like a minor civilization the player gets access to from the start. Examples are two Commanderies which might let the player train Maltese Settler Wagons, Gendarmes, Garrochistas, Hussars, and Dragoons, a special Battery Tower which gives access to all technologies and units from the House of Wettin, a special Watch Tower offering most units and technologies from the Barbary Pirates from the Historical Battles, as well as a special Native Embassy which (similarly to the card Prince-Electors) lets the player choose one out of three regular or "Historical Battle"-exclusive (Lenape and Outlaws) minor civilizations to ally with, including technologies and units.
History[]
| “ | Explorers, wanderers, and nomads travel great distances uncertain how the journey will end. Will it end in prosperity or poverty? Fame, death, sadness, or glory? Find out what lies beyond the horizon... | ” |
| —History file | ||
Trivia[]
- Before the Definitive Edition, only American minor native settlements would appear in the map, except for the Apache, for unknown reasons. This was fixed in the Definitive Edition, where all minor civilizations may appear, including the Lenape, which are otherwise exclusive to the Battle of Queenston Heights scenario. The minor civilizations removed in The WarChiefs, which are otherwise only still available in the campaigns, might also appear sometimes.
Gallery[]
