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____                                                               _____
/~~~~/   _______   _______   _______   _       _______   ______    /~~~~~/
/~/      /~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~~| |~|     /~~~~~~~| |~~~~~~\  /~/
\~\____  |~|____      |~|       |~|    |~|     |~|____   |~|  \~|  \~\_____
\~~~~~\ |~~~~~~|     |~|       |~|    |~|     |~~~~~~|  |~|__|~/   \~~~~~~\
|~| |~|          |~|       |~|    |~|     |~|       |~~~~~/         |~|
/~/ |~|_____     |~|       |~|    |~|___  |~|_____  |~| \~~\        /~/
____/~/  \~~~~~~~|    |~|       |~|    |~~~~~| \~~~~~~~| |~|  \~~\  ____/~/
/~~~~~/                                                             /~~~~~/
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HERITAGE OF KINGS
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Guide author: Useless
E-mail: utuselessut@hotmail.com
Guide version: 1.3
Game version: 1.0
System: PC
Copyright: Useless 2006
This entire document is (c) 2006 Useless. All trademarks are property of
their respective owners. No section of this guide can be used without my
permission. This includes, but is not limited to posting on your website,
making links to my guide, including parts of my guide in your own, or making
reference to any material contained within.
Please do not email me to ask for permission to host this guide, as I will be
unable to give it to you. I don't have enough time to manage and upload FAQ
versions at any sites other than the two listed below. These sites are
therefore the only ones permitted to host this guide:
GameFAQS.com
NeoSeeker.com
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1. INTRO
=~=~=~=~=~
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 USING THIS GUIDE
1.3 CONTACT ME
2. GAME INFO
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
2.1 RESOURCES
2.2 BUILDINGS
2.3 UNITS
2.3.1 CIVILIANS
2.3.2 MILITARY
2.3.3 HEROES
3. WALKTHROUGH
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
3.1 THALGRUND
3.2 RIDGEWOOD
3.3 CRAWFORD
3.4 CLEYCOURT
3.5 THE FLOOD
3.6 BARMECIA
3.7 FOLKLUNG
3.8 NORFOLK
3.9 KALOIX
3.10 THE GREAT PLAGUE
3.11 OLD KING'S CASTLE
3.12 CLOUDY MOUNTAINS
3.13 EVELANCE
3.14 WASTELANDS
3.15 BATTLE OF EVELANCE
4. CONTRIBUTIONS
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
5. VERSION HISTORY
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
==============================================================================
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++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++              ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++
1. INTRO
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+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================++++++++++++++++===============================
1.1 INTRODUCTION
===============================++++++++++++++++===============================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Welcome to my guide to Settlers: Heritage Of Kings, the fifth instalment of
the amazingly popular Settlers series. I started writing walkthroughs in June
2006 and this guide takes me up to ten altogether.
This walkthrough is mostly about taking players through the levels, pointing
out things they might want to know or take into consideration, and suggesting
the best ways to complete each objective and level. I've also bunged in some
stuff about various game concepts, since the manual is often less than
helpful. The walkthrough is for the fifteen campaign levels only, not the
custom-made skirmishes.
---
I've played (if not completed) Settlers 2, 3 and 4, and having now completed
this fifth episode I'm having great trouble seeing this as a Settlers game.
It's absolutely nothing like its predecessors, so if you think it's going to
be more of the same you'll be either disappointed or surprised. I enjoyed this
game a lot, even though it took me a long time to get into it at first, and
whether or not you liked the previous four games, this fifth one is very much
worth playing and completing.
The most obvious similarity is the fact that you are still constricted in
where you want to place your buildings. You also still have little or no
option about where to build village centres, and the settlers (civilian
workers) remain completely controlled by the computer.
On the other hand you now have heroes, unique combat units with special
powers, who can change the course of a battle on their own. Resourcing has
become more of a UT domination round, since all resource shafts are in fixed
positions around the maps. No more sending in geologists - now you just find a
shaft and stake your claim as soon as possible.
One big drawback of this game is the enormous amount of upgrading you have to
do to let your settlement flourish. You often find yourself doing cycles of
buildings, clicking an upgrade which will open up another upgrade, which will
open up another upgrade... and so on. It gets immensely tedious in level after
level, and the worst part is that new buildings begin from scratch, which
means you often have to do it all over again.
Combat is still as suckage as in the other games - battles are just a case of
bandboxing all your units and clicking them vaguely on the opposition. And
then just crossing your fingers. Heroes' abilities help a lot in this, but
without them around battles are won by numbers and whoever has more upgrades.
