Age of Empires III character sheets
"Blood", "Ice" and "Steel" | "Fire" and "Shadows" | "Japan", "China" and "India" | Deathmatch/Skirmish AI | Major Civilizations (European | Non-European) | Other Civilizations
"Blood", "Ice" and "Steel" | "Fire" and "Shadows" | "Japan", "China" and "India" | Deathmatch/Skirmish AI | Major Civilizations (European | Non-European) | Other Civilizations
AI Opponent personalities for the Deathmatch and Skirmish modes in Age of Empires III.
Introduced in III
Elizabeth's reign was marked by great achievements in writing, navigation, and philosophy by individuals such as William Shakespeare and Francis Bacon. Elizabeth herself was a talented poet and a tremendous patron of the arts.
During her reign, there was much religious unrest in Britain; her leadership was key in avoiding civil war. Despite the threat of a Spanish invasion, Britain remained secure during Elizabeth's reign. Unlike her notorious father, Elizabeth never married and had no children; she died in 1603.
Elizabeth is aristocratic and aloof. You will find her to be a reliable ally who understands the importance of a strong economy. Under her direction, the English navy was second to none. Elizabeth has a deep distrust of the French, but has a fondness for the Dutch.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, she's mentioned in the game code as "Infantry oriented boomer, favors natives", falling into Unit Specialist (infantry and natives) and Economist (Boomer).
- In Definitive Edition, she's instead mentioned as just "Infaitry oriented", still being an Unit Specialist, but losing her Boomer side and even tending towards rush-based tactics. Her Infantry bias was downplayed as well in exchange for a higher bias towards Native units.
- How the Mighty Have Fallen: Against the Dutch:Elizabeth: I have fought tougher Dutch than these before. These just seem to cave right in when we attack.
- Last Stand: Suggests to do one if your team is about to lose:Elizabeth: We are 60 seconds from losing. Shall we surrender now and spare ourselves the ignominy, or make one last push to overthrow the enemy's four of a kind?
- Oh, Crap!:
- If, in team games, she sees an enemy joined by a teammate, she'll worry about that:
Elizabeth: Curses! Now another of them has joined the fray. We need more troops to counter them!Elizabeth: We kill them and kill them, and yet more keep coming. What can we do?- As well if the enemy has natives on their side:
Elizabeth: This is troubling...they are turning the natives against us.Elizabeth: Now they have the natives on their side. - So Proud of You:
- Congratulates you on a work well done on the verge of victory:
Elizabeth: Just one minute before our triumph, my friend! It may be a bit premature, but let me congratulate on a game well fought.- Also when you manage to advance ages faster than her:
Elizabeth: Well done! It may be a moment before I can catch up with you.Elizabeth: A fine show, my friend. Pray use your new research advantage to hinder our common foe.Elizabeth: Soon you will have much more powerful troops than I. I will support you the best I can of course. - Worthy Opponent: Declares another British enemy faction as one:Elizabeth: As we should have expected, the British are stout opponents. Luckily you have some British on your side as well.
During Maurice's reign the Netherlands were fighting for independence from Spain. Until Maurice took control, the revolt against the Spaniards was disorganized. He organized the troops and won several important victories that led to a 12-year truce, which ended in 1621. His attempts to deal with Spain after the truce ended were not successful.
Maurice never married and was succeeded by his brother. He lived an extravagant life and was a great admirer of horses. He referred to them as his 'favorite courtiers'. Whether that was an indictment of his human courtiers or an elevation of a prized animal is uncertain.
Maurice is noble in bearing, refined, and confident. After his difficulties with the Spanish during his reign, he may be hesitant to want to help them.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, he's mentioned in the code as "Turtler, boomish, huge emphasis on trade", thus filling the Turtler (self-explanatory), Economist (boomish) and Gimmick (emphasis on trade) faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned as "Fast Fortress, ignore trade routes". He exchanges his tendency to turtle and boom for a slight rush and a disdain for Trade Routes.
