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FAQ/Strategy Guide
>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==<<==>>==
For Microsoft X-BOX
Version 1.0
By Chris Zawada
Website: www.antseezee.com
User: antseezee
E-mail: antseezee@epix.net
Created: 01/25/05
Last Update: 09/23/05
Copyright 2005 Chris Zawada
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-
Author's Note
----------------------------
Usually when you engage in an epic battle, you'd expect some sort of nobility
to arise from a common cause. Whether you're kicking some enemy butt, rescuing
a woman, or simply paving the way for destiny and conquest, they all share the
same root - being victorious. Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders is a fairly
unknown smash-mouth hit for the X-BOX gaming system that went fairly unnoticed
during a time of Halo 2 hypeness. Combining elements of Lord of the Rings,
Gladius, and various strategy games, KuF is one heck of a mix of tactics
unmatched by opposing games on the market. Not only that, but the entire
experience is lavished with Live play, and the ability to save your army's
level online. This guide will provide several strategies to completing the four
single-player campaigns, along with providing multiplayer strategies, and any
available cheats. Will you swipe your double-edged sword in the name of honor,
or cower to the ground like a worthless rebel?
Contributing/Feedback
----------------------------
If you have any contributions, feedback, or strategies you'd like to have
added to the guide, contact me via e-mail or on GameFAQs. I'll be more than
content to add your segment of information, and will also provide credit. If
you have any questions you'd like added to the Common Questions section, ask.
I simply don't have the time to sit around thinking of questions. Provide me
with what you want to know!
Updates
----------------------------
=09/23/05= v1.1
Made minor change. Fixed map of Regnier's Bone Dragon mission. I'd like to
thank Michael McEwen for correcting me on the location of the exit. It is in
the upper left corner, not the upper right. I incorrectly sketched it on my
notes. Thanks again.
=03/12/05= v1.0
Finished the FAQ. Been a long month or so trying to complete the game, as its
vast missions and complex tactics don't make anything easier. While the guide
is complete, I'm planning on adding another major update with Live strategies.
Read away.
=01/26/05= v1.0
Started the FAQ. This guide is going to be fairly lengthy, which is why I
expect to finish it by the end of 3-4 weeks. Live play certainly looks
charming.
- I've now added a Quick Search function to the guide. Press CTRL + F, and
type in the designated (#.#) to be quickly forwarded to that specific section
of the guide.
============================
- Table of Contents -
============================
1) Introduction
2) Game Basics
> Controls
> Characters/Key Locations
> Movement/Tactics Mode
> Battle Mode
> Management
3) Gerald's Campaign
> The Village (3.1)
> Raven Meadow (3.2)
> Greywood Forest (3.3)
> Glaucus (3.4)
> Woodenshade (3.5)
> Roserain (3.6)
> Halmoral (3.7)
> Stormdeen (3.8)
> Outer Hironeiden (3.9)
> Posterus Green (3.10)
> Nymphbarren (3.11)
4) Lucretia's Campaign
> Dryglade (4.1)
> Wicktow (4.2)
> Valley of Lichen (4.3)
> Glaucus (4.4)
> Aten (4.5)
> Esse (4.6)
> Halmoral (4.7)
> Hironeiden (4.8)
> Posterus Green (4.9)
> The Holy Ground (4.10)
5) Kendal's Campaign
> Greyhampton (5.1)
> Colonock (5.2)
> The Holy Ground (5.3)
> Nymphbarren (5.4)
> Woodenshade (5.5)
> Raven Meadow (5.6)
> Osmond (5.7)
> Essex Forest (5.8)
> Brimstone Forest (5.9)
> Bronzewood I (5.10)
> Bronzewood II (5.11)
> Norwart (5.12)
> Defensive Wall, Ecclesia (5.13)
> Jungsburg (5.14)
> Funero (5.15)
6) Regnier's Campaign
> The Holy Ground (6.1)
> Colonock (6.2)
> Raven Meadow (6.3)
> Ethindel (6.4)
> Essex Forest (6.5)
> Brimstone Forest (6.6)
> Bronzewood I (6.7)
> Bronzewood II (6.8)
> Norwart (6.9)
> Cloud Borune (6.10)
> Gremium (6.11)
> Funero (6.12)
7) X-BOX Live
> Description
> Strategies
8) Skills
9) Equipment
10) Special Abilities
> Lists
11) Jobs
> Classes
> Mercenaries
12) Secrets
13) Common Questions
14) Copyright/Distribution/Reproduction Guidelines
15) Proper Credits
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-
============================
- 1) Introduction -
============================
Brutal real-time battles full of animated units and troops can get quite
mesmerizing. In many cases, you'll be overwhelmed with formation tactics,
organizational decisions, and when to use special abilities. This pretty much
sums up Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders. It's a massive third-person
real-time strategy game where you control the leader of a battle, inside an
epic storyline, and attempt to be victorious by leading your troops to success.
The action doesn't stop here though. Inside the fantasy story setting, you'll
be able to play over four campaigns each with different motives for leading the
conflicts. Not to mention, above average graphics, great musical scores, and a
well-balanced gameplay system, there's not much to hate about this ever-loving
game.
The story isn't exactly simple. As a matter of fact, the first Kingdom Under
Fire game was released way back in 2001 as a mediocre RTS game for the PC. It
turned out to be a flop, but this game does take some roots from the
predecessor. To sum the story up, there have been many great wars and battles
since the beginning of time. Namely, most of them have been between two
different factions, the Humans (which represent the solid moral values) and the
Dark Legion (which represent the conquest moral values). With two Great Wars
between these factions in the past, the relationship between both isn't exactly
misty. Suddenly, one day, a group of Dark Legion massacre villagers in some
nearby sacred land. This initiates war yet again between the Humans and Dark
Legion. You must now take command of various characters across the campaigns
and complete the game's storyline.
Here's a brief excerpt from the instruction manual (credit to Phantagram):
PROLOGUE
))} First War of Heroes - Xok's Knights {((
===========================================
Legend holds that when war threatens Bersia with destruction, seven knights
will appear to bring salvation. The legend came true when the mysterious
Khiliani, leader of the Dark Legion, took the eastern Hexter of Bersia in his
campaign to destroy the world. Seven heroes rose up against Khiliani to rally
for humanity and defend Bersia. The battle turned when a fallen hero, Rick
Blood, was resurrected through the immortal power of the Ancient Heart.
Together with the rest of Xok's Knights, he defeated Khiliani at the Altar of
Destruction. This was the First War of Heroes, now known as "Xok's Knights."
))} Second War of Heroes {((
============================
Rumors linger long after the end of the Second War of Heroes. What transpired
between Neeble and the Ancient Heart? Did all of the war's participants truly
vanish? Mists. Legends. Echoes of god and evil. No clear record of this war
remains. Nevertheless, the site of its final battle - the Altar of Destruction
- now is considered holy ground.
))} An Uncertain Time of Peace {((
==================================
Fifty years have passed since the Second War of Heroes. The legendary artifact
that caused the Great War, the Ancient Heart, is a faint memory. The Altar of
Destruction lies in ruins, and none who lived through the final battle remain.
Children no longer listen to the battle songs of hope and death from an old man
who says he was there. The adventures of the Ancient Heart and Neebler, the
tales of Xok's Knights - doesn't anyone want to hear their stories? Were they
just stories?
And so, a peace crept into this world as a long winter changes subtly to
spring. Why not? With the Dark Legion diminished, Humanity rose in power. No
one believed the disaster of 50 years ago could ever happen again. There was no
sign of war, and East and West Bersia have become allies. But, to some, it
seems like a sunny sky slowly filling with clouds, peaceful and bright. Maybe
you wonder whether the clouds might hold a passing shower or even a rainstorm?
You also might feel, however, that the answer to a question you dare not ask
draws near. Will the Dark Legion rise again? History has a tendency of
repeating itself...
))} Your Mission {((
====================
The Dark Legion has massacred a group of villagers living near a former
battleground, which since has become sacred land. The short-lived peace in the
world is over, and the Humans and the Dark Legion are now at war. Choose which
race you would like to play, and select one of several character types within
each race. From here on out, it's all about war. You start out with one
infantry unit, but you can acquire more forces or develop them into more
specialized and powerful units. Take center stage in epic battles - hear the
cries of soldiers, and see the chaos of the fight. Command elite cavalry and
infantry units of up to 1,000 soldiers. After the battle, use the world map to
designate where your troops go next. While moving across the continent, you can
visit castles, gain endorsements from feudal lords, hire mercenaries, replenish
your troops, or change equipment. The time has come to fight. Which side will
you choose?
----------------------------
_____________________
##### GAME INFO #####
//////////|\\\\\\\\\\
Players: 1-2 (no 2-on-2 compatibility for Live play)
Developer: Phantagram
Released: 2004
Rarity: uncommon
Special Features: Content Download, Scoreboards, X-BOX Live, Voice, Custom
Soundtracks
ESRB: Mature (17+)
Cover Art on box:
- Shows Gerald holding a bloody double-edged sword on a stricken battlefield
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-
============================
- 2) Game Basics -
============================
The X-BOX controller fits fairly well to the entire theme, although it has no
where near the amount of functions available on PC controls. Regardless, the
range of motion with the joystick and limit of functions helps create a
user-friendly environment for those not use to strategy games.
KEY representation for each button:
Thumbstick = left/right thumbstick pads (black)
Control Pad = left directional pad (black)
A = A button (green)
B = B button (red)
X = X button (blue)
Y = Y button (yellow)
R = R trigger (black, underneath right side of controller)
L = L trigger (black, underneath left side of controller)
START = Start button (black, center)
BACK = Back button (black, center)
Black = Black button (black, right)
White = White button (white, right)
_____________________
/Action Mode Controls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thumbstick - moves character
Control Pad - use abilities, call for support troops
L/R - changes selected troop
L (hold) + A - set waypoints (up to four per map)
R (hold) - bring up mini map
Y - performs special attack
Y + B - use officer's ability
X + A - use officer's ability
B - special move (counterattack or evade)
A/X - perform normal attack
Right Joystick - rotates camera view
START - pauses game, exits
BACK - toggle mini-map
_____________________
/Tactic Mode Controls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thumbstick - moves
Control Pad - use abilities, call for support troops
L/R - changes selected troop
L (hold) + A - set waypoints (up to four per map)
R (hold) - bring up mini map
X (hold) - aiming mode (only archers, catapult, ballista)
Y - move all troops at once
A - confirm action
B - cancel action; stop
Black/White - change troop formation
Right Joystick Click - change camera view
Right Joystick - controls camera
START - pauses game, exits
BACK - toggle mini-map
__________________________
/Castle/Base Mode Controls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thumbstick or Control Pad - moves cursor
A/B - confirms/cancels selection
Y - help
START - pauses, enter menu
___________________
/World Map Controls/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thumbstick or Control Pad - moves cursor
A - confirms
START - pauses game
R (Hold) - brings up mini map
_________________________
/Characters/Key Locations/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
As with any conventional strategy game, there are usually "role" characters who
progress the plot by engaging in battles, tumbling vast mobile troops, and
basically kicking butt. Kingdom Under Fire is no different, as it features
several main characters (which consist of different campaigns), plus additional
co-play characters who help lead your army. This section will briefly describe
each character according to their profile. I'd like to thank Phantagram for
providing this information inside their instructions manual.
________________
<|> HUMAN ALLIANCE <|>
.~`# Gerald #`~.
/______________\
ROLE: Hero
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Two-Handed Sword
"Six years ago, Gerald joined the Hironeiden Army as a mere soldier. Two
years ago, showing exceptional valor during the Hexter invasion, he was
promoted to Captain of the entire Eastern Defense Force. Clever and
quick-witted, he confounds his enemies with unconventional, yet efficient,
tactics. Gerald excels at analyzing a situation accurately and values skill
over rank or bloodline."
.~`# Kendal #`~.
