Last Stand is the fifth and last scenario of the Dawn of Civilization tutorial of the pre-release build (and CGW Demo) of Age of Empires. The player controls Egypt and is invading the Kushites land.
Scenario instructions
Description
“ | Generations ago, while the Egyptian armies were occupied with the Hyksos, this region of the Upper Nile was overrun by the Kushites and Nubians. While the main armies complete the elimination of the Hyksos far to the north, your are to build up a new strength here on the Upper Nile and push back these invaders. | ” |
—In-game section |
Starting conditions
- Starting Age: File:BronzeAgeIcon.jpg Bronze Age
- Starting resources: 2000 food, 1000 wood, 1500 gold, 150 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- Gaia units: None
Objectives
- Invade the Kushite stronghold and destroy their town center.
Hints
This is a difficult scenario, don't give up!
The Kushites are in the far north corner up the Nile. There are Nubian tribes on this side of the river and to the east. All are more powerful than you now, especially the Kushites who have a tremendous army and extensive fortifications.
To win, you must immediately wall in your settlement along its southern edge, closest to the water. After you accomplish this, there are several key things you must do quickly:
1. After you seal off the southern side of your settlement you'll nearly have exhausted your supply of stone. Put your villagers to work harvesting the small mine you find nearby and, while they work, have your cavalry scout search the outskirts of your town. When you amass enough stone, quickly wall in the remainder of your settlement but not too closely - the more room you can get the better.
2. Build at least 2 temples, research all the upgrades and train at least 9 priests. Put them in groups along your walls, just out of enemy range. Move each group forward, convert an enemy unit and retreat. Allow one group to rejuvenate while the other converts. Use the converted unit to fight your opponents outside your walls and remember to kill the unit (press the Delete key while that unit is selected) if you don't want enemy priests to re-convert it.
3. When your walls are built, build at least 3 Academies and a Siege Workshop. Research the technologies that will effect your hoplites at the storage pit.
While your priests and walls work to keep the enemy out, produce at least 20 Hoplites and 3 Catapults. Assemble your army in the north, leaving some Hoplites with the 3 groups of Priests for defense. Wait several minutes before attacking and try add enemy forces to your army by converting those that come nearby. Especially valuable are enemy Cavalry which are superior at attacking enemy priests due to their speed.
4. Move your army north and cross to the east on the shallows (the third set of shallows from the bottom of the map). When you cross, the red player's city will be directly below you. Enter and demolish everything, starting with the Temples.
Once you defeat a settlement, you have turned the tide. Use the resources you find within your enemys' lands to replace any lost units. When you find stone, put up walls that will protect your newly conquered lands from raids.
5. When you have defeated or reduced the three opponents closest to you, build a force consisting of an even mix of priests, catapults, and hoplites. Find a good location to land near the fort in the north (try on the right) and land stone throwers first. Use the stone throwers to destroy the closest towers and archers but be careful not to knock down you enemy's walls yet; it may take many stone throwers to clear a landing area so you may want to build a siege workshop along the coast on the right side of the map.
When you have destroyed the enemy's ranged units, land your priests and convert anything within their range (through the walls.)
6. Finally, use your Stone Throwers to open a passage in the walls and march everything through. Proceed carefully, protect the Priests and Stone Throwers with the Hoplites.
Players
Player
- Egypt (Egyptians): The player starts with a fortified base, villagers, and a Tool Age army in the soutern corner of the man, on the left side of the river Nile.
Enemies
- Nubian (Egyptians): This player is located on the opposite side of the river in the southern corner of the map and attacks almost immediately with his Bronze Age army. He also starts with three temples and trains priests. The gold reserves in his base are walled in, however
- Kushite (Sumerians): This player has a heavily fortified base and big army in the north corner of the map. He has no economy and acts passive. The town center which is to destroy is located inside his base.
- Nubian (Sumerians): This player is located in the western corner of the map and starts with a base containing several siege workshops. He attacks with stone throwers.
- Nubian (Hittites): This player is located in the eastern corner of the map and starts with a base containing a port and a Bronze Age fleet. He attacks the human player's base with his ships.
History
Historical notes
“ | The disorder that allowed the Hyksos to gain control of Lower Egypt had consequences at the other end of the Nile as well. The Kushites and Nubians destroyed frontier fortresses at the Second Cataract and took control of the far Upper Nile. Although the Kushites were briefly allied with the Hyksos, they failed to overrun Upper Egypt. The fall of the Hyksos in the delta allowed the Egyptians to turn their efforts south and up river. The Nubians and Kushites were the next to feel the force of resurgent Egypt. | ” |
—In-game section |
Historical outcome
“ | With the Hyksos defeated, the reunited Egyptian kingdom turned part of its attention to its south where the Kushites and Nubians had pushed past the old established frontier at the Second Cataract into Upper Egypt. From 1550 to 1300 BC, the Egyptians made war in this area, eventually taking possession of all lands up to the Fourth Cataract. This marked the farthest southern expansion of ancient Egypt. | ” |
—In-game section |
Trivia
- Last Stand is the only scenario of Dawn of Civilization that is not an altered copy of another release campaign's scenario.
- In the briefing screen, the map of the scenario shows Kushite lands incorrectly (they lived to the south of Egypt, in Nubia, instead of the east, in Sinai Peninsula, where the scenario depicts them).