The Seven Years' War (scenario)
The Seven Years' War is an Age of Empires III scenario in Act II: Ice (scenario 4), set in 1756. The player commands John Black's Mercenaries.
Scenario setting & objectives
The required goals are Help destroy the British on your side of the river; Find and destroy the British Fort Command building. Optional goals include Find and control the only Trade Route.
Mission approach
Support the British on your side of the river before shifting the army across the crossing to destroy the British Fort Command building. Check the far-bank approach and leave a guard for the starting position so the river crossing does not cut off your own defense. The Trade Route is optional; control it only when the fort assault remains adequately staffed.
River battle and Trade Route
The Seven Years’ War is the fourth scenario of Act II: Ice, set in 1756 during the wider conflict between Britain and France. John Black and Ká:nien become involved in the fighting while continuing their pursuit of Warwick. The required objectives are to help destroy the British forces on the player’s side of the river and find and destroy the British Fort Command building. The optional task is to find and control the only Trade Route, which grants experience. The scenario uses John Black’s Mercenaries and includes allied or opposing forces on opposite sides of a river, making the crossing and control of approaches central to the mission. Secure the near side before moving the main force across; sending units over in small groups can expose them to concentrated fire. Locate the Trade Route while scouting, but do not let the optional objective divide the army before the British threat is contained. The Fort Command building is the final required target, so identify it and prepare siege support rather than assuming that defeating the field army completes the mission. The story follows John and Ká:nien into the Carolina territories as the Seven Years’ War begins, while Warwick remains the objective of their pursuit. Preserve the heroes and a force that can reach the fort after the river battle. The scenario’s river, starting forces and objective order are authored mission rules; this page should not be confused with The Seven Years’ War historical map introduced separately in The Baltic Powers. Read the mission briefing for the current difficulty and mode before committing to a crossing.
Separating the mission from its historical counterpart
This Act II: Ice mission is a campaign scenario, not the Historical Map with the same name. Its required objectives are tied to John Black’s pursuit of Warwick and the river battlefield. Use the scenario briefing for its starting forces and optional Trade Route reward.
Order of attack
First secure the player’s side of the river and contain the opposing force, then identify a safe crossing for the main army. The only Trade Route is optional and can be captured when the force can spare units. Keep siege support and the heroes for the required Fort Command target; eliminating field units alone does not complete the mission. This objective sequence is specific to the campaign scenario.
Controlling the crossing
The river divides the battlefield and creates the mission’s main tactical problem. Scout the approaches before moving the whole force, then establish a crossing under cover rather than sending heroes and ranged units into the far bank in separate waves. The required objective to help destroy the British on the player’s side should be completed before the assault force is weakened by optional exploration. Capturing the Trade Route is valuable if it can be controlled without leaving the Fort Command target undefended. Bring enough siege damage for the fort and preserve a route back for injured units. The map is authored for the campaign, so its river positions and starting forces do not describe a standard skirmish map.
Optional objective and story context
The Trade Route objective is optional and awards experience, not a required victory condition. Capturing it can support later shipments, but the player should not sacrifice the force needed to destroy the Fort Command building. The mission takes place during the 1756 conflict between French and British forces, while John Black and Ká:nien continue pursuing Warwick.
Cross the river with the French before striking Warwick
The fourth Act II: Ice scenario places John Black and Ká:nien inside a French–British battle during their pursuit of Warwick. The required goals are to help destroy the British force on the player’s side of the river and then find and destroy the British Fort Command building. The optional Trade Route is the only route on the map, so controlling it can add ongoing value but should not pull the army away from the river fight. Keep the heroes with the allied force and identify the Command building before launching a full siege. Once the nearby British army is cleared, regroup and advance on the Fort; do not assume that winning the river battle completes the scenario. The mission connects the Black family pursuit plot with the historical Seven Years’ War setting.