History Fridge / AgeOfEmpiresIII

* The Black family must have tremendous military and political power.
** Even accounting for GameplayAndStorySegregation for building a civilization at every single level, based on the enemies they are fighting (the Circle of Ossus is well armed enough to occupy the Havana, and the Blacks are confident enough to launch an attack on an outpost of the Ottoman Empire away from their homeland) as well as the fact they have minimal oversight and orders from higher up suggests that the Blacks are an army onto themselves. A small scale version of an NGOSuperpower perhaps?

** The mere fact that the nascent United States government was willing to grant a sizable sum of money to Nathaniel in order to set up Falcon Company, despite his Haudenosaunee lineage, speaks volumes as to the influence and reputation the Black family had garnered.

* The Indians, unlike the other Asian civs, almost wholly utilize the European naval roster. While this might seem like an odd oversight at first, it's nonetheless reflective of how the Mughals in particular had such an ineffectual navy that it had to rely on outside powers like the Ottomans and later the British East India Company for ships.

* Both Mexico and the United States, despite superficially resembling the European civilizations they declared independence from, rely on substantial citizen militias and irregulars (be they Insurgentes and Salteadores/Vigilantes, or State Militia/Volunteers and Sharpshooters respectively) supplementing a smaller core of professional troops (Soldados and Regulars). This stands in sharp contrast to their counterparts across the Atlantic, which tend to rely more on Musketeers, Pikemen or Halberdiers as their mainline infantry, while being screened by Crossbowmen or Skirmishers. Then again, given their respective colonial conflicts, [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame encounters with indigenous cultures]], and experience in [[HomeFieldAdvantage using the frontier against their foes]], it makes sense why "standard" doctrines would be inverted. In addition, as fledging nations, it also reflects how their standing armies were very much a work-in-progress over the time period, rather than established militaries.

* The Black family must have tremendous military and political power. Even accounting for GameplayAndStorySegregation for building a civilization at every single level, based on the enemies they are fighting (the Circle of Ossus is well armed enough to occupy the Havana, and the Blacks are confident enough to launch an attack on an outpost of the Ottoman Empire away from their homeland) as well as the fact they have minimal oversight and orders from higher up suggests that the Blacks are an army onto themselves. A small scale version of an NGOSuperpower perhaps?

** The Japanese Consulate, in addition to being able to ally with the Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese (which Japan interacted with the most during the Sengoku Jidai), can also opt to embrace Japanese Isolationism. This is due to how the civilization portrayed in the game is based around the Tokugawa shogunate, to the point of them having an alternate age-up option named "UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration", though it grants no benefits aside of aging up.

* Askaris, which are available from Somali and Sudanese settlements after a tech upgrade, are powerful European-style infantry which are much more expensive than other native African units, with only the wealthiest civs being able to field them in sizable numbers. While this could be seen as being done for balancing purposes, it's also reflective of how much some European powers were investing into their African colonies, especially when it came to finding [[LesCollaborateurs compliant locals]] to help maintain order.

* Both Mexico and the United States, despite superficially resembling the European civilizations they declared independence from, rely on substantial citizen militias and irregulars (be they Insurgentes and Salteadores/Vigilantes, or State Militia/Volunteers and Sharpshooters respectively) supplementing a smaller core of professional troops (Soldados and Regulars). This stands in sharp contrast to their counterparts across the Atlantic, which tend to rely more on Musketeers, Pikemen or Halberdiers as their mainline infantry, while being screened by Crossbowmen or Skirmishers. Then again, given their respective colonial conflicts, [[BeatThemAtTheirOwnGame encounters with indigenous cultures]], and experience in [[HomeFieldAdvantage using the frontier against their foes]], it makes sense why "standard" doctrines would be inverted.

* Both Mexico and the United States, despite superficially resembling the European civilizations they declared independence from, rely on substantial citizen militias and irregulars (be they Insurgentes and Salteadores/Vigilantes, or State Militia/Volunteers and Sharpshooters respectively) supplementing a smaller core of professional troops (Soldados and Regulars), in sharp contrast to their counterparts across the Atlantic, which tend to rely more on Musketeers, Pikemen or Halberdiers as their mainline infantry. Then again, given their respective colonial conflicts and experience in using the frontier against their foes, it makes sense why "standard" doctrines would be inverted.

