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This article is about the building in Age of Empires III. For the building in other games in the series, see Outpost.

Tower that can be used to defend the frontier.
—In-game description

The Outpost is a defensive building in Age of Empires III that attacks nearby enemies and also serves as a drop-off point for Home City shipments. It is available to the European civilizations (except the Russians, who build the Blockhouse), United States, and Mexicans.

Native American civilizations build War Huts instead of Outposts, which combine the functions of a Barracks and an Outpost. Asian civilizations build Castles, which combine the functions of an Artillery Foundry and an Outpost. African civilizations build Watch Towers, which combine the functions of a Tavern and an Outpost.

Tactics[]

Outposts have a fairly high amount of hit points, and a ranged attack that does ×1.5 damage to cavalry and shock infantry, so scouting parties should be careful. They also have an anti-ship attack with an extremely long range, which can be particularly powerful if the TEAM Coastal Defenses Home City Card is sent. Outposts are more effective if surrounded by walls and a gate, slowing down enemy units, and effectively protecting the own Outpost until reinforcements arrive.

Outposts can be garrisoned by villager-type units, making them effective at securing resources such as huntable animals and mines, and gaining crucial map control. Unlike the Town Center, garrisoning villagers does not increase the Outpost's attack.

The player can build up to 7 Outposts at a time, which can be increased to 13 with the Extensive Fortifications Home City Card available to most civilizations.

The "Outpost Trick" refers to using a unit with high ranged resistance and/or hit points to distract a Outpost or Town Center while it is being attacked, or troops move past it instead (especially Settler, or Villager for Outposts, Explorer, War Chief, and Monk for both). Against Fortified Outposts, higher hit points are preferable (ranged resistance is useless), and drawing the area of effect fire away from the main force attacking from a different angle. The AI will never manually switch targets with an Outpost or Town Center, or focus fire with them, and most players fail to do so either. Furthermore, loosely grouped outposts and other defensive buildings will have blind spots in their coverage that only allow 1-2 of them to attack simultaneously if attacked from certain angles.

In the Definitive Edition, the "Castrametation" Home City Card allows the Explorer to build Outposts.

Upgrades[]

Age Upgrade Cost Effect
Age III tech tree aoe3
Frontier outpost Frontier Outpost 400 wood
200 coin
Upgrades Outposts into Frontier Outposts (+50% attack)
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Fortified outpost Fortified Outpost 800 wood
400 coin
Upgrades Outposts into Fortified Outposts (+50% hit points, +50% attack, +100% anti-ship attack, and a bombard attack with an Area of Effect of 3); requires Frontier Outpost
  • The only way for the Knights of St. John to research Fortified Outposts is through use of the Heavy Fortifications card available to them in the Fortress Age.

Civilization differences[]

Revolutionary[]

Further statistics[]

Building strengths and weaknesses
Strong vs. Infantry, cavalry, shock infantry, ships
Weak vs. Siege units, artillery
Improvements
Hit points State Constitutions State Constitutions (+25%; United States only)
Flying Buttress Flying Buttress (+20%)
Byzantine legacy Byzantine Legacy (+15%)
Attack Heated Shot Heated Shot (+50% multiplier vs. ships)
Line of Sight Somali lighthouses Somali Lighthouses (+10)
Gas Lighting Gas Lighting (+4)
Build time Cree Textile Craftsmanship Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-25%)
Cost Tupi Forest Burning Tupi Forest Burning (-20% wood)
Cree Textile Craftsmanship Cree Textile Craftsmanship (-10%)
Other Yoruba eredo legacy Yoruba Eredo Legacy (ships 2 Outpost Wagons)
Oresund customs Öresund Customs (trickle 0.25 coin)
Som ajuran engineers Somali Ajuran Engineers (build limit +4)
Jagiellon legacy Jagiellonian Legacy (units and resources already earned from age-ups are provided again)
Penalties Counter Infantry Rifling Customized Merc Weapons (+30% cost; John Black's Mercenaries only)
Code Napoleon Code Napoleon (+25% cost; French only)

