Expanding an Empire

Expanding an Empire

Wolffelden: Dracorian must be defeated! In order to stand against his strong army, you will have to establish a powerful military branch in Wolffelden. The Werewolf inside the Enchanted Forest might be a useful ally.
After his defeat in Moorach, Dracorian returns to his Stronghold and begins building a new army. While Princess Zoé proved more resourceful than expected, Dracorian intends to put a stop to her conquest in Wolffelden. Facing a well-equipped and crafty adversary, Zoé and Bors must move quickly or suffer defeat.

Enemy Forces

Dracorian

Dracorian begins the map with one General and seven soldiers.

Starting Resources

Wood  15    Plank  20    Stone  20
Coal  20    Iron  05    Gold  10
Coin  05    Grain  10    Flour  5
Bread  15    Animal  10    Meat  5
Garment  5    Jewelry  5    Weapon  3
Tool  30

Established Production Chains

None
Overview
Friendly Sectors: 1
Enemy Sectors: 3
Neutral Sectors: 6

Event Location: Enchanted Forest

As soldiers, traders, and clerics are each used to satisfy Quest requirements, the Enchanted Forest is the first complete Event Location of the map. Impress the Werewolf of Wolffelden to earn passage through the Enchanted Forest, wreak havoc on your enemies, or capture the only static Victory Point on the map.

Top Dog

Defeat the Werewolf’s private army and make yourself top dog. To prove his respect for you, he will gladly use his enormous lungs to create a disastrous Thunderstorm in your most successful enemy’s territory.
Base Army: Pikeman  5, Musketeer  5
Reward: Thunderstorm

Event Location: Enchanted Forest

I Do Not Like Vegetables

The Werewolf has recently had bad luck hunting and hasn’t eaten in days. Send him Meat to fill his hungry belly and you will be rewarded with a Victory Point.
Base Requirement: Meat  10
Reward: Victory Point

Private Lessons

The Werewolf has acquired a lot of wisdom over the years, but he still can’t read or write. Send him some clerics to teach him literacy and he will thankfully grant you Free Passage through his sector.
Base Requirement: Novice  3

Reward: Free Passage

This is the first map that must be won by Victory Points. To complete the map, the player must win and hold three of six available Victory Points.

Banker
Field Marshal
Sun King
Emperor
Special Sector
Enchanted Forest (Static)

At the start of play, Dracorian’s armies begin conquering the neutral sectors adjacent to his empire, claiming both the Special Sector and Emperor Victory Points quickly. With a victory requirement of only three Victory Points, Dracorian is positioned to deliver a quick defeat.
Dracorian’s rapid expansion also places him ahead in the race for Prestige, and his superior resources allow him to gain Prestige Levels at an alarming rate—as such, the battle for Wolffelden hinges on the Sun King Victory Point.
The Prestige Extensions provided by branch buildings are by far the best way to keep pace with Dracorian’s progress, so keep an emergency supply of Stone available at all times.

The town sector provides several Stone Piles, but additional sources should be developed as quickly as possible.
Researching the Exercise, Forced March, and Ornamentation Technologies provides a total of four Prestige Levels, and offers reasonable incentive to develop early cleric production. Remaining technologies are also useful, but Prestige and Coin production should be your focus early in the map.
The nearby Port should be used to establish trade as quickly as possible. Along with providing the Coin needed for soldier production and the Banker Victory Point, a strong Garment production chain provides a convenient source of other basic resources. Quickly establish the Stone Trading Outpost to support Prestige Objects and Street Upgrades.
Starting with this map, the Stronghold Upgrade can be unlocked through the Prestige Tree. A fully upgraded Stronghold can produce Cannons and Standard Bearers in addition to Pikemen, Musketeers, and Cavaliers.

This map also offers the first opportunity to hire new Generals from the Tavern.
Dracorian’s rapid expansion claims most neutral sectors very quickly. The strategic importance of Trade requires that you secure access to the Port as early as possible.
Draconian employs several different tactics, and a balanced economy allows you to address each threat as it arises—it’s worth noting, however, that the Sun King, Banker, and Enchanted Forest Victory Points can all be claimed without constructing a Stronghold or Church.

