The One-Eyed Wanderer is the first scenario of the Jan Zizka campaign in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Dawn of the Dukes. It is based on some of Jan Zizka's early activities as a bandit and mercenary, particularly his conflict with Henry (Heinrich) III of Rosenburg.
Intro[]
When magnates quarrel, the realm trembles and commoners bleed.
My beloved Bohemia has been enveloped by a grim shadow. Led by the devious and cruel Heinrich of Rozmberk, some of our more ambitious lords have formed the so-called union of Nobility and deposed King Wenceslaus. In a world governed by God and greed, it seems that not even monarchs are safe.
Now I, too, have been swept up by this chaos.
They call me Jan 'Zizka' for the eye that I lost in my youth. For most of my life, I tended to my family's small estate in Trocnova, while, all around me, our homeland slowly went to the dogs.
Once I inherited the land, I sold it to seek my fortune in Prague, where I became a retainer of the court. Now, with no king to serve and enemies closing in on all sides, I must once more forge a new life for myself.
Having gathered what little I own, I set out into the country. There, in this vibrant land of verdant forests, majestic mountains, and rushing rivers, I shall seek out those bold men who would join me in a desperate battle against this foul tyranny.
My enemies take me for a fool, mocking me as One-Eyed Zizka โ but it is they who cannot see. Like the one-eyed god of whom the men in the far north tell tales, I have a talent for the art of war.
Scenario instructions[]
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age: Castle Age
- Starting resources:
- Population limit: 75
- Starting technologies and upgrades: Crossbowman, Elite Skirmisher, Long Swordsman, Pikeman, Light Cavalry, Masonry, Guard Tower, Murder Holes
- Starting units:
- Jan Zizka
- 10 Crossbowmen
- 8 Knights
- 2 Light Cavalry
- 2 Cows
Objectives[]
- Destroy Heinrich of Rozemberk's Castle.
Secondary objectives[]
- Plunder enemy supply convoys to obtain additional resources.
- Pasture captured cows in the meadow north of your camp to obtain additional food.
- Conquer local settlements so that the inhabitants will provide you with resources.
- Destroy local settlements' economic buildings to plunder their resources.
Hints[]
- Jan Zizka is restricted to the Castle Age and can support a population limit of 75.
- You have no way to obtain villagers. Plunder enemy convoys, farms, and villages to acquire resources, and scout the map for production buildings to assume control of.
- Rozmberk Castle is heavily fortified. Avoid it until you command a large military force and siege equipment.
- Destroying local settlements yields considerable plunder in the short term, but conquering them will assure a consistent flow of supplies.
- The aristocrat Jan Sokol has taken an interest in Jan Zizka's skillset. Continue to impress him with successful exploits and he will support your army.
Scouts[]
Your scouts report:
- Jan Zizka (1, Cyan) and a small company of mercenaries camp to the north, poised to strike at the Rozmberk possessions in southern Bohemia.
- Heinrich of Rozmberk (2, Green), Zizka's main adversary, resides in his fortified citadel in the far south, but has sent out armed patrols in search of brigands. Heinrich trains Crossbowmen, Pikemen, and Scorpions.
- Bohemian peasants (5, Grey) own several local settlements scattered about the countryside. These are occupied by Rozmberk forces (3, Orange) comprised of a wide assortment of military units. Vulnerable convoys of supplies regularly travel the main roads to Rozmberk Castle.
- Heinrich's faction, the Union of Nobility (4, Yellow), is based inside of Rozmberk Castle. Whereas Heinrich's policy is primarily defensive, the Union is far more belligerent and will send out sorties of cavalry and swordsmen to hunt down Zizka and his mercenaries.
Players[]
Player[]
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- Player ( Bohemians): The player begins with a small base in the north, lacking economic buildings but with all military buildings, and a force of Knights, Crossbowmen, and Jan Zizka.
Neutral[]
- Bohemian Peasants ( Bohemians): They are the owners of the settlements which are occupied by the Rozmberk forces. Capturing them will cause all supplies gathered by their Villagers to come to the player instead. They start with Heresy researched, meaning any attempt to covert Villagers will simply hinder the player's resource gains. If attacked, their Villagers will turn into Archers and Spearmen.