Home City Cards[]

Click for a list of Home City Cards related to the Outpost
Some cards are highlighted with:
Green TEAM Shipment that is sent to each player in a team
Purple Shipment that can be sent an INFINITE number of times
Red Shipment that can be sent twice
Blue Shipment that arrives fast (5 seconds)

All[]

Card Description Age HC level
Portuguese Home City 3 (Cheap Outposts) TEAM Natural Lookouts Outposts, Outpost Wagons, Blockhouses, War Huts, Castles and Watch Towers cost -30% wood; Nobles' Huts and Palaces cost -15% wood and coin
Age I tech tree aoe3
1
Spanish Home City 3 (Improved Buildings) Improved Buildings Buildings get +40% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3
10
Team improved buildings TEAM Improved Buildings Buildings get +25% hit points
Age I tech tree aoe3
10
Mexican Home City 3 (Frontier Defenses INF) Frontier Defenses Ships 2 Outpost Wagons
Age I tech tree aoe3
1
Spanish Home City 3 (Advanced Frontier Defenses) Advanced Frontier Defenses Ships 3 Outpost Wagons; upgrades Outposts/Blockhouses to Frontier (if not already)
Age III tech tree aoe3
10
Spanish Home City 3 (Heavy Fortifications) Heavy Fortifications Grants all defensive building upgrades (if not already); costs 250 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
Spanish Home City 3 (Extensive Fortifications) Extensive Fortifications Frontier fortifications, Walls, and Forts get +25% hit points; Outpost build limit +100%
Age II tech tree aoe3
1
French Home City 5 (Coastal Defenses) TEAM Coastal Defenses Defensive buildings get +0.8 multiplier against ships
Age II tech tree aoe3
25
  • "TEAM Natural Lookouts" is available to the Haudenosaunee and Portuguese.
  • "Improved Buildings" is available to Europeans (except the Maltese) and Federal Americans.
  • "TEAM Improved Buildings" is available to the Inca, Indians, and Maltese (in the Industrial Age).
  • "Frontier Defenses" is available to Europeans (except Russians) and Federal Americans.
  • "Advanced Frontier Defenses" is available to Europeans (except British, French, Germans, Italians, Maltese, and Portuguese) and Federal Americans.
  • "Heavy Fortifications" is available to Europeans (except Germans, Ottomans, Russians, and Spanish) and Federal Americans.
  • "Extensive Fortifications" is available to Europeans (except Germans, Portuguese, and Russians) and Mexicans.
  • "TEAM Coastal Defenses" is available to Europeans and Federal Americans.

Europeans[]

Card Description Age HC level
British Home City 3 (Castramentation) Castrametation Ships 1 Fort Wagon; Fort build limit +1; the Explorer can build Outposts and Forts
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
25
Indonesia Home City (Lantakas) Lantakas Artillery, buildings, and ships get +15% attack
Revolution
N/A
Inca Home City 3 (Monumental Architecture) Monumental Architecture Buildings get +30% hit points; Town Centers get +35% attack
Revolution
N/A
United States Home City (Lexington Minutemen) Lexington Minutemen Ships 16 Militiamen; Militiamen retain their hit points 80% longer and can now be called from Outposts and Forts
Revolution
N/A
  • "Castrametation" is not available to the Maltese.
  • "Lantakas" is available to the Dutch and Portuguese upon revolting to Indonesia.
  • "Monumental Architecture" is available to the Spanish and Portuguese upon revolting to Peru.
  • "Lexington Minutemen" is available to the British, Dutch. Italians, French and Swedes upon revolting to United States.

