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Welcome trailblazers to another exciting update for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition! It’s the festive season of the year! That is why we gifted many civilizations new and improved Team cards so that you and your team can have a merry time together. We are also reworking walls to address your feedback and make visitors feel more welcome: Deer, Moose, Grenadiers, etc.
Of course, there are many other sweet fixes and balance changes in this patch. For further gift receivals you may want to set your home city shipment point to the nearest and prettiest tree!
Please note: As this is a Data Patch, your game will NOT need a full update for these changes to take effect. The patch will begin to install once you first launch Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. Please wait approximately 30 second to a minute after launching into the Main Menu, then these changes will be made and viewable.
Thank you for sharing in yet another major milestone for Age of Empires with us!
—The Age of Empires Team
Remember that you’ll need to update your game in the Microsoft Store:
- Open the Microsoft Store.
- Click the [ ∙ ∙ ∙ ] symbol next to your profile picture.
- Select Downloads and updates.
- Press the Get updates button to automatically detect, download, and install the latest changes to your game!
- Open the game. The title screen should show you on Build 15.30007.
If you are unable to launch the game after downloading the update, make sure you add (or re-add) the Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition client or folder as an exception to your firewall and antivirus program.
That’s it; you’re ready to play!
Remember that you’ll need to update your game in Steam:
- Open Steam.
- Click on Library to see your games list.
- Click Downloads at the bottom of the Library window.
- [If the new build does not download automatically,] click the Download Now button to manually download the new update.
- Open the game. The title screen should show you on Build 15.30007.
That’s it; you’re ready to play!
Remember that you’ll need to update your game in the Xbox App for Windows.
- Open the Xbox app.
- Games that are installed show up on the left side of the app.
- Hover over the game or click it, and then select Update.
- [If the new build does not download automatically,] hover over the game, select More Options (…), choose Manage. Under the Files tab, choose the option to Check for Updates.
- Open the game. The title screen should show you on Build 15.30007.
That’s it; you’re ready to play!
Please note that custom mods may not be compatible with the latest game update. If you are experiencing issues launching or playing the game after downloading the new build, try disabling your installed mods before trying again.
Still having trouble? Visit our support site!
Civilization Balance
General
Units & Buildings
- Culverin: Damage multiplier of 1.5x against Siege Elephants replaced by 1.75x against Siege Units like the Arrow Knight, Huaraca or Humbaraci.
- Granary: Increased the displayed aura range to 20 to match the range of the farming bonus. Note that all other gather rate auras keep their range of 17.
- Hand Shock Infantry: Cover mode removed from all Hand Shock Infantry units.
- Nootka War Chief: Fixed a glitch with the unit’s death animation.
- Silver Mine: Now use their correct icon.
- Tatar Archer (Tengri Shrine): Ranged ROF slowed down to 1.25 (from 1.0) and Artillery multiplier decreased to 2x (from 2.5).
- Zouave: Population cost reduced to 2 (from 3).
- Walls: Reduced hitpoints of all wall pieces to 1000 (from 1500) and increased costs to 6w (from 5).
- Wall Pillar:
- Now increases its own hitpoints and that of adjacent wall segments by +50% back to the original hitpoint value of 1500. This bonus does not stack.
- Construction time reduced to 1s (from 5s).
- LOS increased to 2 (from 1).
- Wall Segments: Construction time increased to 7s (from 5s).
Developer Note: With these wall changes we intend to make wall pillars a vital part of every wall and encourage players to keep them. While deleting wall pillars is still possible it will now result in reduced hitpoints for your wall. If you keep the pillars the walls will be as strong as ever. To facilitate this change the base hitpoints of walls had to be reduced. Improvements to wall cards and technologies in this patch are therefore only counterbalancing these lost base hitpoints and should not be understood as a boost to walls in general.
![](https://cdn.ageofempires.com/aoe/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Wall_Formation_AgeIII-1080x411.webp)
Cards & Technologies
- Bastion, City Walls, Redoubts (IV): Now increase Wall hitpoints by an additional +200% to ensure upgraded Walls retain the original amount of hitpoints if wall pillars are present.
- Crossbowmen shipments: Fixed the non-functional shipments for the French and Maltese.
- Flying Battery (Revolutions): Now also affects Li’l Bombards.
- Improved Cannon Trade (IV): Fixed a glitch that resulted in the technology disappearing when certain Age-up alliances were picked.
- Sumptuary Laws (I): Resource trickle rates increased for wood, coin and food to 0.35/s (up from 0.3/s).
Aztecs
- Arrow Knight: Is now also classified as Heavy Infantry.
- Ritual Gladiators (II): Maximum of Jaguar Prowl Knights reduced to 12 (from 16).
- TEAM 14 Zapotec Allies (IV): Card added.
Chinese
- Disciple: Now gains +0.5 speed upon reaching Age 2.
- Great Wall (III): Now improves wall hitpoints by 600% (up from 500%) to compensate for the general wall hitpoint reduction.
- [NEW] TEAM Hanging Bridges (II): Infantry and civilians move 5% faster, +1 Mongol Scout.
