| “ | In the height of winter, the Vandals cross the Rhine River. Led by the brothers Gunderic and Gaiseric, they undertake a great raiding migration that will lead them from the forests of Gaul to the deserts of Carthage and beyond. Will the Vandals seeking a new home bring the Roman Empire to its end? | ” |
| —In-game scenario description | ||
Gaiseric 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 Goths and the player color is blue. This scenario is based on the migration (due to the coming of the Huns) of the Vandals from German heartlands to Spain and then to Africa, their capture of Carthage in 439 and eventual settlement, and henceforth their sack of Rome in 455.
Intro[]
On the last day of the year 406, the Vandals crossed the Rhine River into the Roman Empire.
Their great King Godigisel had led them a thousand miles from their ancient home, fleeing the discord and violence brought forth by the coming of the Huns.
When the Vandals reached the frozen Rhine, however, King Godigisel was already dead – killed in battle against the Franks earlier in the year.
His sons, Gunderic and Gaiseric, now assumed leadership of the tribes. Their people were hungry and cold, shivering on the western bank of the river that marked the frontier between the civilized lands of Rome and the barbarians to the east.
The Vandals had already trekked across Germania, but their journey had only just begun.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
 |
This section is most likely incomplete and may need expansion. You can help by adding to it. |
- Starting Age:
Dark Age - Ending Age: Imperial Age
- Starting resources:None
- Population limit: 200
- Starting units:
- 2 Scout Cavalry
- 7 Huskarl
- 7 Norse Warrior
- Gaiseric (Ataulf renamed)
- Gunderic (Alaric the Goth renamed)
- 8 Villager
- 1 Town Center (Packed)
- 2
- Gaia units:
- 28 Berserk
- 20 Kipchak
- 6 Priests
- 2 Transport Ships
- 28
Objectives[]
- Find a home for the Vandals.
- Sack a Roman city.
- Your Town Center must not be lost.
- Sack Rome.
- Settle for good in Carthage.
- Research Redemption.
- Convert a Roman Dock to build ships.
Optional objectives[]
- Kill 0/4 Frankish Chieftains.
- Build a Monastery.
- Research the Arian Heresy.
- Reach the Suebi and Alans in Hispania.
- Rescue the Suebian princess.
- Defeat the Mauri to end their raids.
Hints[]
- The Vandals are a migrating people. This means you cannot construct Houses, Mills, Lumber Camps, Farms, or many other buildings. Your Town Center is your only resource drop site.
- Your Town Center can be packed into an Ox Cart and moved to be unpacked elsewhere. When you move your Town Center all other buildings are lost.
- Therefore, you should play differently from normal Age of Empires gameplay. Instead, think like a nomadic leader. Scout for resources such as Forage Bushes and enemy Farms that can be captured. When you find a suitable location, stockpile Wood to rebuild your camp as all of your buildings will be lost.
- Do not be scared to move on. Better to rebuild in resource-rich land than starve to preserve some buildings.
- Seek out livestock and use your hunting bonus for long-distance gathering.
- Gold can only be obtained by destroying enemy buildings and killing enemy units. Roman cities and armies carry much more gold than tribal camps.
- Explore to find priests and warriors of two allied peoples – the Suebi and Alans. Exploring also unlocks new objectives.
- Roman farms can be captured and harvested by Villagers but not rebuilt.
- Keep migrating south. You will eventually exhaust your resources and stagnate if you do not keep moving.
- Your heroes grow stronger as they fight so use them in battle often. You will not lose if they are killed.
Scouts[]
- The Vandals have crossed the Rhine into Roman Gaul, already plundered by the earlier-arriving Franks (Purple) and Goths (Cyan). Resources are scarce in this razed Gallic countryside so the Vandals must first steal livestock from their enemies and then continue south to richer lands.
- The Romans (Red) have numerous cities in Gaul, Hispania, and Africa that can be razed for gold and access to resources. This includes farms that can be captured and harvested from, though the Vandals must inevitably move on when the farms are exhausted.
- Once the Romans understand the Vandal threat, they will begin offensive operations against the Vandals. Their Comitatenses represent their mobile field armies based in their cities. Only sacking Roman cities reduces this threat.
