Age of Empires III
Age of Empires III

Campaign Walkthrough: Blood

Age of Empires III Campaign Walkthrough: Blood. Escape the Ottoman prison by learning basic combat, hero abilities, and focusing fire with Crossbowmen.

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Campaign Walkthrough: Blood

Breakout

This mission serves as a tutorial for basic combat and hero abilities. Your primary objective is to escape the Ottoman prison.

  • Initial Steps:
    • You start with John Black and two Crossbowmen. Immediately move them to the west.
    • Engage the Ottoman Janissaries guarding the prison gate. Focus fire with your Crossbowmen while John Black tanks damage and uses his "Combat Sense" ability for increased damage.
  • Rescuing Prisoners:
    • After defeating the first group, proceed through the now-open gate. You'll encounter more Janissaries and a few Ottoman Villagers. Eliminate them.
    • Locate the prison cells. Click on the cell doors to release additional Crossbowmen and Pikemen. These units will automatically join your army.
    • Continue moving through the prison, freeing all available units. You should amass a decent force of Crossbowmen and Pikemen.
  • Destroying the Watch Tower:
    • Your next objective is to destroy the Ottoman Watch Tower blocking your path.
    • Position your Pikemen in front to absorb damage, as they are more resilient. Use your Crossbowmen to deal ranged damage from behind.
    • Utilize John Black's "Combat Sense" ability on cooldown to maximize your damage output.
  • Final Escape:
    • Once the Watch Tower is destroyed, proceed to the designated escape point marked on your minimap.
    • You may encounter a few more scattered Ottoman units, but your combined force should handle them easily.
    • Reaching the escape point completes the mission.

Into the Caves

This mission introduces exploration and managing a small, mobile force against scattered enemies.

  • Navigating the Caves:
    • You begin with John Black, a few Crossbowmen, and some Pikemen.
    • Follow the winding path through the caves. The primary threat here will be small groups of Ottoman Janissaries and the occasional Treasure Guardian (usually a Wolf or Bear).
    • Use John Black's "Scout" ability to reveal hidden areas and spot enemies before engaging.
  • Collecting Treasures:
    • Throughout the caves, you'll find various Treasure Chests. Send John Black to collect these. They often contain small amounts of resources (Food, Wood, Coin) or experience points.
    • Be wary of Treasure Guardians. Engage them with your full force, focusing fire.
  • Destroying the Ottoman Outpost:
    • Eventually, you will come across a small Ottoman Outpost. This will typically consist of a few buildings like a Barracks and a Watch Tower, guarded by several Janissaries and perhaps some Abus Guns.
    • Strategy:
      • Prioritize destroying the Watch Tower first, as it deals significant damage.
      • Use your Pikemen to engage any melee units and soak up damage.
      • Position your Crossbowmen to target the Watch Tower and then the Abus Guns.
      • John Black should be actively engaged, using "Combat Sense" to boost damage.
      • If you have any Cannons from a previous treasure, deploy them to quickly dismantle the buildings.
  • Reaching the Exit:
    • After clearing the outpost, continue along the path.
    • The mission ends once you reach the designated exit point, usually a glowing circle on the ground.

Pirates!

This mission involves defending a small settlement and then launching a counter-attack against pirate forces.

  • Defending the Settlement:
    • You start with a Town Center, a few Villagers, and some initial military units (typically Musketeers and Crossbowmen).
    • Immediately begin gathering resources. Assign Villagers to collect Food from Berry Bushes and Huntable Animals, and Wood from nearby trees.
    • Pirate forces will begin attacking from various directions. Focus on defending your Town Center and resource gatherers.
    • Use your initial military units to repel the first waves. Consider building a Barracks early to train more Musketeers.
    • Home City Shipments: Utilize your Home City shipments effectively. Sending shipments of additional military units (e.g., "7 Musketeers") or resource crates ("700 Food") can be crucial for survival.
  • Building Defenses:
    • As resources allow, construct a few Watch Towers around your settlement's perimeter, especially in directions where pirates are frequently attacking.
    • Train additional Villagers to boost your economy. Aim for a healthy balance of Food and Wood production.
  • Counter-Attacking the Pirate Base:
    • Once you've stabilized your defenses and built up a sizable army (around 15-20 units, a mix of Musketeers and Pikemen is effective), it's time to attack the pirate base.
    • The pirate base is usually located on an island or a separate landmass, requiring you to build a Dock and transport units.
    • Naval Strategy:
      • Build a Dock and train a few Caravels or Galleons. These can bombard coastal defenses and transport your land units.
      • If the pirate base is accessible by land, you can skip the naval transport, but naval support is often beneficial.
    • Land Assault:
      • Group your army and advance towards the pirate base.
      • Prioritize destroying their Barracks and any defensive structures like Watch Towers.
      • Pirate units often consist of Buccaneers, Privateers, and sometimes Cannons. Use Musketeers to counter Buccaneers and Privateers, and Pikemen to engage any melee units.
      • John Black should be at the forefront, using his abilities to boost your army.
  • Destroying the Pirate Leader:
    • The mission concludes when you defeat the pirate leader, often a unique hero unit, and destroy all key pirate buildings. Ensure you fully clear the base.

