| “ | Ancient objects crafted by now-lost cultures. Artifacts can be a victory condition or increase your score. | ” |
| —In-game description in the Definitive Edition | ||
The Artifact is a special unit in Age of Empires. It can be acquired when it appears within the sight of a unit.
Overview[]
Once an Artifact is captured, the color coating changes corresponding to the color of the player that owns the unit. Once all Artifacts are captured by a team or player, a countdown begins, starting with 200 in-game years in Return of Rome (16 minutes 40 seconds real time at the normal 1.7× game speed), or 2,000 in-game years before Return of Rome (five minutes in the real world at standard game speed). If none of the Artifacts are captured by any opposing team or player within the time frame, the team or player controlling all Artifacts on the map wins the game.
To capture an already captured Artifact, a unit must stand directly next to it, it is not sufficient to just see it. That is different from capturing an unclaimed Artifact and can make a big difference since it is much easier to keep a unit from actually approaching an Artifact than from just getting into its Line of Sight.
A standard game may or may not contain Artifacts. If it does, it will always have five Artifacts scattered around the map. In the Scenario Editor, maps with more or less Artifacts may be created. Controlling Artifacts contributes to the player's score.
If an Artifact happens to be inside a sinking transport ship, it will re-appear at the nearest shoreline.
History[]
| “ | Artifacts are objects akin to the Ark of the Covenant that were crafted by now-lost cultures and bring prestige to the civilization that possesses them. | ” |
| —Age of Empires manual | ||
Trivia[]
- Its appearance looks like of the Ark of the Covenant.
- An alternative version of the Artifact called the War Chest exists in the Scenario Editor. It serves as a Scenario Editor-only object that doesn't trigger the Artifact victory.
- Although in-game stats reveal the hit points to be 1, it is actually indestructible.
- Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition shows as an Easter-egg an Artifact being buried below the foundation of a Monastery while the building is being built.
- In Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - The African Royals, the Home City of the Ethiopians features an Artifact as one of the options for decorating the Monastery.
Gallery[]
See also[]
- Relic - counterpart in other games of the series
