โ | Lysander has been appointed admiralโฆ An admiral without a fleet. No matter: while he builds an armada at Ephesus, he'll sack Athens' allies along the Ionian coast. | โ |
—In-game summary |
Blood and Gold is the fifth scenario of the third act of the Battle for Greece grand campaign in Chronicles: Battle for Greece, and the twentieth scenario overall.
Intro[]
The Sicilian expedition was planned hastily, executed incompetently, and concluded horrifically. The Athenians were chased from Syracuse all the way to the river Asinarus, where they were speared like writhing tuna in the blood-churned water. This defeat should have spelled the end of the Athenian Empire - but like the many-headed Hydra, Athens recovered from every wound.
For as long as they could hide behind their walls, supplied from the sea, the Athenians would never surrender. Lysander knew this. When Sparta made him admiral - admiral of a fleet that didn't yet exist - well, it seemed like the latest insult in a lifetime of derision.
But Lysander was determined. He knew that Sparta needed a navy, and that required money - real money, not the iron spits that the austere Spartans used as currency. So Lysander sailed to Ionia, to meet with the young Persian prince, Cyrus. He struck a deal with the old enemy: Persian gold for a Spartan fleet, and the troublesome Athenian Navy reduced to splinters.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Imperial Age
- Starting resources: 3,000 food, 3,000 wood, 2,000 gold
- Population limit: 200
- Starting units:
Lysander
- 18
Hoplites
- 7
Hippeis
- 2
Polemarchs
- 2
Light Cavalry
- 6
Lancers
- 6
Capped Rams
- 6
Laminated Bowmen
- One of starting bodyguard units:
Objectives[]
Main objectives[]
- Tribute gold to Ephesus to build your fleet.
Ships built: 0 (90+ recommended)
- Plunder towns for resources (Destroy their Forts/Fortified Towers).
- Begin the naval battle early: bring Lysander to the flagged area in Ephesus.
- Destroy the Athenian Navy. x Athenian ships remaining.
Secondary objectives[]
- Build 60 ships to receive special bonus ships.
- Build 90 ships to receive special bonus ships.
- Build 120 ships to receive special bonus ships.
- Build 150 ships to receive special bonus ships.
- Sack Notium.
- Sack Priene.
- Take 0/3 cities for Cyrus.
- Destroy the Wonder in Miletus
- Recruit the mercenary cavalrymen by tributing 1000 gold to the Mercenaries player.
- Support the Milesian Oligarchs by tributing them 1000 gold.
Hints[]
- Build a navy by tributing gold to Ephesus. Gain resources by sacking towns. You must carefully balance your gold expenditure: maintain an army to sack towns, but ensure that you build a sufficiently large fleet!
- You have a limited window of opportunity before the Athenian navy realises you're coming. Make sure you have a sufficiently large fleet before the naval battle begins.
- If you find a Mercenary camp (8, Orange), you can select the tent in their camp to recruit units. You may also find a powerful Mercenary cavalry army that will join your side for a price.
- You cannot train Villagers or construct buildings in this scenario.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player (
Spartans): The player starts with a decent army and rams to take a few smaller towns around Ephesus. They have no access to naval buildings or technologies, or the ability to train Villagers or build any buildings. They must create a navy and destroy the Athenian Navy.
Allies[]
- Ephesus (
Spartans - Ionians): Ephesus is the city the player begins in, and consists of a handful of buildings and the ship builders, who will build up the Shipyards and Ports and construct the player's fleet, which will be under this player until the second phase of the scenario. They offer no direct help in this scenario.
- Mercenaries (
Achaemenids - Ionians): The Mercenaries are two small camps a short distance north of the southern corner. One camp consists of a band of cavalry units that will join the player for 1,000 gold. The other consists of a few soldiers guarding a tent where the player can spend gold to hire various units.
Enemies[]
- Priene (
Athenians - Ionians): Priene is a large, fortified city in the mountains, southwest of the player. The player will need to go around the mountains on either side, passing through other towns, in order to reach this city. Their Fort is located closer to their western Gate, and any of their units become the player's once the city is captured. Their forces include Strategoi, Elite Hoplites, Laminated Bowmen, Scorpions, and Mangonels.
- Notium (
Athenians - Ionians): Notium is a fortified city north of Ephesus. They are not directly aggressive, but can train many units if left too long, making their capture difficult. There is little in the way between Notium and Ephesus, making it easy to target them early. Their forces include Mercenary Hoplites, Mercenary Peltasts, Strategoi, Elite Hoplites, Elite Skirmishers, and Lancers.
- Milesian Democrats (
Athenians - Ionians): The Milesian Democrats make up the majority of the city of Miletus, a strong, fortified city just northwest of the southern corner of the map. They have numerous walls and can prove quite the challenge to siege on a budget. Their forces include Mercenary Hoplites, Hoplites, Strategoi, Laminated Bowmen, and Lancers. They also have two contingents of Ekdromoi, one guarding their Wonder, and another guarding the ford crossing to the east of Miletus.
- Ionian Towns โ Athenian Navy (
Athenians - Ionians): The Ionian Towns make up all of the smaller-to-larger towns around the map. They are numerous, and will train troops consistently in all of their towns, but will not leave to attack Ephesus, only ever defending themselves. The exact makeup of their garrisons varies from town to town, but includes Mercenary Hoplites, Mercenary Peltasts, Ekdromoi, Strategoi, Greek Noble Cavalry, Cretan Archers, Skirmishers, Rhodian Slingers, Scorpions, and Mangonels, which they will eventually upgrade. In the second phase of the scenario, they represent the Athenian Navy, whose ships must all be destroyed in order to win.
