Before the definitive edition, the portuguese Royal Guard Musketeer unit was called “Guerreiro”, which is the portuguese word for “warrior”. The fact that portuguese have above average musketeers do not make much sense, as the portuguese army in the 18th century and afterwards was not remarkable (apart from the fact that it lacked horses greatly). During the peninsular war, the british help recreated the portuguese army, and it formed up a significant portion of Wellington forces. Notably, the caçadores (and atiradores) were famous as efficient light infantery in Wellington army.
The new name for royal guard musketeer is “Legionarios”. According to the wiki, it refers to the Legião Portuguesa - or portuguese legion (Portuguese Legion (Napoleonic Wars) - Wikipedia). These troops took part in various napoleonic campaign, including the russia campaign and they were quite effective (which could legitimate the replacment of guerreiro by legionarios). However, these are troops that fought for the french.
To conclude, if find it very funny that, in the same army in AoE3, we can found caçadores (who fought for the english) and legionarios (who fought for the french). It reinforces the fact that portuguese in AoE3 have no real identity. They have two unique units, one the caçadores that is portuguese fighting for the english during the peninsular war and another one that is absolutely not portuguese, the organ gun (I don’t think there were ever use in the portuguese army). Then, they have 2 royal guard unit, the musketeer that fought for the french and a dragoon (for a nation without any cavalry expertise at all) with a generic name, jinetes (which design spanish/iberian light cavalery).
“Jinete” can be used to refer to the particular type of light (javelin) cavalry but the meaning of the word is actually horseman…so the devs were really running out of names.
Same with “Guerreiro” or “Legionario”. They are just generic names.
What I really think as a good RG for the Portuguese is one for the Cacadores, and there is a proper name for that: “Atiradores”, which were elite sharpshooters.
Or, we could find some names for Portuguese guard units for the RG upgrades, similar to British Life Guards, Dutch Blue Guards, etc.
PS. I’d say quite a few RG upgrades do not really make much sense, like Dutch Halberdier or Portuguese Musketeer, but the game needs to distribute them evenly to all unit types.
This comment has no sense whatsoever, since it fails to grasp that the game takes complex concepts and tries to adapt them into a civilization.
The Portuguese army was created by the count of lippe before the 7 years war. Most of its division stood until the reformation by the british during the peninsular wars.
The only reason the british had to “recreate” the army was the fact that the real army was fighting already for the french as the Portuguese legion. These legions were common and spain and dutch also had an auxiliary legion to napoleon etc. This was normal.
Caçadores or Cassadores was a type of unit that also figured in the army as the companies of cassadores “hunters” were actually very common in the armies of the napoleonic era (Hessian Jaegers for example)
When the Napoleonic wars ended the Legion returned the unit was reintegrated in the army alongside with the Cassadores companies (which still exist today).
Also, since Portugal ws one of the first armies with a large corp of arquebusiers during the 15th and 16th centuries,
Hence it is natural that it has good infantry units to reflect that.
The same with the organ gun - Ports never used organ guns but used swivel guns (example the siege of malacca) and other light artillery in battle - the organ gun means to reflects that.
Regarding the Dragoons. I guess the devs are refering to the early 15 and 16 centuries where, like spain Portugal had “conquistador and Lancer type” units. So instead of giving them a conquistador the devs thought of giving them just a guard dragoon.
Jinete may also refer to cavalry units during the iberian union.
This game starts much before the 18th century, and portuguese had advanced firearms throughout most of the period.
Like it or not, the portuguese musketeer was actually of some renown, as they marched towards cannon fire without fear (it is even in the national anthem) and were known for accuracy in their shots.
This is not surprising, as Portugal always was a land of sharpshooters, and throughout most of the country’s History, regular training with Ranged weapons was incentivized, SPECIALLY on the civilian population, so the country could always rely on accurate and able Musket and Rifle regiments.
This here: “the fact that portuguese in AoE3 have no real identity.”
I cant say I disagree. I feel like AoE2 Ports have more identity than AoE3 (altough I still dislike organ guns on both iterations)
Portugal doesn’t even have royal guard halberdiers:
The Royal Guard of the Halberdiers was created by King Sebastian, as a company of foot halberdiers, all Portuguese, appointing as its first captain, Francisco de Sá de Meneses, count of Matosinhos.
A gentry adventurer type of unit would be authentic as second sons of noble families would seek fame and fortune overseas.
I feel like the Spanish, our closest cultural neighboors have a nation with a lot more flavour in AoE3 with war dogs, missionary, rodeleros and lancers.