French[]

Card Description Age
Revolutionary French Home City (Genie Troops) Génie Troops Enables Grenadiers to mine, chop wood and construct Field Hospitals, Trading Posts, Barracks, Stables, Artillery Foundries, and Outposts
Revolution

Germans[]

Card Description Age
German Home City 5 (Witch Hammer) Witch Hammer Ships 3 Inquisitors; Inquisitors can be trained at Tavern/Mercenary Camps, Town Centers, Church and Outposts; outlaws use -2 population space; +2 Uhlans
Age II tech tree aoe3

Hungary[]

Card Description Age
Romania Home City (Military Frontier) Military Frontier Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Grenzer; Grenzers can now build Outposts/Blockhouses
Revolution
Romania Home City (Hadjuks) Hajduks Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Hajduk; Hajduks can be trained at Tavern, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, Outposts/Blockhouses
Revolution
Hungary Home City (Hungarian Grenadiers) Hungarian Grenadiers Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Hungarian Grenadier (Grenadier with +6 Line of Sight and range)
Revolution
Hungary Home City (Hungarian Hussars) Magyar Hussars Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Magyar Hussar
Revolution
Romania Home City (Crabats) 12 Crabats Ships 12 Crabats; Crabats can be trained at Tavern, Stables, Forts, Galleons, Outposts/Blockhouses
Revolution
Romania Home City (Pandours) 10 Pandours Ships 10 Pandours; Pandours can be trained at Tavern, Barracks, Forts, Galleons, Outposts/Blockhouses
Revolution
  • "Hajduks", "12 Crabats", and "10 Pandours" also available to Romania.

Italians[]

Card Description Age
Italian Home City 3 (Frontier Defenses) Frontier Defenses Ships 4 Outpost Wagons
Age III tech tree aoe3

Japanese[]

Card Description Age HC level
Japanese Home City 3 (1 Castle Rickshaw) TEAM Ashikaga Castle Ships 1 Castle Rickshaw/Outpost Wagon/War Hut Travois/Camp Builder
Age II tech tree aoe3
25
Japanese Home City 3 (2 Castle Rickshaws) TEAM 2 Azuchi Momoyama Castles Ships 2 Castle Rickshaws/Outpost Wagons/War Hut Travois or 1 Palace Builder
Age III tech tree aoe3
1

Maltese[]

Card Description Age
Maltese Home City 2 (Knights of Bodrum) Knights of Bodrum Ships 1 Hospitaller for each Outpost owned by the player
Age II tech tree aoe3
Maltese Home City 3 (Wignacourt Constructions) Wignacourt Constructions Villagers gather natural resources 10% faster, and an additional 20% faster when nearby a Town Center, Outpost, or Commandery
Age II tech tree aoe3
Maltese Home City 3 (De Redin Towers) De Redin Towers Ships 2 Outpost Wagons; Outposts can now train Crossbowmen, Pikemen, Hospitallers, Sentinels and Fire Throwers
Age III tech tree aoe3
Maltese Home City 3 (Fire Towers) Fire Towers Grants Frontier Outpost; Outposts now use a fire attack within a range of 10
Age III tech tree aoe3

Mexicans[]

Card Description Age
Mexico card Plan of Veracruz Plan of Veracruz [Plan] Turns all Outposts into Falconets; upgrades Falconets to Field Guns (if not already); artillery get +4 Line of Sight; costs 250 food, 250 wood
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Mexican Home City 3 (Presidios) Presidios The General can build Outposts; Fort build limit +1; Walls cost -20%; Outposts cost -30%; Forts cost -40%; Outpost, Wall, and Fort build time -20%
Age II tech tree aoe3
Federal card colegio de san nicolas Colegio de San Nicolás Ships 500 XP; units get +4 and buildings (except Walls) get +8 Line of Sight; sees what enemies can see for 20 seconds
Age II tech tree aoe3
Federal card trias fortifications Trias Fortifications Ships 1 Fort Wagon; Fort build limit +1; Outposts and Forts can use Levy
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Federal card talavera architecture Talavera Architecture Buildings get +30% hit points, build time -30%, and grant coin upon being built instead of XP
Imperial Age
Mexico card Chipotle Tactics Chipotle Tactics Ships 500 food; receive food when an enemy or own building is destroyed equal to 20% ~ 40% of its total cost
Revolution
Maya Home City (Maya Architecture) Maya Architecture All buildings except Forts get +30% hit points; buildings now give food as well as experience when built; grants Redoubts
Revolution
  • "Colegio de San Nicolás" is available upon selecting the Michoacán Federal State.
  • "Trias Fortifications" is available upon selecting the Chihuahua Federal State.
  • "Talavera Architecture" is available upon selecting the Puebla Federal State.
  • "Chipotle Tactics" is available upon revolting to Central America.
  • "Maya Architecture" is available upon revolting to the Maya.

