Introduction to Campaigns

Introduction to Campaigns

Welcome, aspiring conqueror, to the heart of Age of Empires IV: its captivating campaigns! These narrative-driven journeys offer a rich blend of historical immersion, strategic challenges, and opportunities to master the unique mechanics of various civilizations. Unlike Skirmish or Multiplayer modes, campaigns guide you through a series of interconnected missions, each with specific objectives, starting conditions, and often, pre-set units or limited resources.

Campaign Structure and Progression

Age of Empires IV features several distinct campaigns, each focusing on a particular civilization or historical period. For instance, the English Campaign chronicles the Hundred Years' War, while the Mongol Campaign follows the rise of Genghis Khan. Each campaign is divided into multiple scenarios, typically ranging from 5 to 10 missions. You must complete missions sequentially to unlock the next, gradually increasing in complexity and difficulty.

• Learning Campaigns: While Age of Empires IV doesn't have a direct "Ascent of Egypt Learning Campaign" like its predecessors, the initial missions of each civilization's campaign often serve as excellent tutorials, introducing core concepts like resource gathering, unit production, and basic combat. Pay close attention to in-game prompts and objectives during these early stages.
• Historical Campaigns: These are the main narrative arcs, offering a deep dive into historical events. Expect diverse objectives, from defending a stronghold to conquering enemy territories or achieving specific economic milestones.

Preparing for Your First Campaign

Before diving into your chosen campaign, a little preparation goes a long way. Understanding the basics will significantly improve your chances of success.

1. Understanding Your Civilization

Each civilization in Age of Empires IV possesses unique strengths, weaknesses, and special units/technologies. Familiarize yourself with these before starting a campaign:

• English: Known for their strong defensive capabilities with network of castles and powerful Longbowmen.
• Mongols: Highly mobile and aggressive, excelling at early raids and resource denial with their nomadic playstyle.
• Delhi Sultanate: Focus on research and powerful War Elephants, though their early game can be slower.
• Rus: Strong hunting economy and unique early game units like the Warrior Monk.

Consult the in-game Civilisation Guide or external resources to get a quick overview of your chosen faction's distinct advantages.

2. Mastering Core Mechanics

Even if you're a veteran of RTS games, Age of Empires IV has its own nuances. The campaigns are designed to teach you these progressively, but a refresher on fundamental concepts is always beneficial.

• Resource Management:
  • Food: Gathered from Sheep, Deer, Berries, Farms, and Fishing Boats. Essential for Villagers, military units, and advancing through Ages.
  • Wood: Gathered from Trees. Used for buildings, siege weapons, and some units.
  • Gold: Mined from Gold Veins, traded at Markets, or collected from Relics. Crucial for advanced units, technologies, and Age-ups.
  • Stone: Mined from Stone Deposits. Primarily used for defensive structures like Stone Walls and Keeps.
• Villager Management: Your Villagers are the backbone of your economy. Ensure they are constantly gathering resources. Prioritize Food and Wood early on to establish a stable economy and produce more Villagers.
• Age Advancement: Progressing through the Dark Age, Feudal Age, Castle Age, and Imperial Age unlocks new units, buildings, and technologies. Each Age-up requires specific resources and the construction of a Landmark.
• Basic Combat: Understand the unit counter system (e.g., Spearmen counter Cavalry, Archers counter Spearmen). Proper unit composition and micro-management are key to victory.

Actionable Walkthrough Steps for Early Campaign Missions

While specific objectives vary, many early campaign missions follow a similar pattern. Here's a general strategy to get you started:

Phase 1: Establishing Your Economy (First 5-10 Minutes)

1. Initial Villager Assignment:
   • Immediately assign your starting Villagers to gather Food from nearby Sheep or Berries.
   • Queue up additional Villagers from your Town Center. Never stop producing Villagers until you have a robust economy (aim for 50-80+ in later stages).
2. Scouting: Use your starting Scout to explore the immediate area. Locate additional Food sources (Sheep, Deer, Berry Bushes), Woodlines, Gold Veins, and Stone Deposits. Identify potential enemy locations or choke points.
3. Building Foundations:
   • Construct a Lumber Camp near a dense Woodline.
   • Build a Mining Camp near a Gold Vein.
   • Place a Mill near Berry Bushes or, once you've exhausted nearby Sheep, begin building Farms around it.
   • Don't forget Houses to support your growing population!
4. Early Military (if applicable): Some early missions might require immediate defense. If so, produce a small contingent of basic military units (e.g., Spearmen or Archers from a Barracks or Archery Range) to protect your Villagers from early raids or wild animals.

Phase 2: Advancing and Expanding (Next 10-20 Minutes)

1. Feudal Age Advancement: Once you have sufficient Food and Gold, research your first Age-up to the Feudal Age. Choose a Landmark that best suits your immediate needs (e.g., a defensive Landmark for protection, or an economic one for resource boost).
2. Expand Resource Gathering: As your population grows, establish more resource drop-off points (Lumber Camps, Mining Camps) closer to new resource patches. Begin transitioning to Farms for a sustainable Food income.
3. Develop Your Military:
   • Build a Barracks, Archery Range, and/or Stable as needed based on mission objectives and enemy composition.
   • Start building a balanced army. Don't just mass one unit type.
   • Research early military upgrades at the Blacksmith (e.g., Melee/Ranged Attack, Pierce/Melee Armor).
4. Map Control: Use your military to secure key areas on the map, especially resource-rich locations or strategic choke points. Consider building Outposts for early warning and defense.

By following these foundational steps and adapting to the specific challenges of each mission, you'll be well on your way to mastering the campaigns of Age of Empires IV. Good luck, Commander!