The Conquest: Colonization 1.0

Long gone are the glory days of European colonial empires, when scientific ingenuity and relentless spirit led the white man to explore and settle the far reaches of the world. These people put their hopes, dreams along (with a fair share of undesirables) into ships which led them to the Americas. Although brave in spirit, their old rivalries did not subside but followed them to the new world, continuing the great drama that has plagued old Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire.

The Conquerors is a game about European colonial powers getting a foothold on the American continents. The game progresses over a series of campaigns over different parts of the new world. In each campaign you command the European power of your choice: Castile, England, France or The Netherlands. They all work the same, but each has specific bonuses for military units and economy.

You will usually start with an up and running town plus a small garrison of troops. You are not alone though. There is usually another European nation claiming land for themselves, not to mention native tribes that are scattered all over.

During a campaign you will generally need to conquer another nation, subdue local tribe leaders while also accomplishing small missions and trying to find the special treasure which always lies hidden somewhere. The way you prioritize these is up to you. Economy and warfare are in a delicate balance. Investing in extraction and income will yield a lot later on, but sacrificing early recruitment means that you will get behind the exploration effort and miss chances to acquire new settlements easily.

There is no town building in The Conquerors. Every settlement must be taken over. This creates interesting choices. For example, you may donate money to local tribes in order to keep them off your back. On the other hand you can raise an army and crush them before they get too dangerous. After a successful conquest you can raze for a quick influx of resources. This is useful for a scorched earth strategy. On the other hand, if there's no immediate danger, you can keep the town which will contribute some resources to your total income. In order to become a thriving city and recruitment center however, you will need to convert it to Christianity, which in turn is costly and time consuming.

The combat in The Conquerors is automated. The units will automatically arrange themselves into files and will rush towards their enemies while ranged units fire from the rear ranks. The battles are to the death. Here is where your investments in new troop types becomes visible. From standard Piquers and Arquebusiers you will need to upgrade to mounted troops, cavalry and artillery. Troop improvement is a slow but rewarding aspect.

Exploration is a big part of the game and it is not particularly difficult. Troops can only move upon set paths, so you will usually have a good idea where you will end up after each move. These paths contain ruins and small villages that can either reward or harm whoever enters them. Exploring will generally consume some time and resources but it is generally rewarding financially and also reveals the map, giving essential information.

The Conquerors is not an over-complicated game. It has its share of game mechanics which will reveal themselves without requiring a dedicated tutorial. Being a free game, the design and execution is very good for such an ambitious project.

Conclusion

The Conquerors is a good exercise for the budding explorer. Far from being a casual game, it forces you to think ahead and design a specific approach to each campaign, including the choice of the playable nation. Some campaigns pose a specific challenge, while others allow you to strategize at your own leisure. All in all, it is surprisingly good.