There's little or no strategy, especially given how linear many of the maps
are. It's also a pity that you seem to be unable to build walls and gates,
while the computer is very capable indeed.
There is now no naval warfare, though water does come into it. You may not be
able to build ships, but you do have the new weather tower which allows you to
alter the seasons from summer to rain to winter and back again. This plays an
important strategical part (unlike much else), and is an interesting enough
concept to keep people's attention.
One thing that definitely does remind you of Settlers 1-4 is the quite
fantastically bad voice-acting, scripting, narration and direction. There are
very few cutscenes or voice-overs in the game which don't leave you cringing,
scratching your head or running from the room in distress. I find it hard to
take any game seriously when one of the protagonists has a response which
goes, "How am I supposed to concentrate when you are tickling me?!" The
scripts really are baffling at times, and the least they could have done is
translated them over with some amount of believability. Surely the worst
example in the game of any of the above is Kerberos: if you didn't get him in
only one level you would probably just pack it in, purely to avoid hearing him
scream "YEEEESSSS!" every time you try to move him about.
On the bright side, you do still have the pleasure of building up pretty
bases, designing and maintaining functioning infrastructures, exploring the
beautiful big maps, and amassing avaricious wealths of resources. There are
also things like tax rate and motivation to take into account, as well as
playing "Shove, Piggy, Shove" with the computer, who is just as intent on
grabbing as much of the map as you are.
Overall this game is a decent one: hardly recognisable as a Settlers game;
flawed in a lot of places; full enough of entertainment to make you want to
see it through to the end. I recommend you do, or else I wouldn't have written
this guide.
I hope you enjoy the game and the guide, and thanks for reading :)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================++++++++++++++++===============================
1.2 USING THIS GUIDE
===============================++++++++++++++++===============================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please view this guide in a text viewer / editor with a set fixed-width
font, or else it might look a mess. I use Courier New, Size 10.
Use the Find command (CTRL + F) with the numbered contents menu at the start
of the guide, in order to quickly jump to the section you want.
I have put the main walkthrough section of the guide towards the end, after
all the other game information. This is not a design flaw - it's deliberate.
Having written eight previous guides, I've gotten very bored with my crap
headings. I'm still not moving on the 'ASCII art' thing - it sucks - but I can
at least try and painstakingly put together a half-decent logo by typing it in
myself. It may be a bit rubbish but it's still less boring than my old
approach. It took me ages though, so enjoy it while you can, because I doubt
I'll have the patience to do another one for my next guide :P
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================++++++++++++++++===============================
1.3 CONTACT ME
===============================++++++++++++++++===============================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I always appreciate feedback for any of my guides, so if you want to send
strategies, thanks, blame, criticism or applause feel free to mail me your
comments. I consider all suggestions (and playtest them if possible) and I
often revise and rewrite based purely on reader contributions. All feedback is
welcome, unless it's to tell me I suck.
Please consider the following before mailing me:
- Check whether your suggestions or questions are already covered in the
guide.
- Check whether there is a more recent version of the guide available - I
revise and update a lot after a first release.
- To email me, please send your message to 'utuselessut@hotmail.com' and put
'Settlers:HOK guide' and the guide version number in the subject line.
- I don't edit contributor emails (unless they're obscene), so please make
sure you won't mind seeing what you've written appearing in a future version
of the guide, spelling mistakes and all.
- Let me know in your mail whether or not you want your name and email address
to be included with your contribution - if you don't specify then I'll assume
you want it included.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
==============================================================================
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2. GAME INFO
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This section describes many of the game's concepts, and goes over some things
mentioned in the manual, as well as quite a few other things not mentioned.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================+++++++++++++++================================
2.1 RESOURCES
===============================+++++++++++++++================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
There are six resources in Settlers: HOK, and you can never have too many of
either. The idea is to amass is many resources as possible, while stopping
your enemies from doing the same.
Marketplaces are excellent places in which to manage your resources,
especially since you almost always have tons of at least one type, which can
then be exchanged for what you really need. Occasionally you have the option
of trading through the tribute menu, though these are often one-off deals.
THALERS
+=~=+=~
This basically means gold, and is acquired quickest by having loads of
civilians and few or no military units. Heroes and serfs don't affect your
thalers; but the more workers occupying buildings in your cities, the faster
the thalers will come in. Soldiers are paid wages from the thalers, so try not
to have more soldiers than you need.
Thalers can be given an enormous boost by building some treasuries. When
trading in the marketplace, you should always spend thalers if at all
possible.
