The match 1000 AD · The Song Miracle
c. 1000 AD · Song dynasty China
Goal
Deal more damage to the enemy HQ than yours takes, or bring it down — with your HQ still standing. Holding the control point long enough also wins, and so does a Wonder that stands long enough.
History
Song China ran an economy centuries ahead of its time: printed books, the world's first paper money, and gunpowder — which they famously spent on festival fireworks long before anyone turned it into a weapon. When your rival can out-produce you, tempo is everything.