RR’s Report: The Demo Campaign
How I Learned To Love Hercules
The Zeus demo consists of 1 adventure, split into 3 parts. You start off in Mycenae, part 1. There’s already some kind of a settlement there when you arrive but, quite frankly, I was less than impressed. I therefore tore out all the housing and put in a single, consolidated housing block between the fleece and cheese industries. A few months into the mission, the city of Taphos will appear on the map, and will (a couple of months later) provide you with the wine needed to summon Hercules.
Why do you need Hercules? Well, a year or so after starting, a Hydra will appear in your city. It’ll pretty much stick to the top-left of the map, so don’t build anything there and you’ll be ok. When it appears, you’ll be given the chance to build the Hero’s Hall for Hercules, which requires the following things to happen before Herc will appear in your city:
- Good culture access around the hall
- Victory in and Pan-Hellenic game
- Excellent city-wide gymnasium access
- 1,500 people in the city
- 32 amphorae of wine in your city’s storehouses
When he appears, he’ll go to his hall, but will make a beeline immediately afterwards for the Hydra, and bash it senseless. To send Herc on his quest (he has to capture the Erymanthian Boar (not to be confused, of course, with the Erymanthian Bore)), however, you’ll need to press the “-” button, and click on the green box which appears. Select Hercules, and click the dispatch button and Bob’s your uncle, the mission will be all but over. If you should find yourself getting quite high unemployment, then just build a few artisans’ guilds (25 workers for a 2×2 building).
Colony time now, as we reach Aegyrus. The marble you need is in the bottom-left; the copper in the top-right. Wheat farms provide the food you’ll need, and you can requisition fleece and money from Mycenae (the former you won’t need, the latter you almost certainly will). Taphos will start to get a bit tiresome, and will demand plenty of marble and bronze from you. Don’t bother about coughing up, though – Taphos will become your enemy whatever you do, so just concentrate on getting out of Aegyrus, back to Mycenae.
Once the 24 marble and 8 bronze have been sent, you’ll find yourself back in Mycenae, for part 3. Trade for all it’s worth with your new colony to get some money (fleece initially, and Aegyrus will but cheese by the end of the mission). Remember to put in a Storehouse to accept the 24 marble and 8 bronze which will arrive from your new outpost. Place Aphrodite’s Sanctuary as soon as you can, since Hermes won’t waste any time before attacking you. Avoid buying bronze and marble – after all, what’s the point when you can barter for it? Keep some fleece and food in reserve ready to send to Aegyrus when it’s required.
Hercules will be needed again, this time to complete Aphrodite’s quest. 1 raid on Taphos will get the wine needed to summon Hercules (I decided to get Herc before launching my full-frontal attack). Taphos was subdued after all other goals had been fulfilled, and I used troops from 10 mansions, with help from Aegyrus and Hercules.
When the 3 mission goals have been met, you can sit back and bask in the reflected glory of having been victorious. Then you can grab your coat, and head down to the shops to pick up a copy of Zeus: Master of Olympus ;).
Happy Gaming!
Angel Reckless Rodent