/______________\
ROLE: Hero
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Spear and Hammer
"A General of the Second Division Ecclecian Holy Knights, Kendal was born in
Azilla, a tributary of Ecclesia. He now defends the Holy Ground against the
Dark Legion. As an Azillan, he must maintain strict faith in God. He has
issues with this assignment of defending the Holy Ground, but his honor
prevents him from objecting. A champion for his cause, as well as a precise
tactician, Kendal can lead his troops to greatness."
.~`# Rupert #`~.
/______________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Two-Handed War Hammer
"A close ally of Gerald, Rupert has been through countless ups and downs
since they joined the army together. His huge body and enormous power
enables him to wield the 50-pound hammer while assisting Gerald. He puts on
a rough exterior, but his sarcasm and frequent jokes with Ellen mask the
affection he really feels for her."
.~`# Ellen #`~.
/_____________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Bow
"About two years ago, Ellen appeared from nowhere to join Gerald's Army.
It might seem odd to find such a beautiful woman among the rough and crude
soldiers of Hironeiden. But, be warned - that pretty face holds a quick and
foul tongue. Should you attempt to get too friendly even after enduring the
curses, insults, and abuse, her quick and deadly sword will make certain
you mind your manners."
.~`# Duane #`~.
/_____________\
ROLE: Officer, Knight
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Morning Star
"Duane is a knight from the honorable, but fallen house of Ecclesia Colonok.
He volunteered to join the defense force of the Holy Ground to re-establish
the honor of his house's name. For this reason, Duane continuously works to
distinguish himself through extreme feats of bravery and skill on the
battlefield."
.~`# Thomas #`~.
/______________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee, Magic
WEAPON: Flail
"Thomas is Kendal's friend. He is also the son of Walter who asked Kendal
to drag Thomas along so he can learn the ways of battle."
_____________
<|> DARK LEGION <|>
.~`# Lucretia #`~.
/________________\
ROLE: Hero
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Rapier
"Lucretia is a Dark Elf and a Captain in the Vellond troop. Her mission is
to investigate why Regnier invaded the villagers near the Holy Ground,
while simultaneously providing aid to his troops. A bit short-tempered and
prone to hysterical outbursts, Lucretia prefers quick and effective
assaults over long, drawn-out battles. Lucretia, who considers the Dark
Elves the most prestigious race of all, hates Morene because she is
half-Vampire."
.~`# Regnier #`~.
/_______________\
ROLE: Hero
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Two-Handed Giant Sword
"About two years ago, the mysterious and brutal Lord of Hexter, Regnier,
appeared from nowhere to aid Valdemar in crushing the rebellions. Compared
to Humans, he has monstrous strength. The Orcs and Ogres who recognize his
terrible, overwhelming power serve him with total and absolute loyalty."
.~`# Cirith #`~.
/______________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee, Magic
WEAPON: One-Handed Sword
"Self-centered and pretty, Cirith takes a somewhat air-headed pride in her
heritage as a Dark Elf. She plays the part of Lucretia's butt-kissing
lackey, but her true intention is to spy on Rithrin."
.~`# Morene Strident #`~.
/_______________________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Iron Chain
"A cold-hearted beauty who is despised by Lucretia for her overwhelming
good looks and her heritage as a half-Vampire, Morene works as a supervisor
just like Leinhart. Morene's lovely face hides a cruel and unfeeling heart.
She sheds no tears over the pain or death of others, especially those who
suffer at her hands."
.~`# Urukubarr #`~.
/______________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: Bare Hands
"Simple-minded Urukubarr the Ogre was once Chief of Gorzanik, the most
powerful of all Orc-Ogre tribes. He now defends the land of Hexter.
Recognizing Regnier's overwhelming power, Urukubarr pledged his allegiance
to Regnier on the condition that Regnier rule Hexter. Urukubarr will serve
Regnier with absolute loyalty - even unto death."
.~`# Leinhart #`~.
/________________\
ROLE: Officer
SKILL: Melee
WEAPON: One-Handed Sword
"Sent by Vellond to watch over Regnier. Leinhart was mesmerized by Regnier's
power and charisma and now works covertly as his right arm. Although
supervisors typically get reassigned to new areas every year, Leinhart
remains in place because of King Valdemar's trust of Regnier.
___________
<|> KEY SPOTS <|>
-) Ecclesia (-
The current patriarch of Ecclesia is Dimitri the Third, whose religious
ideology dictates the "Extermination of unconvertible barbarians and
unification of Bersian Continent under one faith." Dimitri has taken over
Azilla as a tributary nation while Azilla was in chaos over the king's
throne. He considers the Ancient Heart to be a devil's artifact and will
excommunicate anyone who speaks of or attempts to learn about it.
-) Azilla (-
Azilla fell into chaos after King Curian disappeared following the Second War
of Heroes. Azilla was annexed by Ecclesia years later. Its current king,
Angelo, is merely a figurehead controlled by Dimitri the Third.
-) Hironeiden (-
Hironeiden currently is ruled by King Saul. Though this nation generally
follows the principles of Ecclesian Church, the constant conflict with the
Dark Legion has created some doctrinal deviations. In general, the people of
Hironeiden consider the Ecclesians a bunch of religious idealists who don't
need to fight for their survival.
-) Vellond (-
Vellond's current king, Valdemar, is a half-Vampire just like Richter. He
somehow managed to unify the ever-conflicting nations of Dark Elves, Orcs,
and Ogres. But, it's an uneasy unity. The Dark Elves seek an opportunity to
replace the half-Vampire king, who in their opinion belongs to an inferior
race. To prevent this, Valdemar has placed half-Vampire supervisors to watch
over the Dark Elves.
-) Hexter (-
Hexter is a commonwealth of Vellond, ruled by Regnier, whose primary
residents are Orcs and Ogres. Some wonder why Regnier doesn't try to
overthrow Valdemar, as he has ability to defeat Orcs and Ogres. Regnier
remains open to this idea, but for now he has Valdemar's courtesy and trust.
______________________
/Movement/Tactics Mode/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This mode is similar to the Battle Mode, except it's more focused on troop
formation, and organization skills. You'll spend a majority of your time in
this mode, preceeding the battles.
_____________________________________
| ____ |
| [1]____ | | |
| |### | [3] | [4]| |
| ------ |____| |
| |
| |
| [2] [5]|
| >> |
| |
|_____________________________________|
| [6] |
|_____________________________________|
[1] - Hit Points - Shows the life bar of each type of units in your Army.
Levels of each are also displayed nearby.
[2] - Mission Info - Shows important objectives such as time left, goals
to meet, or other random info.
[3] - Direction - A pillar of light should be shining in front of your
Army. Move it to a location and press A to move your
troops there.
[4] - Mini Map - An enlarged view of the battlefield via overhead. Can be
toggled on or off as wished.
[5] - Troop Arrows - Show where friendliest troops are nearby, or where
enemy units are approaching.
[6] - Skill Points - These are necessary for performing special skills,
abilities, and magic spells. Can be acquired by
landing successive hits, and are wasted by performing
the skills.
- As stated before, Movement/Tactics mode is primarily an organization stage to
the battle. Rather than jumping into the action, it more has to do with
organizing troops and preparing yourself. Remember that this mode is dedicated
to preparing troop formations, so do it wisely. You can also use abilities in
the meantime to heal troops, or perform special abilities. Troop formations
will also be listed. Here's a brief preview of what each type is:
[ ABILITIES ]
|===========|==========================================================|
| Type | Examples | Effects |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Attack | Meteor, Lightning | pure magic attacks |
| Restore | Cure, Curatio | heals friendly troops |
| Status | Elemental Boosts | boosts status or provides resistance |
| Special | Scout | creates fast-moving scout |
| ... | Self-Destruction | sends Ghoul to suicide on enemy |
| ... | Call Support | calls for aerial-support unit |
|===========|==========================================================|
[ FORMATIONS ]
|============|=========================================================|
| Troops | Formation | Effects |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Infantry / | Tight | Increases defensive & offensive power |
| Spearmen / | ... | Lowers moving speed |
| Cavalrymen | Wide | Decreases defensive & offensive power |
| ... | ... | Increases moving speed |
| Long-Range | Tight | Narrows attack area |
| Attackers | Wide | Widens attack area |
|============|=========================================================|
- Remember that the Black/White button allows you to shift formations before
the battle begins.
____________
/Battle Mode/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This is by far the most fun you'll have with the game, since it's purely live
battles mixed in with the commanding of your troops. It's like Lord of the
Rings on some form of Vodka to the fifth degree. Battle can get chaotic, which
is why you have role-play characters to assist you along the way.
_____________________________________
| ______ |
| [1]____ |## | |
| |### | [3]--- |
| ------ |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|_____________________________________|
| [2] |
|_____________________________________|
[1] - Allied HP - This shows the Hit Points of the currently friendly
selected troop. Note that your current troop selected
is usually circled by a green line.
[2] - Skill Points - As from before, Skill Points allow you to use magic
spells, abilities, and neat little tricks. SP can be
acquired by slashing and hitting normal troops during
the battle.
[3] - Enemy HP - This shows the Hit Points of the opposing enemy at hand.
The enemy leader is usually circled by a red line.
- Remember that Battle Mode is similar to real-time combat, meaning you'll have
to move your Hero/Officer manually. Heroes are generally more powerful than
your typical troops, so press the attack buttons, use special skills, and try
to focus on taking out the "opposing" leader. The entire troop will be
decommissioned if you knock out the enemy troop leader.
___________
/Management/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Just because you can swing your mighty sword with ease, or make it look sweet
while doing so, this does not warrant instant victory. Matter of fact, items
only continue to get harder and harder as you move on. In a sense, Kingdom
Under Fire is similar to Gladius. You're given the ability to upgrade your
troops and characters by training, purchasing better equipment, or upgrading
skill levels.
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-
============================
- 3) Gerald's Campaign -
============================
As we all know, Gerald is one of the "good guys" during the game, at least
considered so by most players. After selecting campaign mode, it's recommended
that you start with Gerald's campaign. His settings are as follow:
+ Difficulty: EASY
+ Region: Hironeiden
+ Race: Human
Press A to enter his campaign. You'll be greeted by an intro AVI showing some
of the programmers and Gerald leading his troops to the battlefield ahead.
Start off by moving the joystick to the upper left, and pressing A in the
distance to meet the green checkpoint.
*A blimp will fly over above. Apparently, some of your friendlies have been
testing out new arsenal acquired during the conflict. Interesting...*
______________________________
/Mission 1 - The Village (3.1)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Engage Dark Legion troops near burnt village
Move to the upper left again, and you'll notice a burnt village. An entire
village of innocent peasants has been killed! However, you will notice a Dark
Legion Squad to your lower right. Gerald gives the command to charge. When you
first get in, don't expect major results. The battle will be tight, mainly
because it's your first time through. The A & X buttons attack. The X attacks
seem to be lighter swipes, while the A does more powerful stabs/finishing
moves. Try pressing A + X + X + X to do a powerful slash combo. Try to kill as
many of the warriors as you can. Press A + X if you need help from one of your
officers. Keep moving around, and Rupert will notice some Dark Archers in the
distance. Concentrate on knocking off the remaining troops, as you have to
reduce the power of the Dark Infantry units. Now, charge after the Archers to
the north, and they'll cross the border. Your mission should be accomplished
because they retreated past political lines. You probably will only get a small
amount of experience or kills, due to your first battle.
*After the battle ends, Ellen notices that the village was burnt down at
least a day ago, which could mean the Dark Legion troops you just engaged
weren't responsible for the burning. It doesn't make sense as to why the
Vells would go back to a burnt down village. Gerald wants to return to Hugh
at the castle to discover what to do next.*
*Gerald reports to Hugh that Greyhampton was attacked by the Vells. You
managed to capture one of the Vells by the end of the battle. Rupert wants
to interrogate the prisoner to figure out what he exactly knew. Hugh orders
the head of the prisoner to be posted on the gate after all knowledge has
been recovered. What a ruthless bastard. Anyhow, two weeks pass, and
General Hugh summons for all officers to meet at the main castle.*
- Start off by clicking the Operations tab. You can't train yet, as this
debriefing is of most urgent priority.
