Age of Mythology (PC) & The Titans (PC) The Complete Strategy Guide Version: 0.7 - 03/03/05 By Jim Chamberlin red_phoenix_1@hotmail.com =========================================================================== << Disclaimer >> This document may be freely distributed so long as it is not edited or or altered in any way, I am given credit, you do not charge for viewing this guide; this includes, but is not limited to websites, cds, dvds, magazines, etc. This document was made for personal use only. No part of this document may be copied or used in any form of media without the express written consent of Jim Chamberlin. Unauthorized use of any information herein is a direct violation of Copyright Law, and legal action will be taken. This document is Copyright © 2005 Jim Chamberlin. All Rights Reserved. Microsoft, Age of Mythology, and Ensemble are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries/regions. =========================================================================== << Online References >> Microsoft's Official Site http://www.microsoft.com/games/ageofmythology Ensemble Studios http://www.ensemblestudios.com/ Through The Ages http://www.throughtheages.com/ Age of Mythology Heaven http://aom.heavengames.com/ =========================================================================== Contacting Me =========================================================================== I am NOT hiding any information, however if your question has not been properly answered in this FAQ, email me. Be sure to read through the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section, as that is where I answer questions that either will or have made me answer multiple times. When emailing me, put "Age of Mythology" or "AOM" in the Subject. Doing that will get you a faster reply...hint, hint. If you don't want to use email, an alternative is a message board. Below is an address for the Age of Mythology and Titans message boards on GameFAQs. There are others who visit that forum, who I am sure can and will help answer any question you may have. http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/gentopic.php?board=476277 http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/gentopic.php?board=914617 I would also recommend checking out Age of Mythology Heaven and Through The Ages (web addresses listed in the "Online References" section just above) for additional help. They have their own message boards with more gamers than that of GameFAQs. If you have a strategy or tip for Age of Mythology, please feel free to submit it, by emailing me. As mentioned above, please include "Age of Mythology" or "AOM" in the Subject Line. If your tip is used in this guide, you will be given credit. If you don't want your Email-Address listed in this guide, for fear of getting SPAM, please mention this in your email, and I'll happily just include your name/alias. =========================================================================== Author's Notes =========================================================================== Over time, links or URLS (Uniform Resource Locators) may become out-of- date. Unfortunately, this does tend to happen with the Internet, so I must remind you that the addresses originally in this document did in fact work. If you find a link that doesn't work properly, please let me know, and I'll see if I can either find a replacement for it, or include some sort of notice stating the problem. Also, over time, Ensemble Studios releases patches, which can cause some changes to things like the stats of units, buildings, etc. Please take this into account when looking at them; I am not likely going to be able to keep up with all of the patches. =========================================================================== Revision History =========================================================================== Version 0.7 - Mar 03, 2005 - 747 KB Added a Frequently Asked Question, and added two stategies from Hiram Jones. =========================================================================== Table of Contents =========================================================================== Overview Age of Mythology Features Age of Mythology: The Titans Features Basics Resources Titans Cultures Greek Mythology Egyptian Mythology Norse Mythology Atlantean Mythology Greek Buildings Egyptian Buildings Norse Buildings Atlantean Buildings Greek Units Egyptian Units Norse Units Atlantean Units General Technologies Tips and Strategies Relics Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Appendices Hotkeys Cheats Links Revision History Final Words... =========================================================================== Overview =========================================================================== Ensemble Studios released Age of Mythology on October 29, 2002 as yet another great title. Some call this a sequel to Age of Empires II - it kind of is and isn't. While the technology and ideas within Age of Mythology are certainly greater in comparison to that of Age of Empires II: Age of Kings, it does not follow the time line where AoE II left off; it's for this reason, and this reason only that I don't consider Age of Mythology, or AoM, a sequel to AoE II. After a successful launch of Age of Mythology, Ensemble Studios developed and released an expansion pack, called "The Titans", which only further added to the addictive and exciting gameplay of that found in Age of Mythology. A little further down in this guide, you'll be able to learn about what was added with the expansion pack. =========================================================================== Age of Mythology Features =========================================================================== Age of Mythology preserves the familiar elements popular in previous Age of Empires games. Wonders, civilization bonuses, technology trees, resource gathering, empire building, and large armies clashing on fields of battle are all at the heart of the game. At the same time, a number of entirely new gameplay features are introduced, making for a fresh, original experience: * God Powers - These rare and powerful gifts grant players the powers of the gods several times during each game. * Mythological Units - Each with their own special ability, these scarce units can be added to a player's armies to change the character of the fighting force. * Multiple Ways To Advance Ages - Players now get to choose different ways to advance though the ages, each providing a different set of bonuses. * Highly Differentiated Civilizations - Age of Mythology builds on the civilization differentiation featured in Age of Kings and features civilizations that play dramatically different from one another. * Graphics worthy of the gods – Age of Mythology features beautiful environments, buildings, units and special effects rendered in full 3-D using Ensemble’s revolutionary game engine. Hundreds of unit animations bring the game world to life, as players see units fighting using a variety of attack and defense maneuvers. In addition to beautiful cascading waves and lifelike terrain, the special effects in Age of Mythology include waterspouts, infernos, lava, tornadoes, earthquakes and smoke with astonishing levels of detail. * A game for everyone – Age of Mythology offers diverse game modes and a variety of settings for novice and experienced real-time strategy fans alike. In-game cinematic scenes create a seamless, story-based and character-driven campaign. In addition, Age of Mythology is easy to learn and use with an intuitive, streamlined interface. * Replayability - The game offers more than 15 map types, 13 game variants and five starting conditions in its multiplayer lineup. Nine highly differentiated civilizations and the inclusion of a random map generator keep gamers coming back to play. * To Hades and back – Players can now petition the gods for favors in the game. Persuade Ra to strike an enemy’s city center with a meteor; enlist Thor to trap opponents in a snow squall; or beg Poseidon to swamp an attacking fleet. Players reinforce their armies with Minotaurs, griffons, giants, Cyclops and many other mythological creatures. In addition, players can seek out hidden treasures like the Golden Fleece and Hades’ Helm of Invisibility while traveling through underworld domains, rough seas or a vast desert. * Divine gameplay true to the Ages – Age of Mythology preserves many familiar elements from the Age of Empires games – including wonders, technology trees, ages and civilization bonuses – while enabling skill-based combat decisions. Smarter units allow players to make better use of inherent strengths and terrain advantages. =========================================================================== Age of Mythology: The Titans Features =========================================================================== Age of Mythology: The Titans adds a fourth mythology, the Atlanteans, to the existing Greek, Egyptian and Norse mythologies in Age of Mythology. A new single-player campaign will add yet another chapter to the expansive panoply of ancient folklore along with the addition of new scenarios. Atlantean players will be able to call upon the might of the Titan gods (such as Atlas and Cronus) multiple times throughout the game, and may also upgrade human units to heroes. The expansion pack will introduce 12 new god powers, 15 new human units and 12 formidable myth units to the game. * Atlantean mythology - Take advantage of unique cultural attributes, god powers, myth units and much more to dominate your opponents. Use your Titan god powers multiple times to demolish the opposition, promote selected units within the culture to hero status, and reap the benefits of a culture with new features, such as the ability to control time and space. Explore new maps and expand the "playground of the gods." * An extended story line - The Titans adds new scenarios to explore and conquer. In-game cinematics help to integrate and further enrich the game’s story. * A new victory condition - Create a Titan unit that dwarfs everyone else; wreak havoc and rain destruction on enemy civilizations. * Additional powers, heroes and mythological units - The Titans brings the ancient world to life in more detail than ever before with exciting gameplay elements and characters. The expansion pack will unveil the incredible powers of the Titan gods, which can be unleashed by the Atlanteans who worship them. In addition, new myth units and human units allow gamers to build their civilization and go into battle in a nearly infinite number of ways. =========================================================================== Basics =========================================================================== This section is or those of you who have never played an "Age" game, as this is a very basic summary of the game. In Age of Mythology, you start off with a few villagers and some resources (food, gold, and wood). You may also get a scout or military unit, depending on what culture you choose at the beginning of the game. You also have God Powers. What God Powers you have will not only depend on what culture you choose, but what Gods you choose. The God Powers can range from a power that can damage buildings and units, to one that will create a large gold mine. You take your villagers and create an economy, which at the very beginning is often limited to food, gold, and wood. Your villagers can chop wood, kill animals to get food, and mine for gold. Over time you will expand your empire, creating towers, walls, and military units, advance in Ages allowing you to choose new Gods and gain access to new units and technologies to further advance your empire. There are obviously a variety of strategies you can take on, but I'll get into that a bit later in this guide. =========================================================================== Resources =========================================================================== A person's resources are the single most important thing in Age of Mythology. If you don't have sufficient resources, you cannot build an effective economy to support any sort or military force, or even advance to the next Age. AOM has four main resources: food, wood, gold, and Favor. Each culture has its own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to collecting these resources. FOOD ---- Food is a universally needed resource in the game. The food is needed to build nearly all units, especially the ever-important villagers who do the gathering of the resources. Food can be collected in several ways, such as farms, hunting, foraging, fishing, and herding. Most of these are pretty self-explanatory, but the herding should be elaborated on a bit. The herdable animals are spread around on your map. I recommend using either a scout or fast military unit (cavalry, preferably), depending on what you have. Your enemy can steal your animals, so keep an eye on them. The herdables tend to fatten up over time, so once you've gotten them back to your Town Center, don't kill them immediately - wait a bit. Here's a few figures which show how much food you can gather from them. ANIMAL INITIAL AMT FATTENED AMT Goat 50 300 Pig 50 300 Cow 75 400 GOLD ---- Much like food, gold is needed quite often, usually with researching technologies and military units. Building a large military force can be quite expensive! Your villagers gather gold from mines, which do tend to vary on size. If you choose Thor, you have the ability to create your own mine, instead of relying on natural ones. Norse Dwarves gather gold faster than most units for other cultures. WOOD ---- Wood isn't needed as quite as much as Food and Gold, but is with respect to buildings and some military units. The military units that require large amounts of wood, are Archers and Siege Weapons. FAVOR ----- Favor is the new resource in the game. Favor is needed for your Mythological units as well as for the improvements/technologies offered by the Gods. Each culture gains Favor in their own unique ways. You can learn about this