18 August 2005
By: George Buzdugan, Video and PC Games Editor
Age of Empires III Collector's Edition
"Making Of" DVD, Exclusive Player's Guide, Soundtrack CD, Poster and More
It's the ultimate prize for any Age of Empires fan: the Age of Empires III Collector's Edition is packed with premium extras that any Age fan would crave. Packaged in an oversized, beautifully embossed box, the Collector's Edition includes an impressive hardbound 210-page "The Art of Empires" book, a "Making of Age of Empires III" DVD with behind-the-scenes video and commentary, the official Age of Empires III soundtrack, a huge full-color poster of concept art painted by Craig Mullins, an exclusive Age III Player's Guide, and a Collector's Edition Game Manual. This amazing collection, from Microsoft and Ensemble Studios, is the perfect reward for all those years Age fans have built and destroyed countless civilizations, and is available now for pre-order for $69.99.Age of Empires III is Ensemble Studios' landmark game of discovery and conquest in the New World, featuring spectacular graphics and physics never before seen in a real-time strategy (RTS) game. In Age of Empires III, players assume the role of a European power between 1500 and 1850 A.D. as they struggle to explore, colonize and conquer North and South America. Scheduled for release October 25th, Age of Empires III is the third installment in the award-winning Age of Empires series that has sold more than 16 million copies and defined the historical RTS. By introducing revolutionary new gameplay features like the Home City, the ability to ally with and produce Native American units, awe-inspiring visuals with a fully realized physics engine and more, Age of Empires III will expand upon the legacy of its predecessors and once again set the standard for real-time strategy games. This week, Softpedia News wants to know your opinion on the first beta of Windows Vista. Do you think it comes close to what users want or do you think that Microsoft will have problems with its latest operating system? Express your opinion in the Softpedia News Poll.
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Credits

Writers & Content Experts: Bruce C. Shelley Greg Street Art Producer: Lance Hoke Progr am Manager: Brian Lemon Writer: Jon Seal Historian: James Henretta Editor: Brent Metcalfe Assistant Editors: Jack Turk Laura Hamilton Heidi WartelleVolt Design & Art: Jeannie Voirin-Gerde Jeremy Parton S&T Onsite
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Table of Contents

Introduction Historical Contexts Strategy Overview Spanish British French Portuguese Dutch Russian German Ottoman Military Units by Civilization Military Unit Attributes Random Maps

Introduction

This players guide serves two main purposes: 1) to provide a glimpse inside the workings of Age of Empires III for fans who are interested in details like the strengths and weaknesses of each unit, map, and civilization; and 2) to offer insider tips on exploiting these strengths and weaknesses through strategy the very essence of gameplay in Age of Empires III. Lead Game Designer, Greg Street, describes the three main strategies of Booming, Rushing, and Turtling for the eight playable civilizations and touches on the advantages and disadvantages inherent in each civilization. Youll learn that some civilizations work best with one or two specic strategies, while other civilizations work equally well with all strategies. Greg also briey describes each of the games sixteen random maps, from New England to Patagonia. Along with having its own unique look-and-feelbased on geography, resources, and indigenous native populationyoull learn that each map may be more suited to one strategy over another. And although every map is randomly generated for each new game, the maps share common design elements. Age of Empires III is the fourth real-time strategy (RTS) game published in the past decade by Ensemble Studios. It embodies everything we have learned along the way. We hope this players guide increases your enjoyment of what we believe is a truly remarkable game.

