1) Installation

A) Installing the SACRIFICIAL BLOOD pack:

1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE INSTALL: check to make sure you've got the Civilization II Gold Edition, version 1.1. To find out your version, start a normal game; from the Game menu, choose Game Options; the top of the options screen should read : "Civilization II Multiplayer Gold 5.4 Of Multiplayer 26-March-99 Patch 3". SACRIFICIAL BLOOD will not run on an older version of Civilization! DO NOT PROCEED UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CORRECT VERSION AND MOST UP TO DATE PATCH! You can get the patch through the Sacrificial Blood Download Page. Civ II Gold can be purchased at your local computer store, or directly from MicroProse. Call them at (510) 864‑4550, (current as of 11/23/99), or order online at: http://www.digitalriver.com/dr/v2/ec_MAIN.Entry?SID=5671&SP=10007&CID=0

Note: you must be running Win 95 or 98 in order to install Civ II Gold.

2. The SACRIFICIAL BLOOD modpack and graphics pack will take up 32M of space on your hard disk. Note: you can reduce that 32M down to 16M by deleting the blood.zip, SB.zip, and graphics.zip files after you've completed the full installation.

3. (DO NOT CONTINUE INSTALLING THE MODPACK UNLESS THE PATCH HAS ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED!) If you are reading this file, you have most likely unzipped the Blood.zip file, which results in the !!README.DOC and SB.zip files. Place the SB.zip file in your scenario folder (a subfolder of Civ2Gold) and unzip the file.

4. You will now have a "Sacrificial Blood" folder which contains the rating calculator (an excel file called Rating Calculator), a sound file (menuloop.wav), and a variety of subfolders. COPY (not move) this menuloop.wav file into your main Sound folder (a subfolder of your main Civ2Gold folder) and overwrite the original file. (If you wish, you can back up this file first, but a backup is already provided).

5. NOTE: All the players participating in a multiplayer game must have the same subfolders branching off their main CivGold folder! For example, if the host is using "c:\mps\civ2gold\scenario\sacrificial blood" then an opponent could be using "d:\CivMGE\scenario\sacrificial blood", but NOT "d:\CivMGE\My Scenarios\Blood".

B) Installing a specific scenario (INSTALL PATCH BEFORE SCENARIO!!):

1. Before starting Civ II Gold, choose which of the three games you wish to play. It is strongly recommended that you start with The Lost City, then move on to The Pre-Columbian Age, and finally King of Kings. Each game has its own folder. Go into the folder for the specific scenario you wish to play.

2. Once you've found the folder for the specific scenario you wish to play, COPY (not move) all the files (not folders) in this folder into your "Sacrificial Blood" folder (allowing them to overwrite the existing files).

3. In each specific scenario folder, there is a subfolder called "Sound". This folder contains special sounds for that particular scenario. COPY (not move) these files into your "Sacrificial Blood\Sound" folder (not your main civ2 sound folder), allowing them to overwrite the originals.

4. In each specific scenario folder, there is a subfolder called "New Civ2Gold files". It is very important that you COPY (not move) these files into your main Civ2Gold folder (allowing them to overwrite the originals). (If you wish, you can back up the originals first, but backups are already provided).

(a) Technical Note: normally it is not necessary to change any files in your main Civ2Gold folder in order to play a scenario. All scenario files are kept in their own directory, and your saved games MUST go there as well. SACRIFICIAL BLOOD is more evolved than a standard scenario, and will need to make some temporary changes to your main Civ2Gold directory. If you carefully follow these instructions, SACRIFICIAL BLOOD will in no way interfere with your regular Civ II Gold games or other scenarios.

5. Go into your main Civ2 folder and make backup copies of your tiles.dll, mk.dll, and intro.dll files. Move the graphics pack file (graphics.zip) into your main Civ2 folder and unzip the file, allowing it to overwrite the originals. The graphics.zip file will create alternate tiles.dll, mk.dll, and intro.dll files which contain new game graphics. This step only has to be done once, regardless of which of the three scenarios you choose to play or switch between.

6. To begin play, start Civ II Gold and select "Play SACRIFICIAL BLOOD solo" or "Multiplayer SACRIFICIAL BLOOD" from the main menu (or you can also check out the scrolling SACRIFICIAL BLOOD credits from this menu). Select the appropriate *.SCN file from your "Sacrificial Blood" folder. The scenario is large and will take a minute to load.

