Terms:
civi = civillian units
soldier = military unit
animal = wild animal
livestock = herdable animal
beast = tameable animal
resource = normal resources (food, wood, coin, etc.)
item = resource that in real-life would be delivered in items rather then quantity (skins, herbs, etc.)
tech – technological research
age zero – a state of 'no-age' or below the first age
LOS – line-of-sight
AOE – area-of-effect

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Starting the Game
So, you have begun a game of Prehistoric: Dawn of Civilization. There's a long path ahead of you. You begin the game with about five Hunter-Gatherers and a 'Great Hall'. The Great Hall is the center of your future empire, and is the only place to train civis. Now, currently you have one resource, and two items. Food, the most basic and essential of your ownings, 'Skins' – which are required for building primitive structures, and 'Herbs' required for all kinds of features. You must now send your Hunter-Gatherers to hunt and gather. Supposingdly, your HGs (hunter-gatherers) gather up to 10 food at a time, at a slow rate. Small animals will contain up to 30 food, while medium ones will contain 50. Large animals, such as elephents or mamoths, will contain up to 200 food. A single HC costs 200 food – you can imagine what a pain it is to get a going economy in this phase. Gathering food from animals will also give you skins, while gathering it from forage bushes will also give you herbs. Once you have accumilated enough, you can train a Witch Doctor for 200 food and 30 herbs. Well done... you have advanced from age-zero to the first age of the game: the Paleolithic – or early stone age.

Founding your Power
Now you've entered the first actual age of the game, eh? Pretty good, pretty good. But can you make it through the four ages? To advance an age, you must complete four objectives, displayed at your Great Hall. The objectives are randomly selected out of six possibilities for each age. In the case of the Paleolithic age, the possibilities are:

-Build a Cemetery
-Build a Storage
-Obtain Livestock
-Research Tech
-Harvest xamount of resources
-Train xamount of civis

Each of the objectives is highly beneficial, and at a certain stage you'll have to do each and every one of them to please your people. The Witch Doctor's general function is to advise you upon these things; however, he can also minorly heal injuries. You can now build a cemetery to increase you people's spirituality, and therfor their loyalty and morale. You may also build a Storage, where they cansubmit harvested resources. A Storage can be used by a maximum of four HCs at once. Techs will slowly become available according to the expiriences of your civis. The more you hunt, you will gain hunting techs. The more you build, you gain building techs. Livestock comes into play here, as it becomes vital for your economy. Once you had hunted a livestock animal, you will gain the ability to research 'herding'. With 'herding', you may construct Shephardies. Assigned to a Shephardy, a HC will automatically herd some livestock (sheep, goat, pig, cow, etc.) slowly gaining food. Shepharding is 150% more productive then hunting and gathering, however it does gain Skins, but no Herbs. Once you have completed your four objectives, you may pay a large sum of resources to advance to the next age. Take in mind that you cannot access the next age's techs without researching those of the preceeding age.

Soldiers and Basic Diplomacy
You've advanced to the Neolithic age; also known as the late-stone-age. In this age, you'll be introduced to more advanced and actuall buildings, as well as soldiers. Notice how small huts appear around you great hall – that signifies that your population cap has been raised. When entering this age, the first thing you need to do, is turn your attention to wood gathering, since wood is vital AND you gain herbs in the process. You're HCs' spiritual need can again be bolstered, as you may build an expensive 'Shrine' in which the Witch Doctor can regain his power. Stone has also become a resource. Harvest stone from piles, so that you may build certain structures. Another two structures have been added to your menu: the Weaponsmith, and the Shop. The Weaponsmith is very expensive, costing over 500 wood; HCs assigned to the Weaponsmith will automatically turn to Clubmen and Javilineers. These can be used to fight other tribes. The Shop, on the other hand, is used for the exact opposite. You assign a HC to the shop, and it will be loaded with a certain amount of a random resource, and 1 of each item. You send you new 'merchant' around to explore. Once you've found another tribe, make sure they have a shop, then you may offer them trade-relations. If so, your 'merchant' will continue traveling between the two shops, generating resources and items as it goes along. Again comes the time to advance, this time – to the Copper Age.

