Age of Mythology - The Titans 1.0 serial key or number

Age of Mythology (PC) & The Titans (PC) The Complete Strategy Guide Version: 0.7 - 03/03/05 By Jim Chamberlin red_phoenix_1@hotmail.com =========================================================================== << Disclaimer >> This document may be freely distributed so long as it is not edited or or altered in any way, I am given credit, you do not charge for viewing this guide; this includes, but is not limited to websites, cds, dvds, magazines, etc. This document was made for personal use only. No part of this document may be copied or used in any form of media without the express written consent of Jim Chamberlin. Unauthorized use of any information herein is a direct violation of Copyright Law, and legal action will be taken. This document is Copyright © 2005 Jim Chamberlin. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Age of Mythology, and Ensemble are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries/regions. =========================================================================== << Online References >> Microsoft's Official Site http://www.microsoft.com/games/ageofmythology Ensemble Studios http://www.ensemblestudios.com/ Through The Ages http://www.throughtheages.com/ Age of Mythology Heaven http://aom.heavengames.com/ =========================================================================== Contacting Me =========================================================================== I am NOT hiding any information, however if your question has not been properly answered in this FAQ, email me. Be sure to read through the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, as that is where I answer questions that either will or have made me answer multiple times. When emailing me, put "Age of Mythology" or "AOM" in the Subject. Doing that will get you a faster reply...hint, hint. If you don't want to use email, an alternative is a message board. Below is an address for the Age of Mythology and Titans message boards on GameFAQs. There are others who visit that forum, who I am sure can and will help answer any question you may have. http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/gentopic.php?board=476277 http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/gentopic.php?board=914617 I would also recommend checking out Age of Mythology Heaven and Through The Ages (web addresses listed in the "Online References" section just above) for additional help. They have their own message boards with more gamers than that of GameFAQs. If you have a strategy or tip for Age of Mythology, please feel free to submit it, by emailing me. As mentioned above, please include "Age of Mythology" or "AOM" in the Subject Line. If your tip is used in this guide, you will be given credit. If you don't want your Email-Address listed in this guide, for fear of getting SPAM, please mention this in your email, and I'll happily just include your name/alias. =========================================================================== Author's Notes =========================================================================== Over time, links or URLS (Uniform Resource Locators) may become out-of- date. Unfortunately, this does tend to happen with the Internet, so I must remind you that the addresses originally in this document did in fact work. If you find a link that doesn't work properly, please let me know, and I'll see if I can either find a replacement for it, or include some sort of notice stating the problem. Also, over time, Ensemble Studios releases patches, which can cause some changes to things like the stats of units, buildings, etc. Please take this into account when looking at them; I am not likely going to be able to keep up with all of the patches. =========================================================================== Revision History =========================================================================== Version 0.7 - Mar 03, 2005 - 747 KB Added a Frequently Asked Question, and added two stategies from Hiram Jones. =========================================================================== Table of Contents =========================================================================== Overview Age of Mythology Features Age of Mythology: The Titans Features Basics Resources Titans Cultures Greek Mythology Egyptian Mythology Norse Mythology Atlantean Mythology Greek Buildings Egyptian Buildings Norse Buildings Atlantean Buildings Greek Units Egyptian Units Norse Units Atlantean Units General Technologies Tips and Strategies Relics Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Appendices Hotkeys Cheats Links Revision History Final Words... =========================================================================== Overview =========================================================================== Ensemble Studios released Age of Mythology on October 29, 2002 as yet another great title. Some call this a sequel to Age of Empires II - it kind of is and isn't. While the technology and ideas within Age of Mythology are certainly greater in comparison to that of Age of Empires II: Age of Kings, it does not follow the time line where AoE II left off; it's for this reason, and this reason only that I don't consider Age of Mythology, or AoM, a sequel to AoE II. After a successful launch of Age of Mythology, Ensemble Studios developed and released an expansion pack, called "The Titans", which only further added to the addictive and exciting gameplay