C) Game Settings:

1. Required Game Settings:

(a) Under the Game menu, Game Options: Music should be OFF, and Sound Effects ON. Under the Game menu, Graphic Options: Diplomacy Screen should be ON.

2. Recommended Game Settings:

(a) Under the Game menu, Game Options: AutoSave ON, Fast Piece Slide ON. Under the Game menu, Graphic Options: Throne Room, Animated Heralds, High Council, and Wonder Movies all OFF. Under the Game menu, City Report Options: all ON.

D) To play a different SACRIFICIAL BLOOD scenario:

1. Repeat step 1) B) (discussed above) for the specific scenario you wish to play. It is CRITICAL to repeat these steps every time you switch to a different scenario.

E) When finished playing SACRIFICIAL BLOOD:

1. When you have finished a game of SACRIFICIAL BLOOD and wish to play a normal Civ II Gold game or some other scenario, it is CRITICAL that you restore your original files. Inside your "Sacrificial Blood" folder you will find a subfolder called "Original Civ2Gold Files". It is very important that you COPY (not move) these files into your main Civ2Gold folder (allowing them to overwrite what is there). Also, find your backup tiles.dll, mk.dll, and intro.dll files and copy them over the top of the ones installed in your main Civ2Gold folder by Sacrificial Blood.

2. Inside the "Original Civ2Gold Files" folder, there is a subfolder called "Original Sound". COPY (not move) the one file inside this folder (menuloop.wav) into your main Sound folder (a subfolder of your main Civ2Gold folder), allowing it to overwrite the file already there.

F) Completely removing SACRIFICIAL BLOOD:

1. When SACRIFICIAL BLOOD ceases to pleasure you, and you wish to remove all traces of it from your system, simply delete the "Sacrificial Blood" folder, but be certain you have already performed step 1) E) above!

2) Historical background:

3) The Historical Accuracy of Sacrificial Blood:

4) Overview of Scenario Pack:

E) The Scenarios:

All three of these empire-building scenarios offer technological advancements as well as government switching. Your objective varies by scenario.

1. The Lost City:

(a) The Setting:

(1) A short multiplayer (no solo) scenario set on a small world with varied landmasses. Your objective is to be the first to discover and conquer the mysterious Lost City within 400 tuns. A "tun" is a Mayan year.

(b) Victory Conditions:

(1) The Lost City focuses on exploration rather than conquest. If you spend all your time trying to vanquish your opponents you will likely lose. Keep your eyes on the prize, which is The Lost City. If you manage to capture The Lost City and take control of both Ancient Shrines, credit yourself with a decisive victory. If you capture The Lost City and only one Ancient Shrine, that's a victory. If you take control of both Ancient Shrines, but fail to capture The Lost City, give yourself a marginal victory. A marginal victory can also be attained by capturing The Lost City, but failing to take control of either Ancient Shrine. Anything else is a defeat.

(c) Technology:

(1) There are four distinct tech trees. The common tree is available to all and contains basic advancements. In addition, each of the High Empires has its own distinctive tech tree which cannot be used by anyone else. Technologies, improvements, or wonders which are preceded by the "+" symbol can only be built by certain cultures or under special circumstances. Technologies, improvements, and wonders not preceded by the "+" symbol can be built by anyone, even the lesser tribes.

(2) Due to the short game length, the tech trees have been "pruned". Also, technology will come very slowly at first. However, you will easily acquire sufficient advancements to allow victory. Technologies cannot be traded or won through conquest.

(d) Human Sacrifice:

(1) Any "Mystic" unit, when defeated in battle, will be brought to your capital city as "Uauantin" (a human sacrifice). Sacrificial rituals inspire the populace (who feel it pleases the gods). When you conduct a sacrifice, your people reward you with a production boost.

(2) To sacrifice a unit, simply disband it. But make sure you disband it in a city or you receive no bonus! You can sacrifice your own units if you desire, but this results in a much smaller bonus than sacrificing an enemy unit.

