As a fan of the Age of Empires series, I have always felt that, aside from the achievements related to the campaigns in Age of Empires II, the achievements in Age of Empires III and Age of Empires IV can only be described as tedious and boring. Even though Age of Empires III miraculously came back to life and has received new DLC, when I excitedly clicked on the currently hidden achievements, the meaningless achievements based on “collecting quantities” and “killing time” still dampened some of my enthusiasm.
That said, achievements may be completely unimportant to some players, who may not even bother trying to complete them. However, when playing the campaigns in Age of Empires II or games such as Civilization VI, I have found that well-designed achievements can inspire players to challenge themselves, encourage them to learn more about the game’s mechanics and unique features, immerse them more deeply in the atmosphere of the game, and provide a bit of “humor” for variety.
This is especially true for AOE 3, which is such a large and complex game. If achievements could serve as a guide for players to explore the unique characteristics, tactics, cards, and history of each civilization, I believe they could provide an entirely new experience for both new and veteran players.
With that in mind, I would like to propose several AOE 3 achievements inspired by experiences from other games. They can broadly be divided into three categories: “Humorous,” “Historical,” and “Gameplay.”
Humorous
Achievement/ Requirement
Kung Fu Panda
As China, use the Shaolin Master ability to transform a Panda into a Disciple.
Rumor Has It
As Poland, use fully upgraded Winged Hussars enhanced by Home City Cards to defeat a Da Vinci Tank.
The General’s Surprise Attack
As Japan, use Shogun Tokugawa to deliver 4 Morutaru cards within range of the opponent’s starting Town Center.
A Waste of Talent
As the Ottomans, use Spahis to kill 20 Settlers.
You Are Not Worthy of Pulling My Sleigh
Train a Husky and use it to kill 5 War Dogs. (New DLC)
We Need Meerkats to Break Up the Fight
As an African civilization, use a hero’s Chaos ability to make a Lion and a Warthog attack each other, then collect the resulting Treasure. (Hint: The Lion King)
Fortress Destroyer
As the Haudenosaunee, send the Town Destroyer card and have your hero destroy a Fortress that is currently under construction.
You Don’t Belong Here
Use the Explorer’s Sharpshooter Attack to kill a Treasure Guardian recruited by a War Chief.
Historical
Achievement/ Requirement
The Partitions of Poland
In a multiplayer game, play as Germany, revolt into Prussia, and defeat Poland together with Russia on the Pomeranian, Baltic, or Lithuania map.
The Real Napoleonic Era
As France, enter the Napoleon’s Era in-game and defeat Britain.
German Confederation
As Germany, transform into the German Confederation in-game and defeat your opponent. (New DLC)
Anti–Thirty Years’ War
As Germany, research Wallenstein’s Contract and defeat Sweden.
The Spanish Armada Falls
As Britain, use a Battleship to sink a Spanish Battleship.
Crimean War
As Britain, while playing against Russia, send the Nightingale card and upgrade the Trade Route to a Railroad.
Leftraru
Revolt into Argentina and ally with the Mapuche.
Mesoamerican Supremacy
Play as Mexico, revolt into the Maya, and defeat the Aztecs.
Meiji Restoration
As Japan, research the Meiji Restoration in-game and defeat your Japanese opponent.
Gameplay
Achievement/ Requirement
Fast Fortress
In a Standard Game, reach the Fortress Age within 8 minutes.
Fast Industrial
In a Standard Game, reach the Industrial Age within 12 minutes.
The Bane of Mercenaries
Upgrade a Spy into a Agents, then use it to kill 20 Mercenary units and Heroes.
High-Value Target
Use the Explorer’s Eye of Assassin ability to kill a military unit worth at least 50 XP.
Port Congestion
As Spain, obtain 4 Shipments within 5 minutes.
Maximum Firepower
As Spain, send the Unction card and kill 1 military unit while under the effects of 10 Damage Auras.
Lure Them into the Trap
As Portugal, recruit the Conscript Militia Army at least three times and use it to kill 50 enemies.
Long Range
As Portugal, increase the Dragon’s range to 18.
Elite Forces
As Denmark, send the cards(forgot the name), have every Infantry and Cavalry unit fully upgraded and promoted. (New DLC)
Maximum Damage
As Germany, increase the attack of Uhlans to at least 90.
Mercenaries on the Cheap
As Germany, reduce the cost of a Mercenary shipment by 75%.
Cavalry Wholesale
As France, reduce the training time of Cuirassiers to 0.
Game Mechanics
As France, use Coureurs des Bois to kill an Abus Gun.
Infantry Wholesale
As Russia, reduce the training time of Infantry units to 0.
Demolition Expert
As Russia, use Oprichniks in a single game to destroy every type of economic building, including a Factory.
The Ultimate Mercenary
As Sweden, increase the attack or hit points of any Mercenary type by at least 85%.
Artillery Duel
Use a Li’l Bombard to kill a Great Bombard.
There are many more civilizations that I am unfamiliar with, so I could not think of suitable ideas for them right away. If you like this concept, feel free to think together about what other interesting ideas could be turned into achievements.