Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
In 15th century Italy, the mercenary troops known as "Condottieri" play an important role in the wars ravaging the northern part of the country, fighting on behalf of rich or cowardly lords, in order to achieve wealth, fame and land. However, young captain Francesco Sforza aims higher than his fellow Condottieri. Will his skills and acumen allow him to defeat his many, treacherous opponents and allow him to take over one Milan, the strongest dukedom in northern Italy?The campaign was reworked in the Definitive Edition.
The player is in control of the Italians, the color being Blue.
Scenarios (HD)
1. An End and a Beginning
As war ravages northern Italy, mercenary bands fight for greedy lords and to make a name for themselves. When the ferocious Muzio Sforza dies, drowned in a river, his son Francesco must prove his worth to Muzio's former comrades, showing his skills and taking arms against the Raiders pillaging the countryside.2. O Fortuna
Francesco's skills earned him a place in service of the powerful but moody Duke of Milan, Visconti. Sforza's services will soon be required, as the Dukedom of Milan is fighting a two-front war against the city of Florence to the south and against the Venetians from the east. Furthermore, the skilled mercenary captain Carmagnola has lent his strength to Venice. Sforza will have to do his best to appease his new master and defeat the enemy.3. The Hand of a Daughter
The initial forces of Venice were defeated, Cremona was spared, but because Carmagnola got away, Visconti blamed Francesco for it and had him imprisoned. However, Sforza's popularity and the threat of an attack of Venetian's ships forced him to reconsider. In order to win the full trust of Milan and the hand of Bianca Maria Visconti, the Duke's daughter, Francesco must destroy the Venetian's galleons and defeat Carmagnola's forces once and for all, relying on a couple of spies to sneak inside the base to sabotage his rival.4. The Ambrosian Republic
Filippo Maria Visconti kept his word, and now Francesco Sforza is his son-in-law. Carmagnola was executed, but the war against Venice continues. What's more, Filippo died, and the nobles and scholars of Milan took over the city, turning it into the Ambrosian Republic. Serving them as Captain-General, Sforza must lead his troops in the countryside and defeat the Venice-aligned cities of Piacenza and Caravaggio, as well as the incoming navy...5. A New Duke of Milan
Caravaggio and Piacenza were subdued, but Francesco Sforza is tired of serving as the attack dog of the Ambrosian Republic and is ready to claim the city as his own and become Duke. Backed up by Venetian forces, Sforza must erode the defenses of Milan and take down the surrounding bases to force the city to surrender and give him what's rightfully his. Scenarios (DE)
1. Mercenaries and Masters
In the war-ravaged northern Italy, countless mercenaries make their names known and fight for gold, fame or land, sometimes turning against the very men who hired them. In this chaos, the young and valiant captain Francesco Sforza is currently serving Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan. Along with his cousin Micheletto and the other Condottiero Piccinino, Sforza has to lend his strength to the Duke by taking down the Venetian troops who have conquered Brescia and free the city.2. His Own Man
While the battle for Brescia was a success, Visconti's relationship with Sforza worsened, and not even an engagement to Bianca Maria, daughter of Visconti, could persuade him to stay. Tired of the scheming court, Francesco decides that it's time for him to take over a land he can call his own. Followed by his faithful soldiers and carrying a holy relic with him, Sforza prepares to attack the cities of Romagna, with Piccinino in hot pursuit.3. Prodigal Son
Several cities fell to Sforza, but such an act drew the attention of the King of Naples, who greedily hopes to get a foothold in the north. Surprising everyone, Francesco get back north to Milan and pledges loyalty to Visconti. Even more surprising, Visconti forgives him and gives him his daughter in marriage. Outraged by this turn of events, Piccinino tears his contract with Milan and sides with Naples. In order to secure Lombardy, Sforza engages Piccinino's troops in combat.4. Blood and Betrayal
The Neapolitans were routed, and Piccinino died alone in poverty, cursing Sforza's name. However, Visconti's death allowed the formation of the Ambrosian Republic. For the time being, Francesco decides to fight for Milan against Venice, who has taken over several cities in the Padan Plain. The fact that his very cousin Micheletto is fighting for Venice while holding Lodi in an iron grip doesn't faze him the slightest. For Milan, he's ready to fight his own relatives.5. Viva Sforza!
As promised, Francesco has routed the rebellious cities, only to find deceit and treachery: Jacopo and Francesco Piccinino, Piccinino's sons, persuaded the Republic of Milan to make peace with Brescia, Sforza's own reward, and Milan is now hostile. Furious, Francesco has decided to march on the city and put it under his own control. In order to take down the city and the Savoy reinforcements, Francesco deals with the Venetians and hires his rival Sigismondo Malatesta. Both have ulterior motives, so a treason is expected, the only question being... when?These campaigns contain examples of:
- Adaptation Deviation: While the HD campaign chronicles Francesco's career from the very beginning to the conquest of Milan, DE already starts with Francesco as a renowned Condottiero and focuses more on Sforza's battles against Piccinino.