Enemies[]
- Heinrich of Rozmberk ( Bohemians): Heinrich begins with a (somewhat) fortified base in the south of the map, as well as roving patrols of units across the map. These consist of Pikemen, Crossbowmen, and four out of five have a Scorpion. He also has a University and Trade Workshop in the center-west of the map.
- Rozmberk Forces ( Bohemians): Rozmberk Forces occupy all the villages across the map. They contain variable units based off the size and prosperity of the settlement. Trade convoys, guarded by Cavaliers, Heavy Cavalry Archers, and Light Cavalry, will also appear randomly from the two largest settlements in the east and west of the map.
- The Union of Nobility ( Teutons): Heinrich's faction, they are based in the east of his city and train cavalry, infantry, and Crossbowmen. They continuously send their forces to the player's base.
Strategy[]
This scenario runs somewhat differently from a typical Conquest map, as the player has no economy and no way to create one. Instead, the player is reliant on resources from the surrounding Bohemian peasant villages, which are captured by defeating all of the occupying Orange forces. It is generally better to spare the villages instead of burning them; over time, the player will have resources instead of running short in the crucial final minutes.
This campaign is designed to be played very offensively; the player has no defensive base, and the only attacks will come from occasional Union forces. However, Heinrich will make an announcement when they are attacking, so the player will have time to draw back.
Firstly, it is a good idea to attack immediately. Just to the southeast of the player's base, there is a Bohemian village, occupied by a force of Elite Skirmishers and Long Swordsmen, which will be easily overrun. As is the case with all such villages, all supplies gathered by the Grey peasants will come to the player instead, as if they were the player's Villagers. If the player chooses to burn it, note that the Villagers will become military units and fight the player (the player can avoid this by killing the Villagers first). Destroying the Mill grants 1,000 food. A Spearman and Archer spawn to fight the player.
From there, the player has several directions to go; any direction will advance the player, so it is the player's choice as to which way to go next. After each of these sorties, draw back to that first village to reorganize and avoid accidentally getting too close to Heinrich's Castle before being ready.
- From the first village, head east to the small pond with two Cows. Pasture the Cows, as each Cow grants the player 5 food per minute. Head east to another peasant village. Here, Crossbowmen and Light Cavalry defend in 2 separate patrols. It is possible, using Jan Zizka, to pull the cavalry off of their line and lure them to the player's force. Destroying the economic buildings grants the player 1,000 wood and creates an Archer and a Spearman to fight the player. From here, send one Knight up and around the back of the forest next to the village. Cross the shallows and the player will capture a neutral settlement with a Dock, Stable, Barracks, and Outpost. The player can fish from here for bonus food.
- From the first village, head southwest. Cross the river and follow the road; the player will encounter a Green patrol with Pikemen, Crossbowmen, and a Scorpion. Smash it and continue down the road. At the break in the north forest, send one Knight through and across the shallows. Up on the cliffs, there are two Cows to take. From there, send the Knight northeast to reach a neutral settlement with a Market and Blacksmith. It is directly across the river from the player's base. Send the army down the road to the T. Destroy the University and Trade Workshop there. Do not go south, as Heinrich's Castle and base is there. Go northwest, but be careful. Convoys travel the road, and they are guarded by Heavy Cavalry Archers and Cavaliers. Destroy them if encountered, but be careful. The player will struggle to fight them and the forces of the city together. Let them travel down the road before engaging. In the west, near the edge, there is a small settlement guarded by Light Cavalry, Knights, Elite Skirmishers, Pikemen, and two Heavy Scorpions. They also have a watch tower, so bring Arson-reinforced Long Swordsmen. Be quick, as a convoy could generate and ruin the player's army at any time until the player occupies the village. Taking it will stop convoys from the west and lessen Heinrich's supplies. Burning the Gold Mine, Market, and Lumber camp will give the player 1,000 Wood and 1,000 Gold. From here, send a rider west to the corner of the map to get a Monastery.
