Caesar's Revenge (named Caesar vs Pirates in the original) is the first scenario of the Ave Caesar campaign in Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome. It depicts Caesar's campaign against the pirates of the Aegean Sea.
Scenario instructions[]
Description[]
| “ | Asia Minor, 75 BCE Oh, the rumours when the rich families in Rome heard that the young Caesar of the Julii Family had been captured by Cilician pirates. Thank the gods that you are free now. I had hoped to dissuade you from raising a fleet and attacking the pirates to exact your vengeance, instead of returning to Rome and your family. But I see you have made up your mind and, knowing your late father, I recognize this stubbornness runs in the family. So, set sail, young Caesar, and redeem your family name once and for all. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Iron Age - Starting resources: 400 food, 400 wood, 300 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- Gaia units and buildings:
- 4
Villagers - 1 Town Center
- 1 Dock
- 2 Houses
- 2 Sentry Towers
- 4
Objectives[]
- Destroy all enemy Docks.
- If Caesar dies, the mission will be lost.
Hints[]
- Opposition will become stronger as you sail farther from Roman territory.
- Certain Docks are easier to destroy by attacking from land.
Description[]
| “ | 67 BC Pirates in the Mediterranean have been a plague on trade for decades. Now that we control most of the Mediterranean coastline, it is within our power to wipe out the pirate nests and make the Mediterranean trade routes safe from predation. You have been given responsibility for these areas and the mandate to wipe out the pirates. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age: Iron Age
- Starting resources: 400 food, 400 wood, 300 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
Objectives[]
- Destroy all enemy Docks.
- If Caesar dies, the mission will be lost.
Hints[]
- Opposition will become stronger as you sail farther from Rome.
- Land strikes are the best way to destroy certain docks.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player ( Romans): The player starts on a strip of land in the northeast of the map with only one unit, Caesar himself. At the end of the route northwest, the player will find several Gaia Villagers and buildings which will help the player build an economy.
Enemies[]
- Rhodian Pirates ( Minoans) (since the Definitive Edition, earlier: Italian Pirates ( Greeks)) The Rhodian Pirates possess multiple bases, with one near the starting location in the north, one on the islands in the center, and one in the south. They harass the player with Scout Ships.
- Cretan Pirates (Corsican Pirates before the Definitive Edition) ( Greeks): The Cretan Pirates are based in the west and attack the player with War Galleys and transported Cavalry and Short Swordsmen.
- Cilician Pirates (Sardinian Pirates before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): The Cilician Pirates are based in the south and attack the player with Triremes, and defend their base with Horse Archers and Ballistae.
Strategy[]
The player starts off with only one unit: Caesar himself. But just north of his initial position, there is a Gaia Town Center and some Villagers, so send him directly there. Some Rhodian Axemen and Slingers en route will attack him, but keep moving; they are too weak to bother slowing down for.
Start gathering resources, and build a sizable navy. All three enemies have navies, and will attack the player mercilessly. There's wood on the island, and if the player controls the sea, they can fish for food.
Develop the player's base until they can train Triremes, and start destroying enemy Docks. Some of them are protected by Towers, so landing a few Stone Throwers is not a bad idea - or just using Catapult Triremes, which must be fully upgraded to outrange the Guard Towers of the Cicilian pirate base.
The Cicilian pirates have the best quality navy, constructing Triremes and Fire Galleys, so must be fought with a large mass of Triremes. Their shores are heavily protected with Guard Towers, Horse Archers, and Ballistae. The Rhodian pirates are the least developed, but opt to build lots of Scout Ships from their many Docks. Their bases are protected by Watch Towers and Tool Age soldiers. The Cretan pirates construct War Galleys and also send landing parties in Light Transports (which they eventually upgrade) consisting of Cavalry, Composite Bowmen, and Stone Throwers. Their base is moderately protected with Sentry Towers which can be outranged by Triremes. It is not necessary to train a land army as Caesar can deal with any landing party all by himself, with a Priest healing him in between fights, although it can help to train Ballistae which can shoot down enemy Transports before they reach the shore, and fight back against raiding war ships better than Roman Sentry Towers.
