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This article is about the scenario in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Victors and Vanquished. For the hero, see Charlemagne (unit). |
| “ | On the death of Pepin the Short, the Frankish kingdom is divided between his two sons, Charles and Carloman. Only one of these two men will, by force and iron, become Europe's most famous and influential king. | ” |
| —In-game scenario description | ||
Charlemagne is one of the scenarios in the Victors and Vanquished campaign in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Victors and Vanquished. In this scenario, the player plays as the Franks and the player color is blue. This scenario is based on the rise and feats of Charlemagne (Charles I the Great), of the Carolingian Dynasty, turning Francia into the largest empire in Europe since the Romans, which would later become the modern nations of France and Germany.
Intro[]
In the year 768, Pepin, King of the Franks, son of Charles Martel, and favorite of the Pope, died on campaign.
By Frankish law, the Franks and their lands were divided between his two sons. The younger of these, Carloman, was given the largest portion.
Perhaps Pepin had intended his young son to succeed him. Though the other son, Charles, was elder, he had been born out of wedlock. In addition, Pepin's own elder brother had stepped aside so that Pepin could become king.
At worst, the two brothers would find a way to share their power.
But what were a father's intentions compared to the strength of one man's will and iron?
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Feudal Age - Starting resources: 300 food, 300 wood, 300 gold, 100 stone
- Population limit: 150
- Starting units:
- Charlemagne (modified Jogaila, not the Charlemagne unit)
- 3 Villagers
- Capturable:
- Alcuin of York (in England, overseas to the northwest)
- Theodulf of Orléans (in France, west from center of map)
- Petrus Grammaticus (in the Lombard base)
- Paul the Deacon (in Rome, southeast of map)
- The city of Barcelona (in Spain, southwest of map)
Objectives[]
Main objectives[]
- Ensure Carloman dies.
Choose one of the following:
- Build Aachen Cathedral (Wonder).
- Defeat Saxons, Lombards, Umayyads, and Avars.
Secondary objectives[]
- Convert 3 Saxon leaders.
- Depose Tassilo of Bavaria by damaging his Fortress.
- Protect Barcelona.
To unlock Imperial Age:
Hints[]
- You have a population limit of 150 and are restricted to the Castle Age until you complete certain optional objectives. You cannot train gunpowder units.
- Attacking and killing Carloman is an option, but finding a way for him to die while remaining his ally will allow you to seize his territory and army intact.
- Each faction you defeat provides bonuses.
- Find scholars (Monks with Relics) to enrich your civilization. Some of them live among your enemies but your enemies will not attack them.
- The Pope's blessings will make Charlemagne fight with righteous fury. Bring him to Rome when able. If Charlemagne dies before visiting the Pope and finding scholars, however, the Imperial Age will become inaccessible.
- If building a Wonder, be sure to construct in France, near your starting location. Building elsewhere will be invalid.
Scouts[]
- Charles, or Karl, is destined to be known as Charlemagne, but he does not yet rule alone. He shares the kingship of the Franks with his younger brother Carloman (Red). Charles must find a way for his brother to meet a timely death so that he can seize his territory. Then, he must contend with threats on four different fronts.
- To the northeast are the wild forests of Saxony. Defeating the Saxons (Grey) will be like trying to hold a river or the wind in one's hands. Their dense forests are filled with fearsome Saxon infantry.
- To the east are the Avars (Orange), nomadic horsemen from the steppe. Their khagan rules from a great ring fortress somewhere in the east. The Avars fight as cavalry and Cavalry Archers.
- To the south, the Lombards (Yellow) block most routes to Rome. The Lombards fight as infantry, cavalry, and archers.
- To the southwest, the Umayyads rule across the Pyrenees Mountains. Charles' grandfather, Charles Martel, once defeated an invasion by their cavalry, but they remain a powerful and technologically advanced foe. If Charles can overcome them, he may be able to use their learning. The Umayyads fight as cavalry and camelry.
- Several minor factions (Cyan) inhabit nearby lands. Defeating them provides access to resources. Charles' cousin, Tassilo, rules in Bavaria, from where he opposes Charles. He may need to be brought to heel.
- Finally, the Pope (Purple) resides in Rome, a city that has seen far better days. Nonetheless, any aspiring emperor should visit the city at least once.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player ( Franks): The player begins in northern France (Neustria region), with a small Feudal Age village also containing a Monastery. Although the brunt of most initial attacks will be borne by Carloman, Charlemagne's base may also be attacked by the Lombards and Saxons. The player must either defeat their four biggest enemies, or build the Aachen Cathedral.
Ally[]
- Pope ( Italians): The Papacy controls the city of Rome and is passive.