- Another nomadic people, the Mauri of North Africa (Yellow), inhabit and raid from their desert oases. They will be a threat to any settlement in Africa.
- Finally, two peoples allied to the Vandals – the Suebi and Alans (Grey) – can be found migrating throughout the region. They will join the Vandals if their camps are found.
Players[]
Player[]
- Gaiseric ( Goths): Starts with heroes Gunderic and Gaiseric, two Scout Cavalry, a small Norse Warrior and Huskarl force, and some Villagers. After the initial battle in the nearby Frankish camp, the player must destroy some enemy camps and a Roman city to gain resources, and progress steadily southwest to Hispania to convert some Docks, and finish the migration by settling in Carthage. Afterwards, the player must conquer Rome by destroying the Amphitheatre, the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum to win.
Allies[]
- Suebi and Alans ( Cumans): have four camps, two each in Gaul and Hispania. They wait for the player to be able to give them their units (Berserks and Kipchaks). They have also a Suebian princess prisoner of the Franks. The player can save her to get some gold.
Enemies[]
- Romans ( Romans): are almost everywhere on the map. They control 17 cities (including Rome) and 2 military camps. Their garrisons are composed of Legionaries, Centurions, a few Imperial Centurions, Crossbowmen, Monks and siege engines Scorpions and Onagers.
- Comitatenses ( Romans): Initially doesn't control anything. They defend some cities controlled by the Romans when the Huns start to attack. They deploy a composition similar to the Romans player.
- Franks ( Franks): they are the player's initial enemy, and have 8 military camps scattered around northern Gaul. The player can kill the 4 Frankish Chieftains to receive gold. They also have the Suebian princess as prisoner. Aside from the Frankish Chieftains, they defend themselves with Norse Warriors and Throwing Axemen, but do not actively attack the player.
- Goths ( Goths): control several military camps spreads across Gaul and Hispania with garrisons of Berserks and Huskarls. The player can destroy them to collect gold and steal cows. Like the Franks, they do not actively seek out the player. If the player doesn't destroy them, it is possible to see the Huns destroy their camps.
- Enemies ( Huns): The Huns appear in the northeast of the map with several Tarkans and Cavalry Archerss in specific years (420 - 1:05:00 / 430 - 1:55:00 / 440 - 2:45:00 / 445 - 3:10:00 / 450 - 3:35:00). They will attack everything in their way, except the Franks. If the player gets in their way, they can suffer heavy losses.
- Mauri ( Berbers): They control two military camps in the south of the map with 48 Camel Archers.
Strategy[]
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This section is most likely incomplete and may need expansion. You can help by adding to it. |
For the majority of the scenario, the Town Center will be the sole drop-off point for resources. Be sure to build only what buildings are absolutely necessary- they quickly take extremely heavy damage until destroyed when the Town Center is packed, so building too much in one area will waste wood. Packing up and moving the Town Center is advised as soon as easily exploited food sources run out.
Move south as frequently as possible. The Huns will eventually spawn in at the north of the map, and they are too strong for the player to fight.
Do not scout the map before eliminating the first Frankish camp. If the player gathers any additional units, such as the Suebi, Alans, or priests, they will never gain control of the Villagers and packed Town Center as they should when the camp is defeated.
If the player is going for the achievement "Vandalized", the player has 4 hours (represented as 455 CE) to reach and sack Rome, but this can still be a challenge on Hard, as the player will likely need to play slow and cautious, or risk significant casualties before the player reaches the city. It's doable, but risky, so it is recommended to try on Standard.
Franks and Goths[]
Once the initial Franks are cleared, and the player has built a Town Center from the Ox Cart, carefully explore southwest to find some Kipchaks to join the player. Directly north of here is a Priest who will join the player, but be careful of a camp of Franks right near the Kipchaks. The player can use this group, carefully, to kite and eliminate Frankish and Gothic units while gathering resources for a small base to build more of an army from. Each killed Frankish and Gothic soldier (as well as Mauri soldiers later) gives 2 gold, and each razed building yields 10 gold.
