The Battle of Liegnitz is the second scenario in the Conquest chapter and the fifth scenario of the The Mongol Empire campaign in Age of Empires IV. It depicts the Battle of Liegnitz in 1241, which saw the Mongols inflict a crushing defeat against the combined armies of Poland, Moravia, and Silesia in Central Europe.
Intro[]
Scenario description[]
Disciplined and relentless, the Mongols struck at Europe's eastern front with their most reliable strategy: divide and conquer.
Opening cinematic[]
With Kiev secure, the Mongols planned a coordinated drive deeper into Europe. They would divide the forces of Poland and Hungary by attacking both kingdoms simultaneously. At Liegnitz, the old armies of Europe would be tested against Mongol-style warfare.
Loading screen[]
Led by Genghis Khan's grandson, Baidar, the Mongols made the first of their dual attacks on central Europe. The Polish army scrambled to face them, arriving at the field in scattered groups.
Start of scenario[]
In the fertile grasslands of Liegnitz, the Mongols would face Europe's greatest armies, led by the forces of Poland. An army from Bohemia was marching to assist the Polish forces gathering at Liegnitz. Together, they hoped to stop the Mongols – before western Europe succumbed to a full-scale invasion.
If the Mongols acted quickly they could defeat the scattered Polish army and force the Bohemians to withdraw.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Castle Age - Population limit: 200
- Starting units:
Baidar- 2 Scout
- 18 Lancer
- 12 Mangudai
- 2 Nest of Bees
- Resources: 600 food, 400 wood, 400 gold, 200 stone
Differences between difficulty levels[]
- On Easy difficulty: The timer to defeat the Polish Army is 22 minutes. The player begins with three Nests of Bees and the Polish and Bohemian armies deploy fewer units.
- On Intermediate: The timer to defeat the Polish Army is 20 minutes. The player begins with three Nests of Bees.
- On Hard: The timer to defeat the Polish Army is 19 minutes. The player begins with two Nests of Bees. The Polish and Bohemian armies are more substantial.
Objectives[]
- Destroy the Polish army
- Defeat remaining units in the field
- Defeat remaining units on the ridge
- Defeat remaining units in the valley
- Defeat the patrolling cavalry
- Optional: Raid settlements to gain resources
- Destroy the Bohemian army
Players[]
- Baidar (Mongols): The player starts in a camp in the south of the map with Baidar, a mid-sized force of Lancers and Mangudai, a couple of Scouts, and two Nests of Bees. The camp contains an Ovoo, three Stables, a Blacksmith, an Arsenal, a Market, three Outposts, and the Kurultai landmark. There are also several Gers, but no Villagers, and no Town Center with which to produce any, so any buildings which the player loses cannot be rebuilt. The player begins in the Castle Age with limited resources, but can acquire more by raiding the local settlements, particularly by destroying enemy Farms.
Enemies[]
- Polish Army (Kingdom of Poland): The Polish Army controls several settlements across the map, including two small settlements with Palisade Walls to the northwest and northeast, as well as a larger settlement protected by Stone Walls and Stone Wall Towers in the far north, in addition to several unprotected farming settlements along the two main roads leading north. They begin with sizeable armies patrolling the map at various locations, but do not produce additional units. Their forces mostly consist of large numbers of Veteran Spearmen, Archers, Knights, and Horsemen, which will approach and attack the player's units as they raid into enemy territory, but will generally cease their pursuit before reaching the player's base. The patrolling cavalry in the center of the map consist of Elite Knights and Horsemen, while the units in the valley also include Gilded Landsknechts. If they are not defeated before the Bohemians arrive, the Polish Army will send all of its remaining forces to attack the player's base.
- Bohemian Army (Kingdom of Bohemia): They appear in the northwest of the map with a sizeable force Veteran Archers, Men-at-Arms, Horsemen, and Knights, if the Polish Army is not defeated before the timer elapses. Like the latter, they will send their units directly to the player's base and must defeated in order to obtain victory.
Strategy[]
Note: This strategy is intended for the Hard difficulty. Lower differences may differ slightly from what is described below.