*Hugh has received word from the Capital. War is upon us. We have been
called upon to reclaim the Holy Ground lost nearly 50 years ago. An army
from the capital will join us in Raven Meadow. Because of our unique
knowledge of the landscape, we will lead the crusade. The Ecclesian
Patriarch is sending the Holy Ground Reclamation Army. They're going to
pass in from the north, and proceed to Holy Ground. Tomorrow you shall
march on the enemy.*
- Finally, we're given the option to do some freedom searching. You can do some
eavesdropping in the Pub to find out the morale of your troops. Unfortunately,
many of them are not suited, and realize they're just small pawns in a large
war. Go to Training, so you can get use to the game. You'll have three
different settings to train through. The first is typical battle. Charge the
Dark Troops straight ahead, and slash away. Just use a mix of the A/X buttons
to finish off opponents. This is quite easy, and you'll be done in only a few
minutes. The next part involves using special moves. Press Y + Y to do Gerald's
special. It's actually somewhat powerful, ranging from powerful spinning sword
moves, to valiant charges. Try focusing your attacks on the enemy leader. She
looks like she has a black encrusted shield with insignias on it. The third
phase involves troop formations. Press the White/Black buttons to move your
troops into different groupings. Try pressing the Control Pad, and up to use
the Scout ability. This is great for spying on enemy formations to discover
their levels and types of troops involved. You should be completed with the
Basics. You'll actually gain some experience in this minute training mode.
- Unfortunately, you cannot train your troops for the battle ahead. Simply head
to the Main Gate, as we're ready for Mission 2. On the World Map, head to the
lower right destination known as Raven Meadow.
_______________________________
/Mission 2 - Raven Meadow (3.2)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Protect Sappers and Catapults by engaging Orcs
> Recapture lost Catapults
> Breach the wall and chase fleeing units
*Hugh will inform you that this area is Heck territory. They will have
several border guards on patrol, so keep alert. Hugh wants your Sappers and
Catapults to concentrate on destroying their barricades. The rear force
will attack the main defense, and provide cover for the support units.*
- Press START to begin. Hugh will give some orders to arm the Archers, and
ensure that the Infantry get out front to provide cover. The first rain of
arrows will do very little. By the time the Catapults are readied, it's too
late. The Orcs have charged. Your infantry units counter-charge, and it's time
to kick some green butt.
- Start off by immediately rushing the Orcs ahead. Look for the Orc who is in
shroud black armor on top of a horse. This is the enemy leader. Focus your
attacks and special spin move (Y + Y) on him. Your fellow troops will actually
do quite good in this battle, so keep your attacks focused on him. Fend off any
Orcs who try to nail you from behind. Once the leader is dead, this unit
should collapse. Unfortunately, your fellow units are being flanked. Look to
where the objective arrow is pointing, and press A by guiding the column out
there. You should see a huge mass of troops. Now, start to engage the other
squad of Ogres. This battle will be much tougher, as there are actually TWO
leaders. The first Orc is the same as before, armed on a horse with black
armor. Focus your attacks on him. If you have enough SP, a Y + Y special move
will instant-kill him. Now, focus on the other leader. Trust me, you'll be able
to notice this behemoth.
- The second leader is a huge Ogre, usually 3 times as big as the normal
troops. First of all, he seems to have a huge life bar, but it can easily be
lowered by doing Y + Y special attacks and rapid X, X, X attacks. Try to slowly
nail his life bar down with quick jabs. He has a powerful swipe fist attack
that can knock you away. If you get knocked down during the battle, rotate the
left joystick back and forth to catch your breath. Keep focusing till he dies.
*Your Paladins will cast some healing spells to regain lost life. However,
your fellow Sappers are under attack!*
Start off by flipping to open formation by pressing the White button. Rush
ahead, and you'll notice that another formation splits away from the Archers.
Rather than chasing them, take out the Archers first. The leader should have a
Black Shield/longer life bar than normal. The group is small, and try going to
Close formation when you're close to them. Once they're finished, you should
note that the Paladins are still having trouble. Follow the next green
directional location on your map. Make sure you're in Open formation to get
there quicker. Suddenly, a group of Dark Elves will approach from the right.
Engage this formation first, and make sure you're in closed formation. One of
the leaders will introduce himself. He's outfitted in a black uniform with a
Sabre. Focus your attacks on him, but be careful, as he's very block-prone.
When he charges with a red swirl, be prepared to block on each telewarp-swipe
he performs. Again, use special moves and counter-attack him afterwards. Once
he's dead, rush back, and engage the troops near your Archers. Your Paladins
may be getting nailed, but the Archers are defenseless.
- This battle with the large group near the Archers will have two Dark Elves
leading them. Unfortunately, BOTH are well-disguised, meaning you're going to
have a crapload of trouble focusing on reducing losses. I tried my best in
taking out the masses and hoping for the best. You're majorly overwhelmed
though, so don't feel deprived if you take heavy HP losses. Make sure you get
Ellen to help when surrounded.
*When they both die, you'll notice your sappers have been lost. Fortunately
you still have the Archers and Catapults.*
Enter open formation, and rush towards the Catapults past the pine trees. When
you reach the opening, all has been lost. The Catapults are burning, and the
north side has been breached. Suddenly, a group of Dark Cavalary Archers rush
your position. They will start to circle you. It's futile to chase them down on
foot. Thankfully, switch to the Archers unit by pressing L or R. Now, aim
steady, and get the reticle on them in the distance to attack the Dark Cavalry.
After a few circles, the horsemen should be knocked down. Make sure you enter
Closed formation while on defense. Now, you'll have to rescue the captured
Catapults. Rush to the next area with all troops. When you're close, have your
Archers stop outside the perimeter, and have them attack separately from the
distance. Meanwhile, Gerald's unit should charge in. Focus on the horsed Orc
with black armor, as he is the opposing leader. Again, a few swipes here and
there, plus a special move ought to put him down for good. Once defeated, you
should have recaptured the Catapults. Move all troops towards the wall
perimeter.
*When you're in position, the order is given, and the Catapults are
launched. The exterior wall is breached. Rupert says to give em' hell!*
When you charge through, proceed to the next point with all troops. You'll
eventually reach a wide open field, along with up to 7 Vell units. This is
going to get rough. First of all, get your Archers in the open so they can
attack approaching units. Enter Open formation with all troops, and charge.
Unfortunately, all of the Dark Legion troops are retreating, so it's going to
be extremely difficult to get any kills whatsoever. In my case, ALL units
retreated and made it out alive.
*Hugh congratulates you on your valor, and says they will camp at Raven
Meadow tonight. After a night in the camp, rumors pass around that you've
been promoted for your actions on the battlefield. You're now "General"
Gerald, how fitting. You meet up with an old time friend, better known as
Walden. After some chit chat, you have to report with Hugh to find out
what's going on.*
- Enter the Operations screen.
*Hugh commends you on your key decisions. One of the interrogated Darks
barked up that Regnier's troops are headed this way. Apparently, the leader
who fled from before is holding the plans to the attack on your units, and
he's hiding in Greywood Forest. One of your scouts has verified the intel,
and Hugh wants the plans urgently. He will lend you a Spearmen troop to get
there safely during the morning. Walden exchanges a few wise-crack words to
you, and it ticks you off greatly. Ellen recommends you visit the Barracks
for some equipment/training.*
- Enter the Barracks tab. First of all, note that the Archers unit from before
has now joined your "control." It should be led by a man named Eldric. You can
now modify the soldiers, leaders, and troops inside your two units with better
equipment, teach them new skills by spending EXP, and what not. Start off by
purchasing the Lv. 1 One-Handed Axe for your general Infantry troops (2133
gold). You may also want to upgrade skills on Gerald and your other Archers
unit by upgrading the leader's individual Melee/Ranged abilities. Some of them
may learn a new skill. You can spend the rest of the gold on either armor
upgrades, or what not. Right now, the changes are not important.
NOTE: Equipment will change at the Barracks from time to time. Don't assume the
same item will be in place each time you visit. Apparently, it uses a
random item generator.
__________________________________
/Mission 3 - Greywood Forest (3.3)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Fend off Cavalry ambush
> Chase and destroy enemy leader on horse
*Ellen spots something ahead. We're then debriefed with a small overview
map of Greywood Forest. Apparently, they want the unit to circle around
clockwise to clear out the opposing enemies. Note that they believe
Cavalry are in the area, so use the spearmen to your advantage!*
Start off by quickly rushing east. Engage the Dark Elves with your main force
and Gerald. Their enemy leader is well-disguised amongst the regular troops, so
don't get too flustered. Meanwhile, switch to Walden's Spearmen with R, and
attack the Dark Archers in the distance. Make sure you target them by clicking
with the red-highlighted cursor. While he's engaging them, finish off the Dark
Elves, then help Walden finish off the Archers. Both leaders are weaker Dark
Elf versions; nothing extreme to worry about.
*Ellen will then notice the rest of the troops baiting you towards some
heavily clustered area. Ah, what the hell, charge!*
When you reach the wide-open field, prepare for an ambush. A small group of
cavalry will charge your position. A short sequence is shown with the spearmen
quickly eliminating the threat. Unfortunately, another series of them come, and
it's much larger. You'll also have to deal with the manually. Quickly take
control of Gerald's unit, and move them BEHIND the Spearmen unit. The
long-piked fellows will automatically disperse and eliminate the horses. Repeat
the pattern on any survivors (the cavalry will just circle around). Ellen
believes there are cliffs to the south with the remaining dark units, so charge
southward. Move to open formation and move south. Another ambush is in place up
ahead. You'll have to use a "stealth" meter to make it past them. Basically,
don't raise the suspicion meter too far.
Anyhow, take hold of Walden's spearmen, and move them west. Make sure they're
in closed formation not to raise any suspicions in the enemy's mind. Now, move
him south when he's about a few clicks west. Move along the cliff edge, and
start to move Gerald's unit near the edge of the forest. The two infantry units
will charge blindly towards Gerald. Meanwhile, send Walden on attack mode
towards the archers, and they will be engaged. Meanwhile, finish off the two
remaining Dark Infantry units, and help Walden finish off the archers. The
leaders are again, VERY hidden, making it hard to concentrate on a certain
opponent to kill. Walden will do just enough to distract the archers from
laying fire down on you. Afterwards, charge west towards the fleeing enemy
leader. You'll be in plenty of thick brush now. Move to open formation as the
enemy unit starts to flee. Now, here comes the tricky part. The fleeing unit
will run to the NW, meaning you'll have to intercept it somewhere directly
north. There's an enemy unit of Lv. 2 Dark Fighters to the Northeast that tries
to join up with him unless you cut him off. Simply charge in between and move
upper left to prevent both armies from joining. Look for the Elf riding the
black horse, and focus your attacks on him. Do your special Y + Y move, combo
attacks, and help from officers to finish him off.
*After the battle ends, Walden says that you couldn't have done this
without his spearmen. What a prick. Anyhow, Gerald assures him that he
will receive a reward, and Walden heads back to base. You should do
the same before another ambush pops up.*
- Head back to Forward Base. Again, Walden criticizes you for hogging the
spotlight. Sounds like nothing much to me. Hugh rewards you with a night to
rest.
*Ellen reports that all ranking officers have been called to a meeting.
The leader you captured must have spoken some truth. Head to the
Operations room. Apparently, Regnier is on the move, and is as close as
the Glaucus River. His only way across is via a floodgate, which is
too controlled by the Darks. Hugh says an assault will begin in four
days along with a briefing, sounds like an important mission.*
*Four days later, Walden is surprised by a surprise attack on Glaucus.
