The Trade Route is a predetermined path across a map in Age of Empires III to which a Gaia-controlled (and completely non-interactable) trade units are traveling. Control over the bulk of the route can mean the difference between victory or defeat. The Trade Route replaces the Trade feature of previous games in the series.
Overview[]
A Trading Post, next to a Trade Route
To secure the route, Trading Posts must be built on the trading stops along it, and walls can not be built over them. While the train does not count as a true unit in terms of interaction or collision with other units, or for line of sight improvements, it will cause gates to open and close if built close enough. This occurs regardless of who owns the entire route, or the gates themselves.
Controlling most of the Trading Posts on the map (both on the Trade Route and other Trading Post sites at Minor civilization settlements) enables the Trade Monopoly countdown to achieve victory without fully destroying the enemy.
Rates and improvements[]
A fully upgraded Trade Route
The length of the Trade Route determines the total resources acquired per pass, and is randomly generated; however, larger maps are guaranteed to have longer routes, while some medium-sized maps have a large number of individual trading posts (e.g. Araucania). The following lists the average rates; results may vary in some situations. Resources are not delivered per second, but in lump sums equivalent to a trickle of that amount over the time taken to travel the route.
Resources will be wasted if two or more players upgrade the Trade Route from their own Trading Posts at the same time.
AI players only occasionally research the trade route Level 2 improvement technologies, and rarely upgrade to Level 3.
- Note: Upgrading the Trade Route will increase the gather rate for ALL players using that Trade Route, not just the player or their allies.
| Method | Rate |
|---|---|
| Level 1 | 1.2 experience per second |
| Level 2 | 2.0 resources per second |
| Level 3 | 2.4 resources per second |
| Age | Upgrade | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Level 2 | 200 food 200 wood |
Upgrades the Trade Route where the Trading Post is built to use Level 2 Trade units which can deliver resources, moves faster and has greater LOS |
 |
Level 3 | 300 wood 400 coin |
Upgrades the Trade Route where the Trading Post is built to use Level 3 Trade units which move faster and have greater LOS; requires Level 2 |
Trading units and upgrades[]
Different trade units are represented depending on the region and mean:
| Region | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America |  Travois
|
 Stagecoach
|
 Train (Iron Horse)
|
| Central/South America |  Barter Merchant
|
 Traveling Merchant
|
Train (Iron Llama)
|
| Asia |  Rickshaw
|
 Trade Cart
|
Train (Iron Horse)
|
| Africa/Middle East |  Trader
|
 Caravan Trader (Caravan Trade)
|
 Caravan Guide (Trans-Sahara Trade)
|
| Sea |  Oceanic Carrack
|
 Trade Galleon (Trade Galleons)
|
 East Indiaman (East India Trading Company)
|
| European Rivers |  River Trader
|
 Cargo Boat (Waterways)
|
 Trading Barge (River Traffic)
|
| European Land |  Scholar
|
Stagecoach
|
 Train (Railroad)
|
Trivia[]
- The Train in American and Asian maps is based on the Lincoln Memorial Train.
- The Train in European maps is based on the Midland Railway 483 Class. This is anachronistic, as these were built in 1914-1921.
Gallery[]