CLAY
+=~=
Clay can be found in orange shafts or little clumps. It's important for
building, especially when you're just beginning to develop your base. It
becomes less important later, and so you will tend to amass huge amounts of it
without needing it very often. Clay should always be a big priority in
fledgling bases.
WOOD
+=~=
Wood is probably the most troublesome of the resources when you're starting a
base, since it's the only one (apart from thalers, which work differently) for
which you can't immediately build a building which generates it. You need to
research Construction from the college first, and until then you're stuck with
serfs. I suggest that gathering wood should be the main job of most of your
serfs at the beginning of any level, since clay takes care of itself a lot
quicker.
Wood remains important throughout each level, and you will always be using
lots of it. Try to have at least two sawmills in operation in each mission,
and upgrading them is definitely worth it. Wood is also something you will
find yourself buying in bulk from the marketplace, though luckily the natural
resource takes absolutely ages to even look like it's running out.
STONE
+=~=+
Stone can be found in quarries or clumps, and is used in a lot of buildings.
You'll need lots of it for decent fortifications, especially late on in the
game, and it's always worth having a couple of quarries operating, with at
least one stonemason.
IRON
+=~=
Iron is mostly used for upgrades and military units. It drops particularly
quickly if you're building combat units in groups (which I suggest you do), so
three iron pits and three smithies would not be overkill. This is the most
important resource (along with thalers) in any combat-intensive mission,
though there are thankfully not many of those.
SULPHUR
+=~=+=~
Sulphur is the least important of your resources, and you shouldn't worry if
you can't find any decent supplies in the area. It's used in some upgrades,
but mainly in things to do with the weather and / or building artillery. If
you're not interested in either of these things you can pretty much ignore
sulphur; and even if you do need it but can't find it, it's not hard to come
by through the marketplace.
It's a good idea to knock out an enemy's sulphur mines if he's persistently
sending artillery at you.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================+++++++++++++++++==============================
2.2 BUILDINGS
===============================+++++++++++++++++==============================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++================+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This is just a few notes about some of the buildings in the game which you
might want to take particular... note of. I've named each building by its
first version: ie. headquarters = keep = stronghold = fortress.
ALCHEMIST'S HUT
+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~
The alchemist might not seem very worthwhile if you're not using much sulphur;
but you can't change the weather without building one and then upgrading it to
a laboratory (except in special circumstances). It also holds a couple of nice
cannon upgrades, so bear both these things in mind.
BANK
+=~=
Once you build a couple of banks and upgrade them to treasuries, you will
likely never want for thalers again. Extremely useful for allowing you to
forget about at least one of the six resources.
BARRACKS
+=~=+=~=
The barracks lets you train foot-soldiers, but in later missions it gets to be
a bit useless. It needs too many upgrades and you keep wanting to build
another barracks once you've conquered more land. It's probably best not to
bother with the irritating upgrades until you've built a barracks whose
position you're totally happy with; and forget all about it in the last few
missions.
CHAPEL
+=~=+=
I've completed the game and I honestly only built one chapel, and that was
only because it was an objective. If you never mess about with overtime or tax
rate, and if you build enough houses and farms to keep your civilians happy,
you will never need a chapel, church or cathedral. On the other hand, building
one or two chapels can allow you to bump up the taxes or hit the overtime
without having to worry about your civilians' happiness dropping below 100%.
One great thing about a cathedral is how enormously tough it is - tougher than
a fortress, at least in terms of hitpoints. The one use I can think of for the
cathedral is if you build one at whichever point you know the enemy is going
to attack you from, then stick some cannon towers just behind it. Your enemies
will have great difficulty destroying the cathedral, and your towers and
troops can cut them down while they try. Then you just repair the cathedral.
COLLEGE
+=~=+=~
The college should be a priority building at the beginning of each level, and
is the first thing you should build if you haven't been given one for free.
Like the cathedral, a university is a very tough structure, and can be used as
a decoy for enemy troops.
ENCLOSURE
+=~=+=~=+
The annoying thing about the enclosure is that it's the largest building in
the game, and there are frustratingly few places where you can fit one in in
some of the levels. You only really need enclosures late on in the game - say,
around the thirteenth level onwards - but you will notice a big difference in
your army's effectiveness. It's just that they take so long to research and
build and upgrade...
FARM
+=~=
The annoying thing about farms is that the farmers themselves need a spot on a
farm, and so you keep having to build extra. Bear this in mind if they're
pissing you off.
Another thing about farms is that building a new one from scratch is often a
cheaper and better solution than upgrading a mill to an estate. Have a look at
your resources before you decide which to choose.