It is also highly recommended to use the heroes Gunderic and Gaiseric, not only due to their strength and regeneration ability, but also due to levelling up when fighting, gaining 20 hitpoints and 1 attack per each level. After the garrisons are eliminated, have both heroes raze the buildings to level up faster. This, and Blacksmith technologies, ensures that they can kill most units with ease, and can tackle small enemy groups head-on. Make sure to avoid losing too many hitpoints - they will have them restored to full exactly once with a warning message when low, but are permanently killed afterwards if their hitpoints reach zero.
This method is more time-consuming, but safer than sending the melee forces in to fight. Using the Priests the player finds to convert enemy units can help bolster their forces while saving resources for technologies and reaching the Imperial Age. However, keep in mind that converted units will not benefit from Blacksmith technologies, and will eventually be weaker than units the player can train. Do not be afraid to use the converted units to confront garrisons and fight enemies head-on. Not only will doing so speed up the player's progress, making the achievement easier to get, but it will free up population room for later, stronger units.
Eliminating the Frankish Chieftains gives 100 gold each, with 500 gold granted after slaying the last one. As the player moves south, the player will get a side objective to rescue a Suebian Princess for 500 gold. Just repeat the kiting strategy, with some melee close by for emergency support. The base she is held in is comparatively large, so be cautious of alerting too many at once. There are two more Priests in close proximity to their base, one northeast, near some Forage Bushes, and one east, on the roadside.
Huns[]
The Huns are a recurring issue, periodically spawning at the north of the map. Their forces consist of a mass of Tarkans and Cavalry Archers. It is possible to fend off the first wave, which comes either shortly after an hour, or shortly after the player reaches the Imperial Age, but this practically requires the player to draw them to fight at a garrisoned Town Center, with all or most Blacksmith technologies, and will still likely cost the player numerous units. In addition, killed Hunnic soldiers yield no gold. It is much safer and more sensible to try to pick up and move south at a reasonable pace to avoid being caught up in their raids, particularly since the player does not have access to any defensive buildings beyond Palisades. They do not seem to move south much at all, so even moving past the first river might be enough to avoid them. However, when Attila's invasion is announced in 450 CE, the mass of Elite Tarkans and Heavy Horse Archers may cross into Hispania as well, though they appear to primarily target the Romans and Goths there.
Romans[]
The Romans can be tough opponents. With Centurions, Imperial Centurions, Legionaries, Crossbowmen, and Monks, all in walled and towered cities, it can be dangerous to assault them. They also send occasional attacks back at the player when the player begins fighting them, including Onagers and Scorpions. The only way to be sure these attacks stop is to raze every Roman city. A city is considered sacked when most economic/military buildings are razed and most of the garrison is killed, and several impaled soldiers appear.
However, as the player can gain gold only from raids, and given that the player can kite and convert their soldiers, they are a good source of gold and good units. Again, this is a time-consuming strategy, so the player is not likely to get the achievement for sacking Rome by 455 CE, but the player gets access to units unattainable otherwise, for free. Each killed Roman and Comitatenses soldier gives 4 gold, and each razed building 30 gold.
Just kite out the soldiers around the towers, and once they are dead or converted, send rams or hero units in to clear the towers. Once the towers and garrisons are cleared, let the soldiers raze the city. Be careful in their southernmost city on the original landmass. There are several Docks, and the player must preserve at least one to convert to reach Carthage. Additionally, while sacking a city, be sure to deal with production buildings, as they could train units that are meant to counter-attack the player, such as their Onagers. On tight city streets, these can be devastating.
Alternatively, as the player needs Redemption anyway to convert the Docks, they can also convert Roman production buildings for their own use, saving the wood needed for their construction. Converting Markets or Mills does not turn them over to the player, instead granting 100 gold and 200 food respectively before being immediately deleted. Note that once the Town Center is packed, any converted buildings except Docks, Guard Towers and Trade Workshops will also take heavy damage until being destroyed, so plan accordingly.
