Ataulf (c. 370 - August 15, 415 A.D.), also spelled Athaulf, was the second king of the Visigoths after succeeding his brother-in-law Alaric, in 411. He is an infantry hero with a unique sprite. The unit wears no helmet but the icon does, as it is the same used by Alaric the Goth and Theodoric the Goth. As a hero, Ataulf is immune to conversion, can regenerate over time, and has a golden glow around him. He is also available in the Scenario Editor.
He appears as an ally in the Alaric campaign in The Forgotten, and as the campaign narrator, an ally in the third and fourth scenario and the protagonist of the final scenario, in the reworked version in the Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
The Forgotten[]
In The Forgotten, Athaulf[sic] is an allied faction that can be taken over by the player in the second, third, and fourth scenarios:
- In Legionaries on the Horizon!, Athaulf is represented by a renamed Aethelfirth in Alaric's initial camp. He is a must-survive unit who can be taken to the allied player "Athaulf's Forces", in the southeastern corner of the map, to take control of them.
- In Emperor of the West, Athaulf is represented by capturable Gaia units and a town in the center of the map, but does not appear as his own unit or player.
- In The Sack of Rome, Athaulf is an allied player attacking the walls of Rome from the west, while Alaric (not under the player's control) attacks from the east. After sending a Courier to Athaulf, the player gains control of his forces, buildings, and eventually of Athaulf himself (represented by a renamed, must-survive Sieur Bertrand). The final objective is to take Athaulf to the Mausoleum of Hadrian so he can capture the Emperor's sister, Galla Placidia.
Definitive Edition[]
In the Definitive Edition, Ataulf is the narrator of the Alaric campaign and takes over as (offscreen) leader of the Visigoths in the fifth scenario, set after Alaric's death. Previously, he is present leading an allied faction in the third and fourth scenarios, the latter of which also features Alaric himself.