* The mechanic of allying with minor civilizations seems fairly convenient, especially when all it takes is setting up a Trading Post at a Native/Royal House settlement that either [[NotInThisForYourRevolution couldn't care less]] about why you're there or don't consider you a threat. That it's useful for gaining access to new units and tech further adds incentive to secure as many as you can. Inevitably, however, this also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]] in any given region, even if some of them are nominally of the same group, whether as expendable pawns or [[LesCollaborateurs compliant proxies]]. Not too unlike how European colonial powers, Asian civilizations, and even indigenous empires like the Aztecs were able to expand and consolidate their rule historically. Only this time, ''[[YouBastard you're the one doing it]]''.

* Both Mexico and the United States, despite superficially resembling the European civilizations they declared independence from, rely on substantial citizen militias and irregulars (be they Insurgentes and Salteadors/Vigilantes, or State Militia/Volunteers and Sharpshooters respectively) supplementing a smaller core of professional troops (Soldados and Regulars), in sharp contrast to their counterparts across the Atlantic, which tend to rely more on Musketeers, Pikemen or Halberdiers as their mainline infantry. Then again, given their respective colonial conflicts and experience in using the frontier against their foes, it makes sense why "standard" doctrines would be inverted.

* The mechanic of allying with minor civilizations seems fairly convenient, especially when all it takes is setting up a Trading Post at a Native/Royal House settlement that either [[NotInThisForYourRevolution couldn't care less]] about why you're there or don't consider you a threat. That it's useful for gaining access to new units and tech further adds incentive to secure as many as you can. Inevitably, however, this also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]] in any given region, even if some of them are nominally of the same group, whether as expendable pawns or [[LesCollaborateurs compliant proxies]]. Not too unlike how European colonial powers, Asian civilizations, and even indigenous empires like the Aztecs were able to expand and consolidate their rule historically. Only this time, ''you're the one doing it''.

** In ''Definitive Edition'', Chile is [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilean_War_of_Independence a revolution option]] only for Spain.

* In African skirmish maps, among the various treasure guardians and outlaws are bands of "Colonials" - French-speaking looters, officers, swashbucklers and gunslingers in pith helmets and ragged uniforms, all of which are hostile even to other European civs. While they could be seen as a subtle nod to the Belgian Congo in ''Literature/HeartOfDarkness'', it also makes you wonder what drove them to that point in the first place...

* The mechanic of allying with minor civilizations seems fairly convenient, especially when all it takes is setting up a Trading Post at a Native/Royal House settlement that otherwise [[NotInThisForYourRevolution couldn't care less]] about you. That it's useful for gaining access to new units and tech further adds incentive to secure as many as you can. Inevitably, however, this also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]] in any given region, even if some of them are nominally of the same group, whether as expendable pawns or [[LesCollaborateurs compliant proxies]]. Not too unlike how European colonial powers, Asian civilizations, and even indigenous empires like the Aztecs were able to expand and consolidate their rule historically. Only this time, ''you're the one doing it''.

** The Indian Consulate having an option to ally with the Ottomans may seem random at first glance. As it turns out, the Ottoman Empire not only maintained political influence over parts of India prior to the British East India Company's dominance, but [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman%E2%80%93Portuguese_confrontations even fought the Portuguese over regional hegemony]] several times (even involving Ethiopia at one point), which also explains why the Portuguese are also a potential ally.

** The Indian Consulate having an option to ally with the Ottomans may seem random at first glance. As it turns out, the Ottoman Empire not only maintained political influence over parts of India prior to the British East India Company's dominance, but [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman%E2%80%93Portuguese_confrontations even fought the Portuguese over regional hegemony]] several times, which even involved Ethiopia at one point.

* The mechanic of allying with minor civilizations seems useful for gaining access to new units and tech, especially when all it takes is setting up a Trading Post at a Native/Royal House settlement that otherwise [[NotInThisForYourRevolution couldn't care less]] about you. Inevitably, however, this also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]] in any given region, even if some of them are nominally of the same group, whether as expendable pawns or [[LesCollaborateurs compliant proxies]]. Not too unlike how European colonial powers, Asian civilizations, and even indigenous empires like the Aztecs were able to expand and consolidate their rule historically.

* The mechanic of allying with minor civilizations seems useful for gaining access to new units and tech, especially when all it takes is setting up a Trading Post at a Native/Royal House settlement which otherwise [[NotInThisForYourRevolution couldn't care less]] about you. Inevitably, however, this also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]], even if some of them are nominally of the same group, whether as expendable pawns or [[LesCollaborateurs compliant proxies]]. Not too unlike how European colonial powers, Asian civilizations, and even indigenous empires like the Aztecs were able to expand and consolidate their rule historically.