FOUNDRY
+=~=+=~
Unlike the barracks, shooting range, or enclosure, a foundry actually has
someone working in it, which means it needs a farm and house nearby to keep
the forger happy. This does of course suck, but just remember it when you're
situating a new foundry away out in the wilderness to better replenish your
artillery.
HEADQUARTERS
+=~=+=~=+=~=
This is always either a keep, stronghold or fortress, and it's extremely rare
that you get more than one. There are two very important things about it.
Firstly, if you lose it you lose the level. Secondly, it's the only building
that can produce serfs. This means that you should keep any intrepid serfs
safe if they're very far away from your HQ (particularly true of the final
mission), since it's a hell of a long way for new serfs to come in order to
pick up where the dead ones left off.
SAWMILL
+=~=+=~
An important building if you want your base to progress quickly. Even with
three fully upgraded lumber mills you might often find that the wood is coming
in too slow, so the more the merrier.
SMITHY
+=~=+=
This generates extra iron, but more importantly it allows you to buy upgrades
for your military units. You probably only need one, but make sure you upgrade
it and buy everything it offers for whichever units you're building.
STOREHOUSE
+=~=+=~=+=
Only really useful when you upgrade it to a marketplace, at which point you
can play around with your resources to bring in whichever ones you really need
and get rid of the surplus. The bigger the trade, the longer the transaction
takes, and you'll often find that you actually have the resources you wanted
by the time the marketplace decides to finalise the trade.
VILLAGE CENTRE
+=~=+=~=+=~=+=
One of the most important buildings in the game. You can't do anything without
these, and each one is like a glittering prize. Either build on unoccupied
sites or knock down enemy village centres to claim them for yourself, a bit
like UT domination control points. You want more, and you want the enemy to
have fewer.
They are always placed in supposedly strategic points, and you have to bear
your building placement in mind when you get them. For instance, if you build
a smithy nearer one village centre than another, you'd better make sure that
the blacksmith doesn't have to pass through enemy territory to reach the
smithy, otherwise he may never get through and you'll have to tear the
building down and rebuild somewhere else.
Upgrading village centres gives you a little more space in your population
limit, but you should always be looking to find more. Get rid of some serfs or
even soldiers if you have buildings still waiting to be occupied. Bear in mind
that you sometimes don't need an army beyond your six heroes if you have
enough towers for the defense of your base.
Village centres are definitely priority kills in enemy bases - destroying a
city centre (in theory) reduces the size of your enemy's army by 150 units.
WATCHTOWER
+=~=+=~=+=
Pretty crappy without upgrades, and even ballista towers aren't quite as
worthwhile as they should be at that price. Cannon towers are another matter -
no army is getting past ten evenly spaced cannon towers, especially if you've
researched Masonry from the stonemason. The downside is that building this
many really hits your wood and stone reserves hard, but it's worth it to know
your base is totally safe. Keep them repaired though, and don't put them too
close together.
WEATHER TOWER
+=~=+=~=+=~=+
The weather tower is a good way to delete lots of enemies at once - run a hero
or two into an enemy base and then out again, drawing a few units out of their
base and across some ice. When you're all out in the middle, switch to summer
or rain and let the ice melt. The enemy units will die, whereas your heroes
will merely be returned to your headquarters, unconscious but alive.
The weather tower will also give you advance warnings of when the weather is
about to change, which lets you know when to take your units off the ice, or
when to double the guard on the beaches.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================+++++++++++++++================================
2.3 UNITS
===============================+++++++++++++++================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This section is about most of the units you'll meet and control in the game.
+== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +=
2.3.1 CIVILIANS
+== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +=
There are two types of civilians: workers and serfs.
WORKERS
+=~=+=~
Most of what you need to know about your workers is in the manual, but I just
wanted to add a couple of things.
Always make sure your workers can get from the nearest village centre to
whichever building you want them to occupy. If they have to travel through an
enemy base to reach their building they will probably not make it and you'll
have to move the building to somewhere else.
Always prioritise workers over serfs and military units in your population
limit. If you have a huge army but only a handful of workers, you're not going
to be able to replenish that army when it eventually gets reduced in numbers.
But with lots of workers and only a few military units, your heroes and some
cannon towers can do the defensive work while the workers bring in the all-
important resources.
SERFS
+=~=+
Serfs are only useful if they're working. They're useless at fighting, even
with the Call To Arms thing, and they become quite superfluous once your
workers are pulling in plenty of resources. It is worth keeping a few around
for future building and repairing, but don't be afraid of disbanding quite a
lot of them late on in the levels.
One serf builds a building too slowly. Build plenty of serfs at the beginning
of each level, and get two or three working on each construction site. The
quicker they get building your base the faster the thalers will come back
anyway once the workers emerge to fill the buildings.
