Master the Art of Defense in Age Of Empires 3: Unveiling the Ultimate Civilization Rankings!

Highlights

Age of Empires 3 is a highly regarded real-time strategy game that is still played today despite its age.

Each civilization in the game possesses distinctive strengths and weaknesses, enabling players to tailor their gameplay accordingly.

Several civilizations, including the British, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, and Dutch, specialize in defensive strategies and boast numerous advantages that facilitate the construction of formidable defenses.

Age of Empires 3 stands as one of the top real-time strategy games available, even after all these years. The game's enduring popularity highlights its impressive quality. The Age of Empires series allows players to guide a civilization's growth and progress throughout the ages, emphasizing fortification construction, scientific and technological development, and, of course, warfare. With their own home cities at their disposal, players can also enhance their political influence as the game unfolds.

Age of Empires 3 introduces players to a wide array of distinctive and diverse civilizations. Each civilization possesses its own set of strengths, unique characteristics, and vulnerabilities. Players can tailor their playstyle according to various factors, such as personal preferences, the chosen civilization, and the strategies adopted by opponents. Notably, Age of Empires 3 offers numerous strategic choices, including the highly effective defensive approach. While all civilizations can be utilized defensively, some excel in this aspect more than others.

5 British

The British civilization in Age of Empires 3 is known for its economic strength and flexibility, allowing players to adapt their play style as desired. One effective approach is a defensive strategy, which is supported by various advantages. The Manor House perk encourages development and economic focus, giving players a reason to prioritize defensive measures. In addition, the Frontier Outposts attribute allows for the construction of stronger outposts with increased HP, further bolstering defenses.

Furthermore, the British have access to longbowman infantry units, which have superior range compared to other ranged attackers in the early game. This, combined with the ability to construct walls more quickly through the British church and the availability of resilient melee units through the Thin Red Line tech, enhances the British civilization's defensive capabilities. Overall, these advantages make the British civilization highly adept at defensive maneuvers and evasive tactics.

4 Russian

The military prowess of the Russian civilization in Age of Empires 3 is unparalleled. It excels in both offensive and defensive combat, with a focus on the latter. The defense of Russia stands out for several reasons. Firstly, Russia has access to Blockhouses, which are robust defensive structures that not only provide solid defense but also produce combat units. This makes them highly valuable for mass production. Additionally, the Russian Boyar church enhances the durability of some of the finest Russian units, such as Musketeers and Cossacks, which are easily trained. Players can effectively surround their fortifications with combat units, creating an impenetrable defensive wall.

Furthermore, Russia boasts the most cost-effective combat units in the game. This allows players to swiftly build a formidable army and employ it according to their strategic preferences. The ability of players to exercise freedom and express their individual tactics is a significant factor in the success of this series, and the unique dynamics that AoE 3 offers with Russia are challenging to replicate.

3 Portuguese

The Portuguese civilization in Age of Empires 3 is renowned for its exceptional capabilities. With a defensive play style, players can take advantage of the Portuguese navy, which is considered one of the strongest in the game. This navy offers excellent protection against invaders and can even be utilized for creating blockades. Additionally, the Portuguese possess an extensive spy network, providing accurate information about their surroundings. This knowledge can be utilized to enhance strategic decision-making, such as fortifying defenses or training additional units.

Moreover, Portuguese-covered wagons are highly effective for exerting control over the map and establishing a stable and sustainable empire. Thanks to a steady flow of wealth, players can patiently build up their forces and utilize some of the best units available in the game.

2 Japanese

The Asian Dynasties expansion introduced the Japanese civilization, which is widely regarded as one of the most enjoyable to play. With their expertise in swift offense and strong defensive capabilities, the Japanese excel in Age of Empires 3. A significant aspect of successful defense in the game is the civilization's inclination towards passivity, and Japan fits this criteria with its ability to attract animals and gather resources easily through shrines. Complementing these shrines, the Japanese can bolster their defenses by upgrading their walls, while also benefitting from the inclusion of powerful Yumi Archers that become even more formidable when stationed within a castle. Overall, the Japanese civilization is incredibly adept at playing passively and defensively, with ample justification for doing so.

1 Dutch

The Dutch civilization is centered around a passive, wealth-focused strategy, prioritizing resource accumulation with minimal risk. A key advantage of the Dutch is their access to banks, which ensure a steady flow of gold throughout the game. With this advantage, there is little need for them to venture into battles, as they can rely on the banks in their home city. Many of the Dutch upgrades are designed to enhance this cautious playstyle. The Dutch possess skilled scouts in the form of envoys, who can effectively warn of impending danger. Additionally, early access to Skirmishers and Ruyters provides them with formidable combat units specialized in supporting a defensive "turtling" approach.

Moreover, the Dutch possess some of the game's most exceptional artillery units, enabling them to comfortably stay behind fortifications and easily bombard aggressors. Furthermore, the Dutch can construct upgraded walls earlier in the game compared to most civilizations, further enhancing their defensive capabilities. Consequently, everything is perfectly aligned for this civilization to excel defensively.

Age of Empires 3

Platform(s) PCReleased October 18, 2005Developer(s) Ensemble StudiosGenre(s) Strategy