When Columbus returned to Spain he tried to convince his masters that Asia and great wealth were just over the horizon. They remained skeptical, but explorers and settlers attempted to stake their claim in the West Indies, all with little success. It gradually became clear that the new lands were entirely new continents and that Asia was still far away. The rst island colonies failed when the natives, who served as farm laborers and miners, died from harsh treatment and disease, or in periodic revolts. The limited opportunities to mine gold on the islands were soon exhausted. Before long the islanders were reduced to a remnant of their former numbers, and slaves from Africa were imported to replace them. Columbus unsuccessfully urged the Spanish settlers to grow sugar, and Spanish interest in the region began to wane. Along the coast of Yucatan, Spanish explorers eventually encountered the Maya, who were different from the islanders, wearing cotton clothes, living in stone buildings, carrying better arms, and not easily intimidated. Through contact and trade, the Spanish learned of a much grander city of immense wealth in the interior, which they set out to nd. The Aztecs, who lived inland in the highland Valley of Mexico, extended their empire down almost to Yucatan, acting as overlords to local rulers. Hoping to buy off the Spanish, the Aztec king sent gifts. This proved a huge mistake, as it conrmed the wealth of the interior and attracted an invasion. In two astonishing and brutal campaigns, the Spanish quickly found and largely destroyed both the Aztec Empire in Mexico (in part by organizing subject peoples against their Aztec overlords) and the Inca Empire in the Andes. They hauled off a huge treasure of gold and precious objects and devastated the native populations, intentionally with weapons and inadvertently through the spread of disease. The news of these conquests electried Spain and revitalized its efforts at exploration and settlement. New expeditions searched for the sources of the Aztec and Inca gold, while others explored Brazil and areas in North America from Florida to California. Ultimately the Spanish concentrated on two types of locale: where they found precious metal like the mountain of silver at Potosi in Bolivia, or where they found large native populations they could exploit as laborers. They ignored most of the Caribbean islands because the islands lacked either critical resource, but they held a few as outposts for defensive purposes, such as Cuba, which became a major base. The majority of the early Spanish immigrants were aristocratic sons with little hope of inheriting land, and out-of-work soldiers. They were not looking to start farms, but rather seeking either wealth to take home or a large estate and laborers to work it. Initially (until around 1550), there was no signicant immigration of middle-class freemen and families looking for a new start. The Spanish installed themselves as the new aristocracy in most areas, lording it over native servants and slaves. The king in Spain provided the government bureaucracy, naval power, and soldiers for protection, in exchange for a hefty tax on all wealth shipped back to Europe. The Catholic Church had an important but secondary role in building this Spanish empire, seeking to save the souls of these new-found millions through conversion. The ow of gold and silver back to Europe made Spain the wealthiest and most powerful nation in Europe for a few centuries. Spain took on the role of military defender of the Catholic Church. It engaged in turning back the expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean and then attempted to contain the spread of Protestantism in the Netherlands and Germany. At home, the Inquisition sought to drive out all traces of both Islam and Judaism.

An Age of Exploration

The riches of the Americasreal or imaginedexercised a powerful attraction for the nations of Europe. Each sought greater wealth and power than the limited resources of Europe could provide. Their dreams of empire brought them into increasing contention for dominance of world resources and trade, which they hoped to translate into economic and military ascendance. Indigenous populations in the Americas stood little chance against the number of explorers and colonists who came seeking wealth, unable to resist European technologyor European microbes.

