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“swifter than eagles, stronger than lions” 2 Samuel 1:23

Smite your foes with bow and spear as you lead your mighty chariots to glorious victory. Swifter than Eagles extends Field of Glory II backwards to the dawn of “civilised” warfare, covering the period from 2500-681 BC.

The first civilisations in the Near East arose during the Early Bronze Age, 3500 to 2000 BC, in what is known as the Fertile Crescent, a vast semi-circular area of agricultural land stretching from Egypt to Mesopotamia. The most important of these were the many Sumerian city states, and the Old Kingdom of Egypt ruled by kings worshipped as living gods.

The Middle Bronze Age, 2000 to 1600 BC, saw mass migrations of peoples into the Near East, which saw the rise of new states such as the Mitanni, Hittites, Babylon and Assyria. Northern Egypt was overrun by the Hyksos, who ruled as the 15th Dynasty. Chariots were developed in this period as truly effective battlefield weapons.

Around 1550 BC, the Hyksos were expelled from Egypt and the New Kingdom period began. Under the New Kingdom Pharaohs, Egypt adopted a more aggressive foreign policy, and carved out a foreign empire in Canaan and Syria. This placed them in direct competition with the other great international powers of the Late Bronze Age, 1600 to 1200 BC, first Mitanni, then the Hittites.

Most of these great civilisations experienced a major crisis at the end of the 13th century BC; The Mycenaean and Hittite palace cultures collapsed, the Kassite Babylonian dynasty fell, the Egyptians abandoned their Asiatic empire, Ugarit and other Amorite city states were destroyed. The reasons for this crisis are not fully understood, but probably included drought and famine. Another possible factor was the migration of aggressive tribes into the region, including the enigmatic Sea Peoples.

After civilisations had recovered from the Late Bronze Age collapse, the Near East was dominated by the Neo-Assyrian Empire, which crushed all opposition with extreme brutality, eventually ruling over almost the entire Fertile Crescent during the 7th century BC. Meanwhile, Egypt went into a long period of decline, which saw her conquered by a succession of different foreign powers.

Summary of features:

• 19 new factions
  
• 46 new units
  
• 66 new army lists
  
• 8 new Epic Battles
  
• 70 new Quick Battles
  
• Expanded Custom Battles module.
  
• Expanded Sandbox Campaign module.
  
• 4 new historically-based campaigns.

Details:

• 19 new named factions: Amorite, Early Nomad, Gasgan, Hittite, Hyksos, Luwian, Makkan, Minoan, Mitanni, Mycenaean, Neo-Hittite/Aramaean, Nubian, Philistine, Sea Peoples, Sumerian/Akkadian, Syrian, Syro-Canaanite, Trojan, Zagros Highlanders.
  
• 46 new units: Picked Sumerian/Akkadian Spearmen, Sumerian/Akkadian Spearmen, Sumerian/Akkadian Spearmen with Pavise, Raw Sumerian/Akkadian Spearmen with Pavise, Sumerian/Akkadian Battle Cars, Early Chariots (Spear), Early Chariots (Bow), Egyptian-style Light Chariots, Egyptian Close Fighters, Egyptian Guard, Shardana Guard, Sherden Swordsmen, (Other) Sea Peoples Swordsmen, Picked Sherden Swordsmen, Picked (other) Sea Peoples Swordsmen, Philistine Spearmen, Philistine Guard, Libyan Foot, Libyan Swordsmen, Libyan Light Javelinmen, Nubian Close Fighters, Nubian Light Javelinmen, Nubian Light Archers, Anatolian-style Light Chariots, Anatolian-style Heavy Chariots, Anatolian Spearmen, Syrian Spearmen, Maryannu Light Chariots, Ugaritic Heavy Chariots, Minoan/Mycenaean Heavy Chariots, Minoan-style Spearmen, Aegean Light Chariots, Sea Peoples Light Chariots, Libyan Light chariots, Mycenaean-style Spearmen, Myrmidons, Early Middle-Eastern Close Fighters, Gasgan Warriors, Zagros Warriors, Neo-Hittite-style Spearmen, Early Assyrian-style Cavalry, Anatolian Irregular Foot, Anatolian Light Javelinmen, Early mixed bow and spear infantry, Raw early mixed bow and spear infantry, Early Levies.
  
