Zapotec
Zapotec is an Age of Empires III minor civilization from South America. It appears on maps including Amazonia, Andes, Mexico, Orinoco, Yucatán. 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 Zapotec Lightning Warrior. Its settlement offers these technologies: Zapotec Cloud People, Zapotec Cult of the Dead, Zapotec Food of the Gods. The available roster and technologies can vary with the selected map and release.
When to ally
Scout the map for a Zapotec 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.
Lightning Warrior frontline role
The Zapotec Lightning Warrior is Commerce Age heavy infantry with 190 hit points, 10% hand resistance and 4.5 speed. It costs 40 Food and 60 Wood and takes 30 seconds to train. Its 12-damage hand attack has bonuses against Cavalry, Heavy infantry and Shock troops; its 24-damage siege attack adds a structure-pressure option. Use it to reinforce a hand-infantry line, while keeping it supported against ranged counters.
Recurring Wood and hand-infantry damage
Zapotec Cloud People costs 225 Food and 225 Coin and researches in 10 seconds. It delivers 100 Wood every two minutes of game time, up to 30 minutes—at most 15 deliveries or 1,500 Wood—so early access yields more value in a long match. Zapotec Cult of the Dead is a separate 200 Wood and 200 Coin upgrade that increases hand-infantry damage by 20%, also researched in 10 seconds. Choose the timed economy when the game can run, or the damage upgrade when the army is already committed to hand infantry.
Broad gathering option
Zapotec Food of the Gods costs 175 Wood and 175 Coin and takes 10 seconds. It improves Villager gathering from Berry Bushes, Cherry Orchards, Mills, Estates, Farms, Rice Paddies, Fields and Haciendas by 10%, across the listed Food, Wood, Coin and Influence settings; Hacienda automatic Food and Coin gathering also increase 10%. The technology pays off best when several of those sources are active rather than only one narrow resource stream.
Settlement access
A Trading Post, or an Inca Tambo, on a Zapotec settlement grants access to the allied roster and its technologies; the Native Embassy is also listed for Lightning Warrior training. Protect the site so timed deliveries and later research remain available.