(e) The Ancient Shrines:

(1) There are two lost shrines, one in the east and one in the west. One of your objectives is to locate and take control of them. The shrines are guarded by jungle beasties and booby traps, so you must attack them with a military unit. When you capture a shrine, the "eyes" of the idol will change to your colors (orange for Aztec, blue for Incan, and purple for Mayan). The eye color will remain until some other power captures the shrine.

(f) The Lost City:

(1) The Lost City is guarded by a phantom army composed of the greatest warriors who once lived in the fabled city. These ghostly soldiers exist primarily on another plane, a realm that only the "Mystic" can penetrate. No other unit can attack the Phantom Army, and it usually takes a group of Mystics to defeat the dreaded force. Once the Phantom Army is dispatched, the city can be captured by any military unit.

(2) Once The Lost City has been captured by a High Empire, the other two High Empires instantly fade into the history books and the game ends by itself. If you wish to take control of the Ancient Shrines, be sure to do so before capturing The Lost City.

(g) Relics:

(1) Deep in the unexplored jungles lie the mysterious relics of a previous age. Military units who dare to explore there may uncover these priceless treasures. Because relics are so difficult to find, you may need to explore the same territory several times before finding one, and they will not be in the same place at the same time in every game.

(2) Every relic you discover will draw a "Mystic" to your cause. These Magician/Warriors, eager for knowledge of the arcane, are the only units capable of fighting the Phantom Army which guards The Lost City.

(3) Relics are in VERY short supply, so if an enemy High Empire snatches the lion's share, they will get all the Mystics and likely win the game. Avoid this problem by being the first to explore.

(h) The Twin Serpents:

(1) These water-loving twin terrors are the birthplace of all sea monster mythology. They will not hesitate to pull down a vessel or attack an unsuspecting unit along the shoreline. They are quite difficult to kill. If defeated, it will likely be due to their reckless antagonism in the face of their own injuries. The serpents are so universally despised that your civilization will collect a 5,000 gold reward for dispatching one!

(2) "Serpent's Lair" is the unassailable underwater haven of the twin menaces. It is shown as an Olmec city because the Olmecs are the only people the serpents won't attack.

(i) Chaos Caverns:

(1) This ancient city has collapsed and become partially submersed in fetid water. Only wildmen and beasts haunt this nearly aquatic link to the past. Military forces cannot take this "city", if you can call it that, then again, why would they want to?

(j) New Terrain:

(1) Keep an eye out for saltwater swamps, which are navigable by ship.

(k) Natural Hazards:

(1) Jungle fever is prevalent in the unexplored jungles, and will prove lethal to any unit that enters the area.

(2) Quicksand is often found in wetland areas, and will kill any unit that treads there.

(3) Sandbars, clearly visible, extend from many shorelines, and will wreck any vessel that crosses them.

(4) Earthquakes, though somewhat rare, are devastating to any units or cities that happen to be in the general area. With practice, you will learn to recognize and avoid areas with active fault lines.

(l) Defensive unit restrictions:

(1) Some military units in the game are purely defensive (they have zero offensive capability). Such units can not be used to impose martial law, and they can not capture lost cities. On the plus side, they do not create unhappiness when away from their cities.

(m) Zones of control:

(1) No unit must respect a zone of control.

(n) Starting positions:

(1) The Aztecs begin the game with twice as much gold as the other two High Empires, and the best military technology. They also have a barracks. The Aztecs should be able to secure their landmass more quickly than their rivals, leaving them free to focus on growth and exploration.

(2) The Incans start the game with a granary. They also have more irrigation and roads, and a richer land than the other High Empires. Somewhat favored by the gods, the Incans experience fewer earthquakes. The Incans may have a difficult time securing their landmass, but their growth, production, and economy will outshine all others.

(3) The Mayans begin the game with the advancement of writing (which can prove to be a huge advantage). They also start with a library, and a fairly extensive map of their territory. The Mayans will move quickly ahead of the others both politically and technologically, giving them first dibs on the best wonders.

2. The Pre-Columbian Age:

(a) The Setting:

(1) A medium length multiplayer (no solo) scenario set on Earth. This historical scenario takes place in the post-classic Pre-Columbian era. You will attempt to achieve what the High Native Empires were unable to do—prepare themselves to survive the Spanish invasion. You will take your High Empire from its humble beginnings in 1100 AD, all the way to 1519 AD, when the Spanish first arrive.