Construct a Branch Building

With no established production chains, the large army provided at the start of play should be used to gain Prestige Levels and claim essential resources as soon as possible. Send your General to attack the neighboring sector to gain access to Coal, Iron, and Gold.
The terrain makes it difficult for Cavaliers to surround defending soldiers and often results in heavy losses.
As the battle resolves, establish basic production chains in your town sector. Stone, Wood, and Animal are available, and should be gathered as quickly as possible.
Construct a Mountain Shelter and Quarries near the provided Stone Piles, and place a Storehouse nearby.

Use all three Mountain Shelter work yard slots. Stone is essential early in the map.
A small gap in the town wall provides easy access to the nearby forest. Build a Lodge with Woodcutter, Sawmill, and Hunter work yards. Use another Storehouse to speed production.

As new workers arrive in the mining sector, your population nears the maximum living space available. Place a Noble Residence near the Lodge and attach a Butcher’s work yard. Five units of Meat are provided in your main Storehouse, so place the Butcher on a Fancy Food boost as soon as you’ve built the Noble Residence.
As soon as your army has captured the Iron and Coal Mines to the northwest, unlock the Stronghold, Export Office, and Church option from the Prestige Tree.

As long as at least five Cavaliers remain in your army, send your General to capture the sector to the east. This sector secures Port access, and should be fortified when resources become available.
Your main Storehouse already contains a small supply of Garments and Jewelry, both of which can be traded for Coin at the Port. Select a location in your town sector for the Export Office. Keep in mind that extension slots will need to be used immediately after construction, so allot a large portion of the town sector when constructing early branch buildings. Additionally, laying out a small Garment production chain near the Export Office allows for much faster trades. The area directly in front of your Castle works well, and eventually should include all buildings needed for Garment production:
Farm  1
Residence  1
Noble Residence  1
Shepherd  1
Weaving Mill  1
Tailor  1
Well  1
Storehouse  1
Use the Logistics panel to ensure that the Export Office is given top priority while developing your economy. Begin training Hawkers as soon as the Export Office is complete, and allow all other buildings to be constructed as new resources become available.

While the Export Office is under construction, take a moment to open the Victory Point menu and select the Sun King Victory Point to monitor Dracorian’s Prestige Level.

Once the Export Office has been completed, place Prestige Extensions to claim the Sun King Victory Point and stay ahead of Dracorian’s current Prestige Level. As Stone becomes available, finish establishing Garment production by constructing the remaining buildings.
Unlock all Prestige Tree options as they become available, with an emphasis on Street Upgrade, Storehouse Upgrade, and Geologist. Upgrade new Storehouses, but make sure to reserve Stone for Prestige Extensions.

Unlock the Constructor and Residence Upgrade options to increase living space as Stone becomes available. Continue building Prestige Extensions as necessary, while establishing new production chains.

Develop Your Economy

To quickly establish production chains, choose Conquest and Population Rewards that provide Stone or Planks.
Head to the mining sector to build an additional Lodge with Woodcutter work yards. Once you establish Wood production, knock down the town sector Woodcutter to make room for a second Sawmill. This not only doubles Plank production, but preserves the town sector Hunting Grounds.
Victory should be possible using only established Plank, Stone, and Garment production chains. While expanding your economy, remember that Prestige and Trade should be your top priority. Place new buildings, while monitoring the Sun King Victory Point, and begin training Hawkers
as soon as the Export Office is complete.
Only a small amount of Plain Food is provided at the start of play, so establish a Bread production chain in the town sector. Initial supplies of Grain and Flour allow a Bakery to begin producing Bread immediately, so place all buildings as quickly as Stone supplies allow. Reposition Grain Barn work areas away from the Export Office before Grain Fields are planted.