of that found in Age of Mythology. A little further down in this guide, you'll be able to learn about what was added with the expansion pack. =========================================================================== Age of Mythology Features =========================================================================== Age of Mythology preserves the familiar elements popular in previous Age of Empires games. Wonders, civilization bonuses, technology trees, resource gathering, empire building, and large armies clashing on fields of battle are all at the heart of the game. At the same time, a number of entirely new gameplay features are introduced, making for a fresh, original experience: * God Powers - These rare and powerful gifts grant players the powers of the gods several times during each game. * Mythological Units - Each with their own special ability, these scarce units can be added to a player's armies to change the character of the fighting force. * Multiple Ways To Advance Ages - Players now get to choose different ways to advance though the ages, each providing a different set of bonuses. * Highly Differentiated Civilizations - Age of Mythology builds on the civilization differentiation featured in Age of Kings and features civilizations that play dramatically different from one another. * Graphics worthy of the gods – Age of Mythology features beautiful environments, buildings, units and special effects rendered in full 3-D using Ensemble’s revolutionary game engine. Hundreds of unit animations bring the game world to life, as players see units fighting using a variety of attack and defense maneuvers. In addition to beautiful cascading waves and lifelike terrain, the special effects in Age of Mythology include waterspouts, infernos, lava, tornadoes, earthquakes and smoke with astonishing levels of detail. * A game for everyone – Age of Mythology offers diverse game modes and a variety of settings for novice and experienced real-time strategy fans alike. In-game cinematic scenes create a seamless, story-based and character-driven campaign. In addition, Age of Mythology is easy to learn and use with an intuitive, streamlined interface. * Replayability - The game offers more than 15 map types, 13 game variants and five starting conditions in its multiplayer lineup. Nine highly differentiated civilizations and the inclusion of a random map generator keep gamers coming back to play. * To Hades and back – Players can now petition the gods for favors in the game. Persuade Ra to strike an enemy’s city center with a meteor; enlist Thor to trap opponents in a snow squall; or beg Poseidon to swamp an attacking fleet. Players reinforce their armies with Minotaurs, griffons, giants, Cyclops and many other mythological creatures. In addition, players can seek out hidden treasures like the Golden Fleece and Hades’ Helm of Invisibility while traveling through underworld domains, rough seas or a vast desert. * Divine gameplay true to the Ages – Age of Mythology preserves many familiar elements from the Age of Empires games – including wonders, technology trees, ages and civilization bonuses – while enabling skill-based combat decisions. Smarter units allow players to make better use of inherent strengths and terrain advantages. =========================================================================== Age of Mythology: The Titans Features =========================================================================== Age of Mythology: The Titans adds a fourth mythology, the Atlanteans, to the existing Greek, Egyptian and Norse mythologies in Age of Mythology. A new single-player campaign will add yet another chapter to the expansive panoply of ancient folklore along with the addition of new scenarios. Atlantean players will be able to call upon the might of the Titan gods (such as Atlas and Cronus) multiple times throughout the game, and may also upgrade human units to heroes. The expansion pack will introduce 12 new god powers, 15 new human units and 12 formidable myth units to the game. * Atlantean mythology - Take advantage of unique cultural attributes, god powers, myth units and much more to dominate your opponents. Use your Titan god powers multiple times to demolish the opposition, promote selected units within the culture to hero status, and reap the benefits of a culture with new features, such as the ability to control time and space. Explore new maps and expand the "playground of the gods." * An extended story line - The Titans adds new scenarios to explore and conquer. In-game cinematics help to integrate and further enrich the game’s story. * A new victory condition - Create a Titan unit that dwarfs everyone else; wreak havoc and rain destruction on enemy civilizations. * Additional powers, heroes and mythological units - The Titans brings the ancient world to life in more detail than ever before with exciting gameplay elements and characters. The expansion pack will unveil the incredible powers of the Titan gods, which can be unleashed by the Atlanteans who worship them. In addition, new myth units and human units allow gamers to build their civilization and go into battle in a nearly infinite number of ways. =========================================================================== Basics =========================================================================== This section is or those of you who have never played an "Age" game, as this is a very basic summary of the game. In Age of Mythology, you start off with