(b) Victory Conditions:

(1) The Aztecs will be credited with a decisive victory if they develop Black Powder (a technology), The One Tongue (a wonder), defeat both of the other High Native empires, and end the game with their Royal House intact. A victory can be achieved by developing Black Powder and building the One Tongue. A marginal victory will be credited by building either the One Tongue or developing Black Powder. A marginal victory can also be achieved by destroying both of the other High Empires. Failure to accomplish any of these things by 1519 AD results in a defeat.

(2) The Incas will be credited with a decisive victory if they build The Citua (a wonder), The One Tongue (a wonder), defeat both of the other High Native empires, and end the game with their Royal House intact. A victory can be achieved by building The Citua and the One Tongue. A marginal victory will be credited by building either The Citua or The One Tongue. A marginal victory can also be achieved by destroying both of the other High Empires. Failure to accomplish any of these things by 1519 AD results in a defeat.

(3) The Mayans will be credited with a decisive victory if they develop Lighter-Than-Air Craft (a technology), build The One Tongue (a wonder), defeat both of the other High Native empires, and end the game with their Royal House intact. A victory can be achieved by developing Lighter-Than-Air Craft and building The One Tongue. A marginal victory will be credited by building either Lighter-Than-Air Craft or The One Tongue. A marginal victory can also be achieved by destroying both of the other High Empires. Failure to accomplish any of these things by 1519 AD results in a defeat.

(c) On Achieving Victory:

(1) Although this is not a cooperative scenario, it is possible for more than one player to enjoy some type of victory.

(2) Even if both of the other High Empires are destroyed, the scenario continues to 1519 AD (to allow time for the remaining player to achieve other victory conditions). If only one player remains, and all desired victory conditions are met, and it is not yet 1519 AD, the winner must stop the game or it will continue to run until 1519 AD.

(3) As for Wonders, it isn't who build them that counts, it's who controls them at the end of the game.

(d) Technology:

(1) There are four distinct tech trees. The common tree is available to all and contains basic advancements. In addition, each of the High Empires has its own distinctive tech tree. Technologies, improvements, or wonders which are preceded by the "+" symbol can only be built by certain cultures or under special circumstances. Technologies, improvements, and wonders not preceded by the "+" symbol can be built by anyone, even the lesser tribes.

(2) Due to the medium game length, the tech trees have been "pruned". However, you will easily acquire sufficient advancements to allow victory. Technologies cannot be won through conquest but they can acquired through diplomacy and the exploration of ancient ruins.

(e) Diplomacy:

(1) Each of the High Native Empires will have a powerful neighboring tribe. For the Aztecs, it is the Tarascans. For the Mayans, it is the Toltecs. For the Incans, it is the Chancas. The Aztecs and Incans will find their neighbors to be hostile and impossible to deal with. The Mayans may be able to keep the peace with their neighbor. All of the High Empires are at peace with the Lesser Tribes (an amalgam of indigenous peoples spread across the map). However, it is impossible to talk to the Lesser Tribes (they are too primitive and belligerent). Therefore, the best options for diplomacy lie with the other players, and the neighbors of the other players.

(2) Diplomacy is perhaps the single best way to acquire new technologies, especially those advancements which are not on your tech tree.

(f) Human Sacrifice:

(1) Some enemy units, when defeated in battle, will be brought to your capital city for sacrifice. Human sacrifice inspires the populace (who feel it pleases the gods). When you conduct a sacrifice, your people reward you with a production boost. Sacrificing lesser enemy units, "Uauantin" gives a smaller bonus than sacrificing important enemy units "Chalchihuatl". The word "Chalchihuatl" means "food for the gods".

(2) To sacrifice a unit, simply disband it. But make sure you disband it in a city or you receive no bonus! You can sacrifice your own units if you desire, but it generally results in a much lower bonus than sacrificing enemy units.

(g) The Royal Houses:

(1) One of the most important units in the game. Each of the High Empires has a Royal House unit located in the capital. If this unit is killed in battle, the associated High Empire will descend into civil chaos and be destroyed (meaning all of its cities will cease to exist)! The player that kills an enemy Royal House captures the secrets of that civilization. For example, if the Mayans kill the Aztec Royal House, the Mayans inherit the Aztec tech tree and can research technologies normally only available to the Aztecs.

