Courage and Coin is the second scenario of the Jan Zizka campaign in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Dawn of the Dukes. It is based off of the decisive Battle of Grunwald, fought between Polish-Lithuanian forces and the Teutonic Order, during which time Jan Zizka and his mercenaries fought as Bohemian sellswords under the Polish king.
Contents
Intro[]
Just as all hope fades, an angel swoops in to deliver the desperate from the abyss. Such is the way of things.
Jan Sokol, my patron and benefactor, is now also my savior. The generous man who backed my expeditions exhorted King Wenceslaus, now restored to the throne, to demand that I be spared from a horrific death.
After securing my release, Sokol bestowed yet another honor upon me, and made me an officer in his army of sellswords. Now, I march at the head of that force- but for now, our sights are not set on Bohemia.
To the northeast, a savage conflict has erupted between two age-old enemies. The Teuton Order, a fanatical brotherhood of crusader knights, wages war against the growing Kingdom of Poland.
King Wladyslaw Jagiello of Poland, still known as Jogaila by his Lithuanian relatives, has taken the initiative and struck deep into Teutonic territory. Knowing that his Polish and Lithuanian army is not enough to achieve his ambitions, he has enlisted our famed company of Bohemian mercenaries.
We are among the best swords in Europe, but the Teutonic Knights and their Crusader allies are a formidable match. On the plains near Grunwald, courage will yield coin- or else a glorious death.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Imperial Age - Starting resources: 5,000 food, 5,000 wood, 3,000 gold, 500 stone
- Population limit: 150
- Starting units:
- Jan Zizka
- 10 Pikemen
- 10 Crossbowmen
- 5 Light Cavalry
- 5 Hand Cannoneers
- 10 Villagers
Objectives[]
Main Objectives[]
- Wladyslaw II Jagiello must survive.
Choose your path to victory:
- Defeat the Teutonic Order (5, Grey)
- Kill the three Teutonic commanders: Ulrich von Jungingen, Friedrich von Wallenrode, and Kuno von Lichtenstein.
Hints[]
- Jan Zizka and Jan Sokol begin in the Imperial Age and can support a population of 150.
- Prudent rationing of supplies means that gathered supplies will last significantly longer than usual.
- Castles and stone walls cannot be constructed in this mission. Your army has gathered to do battle, not erect fortifications.
- Strike a balance between holding the center and supporting your allies on the flanks. If either are routed, victory will become much harder to achieve.
- Bohemian spear units do additional bonus damage to cavalry. Use this advantage against the heavy mounted forces of your adversaries.
Scouts[]
Your scouts report:
- Jan Zizka and Jan Sokol's mercenary army (1, Cyan) is arrayed on the plains near Grunwald in the center of the Polish force, immediately in front of the command post of King Wladyslaw II Jagiello (4, Red).
- The Polish army (2, Blue) has lined up on the left flank to the south. Its forces are composed of heavy cavalry and infantry units.
- The Lithuanian army (3, Green) is deployed on the right flank to the east. Its ranks are filled with cavalry, Pikemen, and Skirmishers.
- The Teutonic Order camps across the filed to the northwest. Its dread armies are composed of heavy cavalry, infantry, Crossbowmen, and cannons.
- The Order's Crusader allies (7, Yellow) have taken up position in the north, opposite the Lithuanians. They bring heavy cavalry and infantry to the battlefield.
- Enemy morale hinges on the welfare of its commanders (6, Orange). It will plummet should they fall.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player (Bohemians): The player begins with a force of Pikemen, Hand Cannoneers, Light Cavalry, and Crossbowmen in the south of the center map inside a small and slightly fortified base.
Allies[]
- The The Polish Army (Poles) has its base in the southern end of the map, left of the player, and periodically sends troops into forays in the enemy camps.
- The The Lithuanian Army (Lithuanians) has its base in the eastern end of the map, right of the player.
- King Władysław II Jagiełło (Poles) and his personal retinue have set up a camp in the south of the map, between the player and the Polish army.
