Basic Combat is the third challenge scenario in Art of War in Age of Empires IV. It tests the player's skill in unit counters, use of terrain for ambushes, and control groups, somewhat similar to the The Art of War scenario Land Battle in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition.
Intro[]
Scenario description/loading screen[]
In a pitched battle, the better tactician will prevail. Learn how to use the unit counter system and the terrain to win battles against your opponents
Video instruction[]
Each military unit is unique. They are produced from different buildings, armed with different weapons, and specialized against different targets.
Spearmen carry long polearms into battle. They excel at fighting cavalry.
Archers perform very well against unarmored infantry due to their long range. Notice how they are concealed among the trees - positioning units in a Stealth Forest keeps them hidden until they start attacking.
Look! A group of Horsemen was hiding out of view behind that ridge. These archers stand no chance against quick and mobile cavalry.
Remember these lessons and apply them. Choose the right counters to enemy forces and use the terrain to your advantage to dominate the battlefield.
Start of scenario[]
A group of Horsemen is about to attack your village. Four more waves of enemies will soon follow. You must defend the three entrances to your village and prevent the enemy from burning down your buildings. You can only deploy one type of unit at a time, so choose wisely.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Feudal Age - Units: None (initially)
- Resources: None
Objectives[]
- Defend your camp against the enemy attacks (0/5)
- Defeat the approaching Horsemen
- Defeat the approaching Spearmen
- Defeat the approaching Archers
- Defeat the approaching Spearmen and Horsemen
- Defeat the approaching Archers and Horsemen
- Do not let the enemy burn down your village!
- You will lose if too many buildings are burned down (0/7)
Players[]
- Holy Roman Empire (Holy Roman Empire): The player trains units in the German Village, and deploys them against the oncoming attack waves. Any surviving units are turned over to the German Village for a few seconds before disappearing. The player must repel the attack waves with as few losses as possible to obtain a medal.
- German Village (Holy Roman Empire): Controls a large Feudal Age town containing military buildings, where the player can train a fixed number of units to repel the attack waves. The player loses if too many of their buildings are destroyed.
- French (French): Sends five attack waves against the player and the German Village, first three with one unit type, the last two with two unit types. The player must defeat these attack waves to complete the challenge.
Medals[]
- Gold: Fewer than 16 units lost
- Silver: Fewer than 21 units lost
- Bronze: Fewer than 36 units lost
Strategy[]
Follow the objectives and instructions given by the voice-over. For the first three waves, the player can train a fixed number of one type of units (15 Spearmen, 15 Archers, or 10 Horsemen) from the German Village military buildings. Take care to avoid losing too many units especially during the second wave.
The fourth and fifth waves contain two types of enemy units, and the player can likewise train two types. Using control groups and luring the Horsemen can help minimize the losses. For the final wave, hide the Spearmen in the Stealth Forest, and the Horsemen behind the ridge close to the Outpost. When the enemy comes, have the Spearmen engage the enemy Horsemen, while the player's Horsemen come out to harass enemy Archers, to protect the Spearmen from Archer fire.
Gallery[]