(2) If your empire is on the verge of defeat, and you wish to leave no cities for your opponent to take over, your Royal House can commit suicide by attacking a stronger enemy unit or throwing itself into a "cenote" (discussed below).

(3) Another option is to sacrifice (disband) your Royal House inside of a city. This is considered the ultimate sacrifice to the Gods, and will result in an unprecedented production boost in that city. Your empire will not collapse.

(4) If your Royal House is destroyed by a firestorm, your civilization will not collapse. If it is destroyed by a lava flow, your civilization will collapse (volcanic activity is considered a message from the gods). If it is destroyed by intentional sacrifice, it will not collapse.

(5) Each Royal House is very different. The Aztec Royal House is well balanced between attack and defense. The Incan Royal House is a strongly defensive unit. The Mayan Royal House is relatively weak and vulnerable.

(6) Be careful where you keep your Royal House. It is best to stay away from volcanoes. Also, remember, if your Royal House is the most powerful defensive unit in the city, it will be the one that absorbs an incoming attack.

(7) Keep in mind, if your Royal House is destroyed by any method, only a marginal victory is possible. Having your Royal House intact at the end of the game is a requirement for a victory or decisive victory.

(h) Magicians:

(1) The biggest "wildcard" unit. Pre-Columbian civilizations had a love/hate relationship with Magicians. Of course, every King would love to have his Merlin, but what happens if he befriends an evil mage?

(2) During the course of the game, at completely random intervals, a Magician (appearing as a Popaloca unit) may approach one of the capital cities of a High Empire. It is impossible to tell if the Magician is good or evil. If you wish to use the Magician's services, capture it with a military unit.

(3) If you draw an evil Magician, he will bankrupt your treasury and cause "Cultural Discord", which will prevent future expansion. This can be a death sentence to a small empire.

(4) If you draw a good Magician, he will fill your coffers. In addition, you receive the advance of "Farsight", allowing you to build the "Pyramid of the Magician". This wonder allows units to automatically upgrade. Good Magicians will also teach the secret of "Coca Cultivation", which allows you to build Coca Plantations. A Coca Plantation increases slave production without the dangers associated with building a Blood Caste. You must build a Slave Caste before you can build a Coca Plantation.

(5) On average, one good Magician and one evil Magician will wander near your capital over the course of the game. But there is no guarantee this will happen. If you wish to use his services, move quickly, before he is used by another civilization. Magicians are also known to seek cover in cenotes, where no unit can follow.

(i) The City of Otomi:

(1) This Popaloca island city is an active leper colony. Your armies will refuse to enter here. Therefore, the city is essentially untakeable.

(j) The City of Guenaken:

(1) The Incan residents of Cuzco have found food scarce in their mountain home. Therefore they trade llamas with the people of Guenaken (a Lesser Tribe to the southeast). If Guenaken is destroyed, Cuzco's food reserves will be hurt.

(k) Ancient Ruins:

(1) The equivalent of "goody huts". Early exploitation of these precious resources will help offset the slow early-game advancement rate.

(l) The Map:

(1) It may appear that South America has been stretched on the horizontal axis. As many of you know, the civ2 map greatly expands the horizontal. In reality, the map is accurate; it is simply being displayed in a wide format.

(m) City Placement:

(1) Make a careful study of the terrain help screens before placing your first city. This land (especially the jungle) is richer than what you are used to. Your normal placement of cities will have to be dramatically altered.

(n) New Terrain:

(1) Freshwater Islands are lakes which support an island large enough to hold a city. They offer good food and trade resources, as well as excellent defense. Be aware that the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan is built on a freshwater island (interestingly, this particular one was man-made). Special variations of freshwater islands include Hot Springs and Wild Rice (see terrain help for details).

(2) Cenotes are formed when limestone erodes, forming a sinkhole which fills with water. They offer good food resources. Special variations of cenotes include Cenote Clusters and Grand Cenotes (see terrain help for details).

(3) Navigable Rivers add a new strategic element to the game. All rivers in this scenario are impassable to ground troops, and can only be crossed by boat. If you find this difficult to accept, consider this: to this day, no one has built a bridge across the Amazon, one of the world's most formidable rivers!

(o) Natural Hazards:

(1) Cenotes can support a limited labor force extending from a city, but are impassable to armies. Units of any size which stray into areas with cenotes will fall victim to the unstable limestone beneath them.