Enemies โ Allies[]
- Milesian Oligarchs (
Athenians - Ionians): Milesian Oligarchs are part of the city of Miletus. They own the southern section of the city, and will offer to aid the player for 1,000 gold when they arrive, but are otherwise hostile. Their forces consist of Strategoi, Recurve Bowmen, Swordsmen, Lancers, and Light Cavalry. When allied, they will take control of Miletus' Gates, allowing the player's forces into the city, and will assist the player in defeating the forces of the Milesian Democrats.
Strategy[]
Ionian Towns will train troops through the scenario, potentially becoming stronger as time passes. Additionally, on Moderate and Hard difficulty, the player has a 65-minute timer before the naval battle begins. Time is important in this scenario, but rushing will leave the player needing to spend plenty of resources just to rebuild the army, rather than build the fleet. This scenario is about balance as much as it is about time.
To this end, use the initial resources on technologies that strengthen the player's army and increase their longevity. Additionally, upgrade the Polemarchs to have Ephorate at the Town Center, as the healing aura can be invaluable, even healing the rams.
The exact way the player goes about this scenario will depend on whether the player is playing a difficulty with the time limit. Larger towns, with Forts, grant more than small towns, with Fortified Towers. Named towns, like Priene and Notium, offer much more again. Harder difficulties will also show fewer towns on the map, but they still exist, making travel more dangerous.
Capture Notium early for a large resource boost, and to prevent them training too many units to defend themselves, then capture some of the smaller towns around Notium. No towns will leave to attack the player, but the northern corner is close together and the player can stack up resources quickly if done right. Attempt to capture the three cities marked by Cyrus as well, as this will provide benefits in the following scenario.
The maximum number of ships the player can get from Ephesus is 150. It takes approximately 21,000 gold to build a full 150 ships. Wood will not be particularly useful in this scenario, as ranged units are usually countered by Skirmishers, and the Spartans are best as heavy infantry anyway. Sell the wood for gold if needed. The Athenian navy will sail about 129 ships. If the player manages to attack early, some of these 129 will be unmanned on the beaches, making the fight easier.
It should be noted that ships are bought in increments of gold, and that if the player tributes enough gold to build just under 150 ships, a bug may prevent the Ephesians from building any more ships after that point, no matter how much additional gold is tributed. Therefore, it is perhaps advisable to wait until all the gold is collected before tributing, unless the timer is in danger of running out. Researching Peloponnesian League early on can also reduce the time needed to accumulate sufficient gold, particularly as the player takes over towns with Forts.
Some towns will have Mangonels, or even Onagers, helping defend them. If they have a Siege Workshop, they usually train these units. The towns also like to lock the Gates. If the player's army reaches the Gate, the town locks it. If the player pulls away enough, they unlock the Gate, and their troops come through. If played right, the player can flood the player's troops through to deal with the garrison while the rams break the gate, then continue to the tower/Fort.
There are fewer towns on the eastern side of the map, so if the player wants to head south without passing through numerous towns, this side is easier. Of note are the Mercenaries. They have a camp of cavalrymen, and a guarded tent, each shortly north of the southern corner, above a river. The cavalry units can bolster the player's forces well, while the tent allows the player to recruit various units, including Palintonons, making taking smaller towns much easier. They also grant access to Immortals, Elite War Chariots, Imperial Cavalry, and Gastraphetes, compensating for the Spartans' subpar archers and cavalry.
Another thing to note, taking a named city will transfer their units to the player once captured. Taking a town will not. Taking out a Fortified Tower from a distance with a Palintonon will leave the town full of the enemy garrison once it converts. The player does not necessarily need the towns, just the resources for taking one, but if the player needs to replenish the troops, be careful of this.
If the player heads to Miletus to destroy the Wonder, paying the Oligarchs their1,000 gold makes it vastly easier, as half the garrison in the town, numerous towers and buildings, and all of the Gates become theirs. This lets the player rush through straight to the Wonder and saves much time and resources. It will also grant the player additional ships in the next scenario.
Once the timer runs out, or the player takes Lysander to start the battle, the second phase begins.
This phase is straightforward. Sail for the islands and wipe out the Athenian navy. The only things to be particularly careful of are that the player's navy can be distracted by the numerous Tents on the shores, so keep them focused. If the battle is started early, the player will find unmoving ships left on the beaches. These ships count towards the total, so kill them too.
Once the entire Athenian navy is sunk, the scenario is won.
Achievement - "Sack and Burn"[]
To get this achievement, the player must sack Notium, Priene, and three cities specified by Cyrus, usually three of the lower cities. If playing on a difficulty with a timer, focus on these cities first. Sack Notium, the nearest city, for a boost to the player's resources, then head down, winding through the towns to the east, where there are fewer blocking the player's way. Send a scout to find any path that leads the player around a town instead of through it. Picking up the cavalry Mercenaries and some Palintonons from the Tent should speed the process along. Clear out the southern corner, then move back up. It is easier in this direction than the other, as the player has more space to maneuver and the Palintonons to recruit.
65 minutes is still plenty of time to complete this achievement if careful with the troops, but standard difficulty can make this achievement less stressful.