Nekhen — The First Pharaoh

Briefing

The mission opens with the history panel message_history_nekhen and the tutorial popup message_developing_culture (beer, multiple gods, bandstands, finances later):

Nekhen (Hierakonpolis, “City of the Falcon”) on the west bank of the Nile in Upper Egypt was a major Predynastic centre and early capital of the southern kingdom. The mission introduces beer, a second tier of entertainment (Bandstand / Conservatory), multi-god worship (Ra, Osiris, Bast), and — once beer is stockpiled — taxation via Tax Collector and Personal Mansion.

Objectives

• Population 1 000 citizens
• Housing count 10 occupied plots
• Housing level All ten must reach Modest Apartment (level 8) or higher

In addition, victory waits on the tutorial milestones below (beer stockpile and a Tax Collector), plus a short cooldown after the last milestone. Culture / prosperity / kingdom / monuments ratings are off.

Tutorial sequence

Most civic, farm, pottery, religion, and entertainment buildings are available from the start. Tax Collector and Personal Mansion unlock after beer production. Labor, Entertainment, Religion, and Financial advisors are enabled on start; empire map is off.

Strategy

Nekhen is the last Pre-Dynasty tutorial: grow past cottage housing with beer, music, and multiple gods, then learn taxation.

Phase 1 — Farms and pottery

Place housing near the kingdom road with Firehouse, Architect’s Post, Police Station, Water Supply, and a Village Palace. Run Grain and Barley farms with Work Camps, a Granary, and a Bazaar. Keep the Clay Pit → Pottery Workshop → Storage Yard chain running; pottery remains required for higher housing.

Phase 2 — Beer and entertainment

Barley feeds Breweries; beer goes to Storage Yards and out through Bazaars. Build Booths (jugglers) and Bandstands at intersections with a Conservatory for musicians. Modest Apartments need food, water, pottery, beer, religion, and stronger entertainment coverage.

Phase 3 — Gods

Favour Ra as patron (more temples/shrines than the others) while still covering Osiris and Bast so houses can access different gods. Keep a Festival Square for festivals.

Phase 4 — Finances

Once 300 beer is stored, place Tax Collectors over the better housing and optionally a Personal Mansion for salary. Finish ten houses at Modest Apartment or better and wait out the short victory delay.

Tips

• Beer threshold is total yards storage (≥ 300), not a single yard.
• Bandstands need Conservatories; Booths alone will not push housing as far.
• Ra should get the majority of temples, but houses still want access to more than one god.
• Tax Collectors only matter after the beer unlock — do not wait on them for early growth.

Available buildings

// m_003_nekhen.js
mission3 {
  start_message : "message_developing_culture"
  selection_title : "Nekhen"
  player_rank : 0
  initial_funds / rescue_loans [7500, 5000, 3750, 2500, 2000]

  win_criteria {
    population    { enabled : true, goal : 1000 }
    housing_count { enabled : true, goal : 10 }
    housing_level { enabled : true, goal : 8 }  // Modest Apartment (e_house_level)
  }

  vars {
    beer_stored : 300
    victory_last_action_delay : 3
    beer_stored_handled / tax_collector_built / modest_houses_reached / …
  }
}