Saqqara — The First Pyramid

Mission: 10 of 38 — choice host (Serabit / Meidum)
Era: Old Kingdom · Dynasty 3 · Pharaoh Djoser
Classical name: Saqqara (necropolis of Memphis)
Starting funds: Very Easy 24 000 Db Easy 16 000 Db Normal 12 000 Db (pak) Hard 8 000 Db Very Hard 6 400 Db
Debt interest: Very Easy 4% Easy 6% Normal 8% (pak) Hard 10% Very Hard 12%
Deities: Ptah · Ra · Bast · Seth complex
Trade: Men-nefer · Selima · Kerma (sea) · Abu · Abedju (sea) · Behdet (sea)
Previous mission: Selima or Abu (choice)
Next mission: Choice: Serabit Khadim or Meidum
Status: Implemented

Briefing

On load the script shows message_history_saqqara:

The accession of Pharaoh Djoser… A royal cemetery is to be established at Saqqara… I, the Pharaoh's royal vizier Imhotep, have conceived a new form of sacred tomb… this 'stepped pyramid' shall be constructed entirely of stone…

Saqqara is a monument mission: quarry stone, import timber/papyrus, and raise Djoser's stepped pyramid (monument goal 19). Generous starting cash matches pak Normal 12 000 Db.

Objectives

Population3 500
Prosperity15
Monuments19
Kingdom50
Housing level10
Cultureoff

Goals match mission1.pak scenario 10. Culture is disabled; the stepped pyramid dominates.

Scripted events

Verified against pak scenario 10 (2026-07-25 dump). No land/sea invasion spawn points in pak. Favour-KR Pharaoh army size 69 (attack random, no chain) via mission_pharaoh_favour_invasion_tick.

Year 1 · month 11 Pharaoh requests 7 gamemeat (4 months). KR +5 / refuse −5.

Year 3 Gift: 11 pomegranates. Ok → timber demand +8; refuse → timber demand −9; late → KR −5.

Year 4 · month 10 Pharaoh requests 501 oil (2 months; pak item 31). KR +5 / refuse −5.

Year 5+ · month 0 Gold mine collapse (recurring yearly).

Year 7+ · month 0 Wage decrease (4) and land trade problem (8), both recurring yearly.

Year 10+ · month 6 Stone request 10 / 6 months (recurring). KR +5 / refuse −5 / late +5.

Year 12+ · month 4 Luxury goods 3 / 9 months (recurring). Ok → luxury demand +6; refuse/late → −5.

Year 16+ · month 10 Gold mine collapse → contaminated water (amount 8).

Year 18+ · month 9 Gamemeat 5 / 3 months (recurring). KR +5 / refuse −5.

Year 20 · month 1 Stone 8 / 5 months (once). KR +5 / refuse −5 / late −5.

Year 26 · month 5 Wage increase (amount 9).

Year 33+ · month 0 Gamemeat 5 / 3 months (recurring). KR +5 / refuse or late −5. Pak defeat=666 ignored.

Year 44+ · month 8 Luxury 7 / 6 months (recurring). Ok → demand +11; refuse → −6; late → KR −5.

Year 46+ · month 4 Luxury 6 / 6 months (recurring). Ok → demand +5; refuse → −9; late → KR −5.

Favour KR Pharaoh punishment army size 69.

Skipped: orphan chain_only PRICE/DEMAND leaves (broken 663/664). Late requests keep pak amounts; broken defeat links omitted.

Strategy

Open cheap Men-nefer (150 Db) early for pottery/papyrus. Build stone quarries and guilds for the stepped pyramid. Stock gamemeat and stone before recurring requests. Keep kingdom rating healthy — favour punishment is a large Pharaoh wave (69).

Phase 1 — Food and stone

Pomegranate farms, hunting lodge, stone quarry. Stonemasons and carpenters guilds unlock pyramid construction.

Phase 2 — Trade

Men-nefer (150), Abedju (350), Behdet (400), Abu (500), Selima (645), Kerma sea (780). Ebony/luxury via Selima.

Phase 3 — Pyramid

Monument goal 19 is the stepped pyramid. Import timber for ramps; keep architects on quarries and gold mines (cave-ins from year 5).

Available buildings

Stepped pyramid + small mastaba, stone/gold extractors, guilds, Ptah/Ra/Bast temples and Seth complex, military forts, standard civic/entertainment. See buildings[] in the script.

Developer reference

Paths relative to repository root.

Mission script — src/scripts/mission/m_010_saqqara.js

Imported by src/scripts/missions.js. Full empire redefine: hide_pak_cities / hide_pak_routes / hide_pak_objects, map_background, empire id 1, cities with pos/idx, sea/land empire_routes, region texts, ornaments.

win_criteria {
  population 3500 · prosperity 15 · monuments 19
  kingdom 50 · housing_level 10 · culture off
}
// Trade: Men-nefer r1 150 · Selima r2 645 · Kerma r3 sea 780
// Abu r4 500 · Abedju r5 sea 350 · Behdet r6 sea 400
// Display: Kyrene / Nubt / Byblos (route 0)
// Map: entry [130,123] exit [41,44] river; no disembark/invasion points

Event handlers

event_mission_start ~on_start Mastaba/pyramid/Seth/Egyptian sprites; history message; empire.set_id(1); advisors. mission10_on_start
event_advance_month requests / disasters Gamemeat/oil/stone/luxury chains (+ y33/y44/y46 late recurring); gift pomegranates→timber demand; gold collapse; wages; land trade; contaminated water. mission10_pharaoh_* / gold_* / wage_*
event_advance_month invasions Favour size 69, attack RANDOM, no chain. mission10_pharaoh_favour_invasion

Game messages

Key	ID	When
`message_history_saqqara`	210	`start_message` — “The First Pyramid” / Djoser
`message_innovations`	285	Tutorial panel (meadow/irrigation/guilds) — not auto-shown

Save / map

bin_x64/Missions/mission_10.sav · Voice 210_mission.mp3 / 210_victory.mp3.

Dump helper: src/js/js_test_mission_pak_dump.cpp (__test_mission_pak_dump(10) via ad-hoc tests/99_tmp_*.js).

9 · Abu 11 · Serabit Khadim