- Adapted Out: In HD, Carmagnola is the Arch-Enemy of Sforza and a constant presence in the first three scenarios. In DE, he only appears as an easily-dispatched camp outside of Brescia and isn't mentioned for the rest of the campaign, his spot taken by Piccinino.
- This extends to the Framing Device as well. HD features a young Niccolò Machiavelli interviewing a former condottieri, which takes place at least two decades after Francesco's death. note In contrast, DE features Micheletto talking to an unnamed guest about Francesco, which took place while Francesco was still alive. note
- Anti-Hero: Francesco Sforza is a swindler, a Combat Pragmatist, a traitor and a manipulative bastard, but he manages to win over the people and conquer Milan nevertheless.
- Ascended Extra: Malatesta in HD is a poor sucker who's tricked by Carmagnola and killed; his only purpose is to give Filippo an excuse to blame Sforza. In DE, he gets a name (Sigismondo), helps Sforza during the fights in Romagna and leads the Venetians in the last scenario. Here, it becomes more obvious that he's supposed to be Sigismondo Malatesta
, one of Francesco's sons-in-law. - Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: You're in control of mercenaries, sometimes not even the contract and the pay is enough to make sure they stay loyal. Blatant in the last scenario, where the Venetians turn on you as soon as you conquer Milan.
- Cosmetic Award:
- The HD Edition has "Sforza Campaign Completed":
"Rising from a lowly soldier to Duke of Milan, Sforza did more than make his father’s spirit proud. Use the traits of military leadership and tactics that you have learned in this campaign to find success in your future battles, and remember that it is better to be feared than loved. - Machiavelli (The Prince 1513)"- DE replaced the achievement with "Renaissance Man".
- Evil All Along: Venice will betray you and become the antagonist after the main enemy factions are defeated.
- Face–Heel Turn: In the final scenario, while the Venetians are the antagonists in most of the campaign except the first mission, they have an Enemy Mine situation with Sforza in the final mission against the treacherous Milanese nobles. At the end, they decided that they no longer need Sforza's troops and decided to cut the loose end by turning on Sforza and wanted to conquer Milan for themselves.
- False Reassurance: The tips section of Blood and Betrayal implies that taking down the barricades on the bridge will allow the enemy to attack your base, suggesting that you can build your base undisturbed as long as you leave the barricades standing. What it doesn't tell you is that Piacenza and Lodi will continuously attack with ships and just unload soldiers on your shores with transports.
- Giant Space Flea from Nowhere: In An End and a Beginning, you're supposed to complete a series of sidequests for the various Condottieri scattered across the map... then there's a secret cavern concealing a hidden passage taking you to a hidden valley where you have to kill a bear and take down two "stone blocks" (Stone Walls) to reveal part of the enemy base. It's pretty weird...
- Kick the Dog: In Mercenaries and Masters, Visconti will occasionally refuse to send you resources. The first time this happens, Piccinino suggests you to pillage the Lombard countryside for resources.
- Oh, Crap!: In Viva Sforza, the Piccinino Brothers will suddenly panic if you raze Milan's outlying farms, as their soldiers slowly starve to death.
- Pet the Dog: Deconstructed. Micheletto points out in his narration that the starving people of Milan consider Sforza a saviour for feeding them... with the same food he pillaged out of their own countryside. Micheletto called them "fools".
- The Rival: Carmagnola in HD and Piccinino in DE, the enemy mercenaries you have to face.
- The Siege: Averted with the Siege of Milan in DE: while you can assault the city old-style, it's much easier and cheaper to destroy the outlying bases and let them all starve to death.
- Smug Snake:
- Visconti in the first scenario will sometimes gleefully tell you that because of a miscalculation he won't be paying you.
- Piccinino becomes incredibly smug and trash-talking in Prodigal Son. His own sons took after him.
- We Used to Be Friends: In DE, you end up fighting to the bitter end Piccinino and later Sforza's own cousin Micheletto.
- What the Hell, Hero?:
- If you use your priests to convert villagers in "Mercenaries and Masters", Micheletto will call you out for doing such a thing.
- Piccinino will harshly criticize Sforza's use of the holy relic to subdue cities in "His Own Man", calling him out on this bullshit.
- Micheletto will be angry at Francesco for fighting his own family for Milan in "Blood and Betrayal".
