Mission 2: The Lost Relic

Mission 2: The Lost Relic

Objectives: Protect the village, defeat the bandits, and reclaim the stolen tribute. This mission serves as a crucial tutorial, introducing players to the importance of Hero units, basic base management, and the strategic advantages of advancing through the Ages. Your primary goal is to recover the stolen tribute from the bandit camps and ensure the safety of your burgeoning settlement.

Walkthrough: Securing the Village and Advancing

1. Initial Setup & Resource Gathering:

   You begin with a small village and a few starting units, including your Hero, Arkantos. Immediately assign your Villagers to gather resources. Focus initially on Wood and Food. Wood is essential for constructing buildings, while Food is needed to train new Villagers and military units.

   • Food: Send Villagers to hunt nearby animals (e.g., deer, boar) or gather from berry bushes. Construct a Granary near these food sources for efficient collection.
   • Wood: Assign Villagers to chop trees. Build a Lumber Camp close to dense forests.
   • Gold: Locate the nearest Gold Mine and build a Mining Camp. Gold will become increasingly important as you advance and train more advanced units.

   Strategy Tip: Maintain a steady stream of Villager production from your Town Center. A strong economy is the backbone of any successful campaign.

2. Building a Temple and Advancing to the Classical Age:

   One of your immediate priorities is to advance to the Classical Age. This is achieved by constructing a Temple and then clicking the "Advance Age" button at your Town Center. Advancing to the Classical Age is critical in this mission for several reasons:

   • Unlocks Key Units: Advancing allows you to train more powerful military units crucial for combating the bandits effectively. Specifically, you'll gain access to the Barracks, enabling the production of Hoplites, and the Archery Range for Archers.
   • Myth Units: The Classical Age also unlocks the ability to train Myth Units, such as the Centaur (if you chose Hermes as your minor god) or Pegasus (if you chose Athena). These units offer unique combat advantages; Centaurs are excellent ranged cavalry, while Pegasus provide invaluable scouting capabilities.
   • God Powers: You will also gain access to your first God Power from your chosen minor god, which can turn the tide of battle or aid your economy.

   Recommendation: Aim to advance as soon as you have sufficient resources (usually 800 Food, 500 Gold, and a Temple built). Choose your minor god carefully based on your preferred strategy; Hermes offers strong offensive bonuses, while Athena provides defensive advantages.

3. Training Your Army:

   Once in the Classical Age, begin training a balanced army. A good composition for this mission includes:

   • Hoplites: Your primary melee infantry, strong against other human soldiers. Train these from the Barracks.
   • Archers: Essential for ranged support and dealing with enemy units from a distance. Train these from the Archery Range.
   • Arkantos: Your Hero unit. Arkantos is particularly effective against Myth Units and enemy Heroes. Utilize his special abilities wisely. Keep him at the front of your forces to absorb damage and boost morale.

   Strategy Tip: Focus on a balanced army of Hoplites and Archers. Hoplites will form your frontline, absorbing damage, while Archers provide crucial ranged damage from behind. Ensure your economy can sustain constant unit production to replace losses.

Reclaiming the Stolen Tribute: Bandit Camps

The stolen tribute is held by bandit camps scattered across the map. Your objective is to locate and destroy these camps to recover the tribute. There are typically two main bandit encampments you'll need to clear.

1. Locating the First Bandit Camp (Northwest):

   From your starting village, send Arkantos and a small scouting party (e.g., a few Archers) to explore the immediate surroundings, particularly towards the northwest. You will soon encounter the first bandit camp. This camp is usually lightly defended, consisting primarily of basic bandit units.

   • Enemy Units: Expect to face Bandit Axemen and possibly a few Bandit Archers.
   • Strategy: Use Arkantos to engage the stronger bandit units, while your Archers focus fire on any ranged threats. Keep your units grouped for maximum effectiveness.
   • Reward: Upon clearing this camp, you will recover a portion of the stolen tribute. Look for a glowing cart or chest that signifies the recovered goods.
2. Locating the Second Bandit Camp (Northeast/Eastern Plateau):

   After securing the first camp, regroup your forces and replenish any lost units. Your next target is typically located on a plateau or elevated area to the northeast or east of your village. This camp is usually more heavily fortified and may contain a bandit leader.

   • Enemy Units: This camp will feature a larger contingent of Bandit Axemen, Archers, and potentially a Bandit Leader. The Bandit Leader is a stronger unit with more health and damage, acting as a mini-boss.
   • Strategy: Approach with caution. Use your Archers to soften up the defenses from a distance. Once engaged, focus Arkantos and your Hoplites on the Bandit Leader to eliminate him quickly. Prioritize enemy ranged units with your Archers.
   • Warning: Be mindful of choke points and elevated terrain, which the bandits might use to their advantage. Use your ranged units to clear these areas before committing your melee forces.
   • Reward: Defeating the Bandit Leader and clearing this camp will secure the remaining stolen tribute, completing this objective.

Common Pitfalls and Tips for Success

• Economic Balance: Do not neglect your economy. Continuously train Villagers until you have around 10-15 on each resource type (Food, Wood, Gold) to ensure a steady income for unit production and upgrades.
• Scouting: Use your starting Scout Cavalry or a trained Pegasus (if available) to explore the map early. Knowing enemy positions and resource locations is a significant advantage.
• Hero Management: Arkantos is powerful but not invincible. Retreat him if his health gets low and allow him to regenerate. He can be healed at your Town Center or Temple.
• Unit Upgrades: research military upgrades at your Barracks and Archery Range. These can significantly boost your units' attack and defense, making battles much easier.
• Defense: While you are on the offensive, consider building a few Watch Towers around your village's vulnerable entry points. This provides early warning and some defensive capability against potential counter-attacks, though direct attacks on your base are rare in this specific mission.
• God Powers: Use your chosen God Power strategically. For example, if you chose Athena, her "Restoration" power can heal a large group of your units, which can be invaluable during tough engagements.

By following these steps, you will successfully recover the stolen tribute and complete "Mission 2: The Lost Relic," setting you up for the challenges ahead in Age of Mythology: Retold.