We're to move via the rear, where General Hugh shall lead the way.*
- Start off by equipping any new items to your troops, especially Gerald, such
as a powerful Sword or accessory. You may also want to teach Rupert the Frontal
skill, not to mention upgrading your Melee/Ranged techniques on your Officers.
Try to upgrade your units' levels above 5. Enter the Main Gate when ready. Head
over to Glaucus.
__________________________
/Mission 4 - Glaucus (3.4)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Engage lured Orcs at Hugh's position
> Disarm traps near river border
> Open Floodgate
> Rescue General Hugh
*Hugh wants to take the floodgate before Regnier crosses, and also before
the enemy can respond. You'll have to meet up with a group of Sappers
after clearing out the initial enemy units. Have your sappers clear out
the traps near the river bank, then rush the gate, and release the water.*
Start off by moving south, and sending a Scout out. You'll see about (3) Dark
Orc units around level 5. Hugh says that he will lure the enemy troops to
attack him, then you shall flank them from behind with the suns to your back to
prevent blindness. Move everyone to the rendevous to the point to the east, and
wait for the three Orc units to follow after Hugh's diversion. Move south,
then charge when you see a white "light" flare shot in the air. Quickly engage
the Orcs using your Special Move to wipe out whole realms of them. Make sure
your Archers attack as well, and widen the attack area via one of the hills.
The Ogres will fall quickly and swiftly. Now, Hugh says to go northeast and
rendevous with the Sappers. They're our only way of removing the traps near the
river.
Move northeast, and meet up at the marked point on your map. Unfortunately, you
will be intercepted by a group of Dark Archers (in the forest), and Orc
Infantry directly in front of you. You'll have to engage the Orcs first and
foremost, because the Dark Archers cannot be hit in the forest (trees block
your own projectiles). Focus on the Orcs, then shift to Standard formation,
and rush the group of Archers in the forest. Their unit is small, so be swift,
and concentrate on the leader. Once dead, the Sappers will join under your
command. Move southeast to where Ellen marked on your map. Try to have the
Sappers lead the way. Now, here comes the tricky part. In order to remove the
traps, you must have the Sappers lead the way, and they'll start to detect
[SKELETON] areas, which are marked usually with mines underground. To remove
them, press the control pad, and select the "Remove" ability. Much like Gerald
sending out a scout, the Sappers can remove the traps. After remove is
selected, pick the reddish area that has traps. The Sappers should only spend a
few moments eliminating the threats.
There are about 3 "solid" clusters of mines in the direction of Ellen's arrow,
so clear them out, then charge with the main force. There are some dark Archers
in the distance that must be eliminated. Go to Closed formation to fend off the
attacks, and slowly charge in. Take out the Dark Archers (very small group of
units). Now, Hugh will start to lead the rest of the Dark Legion troops after
him. Highlight the Sappers, and select the "Open Water Gate" command. Highlight
it over the dam, and they shall open it.
*A brief cutscene shows a hugh gush of water wipe out the remaining Orcs/
Elves that charged after General Hugh. Unfortunately, Hugh has been
overrun by a large group of the remaining units. Ellen demands that your
troops stay at the Floodgate to prevent Regnier from crossing. Rupert
says that you must save the General. You decide to save the General and
accept all responsibility.*
Charge valiantly towards his position to the West. Be CAREFUL though. There are
still some mine groups there, and it's best to have the Sappers lead the way.
Try to defuse any in the way without letting your men be slaughtered. When you
reach the battle, engage the mixed fleet of various units. You'll meet a new
Dark Elf female called Lucretia. Apparently she has heard about you, the great
Gerald. Doesn't look so positive right now. She has various magic moves, but
most of them can be blocked and countered quite easily.
*After a few bytes from the sound battle, Lucretia will flee back to the
unguarded Floodgate because of your decision. Looks like Regnier will be
uniting with her. This can't be good. General Hugh also suffered a
horrible wound, and he's being rushed out of the battlefield as we speak.*
- The battle should end, and Gerald gives the command to head back to forward
base.
*General Hugh is disgusted at you for saving his life, rather than holding
the river bank. Now that Regnier's men have crossed, the scale of this
war has magnified greatly. Hugh curses you, and orders you back to the
forward base. Ellen is also pissed that you didn't hold the rivergate,
as she's willing to sacrifice lives for the utmost mission. Regardless,
Gerald prepares for the battle ahead.*
- Before we may begin, we now have the options to upgrade MANY available stats
on our units. The Sappers unit from the previous mission should have joined
your Army unit. Now, you should have a hefty sum of EXP. Try to upgrade the
main infantry unit under Gerald, and make them Heavy Infantry. Get your troops
a decent shield for defense, and your ground unit should be fairly powerful
now. Remember that you need to upgrade Gerald's (or any of the other two
officers) skills to reach the required minimums (10 Melee rating). Secondly,
also try upgrading your default Archers into Longbowmen. Shouldn't cost too
much, EXP/Gold wise. You may want to teach Eldric a third skill which will
combine well for future classes, or simply upgrade him with a powerful magic (I
chose Ice). Also, try to look for an upgraded weapon for the Sappers unit,
preferably a pick axe with special effects (found one with +20% EXP bonus). I
love Engineers/Sappers, so that can also be considered personal biasness.
Anyhow, head to the Pub when ready.
*A small conversation between Rupert and Gerald shows that Walden has a true
disliking for you since day one in basic training. It also appears that
Hugh is looking for you, or so Ellen says.*
- Select the Operations tab.
*Hugh doesn't seem as treacherous as you'd expect. Seems somewhat jovial
now that he realizes you saved his life, but still consequences you for
disobeying orders. You shouldn't have saved Hugh's life, but rather held
the river bank. Regardless of the task at hand, Regnier is approaching, and
a new mission is at hand.*
- Select the Operations tab, yet again.
*Regnier is approaching faster than a broomstick caught on fire. Apparently,
the enemy is headed towards Woodenshade, where there are hunky trees
protruding throughout the area. The idea is to lure the Dark Legion troops
into the woods, then unleash fire upon them. You will be informed more
in-depth as you move further into the woods.*
- If you have any more selections to do, do them now. Head off to the Main
Gate.
______________________________
/Mission 5 - Woodenshade (3.5)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Torch the trees to ambush Regnier
> Retreat and protect the King
> Proceed to the northwest by taking out enemy units
*A brief emotional speech is yelled out by General Hugh. Apparently, Regnier
is an insanely powerful Ogre who shoots out lightning and has eight horns.
In more seriousness, he's just an Orc/Human, and we (the humans) have the
ability to use teamwork and overwhelm them.*
*The plan is to taunt and lure Regnier, who will approach from the
northeast, into the thick woods directly south, where Archers will stand by
and lay ablaze to the forest with fire arrows. Hopefully, he shall be
consumed by the flames, and the Majesty himself will lay a hand in this
battle.*
*Finally, one more victory speech is spoken. The Majesty and leader of
Hironeiden is here in presence to watch over the battle. Regnier's
appearance is that somewhat of a human, but apparently he's an Orcish
bastard. Hugh gives the command to charge, and thus they do!*
- Right when the charge begins, you'll have to face (2) Heavy Dark Orcs units.
Use basic Y + Y special moves, along with Officer help, and typical beatdowns.
There's no "true" leader of the Orcs, so kill as many as you can. Your Heavy
Infantry should match well to there's. Meanwhile, switch to the Longbowmen
unit, and have them move down to the southern position with the Majesty
himself. Now, your men and Hugh will engage the Orcs for some time. When he
gives the retreat command, use the minimap, and press Y at the designated green
circle to retreat. When you get down there, wait a bit for the Orcs to enter
the forest. Now, for the tricky part. Select the Archers unit, and press the
control pad. Pick the Fire Arrow option, but don't select a radius. Hold down
the mini-map with the ability selected, and fire at the orange-marked section
on your map (which represents the area to be lit). Try 2-3 times to get it lit.
On my try, I failed, and did very little damage. Light it BEFORE they get
there, otherwise, it takes too long to repeat-fire and hope for the best. When
the two Dark Orc units break through, their health should be lowered. Finish
them off using combo attacks.
*Suddenly, Regnier will walk out of the fire as if it was nothing. Hugh and
Gerald tell their men not to fear, that he's simply another Ogre. Not quite
if you ask me. Anyhow, his fellow Orc units charge your men.*
You'll immediately spawn in yet another battle. Your HP loss from the previous
battle will be minimized, but not quite fixed. As before, you wouldn't expect
Regnier to be much of a threat, but I tend to differ. He's actually a level 50
leader, that seems to be "undamaged" by the fire lit in the forest. Anyhow,
continue battling, and General Hugh will soon realize that the battle is no
match for his men. Regnier is too powerful to humanly take down. He wants you
to retreat and protect the King. Take Gerald's unit, and head west to the
marked point. Make sure the King follows. Hugh will stay behind and die with
honor.
************************************************************************
# ODD GLITCH # Killing Regnier * *
************************************************************************
- Believe it or not, you can actually kill Regnier and his level 50 army.
The way the battle is scripted, you're suppose to send ALL units to the
green marked points. I accidentally left my Longbowmen behind, and noticed
that General Hugh's health was hardly falling. So I actually started to
have my Archers constantly rain down fire on Regnier's unit engaging Hugh.
Well, apparently, the battle is scripted so both Hugh's unit and Regnier's
unit "disappear" from the map after you get past a certain radius. I
actually managed to knock Regnier's health bar down to nothing, and he
died. My archers even got experience for killing him! After I retreated
the Archers to the spot (Hugh just stood there), then the game acted as if
I never killed Regnier. Bah, short story short, it's unavoidable either
way.
*When all of YOUR units reach the marked area, Gerald will ask where Esse
is located. Ellen responds by saying to the Northwest. There are probably
enemy patrols nearby, so it's best to "scout" the area ahead to see what to
expect. Protecting the King is your utmost priority.*
This next part is tricky somewhat again, although VERY manageable under the
right circumstances. Start to move north, but use the scout ability on Gerald,
and send out a scout to the Northwest. You'll find about 2-3 Dark Legion Ogre
units in the forest. Lure them out by sending the Scout near them, then rush
him back using the Mini-map. Now, select the Fire Arrow ability on the Archers,
highlight the opposing unit, and watch them fry. Most of the troops will be
killed, with exception to arrows block by trees or aimed at various areas. If a
Dark Orc unit rushes you, simply have Gerald charge out in front to engage
them. Then, have the Archers pull back, and loose away at the exposed targets.
The King will rarely get attacked. Move directly north once these units are
cleared. Send another scout up. This time, there will be five small Orc units
directly north in the forest. It's a tad trickier to lure them down, because
the units will stop chasing the scout after a certain proximity. You MUST lure
the first grouping of three down, because Fire Arrows will get blocked when
fired upon. Get them fairly close, then try to toast them.
Move to the northwest past the forest into the small opening, then slightly
north. Watch for the two Dark Knight units (we don't want to engage them yet).
Instead, focus on eliminating the remaining Dark Legion units to the east of
your position by using fire arrows. You can use the scout-lure strategy, but,
the distance between you and them is slim. You do not have to kill these units
in the forest, but it's recommended as they can only be added to the fight
later on. To the far north are two Dark Elf Knight units. They're slightly
tougher than the Vells before, but it's a battle nonetheless. BE careful, since
the second unit will charge your King while you are distracted with the first
group. I had to retreat back to where my King was, and help fend off the
remaining Vells. You may want to use Direct Arrow with your Archers to quickly
kill most of the troops around the King. Once these two Dark units are knocked
out, you can now head northwest to Esse. When the King arrives, the mission
should be complete.
*Rupert is deeply saddened due to Hugh's loss. Moreover, the King greatly
mourns his sacrifice, but nonetheless, you must head to Castle Esse.*
- Move up to Esse.
*Ellen criticizes Rupert for wanting to go back to save General Hugh, who
bravehearted himself for a just cause. Gerald orders Ellen to give out some
extra food to boost soldier morale, and Gerald heads off to see the
majesty.*
- Select the Operations tab.
