Thoughts on the new USA?

Age of Empires III: DE III - Discussion
1

I got to play a couple of USA matches, and I have drawn the following conclusions:

  1. Age2 or FF rushes are actually very viable with the Virginia double shipment. Especially if you also manage to grab a trade route, you can really pump those shipments in the early game. I see some interesting combos with chinese immigrants early on.

  2. Speaking of Virginia, it is still mandatory. Sure, now all states can get the capitol shipment, which was essentially a must have, but the double shipment is just so yummy you can’t pass it off.

  3. Carabine cavalry still kind of suck. They certainly do better now, but you still need regulars in front. The USA extreme cavalry weakness is still there. Lee’s legion being cheaper does certainly help in buying time, but I am not sure how it will measure up against a determined attacker. More information is needed.

  4. Sharpshooters are a tad more viable now.

  5. Age3 factory might not be a must have anymore, but if you want to be extremely greedy, you will still want it.

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2

honestly with the amount of anti infantry options the faction has i dont think its a bad idea that their anti cav is on the lagging side.

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3

True. But I think this is a bit lopsided. You can end an USA in age2 with Lakota, and there is little they can do about it. China, French, Hausa are also very strong against USA due to their good cavalry combos.

I think it would be better to nerf the anti infrantry and shift some power to anti cavalry.

4

I didn’t think anything changed with their age three politicians. Would you say it’s not mandatory because of the new Virginia shipment?

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5

You can get much more momentum in age2 economy if you play greedy and go for a fast industrial.
However, in most plays you will still want that factory in age3.

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6

There’s just not that many better options, even if you FI what other age 3 politician is any good in 1v1?

7

If you fight a greedy civ you can get away with it. Aside from the factory, it doesn’t offer much itself.

8

Yes. The infantry is one of the best in the game so the carabinieri with a higher range is a more than enough improvement. Some weakness they must have.

Ottomans at age 2 are also vulnerable to cavalry, even in the rest of the game. Unlocking the mosque upgrade along with nizam makes up for it well.

9

My initial impression of the Virginia double shipment was that it would be slow but powerful. I find it interesting that you are saying it goes with an age 2 rush… maybe you’re doing more of an Age 2 timing push?

I still don’t find Virginia mandatory. I’m more excited about the buff to Delaware so I can keep doing the mill rush/german immigrant combo. Weirdly enough, Pennsylvania remains my strongest build. I know people will argue with it but I’ve got the numbers (at least with my playstyle and ability). Of course it does come with downsides.

It really sucks that dance halls got moved all the way to age 4. It really kills the cowboy opening, but the big winner in all of it is the gunslinger. The outlaw build may still survive with gunslinger masses.

I’m hyped for the new Lee’s Legion. I used it to some success in its old form, but it was just such a high cost, and I never needed that many. This is exactly what I wanted. I know you face way more cavalry at your level than I do so your experience may be different.

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10

But Ottomans have cavalry archers which can dispatch cavalry on their own.

You can get 2 or even 3(if you take a TP) shipments worth of units. Virginia now also grants a military building for free, it has very good synergy with early pushes.

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11

But gunpowder cavalry is always better than archery horsemen.

12

Arguably not true. But it is besides the point.

13

It still takes time to send, correct? I’ll give it a shot but I’m worried because it plays into USA’s other big weakness, that it takes so long to get rolling.

14

true, you need to start harassing early and bait minutemans, then gather strength as the shipments come. It is not exactly a timing push, you still need to snowball a bit.

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15

Gunpowder cavalry can be better micromanaged to perform ‘hit and run’, in addition to projectile tolerance (usually). And if the carabinero has 16 of alcanse think (with the arsenal), it seems to me a good unit.

16

Goons need to kite because they are squishy and melt to their intended targets in melee, they also get soft countered by muskets until you research the range upgrade. Cavalry archers do not have this issue, they can tank melee cavalry, muskets and and even pikemen for short periods of time. The disadvantage is that they need to stand still, but they are designed from the ground up to stay still.

Carabine cavalry are in a weird spot, they have the weaknesses of both cav archers and goons and none of their strengths.

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17

The 2 cannons for some coin isn’t terrible either they beat 2 falconets, it’s a useful age up overall, mainly for the factory but both cards are usable.
All of the others seem meme age ups, indiana is so slow to age and you waste a card for it, the carbine cav per shipments not bad I guess.
I never go water with the usa, maybe it’s viable on this patch with the changes but for that reason I’ve never chosen maryland.
Tennessee seems the worst with improving settlers in combat which are probably beefy anyway if you send 3cdb card and making natural res last longer in age 4 is good for nothing, the outpost card that makes them give pop and SM could have been good but with extensive fortifications removed you can only ever get 7.
Kentucky is just for outlaw builds and whilst I like the infinite coal mine, I never manage to send more than 1 anyway because there’s so many higher priority cards.