Metals, Priests, and Villagers
The Copper age is known to be 'the age in-between.' It shows aspects of both the stone and metal ages. The first thing you need to do in this age, is harvest copper – obviously. Your pop cap has just went through the greatest leap it will go through in the game; take advantage of that, and train as many civis as possible. Your HCs have been upgraded to Villagers, and they are much more capable. Whatever bonuses and upgrades you've got, the Villager will always carry 50% more resources then the HC, a very good aspect. Additionaly, they are much more loyal and harder to convert. With 'agriculture' research, Shephardies turn into Farmhouses, and Villagers begin constructing farms instead of herding livestock. You Witch Doctor has also been upgraded, to Priest; a priest has much greater healing powers then a Witch Doctor, and can convert enemies. You can also build a Temple, in which you can train Apprentices. Apprentices can heal, but are no good in advise. Now, when called to arms at the Weaponsmith, your Villagers will become Launchers (which can, using a special tool, hurl their javelins further) and Macemen. In addition, you may train Warriors, which are far more effective soldiers, at the new Barracks building. Another feature of the Copper Age, is the ability to construct towers and pallisades; now, you can protect your people. But the most important aspect of the Copper Age is the ability to expand: you may now build, for the sum of 500 wood, 500 stone, and 300 Copper – a village. A village – or settlement – is a smaller version of your Great Hall, which can train civis such as Villagers and Priests. During the Copper Age, you also recieve transport boats, fishing boats, and naval defenses.

Consolidating Your Civilization
At the peak of the Copper Age, when you start to maximilize your economical and military abilities, you become an ancient nation. The nationality will emerge according to what YOU choose to do. Your focus will define where your people are going, and who they will be. For example, if you achieve naval prosperity, you will most likely emerge as Minoa or Phoenicia. If you choose to focus on megametropolitan cities, and powerful armies, you will most likely emerge as Greece or Rome, and so on. The Table:

Naval Power, Ships and Docks – Phoenicia (explorer), Minoa (expansionist)
Harnessed Capitol, Soldiers – Greece (technological), Rome (warmonger)
Economical Power, Priests – Egypt (architectural), Sumer (religious), Assyria (warmonger)
Diplomatical Power, Technologies – Persia (explorer), Bayblon (architectural)
Widespread Power, Villages – China (technological), Angkor (religious)

You will be notified of your nationality when you've finished at-least half of your Bronze-Age objectives. Each nationality has five unique soldiers, two unique techs, and a unique wonder. Of course, you nationality also gives you various bonuses fitting to your strategy.

The Bronze Age
You have officialy gotten to an advanced stage of the game. Notice how roads start forming between your buildings. Shops are upgraded to Markets, where you can also buy and sell resources and items in exchange for one another. The Weaponsmith has become the Armory; civis directed to it will become Conscripts and Levies(ranged). The Shipyard has been added to train military boats and ships. Palisades are upgraded to basic Walls, and your able to construct Strongholds. The two first wonders, the Great Temple and Monument, have been added. These wonders are universal, they mean nothing but a prehistorical pattern, and are merely symbolic. Once you have become an actuall civilization, you will be enabled to build two new structures: the Granary, and the Mill. Both of these structures are allowed once per village, and that includes your Great Hall (now changed to Palace). The Granary increases food harvest, while the Mill increases wood gather. Storages are replaced by Wharehouses, which can be used by up to 10 civis at once. Your small hunter-gatherer society has now grown into a full scale city-state, with villages and outstretches along the way. Now, for the first time, you may also build the Training Camp, Archery Range, and Stables. Warriors can be directed at the Training Camp or Archery range which they will occupy. Each Camp\Range may be occupied by up to 100 Warriors. When occupied, the Training Camp and Archery Range will offer the training of various soldiers. Soldiers do not cost population, but are just better-trained Warriors. Warriors directed at the Armory will become Spearmen. The Stables, however, is a different matter. First, you must make contact with the tameable animal (in this case, a horse) in order to be able to research the technology needed to tame it. Once you've done that, this animal will exist in your stable. Tameables, like other animals, have only two stats: speed, and health. The kind of horse you have tamed, will define the bonus the rider gets. If you have a certain kind of horse, the mounted unit based on that horse will recieve the horse's health and speed in addition to it's normal stats. There are four kinds of horses: Ardennais, Onager, Arabian, Qatgani. Each kind has it's own attributes, with the Ardennais being especially rare and valuable. Once you have a stables, all you need to do is order a civi or soldier to it. Then, they'll come out as a different soldier, must likely stronger, but mostly faster. Once you've acquired a tameable, civis turned to merchants will automatically be accompanied by it, carrying more goods. If you're lucky enough to find another tameable animal, you may be able to construct an Elephent Pen or Camel Pen. Certain civilizations will have acces to these structures anyway from the Bronze Age, such as Phoenicia with the elephant pen, and Egypt with the camel pen. You can also build a siege workshop, to build various siege engines.