in the "Mythology" sections below. As you can see, the various types of resources are unique in the way they are obtained, but also when it comes to be used. I can't tell you which resources you need to focus on in each game, because it's impossible. Your strategy for any given game will dictate the way you will need to focus your economy. This will likely be discussed further along in this guide. =========================================================================== Titans =========================================================================== The most unique unit of the game was added in the expansion pack, the Titan. Each culture has their own Titan. They're pretty much unstopp- able unless you use another Titan, although mythological units and Heroes can do a bit of damage since the Heroes have bonuses. Gaia, the Mother Earth goddess, created Oranos, the god of the sky, and mated with him, thereby producing the first immortals - the Titans. The twelve Titans were equally divided between males (Lapetus, Hyperion, Oceanus, Coeus, Creus, and Kronos) and females (Phoebe, Rheia, Theia, Mnemosyne, Tethys, and Themis). In addition, Gaia gave birth to other creatures, including the Cyclops and the Hecatoncheired (hundred-headed giants). Oranos hated Gaia's children, however, and hid them within Mother Earth, causing her great pain and suffering. Kronos, the youngest of the Titans, eventually overthrew his father and freed his siblings, though he kept the other creatures imprisoned. The Titans and their children (including Prometheus, Atlas, Hekate, Selene, and Helios) then ruled the universe. At this time humankind was created and Atlantis was founded. All was not harmonious, however. Kronos took his sister Rheia as his wife. Fearing a prophecy that his own offspring would turn on him, as he had turned on Oranos, Kronos swallowed his children as they were born. Rheia gave birth to her sixth child, Zeus, in the dead of night and fooled Kronos by giving him a stone to swallow. Zeus was then entrusted to Gaia until grown, at which point he returned and forced Kronos to regurgitate the five older children (and the stone). A war, called the Titanomachy, broke out between Zeus and his generation against many of the older Titans. At the request of Gaia and to aid his cause, Zeus freed the Cyclops, who forged Zeus' thunderbolts, Hades' helmet of invisibility, and Poseidon's trident. The struggle raged for ten years, and the earth shook and burned as huge rocks crashed into it and thunderbolts ignited forests. Some surmise that Atlantis was destroyed in this struggle, perhaps for siding with the Titans against Zeus' confederacy. As the climax of the war approached, Zeus recalled the wishes of Gaia and returned to the Underworld to free the Hecatoncheired. Maddened by their long imprisonment at the hands of the Titans - first Oranos, and then Kronos - they unleashed a storm of rocks that ended the war. Zeus condemned to Tartarus, the Titans who stood against him and the Cyclops, fashioned a series of gates and walls to hold them. Zeus also placed the Hecatoncheires as their guards. Zeus and his generation took over the universe and ruled from Olympus. Thus all the gods of the universe were the progeny of the Titans and ruled in peace only so long as the Titans remained imprisoned. But there remained in the world both mortals and immortals who continued to plot revenge. =========================================================================== Cultures =========================================================================== In Age of Mythology, we have three different cultures to choose to play with, the Greeks, Egyptians, and Norse. The expansion pack, Titans, added an additional culture, the Atlanteans. Each of these cultures is unique in many, many ways. In each of the cultures, as you progress through the Ages, you have are given options as to which Gods you choose to play with. Each God brings different bonuses and abilities to your culture. All four cultures have three Major Gods in the beginning to choose from, and as you progress, are able to choose from a variety of Minor Gods. Greeks ------ Of the four cultures, the Greeks are one of the easiest to learn. I found that it was the easiest to transition to, from Age of Empires II. Villagers construct buildings and gather resources, just as in AoE II. The Greeks have a very diverse military compared to the other cultures. The military units are very strong, but a bit on the expensive side (you get what you pay for, eh?). The Greeks start off with a free Kataskopos, a cavalry scout unit. Put him to good use early on in your game(s) by looking for settlements, new food and gold sources, enemy locations, and perhaps even steal enemy domesticated animals. Each Major Greek God gives you four (or in the case of Poseidon, five) Heroes. Heroes are created at the Town Center. You get a new Hero with each Age-advance. The Greeks are the only culture to have direct control over the rate at which they can gain Favor from the Gods. Greeks gain Favor by worshipping at a Temple; the more worshippers, the faster your Favor will increase. The Temple allows you to research several units and technologies, which require Favor, in addition to the typical calls for Gold & Food. If you choose Zeus, you start off with Favor, gain Favor faster, and have an increased Favor cap of 200. Egyptians --------- When you think of Egyptian history, you're more likely to think of things made of gold than wood. This is something the developers of Age of Mythology took into consideration (you won't need to do a whole lot of wood chopping, compared to other cultures). In fact, you'll find that several Egyptian buildings are Free, but the Egyptians build them slower. The Pharaoh can empower the building to increase the building speed. Unlike the Greeks, for instance, the Egyptians can begin farming in the Archaic Age, as opposed to the Classical Age. The Egyptians have several benefits that encourage a defensive game style. The Egyptians have a unique military unit, the Mercenary, which is a great fighter, but will die after 30 seconds or so. The Egyptians have two Heroes, the Pharaoh and Priest. The Pharaoh features several unique abilities, the most important being the ability to empower a building. This empowerment acts as a bonus of sorts, but the effect really depends on the building that is empowered at the time. A Monument, for instance, will gain Favor much faster than if it weren't empowered. Norse ----- With the Greek culture, its villagers gather the resources, but with the Norse culture, they have two groups (gatherers and Dwarves) to collect the Wood, Food, and Gold. Greek villagers also are tasked with constructing the various buildings needed, but the Norse are a bit different here as well. The Norse infantry, who not only have to fight battles, are tasked with the construction of the buildings. The Norse have a rather unique unit, the Ox Cart. Instead of building a stationary resource drop-off point, such as a Storehouse, or Lumber Camp, for instance, the Ox Cart acts as a mobile resource drop-off point. The Ox Cart can save you time and resources this way; just imagine the time and cost it would save you from using the Ox Cart as opposed to building the numerous stationary resource drop-off points around your big piece of land. Instead of worshipping at a Temple to gain Favor, like the Greeks, the Norse gains Favor by hunting and engaging in war. Norse Hero, the Hersir, is able to gain Favor faster than the other units. Atlanteans ---------- The Atlanteans, much like the Norse, benefit in resource gathering because the villagers don't need to walk to a resource drop- off point, because they have pack donkeys to drop their resources in (Norse have Ox Carts). To balance this, the developers have made the Atlantean villagers more expensive to create. Unlike the other cultures, the Atlanteans don't have the Hero units but rather have the ability to turn a unit into a Hero. This is, however, a very expensive thing to do, so you will want to use this power sparingly. Try to use this when its incredibly important, such as you're being attacked by a large force of Mythological units; your newly-upgraded (Hero) units will benefit from their bonus damage against those Mythological units. Unlike the other cultures, the Atlanteans don't gain Favor from the Gods by worshipping at a Temple, for example, but rather by constructing new Town Centers atop Settlements. If you build two new Town Centers you will gain Favor faster than you build just one, so you should consider expansion. =========================================================================== Greek Mythology =========================================================================== Each Major Greek God gives you four (or in the case of Poseidon, five) Heroes. Heroes are created at the Town Center. You get a new Hero with each Age-advance. The Greeks are the only culture to have direct control over the rate at which they can gain Favor from the Gods. Greeks gain Favor by worshipping at a Temple; the more worshippers, the faster your Favor will increase. The Temple allows you to research several units and technologies, which require Favor, in addition to the typical calls for Gold & Food. If you choose Zeus, you start off with Favor, gain Favor faster, and have an increased Favor cap of 200. Gaea, or the earth, was the first deity of the Greek cosmological order, born of the chaos that reigned before life. She gave birth to Uranus (the heavens), and together they conceived giants, cyclopses, and titans. Uranus was not pleased with his monstrous offspring, so he locked all his children away deep within the earth. And Gaea was not pleased with Uranus for this. So she enlisted the titan Kronos to attack his ungrateful father and seize power. But Kronos was an even less tolerant father than Uranus, and was soon dealt the same blow by his own son Zeus. And with Zeus' ascension to power, so begins the Greek era of the Olympians. Now controlling the entire cosmos, Zeus decided to divide the spoils between his brothers Poseidon and Hades. The drawing of lots decided that Zeus would retain his title as ruler of the gods, while Poseidon would take possession of the seas. Hades was left with control of the underworld, and felt slighted, but there he ruled nonetheless, an angry and jealous deity. Meanwhile, Zeus' marriage to Hera (the goddess of marriage and community) was not going well. His many affairs left her as angry and jealous as Hades, but she never openly challenged Zeus, and took her frustrations out upon other enemies instead. Still, the pair had many children. Zeus showed open favoritism toward Athena, who became the goddess of wisdom and warfare. Unlike her brother Ares (the god of warfare), Athena was judicious and benevolent, choosing her battles to promote civilization and advancement. To Ares it was irrelevant which side prevailed in a battle; he only wanted ample bloodshed to assuage a violent nature. Ares even took his children - Phobos (fear), Deimos (terror), and Enyo (horror) - into battle with him. But Ares was cowardly and quick to flee when things turned against him, and was even publicly mocked by his own brother Hephaestus. Hephaestus (god of the forge and blacksmiths) had caught Ares having an affair with his wife. While said to be the ugliest of all deities, somehow Hephaestus married Aphrodite, the very goddess of love and beauty. But she rarely reciprocated his love, preferring instead the war god, Ares. Meanwhile, Zeus continued to have extramarital trysts of his own, many of which bore offspring - most famously Artemis (goddess of archery) and Apollo. God of wisdom, truth, music, the sun and among other things, healing, Apollo proved to be one of the most revered Olympians. A childhood act of goodwill set the precedent for Apollo: a giant serpent called Python greedily guarded the Oracle at Delphi (a well from which sprang prophecies of the future). The serpent ravaged the nearby countryside, poisoning rivers and wells, destroying crops, and razing entire villages. The young Apollo defeated Python and liberated the Oracle. Despite his good nature, Apollo was not always treated with respect, especially by his half-brother Hermes. Fleet of foot with winged sandals, Hermes was the messenger to all Olympian gods. But he was mischievous as well - and even while still wrapped in swaddling, he stole cattle from Apollo. Apollo demanded their return, but ended up giving in to Hermes as a result of his skill of the lyre. Hermes thus became the god of music. In any case, Zeus did not limit his trysts to goddesses - mortal women also appealed to him. One such mortal was Semele, whom Zeus "visited" in the night as a divine presence. Semele did not know who the father was, but was pleased to have coupled with deity, and bore the child Dionysus, god of wine and celebration. This naturally disturbed Hera, whose jealousies over Zeus' affairs never abated. She convinced Semele to uncover who the father was, even while knowing that no mortal woman could survive an encounter seeing Zeus in the flesh. Semele was killed. But Hera was not yet satisfied, and even had Dionysus murdered. Rhea brought him back to life and Zeus was forced to enrage Hera further by extending Dionysus divine protection. The following chart reveals the Minor Gods from which you must choose, according to your Major Gods, at each Age advance. MAJOR GOD CLASSICAL AGE HEROIC AGE MYTHIC AGE Zeus Athena, Hermes Apollo, Dionysus Hephaestus, Hera Poseidon Ares, Hermes Aphrodite, Dionysus Artemis, Hephaestus Hades Ares, Athena Aphrodite, Apollo Artemis, Hephaestus Below are the Greek Major & Minor Gods. ZEUS ---- Description: The youngest son of the Titans Kronos and Rheia, he was hidden by his mother when Kronos learned of the prophecy that one of his sons would supplant him as ruler of the world. When fully grown, Zeus forced his father to regurgitate his other children that he had swallowed, and then Zeus led a revolt against the Titans, who were banished