The morning fog clung low to the inlet, a translucent veil over a glimmering spit of land where two banners flapped opposite winds. On the western shore, the sea-born standard of the Republic of Iveron — a silver ship on deep blue — snapped crisply. On the eastern point, a sunburst of amber stitched through black, the proud mark of the Emirate of Qadis. Between them: reefs, narrow channels, and a hundred islands, each a world of its own.
Ubisoft’s official scenarios are split into two categories: the narrative-driven Campaign (which acts as a tutorial) and the stand-alone Bonus Scenarios found in the "Scenarios" menu. To 100% the game, you must achieve a "Gold" victory on all of them.
The Setup: A hard AI (e.g., Lucius) controls three separate large islands in a medium-sized archipelago. You start on a single, barren sandbar with only a fishery and a ropeyard. Small islands are free, but every medium or large island already has an enemy warehouse. The Objective: Capture and hold all five large islands within four in-game hours (at fastest speed). The Twist: You are banned from building large war ships (no Carracks or Large Oriental Warships) until you capture the second island. You must master the art of the Small Corsair swarm and land invasions using only market carts and soldiers ferried by civilian ships. Every lost ship is a major setback because you cannot build replacements on the front line. anno 1404 player scenarios
Final image: at dusk, torches line a newly paved quay. A convoy with Iveron sails and Qadis pennants glides in, their flags briefly mirrored on polished decks. Children run among crates stamped with your emblem. Above them, gulls wheel as if applauding. You stand at the quay’s edge, map folded in hand, and see the archipelago as a living thing—raw, obstinate, and, because of you, newly stitched into a single story.
You can create your own custom scenarios using the World Editor 2 tool found in the game's installation directory: Player Scenario - Custom map :: Anno 1404 - Steam Community Anno 1404 — The Archipelago of Ash and
(also known as Dawn of Discovery), scenarios serve as the bridge between the structured learning of the campaign and the limitless freedom of continuous play. While the main campaign acts as a historical tutorial, scenarios challenge players with specific, often difficult, victory conditions that test their mastery of trade, diplomacy, and urban planning. The Spectrum of Official Scenarios
Corsair's Debt: Every 15 minutes, the Corsairs demand a tribute that increases exponentially. If you fail to pay once, you enter a state of permanent war. (also known as Dawn of Discovery ), scenarios
. Many of these act as mini-tutorials for the expansion's features. Notable examples include: Close to the Wind : A fast-paced race against the clock.