(2) Wildfires are a real menace. A firestorm can wipe out half a city and its units, leaving the surrounding countryside in flames. Settlers can put out the wildfires caused by firestorms, but only an attacking military unit can stop the progress of a firestorm before it reaches your city. All players should cooperate to locate and extinguish fires because left unchecked, they will cause global warming. If a fire enters an unprotected city, it will "take over" the town, but it can always be retaken by a military unit. The best protection against fire is to study Pyrology, and then build Fire Defenses. If your city has Fire Defenses and you spot an approaching firestorm, it is best to let it hit the city and extinguish itself, rather than going out to fight it with a military unit.

(3) Volcanoes come in two varieties, deadly "lateral blasts" which destroy everything in the vicinity, and the less dangerous "lava flows" which can destroy any single unit. If a lava flow enters an unprotected city, it will "take over" the town, but it can always be retaken by a military unit. There is no defense against volcanoes. On the map, volcanoes look like ordinary mountains, but the observant player will notice a geographic characteristic which makes them easy to identify.

(p) Unit Obsolescence:

(1) Any player who receives the "Colonization" advance should be wary. Colonization allows Mitami (a cheaper kind of Settler) to be built. Normally, Mitami make Settlers obsolete, but that has been disabled in this scenario to allow for another feature. Therefore, if you have Colonization, be sure to build Mitami instead of Settlers, because both will be available on the build menu.

(2) Any player who receives the Channeling advance should be wary. Channeling allows the use of High Priests. High Priests are more powerful than regular Priests, but can be built for the same cost. However, High Priests do not make Priests obsolete. This is because High Priests can only be built under a Theocracy, whereas Priests can be built under any government type. Therefore, if you have Channeling and are under a Theocracy, be sure to build High Priests instead of Priests, because both will be available on the build menu.

(q) Defensive unit restrictions:

(1) Some military units in the game are purely defensive (they have zero offensive capability). Such units can not be used to impose martial law, and they can not capture lost cities. On the plus side, they do not create unhappiness when away from their cities.

(r) Zones of control:

(1) No unit must respect a zone of control.

(s) Starting positions:

(1) The Aztecs are the only civilization that begins the game with a barracks and the "Simple Weapons" advancement. The Aztecs also start with the largest treasury and an excellent defensive position. However, they are hounded by an entrenched and bitter rival, the Tarascans.

(2) The Incans start the game with a granary and two Settlers which need no support. They have a moderate treasury, an excellent defensive position, and a wide area mapped. They are far from developing Simple Weapons, but will soon have Scouts out exploring. Their capital has little growth potential, and they face the nastiest of natural enemies (the Chancas), yet the Incan position is the easiest to win because of the wide availability of ancient ruins and tremendous room for expansion.

(3) The Mayans begin the game with two small cities and the highest number of advancements. Although they do not have Simple Weapons, they do have Writing (a big advantage at Deity level). They also start with two libraries, and are at peace with their nearest rival, The Toltecs. However, the Mayans have the poorest treasury and the least room for expansion. They are therefore the most difficult position from which to win.

3. King of Kings:

(a) The Setting:

(1) A long multiplayer or solo scenario set on a medium sized world with varied landmasses. The objective is to conquer the world within 1000 tuns. A "tun" is a Mayan year.

(2) A single, multiplayer game of King of Kings can last a month or more. It is the longest, and also the best of the Sacrificial Blood scenarios. All players should have at least a 56K connection and Pentium II processors, otherwise the delays may get frustrating. Be sure the host has the fastest computer. To avoid delays, you can also play solo, although the AI does a poor job of playing the Mayan position.

(b) Victory Conditions:

(1) You achieve a decisive victory if you conquer every city in the world (except for the city of Vix-Mat, discussed later). A marginal victory would be the defeat of both of the other High Empires. A victory is credited if you defeat at least one of the other High Empires. Anything else is a defeat.

(c) Technology:

(1) There are four distinct tech trees. The common tree is available to all and contains basic advancements. In addition, each of the High Empires has its own distinctive tech tree which cannot be used by anyone else. Technologies, improvements, or wonders which are preceded by the "+" symbol can only be built by certain cultures or under special circumstances. Technologies, improvements, and wonders not preceded by the "+" symbol can be built by anyone, even the lesser tribes.