a few villagers and some resources (food, gold, and wood). You may also get a scout or military unit, depending on what culture you choose at the beginning of the game. You also have God Powers. What God Powers you have will not only depend on what culture you choose, but what Gods you choose. The God Powers can range from a power that can damage buildings and units, to one that will create a large gold mine. You take your villagers and create an economy, which at the very beginning is often limited to food, gold, and wood. Your villagers can chop wood, kill animals to get food, and mine for gold. Over time you will expand your empire, creating towers, walls, and military units, advance in Ages allowing you to choose new Gods and gain access to new units and technologies to further advance your empire. There are obviously a variety of strategies you can take on, but I'll get into that a bit later in this guide. =========================================================================== Resources =========================================================================== A person's resources are the single most important thing in Age of Mythology. If you don't have sufficient resources, you cannot build an effective economy to support any sort or military force, or even advance to the next Age. AOM has four main resources: food, wood, gold, and Favor. Each culture has its own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to collecting these resources. FOOD ---- Food is a universally needed resource in the game. The food is needed to build nearly all units, especially the ever-important villagers who do the gathering of the resources. Food can be collected in several ways, such as farms, hunting, foraging, fishing, and herding. Most of these are pretty self-explanatory, but the herding should be elaborated on a bit. The herdable animals are spread around on your map. I recommend using either a scout or fast military unit (cavalry, preferably), depending on what you have. Your enemy can steal your animals, so keep an eye on them. The herdables tend to fatten up over time, so once you've gotten them back to your Town Center, don't kill them immediately - wait a bit. Here's a few figures which show how much food you can gather from them. ANIMAL INITIAL AMT FATTENED AMT Goat 50 300 Pig 50 300 Cow 75 400 GOLD ---- Much like food, gold is needed quite often, usually with researching technologies and military units. Building a large military force can be quite expensive! Your villagers gather gold from mines, which do tend to vary on size. If you choose Thor, you have the ability to create your own mine, instead of relying on natural ones. Norse Dwarves gather gold faster than most units for other cultures. WOOD ---- Wood isn't needed as quite as much as Food and Gold, but is with respect to buildings and some military units. The military units that require large amounts of wood, are Archers and Siege Weapons. FAVOR ----- Favor is the new resource in the game. Favor is needed for your Mythological units as well as for the improvements/technologies offered by the Gods. Each culture gains Favor in their own unique ways. You can learn about this in the "Mythology" sections below. As you can see, the various types of resources are unique in the way they are obtained, but also when it comes to be used. I can't tell you which resources you need to focus on in each game, because it's impossible. Your strategy for any given game will dictate the way you will need to focus your economy. This will likely be discussed further along in this guide. =========================================================================== Titans =========================================================================== The most unique unit of the game was added in the expansion pack, the Titan. Each culture has their own Titan. They're pretty much unstopp- able unless you use another Titan, although mythological units and Heroes can do a bit of damage since the Heroes have bonuses. Gaia, the Mother Earth goddess, created Oranos, the god of the sky, and mated with him, thereby producing the first immortals - the Titans. The twelve Titans were equally divided between males (Lapetus, Hyperion, Oceanus, Coeus, Creus, and Kronos) and females (Phoebe, Rheia, Theia, Mnemosyne, Tethys, and Themis). In addition, Gaia gave birth to other creatures, including the Cyclops and the Hecatoncheired (hundred-headed giants). Oranos hated Gaia's children, however, and hid them within Mother Earth, causing her great pain and suffering. Kronos, the youngest of the Titans, eventually overthrew his father and freed his siblings, though he kept the other creatures imprisoned. The Titans and their children (including Prometheus, Atlas, Hekate, Selene, and Helios) then ruled the universe. At this time humankind was created and Atlantis was founded. All was not harmonious, however. Kronos took his sister Rheia as his wife. Fearing a prophecy that his own offspring would turn on him, as he had turned on Oranos, Kronos swallowed his children as they were born. Rheia gave birth to her sixth child, Zeus, in the dead of night and fooled Kronos by giving him a stone to swallow. Zeus was then entrusted to Gaia until grown, at which point he returned and forced Kronos to regurgitate the five older children (and the stone). A war, called the Titanomachy, broke out between Zeus and his generation against many of the older Titans. At the request of Gaia and to aid his cause, Zeus freed the