Napoleon was not always a successful student, but he had a tremendous ability to understand and memorize military information. He made good use of his outstanding memory and became known as one of the most brilliant military strategists of all time; at one point he controlled almost all of Central and Western Europe.
Despite his military brilliance, Napoleon is almost as well known for his spectacular military mistakes. At Waterloo he made several tactical errors, including making movements without notifying his allies, that led to his ultimate defeat.
Napoleon's ambitious nature is reflected in the way he plays. He is a great military strategist who prefers to play offensively rather than defensively. Napoleon is not friendly with the British and may hesitate to cooperate with them. He likes to be in control and does not appreciate direction from anyone else.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, he's mentioned in the code as "Cav oriented, balanced, favors natives", thus filling the Balanced (self-explanatory) and Unit Specialist (cavalry and natives) faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned as just "Cav oriented, balanced", with his favoritism towards natives and cavalry being downplayed, and has a slight chance of using Rush-based tactics.
Frederick's father was not entirely unsuccessful with his son. Although Frederick never relinquished his love of the arts, he did become a great military leader who led the Prussian forces successfully through three wars.
He was a great tactician who had a knack for keeping opposition forces from uniting against him.
While pursuing his interests in writing and warfare, Frederick also managed to make Prussia into an economic powerhouse. With such a wide range of successes both on and off the battlefield, it is no wonder that Frederick was nicknamed "the Great."
Frederick is as confident and charismatic as he was in life. He prefers small forces to large armies and likes to catch his enemies off guard.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, he's mentioned in the code as "Cavalry oriented rusher", thus filling the Unit Specialist (Cavalry) and Spammer (Rusher) faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned as "Fast Fortress, cavalry oriented". Downplays his rush-based tendencies in exchange for a slight bias towards infantry units and he no longer ignores Trade Routes.
Suleiman was an accomplished poet and even a goldsmith. He is renouned for his military feats. He was a conqueror who greatly expanded the Ottoman Empire until it became foremost in the world both politically and militarily. One of his few defeats happened at the hands of the Knights of St. John during the Siege of Malta.
"Suleiman the Magnificent" is the European name for Suleiman, reflecting their awe at his military achievements. The Ottomans called him Suleiman the Lawgiver because he had a major role in restructuring Ottoman Law. Suleiman was known for valuing fairness.
Suleiman is proud, decisive, and independent. He has a love of artillery and large armies. When he attacks, he likes to bring every resource to battle; he is not likely to leave anything in reserve.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, he's mentioned in the game code as "Artillery oriented, balanced", though the code downplays the "Artillery" part by putting the same emphasis on both Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery (making it a Generalist). Also fulfills the Balanced role.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned instead as "Artillery oriented, rusher". He gets a slight tendency to Rush-based tactics while having a slight bias towards Artillery and Native units as well as Trade Routes.
- Warrior Poet: Most of his AI lines have plenty of poetry and eloquence.
Prince Henry is rightly credited with inspiring the sense of adventure that led to the European era of exploration and discovery. Henry surrounded himself with expert cartographers and navigators. In addition, he was instrumental in the development of a new type of ship, the caravel. Without it, Columbus would have been hard pressed to sail to the Americas.
Henry is mostly agreeable, calm, and far-sighted. He favors economic expansion over military force and understands the value of trade. Henry is a generous and cooperative ally.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, he's mentioned in the game code as "Artillery oriented boomer, favors trade", though the code downplays the "Artillery" part by putting the same emphasis on both Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery (making it a Generalist). As for the rest, he fulfills the Gimmick (favors trade) and Economist (boomer) faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned as "Fast Fortress, artillery oriented". Like everyone else, gets a slight tendency to Rush-based tactics and has a slight bias towards Cavalry and Artillery units while downplaying his preference for Trade Routes.
