Yoruba
Yoruba is an Age of Empires III minor civilization from Africa. It appears on maps including Congo Basin, Gold Coast, Lake Chad, Niger Delta, Niger River, Savanna. Players can establish an alliance at its settlement to access its local units and research.
Settlement & allied options
A Trading Post at the settlement unlocks the alliance. Inca players use a Tambo for the same purpose. The listed allied roster includes Yoruba Oyo Legionary, Yoruba Eso Rider. Its settlement offers these technologies: Yoruba Ida Swords, Yoruba Twins, Yoruba Herbalism, Yoruba Wrestling, Yoruba Eredo Legacy. The available roster and technologies can vary with the selected map and release.
When to ally
Scout the map for a Yoruba settlement before spending resources on an alliance. Use it when the listed unit or technology fills a need in the army or economy, and protect the Trading Post that provides access.
Practical direction
The Oyo Legionary takes time to train and gains its poison hand attack only after Yoruba Ida Swords; its ranged attack is already long-ranged, so use the technology only when the unit will reach melee. The Eso Rider is immediately fast and powerful but its health drain starts making delays costly. Yoruba Wrestling reduces the named units’ degeneration by one quarter and stops it at 25% hit points; it does not remove all decay from full health. Yoruba Twins is a large, delayed Influence and resource investment, best considered when both named unit lines will be produced in numbers.
Oyo Legionary poison and Eso Rider time pressure
The Commerce Age Oyo Legionary costs 90 Food and 90 Wood, trains in 50 seconds and has 220 hit points with 25% ranged resistance. Its ranged attack deals 26 damage at range 16; its hand attack deals 16 and has bonuses against Cavalry and Shock troops. Yoruba Ida Swords adds poison to the Legionary’s hand attacks, not its ranged attack. The Eso Rider costs 90 Food and 90 Coin, trains in 20 seconds and has 200 hit points, 55% hand and ranged resistance and 7.5 speed. Its powerful 35-damage hand attack makes it a fast shock unit, but it loses 0.75% of its hit points per second until one remains.
Yoruba upgrades shape the army and economy
Yoruba Wrestling lowers degeneration by 25% for the named militia and levy classes and Eso Riders, and stops it once those units reach 25% hit points; it costs 300 Food, 300 Wood and 540 Influence for Africans and takes 40 seconds. Yoruba Twins duplicates each Oyo Legionary and Eso Rider, but costs 750 Wood, 750 Coin and 1,500 Influence for African civilizations and takes 60 seconds. Yoruba Herbalism improves tree and Mango Grove gathering by 10% and lets Native Warriors and land Villagers regenerate near trees or Berry Bushes. Yoruba Eredo Legacy delivers two Outpost Wagons and awards 1 Experience for a Wall and 10 for a Gate. Ida Swords adds the Legionary’s poison hand attack; each choice has a specific role and cost.
Settlement access and timing
A Trading Post or Inca Tambo on a Yoruba kingdom unlocks the alliance technologies and roster. Hausa can access selected Yoruba options through the University with the Yoruba Alliance. The Eso Rider’s degeneration makes rapid deployment important; Yoruba Wrestling partially slows it but does not eliminate it. Protect the kingdom site so the duplicated-unit, healing and economic options remain available.