(2) Scientific advancements may seem to come painfully slow at first, but don't worry, you should easily have all technologies by the end of the game.

(3) Technologies cannot be traded or won through conquest, but the Mayans do have the ability to learn the advancements of other cultures.

(d) Human Sacrifice:

(1) Some enemy units, when defeated in battle, will be brought to your capital city for sacrifice. Human sacrifice inspires the populace (who feel it pleases the gods). When you conduct a sacrifice, your people reward you with a production boost. Sacrificing lesser enemy units, "Uauantin" gives a smaller bonus than sacrificing important enemy units "Chalchihuatl". The word "Chalchihuatl" means "food for the gods".

(2) To sacrifice a unit, simply disband it. But make sure you disband it in a city or you receive no bonus! You can sacrifice your own units if you desire, but it results in a much lower bonus than sacrificing enemy units.

(e) Slavery:

(1) You can capture enemy settlers and force them to work on your land. When you destroy an enemy Mitami or Settler, it appears in your capital as a "Tlacotin", or slave. Tlacotin are less hardy than a typical Settler unit, but they work free of support! Only units belonging to the High Native Empires can be forced into becoming Tlacotin.

(f) Huacas:

(1) Each of the three High Empires has its own landmass. Somewhere on this landmass is a "huaca", or a holy place. There the gods leave gifts to aid your empire. There is one other secret huaca located on a landmass belonging to one of the lesser tribes. These gifts are usually gold, but on rare occasion will be the technology of Divine Providence (which is enormously useful). Locating and control the huacas is crucial to victory (this can't be emphasized enough). Divine gifts will not appear in huacas that are occupied by a unit.

(a) Divine Providence is a advance that can only be given by the gods. It allows a civilization to develop Celestial Summoning, a technology that allows creation of "Avatars" from any of the three major deities. An avatar is a superunit. Divine Providence also allows the wonder "Earthly Paradise" (which is perhaps the most powerful in the game).

(b) Each player has a 1 in 1,000 chance per turn of receiving a divine gift containing Divine Providence in their local huaca. This can happen only once on each huaca during the entire game. If the huaca is occupied at the time, the gift will be lost forever. If the gift is taken by another civilization, it will never reappear at that huaca.

(g) Natural Hazards:

(1) Beware of impassable mountains. This terrain is so rugged and high altitude that any unit that enters will be killed (including air units). Impassable mountains look somewhat different than normal mountains. They exert a zone of control, so units without offensive strength will not be able to move directly around them.

(2) Watch out for storms at sea. Areas of wide open ocean are the most dangerous. If you hug the coast you should be relatively safe. Storms arise without warning and may kill your naval units and their occupants, or simply destroy the craft and strand the occupants. Even air units can be destroyed by a storm at sea.

(3) Beware of Black Jaguars. They love to charge out of the jungle and gobble up your people.

(h) Treasure:

(1) "Abandoned Cities" (formerly known as "goodie huts") will yield the usual bonuses. As always, do not explore these areas with air units or you will receive no bonus.

(2) "Lost Cities" are much harder to find because they have been overgrown by jungle. They will yield gold to any military unit (with offensive capability) which moves into that square. Lost cities exert a zone of control, so units with no offensive bonus will not be able to move through or around them.

(i) Avatars:

(1) Four-hundred years into the game, your god will directly intervene on your behalf, sending an Avatar (a mortal incarnation of the god) to aid your cause. Use this Avatar wisely. When the first Avatar representing your god is killed by an opponent, bad things happen to your empire. The Mayans worship Chac, the Rain God. The Aztecs worship Huitzilopochti, the War God. The Incans worship Inti, the Sun God. You will only receive one free Avatar during the entire game. You will receive this Avatar even if you have not received the gift of Divine Providence.

(j) Tech Trees:

(1) There are four distinct tech trees. The common tree is available to all and contains basic advancements. In addition, each of the High Empires has its own distinctive tech tree which cannot be used by anyone else (with the notable exception of the Mayans). Technologies, improvements, or wonders which are preceded by the "+" symbol can only be built by certain cultures or under special circumstances. Technologies, improvements, and wonders not preceded by the "+" symbol can be built by anyone, even the lesser tribes.