Britain

As Spains list of enemies in Europe grew, the ow of wealth from the New World to Spain became an irresistible target. Spanish shipping and towns were plagued by French, British, and Dutch privateers and navies, as well as outright pirates. The Spanish could not defend everything. Their inability to settle and hold the Caribbean left the islands open to seizure by their enemies. The failure of a yearly treasure eet, due to capture or storm, could force the crown into bankruptcy, as happened in 1557, 1575, and 1597. Spain borrowed heavily to ght its European wars and defend the colonial empire. The ow of wealth from the Americas slowed in the late sixteenth century as local costs rose, the mines became exhausted, and corruption spread. The conservatism of Spanish society meant that its economy, technology, and military fell behind its competitors. It became clear that Spain was no longer capable of ruling its overseas empire when it was conquered easily by Napoleon, who installed his brother as its new king. Although the kingdom of Spain was restored after the defeat of Napoleonic France, the damage overseas was done. One by one the Spanish New World colonies threw off colonial rule, but in most cases very little changed for anyone except the few people at the top. In 1492, England was a small, self-sufcient country, relatively literate and industrious, prospering from the wool trade and shing. It competed for trade against the Dutch and the German Hanseatic League in the North and Baltic Seas. Merchants from Bristol had been searching in the Atlantic for lands to the west as well as good cod shing, a major industry at the time. They quickly followed up on the news of Columbus discovery by sending expeditions of their own under John Cabot and later Henry Hudson that revealed part of North America and Newfoundland. When no Northwest Passage was found, their interest agged, but by the middle of the sixteenth century the English were heavily engaged in the Newfoundland shing industry. Early English interest in the New World focused on the rich ow of wealth from the Spanish colonies. The Protestant English got involved in many of the Spanish wars, particularly in the Netherlands, and jumped at the opportunity to prey on Spanish shipping and towns in the New World. Captains Drake, Frobisher, Hawkins, and others were a major irritation to Spain. From 1577 to 1580 Drake circumnavigated the globe and brought home an enormous haul of captured Spanish treasure. Late in the sixteenth century a few British investors were ready to establish a colony in North America. They were seeking to establish a source for products then being imported from the Mediterranean, such as hides, olive oil, wine, and spices. They assumed they could obtain them from lands of comparable latitude in America. They were also interested in establishing a base from which to intercept Spanish treasure eets passing near Florida. An early colony was established in 1584 on Roanoke Island (along the coast of modern-day Virginia, named in honor of Elizabeth I, Englands virgin Queen). This attempt was abandoned in 1586 because food supplies from England were insufcient and because relations with the indigenous people soon soured. A new colonization attempt was made in 1587, but war broke out with Spain in 1588, delaying relief of the Roanoke colony. When the English nally got back to Roanoke in 1590, they found the colony abandoned; the inhabitants fate remains a mystery. In 1607 the English established a new colony at Jamestown (also in modern-day Virginia). Though this colony struggled for many years, and was even temporarily abandoned, it hung on and eventually prospered, especially after the colonists began growing tobacco for export. Farther north, a group of English religious dissenters, the Pilgrims, established a colony at Plymouth, Massachusetts. This colony also took hold, increasing the English presence in North America. During the next 130 years more colonies were established, including one by Quakers in Pennsylvania, one by Catholics in Maryland, and one by philanthropists in Georgia as a haven for impoverished English men and women. The native populations in North America were relatively sparse, compared to those in Mexico and Peru. The English policy toward them was to push the natives out and take their lands. The North American populations fought back at times, but ultimately could not match the technology and sheer numbers of colonists. The English were also attracted to the Caribbean islands, which had been abandoned or ignored by the Spanish. The English followed the lead of the

Holland

Holland in 1500 was a small European nation, but was also extremely energetic, practical, and progressive, with a strong emphasis on trade. Particularly in the northern provinces, the Dutch embraced Protestant Christianity during the sixteenth century, supplanting Catholicism. They were aggressive and dynamic traders, well-positioned to transport goods to and from the Baltic and North Atlantic, and into the interior of Europe up the Rhine River. They built efcient ships that carried large cargoes with small crews. Very limited in land, they developed an intense agriculture and began reclaiming lowlands from the sea. By accident of marriage and inheritance, control of the now largely Protestant Holland shifted to Catholic Spain in the mid-sixteenth century, and Spanish kings sought, in turn, to supplant Protestantism within their realm. This led to a revolt against Spain. Although at a great disadvantage in overall wealth and power, the Dutch proved a tough opponent and drew allies to their side. By 1609 Holland was virtually independent. In the era of colonial expansion by great empires, the Dutch pursued business opportunities. They were soon engaged in the trade with the Americas, despite Spanish attempts to exclude non-allies. The efciency of their ships made them attractive as low-cost carriers. They built a business carrying and processing sugar and other goods out of Portuguese Brazil. When the Spanish allied with Portugal and closed the Portuguese ports to the Dutch, the Dutch seized several islands, including Aruba and Curaao. In 1610, Henry Hudson explored the North American coast and rediscovered the river now named after him and the great harbor of modern-day New York City. After several trading voyages to the area seeking furs, the Dutch planted a small trading outpost up the river near Albany in 1614, and later a more permanent settlement on Manhattan Island. The relatively few colonists were more interested in trade prots than in establishing a lasting and well-defended colony. New Amsterdam fell easily to a British eet commanded by the Duke of York in 1664. The Dutch regained it briey in 1673, but ceded it permanently to Britain in 1674. The Dutch made their biggest mark in the East Indies. Following in the wake of the Portuguese around Africa in the early 1600s, agents of the Dutch East India Company, together with England, took over much of the East India trade.

The Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman Empire had existed since 1300, and, at its peak in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was one the worlds most powerful empires, stretching from northern Africa through the Middle East, Asia Minor, the Balkans, and what is now southern Russia. The Ottomans nally took Constantinople in 1453 after many years of trying, thereby severing the citys long link with the West that had extended back to the ancient empire of Rome. By 1529 they had pushed to the gates of Vienna and toward the western Mediterranean basin. The Ottomans appeared unstoppable, but were actually near the limit of their expansion. Europeans had been making advances in technology that the Ottomans could not match. For example, the Turks had to purchase cannon from Europe and often had to hire European cannoneers. In 1683 they failed once more to take Vienna. At this point the string of successful Ottoman rulers came to an end, while the power and organization of their European enemies was growing. Much of the Ottoman Empires energy was dissipated in struggles over succession. The bureaucracy that ran the empire became unwieldy and often corrupt. The Ottomans fell behind in industry as well. The prots they enjoyed from the trade between Asia and Europe eroded as the Europeans learned to sail directly to the East Indies. The trade balance actually reversed as the Ottomans found they needed European goods more than Europe needed theirs. Eventually the Ottoman armies went into decline. The empire came to depend more on slave and captive soldiers, especially its famed Janissaries. The Europeans were generally content to let the Ottomans remain where they were, although the Russians fought for the plains north of the Black Sea. The Industrial Revolution left the Ottomans completely at the mercy of Europe. For a time the British even propped up the Ottoman Empire to keep it from being occupied by their enemies.

Contexts in Perspective

In reality, of course, history is no game; the joys of victory and the disaster of defeat have a profound impact on the lives of all involved, individuals and societies alike. The millions of Africans taken to the New World as slaves were involuntary participants in various nations schemes of empire; and whoever won the European race to explore and conquer the Americas, the indigenous populations they found there were almost annihilated in the process. Compared to the experiences of Africans and Native Americans, all of the European nations came out ahead, though some succeeded in winning by far the largest stakes. Again, we urge those who nd these events compelling to examine the wealth of historical material in order to arrive at a fuller understanding of these events than this limited narration can provide, starting with (but by no means limited to) the sources cited below.

Selected Sources

Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1999). David S. Landes, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1998). William L. Langer, An Encyclopedia of World History, 5th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifin, 1972). David B. Quinn, North America from Earliest Discovery to First Settlement: The Norse Voyages to 1612 (New York: Harper & Row, 1986). Colin Renfrew, ed., America Past, America Present: Genes and Languages in the Americas and Beyond (Cambridge, England: The McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, 2000). J. M. Roberts, A Short History of the World (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997). http://www.nationmaster.com http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/eurvoya/

Strategy Overview

The core strategies for the eight playable civilizations are Booming, Rushing, and Turtling. These high-level strategies affect your entire game, from opening moves to nal victory or defeat. You can also apply each strategy in varying degrees. You can start with one strategy and then switch to another, or you may want to mix two strategies for more exibility. Deciding which strategy to use before the game starts can help determine which map youll play, your available Home City Shipments, and starting resource conditions. Although useful against human opponents, these strategies are also effective against non-player characters (NPCs)especially against NPCs that favor one strategy over another. Note too that strategies evolve. What may seem like a logical strategy when Age of Empires III rst ships could eventually become obsolete as players devise new and improved ways to play the game. The Internet is the best place to stay informed on cutting-edge strategies.

