This is a comprehensive spreadsheet covering all of the major aspects of the real time strategy game, Age of Empires III, the War Chiefs, and the Asian Dynasties expansion packs. Anyone serious about learning this game needs this workbook.

This Guide answers all of the common questions and a few you never thought to ask. In general, I tried to group the worksheet tabs in categories and in alphabetical order. I also started coloring coding the worksheet tabs for easier grouping. I can find anything in the guide within a few seconds, just look for key words. The following topics are covered:

• AOE3 Quick Reference Guide (Cover sheet with useful links)
• Table of Contents
• BUILDING GUIDES
...Buildings – Defensive Structures
...Building Summary
• BREAKEVEN CALCULATIONS
...Breakeven – HC Shipment
...Breakeven – Native Big Button
...Breakeven – Unique Church Techs
• Consulate Summary
• Experience Guide
• FIRE PIT GUIDES
...Fire Pit Summary
...Fire Pit – Travois & Gift Dance (a mathematical comparison)
• Healing and Repairing Guide
• HOME CITY SHIPMENT GUIDES
...Home City Shipments – Asians
...Home City Shipments – European
...Home City Shipments – Natives
...Home City – Trickle Shipments (Villager equivalent calculations)
• Map Summary
• Market Analysis (compares advanced market and all Asian unique markets)
• MINOR NATIVE GUIDES
...Minor Natives, Temples, & Maps
...Minor Native Technologies
• Politicians, Councils, & Wonders
• RESOURCE RATE GUIDES
...Resource Rate – Gathering Times
...Resource Rate – Livestock
...Resource Rate – Shrine
...Resource Rate – Sacred Field
• Revolution Summary
• Starting Conditions
• GENERAL STRATEGY GUIDES
...Strategy – House Placement
...Strategy – Defend a Rush
...Strategy – Town Center
• TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION GUIDES
...Technology – Arsenal Upgrades
...Technology – Church Summary
...Technology – Resource Summary
• Treasure Guide
• UNIT INFORMATION GUIDES (every unit in the game)
...Unit Classification
...Unit Classification & Counters
...Unit Train Times
...Units – Consulate
...Units – Guardians
...Units – Mercenary Statistics
...Units – Minor Native Statistics
...Units – Pet Statistics
...Units – Revolution
...Units – Aztecs
...Units – British
...Units – China
...Units – Dutch
...Units – French
...Units – German
...Units – India
...Units – Iroquois
...Units – Japan
...Units – Ottoman
...Units – Portuguese
...Units – Russian
...Units – Sioux
...Units – Spanish
• MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
...Misc – Acronyms, & BB Code
...Misc – Cheats
...Misc – Damage Capacity Summary
...Misc – Default Hotkey & Taunt
...Misc – Level & Single Play Edit
...Misc – Power Rating System
...Misc – Random Notes
...Misc – Reading Players Scores

For those of you who do not have Excel, here are some free viewers:

Excel Viewer 2003
This is a free Excel viewer that allows you to view but not edit.

Open Office
OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use, and distribute.

For those of you who do not have Excel, do not want to download a free viewer, but still want to access the spreadsheet, I have converted it to an .html file on my website:

On-line AOE3 TWC TAD Quick Reference

I would like to warn you that it does not look as good. The interactive features (i.e. calculators) do not function in this version (due to the .html). It was either have all the cells formatted and no interaction, or interaction with no formatting. Since the majority of this spreadsheet requires reading but no inputs, I decided to keep the formatting. It is sad Microsoft forces you into those choices but those are the only options I am aware of.