• 66 new army lists (which expands the total number of army lists to 355).

o Amorite 2000-1595 BC
o Assyrian 1365-891 BC
o Assyrian 890-746 BC
o Assyrian 745-705 BC
o Assyrian 704-682 BC
o Babylonian 1594-891 BC
o Babylonian 890-729 BC
o Cypriot 800-681 BC
o Egyptian 2686-1551 BC
o Egyptian 1550-1451 BC
o Egyptian 1450-1277 BC
o Egyptian 1276-1201 BC
o Egyptian 1200-1150 BC
o Egyptian 1149-1069 BC
o Egyptian 1068-946 BC
o Egyptian 945-720 BC
o Elamite 2500-2193 BC
o Elamite 2192-1801 BC
o Elamite 1800-1501 BC
o Elamite 1500-816 BC
o Gasgan 1450-1076 BC
o Greek 1179-681 BC
o Gutian 2190-2115 BC
o Hebrew 1000-801 BC
o Hebrew 800-682 BC
o Hittite 1680-1595 BC
o Hittite 1594-1351 BC
o Hittite 1350-1276 BC
o Hittite 1275-1180 BC
o Hyksos 1650-1591 BC
o Hyksos 1590-1535 BC
o Kushite Egyptian 732-728 BC
o Libyan 3000-1251 BC
o Libyan 1250-651 BC
o Libyan 650-550 BC
o Luwian 1680-1595 BC
o Luwian 1594-1180 BC
o Makkan 2500-1301 BC
o Makkan 1300-1001 BC
o Makkan 1000-891 BC
o Makkan 890-313 BC
o Mannaean 1000-751 BC
o Minoan 1600-1450 BC
o Mitanni 1594-1250 BC
o Mycenaean 1600-1251 BC
o Mycenaean 1250-1180 BC
o Neo-Hittite/Aramaean 1179-891 BC
o Neo-Hittite/Aramaean 890-700 BC
o Nomad 2500-1001 BC
o Nubian 3000-1281 BC
o Philistine 1166-801 BC
o Philistine 800-600 BC
o Phoenician 1099-801 BC
o Phoenician 800-682 BC
o Sea Peoples 1208-1176 BC
o Sherden 1278-1209 BC
o Sumerian/Akkadian 2500-2193 BC
o Sumerian/Akkadian 2192-1762 BC
o Syrian 2500-2200 BC
o Syro-Canaanite 1594-1276 BC
o Syro-Canaanite 1275-1208 BC
o Syro-Canaanite 1207-1100 BC
o Trojan 1250-1180 BC
o Urartian 870-781 BC
o Urartian 780-750 BC
o Zagros Highlanders 2500-1001 BC

• 8 new Epic Battles: Kerkha River 2272 BC (Akkadians vs Elamites), Megiddo 1457 BC (Egyptians vs Syro-Cannanites), Zippasla 1410 BC (Hittites vs Mycenaean Greeks), Kadesh 1274 BC (Egyptians vs Hittites), Fields of Perire 1208 BC (Egyptians vs Libyans and Sea Peoples), Ilion 1184 BC (Mycenaean Greeks vs Trojans), Qarqar 853 BC (Assyrians vs Aramaeans, Hebrews and others), Per-Peg 730 BC (Kushite Egyptians vs Libyan Egyptians).
  
• 70 new Quick Battles (almost all playable from either side).
  
• Expanded Field of Glory II Custom Battles module now includes all 355 army lists from Immortal Fire, Rise of Rome, Legions Triumphant, Age of Belisarius, Rise of Persia, Wolves at the Gate and Swifter than Eagles. (Purchase of the appropriate DLCs is necessary to access them all).
  
• Expanded Field of Glory II Sandbox Campaigns module now includes all 355 army lists from Immortal Fire, Rise of Rome, Legions Triumphant, Age of Belisarius, Rise of Persia, Wolves at the Gate and Swifter than Eagles. (Purchase of the appropriate DLCs is necessary to access them all).
  
• 4 new historically-based campaigns:

o Sargon the Great (Akkadian Empire)
o Hittite Empire
o Ramesses II (New Kingdom Egypt)
o Shalmaneser III (Neo-Assyrian Empire)