Xbox Game Studios revealed the United States civilization for Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition during the recent Age of Empires fan event on April 10. Now, the newest DLC is out and available for $4.99 on Steam and the Windows Store. The expansion is also available for free for a limited time for players who complete certain in-game challenges.
The publisher was relatively mum on the details surrounding the new civilization during the event, which also saw wider-ranging news about upcoming DLC and expansions AoE 3:DE and Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition. With the launch of the United States civilization, we know a little bit more.
According to a more detailed launch trailer, which can be seen at the top of this article, the United States civilization includes a rousing general — instead of the typical starting explorer — capable of buffing troops and militiamen by placing a flag on the battlefield, as well as building forts instead of town centers and increasing the speed at which other structures are constructed.
Speaking of militiamen, these units can be called up multiple times in quick succession to defend buildings around each settlement. These can be “called from the town center, outpost, and fort.”
On top of these units, other additions rounding out the civ’s ground and naval forces include:
- The regular
- The state militia
- The cowboy
- The owlhoot
- The sharpshooter
- The carbine cavalry
- The Gatling gun
- The quaker gun
- The ironclad
- The sloop
- The union steamer
There are also three unique buildings included: the meeting house, the saloon, and the state capitol.
XGS previously hinted that the USA wouldn’t “age-up” the same way as other civs in Age of Empires 3: Definitive Edition. Now we know how that works. The United States moves from one age to the next through a similar age-up window, but it does so through different states, such as Virginia and Delaware, each of which provides its own pros and cons.
Unlike other civilizations in AoE 3: DE, the United States uses immigration cards to gain certain buffs and deliveries during each age. This allows them to “borrow” from other cultures to create decks. Which cards are included in the U.S. catalog were not shared in the video, but they run the gamut of cards found in other decks.
The Age of Empires fan event also included the first in-depth look at the upcoming Age of Empires 4, including gameplay, a run-down of four of the game’s eight civilizations, and more. For a full rundown of everything in the latest DLC, head over to the game’s Steam forum page.