Leaders
It is now, when your finally an actuall Bronze-Age civilization, that you gain you first leader. At the Bronze Age, each civilization gets to choose between two leaders. A leader is expensive, but worth it. He\she will lead your forces to battle, with their own unique powers and personallity. The Greeks get Agammemnon, who strenghtens surrounding soldiers, or Lysander, which is particularly effective vs. enemy leaders. The Sumerians, on the other hand, get Sargon, who may serve as a good healer and converter, or Gilgamesh – who is particularly effective vs. beasts, tameables, and siege machines. This pattern goes on through the civs.
Unfortunetly, once you get to the Iron Age, things get a little different. Seem you don't really choose the leader anymore. Your old leader dies, boosting spirituality for a while. If you want a new leader, you must research a government system. Traditionally, each civ gets to choose between two systems out of a total of seven in the game, plus a choice available for every civ: Monarchy. In the Iron Age, there are three available leaders for every civ. The leader chosen is defined by the government system you research. Example: if you research Monarchy as Greece, you will recieve Alexander as your leader, the natural succesor of the earlier leaders who battled to rule Greece. If your playing as Egypt and choose Divine Right you will most likely get a priest-king. If your playing as any nation and choose Ruling Class, you will get a likely economic leader.

Empire
Your pittyful tribe of neanderthals has somehow evolved into a thriving empire of military, economical, and political power. Your now capable of building great siege engines, training mighty armies, building wonders, and so much more. Three new wonders are available, the Library, Lighthouse, and Tomb. All three, again, are universal pattern based wonders. Now, fearsome then ever, your Training Camp and Archery Range get to train more troops, faster. You are able to build a Quarry so that you may mine stone faster, and Smelter to mine iron faster. You can now place your farms and structures on rougher terrain, and all your units are more resistant to wheather. The Villagers have been upgraded to Citizens, which are twice as resistant to conversion. The roads of your city have become practical floors, and wonders stretch high-up. Your Strongholds have been upgraded to Fortresses, and your walls are greater then ever. With new technologies such as 'Currency' – that makes item type resources obsolete -, or Written Law – that makes Citizens train almost instantly, your prehistoric civilization has become an empire.

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Soldiers

Neolithic Age:
Clubman – (average attack, poor health)
Javilineer – (poor attack, poor health)

Copper Age:
Maceman – (good attack, poor health)
Laucher – (average attack, average health)
*Barracks:
Warrior – (average attack, average health)
*Shipyard:
Ireme (medium speed, poor attack, average health)
Bireme (fast, good attack, good health)

Bronze Age:
Conscript – (poor attack, poor health)
Levy – (poor attack, poor health)
Spearman – (average attack, poor health)
*Training Camp:
Axeman – (good attack, average health – strong vs. infantry)
Fanatic – (average attack, poor health)
Militia – (poor attack, good health)
Armored Infantry – (good attack, average health)
*Archery Range:
Slinger – (poor attack, average health)
Bowman – (average attack, average health – strong vs. infantry)
*Stables:
Civi – Scout
Axeman, Fanatic, Militia – Raider (good attack, poor health)
Armored Infantry – Mounted Infantry (good attack, good defense - slow)
Bowman – Mounted Bowman (average attack, average defense)
Slinger – Mounted Slinger (poor attack, average defense)
*Siege Workshop
Light Ram (rapid attack, perfect vs. walls)
Stone-Thrower(great attack, effective vs. buildings and civis)
Balista (fast, good vs. soldiers)
*Shipyard:
Bireme (fast, average attack, average health)
Trireme (slow, good attack, good health)
Ram-Ship (good attack, average health – perfect vs. civi ships)