Booming

Booming is a strategy where you focus solely on growing your economy in the hope that you will get a larger, more powerful army late in the game. This strategy can make you vulnerable if you are attacked early in the game, but a Booming player will have a better economy than a defensive player almost every time. Two common styles of Booming are: 1) reverting all resources into villagers, and 2) pursuing economic upgrades to increase the speed of gathering resources.

Rushing

Rushing is the opposite of Booming. You ignore economy and focus on military early in the game. You want to attack an enemy player before they are ready and hurt their economy so much that you can then pass them up, or even take them out of the game immediately. Stop making villagers early so you can train military as early as possible in the Colonial Age. You arent likely to have a highly upgraded army, but you might be able to sacrice quality for quantity.

French have Pikemen and Crossbowmen, the foundation of a versatile Rush armybut it comes at the expense of more Coureurs. Rushing is, therefore, more difcult for the French than other civilizations. You should still erect a Barracks as early as possible, or a Stable if you prefer Hussar raiding instead. French Home Cities generally have many Native American upgrades. Since Native Warriors dont cost population, its possible to make an early raid using Native allies. Youll need plenty of Wood for a Trading Post to forge alliances with the Natives. You must defend your Trading Post or risk losing resources and experience points to your enemy. Another French Rush strategy involves getting to the Fortress Age quickly and then attacking with just a few Cuirassiers. Cuirassiers are powerful even individually, so a handful of them can leave a wake of destruction. Remember to keep an eye on your units; losing just three Cuirassiers to a few Dragoons is the equivalent of 1,000 resources lost.

Portuguese

The French are natural defenders because of the Coureurs combat advantage over other Settlers, so venturing outside your town to hunt or mine isnt as risky as it is for other civilizations. Maximize this benet with Market improvements such as Great Coat and Blunderbuss, or with the Home City Shipment of pioneers. Most enemies wont attack French Coureurs unless they have a large ranged infantry (typically Crossbowmen); instead, they may try attacking your buildings with Pikemen or Hussars. So spend some effort on early defenses, and then quickly transition to a full-edged Boom to maximize the number of Coureurs a Boom can produce. And enlist your Native Scout to help spot an incoming attack.
The Portuguese are exceptional at Booming. Given enough Food, they can spawn Settlers more quickly than other civilizations and at an even lower cost than the British Manors incur. When one of your Town Centers is idle, you are squandering your big bonus, so stockpile as much Food as you can. You cant send Settlers from your Home City, but you can send Food Crates. Livestock can pay off eventually if you can afford it, and the Portuguese also have Home City Shipments that benet early shing. If youre going for a straight Boom, position all your Town Centers together, while still protecting as many resources as possible. For example, you may want to place your second Town Center by a Mine or herd of Bison. You could also use the second Town Center to stake out a Trading Post site.

