Algiers is the first Historical Battle in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition. It is based on the historical battle between the Barbary Pirates and the Spanish Empire in the 16th century around the capture of the city of Algiers in modern-day Algeria in 1516.
Summary[]
| “ | In the 16th century privateering the Mediterranean flourished as a result of the staunch rivalry between the Ottoman Empire and the European Christian states. Famous Barbary corsairs like Hayreddin Barbarossa and his brothers gained infamy because of their great success while privateering. In 1516 the brothers managed to take the city of Algiers, deposing its former ruler, and creating their own Barbary pirate state. However, the Spanish were not going to let a pirate state exist so close to their homeland and sent a large army to deal with the Barbary threat and acquire the city of Algiers. | ” |
Opening[]
Instead of being preceded by a cutscene, the scenario jumps straight into gameplay, showing the Barbary Pirates' fort being attacked by two groups of Spanish infantry and a Caravel. In the fort are Hizir and Oruc Reis, 5 Outposts, 2 Barracks, an Artillery Foundry, a Mosque, and a Market, along with several Barbary Corsairs, Berber Archers, Berber Spearmen, Settlers, Houses, and fort walls.
Until the player completes the first secondary objective, they will not have access to the Home City in this scenario and will not be able to send shipments.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Commerce Age - Ending Age: Fortress Age
- Starting resources: 850 food, 850 wood, 750 coin
- Population limit: 200
- Starting units:
- Hizir Reis
- Oruc Reis
- 19 Berber Archers
- 10 Barbary Corsairs
- 8 Berber Spearmen
- 5 Settlers
- 2 Galleys (3 on Easy)
- 1 Privateer
Objectives[]
Primary objectives[]
- Do not lose your Town Center.
- Destroy the three Spanish camps surrounding Algiers.
- Destroy all four Spanish Forts.
Secondary objectives[]
- Destroy the blockade (Reward: Home City access).
- Earn 15,000 XP to obtain Ottoman help.
- Liberate the Algerian villages.
- Recapture the silver mine. (1,000 XP)
- Destroy the Spanish Weapon Caches. (1,000 XP)
Players[]
Player[]
- Barbary Corsairs ( Barbary Pirates): In the fortified and besieged city, the player starts with Hizir and Oruc Reis, 5 Outposts, 2 Barracks, an Artillery Foundry, a Mosque, and a Market, along with several Barbary Corsairs, Berber Archers, Berber Spearmen, Settlers, Houses, and fort walls.
Allies[]
- Ottoman Allies ( Ottomans): They come to help the player once he gets the 15,000 experience points. They consist of 25 Janissaries, 5 Falconets, 2 Galleons and 3 Galleys.
- Local Algerians ( Barbary Pirates): These represent the various Algerian villages occupied by the Spanish.
Enemies[]
- The Spanish Army ( Spanish): The Spanish Army has two fortified bases in the north and the west and various camps on the outskirts of Algiers.
- The Spanish Armada ( Spanish): The Spanish Armada has one fortified base near Algiers in the south of the map and various Galleons and Frigates besieging the player's city and preventing the player from receiving shipments from the Home City.
Treasures[]
There are seven treasures on the map: three in the west between the Trade Route and the Spanish encampments, and four in the northeast (one between the Trade Route and the mines, one on the plateau, and two west of the eastern Spanish Fort).
Map design[]
The map has similar terrain to West Africa maps. There are huntable animals in the northeast, but since the player is besieged by the Spanish troops, they should build buildings inside the base to collect resources. After the Spanish Armada is defeated in the southeast, the player gets access to the Home City, which can help to end the siege.
Strategy[]
The Spanish surround the city in several disparate encampments. The player's initial forces can clear a few, using the heroes to tank most of the enemy fire. The Spanish also hold Algerian troops as prisoners across several sites in the map. The player should free them to bolster their troops quickly.
Shipments are blocked until the Spanish ships blocking the path east (two Caravels on Easy, three Caravels and two Galleons on Hard) are destroyed, as well as some of the Spanish ships near the Docks in the south are sunk. For the former, the player can simply use the Broadside Attack ability and retreat to the Docks a few times. Fighting ships in the open waters in the south will require more micromanagement and can be eased by getting the warship technologies at the Dock.
Once enough XP has been gained, the Ottomans agree to help, and send it in the form of 5 Abus Gunners, 20 Janissaries, and 5 Falconets spawning in the western part of the map, and 3 Galleys and 2 Galleons spawning in the water at the southwest part of the map.
The player can use these reinforcements to attack the Spanish fort to the southwest and liberate the Algerian villages along the trade route. Liberate the mines in the northeast to gain more coin. With a large army, destroy the forts to the east and south. With the southern fort destroyed, the scenario is won.
Trivia[]
- Hizir Reis is better know as Hayreddin Barbarossa, one of the most famous admirals of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century fighting under the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent; as ambassador to France from 1533, he achieved the Franco-Ottoman alliance in 1536, with which he fought in the Italian Wars until his retirement to Constantinople, where he died in 1546.
- After Algiers was liberated, the Ottomans made Oruc governor of the Regency of Algiers, which he maintained until his death in 1518, fighting against the Spanish. After that, Hizir succeeded him and ruled Algiers until 1545, being succeeded in turn by Hizir's son, Hasan Pasha (who fought in the Great Siege of Malta in 1565 and at Lepanto in 1571).
- The Regency of Algiers was the origin of the Barbary States, which maintained nominal independence under the Ottoman Empire for three centuries. Weakened by the Barbary Wars (1801-1815) with the United States, Algiers ended up being conquered by France in 1830.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Civitates orbis terrarum. De praecipuis totius universi urbibus. Liber secundus (page 128).jpg (459 KB)")