to Tartarus, below even the underworld. Zeus and his two brothers drew lots to decide each god’s part of the world. Zeus drew the heavens, and supreme rule over all the gods and humankind. Zeus was always considered a weather god, with lightning, thunder, rain, and thunderstorms attributed to him. Later he became associated with justice and the law. He could shape-shift, taking the shape of any object or living thing, and he used this ability in his seductions. Although he took his sister Hera as his wife, he seduced many other goddesses and mortal women, siring many children who became prominent in Greek mythology. There were many statues erected in Zeus’ honor, the most magnificent being the colossal statue of Zeus at Olympia, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The Olympic Games were held originally in his honor. Bonuses: Greeks start with 15 Favor with a cap at 200 Villagers generate Favor 37.5% faster Hoplites move 12% faster Infantry do twice the damage to buildings Bolt God Power - Bolt of lightning that kills single unit instantly |_ Zeus's God Power calls a bolt from the heavens to smite any single unit, except for Titans, Transports, and Ox Carts. To use Bolt, select the Bolt icon at the top of the screen, and then left-click the unit that you want the bolt to strike. You must have line of sight to the unit. Olympic Parent Improvement - Heroes receive 25% Hit Point Bonus |_ Many Greek heroes were half-mortal children of the Olympians, the Greek gods. Zeus was the most notorious philanderer in the Greek pantheon and sired many of the gods themselves -- and some of the most famous heroes of Greek mythology: Heracles, Perseus, the twin Argonauts Castor and Pollux. These heroes accomplished amazing tasks because of their divine heritage, but often faced divine wrath when the gods fought amongst themselves, as they often did, striking out at the children of their enemies. ATHENA - Classical Age ------ Description: The goddess of wisdom, crafts, justice, and war, she is often associated with a shield for war, the owl for wisdom, or the olive tree. When Athena and Poseidon vied to be the patron of a prominent city, they held a contest to see who could give the city the finest gift. Poseidon provided a well, but it produced salty water. Athena gave the olive tree that provided food, oil, and wood. The city took the name Athens. Athena had a prominent role in Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, serving as Odysseus’ patron throughout his long voyage. In addition to sponsoring warriors and heroes, she introduced many skills necessary for civilization. In an unusual but not unique birth, she sprang from Zeus’ head fully grown and ready for battle. Legends say that Zeus had prevented a normal birth of a son with Athena’s abilities, who he feared would unseat him. Although she was a protector of human heroes, she maintained a distance from male gods whom she perhaps found unworthy of her. Athena’s companion was Nike, the goddess of victory. Restoration God Power - Heals friendly units/buildings in the target area. |_ Athena's healing touch affects all allied units and buildings in a small area. As long as the light shines down, units in the area will regain hitpoints. To use Restoration, left click on the Restoration icon, then target anywhere on the map. Using Restoration during a fight can prolong the life of your armies. Using it while a town is under attack can save your buildings. "Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back. Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness!" -- Homeric Hymn to Athena Minotaur Mythological Unit |_ King Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull as a sign he was fit to rule Crete. He promised to sacrifice the animal, but when it appeared, he kept it for his own. In retribution, Poseidon caused Minos' wife to fall in love with the bull. Their offspring was the Minotaur, a beast with the head of a bull and the body of a man. Minos had a huge labyrinth constructed under Crete where the Minotaur could be kept. Each year seven boys and seven girls were sent into the maze to be eaten by the beast. Eventually the Minotaur was slain by Theseus who unraveled a ball of twine as he moved into the labyrinth so he could find his way out. The legend of the minotaur may have originated because of the important of the bull in Minoan ritual. Minoan buildings were adorned with bull horns, and their hourglass shields covered with bull hide. Early frescoes show Minoan youths leaping over the horns of bulls as a form of sport. Aegis Shield Improvement - Infantry have -10% Pierce Vulnerability |_ The Aegis was a magical shield that officially belonged to Zeus, but he usually allowed his favorite child, Athena, to carry it. The shield was fringed and covered with scales and often adorned with a medusa head. It may have been the shield Perseus used to reflect the Medusa's image, thereby avoiding her gaze. Some myths depict the Aegis as a cloak, or a shield that could convert to a cloak. Like much of the armament of the Olympians, it was forged by Hephaestus. Sarissa Improvement - Hoplites have -10% Hack Vulnerability |_ Although often referred to as the goddess of wisdom, Athena's realm more accurately extended to technology, and the development of the sarissa qualifies as one of the greatest achievements in military technology. While Greek infantry used 8-10' long spears for centuries, Alexander the Great refined its use for the Greek phalanx, creating a 16-20' long, two-handed pike called a sarissa. Macedonian phalanxes armed with sarissas dominated Mediterranean warfare until the rise of Rome. Labyrinth of Minos Improvement - Minotaurs cost -25% Food and have +40% HP |_ Minos, the Minoan king of Crete, imprisoned the minotaur in a complex labyrinth designed by Daedalus, the famous Athenian inventor. The labyrinth was so skillfully designed that none could escape before they were devoured by the minotaur. None but Theseus, that is, who, aided by Minos' daughter Ariadne, was able to find his way by unraveling thread to mark his route. Minos was so enraged that he imprisoned Daedauls in the labyrinth, but Daedauls escaped by fashioning bird wings of wax. Upon his death, Minos was made one of the judges of Hades. The Minoan palace at Knossos had an elaborate floorplan and may have led to the myth of the labyrinth. HERMES - Classical Age ------ Description: The messenger of the gods, Hermes wore a winged cap and winged shoes. He presided over shepherds, trade, land travel, literature, athletics, oratory, and even thieving -- any activity requiring agility. He was known for his cunning and shrewdness, and as the inventor of the lyre, the flute, and the pan-pipes. He is credited with the invention of foot-racing, wrestling, and boxing. He guided the souls of the dead to the underworld. In early accounts he is a patron of fertility or luck. Later he was associated with roads. Road markers, called herms, bore a representation of Hermes. Similar markers outside homes warded off evil. He used his ingenuity to save heroes on several occasions, including Odysseus twice. Ceasefire God Power - Stops all combat for 60 seconds |_ Ceasefire prevents all combat on the entire map for its duration. Enemy units will not be able to damage your units or buildings. In addition, no one can build any building that attacks, though other types of buildings are allowed. To call a temporary Ceasefire, left click the Ceasefire icon and then left click anywhere on the map. Centaur Mythological Unit |_ Half-man and half-horse, Centaurs are usually seen with torso and head of a man and the body of a horse, but different descriptions exist. They were notorious for showing up uninvited to outdoor celebrations (for a creature that large they seemed to have had trouble holding their liquor) and for abducting women, especially young maidens. Because of their drunkenness and inclination toward violence, most were driven to the mountains of Thessaly. Chiron, the centaur that educated Achilles was an exception. Centaurs are usually depicted carrying a bow. Spirated Charge Improvement - Cavalry have +10% Speed/Attack |_ Hermes was known for his speed and athleticism and was said to have invented the race as a competitive sport. Statues of Hermes were positioned at gymnasiums and stadiums throughout Greece. Greek cavalry could not truly charge, as their saddles did not have the stirrups which allowed later medieval cavalry to brace the impact of a lance against the weight of a mount. Sylvan Lore Improvement - Centaurs have +25% HP, +30% Speed |_ Although Hermes was associated more with music and travel than with sylvan environment, he was the father of Pan (with Dryope), who was the Greek god of wooded areas and fields. Pan's mother fled at the sight of him, but Hermes took Pan up to Olympus, where he entertained the gods as a jester. Winged Messenger Improvement - Pegasus costs 0 Food, has +6 LOS, Trains 50% | Faster |_ Hermes was the messenger of the gods, a job made easier by the winged sandals that Hermes wore. He lent the sandals to Perseus when the hero fought the sea monster that threatened Andromeda. APOLLO - Heroic Age ------ Description: The god of music, archery (only as sport), medicine, colonization, herds, and divination, he represents many of the better qualities of humankind, including order, intelligence, rationalization, and an appreciation for the finer things. He could cause or cure the plague. He established the oracle at Delphi and perhaps the city of Troy. He is often perceived as the perfect male. Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were fathered by Zeus and born of the Titan Leto, necessarily incurring the wrath of Zeus’ wife Hera, who did all she could to prevent the twins from being born. Apollo was also well known for his love affairs with beautiful mortals of both sexes, including among them Calliope, Coronis and Daphne. Apollo's Oracle at Delphi was well known throughout the Mediterranean. Apollo is closely associated with the sun, or at least with Helios, the Greek sun god. Underworld Passage God Power - Allows units to travel between two points | on the map instantly |_ Apollo's God Power creates a permanent (until destroyed) tunnel through the Underworld, which may be used to travel almost instantly from one point to another on the map. To use the Underworld Passage, left click on the Underworld Passage icon, then left click where you want one end of the passage to be. Left click again in a different location to place the other end of the Underworld passage. Place one end in your town and the other end in an ally's town to allow quick reinforcements and speedy retreats. Use it to circumvent walls and defenses or even place one end deep in enemy territory for a sneak attack. The passage remains in place as long as the entrance and exit are intact. Manticore Mythological Unit |_ The Manticore probably came into Greek mythology from Persia and originated in tales about far away and exotic India. The beast had the body of a red lion, a human face (with blue eyes and human ears), three rows of teeth, a stinging poisonous tail, and poisonous spines that could be shot like arrows in any direction. Its voice was like a mixture of pipes and trumpets. It was fast and capable of great leaps. When villagers vanished without a trace, it was believed they were devoured by a manticore. Oracle Improvement - All units and buildings gain +6 LOS |_ One of the reasons for Apollo's prominence in Greek mythology was his Oracle at Delphi, who could predict the future. Apollo established the oracle when he rid Delphi of the serpent, Python. Apollo dedicated a bronze tripod to the sanctuary there, and bestowed divine powers on the priestess. The priestess, known as the Pythia, would chew on laurel leaves and inhale the hallucinating vapors issuing from the temple floor, while mumbling prophecies that had to be translated by attendant male priests. Sun Ray Improvement - Archers, Centaurs and Manticores gain +10% attack |_ Apollo was known as "Phoebus," the "radiant," and had a close connection to Helios, the sun god. Apollo is often shown holding a bow and arrow symbolizing the sun's rays, as he was the god of archery (as art, not for warfare or hunting). Temple of Heating Improvement - Temples heal a single unit at a time |_ Idle units heal much faster than those moving or engaged in combat. Some units, such as undead, Titans, or the dragon, Nidhogg, cannot be healed. Apollo was the father of Asclepius, the god of medicine, whose symbol, the cadeuses, is still used as a symbol for medicine today (though is often portrayed as the winged staff of Hermes's, not the serpent-entwined staff of Asclepius). "I begin to sing of Asclepius, son of Apollo and healer of sicknesses. In the Dotian plain fair Koronis, daughter of King Phlegyas, bare him, a great joy to men, a soother of cruel pangs. and so hail to you, lord: in my song I make my prayer to thee!" --Homeric Hymn XVI DIONYSUS - Heroic Age -------- Description: The god of wine, the theater, agriculture, the fertility of nature, and mysteries, he is usually seen with grape vines, ivy, or a panther. Unlike most Greek gods, who are normally portrayed as bright creatures of the light, Dionysus is mysterious and shadowy. His followers revel in mad behavior, drunkenness, and death. Because of his differences, Dionysus may have been a melding of Greek and Asian attributes. He was the patron of the Maenads, wild women who worshipped him and roamed the mountains shouting and hunting wild animals. He was also the patron of mystery cults, of which we know very little today. The greatest mystery associated with Dionysus is that at one point he was believed slain, but then reborn, a very unusual circumstance for an immortal god. Bronze God Power - Increases the armor of mortal units for a little while |_ This Heroic Age God Power temporarily armors units in the area with solid bronze, making them nearly invulnerable to enemy weapons for a short time. Enemies are not affected. To use Bronze, select the Bronze