Dutch
- Dutch East India Company (II): Moved to Age 1 and also enables Envoys to build Banks.
- Coffee Trade (II, Religious Freedom): No longer decreases unit speed by -10%, but instead decreases Bank hitpoints by -20%.
- [NEW] TEAM Frugal Constructions (I): Enables a trickle of 0.75w/s and trees last 15% longer.
- [NEW] Belanda Hitam (IV, 500c): Ships a number of Akan Ankobias. Enables them to be trained at Native Embassies, +3 Native Embassy Travois.
Ethiopians
- Gondarine Architecture (IV): Now improves wall hitpoints by 200% (up from 75%) to compensate for the general wall hitpoint reduction.
- [NEW] TEAM Habesha Kemis (II): Sends 3 Villagers.
French
- Sansculotte (French Revolution):
- Cost increased to 100f (from 90f).
- Now benefits notably less from the cards Northwest Passage and TEAM Marco Polo Voyages.
- TEAM Ranged Infantry Attack (III):
- Now improves Ranged Infantry damage only by +10% (down from 15%), but grants extra +5% to French and Hausa players.
- Card renamed to TEAM Tirailleurs Sénégalais.
- [NEW] TEAM Quiche (II): Enables a trickle of 1.8f/s.
Germans
- Prince-Electors (I):
- Previously doubled build limits are now halved in most cases.
- Totenkopf Hussar: Corrected the population cost to 1 (from 2).
- Drummer: Initial build limit now remains 3 for the first alliance with a Hanover palace on the map.
Haudenosaunee
- TEAM 3 Villagers (II): Card added.
Hausa
- TEAM Tirailleurs Sénégalais (III): Card added (see French).
Inca
- Chasqui:
- Automatically improves hitpoints in Age 3 and Age 4 only by +25% each (instead of 30% and 40%).
- Cost increased to 50w 50c (from 40w 40c) and train time to 15s (from 10s).
- Moon Ceremony: All wood gatherers on the Community Plaza (Villagers, Priestesses, Llamas) now generate ~20% less wood with one gatherer, but roughly ~10% more with about 10 and more gatherers.
- Autarky (III): Kancha Houses now generate 0.45w/s (down from 0.6).
- TEAM Inca Walls (I): Now improves wall hitpoints by 150% (up from 100%) to compensate for the general wall hitpoint reduction.
Indians
- Sepoy: Multiplier against Cavalry in melee increased to 2x (from 1.75x) and melee damage reduced to 17 (from 18).
- Siege Elephant: Is now classified as Siege Unit and received +10% siege resistance.
- TEAM 2 Flail Elephants: Cost increased to 500f (from 300f).
- TEAM Sumptuary Laws: Resource trickle rates increased for wood, coin and food to 0.30/s (up from 0.2/s).
Italians
- TEAM Marco Polo Voyages (I): Now also improves Villager speed by 15%.
- TEAM Cavalry Attack (II): Card added and grants +5% damage to Italian cavalry.
- Merchant Republics (I): Future Trade route income increased by 40% (up from 35%).
- Carabinieri (III, Statuto Albertino) Now also replaces existing Dragoons on the map with Carabinieri.
Japanese
- [NEW] TEAM Odzutsu Mortars (III): Improves artillery damage by 10%.
Maltese
- De Redin Towers (III): Card moved to Age 2.
- Merchant Republics (I): Future Trading route income increased by 40% (up from 35%).
- Order Longbowman: Fixed the missing multipliers against Heavy Infantry in some ranged attack stances.
- [NEW] TEAM Frugal Constructions (I): Enables a trickle of 0.75w/s and trees last 15% longer.
Mexicans
- Chinaco: Reverted the multiplier reduction against hand cavalry to 1.25x (from 1.2).
- Salteador: Hitpoints increased to 115 (from 110) and range to 19 (from 17).
- Ambuscade (II): Card removed, but effect merged into the Observers card.
- Observers (II): No longer increases Salteador range by +2, LOS and speed, but now features the Ambuscade effect of improving Salteadors when near natural resources.
- Guerilla Tactics (III): Icon updated.
- Plan of Ayutla (IV): Fixed a bug that didn’t allow Revolutionary training in batches of 10.
- TEAM 14 Zapotec Allies (IV): Card added.
- 24 Mayan Allies (IV): Fixed the incorrect red border of the card icon.
- Reservistas (IV): Now also classifies Insurgentes as Gunpowder Troopers, but their range is reduced to 12 (from 14).
- Lancers of California (California Revolution): Cost reduced to 2000c (down from 4000w 4000c).
- Texas Army (Texas Revolution): Cost of 1000c added and free research now takes up 400% more time (up from 300%).
- 4 Gatling Guns (infinite, Texas Revolution): Card added.
Ottomans
- Azap:
- ROF slowed down to 1.75 (from 1.5) and Siege damage decreased to 20 (from 22).
- Cost increased to 60f 40w (from 55f 40w).
- TEAM 400 Coin (III): Increased to 500c.
- Flight Archery (IV): Now improves Azap ROF to 1.5.
Portuguese
- Feitorias (I): Food trickle reduced to 0.4/s (from 0.5/s).