The Ottoman Fort

This mission focuses on siege warfare and coordinated attacks against a heavily fortified Ottoman position.

  • Initial Setup and Resource Gathering:
    • You start with a small base, including a Town Center and some Villagers. Immediately begin gathering resources.
    • The Ottomans will launch periodic attacks, but your primary focus should be on building up your economy and military.
    • Train additional Villagers and establish a strong resource income. Prioritize Food and Coin for unit production.
  • Building Your Army:
    • Your main objective is to destroy the Ottoman Fort. This will require siege units.
    • Build an Artillery Foundry and begin training Cannons (Culverins are excellent for destroying buildings and other artillery, Falconets for anti-personnel).
    • Supplement your Cannons with a strong frontline force of Musketeers and Pikemen to protect them.
    • Consider sending Home City shipments for "Heavy Cannon" or "Advanced Artillery" to accelerate your siege capabilities.
  • Scouting the Fort:
    • Use John Black to scout the perimeter of the Ottoman Fort. Identify weak points, such as sections with fewer Watch Towers or walls.
    • Note the location of Ottoman Barracks and Stables, as these will be producing enemy units.
  • The Siege:
    • Once you have a substantial army (at least 3-4 Cannons, 15-20 Musketeers/Pikemen), advance towards the fort.
    • Strategy:
      • Position your Cannons at a safe distance, targeting the Fort's walls and Watch Towers first.
      • Use your Musketeers and Pikemen to form a defensive line in front of your Cannons, protecting them from Ottoman counter-attacks (Janissaries, Spahis, Abus Guns).
      • John Black should be actively engaged, using "Combat Sense" to boost your units' damage.
      • As you breach the walls, move your infantry inside to engage the remaining Ottoman units and destroy their production buildings.
      • Prioritize destroying the Fort itself, as this is the main objective.
  • Victory:
    • The mission is completed once the Ottoman Fort is destroyed.

Temples of the Aztec

This mission involves exploring an Aztec territory, dealing with native resistance, and uncovering ancient artifacts.

  • Initial Exploration:
    • You start with John Black and a small contingent of units, typically Musketeers and Crossbowmen.
    • Your primary objective is to locate and secure Aztec Temples.
    • Move carefully through the jungle. You will encounter Aztec Warriors (Macemen, Jaguar Warriors) and sometimes Treasure Guardians.
  • Dealing with Aztec Resistance:
    • Aztec units are strong in melee. Use your ranged units (Musketeers, Crossbowmen) to kite them and focus fire.
    • John Black's "Combat Sense" is very effective against these tough melee units.
    • You may encounter small Aztec villages or outposts. Destroying these can sometimes yield resources or reveal paths.
  • Locating and Securing Temples:
    • There are usually multiple Aztec Temples scattered across the map. They are marked as objectives.
    • Each temple will be guarded by a significant force of Aztec Warriors.
    • Strategy:
      • Approach each temple cautiously. Clear out the surrounding guards before attempting to "secure" it.
      • To secure a temple, you typically need to move John Black or a specific number of your units into its immediate vicinity.
      • Once secured, the temple will often provide a temporary buff to your units or reveal more of the map.
  • Uncovering the Artifact:
    • After securing a certain number of temples, the location of a key Aztec Artifact will be revealed.
    • This artifact is usually heavily guarded by elite Aztec units and possibly a unique hero unit.
    • Assemble your full force and approach the artifact's location. Engage the guardians, using all your abilities and unit strengths.
    • Once the guardians are defeated, move John Black to the artifact to collect it.
    • Collecting the artifact completes the mission.

A Pirate's Help

This mission requires you to establish a trading post network and then assist a pirate ally in a naval battle.