icon at the top of the screen and left click near the units you want bronzed. Hydra Mythological Unit |_ Another of the fierce offspring of Echinda and Typhon, the Hydra was a large serpent with multiple heads and poisonous breath. Killing the Hydra near the city of Lerna in Argolis was the second of Heracles’ twelve tasks. Each time he cut off one of the Hydra’s heads, however, two more grew back. A nephew helped him by cauterizing each wound as a head was lopped off. The last head was immortal, so Heracles buried it under a large rock. Once the beast’s body was dead, Heracles dipped his arrowheads into its blood, giving them extra potency. Scylla Mythological Unit |_ A terrifying sea monster with six serpent heads and a ring of barking dogs around her waist, Scylla guarded one side of the straits of Messina, between Sicily and Italy. The dogs alerted her when a ship was passing so she could seize sailors. Scylla was originally a beautiful nymph who was transformed by the jealous sorceress Circe. Anastrophe Improvement - Pentekonters have +20% attack, move 10% faster | and train 25% faster |_ The anastrophe was a surprise maneuver used by Trireme captains to suddenly change directions and attempt to ram. Bacchanalia Improvement - Improves the HP of all units by 5% |_ As god of wine, Dionysus' festivals with his followers were full of joy and celebration. However, there was a darker side to these events as well. Dionysus was also representative of untamed natural forces, and in a drunken, wild state, Dionysus' followers would be driven to bloody deeds and kill with their bare hands. Thracian Horses Improvement - Cavalry have +20% HP |_ When Dionysus was young and wandered Earth as a mortal, his growing cult was opposed by King Lycurgus of Thrace. Dionysus drove Lycurgus mad, so that he chopped up his own son with an axe, believing he was pruning a vine. Eventually his own subjects caused Lycurgus to be torn to pieces by wild horses. HERA - Mythic Age ---- Description: The queen of the Olympian deities. She is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and wife and sister of Zeus. Hera was mainly worshipped as a goddess of marriage and birth. It is said that each year Hera's virginity returns by bathing in the well Canathus. The children of Hera and Zeus are the smith-god Hephaestus, the goddess of youth Hebe, and the god of war Ares. According to some sources, however, her children were conceived without the help of a man, either by slapping her hand on the ground or by eating lettuce: thus they were born, not out of love but out of lust and hatred. She punished her rivals and their children, among both goddesses and mortals, with implacable fury. She placed two serpents in the cradle of Heracles; she had Io guarded by a hundred-eyed giant; she drove the foster-parents of Dionysus mad, and tried to prevent the birth of Apollo and Artemis. Even Zeus usually could not stand up to her. Sometimes when he got angry, he chained her to the mountain of Olympus by fastening anvils to her feet. However, most of the time Zeus resorted to stratagems: he either hid his illegitimate children, or he changed them into animals. Hera's main sanctuary was at Argos in the Peloponnesus, where she was worshipped as the town goddess. Also, in this town the Heraia, public festivities, were celebrated. Other temples stood in Olympia, Mycene, Sparta, Paestum, Corinth, Tiryns, Perachora, and on the islands of Samos and Delos. Lightning Storm God Power - Damages large numbers of units over a wide area |_ Hera's God Power calls down a storm of lightning bolts that strike all enemy units in the area. In addition, the bolts may strike buildings or trees, but do much more damage against units. Quick enemies may be able to escape the storm, which covers a large area but does not move. To call this mighty storm, left click on the Lightning Storm icon at the top of the screen, then left click where you want the storm to strike. You must have line of sight to the targeted area. Carcinos Mythological Unit |_ During Heracles' battle with the hydra, Hera summoned a crab to attack Heracles and aid the hydra. Although Heracles defeated both hydra and crab, Hera rewarded the crustacean by placing it as a constellation up in the night sky. Latin for "crab" is "cancer," and in Greek it is "Karkinos" -- from where derives the word "carcinogen." Medusa Mythological Unit |_ Medusa was one of three sisters known as the Gorgons, children of sea gods with live sea snakes for hair, scaly necks, boar-like tusks, golden hands, and bronze wings. One tale is that Medusa was once a beautiful maid who boasted of being more beautiful than Athena, who turned her into a monster so ugly that those who gazed upon her were turned to stone. She was killed by Perseus, with the help of Athena and Hermes. From her blood was created the winged horse, Pegasus. Her head was used as a weapon to kill the sea monster Cetus and then the head was mounted on Athena's shield. Athenian Wall Improvement - Increases the HP of all buildings by 30%, | walls by 10% |_ The Long Walls of Athens are attributed to the architect Callicrates. The Long Walls stretched from Athens itself to the harbor at Piraeus, a distance of over 7 miles. The walls were formed of large blocks of stone stacked over 60' high and 12' thick. In the absence of powerful siege artillery, Athens was virtually impregnable except by the sea, which was defended by the famous Athenian navy. Face of the Gorgon - Medusa gains +33% HP |_ While Medusa is the most famous of the Gorgons, there were actually many of them, though only three are named in Greek mythology: Medusa, Euryale and Stenno. Only Medusa was mortal. The Gorgons were monstrous creatures covered with scales, hair of living serpents, hands of brass, and sharp fangs. It is not always clear if it was seeing the horrid visage of a Gorgon or meeting their gaze that could turn the viewer to stone. The Gorgons lived far to the west where they guarded an entrance to the underworld. Monstrous Rage Improvement - All myth units gain +25% to all damage types |_ Hera's implacable fury was well-known, especially against the various extramarital lovers of Zeus and their children. She placed serpents in the cradle of Heracles, sent a hundred-eyed giant to watch over Io, and tried to prevent the births of Athena and Artemis. As punishment for the madness she imbued upon Heracles that caused him to kill his parents, Zeus chained Hera to Olympus with anvils tied around her ankles. HEPHAESTUS - Mythic Age ---------- Description: The god of fire, volcanoes, blacksmiths, and metal working, he had a strong following in the cities where his skills were important to commerce and war. He is usually seen with an axe. In one account he sided with his mother Hera against Zeus who threw him so far that he fell all day and limped thereafter. Hephaestus was associated with Mt. Etna on the island of Sicily. In his workshop he fashioned many wondrous things for the gods, including thunderbolts for Zeus, Athena’s shield, arrows for Eros, and the chariot with which Helios the sun god rode across the sky. He also helped create the first human woman from clay, named Pandora, who released the evils of the world on humankind from her magic jar. Plenty God Power - Creates a vault which constantly generates food, wood, | and gold. |_ Hephaestus' God Power creates a wondrous, mythical Vault that grants a constant flow of Food, Wood, and Gold. To erect the Vault of Plenty, left click on the Plenty icon, then left click where you wish to place the Vault. The gods favor the strong -- if an enemy has more units or buildings near the vault than you, then you will lose control of the vault and the enemy will get the flow of resources. Place the Vault carefully, and then defend it well. Colossus Mythological Unit |_ The Great Colossus at Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It stood over 150 ft. high on a 50 ft. white marble base. It was mostly hollow, with a skin of bronze welded to a skeleton frame of stone and metal. Though it was destroyed by an earthquake after standing for only about fifty years, such was its enormity that people came to Rhodes just to see its ruins, just as people today visit the ruins of other Greek monuments, buildings and temples. Forge Of Olympus Improvement - Armory technologies cost 75% less |_ As the smith of the Greek gods, Hephaestus forged many great items for the other gods, such as the thunderbolts of Zeus, Aegis Shield, arrows of Eros, chariot of Helios and armor of Achilles. He even helped to create the first woman, Pandora, of clay. Hephaestus also created items used against the gods when he was wronged, such as a throne that held Hera prisoner when she cast him out of Olympus for being so ugly, and a chain-link net used to trap his wife, Aphrodite, when he suspected her of cheating on him with Ares. Hand of Talos Improvement - Colossus gains +100 HP |_ One of Zeus' many lovers was a mortal woman named Europa. In the form of a white bull, Zeus spirited her away to the isle of Crete, where she had 3 sons. Zeus had Hephaestus forge a giant of iron to defend Europa and the island. Talos was powered by a single blood vein that ran from his throat to his ankle. The vein was sealed with a pin at the ankle. Shoulder of Talos Improvement - Colossus gains +200 HP, -20% hack damage | Vulnerability |_ On the return voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, they needed to stop and resupply on the Isle of Crete, but the sorcerous Medea warned them of Talos. When Talos appeared and began to throw rocks at the Argo, Medea played her lyre to coax him to sleep. She then pulled out the bronze pin that held in his blood and the giant collapsed. Jason and his men could then collect food and water before continuing their voyage. Weapon of the Titans Improvement - Unique units gain +10% attack |_ The Titans created and ruled the Earth before their children, the Olympians, overthrew them. They wielded the raw power of the elements: Light, Earth, Time, Water, Fire. The children of the Titans, the Olympians, wielded fantastic, if more conventional, weapons forged by the club-footed god Hephaestus or cyclops smiths. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- POSEIDON -------- Description: The third son of Kronos and the brother of Zeus and Hades, he drew the seas as his domain to rule. He was known also as the god of earthquakes and the god of horses. The symbols most often associated with Poseidon were the trident and dolphin. Sailors relied upon him for favorable winds and safe voyages, but he was moody. Despite sacrifices including drowned horses, he could cause storms, bad winds, and earthquakes at a whim. Like Zeus, he projected his power and masculinity on women, fathering many children. In a famous contest between himself and Athena to decide which of the two would be the patron god of Athens, he threw a spear into the ground to create the Spring of the Acropolis. Athena surpassed him, however, by creating the olive tree. He often used water and earthquakes to exact revenge, but could be cooperative as well. He greatly aided the Greeks in the Trojan War, but took years of revenge on Odysseus, who had harmed one of Poseidon's Cyclops offspring. Bonuses: Cavalry cost 10% less Stables cost 25% less Market use cost only 10% When Poseidon's buildings are destroyed, miltia emerge from the rubble Gains a Hippocampus at the dock when a temple is built Lure God Power - Draws animals closer for villagers to hunt. |_ Poseidon's God Power creates a mythical stone to which animals are drawn. The magnet draws huntable, herdable and predatory animals alike, so be cautious when placing it close to your Villagers. It will only summon a certain amount of Food, so once a maximum number of animals reaches the Lure, it will crumble to pieces. Careful placement of the Lure can ensure that the Food bonanza it provides gets to you quickly. To use Lure, left click the icon at the top of the screen, then left click where you want the stone to appear. Be careful where you place it because any predators that arrive may attack your Villagers. Lord of the Horses Improvement - Cavalry have +4 LOS |_ In addition to his more familiar role as lord of the sea, Poseidon was also the god of horses. He sometimes adopted the form of a horse when pursuing mortal women, which may account for the fact that some of his children were horses, including Arion, one of the steeds of Achilles. It is not known if Poseidon appeared as a horse when he seduced Medusa, but when she was killed, she produced the winged horse, Pegasus. "Lord Poseidon, from you this pride is ours. The strong horses, the young horses, and also the rule of the deep." -- source Unknown ARES - Classical Age ---- Description: The Greek god of war, he is usually seen with a spear, the preferred weapon of Greek Hoplites. He was tall and handsome, but vain and cruel. He was preoccupied with war and battles, quick to rush into a fight, reveled in bloodshed, and heedless of who won or lost. He was worshipped most strongly in regions like Thrace, where the people were particularly fierce. There was one exception to his obsession with war: he was smitten by Aphrodite and had a long running affair with her. Homer recounts in the Odyssey a tale of the sun god Helios spotting the pair enjoying each other’s charms and reporting their tryst to Hephaestus, Aphrodite’s husband. The great smith fashioned a special net in which he caught the pair locked in their passionate embrace. He offered to exhibit the netted pair to the gods of Olympus, but the women demurred. Homer says that many of the male gods offered to switch places with Ares. Pestilence God Power - Halt production at enemy buildings in the target area |_ This Classical Age God Power called by Ares prevents enemy military buildings from training new soldiers within its area of effect. Enemies can still train new units outside of the area of effect. Allied units are not affected, and neither are economic buildings, such as Town Centers. To invoke a Pestilence, left click on