Crucible

Crucible is the first scenario of the Genghis Khan campaign in Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings.

After a small scene where Khan's army appears, you obtain four Light Cavalry and four Cavalry Archer from him. You must convince four tribes to join the Great Khan, while being attacked by Kara-Khitai. The Kereyid will join if you bring them 20 sheep (gathered around the map, and also found in Kara-Khithai pens), and get Cavalry Archers and 2 Monks. The Ungirrads will join you if you bring a relic to their monastery (there are three, one in a Kara-Kithai monastery, one north of the Naiman camp guarded by the Kara-Kithai, and the other guarded by wolves), thus requiring the Kereyids' alliance, and give Mangudai. The Tayichi'uds will join if you defeat the Naiman and return, and vice versa. Defeat which you prefer (the former give Cavalry Archers, the latter Light Cavalry, and the Naiman have a tower and Cavalry Archers). And the Uighurs will join if you kill Ornlu the Wolf and return to tell the tale, giving Camels.

Possibly the quickest way of doing this scenario is doing it backwards; go to the Uighurs first and kill Ornlu. This gives 4 camels and you will not lose any men (provided all 8 of your men are attacking). Then go to the Naiman, but steer clear of the Kara Khitai base that is nearby. Kill the Tayichi'uds and return to the Naiman, yielding 4 cavalry archers. Then find the sheep for the Kereyids, which will give you the biggest army possible to do the hardest fighting; capturing a Kara Khitai monastery holding a relic for the Ungirrads. NEVER fight the Kara Khitai unless they: All other Kara Khitai bases guard assets which are easier to acquire with the above list. These are the least guarded.
 * Are inside a sheep pen, which holds ~10 sheep
 * Guard a monastery with a flag

Notes/Trivia:

 * This is the only level in the campaign where Genghis Khan himself actually appears.
 * Before gaining control over the starting Light Cavalry and Cavalry Archers, an archer of is seen hidden in the trees near the Kereyids to prevent the player automatically losing with no units.
 * The Kereyids are the only team on the Map that are not Mongols, instead they're shown as Turks. They are also required to get their units before the Ungirrads since only they have the monks required for relics.
 * By setting all of the initially allied tribes to Neutral, you may convert all their units one by one without having to fulfill favours. This is especially useful for defeating either the Tayuchi'uds or Naimans. Attempting to convert Kara-Khitai troops scattered about the map can also be used to supplement your forces; however, this could prove difficult and would require some luck.