Ally → Potential Enemy[]
- Carloman ( Franks): Charlemagne's brother starts in central France, south of the player's base. His base will face the initial assaults by the Umayyads, the Lombards, and the Saxons. If Carloman (a modified Roger Bosso) dies without war being declared on him by the player, his remaining assets will fall into the hands of the player.
Enemies[]
- Saxons ( Goths): The five Saxon villages populate the forests of Germany in the northeast. They are limited to the Feudal Age, and will attack with warbands consisting of Huskarls, Norse Warriors, and Skirmishers.
- Lombards ( Italians): The Lombards are in northern Italy in the southeast of the map, just north of Rome. They are limited to the Castle Age, but will eventually field large armies.
- Umayyads ( Berbers): The Caliphate controls Andalusia in southern Spain, and will frequently send armies of camel units, cavalry, and siege weapons against the Franks.
- Avars ( Cumans): The Avars have a small encampment in the Pontic steppe in the east, and will attack with small light cavalry hordes.
- Minor Factions ( Franks): The various hostile European polities do not active seek out the player, but can be subjugated for various benefits. They consist of Gaulish villages in the northwest of France, a Bavarian stronghold in the east, small cities in central France (Aquitaine region), the city of Barcelona in Spain, the passive towns of Southern England, and the river guards and walls who have cordoned off western France.
Strategy[]
The player begins in the Feudal Age, with 300 food, wood, and gold, and 100 stone. The player's immediate concern is getting to the Castle Age and building a strong economy, but the player has time. While Carloman is alive, he is the target of enemy attacks, and should last a decent while. However, once he personally dies, all of his base and units become the player's, and will likely still be under attack. He can hold on for a while, but if drawn into a fight, or if a fight is drawn to him, he can go down quickly, particularly against Umayyad Camel units. His death unlocks the A Most Convenient Death Achievement.
To that end, the player needs to build up a decent force of Knights, Pikemen, and Skirmishers, to counter the Umayyads' camels, Lombard and Avar ranged units, and Saxon melee units. Scout out the immediate surroundings, and that of Carloman. The shallows above the player's base is ignored by the enemy, who, even after the player inherits it, still focus almost exclusively on Carloman's base.
The shallows just north of his base, east of a ruin with a Relic by it, will be where the Saxons attack from. They only ever use infantry units like Huskarls and Norse Warriors, and present very little threat. A single Castle here, occasionally repaired, will be enough. A Castle next to Carloman's Mill in the southeast of his base should be fully garrisoned, with Knights to help against the occasional rams. This will fight off the Avars and Lombards.
On the other side of the river, just south of the second Castle, should be the third, at least half garrisoned, to fight off the Umayyads. These three Castles, fully upgraded, should suffice.
Upon crossing the Pyrenees, the player will gain control of the city of Barcelona on the eastern coast of Spain. From this moment, as long as the Market in Barcelona remains standing, the player receives a trickle of 1 gold every 2 seconds.
The Atlantic ocean (west) and the English channel (northwest) are safe from any enemy presence, but contain very little fish. The Mediterranean Sea has lots of fish, but also (very few and unupgraded) enemy ships, and towers on the coastline.
The Imperial Age[]
To get to the Imperial Age, the player needs to accomplish three things. First, keep Charlemagne alive. Second, bring him to the Pope, and third, find four scholars. The first objective is self-explanatory. To accomplish the second, the player either needs to fight through the Lombards, or go around. The player can do this by sending a Scout Cavalry past the player's second Castle, staying between the two rivers, towards the Pope. If they reach the cliffs and Lombard gate, take them south. The player will find a coastline. Build a Dock, then a Transport Ship, and send Charlemagne straight to the Pope. The Transport Ship will sail up a river, past a locked gate, and into the city.
The third objective is also deceptively easy, as all the player needs to do is find the scholars, not keep them alive or bring them anywhere. The first scholar can be found near the Pope, in Rome. The second is nearby too, in the Lombard base in front of its Monastery, right across and slightly right of a shallows just north of Rome. If the player can slip 3 or 4 Light Cavalry in to race to it, do so. The Lombards will have numerous Genoese Crossbowmen, and likely a Castle, right next to the Scholar. Interestingly, they may not attack the Scholar once the player finds them. The third Scholar is located in the large, but weak, Minor Factions base to the player's southwest, behind the walls, in a small Palisaded base. The last is across the water to the player's northwest, in England.
Once these three objectives are completed, the player can research the Imperial Age.
Wonder victory[]
The easiest way to win is by building the Aachen Cathedral. It functions exactly like a Wonder, except the win is instant. Take every Villager and get them to build it the second the player has enough resources. Attacks from enemy players do not become more frequent or aggressive, so as long as the player is holding out fine already, the player will have no trouble while building it.