*Gerald is promoted to the General status, after Hugh's death. Doesn't look
too good in the political spotlight if you ask me. Walden approaches Gerald
and "congratulates" him on becoming General. While he's obviously jealous
of his upgrade, it came at the worst time with Hugh's disappearance. Walden
also managed to come across a patrol during his mission. One of the
supposed scouts had a parchment which explained that Sappers were arriving
via the southeast within the next two days. Sounds like a day for an
ambush.*
- Let's make some upgrades with the newly acquired EXP. First of all, you
should have plenty of EXP, perhaps TOO much at this point. I upgraded my Heavy
Infantry into Knights, managed to make sure all units were lvl 15+, and got my
Knights a high +Melee damage two-handed sword. This ensures that they'll be set
for quite some time. Head to the Pub for the next demographic.
*Rupert greets you as the "General." Anyhow, Walden sends some scouts out,
and the Scouts report that the Hecks are closer than you thought. Gerald
decides to try and intercept the enemy forces with a perceptible ambush.*
___________________________
/Mission 6 - Roserain (3.6)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Disable enemy scout unit
> Plant traps to disable first Darks wave
> Finish off remaining Dark Units
> Setup marked traps before timer runs out
> Destroy remnants of troop transport
*Gerald's plan involves ambushing the enemy's convoy along a southern route.
Unfortunately, there is a cliff blocking access directly down. We must head
around this, ignore enemy units, plant the traps, then ambush them. If
we get recognized early on, the battle will be hectic.*
^^NOTE: You'll receive a lvl. 9 Cavalry unit, so this should be interesting.
- You'll have a time limit on this one, before the convoy arrives, which should
make it somewhat "pressure-orientated." Start off by sending a scout to the
east. You'll soon discover that enemy scouts are rampaging the forests as well.
Bring up your Cavalry unit and attack the enemy scouts. They should die within
a few seconds. Now, send all troops in open formation to the tip of the cliff.
Continue to send your lone scout ahead to ensure no other units exist. Now,
around the corner will be about (6) Lvl. 12 Heavy Orcs. Normally, this isn't a
challenge, but it's unexpected at the time. Now, a small argument will ensue
between Rupert and Gerald. If you check your map, you'll notice that there is a
small rectangular portion selected where the traps are suppose to go. Set them
slightly to the right of the marked area, like an arc, and about 6 in total.
Don't worry, you can plant them in the open.
- Now, move your normal troops behind the traps, and pull your Sappers back.
Send a Scout to lure the heavy Orcs towards your position. They should plow
into your wall of traps, then finish them off with your infantry. Now, proceed
south around the cliff edge with all troops. You'll receive word that there's
another formation of Darks to the south - two units to be exact. Engage this
main force with Gerald and the Cavalry. Meanwhile, ship out your Sappers unit
to the south where the area is marked with four squares. Plant the traps in
each of the four squares, then a few more in between to ensure maximum damage.
Now, lead all units to the marked "ambush point." You shouldn't have too much
trouble with those Darks from before, although Curatio helps gain some life at
this point. The game will then reload, give a EXP bonus, and the counter should
leave. The troops will march on towards your traps.
- Now, a majority of the troops will walk over the traps. Take your Cavalry
unit, and set them after the back Orc Sappers. We want to prevent the Dark
Legion from being able to disarm these traps. Also, have Gerald's unit rush the
Scorpion unit (which should divert from the traps). The Scorpion is a powerful
being similar to a large arachnid, except when surrounded, becomes quite
useless. Watch out for the leader of the transport, which is a large red troll.
He has many earth pounding attacks, so try to concentrate on him, to take his
unit down quickly. Rupert can lay down some devastating pain in rememberance of
General Hugh. The mission should be over when all enemies are killed.
*After a joyous victory, you soon realize it was a complete joke. You run
into a scrambling soldier who says that Esse was overrun by the Darks!
The transport you engaged was just a foolish trap. Apparently, Walden
fled with the King to Hironeiden, and everyone else at Esse was killed.
That bastard Walden gave us bait information, and is now trying to
brown-nose to be the King's General. Anyhow, head west to Halmoral.*
___________________________
/Mission 7 - Halmoral (3.7)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Destroy enemy units to the right of the river
> Proceed to north tip and nail fire arrows on opposite shore
> Cross river and proceed to marked point
*The road to Hironeiden has fallen to the Hecks, who also slaughtered
everyone at Esse. You must cross this river at Halmoral in order to
approach the capital where Walden and the King is.*
- This is the first mission where you get to setup your own custom units,
besides Gerald's himself. I chose my Sappers and Archers unit.
- Start off by sending a Scout north. You'll soon discover two smaller Orc
units along the river, not to mention a Dark Legion unit far up north (which is
marked specially). Engage the two small Orc units along the river with Gerald
and the Longbowmen.
*Gerald will have a misfit, and freak out while attacking the Orcs.
Apparently, he has some sort of personal vendetta against these
wretched beasts. Nonetheless, a good drink ought to solve that. Ellen calms
him down.*
Also, make sure to take care of the lvl. 8 unit that rushes from the north.
You'll hardly lose any life. Watch for the two Dark Elf units to the far north
that will flank downward. You can either plant traps, lure them down, and
ambush them. Or, you can light the forests with Fire Arrows, and then finish
off the remaining ones. Either way, focus on their leader to kill them quickly,
as the elemental boosts will do more damage against your lack of resistance.
Once they're both dead, send a Scout across the river. There are about 7-8 Dark
Archers units. This is a whole crapload. Apparently, they have some form of
knowing you were coming.
*After a bit, Rupert suggests that your men use Fire to flush the Dark Elves
out, but at the same time, that would also slaughter your men - or so
you'd think.*
- Move to the very top of the river. Look at a small lip that sticks out along
the land. Now, set a point for your Longbowmen to stand, and launch fire arrows
directly across on land. Some of the trees should catch on fire. This will
scare off most of the Dark Elves stationed there. When they move south, WAIT
for the flames to die down. Then, move across, and you have two choices. You
can attempt to kill some of these Archers units for some needed EXP, or simply
rush south along the western edge to the point. I'd rather kill some of the
units. Be weary of the lvl. 25 ones though, as they're much tougher.
- Head off to Hironeiden.
*Gerald is anxious to see the King after the disaster at Esse. At the
Operations tab, we soon learn that Captain Walden was captured while
helping the King retreat to Hironeiden. Sounds a bit fishy if you ask me.
Anyhow, the King understands that the Dark Legion threat is too much to
handle alone. He wants you to escort some messengers to the Dwarves and
Elves kingdoms in exchange for assistance in this war. As we know, they
will not refuse knowing that they're next if Hironeiden falls. It's up to
you General Gerald.*
- Enter the Pub.
*You inform Ellen and Rupert of the King's news. Rupert is eager to help
out, and wants to escort the messengers to the Elven kingdom. Gerald will
go along with Rupert for the time being for a little push-off towards the
Heck-filled area.*
- Don't forget to upgrade your army as usual. You should truly have Knights by
now, and ensure that your Cavalry unit is upgraded to full strength along with
the other units. It would be best to hire a Mercenary, and you can do so by
visiting the Pub >> Selecting Hire Mercenaries. Now, there are various types,
and because of Rupert's departure, you'll also have to fill a spot in Gerald's
unit. Typically, one of the best officers you'll find out there is a Wizard,
who is usually a gray-haired lookalike Dwarf who has a hood. This is the
most primitive form of Wizards. You'll also find other Sorcerers such as the
gray-haired man with a curl near the back of his head, or the man wearing a
hood. Either way, try to get a magic user in Gerald's unit. It'll balance the
lackof, therefore. You can check out the "full" list of mercenaries under the
Jobs section. I personally took one of my former leaders, moved him to Gerald's
unit, then created a Mercenary, and upgraded the previously futile unit to a
Mortar unit. Make sure you get heavy Cavalry, or something with a speed rush.
Proceed to Stormdeen.
____________________________
/Mission 8 - Stormdeen (3.8)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Flank west along the wall
> Escort Rupert's unit to marked point in northeast corner
*The path to the next area is via the Northeast. Unfortunately, it appears
that many enemy patrols are in the direct path to it. We may have to
circle around via the woods to avoid detection. Rupert will be leading
Paladins to the destination. Their healing spells should let them survive
over time. You'll be forced to use a Paladin/Infantry unit.*
- Move a scout directly ahead through the flaming wall, and you'll be
astonished by the overwhelming amount of enemies. Some of the units are lvl.
100. Anyhow, enter the crack in the wall, and head west. As you'll notice,
there are several enemy units in the forest as well. Proceed under the Scorpion
not to alarm it, although you probably should engage the lvl. 12 Orc unit
patrolling. Once that's down, move onward west. Again, there are another 5-6
units up north that patrol in patterns. Your best bet is to continue west, but
keep Rupert out of the action. You'll probably have to engage another 4 Dark
units. You can attempt to lure them away, but they're fairly low level-wise,
and shouldn't lure TOO many troops towards you. Concentrate on their leaders,
as that's the easiet way of finishing them each time. After destroying 3-4
units, send a scout against the west wall, and proceed north. Keep your troops
in safe measure.
- Again, if you scout north, you'll discover a "line" of Scorpions against the
northern wall. You'll have to lure them south with a scout, or attempt to
distract them while moving on up. I personally slaughtered my way through the
entire battle. Don't even think about trying to "distract" the troops and get
Rupert to the end, as it can only spell more doom. Don't move to the upper NW
corner all the way. Go slightly south from the last forest patch, and send your
scout west. Now, try to lure the line of 3-4 Scorpions south so they're laying
in the plains. Then, you'll move your troops horizontally east via the forest
where the Scorpions were before to the point. HOWEVER, be very careful. There
is a lvl. 21 Dark Archers unit right in the middle, south of those Scorpions.
Your scout will keep getting shot whenever you try to lure the Scorpions down.
- Here's the trick. Get within range of the Dark Archers so they set an attack
command on you. Now, retreat to the far northwest corner with both units. The
Dark Archers will chase Rupert's unit. He might take some damage, but just use
Curatio. Now, charge with Open formation at the distracted Dark Archers who
were lured over. Now you can easily rape them up close. Now, send your scout
west and lure the Scorpions down. Move west, in closed formation, through the
forest. You'll notice (2) Lvl. 6 Dark Fighters near the very north. DO NOT
underestimate these fools. They'll start to cast Meteor on your units. Start
off by giving Rupert's unit the command to charge the NE corner. Meanwhile,
have Gerald's unit enter Open formation and charge the Lvl. 6 Dark Fighters to
the south. All you need is for Rupert to get inside the green circle. You'll
notice a special mage in the forest...which you can't attack. Anyhow, keep
casting Curatio on Gerald & Rupert's units while they make the final charge.
Once Rupert's in, mission accomplished.
*Rupert says goodbye to everybody, and Ellen gets slightly tearful. Guess
she has something for those big delts, huh?*
- Head back to Hironeiden.
*Two months pass by. Apparently, no word has arrived from the messengers.
Not to say that Rupert is a lazy fool, but the King is somewhat impatient
that the enemy has yet to attack Hironeiden. They're truly trying to starve
us out. Ellen still worries about Rupert.*
- Prepare your units. Once you're ready, head to the Main Gate.
___________________________________
/Mission 9 - Outer Hironeiden (3.9)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Hold off the oncoming Undead/Ogre/Scorpion rush
*Gerald wants to check the outer wall of Hironeiden, as he is anxious to
know why the enemy has gone "missing" recently. Check out the eastern
wall and report back.*
- You'll start off by being given the choice to add one free unit. Get
something with range, either Longbowmen, or Mortars. Sappers/Pyros can work as
an alternative, but it's much easier with Archers of some sort.