Cyclops, who forged Zeus' thunderbolts, Hades' helmet of invisibility, and Poseidon's trident. The struggle raged for ten years, and the earth shook and burned as huge rocks crashed into it and thunderbolts ignited forests. Some surmise that Atlantis was destroyed in this struggle, perhaps for siding with the Titans against Zeus' confederacy. As the climax of the war approached, Zeus recalled the wishes of Gaia and returned to the Underworld to free the Hecatoncheired. Maddened by their long imprisonment at the hands of the Titans - first Oranos, and then Kronos - they unleashed a storm of rocks that ended the war. Zeus condemned to Tartarus, the Titans who stood against him and the Cyclops, fashioned a series of gates and walls to hold them. Zeus also placed the Hecatoncheires as their guards. Zeus and his generation took over the universe and ruled from Olympus. Thus all the gods of the universe were the progeny of the Titans and ruled in peace only so long as the Titans remained imprisoned. But there remained in the world both mortals and immortals who continued to plot revenge. =========================================================================== Cultures =========================================================================== In Age of Mythology, we have three different cultures to choose to play with, the Greeks, Egyptians, and Norse. The expansion pack, Titans, added an additional culture, the Atlanteans. Each of these cultures is unique in many, many ways. In each of the cultures, as you progress through the Ages, you have are given options as to which Gods you choose to play with. Each God brings different bonuses and abilities to your culture. All four cultures have three Major Gods in the beginning to choose from, and as you progress, are able to choose from a variety of Minor Gods. Greeks ------ Of the four cultures, the Greeks are one of the easiest to learn. I found that it was the easiest to transition to, from Age of Empires II. Villagers construct buildings and gather resources, just as in AoE II. The Greeks have a very diverse military compared to the other cultures. The military units are very strong, but a bit on the expensive side (you get what you pay for, eh?). The Greeks start off with a free Kataskopos, a cavalry scout unit. Put him to good use early on in your game(s) by looking for settlements, new food and gold sources, enemy locations, and perhaps even steal enemy domesticated animals. Each Major Greek God gives you four (or in the case of Poseidon, five) Heroes. Heroes are created at the Town Center. You get a new Hero with each Age-advance. The Greeks are the only culture to have direct control over the rate at which they can gain Favor from the Gods. Greeks gain Favor by worshipping at a Temple; the more worshippers, the faster your Favor will increase. The Temple allows you to research several units and technologies, which require Favor, in addition to the typical calls for Gold & Food. If you choose Zeus, you start off with Favor, gain Favor faster, and have an increased Favor cap of 200. Egyptians --------- When you think of Egyptian history, you're more likely to think of things made of gold than wood. This is something the developers of Age of Mythology took into consideration (you won't need to do a whole lot of wood chopping, compared to other cultures). In fact, you'll find that several Egyptian buildings are Free, but the Egyptians build them slower. The Pharaoh can empower the building to increase the building speed. Unlike the Greeks, for instance, the Egyptians can begin farming in the Archaic Age, as opposed to the Classical Age. The Egyptians have several benefits that encourage a defensive game style. The Egyptians have a unique military unit, the Mercenary, which is a great fighter, but will die after 30 seconds or so. The Egyptians have two Heroes, the Pharaoh and Priest. The Pharaoh features several unique abilities, the most important being the ability to empower a building. This empowerment acts as a bonus of sorts, but the effect really depends on the building that is empowered at the time. A Monument, for instance, will gain Favor much faster than if it weren't empowered. Norse ----- With the Greek culture, its villagers gather the resources, but with the Norse culture, they have two groups (gatherers and Dwarves) to collect the Wood, Food, and Gold. Greek villagers also are tasked with constructing the various buildings needed, but the Norse are a bit different here as well. The Norse infantry, who not only have to fight battles, are tasked with the construction of the buildings. The Norse have a rather unique unit, the Ox Cart. Instead of building a stationary resource drop-off point, such as a Storehouse, or Lumber Camp, for instance, the Ox Cart acts as a mobile resource drop-off point. The Ox Cart can save you time and resources this way; just imagine the time and cost it would save you from using the Ox Cart as opposed to building the numerous stationary resource drop-off points around your big piece of land. Instead of worshipping at a Temple to gain Favor, like the Greeks, the Norse gains Favor by hunting and engaging in war. Norse Hero, the Hersir, is able to gain Favor faster than the other units. Atlanteans ---------- The Atlanteans, much like the Norse, benefit in resource gathering because the villagers don't need to walk to a resource drop- off point, because they have pack donkeys to drop their resources in (Norse have Ox Carts). To balance this, the