Ottomans[]

Card Description Age HC level
Ottoman Home City 3 (Team Defenses) TEAM Military Wagons Ships 2 Military Wagons; Military Wagons can build Outposts
Age III tech tree aoe3
25

Romania[]

Card Description Age
Romania Home City (Military Frontier) Military Frontier Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Dorobant; Dorobants can now build Outposts/Blockhouses
Revolution
Romania Home City (Wallachian Horse Archers) Wallachian Horse Archers Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Wallachian Horse Archer
Revolution
Romania Home City (Rosior Dragoons) Roșior Dragoons Each Outpost/Blockhouse spawns 1 Roșior Dragoon
Revolution

United States[]

Card Description Age
US Home City 5 (Spanish Immigrants) Spanish Immigrants [Immigrant] Ships 1 Outpost Wagon; gives a trickle of 1.70 XP; Levy spawns 6 Tercio Pikemen (that do not lose hit points over time) from the Commerce Age; costs 300 food
Age I tech tree aoe3
Federal card watauga association Watauga Association Ships 2 Outpost Wagons; all existing and newly-constructed Outposts and Blockhouses spawn 2 State Militia and support 10 population
Age III tech tree aoe3
Federal card moultries militia Moultrie's Militia Ships 12 State Militia and allows them to construct Barracks, Stables, and Outposts; the General's Inspiring Flag now boosts the damage of nearby State Militia by an additional 7%
Age IV tech tree aoe 3
Federal card connecticut shipwrights Connecticut Shipwrights Artillery train time -25%, buildings' build time -35%, and warships' train time -50%
Imperial Age
Federal card the alamo The Alamo Ship 16 Minutemen; when destroyed by enemies, your buildings spawn a number of Minutemen equal to 1.5% of their cost rounded up
Imperial Age
  • "Watauga Association" is available upon selecting the Tennessee Federal State.
  • "Moultrie's Militia" is available upon selecting the South Carolina Federal State.
  • "Connecticut Shipwrights" is available upon selecting the Connecticut Federal State.
  • "The Alamo" is available upon selecting the Texas Federal State, and spawns 4 Minutemen when an Outpost is destroyed.

Changelog[]

The WarChiefs[]

Definitive Edition[]

Trivia[]

  • The in-game Outpost model does not resemble its building portrait because the Outpost design shown is of an earlier version, which can be seen in pre-release screenshots. The same goes for its upgrade icons (Frontier and Fortified Outpost) and their respective in-game models.

History[]

Outposts are buildings that are used to gain territory in a military conflict. One example of their use is in the disputed territory of Clipperton Island. The Island was originally charted by Magellan in 1521. It changed hands between Spain, France, and the United States. Eventually, Mexico claimed it and built an outpost to reinforce their claim. Even with the outpost, though, Clipperton Island continued to change hands well into the twentieth century.