Enemies[]
- The Teutonic Order (Teutons) has two fortified bases in the northwest and northern end of the map. They train troops to regularly assault the player and their allies.
- The three Teutonic Commanders (Teutons) commandeer their forces from the three enemy bases, each accompanied by a personal guard. The Teutonic Order's Grandmaster Ulrich von Jungingen has taken up position by the Teutonic Castle in the central enemy camp, while Grand Marshal Friedrich von Wallenrode patrols the rightmost enemy camp under the Crusader Knights, in the north. Finally Knight-Major Kuno von Lichtenstein is by the Teutonic Castle in the leftmost camp, in the west.
- Crusader Knights (Franks) have a base in the northern end of the map.
Strategy[]
There are several ways to go about achieving victory in this scenario; a pitched battle with the Crusader and Teuton armies is not necessarily the best idea, nor does it play to the Bohemian strengths. This scenario plays itself like a deathmatch mode. The player is also unable to create any Castles or walls, but can construct towers and Bombard Towers. Trading with either flank is also possible, and so is fishing close to the player's Green ally.
It is far easier to kill the three enemy leaders. They are protected by their armies, including a Castle, but Bohemian Houfnices make short work of those.
First, the player should defeat the army in the center - in the beginning, an allied force is defeated there, but if, while the beginning dialogue is occurring, the player get the Pikemen upgraded to Halberdiers and to the field, the player can defeat the army and take the forward ground. Build three Town Centers, one close to Red's outpost by the gold pile south of it and the other two behind the player's outpost by the gold pile, Boars, and berries. Also, the player should research a handful of military technologies available, notably Halberdiers and all armor and attack upgrades (Cavalier at the player's discretion). Defeat the army in the center and push forward. Create a large army (20-30) of Halberdiers, as Bohemian spear units do 25% bonus damage to cavalry on top of the normal boost. Also bring a number of Hand Cannoneers, as they can fend off the Teutonic Knights easily.
With a solid economy, bring forward a few Villagers and create several Barracks, Archery Ranges and a few Siege Workshops. By spamming the composition mentioned above, the player will be able to inch forward and assassinate all three commanders in short succession, starting from the west commander going east. Yellow will either reinforce Grey as the player advances or counterattack towards the player's original outpost. Adding a few towers or Bombard Towers with a few Cavaliers and Halberdiers at that location will allow the player to focus solely on Grey.
Grey uses Paladins, Teutonic Knights, Crossbowmen and Bombard Cannons. Yellow uses Cavaliers, Champions and Capped Rams.
Notably, the Orange commanders prove exceptionally weak to the spear line, with a group of 6-8 being able to kill them while taking damage from their surrounding units.
While normally considered unwise, it is potentially viable in this situation to sacrifice most of the player's army to defeat a commander, as that is the end of the game once all three all destroyed. Rushing mass groups can be effective as long as the player make sure that they succeed in their task.
Outro[]
Our victory was terrible but great. For decades, travelers will be stunned by the graveyard left by this clash of arms, the greatest in living memory,
With the Teutonic army crushed, we lost no time in pressing our advantage. The castle of Radzyn quickly fell to our forces, but this triumph came at a tragic cost.
My patron Jan Sokol, who had become almost like a second father to me, perished of poison- a base fate unworthy of such a marvelous leader.
A joyous affair it was for the Polish king and his allies... but for us, it was a melancholy end. We now march home to our beloved Bohemia, pockets lined with coin but hearts bitter with the sorrow of loss.
Trivia[]
- The last scenario of the Jadwiga campaign is also based off of Battle of Grunwald. In that scenario, the player has the option to hire Jan Zizka's troops as mercenaries.
- Zawisza is one of the allied Knights in this battle. Upon being prompted by Jogaila, he speaks one dialogue and it is in rhyme:
- "Far too long have I rested in the shade. Now is the hour to draw my dread blade!"
