Location: River Thames, Britannia.
Date: July 20, 54 BC.

Objectives:
- Defeat Cassivellaunus.
- Protect the Roman encampment.
- Caius Crastinus must survive.
- Commius must survive.

Unit Control Points: 363/500.
Troop Control Points: 17/50.
Starting units: Auxiliary Infantry (30), 2x Auxiliary Archers (30), Caius Crastinus (Centurion, level 0), Centurion (level 0), Commius of the Atrebates (Chieftain, level 0), 3x Equites (12), Hawk Scout, 4x Legionaries (30), 2x Spearmen (30), Wolf Scout.
Available units: Archer Cavalry, Auxiliary Archers, Auxiliary Infantry, Balearic Slingers, Equites, Hawk Scout, Legionaries, Physician, Spearmen, Wolf Scout.
Available construction: Ballista, Battering Ram, Catapult, Defensive Tower, repair.

                                  .-'-.
                               .-'  _  '-.
                            .-'    |5|    '-.
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                      .-'        .         ~ ~ ~'-.
                   .-'         .   . .   ~ ~  _    '-.
                .-'      .  . .         ~  . |4|  ~   '-.
             .-'   .  .        .    ~ ~  .      ~  6     '-.
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            '-.  . . . .        . ._ .            . . . .          ~    '-.
               '-.       . .      |2|             .        8     ~     .-'
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                        '-.      9    ~        .           ~  .-'
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                                    '-.     |1| ~.-'
                                       '-.     .-'
                                          '-.-'
 _
| | = Village/barracks (may include various defenses).
. . = Path (minor pathways not shown).
~ ~ = River, sea or lake.
] [ = Bridge or location for bridge.
                                                                          

1 = Roman Encampment. Population 200. Start location.
2 = Chichester (Atrebates). Population 100.
3 = Durovernum (Cantiacum). Population 100.
4 = Camulodumun (Trinovantes). Population 100.
5 = Verulanium (Catuvellauni). Population 200.
6 = The Altar of the Trinovantes.
7 = The Altar of the Atrebates.
8 = The Altar of the Cantiacum.
9 = Forest path.

First and foremost you must guard your encampment (1 on the map above). This will be attacked at regular intervals. The majority of enemy will approach along the path from the north-east. However, a small proportion will attack using the forest path from the north-west (shown 9 on the map above). The Catuvellauni are the most frequent attackers, typically sending ground troops, but sometimes Catapults or cavalry. Watch out for German Cavalry approaching from the north-west - German Cavalry are the only cavalry capable of riding through woodland.

The mission brief hints at the possibility of destroying temples belonging to the allied tribes. The three altars are shown 6-8 on the map above. Altars are destroyed by attacking them, preferably with melee troops. Once the altar has fallen the relevant tribe becomes neutral. Neutral tribes will not send troops to attack and allow your troops to march around their villages. It is possible to attack and capture or destroy the relevant tribe's village, and ignore the altars completely. Such attacks require more combat and the villages themselves have little strategic value: You should have no difficulty recruiting enough troops using the starting encampment.

The Cantiacum altar (8 on the map above) can be taken without engaging nearby defenders, so long as one approaches directly from the west. The Trinovantes altar (6 on the map above) is slightly tougher because the woodland surrounding the path to . the altar contains various enemy units, including Berserkers. It is virtually impossible to attack the Atrebates altar (7 on the map above) without the village defenders responding. The most effective method seems to be to attack it with several units, while others hold off the first few enemy to respond. The altar should be destroyed before most of the village's defenders reach the battle, and once the altar is destroyed the tribe turns neutral so the battle ceases.

With all the allied tribes turned neutral, move your forces up to the river in preparation for the final assault on Cassivellaunus at Verulanium (5 on the map above). Two groups of troops are able to prevent raiders from slipping across the river, hence removing the need to defend your encampment directly. The final attack should be straightforward, just watch out for the War Chariots - I guess the Catuvellauni hired some Egyptian mercenaries. Cassivellaunus should be lurking somewhere in the village - kill him to finish the mission.

Written by timski