Summary
History remembers the Mongol Empire as one of the largest empires to ever grace humanity, with Genghis Khan becoming a recognizable figure whenever historians speak of conquerors. However, while Genghis Khan’s death slowly caused the downfall of his once great empire, players of strategy games can look for certain titles to relive the Mongol Empire’s glory days - be it from its humble beginnings at the hands of Lord Temujin or at its height under control of the renamed Genghis Khan.
Interestingly enough, strategy titles that feature the Mongol Empire commonly portray them as excellent combatants and cavalrymen, capable of outmaneuvering most foes due to their ferocity. However, depending on the game, the Mongol Empire may be capable of offering more options to make a strategy fan’s experience more compelling.
2020
Platforms
PC
Opposing the traditional European setting of theStrongholdseries is the East Asia setting ofStronghold: Warlords, where the most recent entry allows players to interact with China, Japan, Vietnam, and the Mongols presumably in the Middle Ages. However,Stronghold: Warlords - The Mongol Empirenow enables players to take control of Kublai Khan’s Mongol Empire and even have him as an AI Warlord opponent.
Kublai Khan’s Mongol Empire Campaign begins with Kublai’s siege of the Dali Kingdom under the instructions of Mongke Khan (1253) and ends in Kublai’s war against the Song Dynasty, specifically in the Battle of Xiangyang (1273). Unlike other strategy titles,simulation lies at the heart ofStronghold: Warlords, emphasizing the careful management of castles and strongholds while maintaining peace and economic stability throughout territories.
Set in China,Oriental Empirestasks players with the mission of completely controlling the nation as its Emperor across a 3000-year timeline that begins in the Early Bronze Age and ends in China’s Imperial period. Among factions players can control are Chinese factions that would eventually star in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Barbarians eyeing for supremacy, and Nomads including the Mongols who hope to claim China as their own from the outside.
As with other grand strategy games,Oriental Empiresfocuses on unit and army management, diplomatic affairs, and overall territory control. However, the game’s tech tree has intricate cultural, philosophical, and religious branches that may influence the way players pursue their ideal victory. The originalOriental Empiresfocuses heavily on Kublai Khan’s efforts in conquering China, but theOriental Empires: Genghisexpansion gives players the opportunity to first unite the Mongol Empire as its founder Lord Temujin.
MSX, NES, Amiga, MS-DOS
Despite its age,Genghis Khanprovides players with one of the best depictions of the Mongol Empire in the earliest iterations of a grand strategy experience. Set in 1175 AD, the game’s Mongol Conquest mode will have players take control of Lord Temujin as he conquers all of Mongolia under his banner. When he becomes the official ruler of the Empire in 1206 AD, players begin World Conquest as they attempt Genghis Khan’s conquest of Eurasia.
As with other grand strategy games,Genghis Khanplays over two modes: a management mode where players spend actions creating units, managing both territories and armies, as well as engaging in both diplomacy and espionage with other nations. Meanwhile, a war mode takes place over a fog of war where the immediate environment affects the stats of various units.
Despite all factions inAge of Empires 4sharing tech jumps across four Ages, these eras come from different time periods depending on the civilization chosen. For instance, controlling the Mongols will showcase their development from 1000 to 1500 CE, which is roughly the timeframe between Lord Temujin’s unification of Mongolia as Genghis Khan (1206), the kingdom’s subjugation of China under Kublai Khan’s Yuan Dynasty (1279), the division of the empire (1308), and the successor states’ eventual dissolution (1480, 1687).
Despite this rough wide-encompassing timeline, the Mongols inAge of Empires 4pose a similarly challenging gameplaythat reflects Lord Temujin’s hardships as a burgeoning warlord. However, the faction’s specialization for mobile bases, strong cavalry, and hit-and-run tactics can make them efficient skirmishers. Their mobile nature sacrifices their defensive capabilities, forcing players to ensure maximum offense leads to victory.
While themajority ofShogun: Total Wartakes place in the chaotic years of the Warring States Period of Japan, players can intensify the game’s timeline between 1530 to 1600 withThe Mongol Invasionexpansion. This particular game content adds the historically unsuccessful attempts of a Mongol invasion in Japan in 1274, where Kublai Khan leads the aforementioned faction as the newest addition to the game.
Despite taking place in the past,The Mongol Invasiongives players the opportunity to take Kublai Khan past the devastating kamikaze typhoon that originally slammed his fleet into submission. This time around, players can be at the forefront of an alternate history as Kublai Khan stepping onto Japanese soil in the 13th Century can have him defeat the dominant Hojo Clan in the island country.
WithEuropa Universalis 4taking a nation from 1444 to 1821, fans of the Mongol Empire had just missed the golden age of Genghis Khan while its succeeding Yuan Dynasty had been driven out of China in favor of the Ming. While the Oirat Confederation, Korchin Mongols, and the Chagatai Khanate now stand as the remnants of the Khan’s legacy, players ofEU4do have the opportunity to reform the Mongol Empire after completing specific requirements.
Not only do players have to choose a country within the Altaic or Tatar culture group as the Mongol Empire’s predecessor inEuropa Universalis 4gameplay, but the said country has to become a specific “new” nation. An Altaic country can reform the Yuan, the Ming Dynasty’s predecessor. Meanwhile, any country of the Altaic or Tatar culture that owned Persia could reform the Ilkhanate. Meanwhile, conquering Russia opens the opportunity to transform a nation into the Golden Horde.
Unlike other period-specific grand strategy games, the more all-encompassingCivilization 6can have players control the Mongol Empire in its early beginnings in the game’s Ancient Era (4000 BC to 1000 BC) and see it thrive in the Future Era (2020 to 2050). While choosing the Mongolia Civilization is more symbolic than historic,Civ 6gameplayas the faction still emphasizes pure domination. Choosing Genghis Khan improves the cavalry’s combat capabilities, while Kublai Khan emphasizes trade - both strengths of the historic empire.
In the grand strategy experience, the Mongolians have the Ortoo ability that makes Trade Routes in locations easier to establish while strengthening troops when fighting against said region. The Mongols also excel in cavalry-based fights, courtesy of the unique Keshig unit and Ordu structure.
Regardless of whether players startCrusader Kings 3in either 867 or 1066, the absence of Lord Temujin until the middle part of the playthrough means it’s up to players to secure the empire at their own pace. With the game’s main objective being the survival of a player’s dynasty until 1453,Crusader Kings 3playthroughsas the Mongols can begin as any ruler in the Mongol region. For a more authentic experience, players can begin as Tumbinai Setsen Khan of the Borjigin tribe, the great-great-grandfather of Temujin.
Should the heir of Temujin and his first wife Borte die and the Realm is substantially large, the Mongol Empire may break down to at most eight smaller Empires depending on the original’s size. This gives the world access to the Chagatai, the Ilkhanate, the various Hordes (Golde, Black, White), and other Khanates (Aarlud, Baruun, Togskol).
