To complete the Chinese Mastery, you have to complete 15 challenges whilst using this faction. These must be completed in order and you cannot advance to the next until the previous is complete. They will generally be based around the use of a local unit or ability and are generally self-explanatory, however, I will provide a few generic tips for the challenges first and the specific tips at the end of the solution;
- The game does not provide a tracker in the match as to how your progress is going so it's a bit of a guess as to when it will be completed. Check between games if needed.
- You can easily cheese a lot of the challenges by jumping straight into the correct Age from the custom games menu and doing the relevant task with the starting supplies.
- Setting the game up with NO A.I. allows you to peacefully develop towards certain challenges and have no enemies.
- Once you think you've completed the challenge, simply surrender the match, there's no need to win or wait to be defeated (unless the challenge is test of strength, in which you have to win against the A.I.).
- Achievement should pop right after the last challenge, for me that was in the score screen.
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The Masteries menu can be found from the main single-player menu, then selecting the relevant Mastery. The challenges are as follows:
Challenge 1: Building BlocksAccrue 1500 resources and have a population of 15 before the Feudal Age (II).
Challenge 2: State RevenuesCollect 250 Gold in tax with an Imperial Official before the Castle Age (III).
Challenge 3: Test of Strength IWin a 1v1 Custom or Skirmish match against the Easy A.I.
Challenge 4: A Storm of BoltsProduce 20 Zhuge Nu and use them to defeat 30 enemies.
Challenge 5: Expansion VillagesConstruct 2 Villages and achieve a Population of 100 before the Castle Age (III).
Challenge 6: Imperial SupervisionSupervise the production of 30 military units with an Official.
Challenge 7: Test of Strength IIWin a 1v1 Custom or Skirmish match against the Intermediate A.I.
Challenge 8: Shared WealthGenerate 500 Gold in tax at buildings affected by the Imperial Academy's increased tax revenue.
Challenge 9: Path of the SpiritConstruct 6 buildings affected by the Spirit Way Landmark's reduced dynasty unit costs.
Challenge 10: Iron CannonsDefeat 40 enemies with siege engines from the Astronomical Clocktower before you lose 20 of your Clocktower siege engines.
Challenge 11: Test of Strength IIIWin a 1v1 Custom or Skirmish match against the Hard A.I.
Challenge 12: A Thunderous OnslaughtDefeat 50 enemies with infantry or cavalry units equipped with Gunpowder weapons.
Challenge 13: Seven StoriesGenerate 1500 of each resource type (Food, Wood, and Stone) from your Pagodas.
Challenge 14: The Red ScarfAchieve a Landmarks Victory while in the Ming Dynasty.
Challenge 15: Test of Strength IVWin a 1v1 Custom or Skirmish match against the Hardest A.I.
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Challenge 2: State Revenues:Imperial Official, can be build from your town center. Resources drop off buildings generate Tax for every drop off a villager does, which is gold that can be collected by the Imperial Official.
Challenge 4: A Storm of BoltsStart age 1, because you need to be in the Song dynasty in order to produce Zhuge Nu from the archery range. Maybe this guide helps to explain the dynasties:
Challenge 5: Expansion VillagesStart age 1, because you need to be in the Song dynasty in order to build a village building.
Challenge 6: Imperial Supervision:An Official can be build from the Town Center, select him and press on the Supervise (E) button and click on a Military building. Now build 30 units out this building and the challenge is done.
Challenge 8: Shared WealthThe imperial academy is the building from age 1 to age 2. So start in age 1.
Challenge 9: Path of the SpiritThe Spirit Way Landmark is an upgrade building from age 3 to 4. So start in age 3. Once the Spirit Way was build I build 1 house and 5 ranges around it.
Challenge 10: Iron CannonsThe Astronomical Clocktower is the upgrade building from age 2 to 3, so start in age 2. Build the Astronomical Clocktower and then produce Springald and Nest of Bees. Once you have a nice force attack the enemy :). Kill enemies with the "Nest of Bees" unit to get progress to this achievement:
Challenge 12: A Thunderous OnslaughtStart in age 4 and build many archery ranges, then train the handcannoneer as many as you like and shoot down some enemies :).
Challenge 13: Seven StoriesIn order to build the Pagodas building, you need to be in the Ming dynasty. Start in age 3 and build both upgrade buildings to age 4: "Great Wall Gate (needs to build on top of a stone wall) and the Spirit Way". After that build three Pagoda and build a few Monasteries. Now train some monks and pickup relics and place them inside the Pagodas, they will now generate: 50 Food, wood, gold and stone every 30 seconds. While you wait for the 1500 resources each to trickle in, you should build a 1000 stone walls to get this achievement:
Challenge 14: The Red ScarfDynasties are explained in this guide. However you can start in age 3 and build both the: "Great Wall Gate (needs to build on top of a stone wall) and the Spirit Way" you will then be in the Ming dynasty. After that just defeat the opponent.