Abedju — The Challenge of the Sea

Mission: 7 of 38 — Choice B (vs Behdet)
Era: Early Dynastic · Dynasty 2 · Pharaoh Khasekhemwy
Classical name: Abydos
Starting funds: Very Easy 7 500 Db Easy 5 000 Db Normal 3 750 Db Hard 2 500 Db Very Hard 2 000 Db
Deities: Osiris
Trade: Behdet · Byblos · Nubt · Perwadjyt (sea) · Men-nefer · Timna (land); all start closed
Previous mission: Timna — An Expedition to Sinai
Next mission: Player's choice: Selima (8) or Abu (9)
Status: Choice B Implemented

Briefing

On load the script shows message_soldiers_and_forts. Campaign history is message_history_abedju:

Abedju, the burial place of our forefathers, has grown over the years into a sprawling necropolis of sacred tombs. Now, most noble men and women wish to make this their eternal resting place. To honor them, the new Pharaoh Khasekhemwy of the second dynasty has ordered the construction of three sacred mastaba tombs (one of greater size than the other two) for the local nobility. Pharaoh has also ordered the creation of a powerful navy, based at Behdet. Abedju, too must support a modest fleet of combat ships, if our shores are to remain totally secure. This will not be easy, as timber is scarce, and our climate supports only a few sparse areas of forest. Cedar may be imported at great cost from Byblos, in the land of Lebanon to the northeast. Fortunately, exports of our native papyrus will provide a means of offsetting this expense.

Abedju (Abydos) is the necropolis / sea-challenge branch of Dynasty 2: flax and barley industry, modest warship fleet, and three mastabas for the monument rating.

Objectives

Population2 500
Culture25
Prosperity25
Monuments17
Kingdom60
Housing level10

Goals match mission1.pak scenario 7. Small and medium mastabas plus bricklayers guild support the monument target.

Scripted events

Verified against pak scenario 7 (2026-07-25 dump). Enemy is Kushite (ENEMY_6_KUSHITE). Favour-KR Pharaoh army size 40 via shared helper.

Year 2 · month 2 Pharaoh requests 9 beer (12 months). Success → KR +13 → gift 21 bricks. Refuse −14 / late −6.

Year 2 · month 8 Perfect flood (recurring each year in month 8 from year 2).

Year 5 · month 3 Contaminated water (health drop).

Year 7 · month 7 Sea trade problem (48 months disruption).

Year 8 Wage increase (kingdom wages rise).

Year 9 · month 7 Linen demand increase (trade limits up one tier on open routes).

Year 10 · month 11 Beer demand increase (trade limits up one tier).

Year 12 · month 1 Pharaoh requests 18 fish (12 months). KR +10 / −10 / late −9; success also chains to the bricks gift if not already delivered.

Year 14 · month 9 Kushite raid size 3.

Year 15 · month 4 Wage increase (kingdom wages rise).

Year 18 · month 6 Fish demand decrease (trade limits down one tier).

Year 19 · month 8 Contaminated water again (health drop).

Favour KR Pharaoh punishment army size 40; after it clears, chain army size 40 again.

Strategy

Grow flax / barley for linen and beer exports and Pharaoh’s early beer request. Open Byblos for cedar and keep a modest warship fleet. Use the bricks gift for mastabas toward monument 17.

Phase 1 — Industry and docks

Barley → brewery, flax → weaver, reeds → papyrus. Place Shipwright, Dock, and Warship Wharves on navigable water. Fishing supports the later fish request.

Phase 2 — Trade

Cheap openers: Nubt (270 Db, sea) and Behdet (400 Db, sea). Byblos (1 000 Db) for timber; Perwadjyt / Men-nefer / Timna for extra goods. Export papyrus and linen to fund cedar.

Phase 3 — Defense and monuments

Recruiter + forts before the year-14 Kushite raid. Bricklayers Guild + gifted/produced bricks for small/medium mastabas (monument 17 is steeper than Behdet).

Available buildings

Military, navy, mastabas, Osiris temples, pottery/beer/papyrus/linen/bricks industry, dentist, and standard civic buildings are available from the start (see buildings[] in the script).

Developer reference

Paths relative to repository root. Script file keeps historical name m_007_abydos.js.

Mission script — src/scripts/mission/m_007_abydos.js

Imported by src/scripts/missions.js. Full empire redefine: hide_pak_cities / hide_pak_routes / hide_pak_objects, map_background, empire id 0, cities with pos/idx, sea+land empire_routes, region texts, mastaba ornament.

win_criteria {
  population 2500 · culture 25 · prosperity 25
  monuments 17 · kingdom 60 · housing_level 10
}
// Trade: Perwadjyt r1 sea 900 · Behdet r2 sea 400 · Men-nefer r3 land 700
//         Timna r4 land 900 · Byblos r5 sea 1000 · Nubt r6 sea 270
// Display: Nekhen, Thinis, Selima Oasis · approach route 7

Event handlers

event_mission_start ~on_start Kushite sprites; soldiers/forts message; empire.set_id(0) / set_expanded(false); advisors. mission7_on_start
event_advance_month requests Beer (+13→bricks gift) y2m2; fish (+10/−10/−9) y12m1; demand linen/beer/fish; perfect flood yearly m8; wage/sea/contaminated with real engine effects. mission7_pharaoh_request_* / demands / floods
event_advance_month invasions Kushite size 3 (y14m9); favour army 40 then chain 40 after clear. mission7_kushite_invasion_1 / favour

Game messages

Key	ID	When
`message_history_abedju`	207	History — “The Challenge of the Sea” / Khasekhemwy
`message_mission_abydos`	407	Alternate mission briefing (Abydos naming)
`message_soldiers_and_forts`	245	`start_message` — forts, recruiter, weapons

Save / map

bin_x64/Missions/mission_07.sav · Voice 207_mission.mp3 / 207_victory.mp3.

6 · Behdet (choice A) 8 · Selima