How to play Dutch in AOE3
The strength of the Dutch civilization is regarded, almost falsely, as being economical on the basis that they have banks. However, banks are extremely expensive early in the game and the game needs to last for them to have any worthwhile effect. Dutch settlers cost coin, which is gathered less quickly than food, and most other civilizations have economic bonuses that let them produce more or better settlers. The bank advantage can be quite useful in longer games, but few games last for a Dutch player to reap those benefits.
Many games can and will be decided in the Colonial Age, making the army line-up of the Dutch in that period well worth a look. The Dutch lack both crossbowmen and musketeers, and have no unique Colonial Age units—unless you count the skirmisher. Having the skirmisher, an anti-infantry unit one age earlier, is a more subtle bonus, but a potentially powerful one. If your micromanagement skills are good, they combat effectively any unit, including cavalry and early artillery.
[This article is written by SoggyFrog and found on TTA]
Many games can and will be decided in the Colonial Age, making the army line-up of the Dutch in that period well worth a look. The Dutch lack both crossbowmen and musketeers, and have no unique Colonial Age units—unless you count the skirmisher. Having the skirmisher, an anti-infantry unit one age earlier, is a more subtle bonus, but a potentially powerful one. If your micromanagement skills are good, they combat effectively any unit, including cavalry and early artillery.
[This article is written by SoggyFrog and found on TTA]