Conquest victory[]
The ways to quickly defeat and the rewards for defeating the various enemies are:
| Enemy | Defeat condition | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Saxons | Destroy all Town Centers, OR Convert/kill all Saxon chiefs, OR Kill enough units that they resign |
 Anarchy (unlocking Huskarls) Perfusion
|
| Lombards | Kill King Desiderius | Grand Trunk Road Burgundian Vineyards
|
| Avars | Destroy their Castle | 2,000 gold |
| Umayyads | Destroy all Castles and Town Centers | Kasbah Bimaristan
|
The Saxons are the easiest enemy, and they are led by three chiefs:
- Widukind (modified William Wallace, central village)
- Abbi (modified Jarl, northwest village)
- Hessi (modified Harald Hardrada, northernmost village)
The player has an optional objective of converting rather than killing them, which does not seem to have any distinct effect beyond adding the chiefs to the player's army. There are five villages in total, some containing Pagan Shrines, which must be destroyed until they are defeated or resign.
To the east from the center of the map, a Minor Faction holds a stronghold consisting of a Fortress, units, and buildings atop a cliff (representing the holding of Tassilo of Bavaria). This can be captured by damaging the Fortress sufficiently, which can be done easily with Trebuchets without damaging the other buildings, or eliciting attack from the units as the stronghold's gate is locked. The Fortress is then fully repaired and all of the units and buildings on the cliff turn over to the player's control.
The Lombards train both Knights and Genoese Crossbowmen, along with Scout Cavalry, Crossbowmen, Monks, and Long Swordsmen. If fully boomed, they can be a challenge for the cavalry-focused Frankish army. It is highly effective to use Huskarls against them, which are unlocked by defeating the Saxons. A combination of Huskarls with Pikemen and/or Throwing Axemen should be able to cross the Alpine pass and make a headway into their base. The player can build a Castle on the high ground to be able to hold this position even if they lose their army. Eventually, an army of Huskarls and Battering Rams can push through their base and destroy their Castles. The player should keep units surrounding any building which seems to be garrisoned, as the King may be in it. As soon as the King pops out, the player should surround and kill it to instantly defeat the Lombards.
The Avars are a minor annoyance, with their poorly upgraded armies of Light Cavalry, Cavalry Archers, and Kipchaks easily shoved aside by heavy Frankish cavalry. The player needs to destroy their Castle, which has been changed via triggers to look like their Wonder, to defeat them and gain the reward, along with the many Sheep they would have collected in their camp and not yet harvested.
The Umayyads are the biggest threat, as given enough time, they will fully upgrade their troops and train camel units, Heavy Cavalry Archers, rams, and Trebuchets. They also train a navy but do not research even their Castle Age upgrades. To defeat them without too much trouble, the player can attack early, with forward Castles, Throwing Axemen, Huskarls, Pikemen, and Knights. If they are allowed to reach Post Imperial, the player must defeat the other enemies and reach Imperial themselves before considering an assault into the Umayyad stronghold in Andalusia. In the late game, forward Castles and multiple forward production buildings should be built. With a large army of Paladins (despite the enemy making camel units, the Paladins' pierce armor and speed is a great help against their mounted archers), Halberdiers, and at least 5 Trebuchets, and the army kept replenished from the forward buildings, the player should be able to wipe them out.
Outro[]
On Christmas day of the year 800, Charles knelt at an altar in Rome to pray.
To his apparent surprise, as he bent his head, the Pope placed a bejeweled crown upon him. He was anointed Emperor of Rome.
Trivia[]
- The scenario features a year display which is always shown above the quick objectives panel. It starts with the year 768 AD and advances 2 years every 3 in-game minutes. No objective in the game utilizes this mechanic, so it is left up to the player as a voluntary challenge. For example, one may want to complete objectives within the time their real world equivalents occurred:
- Charlemagne captured the Lombard capital of Pavia in 773. - Corresponds to approximate in-game time 7 minutes 30 seconds
- He campaigned in Saxony several times, from 774 to 777. Widukind fled Saxony to Denmark. - 13:30
- Charlemagne invaded Cordoba, the seat of the Umayyad Emirate in Spain, in 778. His army was attacked by pagan Basques in retaliation for a previous war, and was soundly defeated. - 15:00
- He attacked and deposed Tassilo in 787. - 28:30
- The construction of Aachen Cathedral began in 796, and it was consecrated by the Pope in 805. - 42:00
- In the year 796, Pope Adrian is renamed to Pope Leo III, reflecting the death of Pope Adrian on Christmas Day 795 and the coronation of Pope Leo III two days later. Historically, Charlemagne was crowned "emperor of the Romans" by Leo III.
- The Minor Faction buildings in England, despite belonging to the enemy, cannot be attacked, as doing so has been disabled via triggers.
Further reading[]
Gallery[]