* The mechanic of allying with Native/Royal House settlements isn't just useful for gaining access to new units and tech. It also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]], even if some of them are nominally of the same group, whether as expendable pawns or [[LesCollaborateurs compliant proxies]]. Not too unlike how the European colonial powers, Asian civilizations, and even indigenous empires like the Aztecs were able to expand and consolidate their rule historically.

* The mechanic of allying with Native/Royal House settlements isn't just useful for gaining access to new units and tech. It also involves [[DivideAndConquer playing various peoples against one another]], even if some of them are nominally of the same group, for imperial expansion or as expendable proxies. Not too unlike how the great powers of the time period were able to get as far as they did.

* The Consulate system for the Asian civilizations makes allusions to various periods of each faction's respective history.
** The Chinese Consulate can create alliances with the British, Russian, French and German civilizations. The end of the first Opium Wars had China signing several treaties (called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unequal_treaty Unequal Treaties]]) with these countries, beginning what was called as the "Century of Humiliation".

** The Indian Consulate having an option to ally with the Ottomans may seem random at first glance. As it turns out, the Ottoman Empire not only maintained political influence over parts of India prior to the British East India Company's dominance, but [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottoman%E2%80%93Portuguese_conflicts_(1538%E2%80%931560) even fought the Portuguese over regional hegemony]] several times.

* Carib settlements have a technology called "Ceremonial Feast" that transforms your Carib warriors in "Feast warriors" with twice the hitpoints. The most notable Carib "ceremonial feast" in real life was the ritual consumption of [[IAmAHumanitarian body parts]] taken from their enemies, which made Carib warriors especially feared. This may be the reason why Carib blowgunners are also the [[AcceptableEthnicTargets only Native American outlaw units]] in the game.

* The Chinese Consulate can create alliances with the British, Russian, French and German civilizations. The end of the first Opium Wars had China signing several treaties (called [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unequal_treaty Unequal Treaties]]) with these countries, beginning what was called as the "Century of Humilliation".

** The Japanese civilization portrayed in the game takes place during the Tokugawa shogunate, to the point of them having an alternate age-up option should they choose Japanese Isolationism at the consulate; said age-up option is named "UsefulNotes/MeijiRestoration" and grants no benefits aside of aging up.

* The Black family must have tremendous military and political power. Even accounting for GameplayAndStorySegregation for building a civilization at every single level, based on the enemies they are fighting (Circle of Ossus is well armed enough to occupy Havana and the Blacks are confident enough to launch an attack on an outpost of the Ottoman Empire away from their homeland) as well as the fact they have minimal oversight and orders from higher up suggests that the Blacks are an army onto themselves. A small scale version of an NGOSuperpower perhaps?
* Morgan Black is over 30 at the time of the Siege of Malta in 1565 (the "Blood" campaign). John Black, his ''grandson'', is in his 20s during the UsefulNotes/SevenYearsWar (1756-1763). This looks like an evident case of WritersCannotDoMath until the end of the campaign, when it is revealed that while the FountainOfYouth was destroyed at the end of the first act, its water was still available, and Morgan (and probably Elizabeth) drank from it. Morgan is, in fact, still alive by the freaking 1810s, although as [[AgeWithoutYouth a very old man]].

* Of all the Asian civilizations, the Japanese have [[QualityOverQuantity high quality units]] as opposed to ZergRush for the Chinese. Guess which civilization have [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Restoration quickly industrialized and adapted western customs]] in the ''Age of Empires III'' timeframe?

* The theme for the Chinese civilization in the ''Definitive Edition'' is practically identical to their theme in ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII: [[UpdatedRerelease Definitive Edition]]''. The Japanese civ, at the timeframe of this game, takes place during the reign of UsefulNotes/TokugawaIeyasu, which isn't too far off from when the Japanese were depicted back in ''II''.

* When the player gets to the Imperial Age, they get the option of building a Capitol and researching three technologies that tremendously increase the gather rates for all sources of Food, Wood and Coin. Sounds awesome doesn't it? The names of these techs are, respectively, "Large Scale Agriculture", "Deforestation" and "Excessive Taxation". These three issues became real problems during the late 19th century and the 20th century, the era in which the Imperial Age takes place, so, in a way, the player becomes the cause of agriculture spreading like wildfire, the loss of thousands of acres in woodlands, and crushing so many people under huge debts. ''"It's just a tech and it's just a game!"'' you might say. ''"I'm just improving my civ's gathering rates!"'' While this is absolutely true, not thinking about the consequences for these actions is exactly why many politicians of the 19th were responsible for the problems caused by Large Scale Agriculture, Deforestation and Excessive Taxation.

