Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
Decades before Europeans embarked on a journey that exposed them to the Americas, the Andes Mountains were contested by various tribes for ultimate control. Pachacuti seeks to sort out the domestic turmoil as he seeks to solidify his grasp of the Incan confederation. The player, along with all AI players in the campaign, play as the Incas, and the player color is Cyan.This campaign replaces the old El Dorado as an actual Incas campaign for the Definitive Edition.
Scenarios
1. A New Power Arises
Long before the time of Cuzco and the Empire, the Incas were nothing more than a series of squabbling tribes trying to claim the supremacy. However, since they didn't bother to erect garrisons or keeps, their domains didn't last long. All this was bound to change when Virochana Inca rose to the challenge. The time of raiding and pillaging was soon to be over. The Incas would fight to submit, starting by obtaining the sacred relic cherished by the tribes.2. The Field of Blood
Virochana's kingdom prospered, so much that he boasted it was a blessing from the Gods. However, a new threat looms when the warlord Anccu Hualloc of the Chanca prepares to march on Cuzco with a huge army of over 40000 soldiers. To the disbelief and indignation of many, the old king escaped the capital with his favourite son. Thankfully, one man, Cusi Yupanqui, one of the princes, stood still and proclaimed his intention to defeat the Chanca. The soldiers are not fully convinced, but other generals remain, and Cuzco may still stand a chance.3. War of Brothers
Thanks to Cusi Yupanqui's efforts, the Temple of the Sun was restored, and Anccu Hualloc's forces were disbanded after a ferocious battle which gave the Field of Blood its name. However, while many worship Yupanqui as the new ruler of Cuzco and call him "Pachacuti" (The one who overturns space and time), his own family is against him. Even though Virochana died, consumed by jealousy, his favourite son Urqu claims ownership of the Inca Empire. If Pachacuti's domain is to prosper, then this threat must be dealt with.4. The Falcon's Nest
Having killed Urqu, Pachacuti now turns his attention to an old enemy, the Chanca. Anccu Hualloc still lives, and leads a formidable army. The Inca, led by Vicaquirao and Apo Mayta have established a double base near Huaman Karpa, the Falcon's Nest and capital city of the Chanca. Supported by their Colla allies, the Inca prepare to conquer the Falcon's Nest and kill Anccu Hualloc to get their revenge for the destruction he bought to Cuzco.5. Like Father, Like Son
The Chanca were defeated and hired in Pachacuti's army, and his empire was in the Golden Age. However, even Pachacuti was getting old, but before he could entrust his Empire to his son, Tupac, he decides to tests his heir: to the west, on the coast, lies the Kingdom of Chimor, and it's capital, the pyramid-ridden Chan Chan, a desert city supplied by canals of freshwater and cisterns. If Tupac wants the Empire, he will have to earn it by conquering the Chimú.This Campaign contains examples of:
- …And That Little Girl Was Me: It's revealed in the final outro, in true Age of Empires fashion, that the narrator was none other than an aged Apo Mayta.
- Arch-Enemy: Anccu Hualloc, leader of the Chancas, only appears in two out of five scenarios, but is the main threat to the Inca Empire and the one who came the closest to conquering Cuzco.
- Artistic License – Biology: In the intro, the listener is depicted as riding a llama; llamas are far too small and weak to be ridden by adult humans, and the Incas used them predominantly as pack animals.
- Artistic License – History: The narrator calls the listener illiterate, which is a bit of a strange thing to call someone in a civilization without writingnote . However, this might be an implied Cultural Translation.
- Cain and Abel: Urqu, the cowardly and spoilt prince, versus Cusi Yupanqui, the noble and wise warrior prince.
- Call-Back: The first scenario is a revamped take on the first scenario of the Montezuma campaign.
- Cosmetic Award:
- "Earth Shaker" for completing the campaign.
- "Pitched Battle" for defending Cuzco without constructing new Walls or Gates in "The Field of Blood".
- Defeat Equals Friendship: After conquering the Chanca, Pachacuti treats them with respect and hires them into his army.
- Dirty Coward: Decoy Protagonist Viracocha is seemingly the hero, only for him to escape the capital at the first signs of a serious opposition along the way, taking his favourite son Urqu with him.
- Failure Is the Only Option: You start out "The Field of Blood" with a sizable brigade of troops and the objective to defeat Anccu Hualloc's army. It very quickly becomes apparent that there's no way in hell you'll manage to do so, since enemy soldiers massively outnumber your own and respawn infinitely. Just as soon as the final soldier falls, the real mission begins.
- The Hero Dies: For a change, it happens after the last scenario, after doing everything he could for his empire and leaving a worthy successor behind.
- Logical Weakness: Chan Chan is a powerful desert city, but depends on a series of cisterns for water. Once the cisterns are conquered, their force will slowly dwindle.
- Narrator All Along: Apo Mayta is the old hermit who tells the merchant the story of Pachacuti.
- The Wise Prince: One of the reasons why Pachacuti is so revered and respected.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: An in-universe example in the campaign, which is framed as the narrator listening to stories told by an old man in the hills near Cuzco. After hearing how Pachacuti rose to power, forged a mighty empire, and found a worthy successor in his son, the narrator asks what happened to the two loyal generals who helped win those battles (and who appeared in the campaign's missions as Hero Units). The old man explains that Vicaquirao found an honorable death in battle, while Apo Mayta now dwells in a stone hut, though "From time to time, you may find him telling inquisitive travelers tales of bygone times that are so fantastic that they seem almost difficult to believe".