Iron Age:
Levy – (pathetic attack, pathetic health)
Conscript – (pathetic attack, pathetic health)
Spearman – (poor attack, pathetic health)
*Training Camp:
Swordsman – (good attack, good health – strong vs. infantry)
Phalanx – (average attack, good health – extra armor)
Armored Infantry – (good attack, average health)
Sentry (good attack, average health – great LOS)
Commander (average attack, average health - +morale)
Pillager (average attack, poor health)
*Archery Range:
Archer (average attack, average health – strong vs. infantry)
Skirmisher (good attack, poor health – strong vs. archery)
Throwing-Axeman (great attack, poor health – short range)
Assasin (good attack, average health)
*Siege Workshop:
Heavy Ram (rapid attack, perfect vs. walls)
Catapult (great attack, effective vs. buildings and civis)
Siege Tower (can unload soldiers into enemy fortresses behind walls)
Balista (fast, effective vs. soldiers)
*Shipyard:
Decareme (slow, good attack, great health)
Ram-Ship (good attack, poor health – effective vs. civi ships)
Fire-Ship (great attack, poor health – good vs. soldier ships)

Unique Units:

Minoa
Longferry (extra-capacity transport ship)
Quadrme (fast and high health attack ship)
Tracker (powerful scout that can see 'tracked' enemies beyond normal LOS)
Servant (a sevrant is spawned and assigned with every Minoan Priest or Leader to provide additional health and attack)

Phoenicia
Exploration Ship (fast scout ship)
War Galley (attack ship. effective vs. fire-ships and ram-ships)
Settler (the unique Phoenician 'Settler' villagers build villages faster)
War Elephent (Phoenicians can construct an Elephent Pen always)

Greece
Hoplite (powerful Greek infantry)
Helepolis (unique siege tower. Has 'base' attack)
Cataphracht (unique horse soldier)
Philosopher (unique 'advisor' type priest)

Rome
Legionnhere (powerful Roman infantry)
Centurion (replaces 'Commander'. Bigger aoe for morale bonus)
Mangonel (unique Roman siege engine. Almost as good as 'Catapult)

Egypt
Royal Axeman (replaces Axeman)
Line Archer (long-ranged archery unit. Low health)
Archer Chariot (fast and deadly. Can fire while on a retreat)
War Camel (Egyptians can build 'Camel Pen' always)

Sumer
Bladesman (powerful assasin)
Warrior-Priest (Priest capable of fighting good)
Mounted Priest (mounted Priest)
Abu Nabu (deadly efficient archer)

Assyria
Brute (instead of warrior)
Impaler (instead of Spearman)
Four-Steed Chariot (powerful and heavy chariot. Useful vs. chariots)

Persia
Immortal (cheap and fast-trained infantry)
Reaver (unique Pillager. Gains more resources)
Scythe Chariot (damages adjacted soldiers and civis)

Babylon
Healer (good healer)
Berserker (instead of Pillager)
Slave (good worker. Can't build)

China
Mother-Ship (slow, great attack, great health)
Assault Spearman (instead of Spearman. Higher health)
Saboteiour (suicide gunpowder soldier)

Angkor
Mercenary (cheap, fast trained soldier)
Monk (powerful Priest. Doesn't give advice)
Royal Chariot (instead of Commander. Great!)
Catapult-Ship (powerful, long-ranged ship)

Campaign

Act I: Forfather

One: Abu is a fourteen-year-old man. At the time, he is grown and ready. As he travels to a nearby village, he sees a group of bandits attacking a women. Abu rushes to help her, and defeats the bandits. The women, called Rya, tells Abu she is the daughter of a village's chieften. Abu comes with her to her village, where they meet her father. Pleased with Abu, the father desides to take the young man with him on a herding journey.