* Carib settlements have a technology called "Ceremonial Feast" that transforms your Carib warriors in "Feast warriors" with double hitpoints. The most notable Carib "ceremonial feast" in real life was the ritual consumption of [[IAmAHumanitarian body parts]] taken from their enemies, which made Carib warriors especially feared. This may be the reason why Carib blowgunners are also the [[AcceptableEthnicTargets only Native American outlaw units]] in the game.
* There is a tied Inca prisoner in the second Moon Lake scenario in "Steel", set 250 years after the first one. We later learn that the Inca prisoners Morgan freed from the Spanish in Florida drank from the Fountain of Youth and barreled some to take home to Peru. [[FateWorseThanDeath For how long]] was that guy prisoner? [[JackBauerInterrogationTechnique And was he]] how [[TortureTechnician Beaumont]] learned of the Incas taking the water?
* One of the possible treasures in skirmish is a pair of settlers tied down by outlaws. However the settlers can spawn as all female, leading to unfortunate implications as to why they're being held.

* When the player gets to the Imperial Age, they get the option of building a Capitol and researching three technologies that tremendously increase the gather rates for all sources of Food, Wood and Coin. Sounds awesome doesn't it? The names of these techs are, respectively, "Large Scale Agriculture", "Deforestation" and "Excessive Taxation". These three issues became real problems during the late 19th century and the 20th century, so, in a way, the player becomes the cause of agriculture spreading like wildfire, the loss of thousands of acres in woodlands, and crushing so many people under huge debts. ''"It's just a tech and it's just a game!"'' you might say. ''"I'm just improving my civ's gathering rates!"'' While this is absolutely true, not thinking about the consequences for these actions is exactly why many politicians of the 19th were responsible for the problems caused by Large Scale Agriculture, Deforestation and Excessive Taxation.

* The theme for the Chinese civilization in the ''Definitive Edition'' is practically identical to their theme in ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresII: [[UpdatedRerelease Definitive Edition]]''. The Japanese civ, at the timeframe of this game, takes place during the reign of UsefulNotes/IeyasuTokugawa, which isn't too far off from when the Japanese were depicted back in ''II''.

** The two civs introduced by ''Knights of the Mediterranean'', the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_colonization_of_Libya Italians]] and the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospitaller_Tripoli Maltese]], can revolt into [[BarbarousBarbaryBandits the Barbary States]].

* In "Blood", at the cutscene following the Inca HoldTheLine mission, Francisco Delgado de León finds Sahin and his men surround him. The Ottoman proceeds to tell him about the danger [[OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness the Circle of Ossus]] should represent for his Conquistador army, to which Delgado retorts with them not being a match for the Conquistador army's firepower. The first mission in Florida has Morgan and Lizzie's RagtagBunchOfMisfits, who shouldn't be a match for both Delgado's forces ''and'' the Circle of Ossus, taking back the control of the sunken treasure ships, with an optional mission where Delgado must be killed proving Sahin's words.

* The French being able to revolt into Revolutionary France turns the settlers into [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sans-culottes Sans-culottes]], improved [[WorkerUnit Coureur des Bois]] units who, via the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilien_Robespierre#Reign_of_Terror "Reign of Robespierre"]] card, have bonuses against enemy military units. And if that isn't enough, the [[OffWithHisHead "Guillotine"]] card gives them bonuses against [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution Hero units]], while [[StormingTheCastle "Storming of the Bastille"]] gives them [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storming_of_the_Bastille siege-related bonuses]].

* In "Blood", at the cutscene following the Inca HoldTheLine mission, Francisco Delgado de León finds Sahin and his men surround him. The Ottoman proceeds to tell him about the danger [[OmniscientCouncilOfVagueness the Circle of Ossus]] should represent for his Conquistador army, to which Delgado retorts with them not being a match for the Conquistador army's firepower. The next mission has Morgan and Lizzie's RagtagBunchOfMisfits, who shouldn't be also a match for both Delgado's forces ''and'' the Circle of Ossus, taking back the control of the sunken treasure ships, with an optional mission where Delgado must be killed proving Sahin's words.