the Pestilence God Power at the top of the screen, and then left click anywhere on the map. You must have line of sight to use this power. Cyclops Mythological Unit |_ Giants with one central eye, the Cyclopes were storm gods in early Greek mythology. In some tales they became smiths and worked with Hephaestus on Zeus’ thunderbolts. In other tales there were only three Cyclopes, representing thunder, lightning, and a thunderbolt. In classical Greece, the "lesser cyclopes" were seen as the sons of Poseidon, bestial and violent, who were avoided and feared. There were also wise and powerful "elder Cyclopes" that were the sons of Kronos. Deimos' Sword Improvement - Hypaspists have +15% attack |_ Deimos, also called Fear, was one of the sons of Ares and Aphrodite. He followed Ares in battle, along with his brother, Phobos. Deimos is a personification of emotion and does not appear as an actual character in any Greek myths. Enyo's Bow Improvement - Toxotes have +10% attack |_ Enyo, the personification of strife and discord, was also known as Eris, and was the daughter of Ares. She delighted in bloody battlefields, and was known as the Sacker of Cities, and appeared in Troy when the city fell to the Greeks. In some myths, Enyo produced the Golden Apple that began the Trojan War. "Yet these charged forth -- they could not choose but so, for Strife and deadly Enyo in their midst stalked, like the fell Erinyes to behold, breathing destruction from their lips like flame." -- Quintus, The Fall of Troy Phobos' Spear Improvement - Hoplites have +10% attack |_ Phobos, or Terror, was one of the sons of Ares and Aphrodite. He accompanied his father into battle. Phobos is more of an abstraction than an actual god and does not appear in any Greek myths. "In the centre was Phobos (Fear) worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Eris (Strife) who arrays the throng of men ..." -- Hesiod, Shield of Heracles Will of Kronos Improvement - Cyclopes have +50% hack damage, double | crush damage, train 25% faster |_ Greek mythology makes a distinction between the "lesser" Cyclopes, who were the sons of Poseidon, and the "elder" Cyclopes, who were children of Kronos. Their names were given as Arges, Brontes, Steropes, Euryalos, Elatreus, Trakhios and Halimedes. The Elder Cyclopes were known as craftsmen and builders, and were so feared for their great strength that they were kept locked in Tartarus. "After ten years of fighting Ge prophesied a victory for Zeus if he were to secure the prisoners down in Tartarus as his allies. He thereupon slew their jail-keeper Kampe, and freed them from their bonds. In return the Cyclopes gave Zeus thunder, lightning, and a thunderbolt, as well as a helmet for Hades and a trident for Poseidon. Armed with these the three gods overpowered the Titans, confined them in Tartaros, and put the Hekatonkheires in charge of guarding them." -- Apollodorus HERMES - Classical Age ------ Description: The messenger of the gods, Hermes wore a winged cap and winged shoes. He presided over shepherds, trade, land travel, literature, athletics, oratory, and even thieving -- any activity requiring agility. He was known for his cunning and shrewdness, and as the inventor of the lyre, the flute, and the pan-pipes. He is credited with the invention of foot-racing, wrestling, and boxing. He guided the souls of the dead to the underworld. In early accounts he is a patron of fertility or luck. Later he was associated with roads. Road markers, called herms, bore a representation of Hermes. Similar markers outside homes warded off evil. He used his ingenuity to save heroes on several occasions, including Odysseus twice. Ceasefire God Power - Stops all combat for 60 seconds |_ Ceasefire prevents all combat on the entire map for its duration. Enemy units will not be able to damage your units or buildings. In addition, no one can build any building that attacks, though other types of buildings are allowed. To call a temporary Ceasefire, left click the Ceasefire icon and then left click anywhere on the map. Centaur Mythological Unit |_ Half-man and half-horse, Centaurs are usually seen with torso and head of a man and the body of a horse, but different descriptions exist. They were notorious for showing up uninvited to outdoor celebrations (for a creature that large they seemed to have had trouble holding their liquor) and for abducting women, especially young maidens. Because of their drunkenness and inclination toward violence, most were driven to the mountains of Thessaly. Chiron, the centaur that educated Achilles was an exception. Centaurs are usually depicted carrying a bow. Spirated Charge Improvement - Cavalry have +10% Speed/Attack |_ Hermes was known for his speed and athleticism and was said to have invented the race as a competitive sport. Statues of Hermes were positioned at gymnasiums and stadiums throughout Greece. Greek cavalry could not truly charge, as their saddles did not have the stirrups which allowed later medieval cavalry to brace the impact of a lance against the weight of a mount. Sylvan Lore Improvement - Centaurs have +25% HP, +30% Speed |_ Although Hermes was associated more with music and travel than with sylvan environment, he was the father of Pan (with Dryope), who was the Greek god of wooded areas and fields. Pan's mother fled at the sight of him, but Hermes took Pan up to Olympus, where he entertained the gods as a jester. Winged Messenger Improvement - Pegasus costs 0 Food, has +6 LOS, Trains 50% | Faster |_ Hermes was the messenger of the gods, a job made easier by the winged sandals that Hermes wore. He lent the sandals to Perseus when the hero fought the sea monster that threatened Andromeda. Aphrodite - Heroic Age --------- Description: The goddess of love, beauty, and sexual rapture, her name derives from the word for sea foam. In one story, she was born when Kronos the Titan was castrated and his genitals were thrown into the ocean. The sea began to roil and from the foam Aphrodite took shape. In contrast, Homer says she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Regardless of her ancestry, she was beautiful beyond words. Seeking Olympian tranquility, Zeus gave Aphrodite in marriage to hard-working and reliable Hephaestus. With his metal working skills he fashioned for her wonderful jewels, including a golden magical girdle. The combination of her personal charms and her jewels made her irresistible. She took advantage of her gifts, loving glamour and flirting, and was not particularly happy with a dirty, boring husband. She took many lovers, including Adonis, and bore several children, including Eros. The festival of Aphrodisiac was celebrated, especially in Athens and Corinth. Coupling with her priestesses was a form of Aphrodite worship. Curse God Power - Turn several enemy units into pigs |_ Aphrodite's God Power turns a random number of Villagers and human soldiers into Pigs. The weaker the units affected, the more units can be affected. To use Curse on your enemies, select the Curse icon at the top of the screen, then left click near the enemy units you want to turn into pigs. You must have line of sight to the enemy units you wish to Curse. Nemean Lion Mythological Unit |_ A large and ferocious lion that lived on the plains of Nemea, it terrorized the area and could not be killed by normal men, who ran in fear from its mighty roar. The first labor of Heracles was to kill the Nemean Lion. When Heracles discovered his arrows and other weapons had no effect on the beast, the hero closed with it and used his incredible strength to strangle it. He skinned the beast and returned with its skin as a cloak. Heracles was thereafter depicted wearing the cloak of the Nemean Lion. Divine Blood Improvement - Villagers move 20% faster, carry 10 more | resources, and construct buildings 20% faster |_ Aphrodite's name means "foam-born," and according to mythology, she rose from the sea near Cyprus after Oranos the Titan's severed body parts were hurled into the ocean by Kronos. As the goddess of beauty and passion, Aphrodite engaged in many trysts with mortals, much like her foster father, Zeus. Prominent among these was Aeneas, who would escape the burning city of Troy to eventually found Rome. Golden Apples Improvement - Villagers gather favor 15% faster |_ Enyo, or Strife, the daughter of Ares decided to sow discord by producing a golden apple inscribed "to the fairest". The goddesses Athena, Hera and Aphrodite immediately began squabbling over for which one of them the apple was intended. A shepherd named Paris was chosen to answer the question. Athena offered him wisdom. Hera offered him power. Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite. The most beautiful woman in the world turned out to be Helen, wife of a prominent Greek king, and her abduction began the Trojan War. Roar of Orthus Improvement - Nemean Lion -50% pierce damage vulnerability, | 20% hack damage vulnerability |_ Echidna was a half-woman, half-snake mother of many monstrous progeny, including Ladon (a dragon), the Hydra, the Chimera, Orthus (a multi-headed dog) and Cerberus (the multi-headed dog that guards the gates to Erebus). Echidna and Orthus had their own foul brood, including the Greek Sphinx and Nemean Lion. Orthus was guarding the cattle of Geryon when he was strangled by Heracles. DIONYSUS - Heroic Age -------- Description: The god of wine, the theater, agriculture, the fertility of nature, and mysteries, he is usually seen with grape vines, ivy, or a panther. Unlike most Greek gods, who are normally portrayed as bright creatures of the light, Dionysus is mysterious and shadowy. His followers revel in mad behavior, drunkenness, and death. Because of his differences, Dionysus may have been a melding of Greek and Asian attributes. He was the patron of the Maenads, wild women who worshipped him and roamed the mountains shouting and hunting wild animals. He was also the patron of mystery cults, of which we know very little today. The greatest mystery associated with Dionysus is that at one point he was believed slain, but then reborn, a very unusual circumstance for an immortal god. Bronze God Power - Increases the armor of mortal units for a little while |_ This Heroic Age God Power temporarily armors units in the area with solid bronze, making them nearly invulnerable to enemy weapons for a short time. Enemies are not affected. To use Bronze, select the Bronze icon at the top of the screen and left click near the units you want bronzed. Hydra Mythological Unit |_ Another of the fierce offspring of Echinda and Typhon, the Hydra was a large serpent with multiple heads and poisonous breath. Killing the Hydra near the city of Lerna in Argolis was the second of Heracles’ twelve tasks. Each time he cut off one of the Hydra’s heads, however, two more grew back. A nephew helped him by cauterizing each wound as a head was lopped off. The last head was immortal, so Heracles buried it under a large rock. Once the beast’s body was dead, Heracles dipped his arrowheads into its blood, giving them extra potency. Scylla Mythological Unit |_ A terrifying sea monster with six serpent heads and a ring of barking dogs around her waist, Scylla guarded one side of the straits of Messina, between Sicily and Italy. The dogs alerted her when a ship was passing so she could seize sailors. Scylla was originally a beautiful nymph who was transformed by the jealous sorceress Circe. Anastrophe Improvement - Pentekonters have +20% attack, move 10% faster | and train 25% faster |_ The anastrophe was a surprise maneuver used by Trireme captains to suddenly change directions and attempt to ram. Bacchanalia Improvement - Improves the HP of all units by 5% |_ As god of wine, Dionysus' festivals with his followers were full of joy and celebration. However, there was a darker side to these events as well. Dionysus was also representative of untamed natural forces, and in a drunken, wild state, Dionysus' followers would be driven to bloody deeds and kill with their bare hands. Thracian Horses Improvement - Cavalry have +20% HP |_ When Dionysus was young and wandered Earth as a mortal, his growing cult was opposed by King Lycurgus of Thrace. Dionysus drove Lycurgus mad, so that he chopped up his own son with an axe, believing he was pruning a vine. Eventually his own subjects caused Lycurgus to be torn to pieces by wild horses. ARTEMIS - Mythic Age ------- Description: The goddess of the hunt and the protector of children, she is often seen with her bow and with wild animals, or wandering in the woods accompanied by nymphs. She and her twin brother, Apollo, were children of Zeus and the Titan Leto. Artemis was said to be aloof and free-spirited, free of husband and home, and forever a virgin. She exacts complete and deadly retribution for those who transgressed against the gods or herself. She turned the hunter Actaeon into a stag that was torn apart by his own hunting dogs, all for accidentally seeing her bathing. She was also believe to be responsible for the deaths of women in childbirth. Earthquake God Power - Damages enemy buildings and units |_ Artemis calls forth the wrath of nature in a mighty Earthquake. Every unit in the area is affected, though enemies take more damage, and buildings are hurt much more than units. Farms take very little damage. To unleash the devastation, left click on the Earthquake icon at the top of the screen, then left click where you want the center of the Earthquake to be. You must have line of sight to target Earthquake. Chimera Mythological Unit |_ The chimera is one of the varied offspring of Echidna (with the torso of a beautiful woman and a horrible serpent below the waist) and Typhon (a fire-breathing giant with 100 serpent heads). The Chimera is a fire-breathing beast, usually depicted with the body of a goat, the head of a lion, and tail of a serpent. The Corinthian hero, Bellerophon, defeated the original Lycian (a Greek kingdom in Asia Minor) chimera by flying into battle on the winged horse, Pegasus. Flames of Typhon Improvement - Chimerae have +30% attack, +20% HP, | special attack