The New Atlantis Campaign

Welcome, aspiring Atlantean general, to a comprehensive guide for mastering The New Atlantis Campaign in Age of Mythology: Retold. This campaign, often introduced as a pivotal expansion, thrusts players into the shoes of the Atlantean civilization, offering a refreshing and strategically deep departure from the traditional Greek, Norse, and Egyptian playstyles. Forget everything you thought you knew about resource management and unit compositions; the Atlanteans demand a unique approach that rewards adaptability and aggressive expansion.

Unique Atlantean Mechanics & Campaign Integration

The Atlanteans are not just another civilization; they fundamentally alter the game's core mechanics, and the campaign is expertly designed to teach you these nuances. Understanding these differences is paramount to your success:

Automatic Resource Gathering from Settlements

This is arguably the most significant departure. Unlike other civilizations that require dedicated villagers to mine gold, chop wood, or farm food, Atlantean citizens automatically generate a trickle of all three resources simply by existing and being near a Settlement.
This frees up your citizens for construction, military production, or exploring.
The campaign missions will often challenge you to leverage this passive income by rapidly expanding your settlement network, making strategic placement of new Settlements a key objective.

Powerful, Evolving Hero Units

Atlantean heroes are not just strong; they are transformative. They gain experience from combat and can level up, unlocking new abilities and increasing their power.
This makes them invaluable assets in both offense and defense.
Early campaign missions will often center around protecting and leveling up your starting hero, Arkantos, as he becomes a linchpin of your forces. Prioritize keeping your heroes alive and engaged in combat to maximize their experience gain.

Favors from Temples

Instead of dedicated priests or specific actions, Atlanteans generate Favor passively from Temples.
The more Temples you control, the faster your Favor generation.
This encourages strategic placement and defense of these structures, often becoming critical objectives in campaign scenarios. Losing Temples can severely cripple your ability to train Myth Units and cast God Powers.

Citizen-Soldiers (Militia)

Atlantean citizens can be temporarily converted into military units (Militia) during times of crisis.
While not as strong as dedicated military units, this ability provides a crucial emergency defense or an unexpected offensive surge.
The campaign will present situations where this mechanic can turn the tide of battle, such as defending against a sudden raid or pushing for a final objective when your main army is depleted. Remember, converted citizens cannot gather resources, so use this ability judiciously.

God Powers & Myth Units

Atlantean God Powers often focus on empowering existing units or manipulating the environment, rather than summoning large-scale destructive forces.
Their Myth Units, like the Promethean and Caladria, offer unique tactical advantages, such as self-replication or healing.
The campaign introduces these units gradually, allowing you to experiment with their strengths and weaknesses against various enemy types.

Early Campaign Challenges & Strategic Advice

The New Atlantis Campaign begins by immersing you in the Atlantean way of life, often starting with limited resources and forcing you to adapt quickly. Here are some examples of early mission types and high-level strategies:

Mission Example: "The Sunken City" (Hypothetical Early Mission)

Objective: Establish a foothold on a new island, rescue Atlantean survivors, and secure ancient relics.

Challenges: Limited starting resources, hostile native creatures (e.g., Minotaurs, Cyclops), and rival human factions (e.g., Norse raiders).

Strategy Breakdown:

Initial Expansion: Immediately build a Settlement near your starting Town Center to boost resource generation. Prioritize food and wood for early citizen production and building construction. Aim for at least two Settlements within the first 5-7 minutes to establish a stable economy.
Hero Focus: Utilize your starting hero (likely Arkantos) to clear out initial threats and explore. Remember, he gains experience, so engage in combat whenever feasible. Use his special abilities (if unlocked) to deal with stronger foes or groups of enemies. Keep him healed by retreating to your Town Center or using healing Myth Units like Caladria later on.
Scouting: Send a scout unit (e.g., Oracle) to locate resource nodes, survivor groups, and enemy positions. Knowledge is power. Oracles are invisible to most enemy units until they get close, making them excellent for early reconnaissance. Identify choke points and potential enemy attack routes.
Early Military: Focus on a small, versatile military force. Prometheans are excellent early game myth units due to their ability to split into smaller, weaker versions upon death, effectively giving you more units for your investment. Combine them with Murmillos for a strong frontline. Train Turmas (Atlantean archers) to counter enemy flying units or ranged attackers.
Relic Retrieval: Relics often provide powerful global bonuses. Prioritize securing them once your base is stable. They might be guarded by strong myth units or enemy patrols. Send a small, dedicated force (hero + a few military units) to retrieve them.
Survivor Rescue: Rescued survivors often join your civilization as citizens or provide valuable information. Ensure your military escorts them safely back to your Town Center or Settlement.