Gallery[]

Buildings in Age of Empires III
Common
Dock aoe3de Dock · House indian aoe3de House · Livestock pen aoe3de Livestock Pen · Market icon aoe3de Market · Native embassy DE icon Native Embassy · Stables aoe3de Stable · Towncenter aoe3de Town Center · Trading post african aoe3de Trading Post · Wall aoe3de Wall
EuropeansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Artillery depot aoe3de Artillery Foundry · Barracks aoe3de Barracks · Capitol aoe3de Capitol · Church aoe3de Church · Plantation aoe3de Estate (formerly Plantation) · Fort aoe3de Fort · Mill aoe3de Mill · Outpost aoe3de Outpost · Tavern icon de Tavern
Native AmericansCommunity plaza aoe3de Community Plaza (formerly Fire Pit) · Corral aoe3de Corral · Plantation aoe3de Estate (formerly Plantation) · Farm aoe3de Farm · Tribal marketplace icon Tribal Marketplace · War hut aoe3de War Hut
AsiansJapan barracks aoe3de Barracks · Japan castle aoe3de Castle · Consulate icon aoe3de Consulate · Monastery aoe3de Monastery · China rice paddy icon aoe3de Rice Paddy · Advanced wonders Wonder
Federal AmericansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Artillery depot aoe3de Artillery Foundry · Barracks aoe3de Barracks · Capitol aoe3de Capitol · Plantation aoe3de Estate · Fort aoe3de Fort · Mill aoe3de Mill · Outpost aoe3de Outpost · Saloon aoe3de Saloon
AfricansArsenal aoe3de Arsenal · Field portrait aoe3de Field · Granary portrait aoe3de Granary · Hut portrait aoe3de Hut · Livestock market aoe3de Livestock Market · Palace portrait aoe3de Palace · Port portrait aoe3de Port · War camp aoe3de portrait War Camp · Watch tower aoe3de portrait Watch Tower
Unique
Flag BritishDE BritishHouse aoe3de Manor House
Flag DutchDE DutchBank aoe3de Bank
Flag GermanDE GermansMercenary camp portrait Mercenary Camp
Flag OttomanDE OttomansChurch aoe3de Mosque
Flag RussianDE RussiansBlockhouse aoe3de Blockhouse
Flag AztecDE AztecsNobles aoe3de Nobles' Hut
Flag IroquoisDE HaudenosauneeIro house icon Longhouse · Artillery depot aoe3de Siege Workshop
Flag SiouxDE LakotaTeepee icon DE Teepee
Flag ChineseDE ChineseChinese village aoe3de Village · China waracademy aoe3de War Academy
Flag IndianDE IndiansCaravanseraiDE Caravanserai · MangoGroveDE Mango Grove · SacredFieldDE Sacred Field
Flag JapaneseDE JapaneseCherry orchard portrait aoe3de Cherry Orchard · Dojo aoe3de Dojo · Shrine aoe3de Shrine
Flag IncanDE IncaInca kallanka Kallanka · Inca kancha house Kancha House · Inca stronghold Stronghold · Inca tambo Tambo
Flag SwedishDE SwedesSwedish torp Torp
Flag American act3 aoe3de United StatesMeeting house aoe3de icon Meeting House · State capitol aoe3de icon State Capitol
Flag Ethiopian aoe3de EthiopiansMountain monastery portrait aoe3de Mountain Monastery
Flag Hausa HausaUniversity portrait University
Flag MexicanDE MexicansCathedral portrait Cathedral · Hacienda portrait Hacienda
Flag ItalianDE ItaliansBasilica portrait Basilica · Lombard portrait Lombard
Flag MalteseDE MalteseCommandery portrait Commandery · Depot portrait Depot · Fixed gun portrait aoe3de Fixed Gun · Hospital portrait Hospital
Situational
Aztec temple portrait American Citadel (formerly Maya Castle) · Athos monastery portrait Athos Monastery · Battery tower portrait Battery Tower · Factory aoe3de Factory · Field hospital aoe3de Field Hospital · Regent's Castle aoe3de Regent's Castle
Scenario Editor/campaign only
Cherokee Warhut Portrait Cherokee War Hut · Wall aoe3de Command Post · Fixed gun portrait aoe3de Fixed Gun · Fort Tower icon AoE3DE Fort Tower · Gunpowder Stores icon AoE3DE Gunpowder Stores · Ossuary AoE3DE Ossuary · Fountain Youth Portrait The Fountain of Youth · Tower aoe3de Tower
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