The aim of the scenario is destroy the Polish Army before the Bohemian Army arrives to reinforce them, or else the player will have to face the combined might of both armies. As the player is unable to train Villagers and build an economy, they will have to rely on raiding enemy settlements to gain resources, particularly by destroying enemy Farms, which provide additional income. Stables are the only military production buildings the player has at their disposal. However, these are also capable of training Mangudai in campaign scenarios. The Mangudai will effectively be the player's greatest asset in this scenario, as their ability to fire while retreating will prove invaluable in wearing down enemy melee units before they are able to engage. The key to success in this scenario will be to use the Mangudai to effect in hit-and-run tactics against the enemy, retreating back towards the player's base camp before the enemy is able to reach the player's units.
The base camp contains two Nests of Bees, three Outposts without any upgrades researched, and a Kurultai landmark, at which the player's units can heal when Baidar is in proximity. The Outposts should be upgraded with Springald Emplacements or Arrowslits, and the Nests of Bees positioned near the Kurultai, so as to help prepare a "trap" for any enemy units that follow the player all the way back to their base. As the player cannot build any additional buildings or siege engines, they should take care to protect these from enemy melee units. By the same token, the player will have little use for wood in this scenario (the ranged armor and attack upgrades at the Arsenal require food instead), so they should sell their excess wood and buy food with which to continually train additional cavalry units, especially Mangudai. As the player gathers stone through their Ovoo, they should also research the improved technologies at the Blacksmith and Arsenal, particularly the improved Silk Bowstrings, to improve the effectiveness of the Mangudai's hit and run abilities and make them more effective against enemy Archers.
When engaging enemy units, the player should remember to make use of Baidar's Signal Arrow abilities. The Maneuver Arrow is particularly useful when engaging enemy cavalry, which would otherwise be able to catch up with the back row of the player's Mangudai. Generally, the enemy units will break off their pursuit after some distance, but with effective kiting, these can be lured back to the player's base, where the player can take advantage of their defenses, and the Kurultai's healing ability. Destroying the two smaller walled settlements to the northwest and northeast will provide additional resources, however, the player should take care to eliminate the Polish forces before the timer ends, if they want to avoid having to face the combined forces of the Polish and Bohemian armies.
Should the player fail to eliminate all the Polish units in the field before the timer ends, any remaining will simultaneously move to attack the player's base, with the Bohemian Army following close behind. On Hard difficulty, the latter will consist of fourteen each of Veteran Archers, Men-at-Arms, Horsemen, and Knights. If the player's units are still in the field by this point, they should avoid the temptation of immediately withdrawing all the way back to the camp, as effective kiting with the player's Mangudai can significantly reduce the number of enemy units they will have to deal with at their base. Nonetheless, as soon as the first group of enemy units reaches the Mongol camp, the player should move to regroup their units near the Kurultai. The Nest of Bees is a powerful unit, and can be used effectively against both melee and ranged units, particularly as siege engines in Age of Empires IV do not do friendly fire. As with the various Polish Army contingents, the player does not actually need to destroy all of the Bohemian Army's units, as once a sufficient number are killed, the remainder will retreat back north.
Once both the Bohemian and Polish armies are defeated, or if the latter is defeated before the timer has elapsed, the scenario will complete.
Outro[]
End of scenario[]
Despite being outnumbered by the European armies, the Mongols were victorious. As fires scorched the farmlands of Liegnitz, Europe reeled in horror.
The ingenuity of the Mongol Empire had brought a terrifying new kind of destruction to the doorstep of the west.
Post-game screen[]
The forces of Poland and Bohemia were no match for the Mongol invaders. The Mongols moved on to the second phase of their assault on central Europe.
Page From History: Warriors on Campaign[]
| “ | The arrival of the Mongols in Europe was a calamity for which the west was grossly unprepared. In the years since Genghis Khan's rise, the Mongol military had perfected his strategies, and invaded with unstoppable ferocity. Campaigns were planned years in advance; scouts would survey the terrain, burning farmland as they went – the cleared land would create a highway of pasture for the forthcoming army and their animals. Using a decimal system of organization, a Mongol army could be tens of thousands strong and still communicate effectively, move swiftly and feed every one of its warriors for years at a time. Through discipline, practice and endurance, the Mongol army remained ready for action and poised for conquest. |
” |
Unlockable content[]
- Campaign Video: The Battle of Liegnitz
- Historical Video: Nomad Music
- Page from History: Warriors on Campaign
Trivia[]
- This scenario depicts the same events as the scenario The Promise from the Genghis Khan campaign of Age of Empires II.