Two: The chief Kabuck and Abu journey together down to the river's delta. Abu must now master basic economic principals, and livestock herding. The Bandits come for another attack, and Abu defeats them with his men and destorys their hideout.

Three: It has been a few years. Since Abu's defeat of the bandits, he has been granted premission to stay and rule the small herding society at the delta. He has developed trade relations with Kabuck's village, and that of Abu's own origin. He is informed someone will betray him soon, and must act quickly. Preparing an armed force, he sets to defend his village. The time comes, and Kabuck secretly arrives from his village to kill Abu. Abu is forces to fight Kabuck.

Four: Years have again passed by. Abu and Rya married, and ruled both his and her father's villages. Now, afraid from Abus growing influence and power, the nearby villages forged an alliance to destroy him. Abu once more must defend his home, and assault his neighbors. Emerging victorious, Abu works to combine the villages into a network of agricultural societies.

Act II: Ne'Dib

One: Many years have come by. Abu has died recently, and his son, Ne'Dib, inherited rulership over the land. The villagers have built cemeteries, shrines, and docks, and are advancing to prosperity. Ne'Dib has encountered another lordship, similar to that of his own, to the north. In order to impress his neighbor, old mother, himself, and the spirit of his father, he desided to construct a wonder – the Monument.

Two: Unsettling rumors arrive of turmoil at the neighbor's home. Ne'Dib and his warlord – Duas – see this as an oprotunity to seize more villages. They must send diplomats to each village, in order to know their request, and comply, so that the village will join them.

Three: Ne'Dib and Duas stand in the forest, as they look uphill to see the burning capitol of their old neighbor. The time has come to strike. The two assemble a small force of warrior, and make their move into the chaos. The village is the stage of a three-sided skirmish. Seeing it as his best interest, Ne'Dib allies with the villagers – which have taken up arms. When the fight is over, the villagers tell him that it was their lord's warlord who has opened a rebellion against him that started this mess. Fearing such may be the case between him and Duas, Ne'Dib grants Duas his own kingdom, composed of three villages in the north-western edge of his grasp.

Act III: City-State

One: Lords come and go, and the dynasty continues. The particular lord of the time, is called Kilmagjen. Kilmagjen, unlike his famous predecessors, works alone. He is his own warlord, his own expert of religion, his own advisor. But this time, Kilmagjen will need help. Though his palace lyes on the delta of the river, Kilmagjen never invested in seamanship. A large fleet of vessel arrive from the edge of the gulf, powerful vessels ready to destroy and invade the domain. Kilmagjen, must ask two of the nearby kingdoms, Duas and Mai, to help him fortify the coastline and build a fleet. After the naval siege was victoriously over, the small kingdom insured both it's future defense, and it's relations with the neighbors.

Two: Only a few years have passed since the famous and wellsung naval defense, and the foolish Kilmagjen destroys his good connections once more. He has heard of a major new power leaping through his neighbor – Mai. Kilmagjen has sent a specialized team of spies into the area, to investigate and steal the Bronze technology.

Three: The spies have returned with detailed instructions on the mining, smelting, and welding of copper and Bronze. Kilmagjen prominently recruits dozens of villagers, sending them to the mines and factories. Mai, has noticed this, and finds no explination as to how-come it's neighbor came to own such technology. As Kilmagjen prepares his new army, and prepares new land for farms, the Maians send their warrior forces to attack.

Four: Kilmagjen recently perished in a battle against the Maians. His nephew, Ferral, inherits rulership over the region. Feral manages to orginize warriors, and launches an attack against the Maians, defeating them. With the nation now well-populated, Ferral must clear farmland to creat more shops, houses, and various structures. As the small compound between the few original villages becomes a solid city, Ferall constructs a wonder – the Great Temple.
After the comletion of his Great Temple, Ferall enlists a team of priests to record the events of his time for future generations. He is crowned king.