*A brief FMV shows many of the soldiers speaking about how they'd love to
have a juicy steak, or some mashed potatoes. As you know, the Dark Legion
has been starving off supplies from Hironeiden for quite some time.
Suddenly, Undead bash through the walls, and rain down terror. Gerald gives
the command to retreat to the inner wall.*
- This mission is all based around protecting the Wall HP. It's a small bar in
the lower right corner. Try not to stray off too far, as you need to protect
the wall from all entirety. This means the north and south sections as well.
Start off by moving your units slightly east of the wall, preferably a 1/2 inch
across the mini-map. Now, set your long range unit (preferably Mortars,
although Longbowmen work) slightly behind your main attack force. Your Paladins
should cast down Curatio from their abilities list on the Undead Ghouls
that charge Gerald's unit. This will help reduce some of their health. It has a
hefty SP cost, so be weary. Meanwhile, give your Mortars the attack command
from the back row to pelt down the Undead that rush right into your trap. The
Undead units of Ghouls are usually led by tall-looking Ghoul Ghosts, so
concentrate your special moves on them. They're fairly weak when ganged up on.
- A second series of enemies will approach. This time, some Orcs will be mixed
in. Try to lay down Curatio on the Ghouls, although it'll be tough. I found it
best to have your Paladins cover the south section, while Gerald hits the
north. Your mortar should be in the middle, and reign down support fire to both
columns. When the Scorpion rushes along with 2-3 other units, gang up on the
Scorpion with a special move. They have a powerful claw which can rip the
Wall's health down rapidly. Kill these at all costs. The Undead have plenty of
life, but HE and mortar make them fairly easy to beat. The third wave is
tougher. They'll actually spread out. Again, cast your spells, and try to get
as many ranged attacks in. Make sure you take care of the Scorpion to the north
first.
- The fourth series of enemies and beyond will be a complete pain in the arse.
You're going to see up to 12+ enemy units on screen. I tried to get my Mortars
behind Gerald's unit, and simply pound away, inch by inch, at the enemy. Keep
the pressure mounted down. Eventually, your Paladins should get overrun along
the south, and the wall will start to take damage from suiciders. Keep focusing
on killing the leaders and Scorpions you are entangled with. The battle will
eventually get so chaotic that Ellen collapses, and prays for something good to
happen.
*Rupert returns, with a whole flock of Dwarves and Elves beside him. They
should rain down a large line of explosive materials on top of the poor
Undead. Mission accomplished, by a daisy too! Rupert mocks Ellen for
crying out Gerald's name on the battlefield, and Gerald tells them to both
shape up.*
*The King thanks the Dwarves and Elves for saving Hironeiden from its
greatest peril. The Elves reveal their position about how they want to
gain control of the Ancient Heart. The King dismisses it as nothing more
than blasphemy, or so the Patriarch says. The Elves believe the Ancient
Heart has a greater power, and whoever controls it, can control ultimate
power. The Elves and Humans must fight back for the Holy Ground, regain the
Ancient Heart, and seal it away forever. Hironeiden must retake the Holy
Ground, while the Elves and Dwarves search for the Heart, in exchange for
their support of course. The King orders Gerald to ready the army within
one month.*
- Enter the Pub.
*Rupert and Ellen both worry about the Elves, although they don't really
mind the Dwarves tagging along. Seems like these small creatures have some
problem with Humans perhaps? One month will pass by, and Rupert says it's
time to leave.*
- Before heading off, Rupert has now rejoined Gerald's unit. You might want to
reorganize the man you placed in his spot. Secondly, you should have a smaller
amount of EXP than as before. You'll have plenty of gold, but try to keep a
1,000+ EXP reserve in case you need to make an "emergency" unit before a
mission. Usually you'll want something left over to transform a current unit
into something more powerful, like Bomber Wings. Anyhow, now's the time to
upgrade Gerald's unit to the max, especially equipment wise. Secondly, give
your Mortar items as much as possible to make them effective during combat.
Don't worry too much about the Paladins. While they're useful during battle, I
really don't prefer using them against the dead. Head off when you're ready.
- Head northeast to the Posterus Green.
*Rupert reports that there is a Heck camp to the southeast. It looks like a
small village, but there are about fifteen units and some Scorpions. Looks
like it's nukem time. Gerald is determined to kill these swines,
regardless of whether or not victory is spelled by it.*
___________________________________
/Mission 10 - Posterus Green (3.10)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Destroy the (10) Orc Camps
> Head back to NW corner for extraction
*The mission is simple. Gerald does not want the Hogs being able to build on
Hironeiden land. Your mission is to destroy all of the Hog buildings by
burning them down.*
- First of all, you'll be locked to use your Archers and Gerald's unit. You can
only have one free one. I selected to use my Sappers unit. If you don't have a
Catapult unit, try placing in your Mortars, Sappers, or someone with close
combat abilities. Getting another ranged unit will NOT help, as you can get
flanked at times. Cavalry are useless on this mission, due to the heavy
forests.
- As stated before, this mission is more about "burning down", rather than
slaughtering everyone. It's still a great experience boost if needed. There
should be a lvl. 16 Orc unit in front of you. With your ranged units, attack
and lure the unit towards you. Take it out. Shouldn't be too much trouble. Head
east towards the opening where the spotted Orc Buildings are. Watch out for
another lvl. 16 Orc unit to rush you. There are Dark Archers to the south of
where you originally spawned, not to mention southeast of where the buildings
are. Raze them down with fire arrows or have the Sappers burn them. Take out
any units that lure near you. You'll find one northwest of the initial
village. Burn that one down as well. Now, move to the far northeast corner, and
you'll find another small establishment. Another two establishments are
directly south of this one. You should have 5 Orc camps left at this point.
Head to the center of the map where the large opening. Meanwhile, you'll
probably get rushed by two Heavy Orc units from the south. Just keep the
Archers back, and have Gerald focus on their individual leaders.
- Two more camps are in the middle. Some Orc infantry will rush from the
south, but it's nothing to worry about. You can try using your Scout to lure
the Infantry into Archer fire/traps, then halt the fire, and counter-rush with
Gerald's unit. Now, head into the thick forest south with all units. Only 3
camps should remain. Watch for a cluster of Orc units near the middle. Now,
there are two more camps southwest of these two directly in the middle. They're
along the far lower borders of the map, fairly unguarded. You can burn them
down with the Sappers while your other units engage the Hogs. Now, proceed
east. In the lower right corner should be the last Orc establishment, quite a
large place if you ask me. Have your Sappers burn it down, and retreat slightly
west. Wait for the Dark Archers to come from up north. Have your Archers
counter with some fire arrows to repel them.
*Gerald says it's time to return to Esse. Let's move!*
- Head to the NW corner where you first started. Remember, there are still some
scattered units throughout the forest. Mainly though, they're isolated,
unorganized, and not threats to be worried about. When you reach the red zone,
heads up for a heavy lvl. 24 Ogre unit. It'll be lead by a giant troll.
Concentrate on the leader as usual, using your special, Rupert, and Ellen for
assistance. He'll take some of your troops' life away quite quickly, but he'll
eventually die by your hands.
*Gerald and Rupert still aren't satisfied, seeing that Regnier still
breathes life as a simple Orc. Ellen really doesn't give a crud about their
mumblings.*
- Head to Castle Esse.
*Esse is still intact for some odd reason. Matter of fact, the Ecclesians
are here, and it seems like something is up. Gerald goes to find out. It
ends up that the King called in for the Patriarchs to help. Captain Walter
is there to assist them. Apparently, the Patriarch Army is having trouble
battling Regnier. Their Storm Riders are proving to be fairly useless,
since it's during their rampant mating season. The Ecclesians never helped
Hironeiden during its time of distress, but now the Reclamation Army wants
help at the Holy Ground. In exchange, if you help them, they will provide
assistance in rebuilding Hironeiden, not to mention holding no grudges. And
thus, the deal is made between the Ecclesians and Hironeiden.*
- Enter the Pub to discover more helpful info.
*Gerald informs Rupert that Regnier is still at the Holy Ground, and Rupert
let's a sense of Hugh's vengeance ride within him. Also, one of the
soldiers feels honored to serve under Gerald's valor at the Hironeiden
battle.*
*The King orders Gerald to go give aid to the Ecclesians, according to
the alliance. He wishes good luck to you. Gerald, Rupert, and Ellen express
their opinions. Gerald has a particular interest in spurting the blood of
the Hecks all over the place. Yeesh.*
- As usual, upgrade your character. TRY at all costs to get a Bomber Wings unit
ready by wasting away your Sappers. The Bomber Wings are almost necessary for
the next mission as a support unit.
- Enter the Main Gate, and proceed southeast to Nymphbarren.
________________________________
/Mission 11 - Nymphbarren (3.11)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Fight off initial wave of Dark Legion units
> Protect Ballistae so they may engage Swamp Mammoth
> Protect Ecclesian Infantry unit to NW
> Proceed to SE corner to engage Regnier
*Gerald gives quite possibly his best speech as of yet. The battle fought
today will be supported by Storm Riders from the Ecclesians, not to mention
the fact that we must assist the Ecclesians who have been overrun by Dark
Legion forces. Today you must exact your vengeance against the man who took
the life of General Hugh - Regnier!*
- This mission is one of the huge party fests you're going to fight out. You'll
automatically be assigned to use Gerald's unit, and the Ecclesian Storm Riders.
A huge recommendation on my part is that you create a Bomber Wing unit from
your own party, and add them into the remaining slot for a Support Unit. For
the two free slots, add Mortars/Heavy Cavalry & Longbowmen. You will need
Longbowmen to engage the flying units of the Dark Legion, so it's absolutely
necessary. I prefer Mortars for their ground fire, although Heavy Cavalry are
great on counter-rushes.
- Let's start off by saying this mission is NOT like your typical one. You'll
start off by receiving "Support" units, which are more of the less called in on
demand. They're not active units. Select Gerald's unit, hit the control pad,
and select one of the support units. Remember, Bomber Wings and Storm Riders
are effective, but only with supporting units in position. Sending a Storm
Rider against a group of Archers will only get you slaughtered. Same can be
said about Bomber Wings. Get the enemy distracted on the ground with default
forces, then drop in Support for extra power. Now, you'll also receive "bonus"
units that are non-commandable, but help distract the main Dark Legion forces.
They will move by themselves. Now, start off by rushing your Cavalry towards
one of the frontline forces. The way the battlefield is setup is like this:
ARCHERS <--- Let your initial forces engage the
main infantry next to each Dark
ENEMY ARCHERS Archers unit. Rush your Heavy Cav.
in towards the Archers on sweeping
ENEMY attacks, and have your ranged unit
ARCHERS (preferably Mortars) lay down
ENEMY rounds on the bulk of Ogres engaging
your bonus units. Have Gerald's unit
ARCHERS engage the southern flank.
ENEMY
- Once your forces have ripped apart the initial lines, a second wave of Dark
Legion troops will appear. The problem, a Swamp Mammoth appears. This gigantic
creature can absolutely crush you unless you have Ballistae to counter it.
While this seems good on paper, it's tough to sketch out. Have Gerald's unit
retreat to the back line where a marked zone is, as to where the Ballista unit
is going to arrive. Meanwhile, move your Mortar up near the middle flank, and
have them lay down fire on the infantry bulk engaging your troops. Send in your
Bomber Wings and Storm Riders to attack the Orc troops in the center as well.
AVOID the archers. Have your own Archers protect the opposing units by shooting
out the Wyverns in the sky. The Ballistae will move by themselves towards the
Mammoth, but it's best to lay down some ground fire with the Mortars on the
Mammoth and opposing Dark Archers near the hills. Make sure you have your
Longbowmen back to help shoot off the nearby Wyverns.
- After most of the default Orcs are killed, watch for a quick rush of about 7
units from the southeast flank. They'll try to get your Ballistae from behind.
