Age of Empires 3

It's the dawn of a new age in real-time strategy (RTS) games. A brave New World is rising – a hostile yet beautiful world, filled with innovative gameplay, new strategic scenarios, eye-searing graphics and much more.

Welcome to a world called Age of Empires III.

 New Feature – Home Cities

Players have access to their own European Home City for economic, technological and military support as you establish your colony in the New World. Your Home City's success depends on you, with your city's improvements retained between games. Learn more.

Civilzations

The Spanish have a strong military, with both hand infantry and cavalry. Flexibility in early shipments from the Home City give the Spanish the option to attack early or set up for a strong, late economy. Spanish Home City improvements benefit soldiers, buildings and naval units.

Quick access to Settlers gives the British one of the strongest economies in the game. The ability to upgrade two key units – the Musketeer and Hussar – make the British military formidable in the late game. The British Home City emphasizes improvements to technology and naval warfare.

Although the French economy starts slowly, the Coureur unit, a Villager with strong fighting skills, makes the French difficult to attack early. The French also have the strongest cavalry unit in the game – the Cuirassier. Plus, the French are experts at allying with the Native Americans.

Starting the game with two Town Centers, the Portuguese can quickly produce Settlers, control territory or support their allies. The Spyglass ability allows the Portuguese to easily spy on the enemy. The Portuguese also have a strong navy, strong light infantry and the best Dragoons in the game.

Although Dutch Settlers are limited and costly, their civilization makes up for this economic disadvantage by building Banks and generating coin automatically. The Dutch Home City emphasizes upgrades to defense and economy.

The Germans have fewer Settlers and therefore a slower economy. Fortunately, both the Settler Wagon and Uhlan cavalry spawn for free from the German Town Center. Plus, the Germans start with the ability to send Mercenaries from their Home City (long before other civilizations can).

Starting the game with extra resources but fewer Settlers gives the Russians the flexibility of focusing on economy or an early raid. Russian infantry, individually weak, are trained in blocks at a faster rate, providing the Russians with the opportunity to overwhelm their enemy with greater numbers.

For the Ottomans, Settlers spawn automatically from the Town Center. Building a Mosque and conducting research help keep that Settler production steady. Befitting their position straddling Europe and Asia, the Ottomans have more unique units than any other civilization.

Experience the power of the WarChief in the new expansion for Age of Empires III! In Age of Empires® III: The WarChiefs, play as one of three new civilizations – Aztec, Iroquois, or Sioux – each with unique units, buildings and abilities that will test your strategic mettle. Use upgrades for the European civilizations from the original games to earn civ-specific bonuses, build units at a new mercenary saloon, collect new Cards, and battle toward victory with the new Revolution feature. Explore the new single-player Campaign and follow the continuing tale of the Black family as they witness the birth of a new nation.

New Civilizations

The Sioux

With the discovery of gold in their sacred Black Hills, the Sioux had sporadic conflicts with the new immigrants, leading to the Indian Wars and eventually the Battle of the Little Big Horn. The Sioux Nation consists of three geographically distinct divisions of peoples who speak a Siouan language: the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota. In the language of the Sioux, the names Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota mean “friends”.

The Sioux were famed for breeding and training horses. Military advantages of the in-game Sioux civilization are primarily cavalry based. The Sioux strike hard and fast.

The Iroquois

The Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois, formed a League of Five Nations long before Europeans arrived in North America (a sixth Nation joined later). The Iroquois Confederacy had a constitution with rules for the selection of war chiefs, guidelines for council meetings, and even suggestions for proper oratory at funerals. Benjamin Franklin expressed great respect for the Iroquois Confederacy. During the American Revolution some tribes sided with the British, while others sided with the colonists, effectively dismantling the once-powerful Confederacy. Equipped with artillery and siege weaponry, the in-game Iroquois civilization can mount a powerful but slow-moving assault.

The Aztecs

At their height, the Aztec represented the most powerful civilization in Mesoamerica. The Aztec constructed great cities, most notably Tenochtitlan on the site of modern-day Mexico City. Described by some early Spanish as grander than most European cities, Tenochtitlan’s advanced infrastructure included temples, markets, and canals. In Aztec society, membership in the calpulli established each individual’s religious and secular schooling, as well as warfare training. The men of a calpulli served together in battle and on numerous public works projects. The in-game Aztec civilization is based around a strong infantry consisting of several units, including elite infantry.