Don't bother exploring with your serfs: they can't pick up chests and they
can't get out of trouble easily if they run into it. Explore with heroes and
then send serfs in to build in useful areas.
Get most serfs chopping wood when you're starting a base - wood is the slowest
resource for a long time. And always build the mines and college first, before
anything else - you can build the farms and houses later, but right now you
need workers for those thalers.
Try to spread your serfs out all over the map (at least in the territory you
control). The missions are big, and you don't want to have to waste time
sending one single serf back and forward. You don't have to chop wood near
your own base - chop it near the enemy's in case you might want to build any
buildings nearby. And so on.
Bear in mind that your serfs can only be sent from your headquarters if you
need to replace them. The farther away from your headquarters a serf is, the
more important it is that you keep him healthy.
+== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +=
2.3.2 MILITARY
+== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +=
Most fights in the game are just big brawls, but it's at least worth knowing
about the units you're filling your army with, and what they're good and bad
at.
You can choose whether to build units in groups or individually, but I
recommend groups, even though you do have to keep a close watch on your iron.
Remember that you can give a surviving captain more units for his squad, just
by moving him close to his building of origin and clicking the recruit soldier
button in his action menu.
It's worth looking at your units' rank, as higher ranks bestow greater rewards
on the captains and their squads. Try to pull higher ranking captains out of
battle if they get into trouble and lose all their squad members, because you
can always give him more later, and they will start at his rank rather than at
the lowest.
Remember that, as with serfs, you can double-click on a certain unit type to
select all similar units in the area at once. This makes it very easy to
assign group numbers.
SWORDSMAN
+=~=+=~=+
This is a basic melee grunt, good at attacking buildings and archers, and of
course other swordsmen. They're slow and kind of weak, but they are
understandably cheap. You can rely on nothing but swordsmen for most of the
game, though I suggest you ditch them by the time you hit the thirteenth level
- the computer certainly does.
SPEARMAN
=+=~=+=~
They're good against horsed units, but by the time you're meeting a lot of
horses you're probably building plenty cavalry of your own. Spearmen are just
too slow for me, and I don't like they way they have to be upgraded half
through the smithy and half through the lumber mill.
ARCHER
=+=~=+
Surprisingly useful, as all ranged units tend to be. As weak and slow as any
other foot soldier, but can do great damage to enemy troops and artillery if
you get big groups of them. You're actually better building more archers than
swordsmen in levels where you have five or six heroes around to do the main
melee damage.
LIGHT CAVALRY
=+=~=+=~=+=~=
This is the sort of unit that many people will automatically skip in order to
get to the heavy cavalry, but I strongly suggest you give these guys a look. I
rely on them a huge amount in the last few levels, especially for base
defense. A bunch of these guys behind a few cannon towers is just an
unbreakable barrier for the computer.
They're also fantastic in attack, able to quickly take down anything - unit or
building - if deployed in numbers. Don't use nothing but light cavalry, of
course, but it's well worth filling out at least half your army with them.
HEAVY CAVALRY
=+=~=+=~=+=~=
Like light cavalry, these guys take a lot of time and money to reach. Once you
get them, however, you will know where that money went. All else aside, you
can't not use heavy cavalry when you see what units the computer is sending at
you, and the bases and fortifications lying in wait. It's just a pity you
don't get many in a squad; and they're also much faster than your heroes,
which means you always have to wait for the heroes to catch up so you can send
them in first.
LIGHT CANNON
=+=~=+=~=+=~
I hardly ever use these, because by the time you're building artillery a lot
you have tons of resources, which means you can afford the heavier versions.
They're OK as far as they go, but they're so slow and weak that they just
don't survive if an enemy gets anywhere close. They're also difficult to
protect when your army is advancing, since the computer is often fond of
sneaking units around the back and chopping them down.
HEAVY CANNON
=+=~=+=~=+=~
If you're going to build artillery, make it the heavy versions. I suggest you
just build siege cannons - they're good enough versus units to let you ignore
the iron cannons, and in fact almost all other ranged units; and against
buildings they're unrivalled. I know they cost a lot, but five or six leaves
an enemy base with little or no chance. Just keep them protected.
+== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +=
2.3.3 HEROES
+== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +== +=
Heroes are unique units, each with their own special abilities. You can only
ever have six at once, but the more you have the better, as they have a huge
effect on whether or not you win your battles against the computer.
Heroes can't be killed, but they can be knocked unconscious, and the only way
to get them back is to kill off any enemy forces near their bodies then keep
friendly units nearby until their green gauge fills up.