Rushing isnt a Portuguese strength, though they can use their second Town Center as a powerful forward base (especially for Home City Shipments) as long as it can still produce Settlers. You cant place this Town Center close enough to an enemy town to benet from the Town Center attack, but you can use it to defend your Barracks or Stables once they are built. Because other players dont expect a Rush from the Portuguese, this may just be a sufcient reason to try one. You can get early Settlers quickly, mitigating the economic toll from shifting to military production early in the game.
Placing your Town Centers fairly close together gives you all the defenses you need until the Fortress Age. Remember, Town Centers have strong defenses early in the game, but their power subsides over time, so you cant count on them alone to keep you alive indenitely. You also need to have enough Settlers garrisoned in each to maximize the Town Center attack. Spreading your Town Centers out farther (for instance, near the coast, Trading Posts, or allied towns) forces you to focus on defense more than normal because you probably wont have as many Settlers per Town Center as other civilizations. And because youll likely have fewer Houses than other civilizations early on, your Settlers are ripe targets, unless the enemy tries to destroy one of your Town Centers. Also, a Town Center is surprisingly effective against naval attacks, so dont hesitate to position your extra Town Center near the water on more naval-oriented maps such as the Caribbean or Amazonia.
The Dutch can accomplish an amazing Boom if they can get Banks built in time. Remember that Dutch Settlers cost Coin, so you need to look for Mines more than you hunt. The decision when to build early Banks is really key. Build too soon and you may not have enough Settlers to sustain your economy into the Colonial Age. Build too late and you may not be able to take advantage of a big bonus. Although shipping Chests of Coin early helps you spawn more Settlers, you wont require Shipments of Coin later in the game because Banks produce Coin so abundantly. So dont generate more Coin than you can usetributing and Market exchange do assess a resource penalty. Your Banks are prime targets because your enemies will quickly learn that, unlike Settlers, Banks cant run away.
Rushing can be risky for the Dutch because it usually means postponing Bank construction. They also lack a hard-hitting Colonial Age unit like the Musketeer. Hussar raids can be deadly, but your enemies will learn to expect that from a Dutch player. Even though your Skirmishers are more powerful than most Colonial units, they are expensive and can be easily countered by cavalry. You do have a strong scouting advantage with your Envoy. Use him to nd out where the enemies are and what kinds of troops they are building.

Russian

Playing defensively is natural for the Dutch because they have expensive buildings they need to preserve. Fortunately, they have some Home City Shipments that can help support such a strategy. The Dutch have two powerful defensive unitsSkirmishers and Ruytersthat can trounce an army of Musketeers and Hussars if correctly deployed. Because the Dutch can keep their economy centralized and have good ranged units, you should build a wall around your town when you can afford it. Even if a wall cant stop an attack, it will slow one down, alerting you to incoming enemy.
For Russians, as for most civilizations, the key to a Boom is getting Settlers quickly. Russians are limited by the cost of training three Settlers at a time. On the other hand, the Settler train rate is rapid. Gather as much Food as possible, but gather less Wood than other civilizations do in the rst Age. Erecting multiple Town Centers isnt too useful for a Russian player because you can train Settlers rapidly, in groups or individually. Portuguese or British players will likely spawn more Settlers in the earlier Ages, but left alone the Russians can make Settlers more quickly in later Ages when Food isnt such an issue. Focus on hunting early because its the fastest way to get Food. Berries are a useful backup because gathering them is safer than hunting. Also, avoid the Wood cost of Mills or Docks early in the game. Since you cant ship Settlers, Mother Russia will send you ample Food for spawning more of them.
Russians are a strong Rushing civilization. They can produce units quickly and overwhelm opponents with sheer numbers. For a more aggressive Rush, build your initial Blockhouse away from your town toward the enemy. A more defensive Rush keeps the Blockhouse near the Town Center to help defend your colony against an enemy Rush while your army is away. Many Russian players acquire Strelets early because they come in larger numbers than any other unit. Although a weak unit individually, Strelets wreak havoc because enemies often have trouble killing them fast enough. Dont forget that you can produce Musketeers quickly too, even if in fewer numbers than Strelets. Cossacks are another good choice for an early raid, though you dont get the block training benet that you do with Blockhouses. Without support, Grenadiers may not inict much damage in the Colonial Age; but if you combine them with Pikemen support from an ally, they are strong against buildings. Remember that your units are generally weaker than in other civilizations, so youll never win the unit upgrade arms race. Thats why Russians favor artillery; defend Falconets or Mortars with several Halberdiers late in the game and your infantrys lower hitpoints wont be a concern.
Simply because the Russians are strong on Rushing doesnt mean they are weak on Turtling (defence). The Blockhouse is a sound defensive building because it combines the ability to train units quickly with the attack of an Outpost. Dont hesitate to send an early Shipment of Strelets or Musketeers to help defend your town. If you are attacked by a formidable army, use your Blockhouse to spawn other infantry. But beware of Rushing players who may target your Blockhouse rst. Building a pair of Blockhouses will ensure greater safety for your settlement.

