The Livonian War
The Livonian War is a Historical Map added with The Baltic Powers. It begins in the Commerce Age and centers on capturing Livonian villages; players can train units from captured churches, making control of settlements part of both the objective and army production.
Historical setting & objective
Scout the village approaches and churches before dividing the starting force. Capture villages to progress toward the victory condition and use controlled churches to reinforce the army. Protect those positions: losing a village or church can surrender both map control and a useful production point.
Villages & church control
The match starts in the Commerce Age, so plan the first army around the available units and the nearest village rather than assuming a normal Exploration Age opening. Stay ready to contest the villages; the capture objective can resolve quickly once one side gains control of the required positions.
Use villages and churches as linked objectives
The Commerce Age start changes the opening: the first contest begins with a limited-age force, so choose a nearby village and church before planning a later-game composition. Villages advance the scenario objective, while captured churches add a way to train units. Taking a church without guarding it risks handing its production to the opponent; defending every building with a large garrison can leave too few units to capture villages. Use a mobile group to contest the objective and keep enough protection near the church that is producing reinforcements. Since the scenario can resolve quickly once control accumulates, respond to the opponent’s captures instead of waiting for a fully upgraded army. Check the selected rules for eligible civilizations and exact victory threshold.
Balance village captures with church production
The Commerce Age start means the opening force is already in a later stage than a standard match, but it does not remove the need to prioritize. Villages advance the map objective and captured churches can train units; the two kinds of position therefore serve different purposes. Capture a village with the force that can remain nearby, then use the army to take or defend a church that supports its composition. Avoid occupying every church with a large group when a smaller guard can protect production and free units to contest villages. Since a lost church may restore reinforcement access to the opponent, scout its approaches and watch for a retake. Read the scenario briefing for the exact capture threshold and eligible civilizations rather than assuming every village contributes identically.
Commerce Age opening and village sequence
The Baltic Powers scenario begins in the Commerce Age, so its first force and production plan should be based on the units available immediately rather than on a normal Exploration Age opening. Capturable Livonian villages advance the objective, while controlled churches can train units. Choose a nearby village and church, then protect the connection between them: the village contributes to map control and the church helps replace losses. Do not wait for a fully upgraded army before contesting the first positions, because the scenario can be decided by control before a later Age composition is ready. The exact civilization restrictions and capture threshold should be checked in the in-game briefing, which remains the source for the active match settings.