Unfrozen Scandinavia. These fjords are a tad big.
Scandinavia is a map in Age of Empires II and Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean. It is a typically frozen map, much like its real life counterpart in Northern Europe. It's possible to track enemy foot prints, but the white also makes relics extremely hard to find.
Age of Empires II[]
Unlike most maps, the start-up for each player in Scandinavia has no Forage Bushes, but contains a larger herd of Deer (8 in total) and a smaller herd of 3 Deer each, as well as a third Wild Boar, which is absent on most maps; the rest of the start-up resources goes as usual (8 sheep and normal piles of gold and stone).
The map features two fjords running long ways across the edges of opposite sides of the map. The fish in these fjords are plentiful. Wood is scattered, but somewhat plentiful. Gold is of normal variance, but stone is less abundant than on most maps. Cliffs and elevations of various sizes may be present on the map, but they are not very prominent. Wild Beasts can be found scattered all around the map, as well as the Relics, which are present in normal numbers.
Viable tactics[]
Rushing is probably the best option for most civilizations on this map. Since food is very abundant, and food from huntables gathers faster than Berry Bushes, fast Feudal Age times are possible, while at the same time, that food can be invested in creating cavalry or infantry. Wood is also plentiful, so Archer based civilizations can also perform an early archer rush well. However, players that prefer to defend early, boom and then attack, may also thrive on Scandinavia by using the forests for walling themselves and perform an early Turtle, but in this case, they must use buildings and Houses to complete their walls, as stone is scarce (and that scarcity may put a damper on that second Castle or third Town Center). Whatever the case, players should use the fish in the fjords to boost their economies early.
Even though the fjords are vital, usually very little fighting is done along them (since there are 2 fjords, meaning 1 for each player/team unless playing on Free-for-all matches); the majority of the conflicts in the late and middle game will often stem from gold in the middle. Long games often results in trash wars because of the abundance of food and wood and relative scarcity of gold and stone.
Sling strategies typically fail in longer games, due to the lack of rare resources (like stone). One player will be left exhausted while the other is not much better off than the other team. Instead, players should attempt to lure their enemy into their camps and destroy their units.
Civilizations that have advantages in Scandinavia:
- Civilizations with bonuses regarding hunting: Mongols (Hunters work faster), Goths (Hunters kills boars faster and carry +15 food), Maya (resources last longer), Aztecs (Villagers carry +5 resources)
- Civilizations with bonuses regarding Fishermen, Fish Traps or Fishing Ships: Japanese, Malay, Italians, Persians, Berbers, Dravidians.
- Civilizations with good defensive bonuses: Byzantines, Inca, Koreans, Teutons, Spanish, Chinese, Maya, etc.
- Civilizations with good trash units: Vietnamese, Magyars, Malay, Persians, etc.
- Archer-based civilizations: Britons, Mayans, Vietnamese, etc.
- Civilizations with good early aggression: Vikings, Aztecs, Huns, Malians, Malay, etc.
Age of Empires III[]
Minimap of Scandinavia
| “ | A bountiful sea on each side of the Scandinavian peninsula and an abundance of natural resources on the land mass provide a variety of ways for players to boost their economy. There are always two trade routes here; they can spawn either along the coasts or behind each team's base. | ” |
| —In-game information | ||
Scandinavia is a random map in Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition - Knights of the Mediterranean.
Overview[]
| “ | Scandinavia: Fishing is plentiful on both sides of this peninsular region. The parallel trade routes may spawn along the coast or on land behind each team's area. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
Gallery[]
