 |
This article is about the scenario in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. For other uses, see Naval Battle. |
| “ | The rules of naval battles are different than those of land warfare. Familiarize yourself with the various classes of warships and destroy the opposing fleet while sustaining minimal damage to your own. | ” |
| —Description | ||
Naval Battle is one of two possible fifth scenarios of The Art of War in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition with update 36202. This scenario tests the player in managing different ships in naval battles.
Intro[]
Sun Tzu stresses balance, but a commander will not always have his two feet on solid ground! Sometimes, he must set sail to achieve victory. Rivers must be navigated to open new trade routes, and oceans must be crossed to make new discoveries. But what if your opponent has also brought ships to sea?
Sun Tzu teaches us: 'The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into chasm a thousand fathoms deep.'
You are not water-shy, are you? Good. The captain of your fleet are awaiting your orders.
Video instruction[]
There are three main types of warships available for use against your opponents:
Galleys equipped to fire from a distance,
Fire Ships for close combat,
and exploding Demolition Ships.
Each of these warships has its own strengths and weaknesses.
The War Galley fires bolts from a long distance,
but the fast, maneuverable Fire Ship with its high pierce armor is an excellent counter to it.
Demolition Ships, on the other hand, are fast and very effective at clearing out groups of enemy ships in one devastating explosion.
They do especially well against groups of Fire Ships.
However, if the approaching Demolition Ships are targeted by War Galleys, they will be sunk before they can get close enough to cause any damage.
Using the three ship types efficiently requires some practice.
Hoist the sails and prove your mettle.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Castle Age - Starting resources: None
- Starting units:
- 10 War Galleys
- 10 Fire Ships
- 10 Demolition Ships
- 10
Main objectives[]
- Destroy all enemy warships.
Hints[]
- Fire Ships are a great counter to War Galleys, but keep them away from enemy Demolition Ships.
- War Galley can attack from a long range, but are powerless against the flames of Fire Ships in close combat. Use them in large groups to outnumber the enemy fleet, and, if possible, pair them with Fire Ships.
- Due to their area-of-effect attack, Demolition Ships will destroy or heavily damage most ships or groups of ships in a single devastating explosion. They are useful against any warship, but only if they can manage to reach it. They can also be devastating against Transport Ships and land units.
- It is not easy to maneuver a Demolition Ship close to an enemy ship. Distract your opponent with other ships before sending your Demolition Ship to attack.
- Do not hesitate to use your Demolition Ships -- if destroyed, they will only count as losses if they do not reach their targets.
Scouts[]
- You command a respectable Castle Age fleet in the northwest near an allied village (3, Yellow).
- Your goal is to reach the eastern end of the river. You will encounter enemy blockades (2, Red) along your way. The enemy fleets consist of War Galleys, Fire Ships, and Demolition Ships.
Players[]
Player[]
 |
This section is most likely incomplete and may need expansion. You can help by adding to it. |
- Player ( Malay): The player starts with a sizable navy consisted of War Galleys, Fire Ships, and Demolition Ships at the northeast area of the map.
Ally[]
- Dharmasetu ( Malay): They have various buildings and villagers at the northeast and southwest. They only serve as decoration and will not participate the battle in any way.
Enemy[]
- Dharmasetu ( Malay): They have three groups of blockades along the river that must be destroyed.
Medals[]
- Gold: Less than 5 ships lost.
- Silver: Less than 14 ships lost.
- Bronze: Less than 20 ships lost.
Strategy[]
The enemy fleet consists of three groups of blockades. To achieve a medal, the player must control the navy carefully to not lose too many ships for the wanted medal. Demolition Ships are only considered lost if they are destroyed before reaching their target, so keep this in mind while making use of them. To not lose ships, move the heavily-damaged ships out of the way while in combat and keep them at a safe distance.
The first blockade has 12 War Galleys divided into 2 smaller groups. To minimize the casualties, focus on one smaller group at a time, and use the Fire Ships to absorb damage so the War Galleys can attack safely from a distance.
The second blockade contains 10 War Galleys and 4 Fire Ships. Again, they are divided into 2 smaller groups, so the overall tactic remains the same, but the player may opt to sneak in a few Demolition Ships if the enemy ships are close to each other.
After destroying the second blockade, save the game.
The third and final blockade consists of 8 War Galleys, 6 Fire Ships, and 4 Demolition Ships. The Demolition Ships can easily sneak in during mass fight and cause heavy damage to the player's fleet during the combat if the player is not careful, potentially costing the player a gold or even a silver medal. The key here is to snipe the Demolition Ships with War Galleys before they come close, while controlling the fleet optimally to minimize the loss, which is easier said than done and will take a lot of practice to make it perfect.
Alternatively, if the player finds it too difficult to properly micromanage their fleet, they may try to lure a few enemy ships out each time and destroy them in a vastly superior number. Note that at some point, the enemy will send all ships to attack, but they will not chase and will simply end up patrolling instead if the player retreats far away enough. The player can then seize this opportunity to separately and safely destroy all remaining enemy ships.