(k) The Isle of Vix:

(1) A mythical island inhabited by rogue sorcerers (yes, there were sorcerers in Pre-Columbian cultures) who long ago broke away from the Tarascans. This area is extremely rich, but somewhat difficult to conquer. One sorcerer city, Vix-Mat, is located on a tiny freshwater island and is protected by an ancient spell of invulnerability. You do NOT need to take this city in order to achieve a decisive victory.

(l) Air unit quirks:

(1) As always in Civ II, do not attempt to take an Abandoned City (also known as a goody hut) with an air unit, or the city will be destroyed and you will receive nothing.

(2) Air units, because of the extreme altitudes, can not travel through impassable mountains.

(m) Defensive unit restrictions:

(1) Some military units in the game are purely defensive (they have zero offensive capability). Such units can not be used to impose martial law, and they can not capture lost cities. On the plus side, they do not create unhappiness when away from their cities.

(n) Zones of control:

(1) No unit must respect a zone of control.

(o) Starting positions:

(1) The Aztecs start the game with the largest standing army, a barracks, and the best military technology. They even have the potential to develop black powder weapons. You will get a lot of action if you play the Aztecs, but they are the most difficult position. Early, reckless aggression is often the best strategy for them because it's nearly impossible to defeat an entrenched Incan Empire in the late game, and even more difficult to beat a late game Mayan Empire, who is stealing everybody's best technology.

(2) The Incans begin the game with the best agricultural infrastructure (including a granary), the biggest landmass, and the most gold. With the science of agronomy, they have the potential for explosive mid to late game population growth. Their late game defensive powers are unrivaled, but their only real offensive advantage comes in the early game.

(3) The Mayans begin the game with the advancement of writing, as well as a library. They are impoverished, and have the least rich of the three major landmasses. The Mayans will really struggle in the early game, but if they survive long enough, they are the only culture that can learn the advances of others. They are also the only civilization capable of achieving flight. This is probably the easiest position to win from, especially for the finesse player.

5) Contact Info

A) The SACRIFICIAL BLOOD Website:

1. You can contact me, Shay Yates Roberts, at the feedback page of my website. I'd love to hear your constructive comments. Please note any glitches or inconsistencies you discover. Also tell me what you like. I am always open to examining any alternative .gif or .wav files you feel would enhance SACRIFICIAL BLOOD.

2. Players can also use this website to list their ratings and email addresses as a way of arranging multiplayer games.

6) Disclaimer:

A) No one involved in this project has profited, nor will ever profit from SACRIFICIAL BLOOD (in fact, some of them have gone broke working on it). Any graphics, artwork, music, and game elements created by others have been credited wherever possible and used strictly for educational purposes. The author's sole intention of creating SACRIFICIAL BLOOD was to generate awareness of the rich culture heritage of Meso and South America. If anyone's contribution has gone uncredited, contact the author and credit will be immediately published. If anyone wishes that their works not be used in SACRIFICIAL BLOOD, contact the author, who will personally apologize and immediately remove the offending material.

7) Acknowledgments:

C) Those who blazed the trail:

1. Many thanks to the Civilization experts whose writings, programs, websites, and scenarios made this work possible. Among the many I wish to thank are Aleksei Andrievski, Jesus Balsinde, Erwan Catesson, Markos Giannopoulos, Jeff Head, Michael McCart, Leon Marrick, Alexander Morozov, and Harlan Thompson. I also borrowed liberally from the many published but uncredited works by devoted Civ fans whose names I will never know. Thank you wherever you are.

F) I only speak English (and sometimes not that well):

1. Special thanks to Jesus Balsinde for his expertise in Spanish and Nahuatl. Many of the non-English words in SACRIFICIAL BLOOD come from his research and serve to create a unique and realistic atmosphere. To find out what happened after the Spanish invaded the New World, check out his many fascinating scenarios located at http://spanish.apolyton.net/.

Shay Yates Roberts

Nov. 23, 1999

http://www.shayworld.com/games/games.htm

About the Designer:

Shay Yates Roberts is 28 years old and lives in Southern California. He is a screenwriter and a pilot. His principal addictions are Civilization and Starburst candy. He spends far too much time working at his computer or flying, and far too little time meeting women.