developers have made the Atlantean villagers more expensive to create. Unlike the other cultures, the Atlanteans don't have the Hero units but rather have the ability to turn a unit into a Hero. This is, however, a very expensive thing to do, so you will want to use this power sparingly. Try to use this when its incredibly important, such as you're being attacked by a large force of Mythological units; your newly-upgraded (Hero) units will benefit from their bonus damage against those Mythological units. Unlike the other cultures, the Atlanteans don't gain Favor from the Gods by worshipping at a Temple, for example, but rather by constructing new Town Centers atop Settlements. If you build two new Town Centers you will gain Favor faster than you build just one, so you should consider expansion. =========================================================================== Greek Mythology =========================================================================== Each Major Greek God gives you four (or in the case of Poseidon, five) Heroes. Heroes are created at the Town Center. You get a new Hero with each Age-advance. The Greeks are the only culture to have direct control over the rate at which they can gain Favor from the Gods. Greeks gain Favor by worshipping at a Temple; the more worshippers, the faster your Favor will increase. The Temple allows you to research several units and technologies, which require Favor, in addition to the typical calls for Gold & Food. If you choose Zeus, you start off with Favor, gain Favor faster, and have an increased Favor cap of 200. Gaea, or the earth, was the first deity of the Greek cosmological order, born of the chaos that reigned before life. She gave birth to Uranus (the heavens), and together they conceived giants, cyclopses, and titans. Uranus was not pleased with his monstrous offspring, so he locked all his children away deep within the earth. And Gaea was not pleased with Uranus for this. So she enlisted the titan Kronos to attack his ungrateful father and seize power. But Kronos was an even less tolerant father than Uranus, and was soon dealt the same blow by his own son Zeus. And with Zeus' ascension to power, so begins the Greek era of the Olympians. Now controlling the entire cosmos, Zeus decided to divide the spoils between his brothers Poseidon and Hades. The drawing of lots decided that Zeus would retain his title as ruler of the gods, while Poseidon would take possession of the seas. Hades was left with control of the underworld, and felt slighted, but there he ruled nonetheless, an angry and jealous deity. Meanwhile, Zeus' marriage to Hera (the goddess of marriage and community) was not going well. His many affairs left her as angry and jealous as Hades, but she never openly challenged Zeus, and took her frustrations out upon other enemies instead. Still, the pair had many children. Zeus showed open favoritism toward Athena, who became the goddess of wisdom and warfare. Unlike her brother Ares (the god of warfare), Athena was judicious and benevolent, choosing her battles to promote civilization and advancement. To Ares it was irrelevant which side prevailed in a battle; he only wanted ample bloodshed to assuage a violent nature. Ares even took his children - Phobos (fear), Deimos (terror), and Enyo (horror) - into battle with him. But Ares was cowardly and quick to flee when things turned against him, and was even publicly mocked by his own brother Hephaestus. Hephaestus (god of the forge and blacksmiths) had caught Ares having an affair with his wife. While said to be the ugliest of all deities, somehow Hephaestus married Aphrodite, the very goddess of love and beauty. But she rarely reciprocated his love, preferring instead the war god, Ares. Meanwhile, Zeus continued to have extramarital trysts of his own, many of which bore offspring - most famously Artemis (goddess of archery) and Apollo. God of wisdom, truth, music, the sun and among other things, healing, Apollo proved to be one of the most revered Olympians. A childhood act of goodwill set the precedent for Apollo: a giant serpent called Python greedily guarded the Oracle at Delphi (a well from which sprang prophecies of the future). The serpent ravaged the nearby countryside, poisoning rivers and wells, destroying crops, and razing entire villages. The young Apollo defeated Python and liberated the Oracle. Despite his good nature, Apollo was not always treated with respect, especially by his half-brother Hermes. Fleet of foot with winged sandals, Hermes was the messenger to all Olympian gods. But he was mischievous as well - and even while still wrapped in swaddling, he stole cattle from Apollo. Apollo demanded their return, but ended up giving in to Hermes as a result of his skill of the lyre. Hermes thus became the god of music. In any case, Zeus did not limit his trysts to goddesses - mortal women also appealed to him. One such mortal was Semele, whom Zeus "visited" in the night as a divine presence. Semele did not know who the father was, but was pleased to have coupled with deity, and bore the child Dionysus, god of wine and celebration. This naturally disturbed Hera, whose jealousies over Zeus' affairs never abated. She convinced Semele to uncover who the father was, even while knowing that no mortal woman could survive an encounter seeing Zeus in the flesh. Semele was killed. But Hera was not yet satisfied, and even had Dionysus murdered. Rhea brought him back to life and Zeus was forced to enrage