Rise of Kingdoms Expedition Mode: A Comprehensive Guide
Expedition Mode in Rise of Kingdoms is a challenging yet rewarding game mode that tests your strategic skills in staged battles against AI controlled armies. Whether you’re a beginner exploring its mechanics for the first time or a veteran looking to optimize your strategies, this guide provides a comprehensive breakdown—from the basics to advanced tactics—to help you maximize rewards and improve your performance.
If you’d like to know more about the combat in Rise of Kingdoms, check out our Combat Guide. If you want to know more about the civilisations in Rise of Kingdoms, check out our Civilisations Guide.
What is Expedition Mode?
Expedition Mode is part of the Campaign feature in Rise of Kingdoms, where players progress through a series of increasingly difficult stages. Each stage has unique objectives, and completing them earns you valuable resources, commander sculptures, and Medals of the Conqueror. These medals can be used in the Expedition Store to purchase powerful items and exclusive rewards.
How to Access Expedition Mode
To access Expedition Mode:
- Go to the Campaign menu on your game interface.
- Select Expedition to view the map and stages.
Stages are presented in a linear format, and each has specific objectives, such as defeating all enemies within a time limit, minimizing troop losses, or protecting allied troops.
Expedition Basics
Stages and Star Ratings
Each stage offers up to three stars, depending on how well you meet the objectives.
Objectives typically include:
- Defeating all enemies within a time limit.
- Keeping troop losses below a certain percentage.
- Protecting allied units from being eliminated.
The more stars you earn, the better your daily rewards and progression bonuses.
Troop Deployment
The number of armies you can deploy increases as you progress through stages:
Early stages allow 12 armies.
Later stages expand to up to 5 armies.
Choose commanders and troop types strategically based on the stage’s objectives and enemy composition.
Daily Resets
Your Expedition Mode progress resets daily at 00:00 UTC.
You can replay completed stages to earn Daily Chest Rewards based on the highest star rating achieved for that stage.
The Expedition Store and Medals of the Conqueror
Medals of the Conqueror
Completing stages earns Medals of the Conqueror, the currency used in the Expedition Store.
The number of medals you earn increases with the number of stars you achieve in each stage.
Expedition Store
The Expedition Store offers a wide range of items, including:
- Aethelflaed Sculptures: A legendary commander specializing in versatility and PvE content. Unlocking and enhancing her is one of the primary reasons to engage in Expedition Mode.
- Epic Commander Sculptures: Used to upgrade Epic commanders.
- Dazzling Starlight Sculptures: Essential for enhancing Legendary commanders’ star levels.
- Silver Keys and Golden Keys: Used to unlock new commanders and resources from chests.
- SpeedUps: Accelerates building, research, or healing processes.
Pro Tip: Prioritize purchasing Aethelflaed sculptures to unlock and maximize her potential. Afterward, focus on items that align with your current gameplay needs, such as Dazzling Starlight Sculptures for commander development.
Strategy for Expedition Success
1. Selecting Commanders
Choosing the right commanders is critical to success in Expedition Mode. Here are some recommendations based on roles:
Tanks:
Richard I: Excellent for absorbing damage and healing troops.
Charles Martel: Provides defensive buffs and sustainability for frontline troops.
AoE Damage Dealers:
Yi SeongGye (YSG): Arguably the best AoE commander for dealing massive damage to multiple targets.
Sun Tzu: A budget friendly option with strong AoE capabilities.
Support:
Joan of Arc: Provides powerful buffs to troops, including healing and resource generation.
Aethelflaed: Offers debuffs to enemies and additional versatility.
High Damage Dealers:
Cao Cao: Excellent for burst damage against single targets.
Minamoto no Yoshitsune: Specializes in cavalry and high damage output.
2. Troop Composition
Deploy balanced armies tailored to the stage objectives:
Infantry: Use tanky infantry units for stages requiring high survivability.
Archers: Ideal for stages that require dealing massive damage to enemies from a distance.
Cavalry: Useful for fast moving stages or situations requiring high mobility.
Siege Units: Bring siege units only when troop losses need to be minimized, as they can stay out of direct combat.
3. Battle Tactics
Focus Fire: Eliminate enemy armies one at a time to reduce incoming damage.
Positioning: Place tank units at the front to absorb damage and deploy damage dealers and support units behind them.
Skill Timing: Utilize commanders’ active skills strategically. Avoid wasting skills on low health enemies when you can save them for larger threats.
Retry Stages: If you fail a stage or lose too many troops, adjust your strategy, troop composition, or commander pairings.
4. Maximizing Daily Rewards
Replay completed stages daily to earn chest rewards. Focus on highstar stages to maximize your medal earnings and resource gains.
Advanced Strategies for High Level Stages
As you progress to more difficult stages, consider these advanced strategies:
- Commander Pairing:
Pair primary commanders with complementary secondary commanders to maximize buffs and synergy. For example:
Richard I (Primary) + Sun Tzu (Secondary): Combines tankiness with AoE damage.
Yi SeongGye (Primary) + Aethelflaed (Secondary): Combines AoE damage with debuffing capabilities.
- Utilize Debuffs:
Commanders like Aethelflaed and Baibars excel in later stages where enemy armies are stronger. Their debuffs can significantly reduce enemy effectiveness.
- Healing and Sustain:
Bring healing focused commanders like Richard I and Joan of Arc to minimize troop losses in stages where survival is critical.
- Adapt to Enemy Composition:
Scout the stage objectives and enemy troop types before deployment. Adjust your troop composition and commanders accordingly.
Expedition Mode in Rise of Kingdoms offers a unique opportunity to challenge your strategic abilities while providing substantial rewards. By mastering the basics, carefully selecting commanders and troops, and employing advanced tactics, you can excel in every stage and reap the benefits for your kingdom. With diligent effort and a focus on optimization, Expedition Mode will become a cornerstone of your gameplay progression. For the best gaming experience, play Rise of Kingdoms on PC with BlueStacks!
