| “ | Following the Hittite invasion and retreat, Babylonia has been ruled by Kassites for nearly 500 years. Kassite rule is in danger, however, because of Elamite and Assyrian intrusions. Another Elamite army is pressing forward at this moment. If the city cannot be held, you are to save what you can, retreat down river, and build up a new army. Retake Babylon for the Babylonians and destroy the Elamites. | ” |
| —In-game campaign description in the original Age of Empires | ||
I Shall Return is the fourth scenario of the Voices of Babylon campaign in Age of Empires. Babylon must escape from an Elamite invasion, build up an army and defeat them.
Scenario instructions
Description
Babylon, 1185 - 1155 BCE
| “ | Following the Hittite sack of Babylon, the city has come under the dominion of the Kassites, who have controlled it for nearly 500 years. Kassite rule is in danger, however, because of Elamite and Assyrian intrusions. Another Elamite army is pressing forward at this moment. If the city cannot be held, you are to save what you can, retreat down river, and build up a new army. to be finished | ” |
Starting conditions
- Starting Age: File:IronAgeIcon.jpg Iron Age
- Starting resources: 300 food, 300 wood, 300 gold, 300 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- Gaia units: None
Objective
- Destroy the Elamites.
Hints
(tbd)
Description
| “ | Following the Hittite invasion and retreat, Babylonia has been ruled by Kassites for nearly 500 years. Kassite rule is in danger, however, because of Elamite and Assyrian intrusions. Another Elamite army is pressing forward at this moment. If the city cannot be held, you are to save what you can, retreat down river, and build up a new army. Retake Babylon for the Babylonians and destroy the Elamites. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Starting conditions
- Starting Age: File:ToolAgeIcon.jpg Tool Age
- Starting resources: 450 food, 550 wood, 300 gold, 150 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- 5
Axemen - 3 Bowmen
- 3 Villagers
- 1 Light Transport
- 5
- Gaia units: None
Objective
- Destroy the Elamites.
Hints
- Escape may be your only answer.
- Look east for resources needed to prepare for a victorious return to your homeland.
Players
Player
- Player (Babylonians): The player starts with some buildings and their territory being invaded, having to flee with a Transport Ship to the east island.
Enemy
- Elam (Babylonians): The Elamites starts with an army, destroying the player base, and having a consolidated territory in the north of the same land.
Player
- Player (Greeks): The player starts with some buildings and their island being invaded, having to flee with a Transport Ship to the eastern coast.
Enemy
- Elam (Greeks): The Elamites starts with an army, destroying the player base, and having a consolidated territory in the north of the same land.
Strategy
Definitive Edition: In this scenario, the player starts off in the Iron Age, with the enemy army in the player's town doors, and some soldiers fighting them, among some Villagers and a Composite Bowman that have fleed.
Take all Villagers and the Bowmen and run south towards the waiting Light Transport. The player will lose the rest of the forces, as well as all buildings. Transport the units to the east, and build up a city here. There is food in the eastern corner, gold and stone slightly north of there, as well as wood all over the island.
Start gathering resources and build a Dock. Some Scout Ships will allow the player to control the seas and avoid enemy landing parties. But keep all important buildings away from the shore, just in case.
Build up until it is possible to train some Cavalry and Stone Throwers, and ship them across with a Villager or two. Build up some military buildings at the south end of the island, and begin the assault.
History
Historical notes
(tbd)
Historical outcome
| “ | Even though we lost the war against the Elamites, there is a silver lining in it all. Our Kassite overlords have fallen, and their dynasty has been overthrown. The new army you have built can serve the new Babylonian king. Under him, we will able to restore Babylon to its former glory. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Historical notes
| “ | The Kassites took control of Babylon following the sack of the city by Hittites and ruled for approximately 500 years. This period was not one of peace, however. The Mitanni to the northwest were a powerful antagonist briefly, and conquered Assyria around 1440 BC after making peace with Egypt. The Mitanni in turn were conquered by the Hittites around 1370 BC. The Hittites did not venture further south, however. A middle Assyrian empire arose from 1363 to 1000 BC, pushing back through Syria to the Mediterranean and encroaching south against Babylon. A resurgent Elam to the east was also a source of conflict. In the middle of these 500 years, the eastern Mediterranean was overwhelmed by barbarian invasion that destroyed the Hittites, Myceneans, Minoans, and Canaanites. Around 1150 BC, the Assyrians and Elamites began serious attempts to take Babylon. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Historical outcome
| “ | Babylon changed hands several times between 1160 and 1125 BC, but was finally retaken and held by the Babylonians themselves under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar I. The reign of Nebuchadnezzar I was a second peak in the history of Babylonia, although a large empire was not established. The people took great pride in throwing out the somewhat foreign Kassites and holding off the attacks from Assyria and Elam. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Changes
The Definitive Edition features some buildings representing the doors and walls of the Babylonian city at the edge of the map, instead of a town. Some Villagers have fled already, so it is easier to escape than in the original.
Other changes with the new version includes the starting age (now at Iron instead of Tool Age), and the player controls the Babylonians instead of the Greeks.
Gallery