Indeed he was! He was outrageously wealthy and created laws that virtually enslaved the peasant class in Russia. He was known for acts of cruelty, including the slaughter of up to 40,000 non-military inhabitants of Novgorod and the accidental killing of his own son during an argument.
Because of the outrageousness of these acts some of Ivan's accomplishments are overlooked. During his early reign he was known as a reforming leader who created a standing army and revised the law code. It was only after the death of his wife that Ivan became progressively less balanced and more ruthless.
Ivan is in his later years: sinister, taunting and threatening. Ivan loves large armies even at the expense of technological advancement. He is especially fond of infantry units.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, he's mentioned in the code as "Infantry oriented turtler", thus filling the roles of Unit Specialist (Infantry) and Turtler (self-explanatory) faction roles. The code also mentions "Slight boomer, he needs the econ in age 2 to keep settlers training", so he also tends to the Economist (boomer) side.
- In Definitive Edition, he's instead mentioned as an "Infantry oriented rusher". He's still a strong rusher but seems more careful, and favors building trade posts more.
After Columbus' discovery, Isabella took a keen interest in the welfare of the Native Americans. She ordered that those brought to Spain should be returned to their homes, and she made provisions in her will that Native Americans be well-treated in Spanish-held territories. Unfortunately, the wishes in her will were not always honored.
Her legacy has a darker side: she established the Spanish Inquisition and was responsible for expelling the Jews from Spain in 1492.
Isabella is a mostly charming opponent or ally. She's witty and engaging with a sense of adventure.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original AoE3, she's mentioned in the code as "Rusher, disdains trading posts", thus filling the Spammer (rusher) and Generalist (only natives and trading posts discouraged) faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, she's mentioned as just "Bias against natives". Her tendency to rush is downplayed, and she seems fine building posts on Trade Routes.
- The Tease: She would refer to her allies as "pets".
Introduced in The WarChiefs
His reign lasted but a few months. After being driven from the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, the Spanish under Cortez regrouped in the city of Tlaxcala, bolstering their forces with indigenous warriors who had long awaited their chance to strike back at the Aztec. The final siege of Tenochtitlan - where Aztec resolve struggled against Spanish gunpowder and steel - lasted barely three months. Cuauhtemoc was forced to surrender to Cortez and the Aztec empire was finished.
But the story of Cuauhtemoc doesn’t end with disgrace. Cortez’s royal treasurer, Aldrete, had Cuauhtemoc tortured with fire in an effort to get him to reveal the Aztec secret storerooms of gold. But even with his feet in the flames, Cuauhtemoc steadfastly maintained none existed. Realizing the fruitlessness of this, Cortez took Cuauhtemoc into his own custody afterwards, but had him executed during an expedition into modern-day Honduras in 1525. Today Cuauhtemoc is revered throughout modern Mexico as a brave and honorable warrior who maintained his integrity to the very end.
Cuauhtemoc is a fierce warrior willing to take practically any measure to ensure victory. He’s confident, proud, and able to make good on any threat.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original The WarChiefs, the game code mentions him as "Chaotic, but usually light boom, defensive", so it's hard to pinpoint. It has a 70% of chances of being a Spammer (Rusher), a 70% of being biased towards native units (Unit Specialist) and a 70% of chances of being biased towards trading posts.
- In Definitive Edition, he's instead a straight "Rusher". His gimmick was more streamlined as well, favoring Trade Routes and having a chance to also favor Natives.
- Characterization Marches On: While he was originally the Straight Guy narrator of the Montezuma campaign in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors, he comes off as a comedic sociopath who practically enjoys violence and blood for the sake of it.
- Continuity Nod: Cuauhtemoc was the narrator of the Montezuma campaign in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors, who became the last emperor of the Aztec Empire, which is what the Aztec AI personality is being represented by.
- Evil Laugh: "Blood! Ha ha ha ha! More blood!" or "You may flee... Cuauhtemoc is not without mercy. (laugh) Who is Cuauhtemoc kidding?"
