Good day traveler! I see that you are new to the lands of Spero, located within the Western realm of Avalon. Please allow me to be your humble guide as you take your first steps towards taming these lands and conquering your foes!

Did they hand you a brochure at the gate when you first came in? No? Well then, my sincerest apologies, please let my good friend Steam Guide help you get up to speed. In just a few minutes he can certainly aid you with information on our Game Controls, the various Building Types you can construct, as well as the Troop Types that can be found within our great land.

Before we go any further, allow me to give you some facts about Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises:

Game: Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises (http://www.avalonlords.com)
Developer: Animus Interactive, Inc. (http://www.animusinteractive.com)
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
Launch: April 28, 2016 (Steam Early Access)
Genre: RTS (Medieval theme)

Now then, if you would just step this way, we can continue on with the tour...

Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises is a medieval real-time-strategy game set in the lands of Spero during the Order of Dawn’s rise to power. During its Early Access launch, the game will feature three multiplayer combat modes, and post-launch, we will be adding single-player campaign modes.

Our story begins in the Plains of Spero, where five great City States rule over the land. Tensions have risen to boiling point, and several powerful City Lords wish to take control of the region and name themselves king. Peaceful negotiations have descended into to all-out war, plunging the region into chaos. Lords fight against each other to gain power and land - each one hoping to claim the throne...

You start as a minor general in the City of Avon, one of Spero’s five City States. Lord Avon has sent you out to form a new city in a strategically desirable part of the realm and defeat anyone seeking to claim those lands for themselves. Along the way you will meet a rising leader who seeks to unite the warring Lords under one order – the Order of Dawn.

Avalon Lords: Dawn Rises features three different multiplayer game modes played out within a beautifully sculpted 3-dimensional environment. In Conflict Mode you will need to gather resources, construct buildings and recruit soldiers in order to defeat your foes. Combat Mode puts you straight into the action; you can recruit your forces in the Army Builder and deploy them in battle without the need for gathering or building. Finally, join your faction allies in Empire Mode to help conquer locations across the land.

• Strategic gameplay! Simply having the most troops does not guarantee a win; it's how you use those forces that counts.
  
• Large scale epic battles! Watch as hundreds, perhaps thousands, of soldiers engage in massive conflicts.
  
• Construct your cities in open sandbox fashion. There are no grid lines to follow here; place buildings anywhere you wish.
  
• Construct over a dozen different types of buildings, each with their own unique purpose. Many buildings can be upgraded to make them better, stronger - yes, we have the technology!
  
• Troops each have their own abilities and are effective in different ways. With over a dozen different types of troops, you can mix and match them to create an unstoppable force.
  
• Siege weapons - so awesome they need a listing all their own!  They are capable of doing great damage from a distance, destroying buildings and devastating troops.
  
• Work your way through the Technology Research tree to upgrade your forces and create more durable buildings.
  
• Persistent player accounts - with every battle, you gain experience to level up your account. Use the Honor points you acquire to buy permanent Specialization perks, which will follow you no matter where you go in the world of Avalon.
  
• Online multi-player modes include a choice of both Free-For-All or Team Combat, with up to six players at a time. Feeling especially tough? Take on others in a 1 versus 2 or 1 versus 3 match and show them all who is the real Lord of Avalon!
  
• Single-player practice matches - not yet ready to venture forth against live players? Try your hand against the CPU AI, which features four difficulty levels ranging from “Easy” to the dreaded “Knightmare” mode.
  
• Just feel like watching the carnage for a while? Check out a live match using the custom Spectator Mode, which is designed to include all the information you would need for an eSports shoutcast!
  
• Free camera movement - move your camera any way you wish. Zoom way out to get an overall sense of the battlefield or way in to watch the bloodshed up close and personal!

• W, A, S, D or Arrow Keys or Right Mouse (hold) will pan the camera
  
• Q, E or Middle Mouse (hold) will spin the camera
  
• Z, X or Mouse Wheel will zoom the camera
  
• Left Mouse (click) a single troop squad or building to select them
  
• Double Left Mouse (click) on a single troop squad to select ALL the troops of the same type
  
• Left Mouse (hold) to create a drag selection box; note this prioritizes military units
  
• Right Mouse (click) will issue orders to selected troop(s) move to a location or attack the target.
  
• Right Mouse (click) will issue orders to selected Peasant(s) to move, mine, build, etc. depending on the target.
  
• Select a Peasant and press G, then select a damaged building to be repaired, even if it’s under attack.
  
• Selecting a Peasant will open a selection menu along the bottom right side of the screen. Left Mouse (click) the Hammer icon to begin constructing Buildings. Left Mouse (click) the building you want to place, then Left Mouse (click) the location to build it
  
• Selecting a building will open its specific menu (not all buildings have menus). Left Mouse (click) your desired action

• Make sure to play on the Avalonian Plains Map during any Skirmish mode map you choose
  
• For a first playthrough, it is recommended that you choose Skirmish mode (top right in lobby) then Create (upper right) a Practice Match (lower right) against the CPU AI. Choose Multiplayer (middle left) to compete against another live player
  
• If you are just learning the game and playing against the CPU AI, make sure to set their Difficulty to Easy, as this will give you the most time to get acquainted with the game and build up your resources and armies. But remember, even the CPU wants to win and it will be coming for you
  
• To compete in Empire Mode, simply click the "Fight" button and you will be added to a match queue
  
• Once in game, the very first thing you need to do is select your Town Hall and start recruiting some Peasants
  
• To begin construction of buildings, select a Peasant and click the Hammer icon which will open the build menu for you
  
• Suggested order of the first buildings you should construct: Farm, Sawmill, Mines next to the three different resource nodes (Gold, Iron, Stone) and a House to increase your Population Cap.
  
• You need to build a Mine on each of the three resource nodes (Gold, Iron, Stone) in order to mine them.
  
• Make sure you build a Sawmill BEFORE you run out of your initial supply of Wood!
  
• Wood is returned to the Sawmill directly, so place it close to a group of trees. This will reduce Peasant travel distance, which results in faster collection over time
  
• All other resources are delivered directly to the Town Hall/Castle. Build a Warehouse near resource nodes that are further away to reduce Peasant travel time and increase gathering time
  
• You can construct multiple troop production buildings. Each building has its own build queue - so a second Barracks, for instance, will allow you to produce Swordsmen at twice the rate
  
• Buildings can be demolished by selecting them and hitting the Delete key on your keyboard. 50% of the resource cost will be returned to you
  
• Build multiple Houses, or upgrade those you already have, to increase your Population
  
• The Blacksmith can research military tech while the University can research civilian tech, which allows you to upgrade and improve your army and city
  
• Upgrade your Town Hall/Castle whenever you can. Many other actions are limited by the current Castle level
  
• Build up your Barracks and Archery Range early so that you can start producing troops to keep any initial attacks at bay while you set up better defenses
  
• Protect your Castle at all costs, once this is destroyed you are considered defeated!
  
• You can turn a Wall segment into a Gate by selecting the Wall segment, then hitting the J key.