A good measure of an expansion pack is deciding how likely you are to play the base game with out it. In the case of Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion, my answer would be VERY UNLIKLEY! You would have to take this expansion away from me kicking and screaming.
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion is the official add-on to the award-winning, best-selling real-time strategy game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. There are so many improvements made with this pack, that I barley know where to begin. There are new civilizations, maps, game types, features, campaigns, and units. Let's begin with a look at the civilizations.
The Conquerors adds five additional civilizations to command, including the Hun, Aztec, Mayan, Korean and Spanish. Just like the 13 civilizations available in Age of Empires II, each civilization has unique attributes, buildings and technologies, as well as a unique combat unit based on its historical counterpart.
Take for example, the Aztecs. The Aztecs are one are the two new civilizations that make up the new Meso-American tileset (the Mayans are the other). Their bonuses benefit their infantry, monks, and team play. Their military are created 15 percent faster, monks get a +5 HP per monastery tech, and they get a team bonus of 33 percent more relic gold production. However, they don't have a good economy bonus. Their unique unit is the Jaguar Warrior. This unit is an infantry killer! The Jaguar Warrior gets +10 attack bonus versus infantry. Their unique technology is the Garland Wars. This technology allows the Aztecs to strengthen their infantry, giving them a +4 attack bonus. I consider the Garland Wars the best unique technology in the game. It improves the attack of pikemen, champions, eagle warriors, and jaguar warriors by +4. This means an Aztec eagle warrior does 9+8 damage, and a champion does 13+8 damage fully upgraded. That is a lot of power packed into a unit that costs 60 food and 20 gold! Overall this is an outstanding civilization. One obvious weakness of the Aztecs, however, is their lack of cavalry units. But this balance is what makes the game interesting.
To make gameplay more varied and competitive, several new maps have been added, including the rainforests of Yucatan and the waters of Ghost Lake. All-new Real-World Maps allow players to re-create classic conflicts in geographic areas such as Italy and Japan.
New units include the Hussar cavalry unit, the halbedier infantry unit, the turtle boat, and the petard, an explosive kamikaze siege unit. Among the unique combat units are the Aztec Jaguar Man, Mayan Plumed Archer, Spanish Conquistador and Hun Tarkan.
The four new campaigns focus on historical figures such as Attila the Hun, El Cid and Montezuma, allowing players to participate in the Hun's invasion of Europe, battle the Moors in Spain, preside over the siege of Tenochtitlan, or relive eight other battles that became turning points in history, such as Agincourt, Manzikert and Hastings, with such conquerors as Henry V, Yi Sun-shin and Erik the Red.
Players can invigorate their gameplay and experience a world beyond Deathmatch with compelling new games such as Defend the Wonder, King of the Hill and Wonder Race.
But some of the most compelling enhancements with this expansion are in the miscellaneous features of gameplay. For example, players can queue farms so they automatically replant after all the crops have been gathered. Ships move in formation, just like land units. Units can garrison inside Battering, Capped and Siege Rams for protection and to increase the ram's speed and attack. Villagers work smarter, build walls more intelligently and automatically gather resources after constructing a drop-off building. In muliplayer mode, players can use chat commands to order allied computer players to attack, pay tribute by offering resources, and build an economy or military.
This expansion pack is a little expensive. Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion will be available at retail locations throughout North America later this month for an anticipated street price of US$29.95. Overall, if there is an expansion pack out there worth this type of money it's The Conquerors.
-Jeff Patrick
Key Features
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion is the official add-on to the award-winning, best-selling real-time strategy game Age of Empires® II: The Age of Kings.
Focusing on legendary leaders, The Conquerors will challenge veterans and novices to wage war on an epic scale with all-new civilizations, unique units and technologies, and campaigns based on infamous conquerors such as Attila the Hun, El Cid and Montezuma.
Age of Empires II: The Conquerors Expansion is being developed by Ensemble Studios and features the expertise of Bruce Shelley, co-designer of Age of Empires.
Five New Historically Based Civilizations
In addition to the 13 civilizations available in Age of Empires II, The Conquerors adds five additional civilizations to choose and command, including the Hun, Aztec, Mayan, Korean and Spanish. Each civilization has unique attributes, buildings and technologies, as well as a unique combat unit based on its historical counterpart.
Four New Campaigns
The four new campaigns focus on historical figures such as Attila the Hun, El Cid and Montezuma, allowing players to ride alongside the Hun invasion of Europe, battle the Moors in Spain, preside over the siege of Tenochtitlan, or relive eight other battles that became turning points in history, such as Agincourt, Manzikert and Hastings, with such conquerors as Henry V, Yi Sun-shin and Erik the Red.
Eleven Entirely New Units
New units include the Hussar cavalry unit, the halbedier infantry unit, the turtle boat, and the petard, an explosive kamikaze siege unit. Among the unique combat units are the Aztec Jaguar Man, Mayan Plumed Archer, Spanish Conquistador and Hun Tarkan.
Twenty Six New Technologies
While the standard technology tree boasts more than 100 nodes, players now can opt for additional technologies such as caravans, herbal medicine, the thumb ring, heresy, bloodlines and theocracy. In addition, each civilization will have access to new unique technology, such as Chinese Rocketry, Japanese Kataparuto, British Yeomen and Persian Mahouts.
Challenging New Game Choices
Players can invigorate their gameplay and experience a world beyond Deathmatch with compelling new games such as Defend the Wonder, King of the Hill and Wonder Race.
Different Map Types
To make gameplay more varied and competitive, several new maps have been added, including the dense rainforests of Yucatan and the frozen waters of Ghost Lake. All-new Real-World Maps allow players to re-create classic conflicts in geographic areas such as Italy and Japan.
Farms that Automatically Replant
Players can queue farms so they automatically replant after all the crops have been gathered.
Ship Formations
Ships move in formation, just like land units.
Ram Garrisioning
Units can garrison inside Battering, Capped and Siege Rams for protection and to increase the ram's speed and attack.
Commands for Allied Computer Players
Players can use chat commands to order allied computer players to attack, pay tribute by offering resources, and build an economy or military.
Multiplayer Game Support
Internet play for up to eight players.
Create an Account
Member Login