- Third-Person Person: He does this throughout his dialogue, mostly for laughs.
Precise historic details about Hiawatha are hard to uncover. We know that he was a Mohawk of Onondaga and a disciple of the Huron prophet Deganawidah, who was known as “The Great Peacemaker.” Hiawatha also was famed for his abilities as a skilled peacemaker, as well as a powerful orator.
Together, Hiawatha and Deganawidah are remembered as the founders of the great Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy in the sixteenth century, which brought together the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca, and later the Tuscarora. The longhouse was chosen to symbolize the new confederation and the importance of different peoples working for a common purpose.
Hiawatha leads his warriors courageously and without pause. He doesn’t linger over decisions, nor does he waste words on trivialities. He has a vision for his people and will not let any one or any nation stand in his way.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original The WarChiefs, the game code mentions him as "Balanced, trade and native bias", fulfilling the role as Unit Specialist (Natives) and Balanced faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned instead as just "Fast Fortress, trade and native bias". He now has a chance of using Rush-based tactics while having a tendency to use Infantry for a slightly downplayed tendency to use Native units.
A renowned warrior and leader, he was one of Sitting Bull’s war chiefs during the Lakota assault on General Custer during the Battle of the Little Big Horn. It was a great victory, but both Gall and Sitting Bull realized that the U.S. government would return with many more soldiers bent on revenge. Therefore, to protect their people, Gall, Sitting Bull, and other Lakota fled with their families to Canada.
Eventually, Gall and Sitting Bull parted ways and Gall returned to the U.S. to settle down on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Gall became a prominent supporter of assimilation into the white man’s culture, even serving in 1889 as a judge on Standing Rock’s Court of Indian Offenses. He died in South Dakota on 5 December 1894; the following words were inscribed on his memorial: “An Honest Man Should Always Be Remembered.”
Gall has seen the sun set on many battlefields. He is wise to the ways of his enemies and the spirit world upon which he relies. But don’t mistake his calm demeanor for weakness: Gall and his Sioux/Lakota warriors can strike with deadly speed.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original The WarChiefs, he's mentioned in the code as "Extreme rush, ignores trade routes", thus fulfilling the Spammer (Extreme rusher) and Generalist (trade excluded) faction roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's mentioned instead as just "Extreme rush". Retains his tendency to rush while adding a high Cavalry and Trade Route bias that the original AI didn't have.
Introduced in The Asian Dynasties
Born in war, Tokugawa Ieyasu thrived on conflict, rising to such prominence that his very name has become associated with one of Japan’s most powerful and significant eras. His given name was Matsudaira Takechiyo. At the time of his birth, his parents were only 15 and 17 years old, and in less than two years, his mother was dismissed and the couple separated permanently. With his mother gone, Takechiyo quickly became embroiled in the brutal affairs of his father’s family, the Matsudaira clan.
During Takechiyo’s childhood, the Matsudaira was torn in its allegiance. Half of the family wished to side with the Imagawa clan, while the other side preferred the Oda clan. In 1548, when the Oda clan invaded their province, Takechiyo’s father went to the Imagawa clan for help. The leader of the Imagawa agreed to aid the Matsidaira clan, but on one condition: that young Takechiyo, a six-year-old boy, be given as a hostage. His father agreed. But before the exchange could be carried out, the leader of the Oda clan learned of the arrangement and had the boy abducted en route to his destination. The Oda threatened to kill the boy if Matsudaira did not sever his ties with the Imagawa, their sworn enemy. The boy’s father refused. He believed his actions would prove his loyalty to his ally, even at the expense of his own son. Takechiyo stayed with the Oda for three years, until their castle was besieged by the Imagawa and he was given to them as incentive to cease their attack. Ever since his birth, the boy had been little more than a pawn in the affairs of those around him.
