Age of Empires II: The Conquerors

***Age of Empires II: The Conquerors*** is the first expansion pack to the 1999 real-time strategy video game *Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings*. The fourth installment in the *Age of Empires* series by Microsoft Game Studios and Ensemble Studios, *The Conquerors* was released in August 2000. It features five new civilizations (the Aztecs, Mayans, Spanish, Koreans, and Huns), four new campaigns, eleven new units, twenty-six new technologies, new gameplay modes, new maps and different minor tweaks to the gameplay.

A second expansion, *The Forgotten*, was released on Steam in November 2013, more than a decade after the release of *The Conquerors*. In November 2015, another expansion was released, also on Steam, entitled *The African Kingdoms*. A third Steam expansion, entitled *Rise of the Rajas*, was released in December 2016. In November 2019, *Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition* launched with all previous expansions included, as well as a new expansion titled "The Last Khans". In January 2021, *Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition* released yet another expansion, "Lords of the West", adding the Sicilians and Burgundians.

## Gameplay

*The Conquerors* introduced various new gameplay features and tweaks, including the new game modes Defend the Wonder, King of the Hill and Wonder Race. Additional maps, some based on real-life geographic locations, and new winter and tropical terrain textures were also included.

In-game, infantry are now able to garrison in battering rams, protecting the infantry while increasing the ram's speed and attack, while ships are now able to use formations for more effective fighting. The graphics are left unchanged, but five new civilizations have been added: the Spanish, Huns, Koreans, Mayans and Aztecs. In addition to new units, the in-game upgrade lines have been extended to provide more unit choices. The Aztecs and Mayans lack the ability to train cavalry units, which is partially balanced by the fact that they start with Eagle Warrior infantry units, who have many of the advantages that cavalry have. Both civilizations also lack access to gunpowder units. The Huns are also unique in that they do not build houses to support their population, from the start being only limited by the fixed population limit of the game.

Micromanagement is made easier by an improved scripted artificial intelligence of villagers and siege weapons. Villagers will now automatically commence gathering resources if they have completed the construction of a resource-gathering site. Wall construction has also been improved: when assigning two or more villagers, they evenly spread out instead of working on the same segment. Similarly, if multiple farmers are sent to one farm, the surplus will start cultivating adjacent farms instead of idling. Mangonels and onagers will not automatically fire if their attack is likely to harm friendly units. Additionally, a button has been added to the mill, which allows farms to be paid for in advance, so that when an existing one is exhausted, it will automatically be replanted without requiring manual input from the player. Chat commands have been introduced in order to communicate more effectively with allied computer players.