 Age of Empires III allows the player to play as eight different civilizations : Spanish , British , French , Portuguese , Dutch , Russian , German , and Ottoman . Each of the eight civilizations has its own strengths and weaknesses and unique units available only to that civilization . Specific units for each civilization are designated Royal Guard units , receiving greater bonuses on the Guard upgrade in the Industrial Age , but at an increased price . The player can change the name of their Home City , the Explorer name , and is given a pre @-@ named leader from part of the period ( for example , Napoleon Bonaparte for the French Colonial Empire , Suleiman the Magnificent for Ottoman Empire , and Ivan the Terrible for the Russian Empire ) . Each civilization has unique shipments to aid its economy and military ( for example , the Ottomans are able to order a shipment of gold for both them and their teammates ) . 
