Recap pages are Spoilers Off by default, so in all these pages all spoilers are unmarked. Proceed with caution. You Have Been Warned
It's the 11th century. The Empire of Khmer is in turmoil, agitated by internal strife of local factions and threatened by hostile neighbours. Among this chaos, a daring prince, Suryavarman, rise to the challenge and is ready to take the throne. However, ruling over Khmer is merely the first step Suryavarman has to take, for a long path of conquest and hard battles against powerful opponents lies in wait for him, before he can leave behind a majestic legacy as the king who attained Nirvana.The player is in control of the Khmer, the color being Cyan.
Scenarios
1. Usurpation
The Empire is ravaged by civil wars, and a powerful noble by the name of Udayadityavarman has established a base in the city of Angkor, claiming control of the Empire and surrounding it with camps hosting several soldiers. The magnate Suryavarman, who has a small but vaild claim to the throne, decides to take action against the current king, and makes a camp west of Angkor, preparing to use his tactical acumen against the superior royal forces.2. Quelling the Rebellion
Suryavarman has claimed the throne of Angkor, but a new threat quickly rise: rebellious armies are marching from the north and east, while the powerful Jayaviravarman advances south from Malaysia to claim the Khmer Empire for himself. Suryavarman must act quickly and use all his skills to prevent these armies from working together and keep the capital safe.3. A Dangerous Mission
Having put down the rebels, king Suryavarman I is free to make the empire bloom and develop. However, neighbouring countries are worried by this turn of events, and some of them such as Tambralinga prepare for war. Suryavarman knows that a passive approach will lead to disaster, so he decide to start by looking for allies. Having prepared a military expedition, the Khmer envoys and their Grand Chariot prepare to cross the jungle and rivers infested with hostile troops in order to reach their potential ally, the kingdom of Chola and the king Rajendra Chola.4. Challenging a Thalassocracy
The newly-established Chola-Khmer alliance is soon put to a test. Just like Suryavarman feared, the Tambralinga Kingdom declared war on the Khmer, bringing along their stronger ally, the Srivijaya Empire and his enormous navy. In order to defeat these dangerous foes, Suryavarman orders the construction of a fleet in order to challenge the maritime power of the Srivijayan navy and tasks his Chola allies with attacking the enemies from the west. If everything goes as planned, then even the mighty thalassocracy will be toppled.5. Nirvanapada
Thanks to the conjointed efforts of Indian and Khmer forces, the Srivijayan Empire lost the battle, but a final threat comes from the north: neighbouring kingdoms of Cham and Burma are stirring rebellions in the region and plotting to return the Khmer Empire to nothingness. Incensed, Suryavarman decides to take advantage of this casus belli and attack these kingdoms. If he's triumphant, all opposition will be crushed, and the Khmer will acquire the fertile lands controlled by these kingdoms. The opportunity to be remembered as the king who attained Nirvana is at hand.This Campaign contains examples of:
- Call-Back: You end up fighting a massive Malay thalassocracy, right after you finished the Malay campaign.
- Cosmetic Award:
- The HD Edition has "Suryavarman Campaign Completed". DE replaced the achievement with "King of Just Laws".
- DE has also "Relic Hoarder"note .
- Dungeon Bypass: In the third mission it's advised to use the Ballista Elephant's tree-cutting attack to open a way through the forest, bypassing enemy patrols.
- Escort Mission: The third mission has you escorting the Envoy and the Grand Chariot across the treacherous, enemy-infested jungle and a river to the Chola base. It's the only scenario devoid of building elements.
- Foreshadowing: The last scenario has the Dai Viet who, if paid a tribute, will gladly crush the northern Cham for you. The last campaign has you in control of the Vietnamese, with the very same color to boot.
- The Good King: Suryavarman, while technically an usurper, is described as a kind, just and wise ruler, a good strategist but also a magnanimous and tolerant monarch in times of peace.
- Gotta Catch 'Em All: The "Relic Hoarder" achievement requires you to hoard all the Relics in "Nirvanapada".
- The Hero Dies: Averted, the campaign is narrated by a Khmer general serving under the successor of Suryavarman, but the campaign takes place during the latter's reign and he manages to complete all the battles during his timeline.
- Keystone Army: Averted in the first scenario, if Suryavarman's unit dies the game won't be lost.
- Too Dumb to Live: Invoked by the narrator, who, in the aftermath of the second scenario, points out how the rebels were easily defeated because they didn't join forces with each other.