Try to keep your heroes at the forefront of any battle, and keep an eye on
their abilities so you can use them as much as possible.
---
DARIO
+=~=+
Mission gained: 1 - Thalgrund
Rating: 2/3
Dario is with you from the first minute of the game, all the way through to
the end. Haircut aside, he's about the most average of the heroes, but he's
always useful in battles. He gets a boost to his armour in the Old King's
Castle mission. His three abilities make him best suited for exploration of
the maps and inaccessible areas.
Eye of The Falcon (1/3): The only thing this is useful for is when you want to
look behind buildings for treasure chests. Since you can spot every chest in
the game without this, you'll use it once and then forget about it.
Protect Units (3/3): This is very handy for battles, especially when Dario is
surrounded by enemy units. It makes any enemy close enough run away a short
distance and then stand still for a few seconds, without fighting back. The
more enemies affected by it the better, at which point your own troops can cut
them down with no trouble. It also lets Dario repel anyone chasing him if
you're sending him scouting alone.
Sentinel (1/3): You can send Dario's falcon over fog of war which your units
can't get to via the land. Like Eye, this is useful only very occasionally,
though it does let you recon enemy fortifications from safety.
EREC
+=~=
Mission: 2 - Ridgewood
Rating: 3/3
Erec is a bit tougher than Dario and immediately becomes the more useful of
the two heroes. Erec's strength is purely in battle, and he will remain the
best fighting hero throughout almost the whole game.
Maelstrom (2/3): Trigger this when Erec is surrounded by enemies - much like
with Dario's Protect Units - and the enemy units caught in the swing will
almost always die, even including siege cannons. Try sending Erec alone into a
melee and letting him get surrounded, and this ability can drop multiple units
before the battle even really begins. It's useless if Erec is too far away
from an enemy, however.
Aura Of Strength (3/3): The best combat ability in the game. This alone can
change a probable defeat into a certain victory. Even if Aura affects only
Erec's fellow heroes it's a big blow to the enemy; but if you can get half
your troops into the area of effect then Erec can transform your army into
juggernauts of destruction, against units and buildings alike. It also lasts a
hell of a long time. This is the first hero ability you should use when going
to pick a fight.
HELIAS
+=~=+=
Mission: 3 - Crawford
Rating: 2/3
As useful as Helias's abilities are, I can't bring myself to give him a full
rating. Each ability cancels out the other, so it's difficult to know exactly
what to do with him in battles.
Persuasion (2/3): This lets you convert enemy soldiers (not artillery) to your
own army. It's immensely useful in Cleycourt and certain other missions, but
it does take a long time to recharge, and is totally spoiled if Helias takes
damage while trying to cast it. Best used while other heroes or units are
running around and baiting enemies into chasing after them instead of
attacking Helias.
Blessing (2/3): Similar to Erec's Aura Of Strength, except this increases your
units' armour instead of attack damage. Useless if there are no friendlies
near Helias while it's in effect; but for it to take effect he has to be among
the fray, which makes it very difficult to cast Persuasion. And if he's
casting Persuasion he'll tend to be doing so from safety, which seesaws into
making Blessing a bit worthless. Oh well...
ARI
+=~
Mission: 5 - The Flood
Rating: 1/3
When you first meet Ari you have to use her Camouflage ability, which makes it
seem really useful. You then get her in most of the remaining levels, but
mostly you'll forget she exists. Not a great hero at all, though at least her
position as the only hero who uses ranged weapons keeps her out of danger in
battle, if also out of the area of effect of the abilities of her companions.
Camouflage (1/3): This is meant to let Ari sneak past enemy units and
buildings, exploring bases, scouting out fogged areas, etc. But it seems to
fail on me at critical times, at which point Ari gets attacked and often
knocked out, which sucks. I don't like the way this just gets turned off for
no reason, and Dario's falcon is probably better for reconnaissance.
Call Bandits (2/3): This is a bit more like it. Any extra combat units are
always a good thing, especially ones which don't cost anything. They do tend
to die and / or fade away sooner than you'd like, but every little helps. They
can also help distract enemy units chasing Ari, allowing her to escape while
her bandits take the flak.
PILGRIM
+=~=+=~
Mission: 6 - Barmecia
Rating: 3/3
Second only to Erec when it comes to fights: you might think Pilgrim's
superior stats make him better, but I can't agree - Erec's abilities own
everyone else's.