does 30% more damage |_ Typhon was a fire-breathing monster that dripped venom from his eyes. The battle between the gods and Typhon was so destructive that most of life on earth was killed. In the end, Typhon hurled Mount Aetna at Zeus, but Zeus struck it with a hundred well-aimed thunderbolts and pinned Typhon beneath the rubble. The monster was never entirely killed, though, which is why Mount Aetna still rumbles with earthquakes and lava. Typhon had many offspring with the equally monstrous Echidna, including the Chimera. Shafts of Plague Improvement - Arrows Archers have +15% attack |_ Like her brother, Apollo, Artemis was said to be able to cause plague by firing her arrows. The family of Niobe met with such a death. Niobe made the foolish claim that she was superior to the mother of Apollo and Artemis, Leto, for she had borne seven sons and seven daughters, and Leto only two. Apollo then shot all seven sons and Artemis all seven daughters. Trierarch Improvement - Triremes have -20% crush damage vulnerability |_ The Trierarch was the highest ranking officer on a trireme, and also responsible for the cost and maintenance of his ship. He was assisted by the Pentekontrarchos, who maintained the ship's purse and records, the Kubernator, or pilot, and the Auletes, who played a flute to keep rowers in rhythm. HEPHAESTUS - Mythic Age ---------- Description: The god of fire, volcanoes, blacksmiths, and metal working, he had a strong following in the cities where his skills were important to commerce and war. He is usually seen with an axe. In one account he sided with his mother Hera against Zeus who threw him so far that he fell all day and limped thereafter. Hephaestus was associated with Mt. Etna on the island of Sicily. In his workshop he fashioned many wondrous things for the gods, including thunderbolts for Zeus, Athena’s shield, arrows for Eros, and the chariot with which Helios the sun god rode across the sky. He also helped create the first human woman from clay, named Pandora, who released the evils of the world on humankind from her magic jar. Plenty God Power - Creates a vault which constantly generates food, wood, | and gold. |_ Hephaestus' God Power creates a wondrous, mythical Vault that grants a constant flow of Food, Wood, and Gold. To erect the Vault of Plenty, left click on the Plenty icon, then left click where you wish to place the Vault. The gods favor the strong -- if an enemy has more units or buildings near the vault than you, then you will lose control of the vault and the enemy will get the flow of resources. Place the Vault carefully, and then defend it well. Colossus Mythological Unit |_ The Great Colossus at Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It stood over 150 ft. high on a 50 ft. white marble base. It was mostly hollow, with a skin of bronze welded to a skeleton frame of stone and metal. Though it was destroyed by an earthquake after standing for only about fifty years, such was its enormity that people came to Rhodes just to see its ruins, just as people today visit the ruins of other Greek monuments, buildings and temples. Forge Of Olympus Improvement - Armory technologies cost 75% less |_ As the smith of the Greek gods, Hephaestus forged many great items for the other gods, such as the thunderbolts of Zeus, Aegis Shield, arrows of Eros, chariot of Helios and armor of Achilles. He even helped to create the first woman, Pandora, of clay. Hephaestus also created items used against the gods when he was wronged, such as a throne that held Hera prisoner when she cast him out of Olympus for being so ugly, and a chain-link net used to trap his wife, Aphrodite, when he suspected her of cheating on him with Ares. Hand of Talos Improvement - Colossus gains +100 HP |_ One of Zeus' many lovers was a mortal woman named Europa. In the form of a white bull, Zeus spirited her away to the isle of Crete, where she had 3 sons. Zeus had Hephaestus forge a giant of iron to defend Europa and the island. Talos was powered by a single blood vein that ran from his throat to his ankle. The vein was sealed with a pin at the ankle. Shoulder of Talos Improvement - Colossus gains +200 HP, -20% hack damage | Vulnerability |_ On the return voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, they needed to stop and resupply on the Isle of Crete, but the sorcerous Medea warned them of Talos. When Talos appeared and began to throw rocks at the Argo, Medea played her lyre to coax him to sleep. She then pulled out the bronze pin that held in his blood and the giant collapsed. Jason and his men could then collect food and water before continuing their voyage. Weapon of the Titans Improvement - Unique units gain +10% attack |_ The Titans created and ruled the Earth before their children, the Olympians, overthrew them. They wielded the raw power of the elements: Light, Earth, Time, Water, Fire. The children of the Titans, the Olympians, wielded fantastic, if more conventional, weapons forged by the club-footed god Hephaestus or cyclops smiths. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- HADES ----- Description: The brother of Zeus, Hades drew the underworld as his to rule when the Titans were overthrown and banished to Tartarus. He shared rule of the underworld with Persephone, whom he had abducted from above. Although required to release her, she was tricked and forced to remain with him. Hades sat on an ebony throne and wore a helmet that made him invisible. There he ruled the dead and accepted those newly arrived from above. Hermes brought the souls of the dead to the River Styx where Charon, the ferryman, carried them across. The three-headed watchdog, Cerberus, prevented any escape. Most souls remained on the empty Plain of Asphodel. A lucky few of extraordinary merit went on to the blessed islands of Elysium. The unlucky were sentenced to unending torment further down in Tartarus. In rare instances, Hades allowed living mortals, such as Odysseus, to enter the underworld and then leave again. Even more rarely did Hades free the dead to return to the living. He was the richest of the gods, possessing all the mineral wealth in the Earth. Bonuses: Archers have 10% more attack Buildings have 25% more hit points and 20% more attack When human soldiers are killed, there is a 20% chance a shade will be generated at the player's temple Sentinel God Power - Creates four statues at a target town center which | will attack any enemies within range |_ Hades grants this God Power that causes 4 stony guardians to rise from the ground and protect a Town Center belonging to you or an ally. To summon the Sentinels, left click on the Sentinel icon at the top of the screen, then left click on a Town Center. If there is not space for all 4 Sentinel statues, some may appear red. You may use the God Power anyway and create fewer statues, or you can try to remove the obstructions (such as deleting a building), or just use the power on a different Town Center. The Sentinels are affected by improvements that make buildings stronger. Vaults of Erebus Improvement - Increases Gold production by 0.75 gold/second |_ Although Hades was the god of the dead, he was also considered the god of wealth because precious minerals came from beneath the ground. Hades' realm was divided into two parts, Erebus, where the dead first entered the underworld, and the deeper region of Tartarus, where the Titans were imprisoned. The underworld was divided from the world of the living by 5 rivers: Acheron, the river of woe; Lethe, the river of forgetfulness; Styx, the river of unbreakable oaths; Phlegethon, the river of fire; and Cocytus, the river of lamentations. ATHENA - Classical Age ------ Description: The goddess of wisdom, crafts, justice, and war, she is often associated with a shield for war, the owl for wisdom, or the olive tree. When Athena and Poseidon vied to be the patron of a prominent city, they held a contest to see who could give the city the finest gift. Poseidon provided a well, but it produced salty water. Athena gave the olive tree that provided food, oil, and wood. The city took the name Athens. Athena had a prominent role in Homer’s epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, serving as Odysseus’ patron throughout his long voyage. In addition to sponsoring warriors and heroes, she introduced many skills necessary for civilization. In an unusual but not unique birth, she sprang from Zeus’ head fully grown and ready for battle. Legends say that Zeus had prevented a normal birth of a son with Athena’s abilities, who he feared would unseat him. Although she was a protector of human heroes, she maintained a distance from male gods whom she perhaps found unworthy of her. Athena’s companion was Nike, the goddess of victory. Restoration God Power - Heals friendly units/buildings in the target area. |_ Athena's healing touch affects all allied units and buildings in a small area. As long as the light shines down, units in the area will regain hitpoints. To use Restoration, left click on the Restoration icon, then target anywhere on the map. Using Restoration during a fight can prolong the life of your armies. Using it while a town is under attack can save your buildings. "Of Pallas Athena, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they go out to war and come back. Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness!" -- Homeric Hymn to Athena Minotaur Mythological Unit |_ King Minos prayed to Poseidon to send him a snow-white bull as a sign he was fit to rule Crete. He promised to sacrifice the animal, but when it appeared, he kept it for his own. In retribution, Poseidon caused Minos' wife to fall in love with the bull. Their offspring was the Minotaur, a beast with the head of a bull and the body of a man. Minos had a huge labyrinth constructed under Crete where the Minotaur could be kept. Each year seven boys and seven girls were sent into the maze to be eaten by the beast. Eventually the Minotaur was slain by Theseus who unraveled a ball of twine as he moved into the labyrinth so he could find his way out. The legend of the minotaur may have originated because of the important of the bull in Minoan ritual. Minoan buildings were adorned with bull horns, and their hourglass shields covered with bull hide. Early frescoes show Minoan youths leaping over the horns of bulls as a form of sport. Aegis Shield Improvement - Infantry have -10% Pierce Vulnerability |_ The Aegis was a magical shield that officially belonged to Zeus, but he usually allowed his favorite child, Athena, to carry it. The shield was fringed and covered with scales and often adorned with a medusa head. It may have been the shield Perseus used to reflect the Medusa's image, thereby avoiding her gaze. Some myths depict the Aegis as a cloak, or a shield that could convert to a cloak. Like much of the armament of the Olympians, it was forged by Hephaestus. Sarissa Improvement - Hoplites have -10% Hack Vulnerability |_ Although often referred to as the goddess of wisdom, Athena's realm more accurately extended to technology, and the development of the sarissa qualifies as one of the greatest achievements in military technology. While Greek infantry used 8-10' long spears for centuries, Alexander the Great refined its use for the Greek phalanx, creating a 16-20' long, two-handed pike called a sarissa. Macedonian phalanxes armed with sarissas dominated Mediterranean warfare until the rise of Rome. Labyrinth of Minos Improvement - Minotaurs cost -25% Food and have +40% HP |_ Minos, the Minoan king of Crete, imprisoned the minotaur in a complex labyrinth designed by Daedalus, the famous Athenian inventor. The labyrinth was so skillfully designed that none could escape before they were devoured by the minotaur. None but Theseus, that is, who, aided by Minos' daughter Ariadne, was able to find his way by unraveling thread to mark his route. Minos was so enraged that he imprisoned Daedauls in the labyrinth, but Daedauls escaped by fashioning bird wings of wax. Upon his death, Minos was made one of the judges of Hades. The Minoan palace at Knossos had an elaborate floorplan and may have led to the myth of the labyrinth. ARES - Classical Age ---- Description: The Greek god of war, he is usually seen with a spear, the preferred weapon of Greek Hoplites. He was tall and handsome, but vain and cruel. He was preoccupied with war and battles, quick to rush into a fight, reveled in bloodshed, and heedless of who won or lost. He was worshipped most strongly in regions like Thrace, where the people were particularly fierce. There was one exception to his obsession with war: he was smitten by Aphrodite and had a long running affair with her. Homer recounts in the Odyssey a tale of the sun god Helios spotting the pair enjoying each other’s charms and reporting their tryst to Hephaestus, Aphrodite’s husband. The great smith fashioned a special net in which he caught the pair locked in their passionate embrace. He offered to exhibit the netted pair to the gods of Olympus, but the women demurred. Homer says that many of the male gods offered to switch places with Ares. Pestilence God Power - Halt production at enemy buildings in the target area |_ This Classical Age God Power called by Ares prevents enemy military buildings from training new soldiers within its area of effect. Enemies can still train new units outside of the area of effect. Allied units are not affected, and neither are economic buildings, such as Town Centers. To invoke a Pestilence, left click on the Pestilence God Power at the top of the screen, and then left click anywhere on the map. You must have line of sight to use this power. Cyclops Mythological Unit |_ Giants with one central eye, the Cyclopes were storm gods in early Greek mythology. In some tales they became smiths and worked with Hephaestus on Zeus’ thunderbolts. In other tales there were only three Cyclopes, representing thunder, lightning, and a thunderbolt. In classical Greece, the "lesser cyclopes" were seen as the sons of Poseidon, bestial and violent, who were avoided and feared. There were also wise and