Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
275 Achievements
2,625
302-397h
PC
Xbox One
Xbox Series
Faster Than a Speeding Cannonball
Killed Constantine XI and captured the Hagia Sophia before 15 May 1453 in "Fetih (1453)".
10
0.03%
How to unlock the Faster Than a Speeding Cannonball achievement in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition - Definitive Guide
You start with enough resources, but not unending or insane amount of resources. Begin by booming like mad - I built about 4 TCs at each starting location. One on gold, the berry bushes, woodlines, stone, etc. Start exploring from the west to find the walls and the river for Constantinople, then follow it south west to the edge of the map. Send a few vills there to build a market, then have them walk back north to the trade market there and drop a few more. Que up about 10 vils in each TC.
Drop a castle right on the shallows to the east of your west force and stables (for Hussar spam) and siege workshops (no trebs this scenario, so you're going heavy on bombard cannons). Build another castle just north of your western base because eventually enemies will start to come from that area.
If the northern markets have finished building, que up trade carts and they'll start pulling in 35-50ish gold a trip, depending on exactly where you built your southern one.
You can go entirely by land if you want, I did - no ships at all, but after it was done I saw 2 gaia fleets, one north east and one just west of your east base, that you could use. There will be enemy reinforcements that come by sea at one point, having a navy might make it easier.
Anyway, you've boomed like crazy and have 100+ farmers on land and 50 or more trade carts minimum, you have 500 pop space so don't worry about your normal eco levels, go crazy. I built up about 30 bombard cannons and a few control groups of hussar and jannisary, startknocking down the gates and go in. Take out the army buildings since I think that's what causes the defenders to spawn. Trade gold for Stone and keep droping Turk bombard towers/castles and work your way in. Constantine is at the northern X in the base, he's a chonky cav unit near a castle while the Hagia Sophia is protected by a few more of the long range towers and God's Own Sling hero treb at the central X. I cut through the center to the Sophia first and then turned north, just remember to keep your Hussar spam up as a meatshield, jannies for DPS output, and enough BBC to one-shot any building and gate.
Drop a castle right on the shallows to the east of your west force and stables (for Hussar spam) and siege workshops (no trebs this scenario, so you're going heavy on bombard cannons). Build another castle just north of your western base because eventually enemies will start to come from that area.
If the northern markets have finished building, que up trade carts and they'll start pulling in 35-50ish gold a trip, depending on exactly where you built your southern one.
You can go entirely by land if you want, I did - no ships at all, but after it was done I saw 2 gaia fleets, one north east and one just west of your east base, that you could use. There will be enemy reinforcements that come by sea at one point, having a navy might make it easier.
Anyway, you've boomed like crazy and have 100+ farmers on land and 50 or more trade carts minimum, you have 500 pop space so don't worry about your normal eco levels, go crazy. I built up about 30 bombard cannons and a few control groups of hussar and jannisary, startknocking down the gates and go in. Take out the army buildings since I think that's what causes the defenders to spawn. Trade gold for Stone and keep droping Turk bombard towers/castles and work your way in. Constantine is at the northern X in the base, he's a chonky cav unit near a castle while the Hagia Sophia is protected by a few more of the long range towers and God's Own Sling hero treb at the central X. I cut through the center to the Sophia first and then turned north, just remember to keep your Hussar spam up as a meatshield, jannies for DPS output, and enough BBC to one-shot any building and gate.
3 Comments
Agree with comment above. Ships make this far easier. I booked per the guide, but couldn't build houses fast enough so only had around 270 pop. Built a line of 4 castles along the northern most gate to the city with a reserve of massed hussars and jannies with around 10 bombards which I didn't really need. Built 12 cannon galleons with a bunch (20ish) Galleons for cover and sniped the gates, towers and military/infrastructure buildings from the sea.Rushing in with hussars as a screen followed by my massed Jannies, the latter focussing entirely on Constantine, allowed me to snipe him before he could run.
I then just fought a defensive action on that side of the map before quickly massing a similar troop comp on the other island base. Again, sniped what I could with Cannon Galleons before rushing Hussars, Jannies, Bombards through the breach to take the Hagia Sophia via the back wall.
Completed on 1st May this way after struggling trying to fight through the city.
I then just fought a defensive action on that side of the map before quickly massing a similar troop comp on the other island base. Again, sniped what I could with Cannon Galleons before rushing Hussars, Jannies, Bombards through the breach to take the Hagia Sophia via the back wall.
Completed on 1st May this way after struggling trying to fight through the city.
By Roose91 on 23 Mar 2024 03:12
Great guide! Some ships help a lot actually. Also i prefer keeps instead of BBT but both should be fine.
By Slagathorman8 on 22 Mar 2024 12:09