The Burmese Tigers

The Burmese Tigers is the first scenario in the Bayinnaung Campaign in Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas.

King Tabinshweti and his general Bayinnaung march south to kill the Mon King Takayutpi and capture the city of Prome, while also fending off the Shan and possibly making contact with the Portuguese.

Ally, potential enemy

 * Portuguese (Portuguese) are the men of Joao Caeiro (a renamed Conquistador Hero). They have an outpost in the southwest. While initially allied with all factions on the map, once the player approaches their fortress, they demand a tribute of 500 gold for not attacking the player, and shortly afterwards they want another 500 gold for the player taking over all of their units. They have Condotierro, Halberdiers, Conquistador, Hand Cannoneers, Elite Organ Guns, Bombard Cannon, as well as Joao Caeiro himself and also a fleet consisting of Elite Caravels and Elite Cannon Galleons

Enemy

 * Prome (Indians) is the city in the center of the map and the goal of Tabishweti's conquest. The don't have an economy but they can train units, namely Elephant Archers and Hand Cannoneers, but also some Scorpions.
 * Hanthawaddy (Khmer) are Mon King Takayutpi's initial military camp roxal guard as well as the King himself.
 * Hanthawaddy (Khmer) are King Takayutpi's main forces. They have 3 bases in the east, south, and southwest respectively. Their army is very diversified and includes Long Swordsmen, Pikemen,Battle Elephants (those 3 units are the bulk), but also Crossbowmen, Elite Skirmishers, Ballista Elephants, and Scorpions. To top it of, they also have a navy consisting of all types of war ships, excluding Cannon Galleons.
 * Shan (Chinese) are the most immediate threat to the Burmese. They have a base right west of the player's one, as well as a second one still further west. They train mostly Knights, Crossbowmen, and their unique units, Chu Ko Nus, but also send some Battering Rams.

Strategy
The player starts in a base with all Feudal Age buildings and a small army at their disposal. The army includes three Heroes, King Tabinshweti, an Elephant Archer, his general Bayinnaung, an Elite Battle Elephant, and Tado Dhamma Yaza. All three Heroes are very valuable in fights as they are quite resilient.

Around the map, various Gaia units can be acquired, namely in the very east, very west, southeast of Takayupti's camp, and at the southeastern edge of the map. They include Toungoo Warriors, very agile and resilient infantry Heroes, who, as Heroes, can regenerate health.

Further resources can be found west and east of the base, and these areas are also quite easily wallable.

Secondary objective: Killing the Mon King in under 5 minutes
The first objective of this scenario is to kill the Mon King Takayutpi, while a secondary objective is to do so in under 5 minutes. Succeeding in the secondary objective nets 500 gold, but the objective has to be rushed and this means neglecting defence, resulting in possible economic disadvatage. When his military camp is approached (or after some time has passed) the King flees towards a Castle in the southwest, and it's impossible to catch up to him without Husbandry. If the player doesn't want to kill him is the first five minutes, they can as well take their sweet time, as his Hanthawaddy forces don't resign upon his death.

Halting the Shan
Instead of rushing the King, it might be a better idea to focus on defending against the Shan coming from the west, as they, while not an objective, are the most immediate threat. Tabishweti and Bayinnaung can tank their units quite well, while the rest of the player's units can dispatch them. A possible army against them would be Battle Elephants (against the Shan Knights, and they can also take quite some arrow shots thanks to their high Pierce Armor) and Elite Skirmishers (while the Burmese lack even the Leather Archer Armor upgrade, they do get the much more important Bracer, and Elite Skirmishers are still very cost efficient against the Shan's numerous archers as well as Prome's units, but they get shredded by Knights). A few mixed-in Monks (the Burmese get all Monastery technologies at a 50% discount) can also lead to a huge swing when converting Shan Knights. Mangonels are also strong against Crossbowmen (and to a lesser extent Chu Ko Nu).

A Castle southwest of the base can halt any Shan and prome onslaught, as long it is protected from Shan Battering Rams.

Before taking care of the actual objectives it might be a good idea to first at least weaken the Shan by razing their camp right west of the player's base. They also have another base a little further west.

Interlude: Optional task: Acquiring the Portuguese mercenaries
If the player desires, they can make a run for the Portuguese outpost in the southwest, past Prome and Shan. Before doing so however, they should make sure to have at least 1300 gold stockpiled (due to tribute fees). Researching Coinage and Banking is not recommended, as they also cost 300 gold in total, while also costing food.

Once their oupost is reached, the Portuguese demand 500 gold in tribute, for them not to attack the player, and then shortly after, they want another tranche of 500 gold. Upon paying the second tribute, the player takes over all of the Portuguese units. These units can either be used to care care of the Shan for good, take down some of Hathawaddy's production buildings, or/and breach Prome itself. The player shouldn't forget to also collect the Gaia units in the western corner of the map.

Killing the Mon King (if not done already)
It's better to kill King Takayutpi before capturing the Monument, as the Monument has to be held only for a second, if the other objective is already completed, while, if done in reverse, the player has more hassle with Prome.

As mentioned before, the King hides in a Castle in the eastern corner of the map, after his initial camp is approached. The village around the castle produces Ballista Elephants and Battle Elephants, but other reinforcements can come from the west (see Hanthawaddy in the Players section above). If besieging from the north, it is imperative for the player to dispatch some ranged units west of the Castle in order to intercept the King, as he flees once more, when his Castle is in flames. It is also possible to wade through the shallow water and besiege the Castle from the west in the first place, but then the player's forces are attacked from two sides. With the Mon King dead, the first of the two objectives is completed.

Capturing Prome's Monument
The shortest way to Prome's Monument is from the north, where the player should have errected a Castle anyways, giving them place to retreat to, if necessary. Good units to counter Prome's army include Elite Skirmishers (like discussed before, only mediocre for the Burmese), Monks (against their Elephant Archers), Onagers, and Heavy Scorpions. Of course long range siege engines, namely Trebuchets or Bombard Cannon (also effective against their Scorpions and still decent against their Elephant Archers and Hand Cannoneers) shouln't be forgotten. To capture the Monument, all enemy units surrounding it, have to be removed for a least a second, while the player has to have at least one unit near the Monument. When the Monument is held for even a second (if the Mon King is already dead), the scenario is won.