- From this first village, head southeast. Do not cross the bridge; go the other direction, along the forest. At the bottom of the pond, a force of Green Pikemen and Crossbowmen patrol. Destroy them, then move just south to another peasant village. This one is relatively defended, with 5 Knights, 10 Pikemen, and a Scorpion. Again. the player can draw the enemy cavalry off their line and smash them with Pikemen. Destroying the economic buildings will grant the player 1,000 food and 500 gold.
- From the first village, retrace the steps through the peasant village and cross the river to the east. There is a road there to follow; at the split, there is a Green patrol to destroy. Southwest is Heinrich's fortress. Do not assault it yet. Follow the road east; again, watch for convoys. Destroy one if found, then press the assault on the town. The force here is nearly the same as the other, with Light Cavalry, Knights, Elite Skirmishers, Pikemen, and two Mangonels. Taking it will stop convoys from the east and lessen Heinrich's supplies. Burning the Mill, Trade Workshop, and Gold Mine will give the player 1,000 Gold and 1,000 Food.
- This one requires deep caution, as it is easy to become overwhelmed by enemy forces if they see the player. From the first village, go west across the bridge. Defeat the patrol and head across the road. At the edge of the map, there is an Archery Range and a Siege Workshop. Go south along the edge of the map to the river; the player will capture a pair of Transport Ships. Move them around the corner to a pair of clear spots on either bank, near two Cows. Here is the difficult part: the player must move the army to that place on the bank, but there is a patrol of 9 Crossbowmen, 9 Pikemen, and a Scorpion on the road. The player has two options: either fight them, which risks drawing the enemy garrison out, or sneak around them. If the player chooses to fight, wait until they are at the very end of their patrol, as far from the city as possible. If the player sneaks around, move quickly, in groups. Wait until they reach the end of their patrol, wait a few seconds, then rush across. Hurry in between the mountain and the shrubbery to the riverbank. (It is probably better to fight here, with caution, as they will attack the player later anyway when the player assaults the city.) Load the player's units and put them across the river. To the player's southeast, in the corner of the map, there is one hidden village. It is guarded by a Mangonel and a Scorpion, along with Knights, Light Cavalry, and Elite Skirmishers. Destroying the economic buildings grants the player 1,000 wood, 1,000 food, and 500 gold.
Once the player has completed all of these, the player will have defeated the Rozmberk Forces (and the Bohemian Peasants if the player burned everything). At this point, the player is ready to win. Make a lot of siege weapons, mostly rams. The player should have Capped Ram by this point as a gift from Jan Sokol. This is a key of the battle.
Gather all the player's forces in the southeast of the map. Do not try to assault Heinrich's Castle directly; the player will suffer massive casualties and struggle to break through. Instead, attack the Union forces which are in the eastern part of the base. Move across the river to the east, then move south at the crossroads. The player will encounter a patrol of 9 Crossbowmen, 9 Pikemen, and a Scorpion on the road. Destroy them; the Union Forces will not ride out to attack the player. Use the rams to smash the towers and the gates to the far right. The Union army is very small but can still damage the player's rams if the player is incautious. Destroy all the yellow buildings to defeat the Union, then move northwest in the base to defeat everyone else. Focus on the Castle, as that will grant victory.
Note that if the player takes a considerable amount of time to beat the scenario, Jan Sokol will eventually provide 2 Trebuchets as reinforcements if the player kills enough enemy units. Once they get these, taking the Castle out becomes much easier, and does not require fighting their way through the east side of the base.
Video[]
Outro[]
It is strangely gratifying to destroy the livelihoods of those who have extinguished your own. Yet, life on the road as a hired sword is perilous; when you walk the edge of a knife, any error may prove fatal.
While I was busy razing the Rozmberk fortress to a smoldering ruin, Heinrich's forces captured a mercenary band led by my own brother. For refusing to give us up, he was cruelly slain along with his men.
I came too late to rescue him, and my rash decision left me chained in a cell, awaiting my grim fate.
I can only pray to God that I might prove as steadfast and unyielding in the face of torment and death as my brother was.
Trivia[]
- The achievement "Malevolent Marauder" can be earned by destroying all six Bohemian villages. Note that the village in the southern corner of the map is inaccessible by land and so the player has to capture the Gaia Transport Ships.
- The intro says that Jan Zizka is like the god of the far north tales. This is a reference to Odin, the God of the Vikings.