The Era of the Princes
1855 — Kassa Hailu’s rise marks the end of Ethiopia’s Zemene Mesafint, a period of competing regional warlords.
Setting & objective
The required goals are Reach the first Ethiopian Village; Destroy the Stockpiles (Granaries) of each warlord; Retreat to the Ethiopian Villages; Destroy the Tigrayan Palace; Destroy the Gojjamian Palace; Destroy the Shewan Palace. Optional goals include Build a Palace. ( reward); Defeat the Tigrayan forces guarding the Livestock Market between you and your ally to capture them; Find all four Mountain Monasteries.
How to approach it
Scout the target and its approach, then preserve enough of the starting army to finish the required assault. Scout the route before moving the hero or starting force, and avoid splitting units the mission needs together. Take optional objectives when they add useful allies, routes, resources or reinforcements without putting the primary goal at risk.
Scenario setting and starting force
The Era of the Princes is a Historical Battle from The African Royals set in Ethiopia in 1855, at the end of the Zemene Mesafint. The player controls Kassa Hailu, beginning in the Exploration Age with a 200 population limit and no starting resources. The initial force is Kassa, five Shotel Warriors, and four Gascenyas. The first primary objective is to reach the nearby Ethiopian Village. That village has a Town Center, working Villagers, Huts, Granaries and fields, a War Camp, Livestock Market, two Watch Towers, seventeen Shotel Warriors, and four Gascenyas. It becomes the player's main base after the northern stockpiles are destroyed and the player retreats. This means the opening is about movement and survival rather than building an economy from scratch. Use Kassa to scout the route and keep the small starting army together as it approaches the allied settlement.
Objective sequence and alliance shift
The mission proceeds through several linked objectives. First reach the Ethiopian Village, then destroy the Stockpiles, represented by Granaries, belonging to each warlord. These objectives target supplies rather than every building in each enemy base. The warlords stop fighting one another after the stockpiles are destroyed and unite against Kassa, so the player must retreat quickly to the Ethiopian Villages. Once the southern village joins the player, it supplies the base and working economy needed for the final phase. The remaining primary objectives are to destroy the Tigrayan Palace, the Gojjamian Palace, and the Shewan Palace. Each Palace belongs to a separate fortified opponent, so the order of attack and the route back to the allied village matter. The mission changes from a raid among divided enemies to a defense and siege against a united coalition.
Enemy positions and threats
Tigray occupies a fortified position near the allied base and can use Culverins and Sebastopol Mortars for early attacks. Gojjam's base lies to the north and produces Oromo Warriors and Shotel Warriors that can approach from that side. Shewa's base is east near a Sudanese settlement and also sends Oromo Warriors and Shotels. The northern stockpiles are an exposed target, but the player should expect the political shift as soon as the objectives are completed. Do not allow the army to remain deep in enemy territory when all three warlords unite. The enemy's artillery makes a static defense near the Tigrayan front risky, while the melee units can punish a small ranged line. Keep a mobile force near the route to the allied village and use the Watch Towers and allied troops to buy time during the retreat.
Preparing the base and final siege
After the retreat, the allied village becomes a functioning base. The primary strategy is to use its Villagers and existing buildings to build an army, secure nearby resources, and prepare to attack one Palace at a time. The secondary objective to build a Palace rewards 350 experience and can add production or tactical options, but the player must weigh its cost against immediate defense. Another side objective is to defeat the Tigrayan forces guarding the Livestock Market between the player and the ally in order to capture it. The four Mountain Monasteries are optional collectibles spread around the map; scout for them when the main army can spare time. Against each fortified Palace, bring siege units and protect them from Oromo Warriors, Shotel Warriors, and enemy artillery. Focus the Palace to satisfy the objective rather than wasting the full army on every structure, and retreat to repair or reinforce before beginning the next assault.
Map, timing, and mission context
The battlefield draws on East African terrain, similar in broad setting to Highlands and Congo Basin maps. The villages and warlord bases are separated by long routes, so the initial force cannot be everywhere at once. The mission's historic sequence in play is simplified: the player destroys three stockpiles, retreats as the enemies unite, then destroys three Palaces. Historically Kassa Hailu's conquests occurred in a different order: Gojjam in 1853, Tigray in February 1855, and Shewa in November 1855. The mission instead emphasizes the challenge of unifying the region under pressure. Reach the village before attempting optional exploration, return promptly after the stockpile objective, and use the allied base to create a stable siege force. This is the latest historical battle in the game's scenario set and represents the mid nineteenth century rather than a fictional campaign chapter.
Optional objectives and exploration
The Palace secondary objective awards 350 experience, which can accelerate a shipment and support the coming siege. The Livestock Market objective lies between the player and the ally and is guarded by Tigrayan forces; clear the guards before attempting to capture the market, then make sure the army can still return to defend the village. The four Mountain Monasteries are spread around the map and are best searched for while the main force moves between objectives or after a Palace has fallen. Exploring during the period when all three warlords are allied can expose a small detachment to attacks from several directions. Use scouts or a mobile group to reveal likely routes, and prioritize the primary objectives if enemy pressure is increasing. Optional rewards should strengthen the final stage rather than delay it until the allied village is overwhelmed.
A shift from regional rivals to the imperial campaign
Set in 1855, the scenario follows Kassa Hailu during the end of Ethiopia’s Zemene Mesafint, when regional warlords compete for power. The opening asks the player to reach the first Ethiopian Village, then destroy the Granary stockpiles of each warlord. That task is followed by a retreat to the Ethiopian Villages before the final assault on the Tigrayan, Gojjamian and Shewan Palaces. The order is important: the mission is not a single uninterrupted base siege, and the retreat stage changes the objective from attacking enemy stores to preserving the force and returning to friendly ground. A Palace is optional to build, while the Livestock Market between the player and an ally offers capturable livestock after its Tigrayan guards are defeated. Four Mountain Monasteries can also be found. Use those side objectives when the army can afford to explore, but keep the force intact for the required return and palace assaults.