posted 09-17-07 02:22 AM EDT (US)
Download it here:
“Strategic Objectives” qualifies as a new game type.
It allows to capture neutral buildings that are guarded by guardians (such as Forts and Barracks), and even re-capture them from the AI and vice versa.
Captured buildings offer either economic bonus or military bonus (free units).
Players can capture Great Cannons and use them to construct Fixed Guns anywhere on the map.
In this scenario Players can Teleport their armies behind enemy lines once they captured a sacred temple (for TWC only).
For more details about the contest, online tournament, and prizes see:
There is a Stronghold in the center of the map with high walls and many defending units including a powerful Fixed Gun.
There are a few buildings inside the Stronghold that can be captured from the guardians.
The Inca temple inside the Stronghold provides a special Teleport ability to the player who controls the temple (for TWC only).
The AI
The AI in the new “Strategic Objectives” scenario maps has been enhanced.
The AI is now shrewd and evasive.
This time the AI relies less on numbers and more on tactics, so prepare to be challenged.
The AI is most challenging on “Normal ” and “Hard” levels, but on “Moderate” level the AI is not too challenging.
Game play
There are 20+ neutral structures around the map such as Forts, Barracks, Stables, Mills(with villagers) that are guarded by guardians (who are hostile to anyone who passes by) and any of these structures can be captured by any one of the players.
In addition to that players can re-capture them from each other.
Since every building offers either economic bonus or military bonus it is crucial to capture as many of these structures in order to achieve victory.
There is also one Fixed Gun on top of a hill that can be captured, and 5 Great Cannons that can be captured as well.
Once a player captures any one of the Great Cannons he can use it to build a Fixed Gun anywhere on the map after he reaches the Fortress age.
In order to capture any one of these structures the player has to have at least 7 units near it while no guardians or enemy units are left standing in that area.
There is an exception to this rule with fixed guns and great cannons where it takes only one unit to capture any one of them.
Military buildings that can be captured are invulnerable (so they don't get destroyed).
Players get free units from some captured buildings as long as they don't go over 250 population.
Free units and lower unit population allow for up to 200 unit armies (300-400 population).
Buildings that can be captured have two brown flags on both sides of the building.
That is how the player can know if that building can be captured or not.
After 10 minutes of game play the number of villagers is limited to 40 so players cannot train any more villagers (some exceptions apply to French and Dutch).
That makes capturing mills and plantations more important since you can capture or kill their villagers and the other player cannot train new ones (if he still has more than 40 villagers).
When a mill or plantation (that can be captured) is destroyed, the 10 villagers that come with it will be destroyed automatically.
The scenario includes 40+ card home cities for each civ.
This scenario has 5 civ versions for TWC.
Four out of the five civs are European civs (British, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese).
The Fifth civ is the Sioux.
This version is different than the rest because the player can train additional units that the Sioux can’t normally train.
When a Nobles Hut is captured, then the player can train Aztec warriors from it.
When Artillery Foundry is captured, then the player can train various cannons from it.
When a Saloon is captured, then the player can train Mercenary units from it.
In addition to that, Docks can train Frigates and Monitors.
- Villagers have 150 more HP.
- Villagers cost is doubled after 10 minutes.
- Fishing boats are limited to 20.
- Fishing boats cost reduced to 60 wood.
- Explorer has more HP so he doesn't get killed by guardians right away.
- Natives are cheaper.
- Cavalry and cannons take less population.
- Some mercenaries take less population.
- Fixed Gun's range was reduced by 15 (it is 55 now for land and still 70 against ships).
Instructions on how to build Fixed Guns:
Fixed Guns can be constructed anywhere on the map once the player gets to the Fortress age and captures a Great Cannon.
There are two ways to build Fixed Guns:
1. Select the Great Cannon and your Explorer at the same time (both of them have to be selected) and the Great Cannon will be converted into a Fixed Gun.
2. Select the Railroad Worker you captured and place it on top of the Great Cannon.
The second method requires more micro but it is also more rewarding.
Every time you use the second method, all your Fixed Guns will gain 5 range, 5000 HP, and your Railroad Worker will gain 1500 HP.
Be careful not to construct Fixed Guns too close to the water as they may be constructed under water and won’t be functional.
Fixed Guns are very powerful and can help to achieve victory.
Instructions on how to Teleport your army behind enemy lines:
Players can Teleport their armies behind enemy lines once they captured a sacred temple (for TWC only).
The Inca temple inside the Stronghold provides a special Teleport ability to the player who controls the temple (for TWC only).
You capture the Inca Temple when you build a native post right next to the temple and destroy the command post inside the Stronghold.
You would then get a Navajo Tracker and you can Teleport your army from around the Inca Temple to the Navajo Tracker.
If the native post is destroyed then you would loose control of the Inca Temple.
The Navajo Tracker has the Stealth ability which can allow you to send him deep into enemy territory undetected.
To Teleport your army from around the Inca Temple to the Navajo Tracker, just select the Navajo Tracker and your Explorer at the same time.
If your Navajo Tracker is wounded you can then Teleport him to your TC by selecting the Navajo Tracker and your Railroad Worker.
Scenario Versions
I have made several versions with different civs to play with and different difficulty levels.
For Vanilla:
There are 3 different civ versions and 3 difficulty levels for each civ (Easy, Moderate, and Normal).
For TWC:
There are 5 different civ versions and 3 difficulty levels for each civ (Moderate, Normal, and Hard)
“Easy”, “Moderate”, and “Normal” versions are utilizing “Moderate” AI.
The “Hard” version utilizes “Hard” AI.
For average players I would suggest to play the “Moderate” version first.
Very good players can start with the “Normal” version.
So just play the level that fits your level the most.
I have included one music track from my CD “Quest for the Unknown” with this scenario.
The music track is called “Lord of the Realm” and it plays as opening music.
The “Scenario Launcher” is a special scenario that allows the player to choose the civ he wants to play with.
Once the player chooses his civ the “Scenario Launcher” will launch the appropriate scenario version.
WARNNING
Do not execute the scenario launchers from the Editor - that won't work.
Execute them only from the single player menu.
I want to thank Schildpad (also known as Furby_Killer) for helping me test the various “Strategic Objectives” scenarios and for his important advice.
Schildpad’s help and feedback was most valuable.
I want to thank pftq for his great “Advanced Effects” that helped me enhance the AI to a new level, and to introduce the “Building Fixed Guns” feature.
I also want to thank somme for his brilliant “Villager Second Calculator” which I used for the free units balancing, and to kjn for making the screen shots for me.
Many thanks to Ensemble Studious for the Custom Scenarios Online (CSO) feature that all of us are waiting for impatiently.
Thank you,
Moshe Levi
My AOE3 Scenarios:
Strategic Objectives: Death Valley / Strategic Objectives: Russo-Turkish Wars
The Tapir Witch Chronicles: Immortal Cows – Single Player / Multiplayer
“Annihilation” 2V2 (Supremacy) Multiplayer / Tribe Wars (2V2/FFA) Multiplayer
Strategic Objectives: Islands / Forest Domination II Multiplayer / Geronimo’s Revenge
More Scenarios / http://www.moshelevi.com
[This message has been edited by MosheLevi (edited 09-17-2007 @ 02:28 AM).]
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