Portugal usual unique unit, the caravel is used by everyone further diluting Ports identity, feitorias does not exist in AoE3, and one of the church techs is not even from the Portuguese, but from the Spanish.
I will end my post saying that the Navigator card should send a leader type of unit like warchief for Portugal.
Caravels were used by everyone after the plans got stolen, so it makes sense.
Still, that leaves Ports, the most “Watery” Water civ that ever existed in any game, without a Water UU.
Instead of Galleons, Ports should have had the Nau, with less HP, but faster and with greater firepower.
Viceroyship would be a better name than Navigator, if you wanted a Warchief type Explorer upgrade card.
Still, with Bandeirantes (should be Bandeirante, singular, now that it only sends 1 more Explorer) and Navigator, Ports have strong Explorers.
If any Land unit was to added to Portugal, it should be Blackswordsmen or Montante Bodyguard, which is the only thing really missing, but I guess they did not want another Zweihander copycat unit.
Portugal is an Eco Boom civ in AoE3, and that is it’s identity.
Also worth noting that the Portuguese Logistician is the best in the game, because it permanently gives your Musks and Crossbows +1 Range, and their Mercenary Contractor gives them asured Lil’ Bombards.
Ports even have a great Papal Guard, as it decreases the price of Guard upgrades for Halbs, Crossbows and Guard Pikeman is free.
Ordinance Besteiros also stacks with the Church shipment Besteiros, giving Crossbows another 10 HP, 1 Ranged Attack and 1 Hand Attack.
It literally gives your Musks and Crossbows 1 extra Range, which is a very good bonus, specially for the Crossbows.
Bad analogy, the Logistitian does not diminish your unit stats or economy.
You actually might, since you do get to 99 Vills as Ports, faster than anyone else.
After that, your TCs double as Musk production, which is a Royal Guard unit for Ports.
Sure, it is not the rigid Meta of Caçadores + Dragoons, but it is a viable option for Ports.
Nass Musks with a few Mortars really benefit from that +1 Range from the Logistician, specially in Team Games.
All in all, I do think they should just make all Logisticians cost 800 Food, because the advatages do not usually compensate going up a few seconds later, but that still does not take from the Ports Logistician being the best in the game, and still does not make it “shooting your own foot”.
It wont diminish but it will slow the eco.
My analogy is pretty good.
The logistian in paper is good, but in practice it’s not, if Portugal had a good commerce it would be great.
Unfortunately they do not.
Hence having the best, is worthless if you cant use it to full potential.
You are better off going with the wood shipment on the age up. And set up racks or stable with the forward base. It’s simply better use of the resources.
I cant disagree more on this. One of the issues of ports on aoe 2 is that they do no t have a clear strat or even a particular good unit/units.
This is one of the biggest complaints as units like hand cannonners are trash and port arbalests are good, but lots of other civs are better. That is not having an identity. The devs just gave them a bunch of generic bonus.
In the DE port has an equally valid civ to other european civs. Its a defensive civ with a great eco boom the TC representing the feitorias, one of the Best on water due to shooner booms, and with a nice array of gunpoweder and non gunpoweder units.
True, ports had tercios and “royal guard halberds”, and the order of besteiros. But they still have with papal guard or church tech
Regarding economienda only the name is incorrect, as Portugal had the fazendas system which is kinda the same.
Honestly, in TAD ports were kinda unplayable. Now they are very versatile with Rush, boom, water boom or turteling
Fair enough. It’s my biased view on it.
For me it just seems that AoE2 Ports have more to their identity (not counting gameplay shenanigans like weak units etc), and AoE3 could have more.
Dont get me wrong it’s still a great iteration, but it can be better.
Organ Guns, and the best Dragoons seems a bit of a stretch to me to be honest.
I would prefer stronger ports in commerce and weaker imperial tbh. Instead of free TC, a free fortification type of thing for map control (sort like a feitoria but weaker attack than a fort) Halberds instead of dragoons as RG units, a breach loading cannon instead of organ gun, and a home city card with Gentries with Montantes and the Viceroy card as it was said by JonOli.
Feitorias are in the game, actually, it literally translates to Factory.
It is just that all Euro civs have them, and Chinese can get them too. Then again, this does go up to the Industrial Age, so it amkes sense that Factories become widely available.
I saw it in 3v3. It was a huge surprise for me at that time. Being pressed from the start, we resisted and finally won. But I will remember that match for a very long time