In 1567, Matsudaira Takechiyo changed his given name to Ieyasu, and took the surname Tokugawa, thus claiming descent from the imperial Minamoto clan, although no proof supporting this connection has ever been discovered. By taking this name, Ieyasu made his ambitions quite clear. Not only did he distance himself from his past, but he also hinted at a confident and commanding future. By that time he was the veteran of many wars and had gained a reputation as a fearless and crafty general, prone to taking the best advantage of shifting alliances and family rifts. He had used his alliances to build up his territory and gain influence, allying first with the powerful Oda Nobunaga, and then with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was slowly uniting the warring clans into a tenuous coalition. Hen Hideyoshi invaded Korea in the 1590s; Ieyasu wisely chose not to participate, and instead focused on domestic production and organizing his army. While other generals sent their men to die in the disastrous invasions, Ieyasu waited and watched.
When Hideyoshi died in 1598, his lands suddenly became targets for all of his former enemies turned allies, and none of these men were as powerful as Tokugawa Ieyasu. During the legendary Sekigahara campaign (1598-1600), Ieyasu and those loyal to him defeated the army of loyalists who had sworn to protect the dynasty of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At the Battle of Sekigahara in October 1600, Ieyasu claimed ultimate victory, executing his enemies and rewarding his friends.
Two years later he received the title of shogun and established the Tokugawa Shogunate, ushering in the Edo period, a military dictatorship that lasted until 1868.
He's also present in the Japan campaign of The Asian Dynasties. For tropes regarding his appearance in the campaign, check the Asian Dynasties characters page.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original The Asian Dynasties, the game code mentions him as "Extreme rush, ignores trade routes", falling into the same categories as the Sioux/Lakota: Spammer and Generalist.
- In Definitive Edition, he's instead mentioned as a "Rusher, ignores trade routes". He's a rusher by default, with a high chance of not being one, has a bias towards Infantry units, and seems fine with building on Trade Routes.
- Jerkass: He is very petty when he turns down resource requests. And is very demanding to his allies, treating them like his underlings.
- Third-Person Person: His taunts and speeches never refer to himself as "I", but rather as "Tokugawa".
The Kangxi Emperor was born Aixin-Jueluo Xuanye, on May 4, 1654. He ascended the throne in 1662, at the age of seven, twelve days after the death of his father the Shunzhi Emperor. At first the young ruler had no hand in governing his country. Before his death, Kangxi’s father had appointed four regents to make decisions in the boy’s stead. However, at almost the moment these men tasted their newfound power, they turned on each other. One died, one was murdered, and one tried to usurp the young Kangxi Emperor as the supreme ruler of the Qing. Having stood by and watched long enough, the teenaged emperor stepped in and took control in 1669.
From that point on, the Kangxi Emperor worked hard to please his people, believing that even the smallest act of carelessness could cause grave, empire-wide repercussions. He worked tirelessly to win their goodwill and overturn years of bitterness from those still loyal to the preceding Ming Dynasty. He toured the south of the country with a small, humble entourage, educating himself about local conditions and concerns, and reasserting his rule among regional leaders. In 1670 the Kangxi Emperor issued the Sacred Edict, which consisted of sixteen moral maxims that were based on Confucian teachings. They encouraged respect for parents and ancestors, generosity, frugality, hard work, and the importance of taxes to the community and the empire. With this act, he proved himself to be a true Chinese emperor; despite his ethnic Manchu background, he was sensitive to the needs and cultures of the Chinese people.
Until his death in 1722, the Kangxi Emperor ruled in such a way as to make him remembered as one of China’s most capable of adroit leaders, and the greatest of the Qing Dynasty emperors. He orchestrated the Treaty of Nerchinsk with Russia, adding parts of Outer Mongolia and Tibet to China's domain. He ordered the repair of China’s Grand Canal to allow for easier transportation of rice to the hungry northern populations. He dredged the Yellow River to prevent destructive flooding. He reduced taxes and commissioned the creation of important texts, including the “Kangxi Dictionary” and a written history of the Ming Dynasty. But perhaps the Kangxi Emperor’s most creative accomplishment was learning to “tickle the ivory,” as he was the first Chinese ruler to play a Western instrument - the piano.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original The Asian Dynasties, the game code mentions him as an "Infantry oriented turtler", thus fulfilling the Turtler and Unit Specialist (Infantry) faction roles. Like with Ivan, the code also mentions "Slight boomer, he needs the econ in age 2 to keep settlers training", so he also tends to the Economist (boomer) side.