Have Gerald's unit, the Longbowmen, and the Mortar lay down fire as you engage
the large flank. Be careful not to kill yourself with bomber wing fire. After
this initial flank is destroyed, rush towards the Swamp Mammoth, have your
support units attack it, along with protecting the Ballistae. Now, comes part
two.
- Some Ecclesian soldiers are in the northeast corner. Their unit is marked
with a green circle. You MUST keep them alive long enough, based on the bar in
the lower right corner. Get Gerald's unit next to them if possible, and keep
casting Curatio, while your Mortar takes care of the surrounding Archers.
Bomber Wing the large groups of Orcs that appear from the northwest.
*One of the Ecclesian soldiers said a horned demon was to the southeast
slaughtering each and everyone of them. Gerald decides to split the forces.
Half will proceed onward via the northeast into the Holy Ground, while his
personal elite units go to combat Regnier to the southeast.*
- Send all of your guys down to the southeast. Keep your support units backed
out for the time being.
*When Gerald's unit breaks the perimeter zone, a brief FMV is shown. Gerald
gives one last emotional speech saying how this is the day we fight for
our king and country. Of course, he's really doing it to avenge Hugh.*
- Regnier is a powerful lvl. 50 foe that can't quite be beaten with sticks and
stones. Keep on engaging him briefly and swiftly. After a minute or so in the
battle, a FMV takes place.
*A video shows Regnier kicking butt. He's about to whack Gerald in the head
when Rupert attempts to save him, and kicks his butt. Regnier gashes steel
into Rupert's chest, and he dies. Gerald collapses in the battlefields from
emotions. He awakens to see the sky, and oh, a friggin' Battaloon (thank
god for the powerful Ecclesians). Two days later, we're brought forward to
Gerald and Ellen looking into the distance at the Holy Ground site.
Apparently, Regnier has been defeated, or so we believe. One of the
soldiers discovers something on the ground, preferably the Ancient
Heart...we may never know, until the next campaign of course.*
=-= It's a new age... =-=
_ _ _ _+ | THE END -- Part I
/_`-'_`-'_`-'_| \+/ |
\_`M'_`D'_`C'_| _<=>_ |
`-' `-' `-' 0/ \ / o=o
\/\ ^ /`0
| /_^_\
| || ||
______________|_d|_|b____
-<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>--<>-
============================
- 4) Lucretia's Campaign -
============================
As we all know, Lucretia is one of the "bad girls" during the game, at least
considered so by most players. After completing Gerald's campaign, it is
recommended that you take up Lucretia's one. Her settings are:
+ Difficulty: NORMAL
+ Region: Vellond
+ Race: Dark Elf
Press A to enter her campaign.
*We're brought to a desolate land where we see Lucretia and her troops
marching inside this location. Apparently, some Dwarves have decided
to build a dragon tomb inside Dark Legion territory.*
___________________________
/Mission 1 - Dryglade (4.1)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Find Dragon Tomb
> Destroy lone human infantry unit
- Your mission is to continue marching south. Proceed onward. When you reach
the green zone, Morene, Cirith, and yourself start arguing over the stupidity
of the tomb. Anyhow, search for this now in this orange zone. You'll find the
Dragon Tomb in the lower right section of the orange zone.
*After its discovery, Morene claims that the Liches can now summon Bone
Dragons thanks to this handy little artifact. Suddenly, a group of human
infantry charge your Elf unit!*
- The battle will be tougher than when you used Gerald, because of Lucretia's
playing style, and how the Dark Elves kick butt on paper. For starters, Dark
Elves are all about speed, agility, and quick attacks. They will not shred
their enemies into pieces of mallard with one swipe. Rather, try to use the
extreme combos and power moves to spin around the battlefield, almost doing
"constant" damage. Again, Lucretia's special is based around the Y button,
(Y+Y), and it involves a few spiral slashes with a leaping downward slash. Very
powerful indeed. Another nice little combo is X+X+X+X+A+A+A+A+A+A which will do
a plethora of slashes. Lucretia cannot block, but rather "invisi-evade" by
warping from spot to spot. Use this often to avoid attacks. Just move around
the battlefield slaughtering the Infantry unit. If you get ganged upon, use
your officer's help.
*After defeating the infantry unit, your Elves wonder how humans are this
far into Dark territory. Suddenly, Morene says to come to the cliff. We're
brought to notice that there are 4-5 Catapults, several infantry divisions,
and just a huge group of humans marching towards this dragon tomb. You are
to head back to your patrol base, and inform the leader of the humans'
movement.*
- Head NE to Scimeterdell.
*Lucretia informs Rumen (her Captain), that an overwhelming amount of
Hironeidens are marching into Heck territory. Rumen orders you to fall back
to Arein to slow down the humans, in exchange for receiving reinforcements
from the Dark Legion capital. Head off to Wicktow to intercept the humans.*
- Head north to Wicktow.
__________________________
/Mission 2 - Wicktow (4.2)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Ambush human forces in southwest
> Rescue Rithrin to north
> Take out Storm Riders with Archers
> Finish off remaining humans in southeast corner
*The mission is quite simple. The Humans must approach from the SW in order
to pass through this area. You are to head to the middle western area, hold
it, then Lucretia's unit must engage the Catapults in the back line before
taking out any infantry. The catapults can do extreme damage and are your
utmost priority.*
*Another FMV is shown with the Dark Legion troops lined up against the
humans with their catapults. Suddenly, heavy cavalry rush the Elves, and
it's all looking bad. However, Rumen calls for the Axemen forward, and they
easily mow down the cavalry. Then, both lines charge towards each other.*
- Don't worry about the Catapults for now; they won't lay down any fire until
you kill this infantry unit. Concentrate on the soldiers, and try to search for
their leader. His armor is usually more exceptional than usual. Use elemental
boost in between the battles to give you ice, fire, and lightning on attacks.
After destroying this initial unit, Rumen wants you to rush the Catapults while
she keeps the infantry busy. Rush the Catapult unit to the south. You'll find
the leader as one of the most prominently dressed. Focus all of your blinding
attacks on him, and try getting use to Lucretia's special move. Once he's down,
the entire unit should fall. Go give reinforcements to Rumen's unit up north,
and fend off the two remaining infantry units.
*Everyone is glorified over the victory today. Unfortunately, some of the
troops have taken damage, and must be healed under an illusionary Tree of
Healing. Pretty tasty if you ask me.*
- Follow Rumen's unit up north, and you'll discover another band of Vells being
chased by humans. Go attack the humans by entering open formation. Cast
Elemental Boost right before you hit them, to give you a clear-cut advantage.
Engage the main infantry using a plethora of attacks. Be weary though. A group
of human archers will appear slightly north of this initial group. Open the
mini-map, and give the command to go engage the Archers. Their unit is fairly
weak, and you'll find the leader to be the only well-suited one. Take him down,
to bring the Archers unit down in a breeze. Then, charge back south, and the
infantry unit from before should be dead. Rejoin Rumen's command, and follow
her.
*We soon learn that the man retreating with the archers was actually
Rithrin. Apparently, he and his units were defeated at Raven Meadow by a
man named Gerald. Sounds familiar, huh? Lucretia knows him from before -
looks like they had a fling of some sort.*
- As you move east, you'll run into a small group of Storm Riders. Highlight
the Archers, and give them the command to attack those cursed birds. They'll go
down fairly quick actually. Seems like the humans are very near to attacking
full-breach. Keep following Rumen's unit. Eventually, you'll run into a series
of three infantry units to the south, with an Archers unit in the back
supporting them. Rumen wants you to flank west, attack the Archers in the back,
then help her back in the front while she distracts. Move all of your units SW
towards the marked point. Unfortunately, you'll note that there's a lvl. 2
infantry unit protecting the back flank from attack. Looks like it's gonna get
tricky. Take out this infantry unit first, and wait for Rumen to engage ALL 3
infantry units. If you rush too soon, you'll be engaged by the infantry, and
probably slaughtered. Right when all 3 are lured up, open charge the Archers.
Concentrate on their leader, then help out Rumen finish off the 3 infantry
units. Have the Archers lay down fire on the other unit while you're attacking
one.
*Since Rithrin came from Raven Meadow, and was heavily outnumbered, Rumen
starts to ponder where the humans would be camping base-wise. The most
obvious choice is fairly close to Raven Meadow. She wants Lucretia to take
Rithrin and some Cavalry units. Go burn down their storage supplies, to
help cleansen the way for Regnier.*
- Head to the Valley of Lichen. Along the way, Lucretia is somewhat angered
with the way Rumen is ordering her around. She's apparently serving the
half-vampires too eagerly.
___________________________________
/Mission 3 - Valley of Lichen (4.3)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Kill initial enemy scouts with Cavalry
> Take out enemy units near proximity of base
> Take out enemy units inside base
*Apparently, we know there's an enemy base around this area somewhere.
Their base is somewhere to the northwest. You must light them up with a
sizzling fire to help cut off their supplies to the main forces.*
- Start off by moving south. Morene will notice some scouts in the distance.
Send the Cavalry in open formation to charge and kill the enemy scouts before
they reach back to their base. Now, move all of your forces into the open
field. Suddenly, about 3-4 human infantry units will notice you. Cast Elemental
Boost, and engage the first line. Have your Cavalry do repeat charges on the
opposing unit by retreating in and out, charging, and attack. Have your Archers
assist Lucretia's unit with ranged attacks, then focus on the third unit. Most
of these units have disguised leaders, so it'll be tough for quick kills. Cast
the Tree of Healing after the battle is through, then head south with all
units. Move east into the forest, then head right. You'll run into another lone
infantry unit. This time though, it has some Archers to the east supporting it.
Have your Cavalry rush and engage the Archers, while Lucretia & Rithrin take
out the infantry. Move to help afterwards.
*Another incident breaks out on the battlefield. Lucretia wants to kill
Morene badly, but Morene is more disciplined in her actions and stays away
keenly. She says that there are Archers in the distance, and this incident
is more important than a feuding quarrel.*
- The two Archers units are in the southeast corner. They're higher than
normal, level-wise. Hence, enter closed formation with the Cavalry and
Lucretia's unit when approaching. The Cavalry should take the unit in the lower
right, while Lucretia's attacks the Archers above the lower one. You'll find
the Archers easy to slaughter for Lucretia, although your Cavalry won't do
exceptional damage. Flank downward and finish them off. Now, cast a Tree of
Healing. Head north. You're going to run into some tougher resistance. The
enemy base will be in the northeast corner, however, there will be a lvl. 10
Knights unit, and lvl. 5 Archers in the back row. As usual, send your Cavalry
at the Archers in the back row to distract. Hopefully you'll have enough SP to
cast an Elemental Boost to take down the Knights quicker. If not, simply keep
slicing and dicing throughout the battlefield. Call upon Cirith's Lightning
attack to knock off their HP. They don't really have a leader, so it'll be
tough to focus attacks. Once the Knights are down, rush the remaining Archers,
and concentrate on their generic leader. After both of these units are
destroyed, the enemy camp is now yours. Mission accomplished.
*Again, Lucretia claims the rivalry between her and Morene isn't over.
As usual, they use the b-word quite often, in almost a fashionable sense.
It's time to head back to Arein.*
- Head back to Arein, capital of the Dark Elves.
*Each of the characters mention their memories of Arein. Morene wonders
how a human castle was built here.*
- Head to the Barracks if you want to upgrade troops. For now though, go to the
Pub.
*Apparently, Lucretia still despises Rumen for being such a bloodsucking
loyalist. Rithrin makes mention of the Kaedes, which are High Elf Rebels
who want their own nation, as opposed to the Dark Legion alliance of Elves,
Orcs, and Half-Vampires. Rithrin claims Regnier really doesn't care; he
wanted control of Hexter, that's all. Anyhow, Lucretia is to report to the
castle.*
- You can now hire mercenaries, which is fairly cool for only the fourth
mission. Head off to the Operations room for now.
*Apparently, Captain Rumen wants you to head off to the Glaucus River.