Act IV: Thrones and Patriots

One: Almost a century has passed by, and many other city-states rose from among the villages. The trade and diplomatical relations with neighbors at all directions have influenced the kingdom of Uruk greatly. Now, the king was Gilgamesh. A single, wealthy merchant, white of skin, arrived at Uruk one day. He spread out strange ideas of voting, freedom, and a high council. Now, this merchant known as Greekus, has sparked a revolution to get king Gilgamesh off the throne.

Two: Gilgamesh is forces to comply and is exiled from Uruk and it's domain. He comes to Duas, the dynasty granted to the warlord of his ancestor, Abu. Gilgamesh turns to Greekus, who has now become the primeral diplomatic broker between the High Council and the other city-states, to help him recontact his people. Greekus gladly obliges, telling Gilgamesh to recrtuit an army, and bring all who are loyal to him to a small bridge. When Gilgamesh arrives, Greekus's private band of brutes ambushes Gilgamesh, but he manages to fight them back.

Three: Other city-states begin to sieze lands from Uruk, as the High Council loses control and power. Gilgamesh knows that he must save his people by force, like a parent punishing their child. He helps Duas in their conquest of Uruk and it's domain.

Four: The High Council was captured and prisoned. The army of Uruk, still faithful, begins it's own round to recapture the territories taken by it's neighbors. Gilgamesh solely rides his chariot to battle the massive Duasian army, that refused to leave. When the army of Uruk finally reaches the position of the Duasians, they find their enemies slaughtered, not a single one their own dead. Gilgamesh is then seen, at the Great Temple, and is never seen again. This causes some to beleive in his devinity. Wheather god, or not, Gilgamesh has reestablished his city-state's loyalty. But by recapturing the territories siezed by their neighbors, Uruk have started a series of wars against Oren.

Act V: Centuries of War

One: Uruk and Oren have been warring for nearly two-hundred years. Now, at the murder of his father, a young king came to rule Uruk. Sargon, trained from boyhood as a strategist and charismatic leader, must lead his nation against Oren. Sargon, his brother Yoni, and mentor – Gemankh, plan their strategies. The three examine their enemies' defenses. They then spott a powerful force of mounted bowman, verstile and quick. Just as they make their discovery, their expedition is spotted by Orenian villagers, who rally to arms in order to defeat them. Gemankh, Sargon's mentor, is killed. Sargon remembers this, and makes the war PERSONAL.

Two: Sargons plan is brilliant. He must mass up a force of infantry and balistae powerful enough to defeat the Orenian mounted bowmen. As he does so, a fleet of transport ships is waiting along the river Euphraitese to bring a large force to a surprise attack at the heart of Oren.

Three: Victorious, Sargon realizes the splendor and power delivered to him by conquering Oren. Endless villages and farmlands, enough to feed a fantastic army. Miraculeously, Sargon, king of a nation beaten by two-hundred years of war, has managed to spring-up an army counting thousands of warriors, and make camp hundred of miles north, in order to take several more city-states.

Act VI: Fall of an Empire

One: It has been almost a century since the conquest of Sargon. The current king is Jarou. For decades, a fanatical liberational group from Duas, known as the Abu Nabu, have been training in secret to overthrough Uruk. Now comes their strike. The deadly Abu Nabu assasins have made it to the palace grounds... King Jarou must escape the palace, the city, and reach the nearest military outpost to retake it from the rebels.

Two: The leader of the Abu Nabu, Caex, has been spotted at the city of Yoni (named after Sargon's brother). Jarou has orginized his army for a final fight against the rebels.

Three: The outline of the empire is crumbling, as remote city-states rebel for independance. Jarou must manipulate impression, tribute, and force to halt the advancement of their armies. Just as this happens, a strange, savage tribe arrives from the mountains. Moving in entire settlments, devoted for warfare. As Uruk gows in flames, and regiments walk hopelessly to their doom, king Jarou dramatically escapes the city.

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Upcoming:

Africa

[This message has been edited by Empror (edited 09-06-2005 @ 02:42 PM).]