- 3 Organ Guns (III): Cost increased to 300c (from 200c).
- Constable (III): Now improves Spy damage by +6 and in Cover mode by +3 instead of setting them both to 15 damage.
- Naval Infantry (III): Moved to Age 1 and now also applies to Ordinance Riflemen.
- Ordenança (Treaty of Tordesillas, IV):
- Now also replaces Crossbowmen in Town Centers with Ordinance Riflemen if the Logistician politician was chosen.
- Ordinance Rifleman cost increased to 35w 35f (from 30w 30f).
Russians
- 5 Poruchiks (II): Card added.
- Tsar Cannon (IV): Removed the cost of 200c.
Swedes
- Savolax Jaegers (Treaty of Roskilde, III): Cost reduced to 750w (down from 1500) and cost of Savolax Jaegers changed to 80w 80c (from 100w 100c).
- [NEW] TEAM Frugal Constructions (I): Enables a trickle of 0.75w/s and trees last 15% longer.
United States
- German Immigrants (I): Cost reduced to 225w (from 250w).
- TEAM 10 Cree (IV, 1000c): Card added.
Revolutions
ARGENTINA
- Trattoria / Buenos Aires: Fixed an issue that prevented the construction of Taverns and Lombards.
- Hire Li’l Bombards: Can no longer be sent infinitely by Italians.
- San Martin: Cost increased to 1200c (from 1000).
BARBARY STATES
- [NEW] Ottoman Expeditionary Army (1600c): Sends 12 Janissaries and 2 Great Bombards.
BRAZIL
- Wildlife: Added a tooltip to explain that the card sends 10 Capybaras and 10 random animals.
CANADA
- 4 War Canoes (infinite): Replaced with 2 Ironclads (infinite).
- Fencibles: No longer appears twice in the HC when revolting with the French.
- Fur Trade: Fixed the card missing for the British.
CHILE
- 2 Steamers (infinite): Card removed.
- Advanced Trading Post: Replaced with Advanced Mill.
- Sustainable Agriculture: Card added.
- Salitrera:
- Effects moved to the Guano Economy card of the Peru revolution.
- Now sends 3 Estate Wagons and enables Estates to trickle coin.
- Icon updated.
- [NEW] German Settlements: Added a new card to enable Citizens in Town Centers and Citizen Wagons in Mills.
- [NEW] Military Parade (2200c): Sends 15 Prussian Needle Gunners and 10 Prussian Uhlans.
EGYPT
- 16 Khevite Fusiliers (infinite): Reduced to 14.
- Fixed an issue with several cards not providing their revolutionary bonus effect.
FINLAND
- Karelian Jaeger:
- Fixed a bug that prevented the construction of Arsenals.
- Wood gather rate increased to 0.75/s (from 0.5).
- Jaeger Combat: Card added.
GRAN COLOMBIA
- 2 Steamers (infinite): Card added.
- Colombian Army: Now also affects Ordinance Riflemen.
INDONESIA
- Javanese Spearman:
- Cost reduced to 80f (from 100f) and train time to 22s (from 30s).
- Hand and siege damage increased to 13 and 50 (from 8 and 32).
- Kraton Guards: Now improves Javanese Spearmen by 20% (down from 25%).
- Added the following cards: Belanda Hitam, Chinese Immigrants, Ottoman Expeditionary Army.
MEXICO
- Cuerudo: Costs increased to 100f 60c (from 50w 50c).
HAITI
- Letter of Marque: Buccaneers no longer benefit from Counter Infantry Rifling. Cover mode removed (like all other Hand Shock Infantry).
HUNGARY
- Fixed an issue with several cards not providing their revolutionary bonus effect.
PERU
- TEAM Aqllakuna, TEAM Seasonal Labor: Cards removed.
- Cuzco: Now sends extra Infrastructure Wagons in exchange for less Peruvian Dogs. Enables Infrastructure Wagons and Settlers to construct Kancha Houses.
- [NEW] Guano Economy: Trading Posts generate coin and Citizens gather coin faster from Mines, +2 Prospector Wagons.
- [NEW] Junín Hussars: Hand cavalry and Hand shock infantry trains and moves faster.
- Advanced Trading Post, Castrametation: Cards added.
- Huaraca: No longer receives Imperial combat values.
ROMANIA
- 8 Cavalry Archers (infinite): Card added.
- [NEW] Russian Expeditionary Army (500c): Sends 9 Counter Dragoons and 3 Culverins.
- Fixed an issue with several cards not providing their revolutionary bonus effect.
UNITED STATES
- Bushnell’s Continental Sappers: Reverted the cost increase to 500c (from 800c).
- Knox Continental Artillery: Cost reduced to 600w (from 1000w).
- Removed costs from the following cards: Lee’s Continental Light Dragoons (-500f), Morgan’s Continental Sharpshooters (-500w), Haslet’s Continental Regiment (-500c).
DISCLAIMER
Please note that this list is subject to change, and should not be considered a comprehensive list of all the known issues we’re tracking. The above is to inform you of the team’s current priorities, which will change as other issues arise or take precedence.
For the latest updates and announcements, please visit our social channels.