Place required buildings and work yards near the town sector Stone Piles to begin Bread production:
Residence  1
Farm  1
Bakery  1
Grain Barn  2
Windmill  1
Storehouse  1

With only one Windmill, your Bakery efficiency will suffer. However, this small production chain should keep pace with Plain Food consumed by the Tailor.
Begin Beer production in the remaining area near your Castle. Church construction should be delayed until additional sources of Stone have been established, but early Beer production allows Novices to be trained as soon as the Church branch building is available. Make use of the Residence provided at the start of play when placing Beer production chain buildings:
Farm  1
Grain Barn  3
Brewery  2
Well  1
Storehouse  1
Be sure to take advantage of all three Farm work yard slots to produce Grain. Aside from maintaining the efficiency of your Beer and Bread production chains, surplus Grain can later be used to produce the horses required by Cavaliers.

Train two Hawkers at the Export Office to begin developing trade. Use the Port to trade stored Jewelry and remaining Garments.
Once initial trades have been completed, send both Hawkers to establish the Stone Trading Outpost.
Train additional Hawkers to trade for Stone as new Garments are produced. Upgrade all Residences and Storehouses as resources are brought into your economy through production and trade.
By now Dracorian has claimed the Emperor and Special Sector Victory Points. Thanks to large Prestige Extensions, the Sun King Victory point remains in your possession. Deliver required Meat to the Werewolf to complete the “I Do Not Like Vegetables” Quest to win your second Victory Point.

Build Your Army

Any soldiers trained or hired apply toward the Field Marshal Victory Point, so focus on quickly producing less expensive soldiers. Construct a Stronghold in the town sector, and prepare resources for Pikeman production.

Place the Stronghold near the Butcher for easy access to Meat supply.
All Plain Food produced is used to support the Tailor work yard. Establish an alternate Food while the Stronghold is constructed. Produce additional Hawkers to establish the Trading Outpost for Bread.
Coin  2 = Bread  4
Use trade to gather a large supply of Bread, and maintain Coin supply by continuing regular Garment trades.

Your main Storehouse provides only five Weapons, and additional Weapons must be created within the economy. Use the mining sector to gather Coal and Iron Ore. Include an Iron Smelter to process Iron needed for Weapon production. While a single Mountain Shelter will suffice, take full advantage of the Geologist Prestige Tree option by building additional Miners.
In addition to the Coal consumed by the Iron Smelter, Coal is required for Musketeer and cannon production. Coin produced by a Mint requires additional units of both Coal and Food, so ignore the Gold Mine and depend on trade for Coin production. Use the space appropriate for Gold Miner work yards to construct additional Coal or Iron Miners. Use this  area to establish a large mining operation:
Mountain Shelter  3
Coal Miner  4
Iron Miner  3
Iron Smelter  1

Use the last available Mountain Shelter work yard slot for a second Iron Smelter if you’re establishing Tool or Wheel production. Otherwise, an additional Coal Miner is the best use of space.
Designate at least two Geologists for each. Multiple Geologists ensure that mines won’t deplete, and they offer an excellent source of Stone.
Construct a new Noble Residence near the Stronghold, and attach a Blacksmith as Iron production begins.
Most production chains should be running well, but Wood supplies are likely running low by this point. Wood is required for Weapon production and should be carefully managed. If Plank supplies are sufficient, set both Sawmill work yards to “On Demand.”

Bread and Coin should be at the ready, and Weapons are now in production. Before training soldiers, build a Church to take advantage of available Technologies. Hygiene increases living space to accommodate the coming soldier production, and Geology increases the output of all mining operations. Be sure to research Exercise, Forced March, and Ornamentation if Dracorian has invested in further Prestige Levels.
Be sure to stop trading Beer while the Church is constructed. Trade for additional Bread as required.

Produce Pikemen at the Stronghold as Weapons become available. Use the Victory Point menu to check Dracorian’s Coin and Soldier status to ensure Coins are not wasted on overproduction.
As long as the Sun King, Banker, and Field Marshal Victory Points are kept out of Dracorian’s reach, there is no way to lose the map. Claim and hold any three Victory Points to complete the map.