History[]
Historical notes[]
| “ | Caesar was born into an aristocratic family, the Julii, which was not very influential despite a long heritage and strong marital ties. During his early life, Caesar witnessed the civil war between Sulla and Gaius Marius, which tore up the Roman Republic. Both men were distinguished commanders who were set on becoming dictators, one belonging to the optimates and the other one to the populares, two rival political parties in Rome. It is said that Caesar drew inspiration from Marius' march on Rome when he crossed the Rubicon later in his life. During the power struggle between Sulla and Gaius Marius, Caesar himself became a victim of the political turmoil. Sulla wanted to get rid of Caesar due to his family ties to his rival, and so Caesar was stripped of his inheritance, his wealth, and his priesthood, and had to go into hiding. However, his mother's family, who had members close to Sulla, managed to persuade the latter to let Caesar return. Sulla reluctantly gave in, saying that he saw many a Marius in Caesar. Fearing that Sulla might change his mind, Caesar left Rome and went into military service, where he distinguished himself with his bravery and leadership capabilities. When, in 79 BCE, Sulla resigned his dictatorship and retired, it was safe for Caesar to return to Rome. However, having the ambition to become a great politician, he soon left Italy again for Greece to study rhetoric. During one of his travels east, Caesar was kidnapped by Cilician pirates and held hostage at their secret hideout. During his captivity, Caesar maintained an attitude of superiority, and his arrogance both surprised and entertained the pirates. When they wanted to ransom Caesar for 20 talents he demanded that they ask for 50 talents because he was worth at least that much; and when he spent time reading his poems to them, he called them barbarians for not appreciating them. Several times, he told the pirates that as soon as he was released he would return and have them all crucified, to which they responded with laughter. However, Caesar was true to his word. He raised a fleet and returned, capturing the pirates. Caesar brought them to the Roman governor of Asia, who refused to execute them as Caesar demanded because he would rather sell them as slaves. Caesar then took matters in his own hands and had them crucified. Upon his return to Rome, Caesar was elected military tribune, the first step on the political ladder. It still took him several years, but finally he became one of most powerful men in Rome and gained the Consulship in 59 BCE due to his conquests in Hispania while serving as its governor. Following these successes, he was made a member of the Triumvirate, an informal association with Pompey and Crassus. The three leaders vied with each other for control of Rome while dividing responsibility for the rest of the Republic. Caesar's governing responsibilities drew him into a series of campaigns in Gaul (modern France), Germania, and Britannia. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Victory[]
| “ | The expedition against your kidnappers has boosted your reputation among the Roman elite and has shown you to be a man of your word. People will think twice before taking action against you, and several senators have asked for your friendship. Two mighty men, Pompey and Crassus, have even asked you to join them in a triumvirate and rule over Rome together. Soon, you will be one of the most important men in the whole Republic. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Loss[]
| “ | The pirates have made a mockery of your boast to return and eradicate them. Rome is disappointed, but because you paid for the expedition personally there will be no recriminations. The job of eliminating the pirates has been given to a real man, Pompey. You can go along to keep his torso armor oiled. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Historical notes[]
| “ | As a young man Caesar was captured by pirates and held at their secret base for ransom. The pirates laughed when he said he would return one day to root them out and destroy their base. True to his word, he outfitted a small fleet at his own expense, returned to the islands, and destroyed the pirate nest. Pirates operating from bases in Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, the Aegean, and the Adriatic had been preying on Roman shipping for many years. This piracy caused great harm to the trade within the growing sphere of Roman influence and control. Operations against pirates between 79 and 68 BC were unsuccessful. Under the efficient and energetic leadership of Caesar and Pompey, the majority of the pirate strongholds were destroyed, bringing relative safety to Mediterranean trade. Caesar then conducted a series of campaigns in Iberia that brought the remainder of that peninsula under Roman control. Following these successes he was made a member of the Triumvirate, an informal association with Pompey and Crassus. The three leaders vied with each other for control of Rome while dividing responsibility for the rest of the empire. Caesar's colonial responsibilities drew him into a series of campaigns in Gaul (modern France), Germany, and Britain. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Victory[]
| “ | The merchants and sailors of Rome are exultant to hear the pirates have been wiped out. The benefits will spread through the empire as trade increases and prices fall. You are in line for promotion and new responsibilities. It has been suggested that you take command in the North against the Gauls, Germans and Britons. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Loss[]
| “ | The pirates have made a mockery of your boast to return and eradicate them. Rome is disappointed, but because you paid for the expedition personally there will be no recriminations. The job of eliminating the pirates has been given to a real man, Pompey. You can go along to keep his armor oiled. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Changes[]
In the Definitive Edition, the background was moved from the Mediterranean to the Aegean Sea, where Caesar was actually imprisoned by pirates, returning later in retaliation with a fleet and crucifying the captives. The name of the enemies were changed to Aegean names from the former Italian, Corsican, and Sardinian.
Trivia[]
- This map inspired the design for Serving the New King, a scenario in Age of Empires II HD: Rise of the Rajas.
- The Cilician Pirates make heavy use of Horse Archers, despite the Roman tech tree lacking them.
- Cilicia is a region in the southeast of modern day Turkey, bordering the Mediterranean sea.