Word has been received that Regnier will be crossing there, and a floodgate
helps control the upstream river. If the humans were to attempt to cross
there, and gain control of the Floodgate, Regnier would have serious
problems. You are to watch over some Orc Sappers who will lay mines to
protect the river, and ensure defense over the Floodgate at all costs.*
- Now, let's upgrade some characters. Lucretia will be your prime importance,
since she's the only one you control. Remember, it's better to get awesome
early weapons, rather than later on when they'll have extreme costs. Remember,
she's the only Dark Elf who wields TWO weapons at once, so you can double the
power. Try to get (2) +DMG swords, or at least one that has Lightning added to
attack. Don't worry about armor for now, none of it should be interesting. Get
Lucretia to at least lvl. 10, and don't forget to upgrade your officers from
the 7-9 range. Upgrade the entire unit to Dark Elf Knights. Get Rithrin's unit
up to lvl. 10 as well. If you want, you can add a few levels to your Cavalry,
although it's "really" not necessary. Let's hire one mercenary as well. You
really have two choices as to which one to get. You can either get a Power
Ogre, and try to build up a large melee unit. That, or you can sift aside, and
pick up a Lich, which is capable of casting in-battle magic. The Lich "sounds"
more exciting, but it needs some resources invested to become a powerhouse
unit. Either way, try to get an Orc unit, since they have plenty more jobs to
select from. Chief Orcs are a waste of time in my opinion, unless you want to
get Orc Riders. I ended up getting a Scorpion, led by one of the Power Ogres.
- Now, head off to the Main Gate when you're ready. Proceed NW to Glaucus.
__________________________
/Mission 4 - Glaucus (4.4)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Fend off Human troops on south side of river
> Chase Hugh
> Lure Gerald to Hugh by taking away Hugh's health
> Run back to Floodgate after battling Gerald briefly
*The plan is quite simple. Regnier will be crossing the river soon. Our
Orc Sappers have planted traps, and are guarding the rivergate in the NE
corner. All you have to do is defend the Orcs from getting out of hand, or
so you think.*
- You'll only be using your Archers and normal Infantry on this one. Head west,
and you'll notice that the Orcs were slaughtered by the humans. Apparently, the
humans are here and ready to attack. Charge east, and engage the lone infantry
unit. Your Archers may have trouble aiming towards the sun, so try to move them
perpendicular, then aim down. Keep moving towards the river where the humans
are probably attacking. When you get near there, you're going to notice that
there are TWO infantry divisions to your east. Try to take them out if
possible, and make sure you have Elemental Boost on, since their Heavy armor
will attract quite nicely to your lightning. Keep pounding down on the attacks.
Once both divisions are down, head north to where the gate is. Suddenly, Morene
notices that some of your friendly Axemen are getting beat down by Hugh's unit,
Gerald's leader. Send both units down, but try to keep your Archers in the
forest. Hugh will then start to retreat towards some of his reinforcements, 2-3
groups of Heavy Infantry. Cast Elemental Boost again, and ENGAGE ONLY the units
that approach the river. Don't get misled away from the gate. Keep your ground,
and attack the units approaching it. Try to get the units' life down, then your
Axemen will come in to distract them. Chase the other unit that tries to catch
your Archers behind you.
Now, once the first two attacking Heavy Infantry units are down, keep your
Archers back here for recon. Meanwhile, send Lucretia's unit after the army in
the distance. Help save the Orc Axemen from the remaining humans. Morene will
you to go search the riverbank area. You MUST send all units to the marked
spot. As much as you'd love to leave a unit or two behind at the Gate, you
cannot. The game is scripted so that you send all units into the circle. Move
them south of the gate.
*A brief video shows Lucretia confident that the Floodgate is secure.
Suddenly, the old human (Hugh) rushes in again. He tries to bait you guys,
and does - into a line of Cavalry. The Axemen gloriously chop down the
first line.*
- However, quickly realign your troops for the second flank. Move Lucretia's
unit behind them. The Axemen must stand still, so do your best to get them
behind. Remember, Cavalry circle around a few times, so reorganize during the
shuffle. Once the unit is down, you are told to kill the enemy commander. Send
out a Scout via the abilities menu. You'll find General Hugh directly west of
where you were standing, about 3 inches across the mini map. Once there, send
all troops to attack Hugh.
*Another video is shown with Hugh retreating. Your Dark Legion units cross
the river, but suddenly, a majority of the Orcs are wiped out by Gerald who
unleashes the fury of the Floodgate upon thee.*
- Suddenly, you're entrapped on the other side. Cast Elemental Boost and attack
General Hugh. Focus all of your attacks on him to lower his health. Eventually,
Gerald will notice that General Hugh is getting overpowered. He'll retreat from
his Floodgate position and attempt to save Hugh. When this happens, leave the
battle from Hugh, and engage Gerald's unit. Some brief pesky talking will
continue between the two. Quite a fierce battle if you ask me. Anyhow, when
Lucretia says "ta-ta", move towards the Riverbank with both units. Gerald
orders the retreat, and your mission should be a success.
*The mission was a success, but Lucretia questions how Rumen knew the humans
would be there.*
- Head back to Arein.
*Regnier has arrived. Apparently, they all share their opinions on Regnier
and his origins. Some say he is Rick Blood, and immortal warlord from the
past - cursed to reign the Earth as an immortal. Lucretia reports to Rumen
at the operations room. Regnier orders for the Dark Elves to assemble at
once and attack Hironeiden before they are able to fortify themselves.*
- Head to the Pub.
*More arguing between Lucretia and Rithrin occurs. Rithrin thinks Luci still
likes him. I think not. They prepare to head out.*
- First of all, you'll have another unit to deal with, some Orc Axemen. I'd
probably leave them this way, since they're your only effective counter
against Cavalry. Right now though, you may notice that the EXP rewards aren't
as great as you'd expect as in the Gerald battles. Try to be conservative to an
extent. Try to get Lucretia up three levels, and see if there are any
accessories that will help your officers boost their magic abilities. Get
Rithrin something nice, preferably a ring to accompany his skills. Finally, you
can spend the rest on your fourth mercenary unit, or upgrade the Axemen to full
capacity. Just do something with what you have, for now. Move to the Main Gate.
_______________________
/Mission 5 - Aten (4.5)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Kill as many Knights, Heavy Infantry, and Archers units to fill the
Elf pride meter
*Thanks to the defense of Glaucus, Regnier is chasing the humans back to
the west. The plan is to ambush the humans as they cross through the
center of the region diagonally downward. Hit them from the SE corner
and eliminate all forces.*
- You'll be forced to use Lucretia's unit, but two of your own. I chose to
bring my Sappers and Cavalry along. For this mission, I specifically got my
Cavalry as high as possible (lvl. 25) just to give it a shot, and see if there
would be a speed difference. They truly zoom around, but aren't as powerful as
Lucretia's unit. The Sappers are an optional unit. Axemen, or another combat
unit works. I found Archers to be somewhat useless because they couldn't finish
units off, and act more like support.
- This mission is quite a tricky one, because you're not suppose to let the
humans escape to the red zone to SW corner. The idea is to get your units down
there, and then fend off the humans as they approach. There is a "High Elf" bar
in the lower right corner which is suppose to represent your pride. You must
kill more humans to increase the bar, and fill it up. It decreases each time a
human unit escapes. Get fast moving units to hunt down the humans, because each
time they'll retreat when in proximity with you. Here's how I setup my units:
___ SAPPERS - The basic idea is to use your Sappers right near
| <--- Traps the beginning to plant traps down the center
|___ LUCRETIA pathway that leads into the zone, preferably
| stacked into two rows. Then, move your Sappers
|__ D. CAVALRY on the north corner of the zone as a distraction
ZONE | to keep units from getting in this way. They'll
| actually run away from the Sappers.
- Now, Lucretia should be your main killer on this one. Have her strafe back
and forth taking care of units in the center alley, not to mention left/right
sides. Your Dark Cavalry should be attacking a unit all the time during the
battle, but also acting as a temporary distraction. When you notice lots more
enemies overunning a distraction point, send the Cavalry up as a way of
"pushing" them back. Try casting Meteor/Lightning spells in the meantime to
knock a unit's health down, plus traps, and burn the surrounding forests as
barriers as well. Eventually, after about 12-15 Heavy Infantry units, Knights
will start to spawn from the NE corner. I found it best to simply cast
Elemental Boost before heading on in. Use Lucretia to finish these units off,
but do OUTSIDE rushes with your Dark Cavalry to really knock down their health.
Cirith's lightning attack does extreme damage on the Knights, and should be
used when you're surrounded by a whole clusterload. Remember, this mission is
all about filling your High Elf meter bar, so keep fighting and killing. A unit
must be destroyed in order for a rise to occur. I filled my bar after killing
the 4th Knight unit. Eventually, Lucretia will say enough have been killed, and
that it's time to return home.
*Regnier and Rumen have setup camp. Go join up with them.*
- Head to the Forward Base. Enter the Operations Room.
*Rumen has requested permission to promote Lucretia for her valiant actions.
Lucretia questions Rumen as to why she's so loyal to the Half-Vamps. Rumen
gives a long, drawn out speech about how the Elves are hardly fighting with
each other now, but rather as a united race. This is the first time in
their history that such an event has happened. She tells you to keep your
troops sharp for the sacking of Esse.*
- Move to the Pub. Then, build up your troops for the combat ahead. I
personally just upgraded everyone a tad bit. Make sure your Cavalry is at least
lvl. 20 or higher. For this next mission, you'll be given a Scorpion, so don't
worry about it. Proceed to Esse.
_______________________
/Mission 6 - Esse (4.6)/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Keep at least One Scorpion alive till both walls are breached
> Take out exterior Hironeiden forces
> Destroy Outer Wall
> Destroy Inner Wall
> Chase after King
*The plan is quite simple. Captain Rumen needs to sack Esse as a showing of
Hironeiden being nothing but a fleeing weakling. To do so, you're going to
need Scorpions to attack the southern wall of Esse with shockwave in
order to knock it down. However, Catapults have been spotted nearby, and
could easily destroy the Scorpions if you're not armed. Take out the units
outside the wall, most importantly the Catapults, then knock down Esse's
walls with the Scorpions. You can loot whatever you find inside the
castle!*
- You'll only have one free slot on this mission. Since you already have
Lucretia, and a given Scorpion unit, I added my Dark Cavalry.
- Right off the bat, never order your Scorpion to move. Your blue allied units
will charge ASAP, but they will get mowed down regardless of what you do. Make
sure you charge the Catapults in open formation. Engage the first series of
Heavy Infantry that meet you about 3/4 of the way to the Catapult. I recommend
casting Elemental Boost to take care of them quickly and efficiently. Next, try
rushing the Catapult with Lucretia's unit. Be careful, as there's another
Catapult unit directly behind it. Their leaders are dressed in normal slackey
clothes, so try to swing around and find them by accident. The Catapults should
fall quite quickly. When this occurs, you should NOW move your Scorpion unit
forward to the southern tip of the wall, and start blasting away at a section
with Shockwave. Eventually, the wall will fall. Cast a Tree of Healing for both
your Cavalry and Infantry. Now, here comes the tricky part. Inside Esse are
several units to deal with. Send ONLY your Cavalry in, but keep Lucretia right
where the wall fell, and the Scorpion a few meters behind. The Cavalry should
charge north, do a sweep through the lone units, and attack the Archers next to
the one Catapult. When the rest of the humans catch up with your Dark Cavalry,
retreat the unit back to the broken segment in the wall.
- Wait for the pursuing units to chase you, then bam, attack with Lucretia.
Also, manually control the Scorpion, and lay down a constant wave of Shockwaves
on the humans for an easy kill. Repeat this strategy, charging in with the
Cavalry, and pulling back to where they can get slaughtered by your awaiting
units. There will be two more Heavy Infantry units along the right portion of
the town which must be lured down manually by Scouts. Do this, and kill them as
usual. Now that o