Plant Bomb (3/3): This is useful for the demolition of rocks and the opening
of closed resource shafts. Since the enemy can never open closed shafts, you
know you'll be the first to get control of them. The bomb can also take out
groups of tightly clustered enemies in the midst of combat, and its fast
recharge allows you to use it quite a few times in prolonged battles. Plant
Bomb is essential to complete many of the game's missions.
Spring Cannon (2/3): This is like getting a free bombard cannon (or whatever
artillery it most closely resembles). It takes potshots at enemies when they
approach, but it disappears after only a few shots, and it can also be
destroyed as easily as any other artillery. It takes a while to recharge, but
the bright side is that you can lay down as many as you want - they only
vanish once they're destroyed or have shot their loads, so to speak. In theory
you could lay down a huge bunch of them as a nice surprise for the first enemy
attack.
SALIM
+=~=+
Mission: 7 - Folklung
Rating: 2/3
Lay Trap (2/3): Like Pilgrim's Spring Cannon, you can keep using this over and
over. The traps only trigger when an enemy gets near enough, so you can use
them like mines. They do good damage, but again take too long to recharge to
be truly useful. Good for close battles, even if the game won't allow Salim to
lay one too close to an enemy.
Heal (2/3): This is the only healing spell in the game, and thus comes in
handy when Salim is in the middle of a group of your troops, all of whom need
more health. Takes a while to recharge, but it can give you another lifeline
and change the occasional battle.
KERBEROS
+=~=+=~=
Mission: 12 - Cloudy Mountains
Rating: 2/3
You only get him in one level, and if you approach the level in the way I
suggest you will never see Kerberos in battle. He is good in combat - sort of
a cross between Dario and Erec, only tougher - but if you do the mission the
easy way then he is totally superfluous.
Hellshout (2/3): Pretty much the same as Dario's Protect Units.
Aura Of Fear (2/3): And this is similar to Erec's Aura Of Strength, except
that the enemies' stats go down instead of friendlies' stats going up.
==============================================================================
+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=
++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==++====++== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++
++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++              ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++
3. WALKTHROUGH
++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++              ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++
++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==++====++== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++++ ==== ++
+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=~=+=
This is the main part of the guide, taking you through from the start of the
first level to the end of the final one. There is little or no mention of the
storyline in here, so try your best to follow what the hell's going on during
the cutscenes, which is more than I could...
My mission tactics are just my favourite ways of doing things: if you have
better strategies then you should obviously use them, and you might even
consider contributing them to the guide. I've denoted each mission objective
as it occurred for me - please read their details in the objectives menu if my
descriptions are unclear.
I've also noted the locations of all the treasure chests in each level after
each mission's guide. Because the chests' contents are mostly randomised, I
can't tell you what's going to be in them, so it's up to you whether you want
to go for them.
I had trouble deciding how to give decent directions, so I finally decided on
a combination of clock numbers and rings. Plot numbers from 1 to 12 around the
minimap, as if it was a clock face, then divide it into three rings; 1 (small
circle in middle of minimap), 2 (middle ring, in between the inner and outer),
3 (outer ring, the widest circle). So to find a chest located at -
7 / R2
- you would go to around the seven o'clock position and send a hero into the
second, middle ring, somewhere between the centre of the map and the outer
edge. I hope this is clear, as it's the best I could come up with.
Good luck.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=================++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================+++++++++++++++++==============================
3.1 THALGRUND
===============================+++++++++++++++++==============================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=================++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"The peaceful idyll of Thalgrund is suddenly interrupted, when Black Knights
approach the little village and attack it on their search for a mysterious
amulet..."
+++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ ++++--++++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ +++
This mission is simple, with very few enemies or problems. Do everything else
before building a barracks and your attack on your few enemies will be swift
and easy.
==============================================================================
RESCUE THE VILLAGE!
---
Get Dario and the serfs to kill off the barbarians, and once they're dead you
get a new objective.
---
TALK TO BROTHER JOHN
---
Start repairing the buildings with the serfs, and send Dario north to meet
Brother John. He gives you more objectives and three extra serfs.
---
REBUILD THE VILLAGE
---
Before Dario leaves the abbey, look at the ground of the little graveyard to
the north of it. You should see something glittering on the ground - it's a
ring belonging to a miner. Talk to Leonardo just east of the abbey - he will
allow you to build watchtowers.
Build your first village centre. Send serfs north east over the river to find
a clay pit; there is a stone pit west of your village and another to the south
of the keep; and you can get a free iron pit by sending Dario to the miner
north of the governor in the west. He asks you to find his ring, so go to the
graveyard and bring the ring back to the miner, who will then give you his
iron pit.