Hera further by extending Dionysus divine protection. The following chart reveals the Minor Gods from which you must choose, according to your Major Gods, at each Age advance. MAJOR GOD CLASSICAL AGE HEROIC AGE MYTHIC AGE Zeus Athena, Hermes Apollo, Dionysus Hephaestus, Hera Poseidon Ares, Hermes Aphrodite, Dionysus Artemis, Hephaestus Hades Ares, Athena Aphrodite, Apollo Artemis, Hephaestus Below are the Greek Major & Minor Gods. ZEUS ---- Description: The youngest son of the Titans Kronos and Rheia, he was hidden by his mother when Kronos learned of the prophecy that one of his sons would supplant him as ruler of the world. When fully grown, Zeus forced his father to regurgitate his other children that he had swallowed, and then Zeus led a revolt against the Titans, who were banished to Tartarus, below even the underworld. Zeus and his two brothers drew lots to decide each god’s part of the world. Zeus drew the heavens, and supreme rule over all the gods and humankind. Zeus was always considered a weather god, with lightning, thunder, rain, and thunderstorms attributed to him. Later he became associated with justice and the law. He could shape-shift, taking the shape of any object or living thing, and he used this ability in his seductions. Although he took his sister Hera as his wife, he seduced many other goddesses and mortal women, siring many children who became prominent in Greek mythology. There were many statues erected in Zeus’ honor, the most magnificent being the colossal statue of Zeus at Olympia, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Olympic Games were held originally in his honor. Bonuses: Greeks start with 15 Favor with a cap at 200 Villagers generate Favor 37.5% faster Hoplites move 12% faster Infantry do twice the damage to buildings Bolt God Power - Bolt of lightning that kills single unit instantly |_ Zeus's God Power calls a bolt from the heavens to smite any single unit, except for Titans, Transports, and Ox Carts. To use Bolt, select the Bolt icon at the top of the screen, and then left-click the unit that you want the bolt to strike. You must have line of sight to the unit. Olympic Parent Improvement - Heroes receive 25% Hit Point Bonus |_ Many Greek heroes were half-mortal children of the Olympians, the Greek gods. Zeus was the most notorious philanderer in the Greek pantheon and sired many of the gods themselves -- and some of the most famous heroes of Greek mythology: Heracles, Perseus, the twin Argonauts Castor and Pollux. These heroes accomplished amazing tasks because of their divine heritage, but often faced divine wrath when the gods fought amongst themselves, as they often did, striking out at the children of their enemies. ATHENA - Classical Age ------ Description: The goddess of wisdom, crafts, justice, and war, she is often associated with a shield for war, the owl for wisdom, or the olive tree. When Athena and Poseidon vied to be the patron of a prominent city, they held a contest to see who could give the city the finest gift. Poseidon provided a well, but it produced salty water. Athena gave the olive tree that provided food, oil, and wood. The city took the name Athens. Athena had a prominent role in Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, serving as Odysseus’ patron throughout his long voyage. In addition to sponsoring warriors and heroes, she introduced many skills necessary for civilization. In an unusual but not unique birth, she sprang from Zeus’ head fully grown and ready for battle. Legends say that Zeus had prevented a normal birth of a son with Athena’s abilities, who he feared would unseat him. Although she was a protector of human heroes, she maintained a distance from male gods whom she perhaps found unworthy of her. Athena’s companion was Nike, the goddess of victory. Restoration God Power - Heals friendly units/buildings in the target area. |_ Athena's healing touch affects all allied units and buildings in a small area. As long as the light shines down, units in the area will regain hitpoints. To use Restoration, left click on the Restoration icon, then target anywhere on the map. Using Restoration during a fight can prolong the life of your armies. Using it while a town is under attack can save your buildings. "Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back. Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness!" -- Homeric Hymn to Athena Minotaur Mythological Unit |_ King Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull as a sign he was fit to rule Crete. He promised to sacrifice the animal, but when it appeared, he kept it for his own. In retribution, Poseidon caused Minos' wife to fall in love with the bull. Their offspring was the Minotaur, a beast with the head of a bull and the body of a man. Minos had a huge labyrinth constructed under Crete where the Minotaur could be kept. Each year seven boys and seven girls were sent into the maze to be eaten by the beast. Eventually the Minotaur was slain by Theseus who unraveled a ball of twine as he moved into the labyrinth so he could find his way out. The legend of the minotaur may have originated because of the important of the bull in Minoan ritual. Minoan buildings were adorned with bull horns, and their hourglass shields covered with bull hide. Early frescoes show Minoan youths leaping over the horns of bulls as a form of sport. Aegis Shield Improvement - Infantry have -10% Pierce Vulnerability |_ The Aegis was a magical shield that officially belonged to Zeus, but