- In Definitive Edition, he's instead mentioned as a "Fast Fortress, Infantry oriented". Has a chance of using Rush-based tactics, and has a slightly downplayed bias for Infantry units, no doubt due to the uniqueness of his civilization.
Energetic and confident, Akbar continued the policies of imperial expansion, enlarging the Mughal Empire to include Afghanistan, Baluchistan, and almost the entire Indian peninsula north of the Godavari River. Yet, even as he defeated numerous chieftains and warlords, Akbar made sure to sow the seeds of future peace, offering conciliatory opportunities to those he brought under the rule of the Mughal Empire. Upon conquering the fierce Hindu Rajputs, Akbar reached out to them, placing many of their chiefs in positions of influence within his own administration; he even went so far as to twice marry a Rajput princess.
Akbar’s overall goal was to create a utopian society with him as its ruler and divine counselor. He established a uniform system of government that unified the scattered and diverse regions and kingdoms of his domain. His courts at Delhi and Agra became centers of education and cultural achievement. And in perhaps the most unusual and ambitious of his policies, Akbar, having grown disillusioned with traditional Islam, promoted a religious tolerance movement that focused on open spiritual debate. He even created a new faith combining aspects of Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity. He called this all-encompassing spirituality “The Faith of the Divine.”
Akbar is remembered as a visionary ruler for good reason. His strength as a military commander was tempered with a strong sense of respect towards all subjects that he absorbed into his growing empire. While eccentric, his ideas were startlingly ahead of their time.
- A Commander Is You:
- In the original The Asian Dynasties, the game code mentions him as "Cavalry oriented rusher", like the Germans, thus fulfilling the Unit Specialist and Spammer roles.
- In Definitive Edition, he's instead mentioned as a "Rusher, balanced". He loses his Cavalry bias in exchange for a Trade Route bias.
- Friendly Enemy: Akbar compliments the player and treats him civilly, but he will not hold back.
Introduced in the Definitive Edition
- A Commander Is You: Mentioned in the game's code as "Rusher, trade and strong native bias", thus falling into the Unit Specialist (Infantry and Native units) as well as a Trade Route bias.
- A Commander Is You: Mentioned in the game's code as "Rusher, small artillery focus", being a rusher with a slight bias towards Artillery as well as a bigger bias against Trade Routes.
He also appears in two campaigns: Ice from the base game, and Fire from The WarChiefs. For tropes regarding his appearance in these campaigns, check the Blood, Ice and Steel page.
- A Commander Is You: Mentioned in the game's code as just "Balanced". Has a slight bias towards Infantry units and disdains Trade Routes.
- A Commander Is You: Mentioned in the game's code as "Bias towards building Trading Posts", thus is biased towards Native units and slightly less towards Trade Routes (with a slightly high bias towards Infantry units).
- A Commander Is You: Like Tewodros, she's mentioned in the game's code as "Bias towards building Trading Posts", thus biased towards Native units and slightly less towards Trade Routes. Where they differ is that her focus is towards Cavalry units.
- A Commander Is You: Like Washington, he's mentioned in the game's code as "Balanced", with a slight bias against Artillery units as well as Trade Routes.
- A Commander Is You: Like Washington and Hidalgo, he's mentioned in the game's code as "Balanced". Unlike them, he has no unit biases, being a complete Generalist.
- A Commander Is You: Like Garibaldi, he's mentioned in the game's code as "Balanced" and also has no biases.