powerful "elder Cyclopes" that were the sons of Kronos. Deimos' Sword Improvement - Hypaspists have +15% attack |_ Deimos, also called Fear, was one of the sons of Ares and Aphrodite. He followed Ares in battle, along with his brother, Phobos. Deimos is a personification of emotion and does not appear as an actual character in any Greek myths. Enyo's Bow Improvement - Toxotes have +10% attack |_ Enyo, the personification of strife and discord, was also known as Eris, and was the daughter of Ares. She delighted in bloody battlefields, and was known as the Sacker of Cities, and appeared in Troy when the city fell to the Greeks. In some myths, Enyo produced the Golden Apple that began the Trojan War. "Yet these charged forth -- they could not choose but so, for Strife and deadly Enyo in their midst stalked, like the fell Erinyes to behold, breathing destruction from their lips like flame." -- Quintus, The Fall of Troy Phobos' Spear Improvement - Hoplites have +10% attack |_ Phobos, or Terror, was one of the sons of Ares and Aphrodite. He accompanied his father into battle. Phobos is more of an abstraction than an actual god and does not appear in any Greek myths. "In the centre was Phobos (Fear) worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Eris (Strife) who arrays the throng of men ..." -- Hesiod, Shield of Heracles Will of Kronos Improvement - Cyclopes have +50% hack damage, double | crush damage, train 25% faster |_ Greek mythology makes a distinction between the "lesser" Cyclopes, who were the sons of Poseidon, and the "elder" Cyclopes, who were children of Kronos. Their names were given as Arges, Brontes, Steropes, Euryalos, Elatreus, Trakhios and Halimedes. The Elder Cyclopes were known as craftsmen and builders, and were so feared for their great strength that they were kept locked in Tartarus. "After ten years of fighting Ge prophesied a victory for Zeus if he were to secure the prisoners down in Tartarus as his allies. He thereupon slew their jail-keeper Kampe, and freed them from their bonds. In return the Cyclopes gave Zeus thunder, lightning, and a thunderbolt, as well as a helmet for Hades and a trident for Poseidon. Armed with these the three gods overpowered the Titans, confined them in Tartaros, and put the Hekatonkheires in charge of guarding them." -- Apollodorus APOLLO - Heroic Age ------ Description: The god of music, archery (only as sport), medicine, colonization, herds, and divination, he represents many of the better qualities of humankind, including order, intelligence, rationalization, and an appreciation for the finer things. He could cause or cure the plague. He established the oracle at Delphi and perhaps the city of Troy. He is often perceived as the perfect male. Apollo and his twin sister Artemis were fathered by Zeus and born of the Titan Leto, necessarily incurring the wrath of Zeus’ wife Hera, who did all she could to prevent the twins from being born. Apollo was also well known for his love affairs with beautiful mortals of both sexes, including among them Calliope, Coronis and Daphne. Apollo's Oracle at Delphi was well known throughout the Mediterranean. Apollo is closely associated with the sun, or at least with Helios, the Greek sun god. Underworld Passage God Power - Allows units to travel between two points | on the map instantly |_ Apollo's God Power creates a permanent (until destroyed) tunnel through the Underworld, which may be used to travel almost instantly from one point to another on the map. To use the Underworld Passage, left click on the Underworld Passage icon, then left click where you want one end of the passage to be. Left click again in a different location to place the other end of the Underworld passage. Place one end in your town and the other end in an ally's town to allow quick reinforcements and speedy retreats. Use it to circumvent walls and defenses or even place one end deep in enemy territory for a sneak attack. The passage remains in place as long as the entrance and exit are intact. Manticore Mythological Unit |_ The Manticore probably came into Greek mythology from Persia and originated in tales about far away and exotic India. The beast had the body of a red lion, a human face (with blue eyes and human ears), three rows of teeth, a stinging poisonous tail, and poisonous spines that could be shot like arrows in any direction. Its voice was like a mixture of pipes and trumpets. It was fast and capable of great leaps. When villagers vanished without a trace, it was believed they were devoured by a manticore. Oracle Improvement - All units and buildings gain +6 LOS |_ One of the reasons for Apollo's prominence in Greek mythology was his Oracle at Delphi, who could predict the future. Apollo established the oracle when he rid Delphi of the serpent, Python. Apollo dedicated a bronze tripod to the sanctuary there, and bestowed divine powers on the priestess. The priestess, known as the Pythia, would chew on laurel leaves and inhale the hallucinating vapors issuing from the temple floor, while mumbling prophecies that had to be translated by attendant male priests. Sun Ray Improvement - Archers, Centaurs and Manticores gain +10% attack |_ Apollo was known as "Phoebus," the "radiant," and had a close connection to Helios, the sun god. Apollo is often shown holding a bow and arrow symbolizing the sun's rays, as he was the god of archery (as art, not for warfare or hunting). Temple of Heating Improvement - Temples heal a single unit at a time |_ Idle units heal much faster than those moving or engaged in combat. Some units, such as undead, Titans, or the dragon, Nidhogg, cannot be healed. Apollo was the father of Asclepius, the god of medicine, whose symbol, the cadeuses, is still used as a symbol for medicine today (though is often portrayed as the winged staff of Hermes's, not the serpent-entwined staff of Asclepius). "I begin to sing of Asclepius, son of Apollo and healer of sicknesses. In the Dotian plain fair Koronis, daughter of King Phlegyas, bare him, a great joy to men, a soother of cruel pangs. and so hail to you, lord: in my song I make my prayer to thee!" --Homeric Hymn XVI Aphrodite - Heroic Age --------- Description: The goddess of love, beauty, and sexual rapture, her name derives from the word for sea foam. In one story, she was born when Kronos the Titan was castrated and his genitals were thrown into the ocean. The sea began to roil and from the foam Aphrodite took shape. In contrast, Homer says she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione. Regardless of her ancestry, she was beautiful beyond words. Seeking Olympian tranquility, Zeus gave Aphrodite in marriage to hard-working and reliable Hephaestus. With his metal working skills he fashioned for her wonderful jewels, including a golden magical girdle. The combination of her personal charms and her jewels made her irresistible. She took advantage of her gifts, loving glamour and flirting, and was not particularly happy with a dirty, boring husband. She took many lovers, including Adonis, and bore several children, including Eros. The festival of Aphrodisiac was celebrated, especially in Athens and Corinth. Coupling with her priestesses was a form of Aphrodite worship. Curse God Power - Turn several enemy units into pigs |_ Aphrodite's God Power turns a random number of Villagers and human soldiers into Pigs. The weaker the units affected, the more units can be affected. To use Curse on your enemies, select the Curse icon at the top of the screen, then left click near the enemy units you want to turn into pigs. You must have line of sight to the enemy units you wish to Curse. Nemean Lion Mythological Unit |_ A large and ferocious lion that lived on the plains of Nemea, it terrorized the area and could not be killed by normal men, who ran in fear from its mighty roar. The first labor of Heracles was to kill the Nemean Lion. When Heracles discovered his arrows and other weapons had no effect on the beast, the hero closed with it and used his incredible strength to strangle it. He skinned the beast and returned with its skin as a cloak. Heracles was thereafter depicted wearing the cloak of the Nemean Lion. Divine Blood Improvement - Villagers move 20% faster, carry 10 more | resources, and construct buildings 20% faster |_ Aphrodite's name means "foam-born," and according to mythology, she rose from the sea near Cyprus after Oranos the Titan's severed body parts were hurled into the ocean by Kronos. As the goddess of beauty and passion, Aphrodite engaged in many trysts with mortals, much like her foster father, Zeus. Prominent among these was Aeneas, who would escape the burning city of Troy to eventually found Rome. Golden Apples Improvement - Villagers gather favor 15% faster |_ Enyo, or Strife, the daughter of Ares decided to sow discord by producing a golden apple inscribed "to the fairest". The goddesses Athena, Hera and Aphrodite immediately began squabbling over for which one of them the apple was intended. A shepherd named Paris was chosen to answer the question. Athena offered him wisdom. Hera offered him power. Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite. The most beautiful woman in the world turned out to be Helen, wife of a prominent Greek king, and her abduction began the Trojan War. Roar of Orthus Improvement - Nemean Lion -50% pierce damage vulnerability, | 20% hack damage vulnerability |_ Echidna was a half-woman, half-snake mother of many monstrous progeny, including Ladon (a dragon), the Hydra, the Chimera, Orthus (a multi-headed dog) and Cerberus (the multi-headed dog that guards the gates to Erebus). Echidna and Orthus had their own foul brood, including the Greek Sphinx and Nemean Lion. Orthus was guarding the cattle of Geryon when he was strangled by Heracles. ARTEMIS - Mythic Age ------- Description: The goddess of the hunt and the protector of children, she is often seen with her bow and with wild animals, or wandering in the woods accompanied by nymphs. She and her twin brother, Apollo, were children of Zeus and the Titan Leto. Artemis was said to be aloof and free-spirited, free of husband and home, and forever a virgin. She exacts complete and deadly retribution for those who transgressed against the gods or herself. She turned the hunter Actaeon into a stag that was torn apart by his own hunting dogs, all for accidentally seeing her bathing. She was also believe to be responsible for the deaths of women in childbirth. Earthquake God Power - Damages enemy buildings and units |_ Artemis calls forth the wrath of nature in a mighty Earthquake. Every unit in the area is affected, though enemies take more damage, and buildings are hurt much more than units. Farms take very little damage. To unleash the devastation, left click on the Earthquake icon at the top of the screen, then left click where you want the center of the Earthquake to be. You must have line of sight to target Earthquake. Chimera Mythological Unit |_ The chimera is one of the varied offspring of Echidna (with the torso of a beautiful woman and a horrible serpent below the waist) and Typhon (a fire-breathing giant with 100 serpent heads). The Chimera is a fire-breathing beast, usually depicted with the body of a goat, the head of a lion, and tail of a serpent. The Corinthian hero, Bellerophon, defeated the original Lycian (a Greek kingdom in Asia Minor) chimera by flying into battle on the winged horse, Pegasus. Flames of Typhon Improvement - Chimerae have +30% attack, +20% HP, | special attack does 30% more damage |_ Typhon was a fire-breathing monster that dripped venom from his eyes. The battle between the gods and Typhon was so destructive that most of life on earth was killed. In the end, Typhon hurled Mount Aetna at Zeus, but Zeus struck it with a hundred well-aimed thunderbolts and pinned Typhon beneath the rubble. The monster was never entirely killed, though, which is why Mount Aetna still rumbles with earthquakes and lava. Typhon had many offspring with the equally monstrous Echidna, including the Chimera. Shafts of Plague Improvement - Arrows Archers have +15% attack |_ Like her brother, Apollo, Artemis was said to be able to cause plague by firing her arrows. The family of Niobe met with such a death. Niobe made the foolish claim that she was superior to the mother of Apollo and Artemis, Leto, for she had borne seven sons and seven daughters, and Leto only two. Apollo then shot all seven sons and Artemis all seven daughters. Trierarch Improvement - Triremes have -20% crush damage vulnerability |_ The Trierarch was the highest ranking officer on a trireme, and also responsible for the cost and maintenance of his ship. He was assisted by the Pentekontrarchos, who maintained the ship's purse and records, the Kubernator, or pilot, and the Auletes, who played a flute to keep rowers in rhythm. HEPHAESTUS - Mythic Age ---------- Description: The god of fire, volcanoes, blacksmiths, and metal working, he had a strong following in the cities where his skills were important to commerce and war. He is usually seen with an axe. In one account he sided with his mother Hera against Zeus who threw him so far that he fell all day and limped thereafter. Hephaestus was associated with Mt. Etna on the island of Sicily. In his workshop he fashioned many wondrous things for the gods, including thunderbolts for Zeus, Athena’s shield, arrows for Eros, and the chariot with which Helios the sun god rode across the sky. He also helped create the first human woman from clay, named Pandora, who released the evils of the world on humankind from her magic jar. Plenty God Power - Creates a vault which constantly generates food, wood, | and gold. |_ Hephaestus' God Power creates a wondrous, mythical Vault that grants a constant flow of Food, Wood, and Gold. To erect the Vault of Plenty, left click on the Plenty icon, then left click where you wish to place the Vault. The gods favor the strong -- if an enemy has more units or buildings near the vault than you, then you will lose control of the vault and the enemy will get the flow of resources. Place the Vault carefully, and then defend