  • Establishing Trade Routes:
    • You start with a Town Center and some Villagers. Your initial objective is to build Trading Posts on several Trade Route nodes.
    • Train additional Villagers and assign them to gather resources (Food, Wood, Coin).
    • Send a Villager or John Black to scout the map and locate the Trade Route nodes.
    • Build Trading Posts on these nodes. Each Trading Post will generate experience points or resources over time.
    • Be aware that rival forces (often Spanish or Ottoman) may also attempt to build on these nodes, or attack your existing Trading Posts. Defend them with a small force.
  • Building a Naval Force:
    • Your pirate ally will eventually request naval assistance. This means you need to build a Dock.
    • Train a fleet of warships. Caravels are good all-around ships, while Galleons offer more firepower and transport capacity.
    • You will need a steady income of Wood and Coin to support your fleet.
    • Consider Home City shipments that provide naval units or naval upgrades.
  • Assisting the Pirate Fleet:
    • Once your fleet is ready, move it to the designated rendezvous point to join your pirate ally's ships.
    • You will engage an enemy fleet (usually Spanish or Ottoman).
    • Naval Combat Strategy:
      • Focus fire on one enemy ship at a time to sink it quickly.
      • Use your ships' special abilities if available (e.g., "Broadside" for Galleons).
      • Keep your ships grouped to concentrate firepower.
      • If your ships take heavy damage, try to pull them back to your Dock for repairs if possible, though this is often not practical in the heat of battle.
  • Destroying Enemy Naval Bases:
    • After the initial naval engagement, you may be tasked with destroying the enemy's naval base or Docks.
    • Use your combined fleet to bombard coastal defenses and Docks.
    • Land units (transported by Galleons) can be used to clear out any land-based defenses if necessary.
    • The mission concludes once the enemy naval threat is neutralized.

Spanish Treasure Fleet

This mission is a race against time to intercept and destroy the Spanish Treasure Fleet.

  • Establishing a Base and Economy:
    • You start with a small base. Immediately begin training Villagers and gathering resources.
    • The Spanish will be sending out patrols and potentially attacking your base, so build a small defensive force (Musketeers, Pikemen) early on.
    • Your primary resource focus should be Wood and Coin to build a strong navy.
  • Building Your Fleet:
    • Construct multiple Docks to accelerate your ship production.
    • Train a large fleet of warships. Galleons are highly recommended for their durability and firepower. Caravels can also be useful for scouting and supporting roles.
    • Home City shipments for "Naval Reinforcements" or "Advanced Naval Tactics" can be extremely beneficial.
  • Intercepting the Treasure Fleet:
    • The Spanish Treasure Fleet will appear on the map and begin moving towards an exit point. You have a limited time to intercept and destroy it.
    • Use John Black or a fast Caravel to scout the fleet's path.
    • Position your fleet to cut off the Treasure Fleet.
    • The Treasure Fleet will consist of several Galleons and possibly some Frigates, often accompanied by smaller escort ships.
  • Naval Battle Strategy:
    • Engage the Treasure Fleet with your full naval force.
    • Focus fire on one Spanish Galleon at a time to quickly reduce their numbers.
    • Use your ships' special abilities.
    • Be mindful of your ships' health. If a ship is heavily damaged, try to pull it back if possible, but the priority is to destroy the Treasure Fleet before it escapes.
  • Destroying the Flagship:
    • Among the Treasure Fleet, there will be a designated "Flagship" or "Treasure Galleon" which is your primary target.
    • Once the Flagship is destroyed, the mission is completed, even if other Spanish ships remain.

The Fountain of Youth?

This mission is the climax of Act I, involving a final confrontation for control of the Fountain of Youth.

  • Establishing a Stronghold:
    • You start with a well-established base, but you'll be facing heavy resistance. Immediately begin training Villagers and maximizing resource production.
    • Fortify your base with Walls, Watch Towers, and Outposts, especially on approaches where the enemy will attack.
    • Train a diverse army: Musketeers for general combat, Pikemen for anti-cavalry, and Cannons for siege and anti-artillery.
    • Utilize Home City shipments for powerful unit reinforcements or economic boosts.
  • Locating the Fountain of Youth:
    • The Fountain of Youth is located in a central, heavily guarded area of the map.
    • Use John Black to scout the area, but be cautious as it will be crawling with enemy units (often a mix of Spanish and Ottoman forces).
    • Identify the main defensive structures around the Fountain, such as Forts, Watch Towers, and Barracks.
  • Pushing Towards the Fountain:
    • Build a large, powerful army. Aim for 4-6 Cannons, supported by 20-30 infantry units (Musketeers, Pikemen).
    • Advance slowly and methodically. Use your Cannons to destroy enemy defenses from a distance.
    • Your infantry should protect the Cannons from enemy counter-attacks.
    • Expect heavy resistance, including enemy hero units, cavalry (Lancers, Spahis), and artillery (Falconets, Culverins).
    • Use John Black's abilities to turn the tide of engagements.
  • Securing the Fountain:
    • Once you've breached the outer defenses, push into the area surrounding the Fountain of Youth.
    • You will likely face a final, concentrated force of elite enemy units and possibly the main antagonist's hero unit.
    • Defeat all enemy units guarding the Fountain.
    • To complete the mission, you usually need to move John Black or a specific number of your units directly onto the Fountain of Youth itself.
    • Securing the Fountain of Youth completes Act I.