Saratoga
Saratoga is the fifth scenario of Act I: Fire in The WarChiefs, set in 1777 as Burgoyne’s British invasion pushes through the Champlain Valley. The scenario is a race to establish three Forts before the British complete theirs, turning a historical campaign of stretched supply lines into a contest over construction sites and timing.
Scenario setting & objectives
The required goals are to destroy three British Fort Wagons and build three Forts before the British do. Optional objectives reveal Kuechler’s bridge and allow its destruction to delay his arrival. Protect builders and Fort Wagons while advancing toward the needed sites; delaying the enemy’s construction buys time, but does not replace completing your own Fort count.
Mission approach
Scout the Fort locations immediately and start construction as soon as the economy can support it. Guard builders and wagons instead of sending the entire army after optional fights; attack British Fort Wagons when the route is clear, and take the bridge objective if it creates enough time for the race.
Win the Fort race before pursuing the enemy
Saratoga is the fifth scenario of Act I: Fire in The WarChiefs, set in 1777. The player controls Captain Black’s army against General Burgoyne’s British force and Colonel Kuechler’s German troops. The opening force includes Nathaniel Black, seven Colonial Militia, a Forest Prowler, four Native Scouts and a Falconet; a Covered Wagon and Dragoons arrive later. The primary objectives are to destroy three British Fort Wagons and build three Forts before the British complete their own Forts. The player can win by controlling this construction race without destroying the enemy settlements. The British send Fort Wagons along the Trade Route escorted by Musketeers and Falconets. Destroy the wagons before they reach the designated sites, but keep the player’s own Covered Wagon moving toward safe locations. Fort construction takes time and resources, so begin as soon as the wagon arrives and defend each site. If the British establish three Forts first, the objective is lost; chasing the enemy base while its wagons remain active risks forfeiting the actual win condition. Use the starting Falconet against enemy Falconets and Outposts, while Nathaniel and the militia protect it from infantry. The map contains a river and tributaries, a British-controlled Trade Route, mines and forests. A Native Scout should move south to locate Kuechler’s bridge and support the optional objective. Destroying the bridge of boats delays Kuechler’s arrival, giving the player more time to manage the Fort race. Finding the bridge grants 200 XP. Kuechler’s Jaegers guard Outposts and Hackapells can attack the player’s base, so keep a force near the construction sites even while scouting. The British supply line sends waves of Hussars, Pikemen, Renegados and Musketeers from the eastern town. These attacks can pressure the builders and the Fort Wagons, but the player should prioritize units that threaten the construction team. Three Forts create a defensive perimeter and stop the British advance; destroying the eastern base is not necessary and can consume the time needed to finish the structures. The scenario’s multiple enemy groups make scouting and bridge timing useful, yet the central task remains the race to build. A disciplined sequence is to destroy the first British wagon, clear its escort, scout and destroy the bridge, then place each player Fort while guarding the sites. If a Fort Wagon appears exposed, attack it with the Falconet and mobile units before it reaches its placement point. Keep a reserve at the weakest construction site and do not pull all defenders toward an optional battle. This mission differs from ordinary Supremacy because the scripted build limit and enemy wagon race determine victory; base destruction is a tactical choice rather than the required objective.
Protect the construction race from both armies
Fort placement is the objective, but a newly built Fort needs defenders. The British wagons travel with escorts and the supply line sends recurring troops, while Kuechler’s Jaegers and Hackapells can threaten a separate approach. Keep the Falconet near the Fort Wagon route to handle enemy defensive structures and use the Colonial Militia to screen it. Split only enough troops to guard a second construction site; if one Fort falls under pressure, reinforce it before opening another battle. Destroying the boat bridge is valuable because it delays Kuechler and can leave the player’s builders free to work longer. Send a Native Scout early to find the bridge, then return it to watch a flank or collect a treasure. Do not spend the entire starting force on the optional British town: the mission’s timer and three-Fort condition matter more than base damage. Once the race is won, surviving enemies can be addressed if desired, but the required victory state has already been achieved.
Use the Forts as a defensive line
The three player-built Forts should cover the routes the British wagons use, while leaving room for the Falconet and militia to maneuver. A connected defensive position makes it easier to interrupt later wagons before they reach a construction site.
Keep builders out of the escort fight
Assign a small Villager group to each Fort site while the militia and Falconet deal with the wagon escorts. If builders are pulled into combat, the British can win the construction race even after losing an escort. Replace losses only after the required structures are underway.
Watch the wagon route after each interception
Destroying one Fort Wagon does not end the race. Keep scouting the Trade Route for the next British group and move the Falconet to the threatened site before the wagon begins construction.
Win the fort race while removing British construction
Saratoga combines destruction with a timed building race. Destroy the three British Fort Wagons, then build three Forts before the British complete their own set. Splitting the army between the enemy wagons and the construction sites can leave both tasks incomplete, so clear threats along the route and protect the builders before beginning several exposed builds. The optional bridge objectives affect reinforcement timing: finding Kuechler’s bridge reveals the route, while destroying the bridge of boats delays his arrival. Use that delay to finish defensive construction or eliminate the wagons, not to wander away from the objective. The historical scenario reflects Burgoyne’s invasion through the Champlain Valley and the failure of expected reinforcements to arrive. Treat the mission’s race as its central constraint: the British can advance their forts while you are fighting elsewhere. Keep scouts on the bridge approach and leave enough defenders at the construction sites to prevent a raid from undoing progress.