he usually allowed his favorite child, Athena, to carry it. The shield was fringed and covered with scales and often adorned with a medusa head. It may have been the shield Perseus used to reflect the Medusa's image, thereby avoiding her gaze. Some myths depict the Aegis as a cloak, or a shield that could convert to a cloak. Like much of the armament of the Olympians, it was forged by Hephaestus. Sarissa Improvement - Hoplites have -10% Hack Vulnerability |_ Although often referred to as the goddess of wisdom, Athena's realm more accurately extended to technology, and the development of the sarissa qualifies as one of the greatest achievements in military technology. While Greek infantry used 8-10' long spears for centuries, Alexander the Great refined its use for the Greek phalanx, creating a 16-20' long, two-handed pike called a sarissa. Macedonian phalanxes armed with sarissas dominated Mediterranean warfare until the rise of Rome. Labyrinth of Minos Improvement - Minotaurs cost -25% Food and have +40% HP |_ Minos, the Minoan king of Crete, imprisoned the minotaur in a complex labyrinth designed by Daedalus, the famous Athenian inventor. The labyrinth was so skillfully designed that none could escape before they were devoured by the minotaur. None but Theseus, that is, who, aided by Minos' daughter Ariadne, was able to find his way by unraveling thread to mark his route. Minos was so enraged that he imprisoned Daedauls in the labyrinth, but Daedauls escaped by fashioning bird wings of wax. Upon his death, Minos was made one of the judges of Hades. The Minoan palace at Knossos had an elaborate floorplan and may have led to the myth of the labyrinth. HERMES - Classical Age ------ Description: The messenger of the gods, Hermes wore a winged cap and winged shoes. He presided over shepherds, trade, land travel, literature, athletics, oratory, and even thieving -- any activity requiring agility. He was known for his cunning and shrewdness, and as the inventor of the lyre, the flute, and the pan-pipes. He is credited with the invention of foot-racing, wrestling, and boxing. He guided the souls of the dead to the underworld. In early accounts he is a patron of fertility or luck. Later he was associated with roads. Road markers, called herms, bore a representation of Hermes. Similar markers outside homes warded off evil. He used his ingenuity to save heroes on several occasions, including Odysseus twice. Ceasefire God Power - Stops all combat for 60 seconds |_ Ceasefire prevents all combat on the entire map for its duration. Enemy units will not be able to damage your units or buildings. In addition, no one can build any building that attacks, though other types of buildings are allowed. To call a temporary Ceasefire, left click the Ceasefire icon and then left click anywhere on the map. Centaur Mythological Unit |_ Half-man and half-horse, Centaurs are usually seen with torso and head of a man and the body of a horse, but different descriptions exist. They were notorious for showing up uninvited to outdoor celebrations (for a creature that large they seemed to have had trouble holding their liquor) and for abducting women, especially young maidens. Because of their drunkenness and inclination toward violence, most were driven to the mountains of Thessaly. Chiron, the centaur that educated Achilles was an exception. Centaurs are usually depicted carrying a bow. Spirated Charge Improvement - Cavalry have +10% Speed/Attack |_ Hermes was known for his speed and athleticism and was said to have invented the race as a competitive sport. Statues of Hermes were positioned at gymnasiums and stadiums throughout Greece. Greek cavalry could not truly charge, as their saddles did not have the stirrups which allowed later medieval cavalry to brace the impact of a lance against the weight of a mount. Sylvan Lore Improvement - Centaurs have +25% HP, +30% Speed |_ Although Hermes was associated more with music and travel than with sylvan environment, he was the father of Pan (with Dryope), who was the Greek god of wooded areas and fields. Pan's mother fled at the sight of him, but Hermes took Pan up to Olympus, where he entertained the gods as a jester. Winged Messenger Improvement - Pegasus costs 0 Food, has +6 LOS, Trains 50% | Faster |_ Hermes was the messenger of the gods, a job made easier by the winged sandals that Hermes wore. He lent the sandals to Perseus when the hero fought the sea monster that threatened Andromeda. APOLLO - Heroic Age ------ Description: The god of music, archery (only as sport), medicine, colonization, herds, and divination, he represents many of the better qualities of humankind, including order, intelligence, rationalization, and an appreciation for the finer things. He could cause or cure the plague. He established the oracle at Delphi and perhaps the city of Troy. He is often perceived as the perfect male. Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were fathered by Zeus and born of the Titan Leto, necessarily incurring the wrath of Zeus’ wife Hera, who did all she could to prevent the twins from being born. Apollo was also well known for his love affairs with beautiful mortals of both sexes, including among them Calliope, Coronis and Daphne. Apollo's Oracle at Delphi was well known throughout the Mediterranean. Apollo is closely associated with the sun, or at least with Helios, the Greek sun god. Underworld Passage God Power - Allows units to travel between two points | on the map instantly |_ Apollo's God Power creates a permanent (until destroyed) tunnel through the Underworld, which may be used to travel almost instantly from one point to another on the map. To use the Underworld Passage, left click on the Underworld Passage icon, then left click where you want one end of the passage to be. Left click again in a different location to place the other end of the Underworld passage. Place one end in your town and the other end in an ally's town to allow quick reinforcements and speedy retreats. Use it to circumvent walls and defenses or even place one end deep in enemy territory for a sneak attack. The passage remains in place as long as the entrance and exit are intact. Manticore Mythological Unit |_ The Manticore probably came into Greek mythology from Persia and originated in tales about far away and exotic India. The beast had the body of a red lion, a human face (with blue eyes and human ears), three rows of teeth, a stinging poisonous tail, and poisonous spines that could be shot like arrows in any direction. Its voice was like a mixture of pipes and trumpets. It was fast and capable of great leaps. When villagers vanished without a trace, it was believed they were devoured by a manticore. Oracle Improvement - All units and buildings gain +6 LOS |_ One of the reasons for Apollo's prominence in Greek mythology was his Oracle at Delphi, who could predict the future. Apollo established the oracle when he rid Delphi of the serpent, Python. Apollo dedicated a bronze tripod to the sanctuary there, and bestowed divine powers on the priestess. The priestess, known as the Pythia, would chew on laurel leaves and inhale the hallucinating vapors issuing from the temple floor, while mumbling prophecies that had to be translated by attendant male priests. Sun Ray Improvement - Archers, Centaurs and Manticores gain +10% attack |_ Apollo was known as "Phoebus," the "radiant," and had a close connection to Helios, the sun god. Apollo is often shown holding a bow and arrow symbolizing the sun's rays, as he was the god of archery (as art, not for warfare or hunting). Temple of Heating Improvement - Temples heal a single unit at a time |_ Idle units heal much faster than those moving or engaged in combat. Some units, such as undead, Titans, or the dragon, Nidhogg, cannot be healed. Apollo was the father of Asclepius, the god of medicine, whose symbol, the cadeuses, is still used as a symbol for medicine today (though is often portrayed as the winged staff of Hermes's, not the serpent-entwined staff of Asclepius). "I begin to sing of Asclepius, son of Apollo and healer of sicknesses. In the Dotian plain fair Koronis, daughter of King Phlegyas, bare him, a great joy to men, a soother of cruel pangs. and so hail to you, lord: in my song I make my prayer to thee!" --Homeric Hymn XVI DIONYSUS - Heroic Age -------- Description: The god of wine, the theater, agriculture, the fertility of nature, and mysteries, he is usually seen with grape vines, ivy, or a panther. Unlike most Greek gods, who are normally portrayed as bright creatures of the light, Dionysus is mysterious and shadowy. His followers revel in mad behavior, drunkenness, and death. Because of his differences, Dionysus may have been a melding of Greek and Asian attributes. He was the patron of the Maenads, wild women who worshipped him and roamed the mountains shouting and hunting wild animals. He was also the patron of mystery cults, of which we know very little today. The greatest mystery associated with Dionysus is that at one point he was believed slain, but then reborn, a very unusual circumstance for an immortal god. Bronze God Power - Increases the armor of mortal units for a little while |_ This Heroic Age God Power temporarily armors units in the area with solid bronze, making them nearly invulnerable to enemy weapons for a short time. Enemies are not affected. To use Bronze, select the Bronze icon at the top of the screen and left click near the units you want bronzed. Hydra Mythological Unit |_ Another of the fierce offspring of Echinda and Typhon, the Hydra was a large serpent with multiple heads and poisonous breath. Killing the Hydra near the city of Lerna in Argolis was the second of Heracles’ twelve tasks. Each time he cut off one of the Hydra’s heads, however, two more grew back. A nephew helped him by cauterizing each wound as a head was lopped off. The last head was immortal, so Heracles buried it under a large rock. Once the beast’s body was dead, Heracles dipped his arrowheads into its blood, giving them extra potency. Scylla Mythological Unit |_ A terrifying sea monster with six serpent heads and a ring of barking dogs around her waist, Scylla guarded one side of the straits of Messina, between Sicily and Italy. The dogs alerted her when a ship was passing so she could seize sailors. Scylla was originally a beautiful nymph who was transformed by the jealous sorceress Circe. Anastrophe Improvement - Pentekonters have +20% attack, move 10% faster | and train 25% faster |_ The anastrophe was a surprise maneuver used by Trireme captains to suddenly change directions and attempt to ram. Bacchanalia Improvement - Improves the HP of all units by 5% |_ As god of wine, Dionysus' festivals with his followers were full of joy and celebration. However, there was a darker side to these events as well. Dionysus was also representative of untamed natural forces, and in a drunken, wild state, Dionysus' followers would be driven to bloody deeds and kill with their bare hands.