Raid on Babylon is the second scenario of the Reign of the Hittites campaign in Age of Empires: Definitive Edition. In the demo version, there was a different scenario called Fall of the Mitanni that was the fourth scenario. The Hittites must make their way into Babylonian lands and steal a War Chest.
Scenario instructions[]
Description[]
| “ | The stelae erected in Hattusa, and along the goat paths in the far reaches of your domains, tell of the exploits of your grandfather Hattusili. It was he who united the clans of your people. It was he who first among kings rached the seas. It was he who subdued the lands of Alalakh and dethroned the many kings of Arzawa. Who are you to Hattusili? Tarhunna, storm god, is displeased with your reign. Dark clouds come from the west and the sun's warmth no longer falls upon the land. Your people grow hungry and the warriors are restless. You must lead them south to raid where no Hittite king has ever stood. Be worthy of your grandfather so that stelae one day tell of the conquests of Mursili, King of Hattusa. | ” |
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Bronze Age - Starting resources: 600 food, 450 wood, 200 gold, 100 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- Gaia units:
- 11 Cavalry
- 11
Objectives[]
- Capture the Babylonian War Chest and return it to your camp.
Hints[]
- The Gutians have captured some Hattian villagers. Recover them to build a base.
- There are multiple ways to reach Babylon: the direct route through the Yamhad kingdom or across the river through Gutian lands.
- The Kassites will aid you with Cavalry, if you can find them.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player ( Hittites): The player starts with two towers, a small land army, some Houses, and one Market.
Enemies[]
- Babylon ( Babylonians): The red Babylon starts with a well guarded town. Their garrison contains Cavalry, infantry, Priests and archers. The base is well guarded by multiple towers and walls. They are passive and will not attack unless being provoked. They also have towers guarding an island with gold mines.
- Babylon ( Babylonians): The yellow player starts with two poorly guarded towns. They will attack with Stone Throwers, the swordsman line and Cavalry. They also have a small navy at the beginning. They will build multiple towers defending their town. They will also train Priests.
- Yamhad ( Assyrians): The brown Player starts with two well-guarded towns and one food gathering site without protection. They will attack with Archers and sometimes Camels. They will also train Stone Throwers. Their navy will be confined to the western lake.
- Gutians ( Persians): The orange player starts with three separate Town Centers. Those settlements are guarded by Axemen and Watch Towers. They hold 4 Gaia Villagers as hostage.
Strategy[]
Due to the fortifications, it is very hard to achieve the objective with the beginning army and Gaia units.
Send most of the beginning army to the closest orange town. Meanwhile, send one chariot across the river via the shore to collect Gaia Cavalry. Eco upgrades could be done at the Market at this point. However, it is advisable to save some wood and food to start the economy faster.
Send around 5 Cavalry to raze the orange town beside the river, and send other Cavalry to the third orange town, as this one is guarded by two towers. Now orange should be removed from the game.
Either send the remaining army to raid yellow/brown's exposed economy, or save them to repel the initial attacks.
Use the captured Villagers to start a town. A recommended spot is to replace the orange town beside the river. This position could be defended by ships, and Hittite War Galleys are effective against all the enemy units apart from the siege. The War Galley could outrange yellow towers, so they are great for harassing.
Either stall the enemy by plugging the shore with ships and walls, or completely destroy their town to end their threat. Then, attack the red town with siege protected by other units, eliminate all their units and acquire the chest.
It is a good idea to rely on archer units such as Composite Bowmen and Chariot Archers, as the enemy armies are primarily composed of infantry (like the Broad Swordsman and its upgrades), foot archers, or Priests, all of which can be dealt with by archers. The starting and Gaia Cavalry and Chariots can be supplemented to chase down enemy Villagers and take out Catapults quickly. Utilize a few Stone Throwers to raze enemy Towers from a safe distance.
History[]
| “ | The founding of the Hittite kingdom and the establishment of the capital at Hattusa is credited to Hattusili I who also campaigned as far as the Semitic Amorite kingdoms of Syria. Hattusili was succeeded by his grandson, Mursili, who continued his grandfather's conquests. In 1595 BCE, Mursili conducted a great raid down the Euphrates River to Babylon, some 1500 miles from Hattusa. The Hittites sacked Babylon and deposed King Samsu-ditana, ending the Amorite dynasty of the city—a dynasty which had included among its members, the famed Hammurabi. As abruptly as they came, the Hittites left Babylon, carrying off the riches of the city, including statues of the city's patron god Marduk. Babylon was then taken by the Kassites, perhaps allies of Mursili, who established a dynasty which would last for four centuries. Mursili's motivations for a raid so far beyond his territory and for his abrupt departure from the city are unknown. Some historians theorize that the recent eruption of the volcano Thera in the Eastern Mediterranean caused climatic changes which affected Hittite grain production. Therefore, the raid was an attempt to procure foodstuffs for a hungry population. King Mursili did not long survive the raid. The lengthy campaign had so strained the resources of Hattusa that the Hittite king returned to a capital in turmoil. Mursili was assinated by his brother-in-law, Hantili, at the urging of Hantili's son-in-law, Zidanta, an act which Hantili would eventually come to regret, according to the Hittite records. Hantili would rule the Hittites for some 30 years. On Hantili's death, Zidanta murdered the legitimate heir as well as all the heir's children and servants, to become king. Zidanta himself would be killed by his own son, who seized the throne. This instability began a century-long period of historical obscurity for the Hittites as the kingdom was plagued by weak kings and foreign invaders. | ” |
Victory[]
| “ | The scribe tells of your victory: Mursili, King of Hattusa, anointed priest of the storm god Tarhunna, steward of the Sun God, overlord of the earth, marched on Babylon, on the road no king had ever taken, and defeated the lords of Babylon of number no less than fifty, and took captives numbering no less than two thousand. He carried off to Hattusa oxen, ingots of bronze and copper, and the god Marduk of Babylon. Of the oxen, he made sacrifices to the gods who were pleased with his devotions. | ” |
Loss[]
| “ | The storm god is displeased with your failure. The old clan rivalries have returned, and Hattusa is in anarchy. Your reign will mark the end of your people's history, but you will be remembered. Your name will become the word for "worthless." | ” |
Trivia[]
- The layout of this scenario is almost identical to the layout of the third scenario of "Underhand Dealings from the Hatti Archive", an Age of Empires I fan campaign.
- The captured Stables cannot produce any units.
Gallery[]