German

Booming isnt a German strength. German players can eventually Boom because of Settler Wagons, and they can eld an army of Uhlans at no cost to resources. Those who have many more resources than other players, may nd it a bit tricky to advance to the Colonial or Fortress Ages. Note that a Settler Wagon is worth two Settlers, so send them as often as you can. Protect your Settler Wagons and dont let them stray too far from your settlement. Germans have a very useful Home City improvement called Guild Artisans that boosts Settler Wagon gather rates several foldif you advance to the Industrial Age with several Settler Wagons, its a great Shipment to send.
Germans are natural Rushers because they get Uhlans often and early. Uhlans can dish it out, but with their low hitpoints they cant take it, so avoid getting them into a melee ght, especially against Pikemen. Crossbowmen are a great complement to Uhlans because they can eliminate defensive Pikemen or Musketeers. While the Germans lack Musketeers, the Doppelsoldner can have devastating effect even in small numbers, especially against tightly packed enemies. No matter what soldier you plan on training for an early raid, youre always going to have plenty of Uhlans. To upgrade them, build a Stable by the Fortress Age.

Ottoman

Germans benet from a few default defenses, including hordes of nearby Uhlans. Uhlans arent a match for Pikemen or Musketeers trying to destroy Houses, but they can devastate Crossbowmen or Strelets. Though expensive, Settler Wagons are a strategic asset. They pack the equivalent of two Settlers into one unit, making it easier to keep tabs on them. Germans do have some coveted Home City Shipments that let them defend their colonies and improve gathering resources for buildings such as Mills (which are easy to defend). Germans dont ght well in walled environments because some of their strongest units use only hand attacks. Dont discount the German Skirmishers who are quite powerful in the Fortress and Industrial Ages.
As an Ottoman, you have a straightforward decision when deciding whether to Boom. If you Boom, you want to get to the Fortress Age as fast as possible and obtain additional Town Centers. Your Settlers are free, so you are limited only by training rate; an additional Town Center doubles that rate. An alternative is to build your Mosque early and start pursuing the line of Settler training upgrades, though this strategy is slightly better for Turtling. In the rst two Ages, you arent going to have much control over your Settler production rate and youll have less need for Food unless you want to Age up early (its possible to do so on the rst or second Shipment). You are therefore likely to be passed up by an aggressive Portuguese or British player who can spawn Settlers more quickly. Once youre in the Fortress Age or later, youll start to catch up and its not uncommon for the Ottomans to have the best late-game economy because you automatically receive additional Settlers.

The advantage of the Ottoman Rush is that it doesnt really weaken their economy to attack early. Youre still going to get just as many Settlers as with another strategy. The difference is likely in how quickly youll Age up. To attack early, you need to advance to the Colonial Age very quickly. Decide on either a Barracks, Stable, or Artillery Foundry, and then focus on acquiring several of those units. The Janissary is probably the strongest early attacker. The Hussar can cover ground quickly and hit-and-run. The Abus Gun is slower and requires more care because it is expensive; but then again, players you attack are more likely to have Pikemen and Crossbowmen standing around (which the Abus can beat) than cavalry (which can beat the Abus). Ottomans use Janissaries often, which makes their attacks rather predictable.
Since you are going to want to spend some resources on walls, Outposts, or defensive soldiers, you arent going to Age up very quickly. Rather, youll want to rely on your Mosque to increase Settler production. Keep the costs of the Mosque improvements in mind so you can quickly shift from Food to Wood to Coin as needed. Keep the Mosque near the Town Center and build an additional Outpost to help defend it. If you have walls, Abus Guns offer your best defense due to their long range.