it well. Colossus Mythological Unit |_ The Great Colossus at Rhodes was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It stood over 150 ft. high on a 50 ft. white marble base. It was mostly hollow, with a skin of bronze welded to a skeleton frame of stone and metal. Though it was destroyed by an earthquake after standing for only about fifty years, such was its enormity that people came to Rhodes just to see its ruins, just as people today visit the ruins of other Greek monuments, buildings and temples. Forge Of Olympus Improvement - Armory technologies cost 75% less |_ As the smith of the Greek gods, Hephaestus forged many great items for the other gods, such as the thunderbolts of Zeus, Aegis Shield, arrows of Eros, chariot of Helios and armor of Achilles. He even helped to create the first woman, Pandora, of clay. Hephaestus also created items used against the gods when he was wronged, such as a throne that held Hera prisoner when she cast him out of Olympus for being so ugly, and a chain-link net used to trap his wife, Aphrodite, when he suspected her of cheating on him with Ares. Hand of Talos Improvement - Colossus gains +100 HP |_ One of Zeus' many lovers was a mortal woman named Europa. In the form of a white bull, Zeus spirited her away to the isle of Crete, where she had 3 sons. Zeus had Hephaestus forge a giant of iron to defend Europa and the island. Talos was powered by a single blood vein that ran from his throat to his ankle. The vein was sealed with a pin at the ankle. Shoulder of Talos Improvement - Colossus gains +200 HP, -20% hack damage | Vulnerability |_ On the return voyage of Jason and the Argonauts, they needed to stop and resupply on the Isle of Crete, but the sorcerous Medea warned them of Talos. When Talos appeared and began to throw rocks at the Argo, Medea played her lyre to coax him to sleep. She then pulled out the bronze pin that held in his blood and the giant collapsed. Jason and his men could then collect food and water before continuing their voyage. Weapon of the Titans Improvement - Unique units gain +10% attack |_ The Titans created and ruled the Earth before their children, the Olympians, overthrew them. They wielded the raw power of the elements: Light, Earth, Time, Water, Fire. The children of the Titans, the Olympians, wielded fantastic, if more conventional, weapons forged by the club-footed god Hephaestus or cyclops smiths. =========================================================================== Egyptian Mythology =========================================================================== The Egyptians have two Heroes, the Pharaoh and Priest. The Pharaoh features several unique abilities, the most important being the ability to empower a building. This empowerment acts as a bonus of sorts, but the effect really depends on the building that is empowered at the time. A Monument, for instance, will gain Favor much faster than if it weren't empowered. Before there was air, earth, or even sky, there was only water - turbulent, bubbling water from which the first God, Ra, arose. Ra transformed into a new element in the cosmos, the sun. But the paucity of other life soon weighed heavily upon him, and so through communion with his own shadow, he sired a daughter, Tefnut. She also was a new element - moisture. And Ra's other child, Shu, became the air. They in turn had offsping of their own, Geb and Nut (the earth and sky). Soon an enture cosmological order had been established. But with it came unforseen challenges. Soon Ra found himself forced into daily battle with the serpent Apep for control of the atmosphere. Enlisting the help of wife and daughter Bast (goddess of cats and fertility), Ra was successful on most days. But on days when Apep prevailed, storms and foul weather were the rule. This was the mere beginning of whar Ra would contend with. The frustrations of lording over a human population that was prone to complaint and rebellion once led Ra, in a fit of anger, to cast one of his eyes out and hurl it toward the earth. The eye transformed into the goddess of vengeance, Sekhmet, a force so destructive toward humanity that a remorseful Ra had to recall her via trickery. Ra ordered his servants to create thousands of vessels of beer. The beer would be mixed with pomegranate juice to appear like the blood of her human victims and used to flood the field surrounding her earthly abode. The plan worked. When Sekhmet next emerged to finish slaughtering human- kind, she caught her reflection in the gruesome red lake, fell in love with it, and drank the mixture, falling asleep harmlessly. It worked so well that she was eventually made the wide of Ptah (the very god of creation). And later, ironically, she transformed into Hathor, goddess of love and celebration. Still, taking responsibility for the entire cosmos was beginning to tax Ra's vitality. As he grew older, Ra looked for a replacement for his duties overseeing the earth. It would be his great-grandson, Osiris. Osiris (along with Isis, Set, and Nephthys) had been brought into the world through the union of Geb and Nut. But when Ra left dominion of the world to Osiris, the first sibling rivalry in cosmos history took place- and what a rivalry! Osiris had been a benevolent dictator - under his rule the men of Egypt became civilized. But brother Set (the god of chaos and storms) was jealous of the favor shown Osiris, and mirdered him. He constructed an elaborate chest and held a party, telling all his siblings that whoever fit into it could keep it for their own. But he had built the beautiful casket with but one of them in mind: Osiris. And when Osiris climbed in, Set had it sealed and his conspirators sent it down the Nile, hoping it would never be seen again. Thus Osiris was the first God in history to die, and became the first God of the underworld. When Nephthys told her sister, Isis of the murder, Isis became grief-stricken, for Osiris was her husband as well as her brother. She found the body and was even successful in reviving Osiris, and together they had a son, Horus. But Set soon discovered this, and enraged, ripped Osiris into 14 pieces, scattering the parts over Egypt so that even Isis could not piece them together. Anubis, inventor of embalming and son of Osiris, performed the funeral in the great pyramid. Set was now lord of the world, and given his proclivity for chaos and violence, it seemed as if all of Osiris' works would soon be reversed. Set was even said to be plotting an overthrow of his father Ra. In response, Ra and Horus amassed a great army to overthrow Set's rule. They enlisted Thoth, god of wisdom and truth, who transformed Horus into a sun-disk with a heat so intense it confounded Set's armied, and they destroyed one another. But Set himself was nowhere to be found. He had gone into hiding a great distance away, where he was free to form yet another force with which to defeat Ra and Horus. But it was not to be. And with eventual defeat, Horus dismembered Set much the way his father had been. Thus Horus came to rule the world and set the precedent for the pharaohs who followed. The following chart reveals the Minor Gods from which you must choose, according to your Major Gods, at each Age advance. MAJOR GOD CLASSICAL AGE HEROIC AGE MYTHIC AGE Ra Bast, Ptah Hathor, Sekhmet Horus, Osiris Iris Anubis, Bast Hathor, Nephthys Osiris, Thoth Set Anubis, Ptah Nephthys, Sekhmet Horus, Thoth Below are the Egyptian Major & Minor Gods. RA -- Description: As one of the earliest and most successful agricultural cultures on Earth, the ancient Egyptians gave their sun god, Ra, supremacy, recognizing the importance of sunlight in producing food. The Pharaohs of Egypt believed they were descendants of Ra. The daily rise, overhead passage, and setting of Ra greatly impressed the Egyptians. At dawn, Ra was seen as a newborn child, issuing from the sky or a heavenly cow. By midday, Ra was thought of as a flying bird or sailing boat. At sunset, Ra was seen as an old man descending to the land of the dead. Overnight, Ra as a boat sailed eastward through the underworld in preparation for the next day’s ascent. Along the way he had to battle or evade Apep, the great serpent of the underworld that sought to devour him. Part of the worship of Ra involved creating magic to aid or protect Ra in his nightly struggle with Apep, helping to assure the return of the sun. Later in the ancient Egyptian period, Ra was diminished by being forced to reveal to Isis his name, thereby giving her access to some of his magical power. Despite the uplifting of other gods by some cults, however, worship of the sun remained paramount in ancient Egypt. Ra was often combined with other deities to enhance the prestige of the latter, as in Ra-Atum or Amun-Ra. Bonuses: Camels, Chariot Archers Have 10% More Hp And Move 10% Faster Monuments Cost 25% Less And Have 20% More Hit Points Priests Can Empower Buildings, But At A Reduced Rate (10% Not 20%) Pharaoh Empowering Yields 25% More Resources Instead Of 20% Rain God Power - Farms and fishing boats work 300% faster, allies and | enemy's farms/fishing boats work 200% faster |_ Ra calls down a rainstorm to allow your crops to grow. During the Rain, all Farms near Town Centers will produce Food at a faster rate, but your own Farms will produce even faster than other players' Farms. A Villager must be working on a Farm to gain the benefit. During the Rain, no other God Powers may be used on the map. To call the showers, left click on the Rain icon, then left click anywhere on the map. Skin of Rhino Improvement - Villagers have 30% more hack/pierce armor, | 10% more attack |_ The skin of the rhinoceros is deeply-folded or plaited, and studded with rivet-like tubercles on the shoulders, flanks and legs that gives it the appearance of being armor-plated. There is some truth to the myth that rhino skin is resistant to projectiles. PTAH - Classical Age ---- Description: The cult center of Ptah was at Memphis, one of the older cities of ancient Egypt, and his importance grew as that city became the capital for many dynasties. He was usually depicted as a shaven- headed mummy holding a scepter or working with tools. He may have originally been a fertility god, and for a time was held to be the creator of all gods and religious practices. As other cults and gods rose in importance, he became a protector of the arts and crafts, a shaper of all things. Shifting Sands God Power - Teleport units to a different point on the map |_ Ptah's Shifting Sands can be used to transport allied or enemy units from one location on the map to another. All allied units are affected, but not every enemy unit in the area will be moved. To summon the sandstorm, left click on the Shifting Sands icon. Targeting the sand storm requires two left clicks, the first is near the units you wish to transport, the second is where you want those units transported. You must have line of sight to both clicked areas. A good use for sandstorm is to shift an invading army out of your town or to transport quickly past some defenses for a surprise attack. Wadjet Mythological Unit |_ The Wadjet is named for the serpent goddess who appears in snake form on the crown of the pharaoh. Her name means "papyrus- colored-one". The serpent Wadjet can spit venom at a long range, though the vestigial wings are used only to lift the heavy cobra hood above the sand. Electrum Bullets Improvement - Slingers +10% attack |_ Ptah was a god of technology, so his mythological improvements bring better armor and weapons to the Egyptians. Electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver. Though weaker than other metals available at the time, the mystical, spiritual and psychological properties of the metal were more important than its strength. The great Pharaoh Ramses rode into combat on his chariot wearing a helmet of electrum. Leather Frame Shield Improvement - Spearmen -10% Pierce Vulnerability |_ The Egyptians favored a round-topped, leather-covered wooden shield. Leather over a wooden frame offered a cheap, light and easy-to-work covering that was, in many cases, more resilient than heavy and expensive metal coverings. A lighter shield meant that troops carrying them could move more quickly and wield them more effectively. Scalloped Axe Improvement - Axemen +10% attack |_ The Egyptians were fond of the axe as a weapon and tool. Heavily ornamented axes have been discovered with the burial goods of important mummies. Scalloping added surface area to the head of an axe, making it stronger and able to deal more damage. Shaduf Improvement - Farms cost 33% less, are built twice as fast |_ Ptah was a god of technology, so his mythological improvements benefit the economy of the Egyptians. The shaduf was a simple, but important invention, consisting of a container made of animal skins or clay attached to a lever counterbalanced by stones. The container was used to lift water from the Nile River and dumped into canals for irrigation. BAST - Classical Age ---- Description: A daughter of Ra, Bast was the goddess of the cat, considered a sacred animal in ancient Egypt. She was usually associated with the moon, perhaps because cat eyes can shine in moonlight. A special necropolis at her cult center in Bubastis held huge numbers of mummified cats. Together, Bast and the lioness-headed Sekhmet killed the great serpent Apep that tried to swallow Ra and turn the world into darkness. Eclipse God Power - Increase the power of your myth units, prevents | other GP's from being used |_ The Eclipse God Power temporarily improves the attack of all your Myth Units on the map. While the sun is blocked out, they will fight with magically-boosted strength. To invoke the Eclipse, left click on the Eclipse icon at the top of the screen, then left click anywhere on the map. Sphinx Mythological Unit |_ "Sphinx" was originally a Greek word ("to strangle") that was applied to the pharaoh-headed lion statues that the Greeks saw in Egypt, that Herodotus named "androsphinx". The Greek sphinx was a monstrous brood of Typhon and Echidna, usually depicted as a winged lion wit