High-Level Strategic Advice for the Campaign:

Embrace the Economy of Expansion

Unlike other civilizations, Atlanteans thrive on expansion. More Settlements mean more passive income. Don't be afraid to spread out, but ensure your settlements are defensible.
Aim to secure new Settlement locations as soon as your economy can support the initial investment. Each new Settlement significantly boosts your resource generation across all three types.
Consider building a Temple near each new Settlement to maximize Favor generation.

Leverage Hero Power

Your heroes are incredibly potent. Use them to lead assaults, defend critical positions, and take down enemy heroes or myth units.
Keep them alive at all costs; their experience is invaluable. Retreat them if their health is low, and use their unique abilities strategically.
As heroes level up, they gain significant stat bonuses and often unlock new, powerful active or passive abilities that can turn the tide of battle.

God Power Timing

Atlantean God Powers are often more subtle but can be game-changing. For instance, the "Shift Ways" power (from Kronos) can instantly teleport units, allowing for surprise attacks or rapid reinforcements. "Deconstruct" (from Oranos) can instantly destroy enemy buildings, opening up attack paths.
Master their timing for maximum impact. Don't waste powerful God Powers on trivial skirmishes; save them for critical engagements or objectives.
Pay attention to the specific God Powers granted by your chosen Major God and Minor Gods, as they will heavily influence your strategic options.

Adapt Your Army Composition

The campaign will throw diverse enemies at you. Don't stick to a single unit composition.
Research upgrades at your Armory and Academy to counter specific threats. For example, if facing heavy cavalry, train Turmas (Atlantean archers). Against massed infantry, Murmillos (Atlantean swordsmen) are effective.
Regularly scout enemy compositions and adjust your unit production queue accordingly.

Myth Unit Synergy

Atlantean myth units often have unique interactions. Prometheans are great for overwhelming numbers, while Caladria can heal your forces.
Experiment with combinations to find what works best against each mission's challenges. For example, a frontline of Prometheans supported by Caladria for healing and a few Behemoths for siege damage can be a formidable force.

Defense is Key

While Atlanteans encourage expansion, neglecting defense can be fatal. Wall off vulnerable areas, build Towers near key resource points, and keep a small garrison at your Settlements.
Utilize the Militia ability of your citizens for emergency defense, but remember to convert them back to resource gathering once the threat has passed.
Prioritize upgrading your defensive structures and researching defensive technologies at the Armory.

Common Pitfalls & Missables

Under-utilizing Heroes: Many players forget to actively use their heroes, missing out on crucial experience and combat power. Keep them in the thick of battle!
Neglecting Settlements: Not building enough Settlements early on will severely hamper your resource generation and slow down your entire economy. Aim for a steady expansion of your economic base.
Ignoring God Powers: Saving God Powers for "the perfect moment" can lead to them never being used. While timing is important, don't be afraid to use them to gain a significant advantage in a difficult fight.
Lack of Scouting: Going in blind can lead to ambushes or inefficient resource allocation. Always have at least one scout unit actively exploring.
Forgetting Upgrades: Unit and building upgrades at the Armory, Academy, and Town Center are crucial for maintaining combat effectiveness and economic efficiency. Don't fall behind on these.

By understanding these core mechanics and adopting a flexible, expansionist mindset, you will be well-equipped to conquer the challenges presented in The New Atlantis Campaign and lead your civilization to glory.

The New Atlantis Campaign — Age of Mythology: Retold Walkthrough