Carthage[]
Once the player has the Docks, which do not decay if the player's Town Center is an Ox Cart, the player should research all the technologies to train five Galleons, five Fast Fire Ships, and two Dromons. Take these along the coastline of the Carthage landmass, North Africa, and clear out the Roman towers, Ships, and Docks to make sure the way is safe. Once the player's ships arrive at Carthage, be careful not to damage too much. The buildings will soon become the player's.
The player will need to take out two towers by some Docks to make it safe for the player's Transport Ships, and then land a force. The player can land the Ox Cart and take it to the flags to unpack without the enemy noticing, but this will result in the base becoming the player's and the enemy within attacking everything. In that chaos, they could interrupt the Ox Cart unpacking, cancelling that. Then, the entire city would rapidly decay and leave the player with nothing.
It is a bit more of a hassle, and can draw Roman reinforcements from elsewhere in Africa to the city, but clearing the city of units before building with the Ox Cart is the safer option for city preservation. Put up a Castle to help defend this city, then double the size of the player's fleet.
Rome[]
Take the player's fleet around the Mediterranean to clear a path from Carthage to Rome. Once it is sufficiently clear, the player can use the fleet to completely sack the smaller islands from the shoreline for extra gold.
When reaching Rome, it is a good idea to have Dromons take out some towers by a Gate near the shoreline. This will allow the player to construct buildings on the shore without being attacked. A Castle, fully garrisoned, and some Barracks should suffice for unit production. The player can kite enemy units into the Castle's range for an easier fight.
The player can also build a Dock in the river that leads into the city, to train and sail some Dromons up into the city to help take down Wonders and Castles and support the assault. As long as the player has managed to cultivate a decent economy, they should be able to produce a significant army of Huskarls from the Barracks and frequently reinforce. Just watch out for enemy Onagers and Scorpions. Alternatively, a few Trebuchets from the Castles will also do the job, as the troops guarding the Wonders will not react to them being hit from distance. Once the three Wonders are destroyed, the sack of Rome is considered complete, and the player enters free play. The scenario can be ended by researching the special technology "Declare Victory" at the Carthage's Town Center.
Outro[]
The destruction and terror the Vandals visited upon Rome would make the people legendary. Centuries later, echoes of this devastation would cause the Vandals to be synonymous with senseless acts of destruction.
But despite this reputation, the Vandals formed an impressive kingdom in North Africa, converting from migrating Germanic warriors to skilled seafarers inhabiting Rome's most lucrative provinces.
The great wealth of the Vandal kingdom, however, made it a target for the Emperor Justinian's reconquest of Rome. After ruling North Africa for over a century, the Vandals were finally defeated by the Roman general Belisarius in 534.
After this defeat, some Vandals joined the Eastern Roman army, serving as cavalrymen in Persia, while others fled to northern Algeria where they melded into the local Berber population.
The people that had made an incredible migration – from Germania to Gaul to Hispania to Africa – had finally ended their journey. They faded into the mists of history.
Trivia[]
- This map is a remaster of the custom scenario called "Vandals - Destroyers of Rome", present in the mod center.
- While only Rome and Carthage are explicitly named in the scenario, the names of other Roman cities appear in a pop-up following their sacking. These are:
- Gaul: Burdigala, Lugdunum, Massilia
- Hispania: Carthago Nova, Emerita Augusta, Tarraco
- Italy and Sicily: Brundisium, Neapolis, Syracusae
- Africa and Mediterranean islands: Caesarea, Caralis, Palma
- Balkans: Dyrrachium
- Although the term "vandalism" in the sense of "wilful destruction of property" is a direct reference to the Vandal sack of Rome, historians debate the actual ferocity of the Vandals sack compared to the Visigothic sack in 410 under Alaric, or the Ostrogoths' sack in 546 led by Gothic King Totila. The term, derived from French vandalisme, was coined during the French Revolution in the narrower sense of "destruction of art", in reference to the Vandals' looting and destruction of art works in Rome.
- The "Arian Heresy" in one of the secondary objectives means the regular Heresy technology with identical cost and effects. The adjective "Arian" refers to the fact that Christianized Vandals, especially elites, followed Arianism, an Early Christian doctrine named after the 3rd and 4th c. presbyter Arius.