Por tug ues e

Ott oma n

Rus sian

Ger man

Span ish

Fre nch

Brit ish

Att ack

Hit poi nts

Dut ch

Hand Infantry

Pikemen Rodeleros Halberdiers Doppelsoldners

Ran ge

Military Units by Civilization

Military Unit Attributes

Spee d
Range: - long - medium - short - no Hitpoints: - heavy - medium - light - weak

Musketeers

Musketeers Janissaries

Skirmishers

Crossbowmen Longbowmen Strelets Skirmishers Cassadores

Hand Cavalry

Hussars Cossacks Uhlans Lancers Cuirassiers Oprichniks Spahis
(Based on hitpoints per cost, not just raw hitpoints)
Attack: - huge - big - medium - small
(Based on damage per cost)

Ranged Cavalry

Cavalry Archers Dragoons War Wagons Ruyters
Speed: - very fast - fast - moderate - slow Cost: - very - expensive - moderate - cheap

Artillery

Grenadiers Abus Guns Organ Guns Falconets Culverins Mortars Rockets Heavy Cannons Great Bombards
Grenadiers Abus Guns Organ Guns Other Artillery
(Actual price, not value)
Caravels Galleys Galleons Fluyts Frigates Monitors

Pampas

A river divides the long plain of the Pampas. You and your allies are initially separated by this river, which contains several crossing points, but the location of your starting towns differs greatly. There are always four Trading Posts. Expect to nd a number of Maya and Tupi villages as well.

Saguenay

In this resource-heavy region, one team starts with ships, while the other team starts with an easily defended central position. Building Outposts near the local Cree and Lakota villages may help control sections of the map.

Patagonia

The Patagonian map contains no Natives, but does include six Trading Posts. Control the three posts you own and one belonging to your enemy, and victory is almost assured you. To maintain a steady supply of Wood, stay near the coast. A central lake offers tactical opportunities but may restrict movement along the western side of the map.

Sonora

A twisting Trade Route winds through this barren, desolate region. Many cliffs and canyons create choke points. Resources can be difcult to nd, though sometimes there are rich ore deposits in the center of the map. Search for Aztec and Maya villages on the edge of the map.

Coming Soon!

Texas is an open plain with scattered low cliffs. Expect attacks from every side. Two Trade Routes, each with two Trading Post sites, cut through the center of the map, separating the teams. There are always at least two Comanche settlements.
A large Inca city dominates the Andescontrol the city, and youll easily control the map. Neutral Huari Strongholds are scattered throughout, presenting challenges for unwary Explorers. Keep your eyes open for the three Trading Post sites. Seek herds of llamas for an early boost of Food.

Yucatan

The Central American jungles hide many lost Treasures. Each player starts with a nearby Aztec or Maya village. Use your ships to control the land on your side, or try to build a Dock on the far shore; construct more ships, and control both coasts. The dense forests mean you never run short of Wood, and herds of Tapir and Capybara offer unique hunting opportunities.

California

In California, sandy beaches to the west give way to rising cliffs and mountains to the east. The winding Trade Route may have three or four Trading Post sites. Expect to encounter Nootka and Inca villages.
Your enemys towns are close on this map, so be on your guard. Cross the central river, and then race to claim the Treasure-rich region to the north. Ore Mines are also plentiful on the northern half of the map; expect to struggle for resources until you have established a second town. The Trade Route is hard to completely control because each team has easy access to one Trading Post site. You can nd two Cree villages north of the river.

Northwest Territory

The Pacic Northwest is the home of the Nootka, hardy Native shermen. Rivers separate teams on this map and provide easily defended choke points. One safe Trade Route for each team provides supplemental income. The land west of the rivers might be a safe place for a second town.