Clearing the Road
Clearing the Road is an Age of Empires III scenario in Act I: Japan (scenario 3), set in 1600. The player commands Japanese.
Scenario setting & objectives
The required goals are Keep at least one Trading Post alive; Gain control of all 3 Trading Sites on the Tōkaidō Road. (1200 XP); Maintain control of the road for 5 minutes. (8000 XP) (Alternatively, destroy Ishida's base to the Southeast.). Optional goals include Destroy Ishida's Tower by the Wokou Docks. (800 XP); Find and Destroy the Enemy Barracks and Stables. (1000 XP).
Mission approach
Scout the target and its approach, then preserve enough of the starting army to finish the required assault. Track the explicit survival or deadline condition throughout the mission; optional fighting can wait if it risks that requirement. Take optional objectives when they add useful allies, routes, resources or reinforcements without putting the primary goal at risk.
Control the Tōkaidō trade route
Clearing the Road is the third scenario of Act I: Japan in The Asian Dynasties, set in 1600. General Kichiro leads an exhausted army west to seize the Tōkaidō supply route from Ishida Mitsunari. The player starts with Kichiro, four Ashigaru Musketeers, ten Yumi Archers, eight Villagers, an Orchard Rickshaw, Shrines, a Barracks, a Trading Post and a tower. The primary objectives are to keep at least one Trading Post alive, capture all three Trading Sites along the road and hold the route for five minutes; destroying Ishida’s southeastern base is an alternate way to finish the hold objective. Two secondary goals award experience for destroying the tower by the Wokou Dock and finding enemy Barracks and Stables. The three Trading Sites are the key to victory. Capture them with Trading Posts and keep the route secure while the timer runs. Ishida’s bases sit on or near the required sites and include Ashigaru, Samurai, Castles and Towers, so clear the defenders before sending a Villager to build. A pre-existing player Trading Post must survive; if the enemy destroys it, the primary objective fails even if the other sites are held. Keep troops near each site and use Kichiro’s force to respond to raids rather than spreading the small army across the whole map. The map has a large eastern landmass and a narrow western island with resource chests. Villagers can gather the island’s Coin and other resources, while Squid and Catfish offer fishing opportunities. The Wokou Pirates control a coastal Dock, two Fishing Boats and a Tekkousen. Destroying the nearby enemy tower transfers these assets to the player, turning a secondary objective into naval access and a useful coastal foothold. Watch the island landings, because enemy troops can attack Fishing Boats and Settlers from both land and sea. The northeast contains Ishida’s optional Barracks and Stables. Destroying them completes the secondary objective and transfers the buildings to the player. It can reduce the pressure of later attacks, but it is not required if the trade route is safely held. The bridge and route network shape movement, so scout the enemy before committing the Yumi Archers or Villagers to an isolated Trading Site. Ashigaru and Samurai defend the important positions; use Yumi to soften infantry and keep melee units from reaching them. The most direct plan is to reinforce the initial base, capture each Trading Site and defend all three for five minutes. The alternate base destruction path can be faster if the player has sufficient siege and has neutralized the eastern defenders, but the enemy’s buildings and forces make it a larger commitment. Preserve at least one Trading Post throughout both plans. Clearing the Road is a control-point scenario: success comes from securing the route and preventing Ishida from reclaiming it, rather than defeating every force on the map.
Keep Trading Posts alive while rotating defenders
The road objective requires three controlled Trading Sites and at least one surviving Trading Post, so keep a Villager available to rebuild a contested site and a combat group close enough to protect it. The five-minute hold is easier when the army rotates between sites instead of chasing Ishida’s units across the map. Use Yumi Archers to damage Ashigaru and Samurai from behind a screen, and retain Ashigaru Musketeers to stop melee units from reaching them. The narrow island and coastal sites create separated approaches; leave a small garrison at the most vulnerable post while the main group handles the next attack. If the optional Wokou tower is destroyed, the Dock and ships become an extra route for reinforcements and fishing. The northeast Barracks and Stables objective can reduce later pressure, but requires a detachment that may leave the road temporarily exposed. Choose that route only after two Trading Sites are secure or the enemy army is occupied. The alternate victory condition—destroying the southeastern base—should be attempted only if the player has siege power and enough defenders to keep the Trading Post alive during the attack.
Alternate attack timing
Destroying Ishida’s base in the southeast can replace the five-minute route hold, but it requires a coordinated siege and leaves Trading Posts exposed during the push. Secure the three sites first, then choose whether the direct attack is safer than defending the timer.
Preserve the initial force
The opening army has to both take Trading Sites and resist later attacks, so avoid trading experienced Ashigaru and Yumi for minor treasure rewards. Use Kichiro to scout and draw enemy attention while Villagers build behind the military screen. Keep at least one Trading Post alive until the objective completes.
Hold the Tōkaidō Trade Route for five minutes
General Kichiro’s army is exhausted after the previous fighting, and the objective is to take the Tōkaidō route from Ishida. Keep at least one Trading Post alive, gain control of all three Trading Post sites for 1,200 XP, then hold the road for five minutes for 8,000 XP. Destroying Ishida’s southeastern base is an alternate way to satisfy the control objective. The optional Tower near the Wokou Docks and enemy Barracks and Stables can reduce pressure on the route. Secure the posts first, then place defenders where they can respond to attacks on more than one socket. Do not leave a single post as the only surviving route anchor without a reserve nearby. The mission’s XP rewards make the control period valuable, but the base-destruction alternative may be safer if Ishida can repeatedly retake the road.