Once your three pits are in place get your serfs to start cutting wood in
order to build residences and farms for your new miners. The two governors can
be spoken to with Dario: the one in the west gives you some free archers, and
you can tribute both governors with resources to gain more free soldiers
later. I suggest that you don't get the soldiers yet, as they will reduce your
thalers through wages.
You should soon have enough resources to build a college and food and housing
for all your workers. When the college is up research Conscription so that you
can build your barracks. Build it near your first clay pit, since your enemies
are all in the north and will be passing the clay pit when they're attacking.
You might need more room in your village for extra soldiers, so you'll have to
build another village centre. There's a site south east of your keep, and
another one north of the clay pit, on the way to the barbarian camp. Some
watchtowers couldn't hurt - send Dario to speak to Leonardo north of your
base. There's a free quarry in the west.
There are a few chests around the map - they all contain thalers, so you might
want to send Dario around to pick them up. There is a serf south east of your
base who will give you 500 thalers for nothing; and a trader to the south west
who will buy your iron.
Build and research everything else before your barracks, and when you are
ready you can trigger the next objective. Buy the soldiers from the two
governors, then build your third town centre at the site south of the
barbarian base, and then build your barracks to the north west, next to the
river crossing. Once your barracks is up you get another objective.
---
HURRY TO HELP YOUR MOTHER
---
Soon after this you will get a visual warning that the barbarians are planning
to attack, and a countdown will begin. Start building soldiers from your
barracks. Build a watchtower near your barracks and build up your army. You
should be able to easily beat the barbarians with the units given to you by
the governors, plus a few more soldiers from the barracks. Free the gatekeeper
from the tower and he then scarpers east to the gate.
To complete the level just talk to him with Dario. He'll then open the gate
and you can take your men through.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREASURE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 / R3 - North of the river
5 / R3 - Next to the serf who gives you 500 thalers
6 / R3 - Due south of the stone shaft south of your keep
9 / R3 - West of the stone shaft
10 / R3 - On the mountains west of the waterfall (3)
12 / R3 - North of Leonardo's workshop
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
===============================+++++++++++++++================================
3.2 RIDGEWOOD
===============================+++++++++++++++================================
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++===============++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Other villages in the surrounding area were also not left unharmed by the
attacks of the Black Knights. Just like the village where Dario's mother
lived..."
+++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ ++++--++++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ ++++-++++ +++
This mission is pretty much over once you've dealt with the bandits, and if
you have a barracks built by the time they launch their first attack it
becomes extremely easy.
==============================================================================
RESCUE RIDGEWOOD!
---
Your falcon will find enemies on the eastern road, so take everyone north and
round into the centre of town. Kill off the enemies attacking the keep and
watch the cutscene.
---
DEFEND RIDGEWOOD TILL EREC RETURNS!
---
Build some serfs and get them to repair the buildings, chop wood and build a
mine in the nearby clay pit. Take Dario and your soldiers west to the
mountains. There is a miner along the way who tells you about the mines over
there. Clear away the enemies in the area and bring a serf over to build a
stone quarry and an iron pit, followed by houses and farms.
Build a college in town and start researching. You will also spend a lot of
time trying to get more clay and wood for your infrastructure, so build at
least ten serfs and get them to help out with both. There is another clay pit
in the south of the map, and a miner nearby to tell you about it.
As soon as your soldiers and Dario have killed off the bandits at the iron
pit, send them south of your base to take out the ones you would have met had
you gone east at the beginning of the level. Then go south to the robbery
tower, where you can fight and kill more enemies, as well as destroy their
barracks and tower. This can be done easily if you use Dario's Protect Units
ability when he's surrounded.
While attacking this southern bandit camp you will receive a warning from
Leonardo, who tells you to prepare for an assault on your base in around four
minutes. Get rid of the southern bandit base and then park whatever soldiers
you still have at the hill road south of your keep. You should be able to
research and build a barracks in time to have more soldiers in place for when
the bandits attack. If not you will have to fend off more and more until your
barracks is up.
With the bandits dead, you get a new objective.
---
TALK TO THE MAYOR OF OBERKIRCH!
---
Before that you can go into the other bandit camp on the hill to free
Leonardo, who will come out of his cage once the bandits up here are dead,
bringing with him five extra serfs. Leonardo follows Dario around, so you
can't lose him accidentally. Talk to him and he will let you upgrade your
watchtowers to ballista towers.
There is a trader due north of your clay pit, across the river. You can sell
100 wood for 200 thalers, then 200 iron for 400 thalers, through the tribute
menu.
Spend some time exploring the map, picking up the treasure and admiring the
view. Eventually this gets boring and you'll want to talk to the mayor of
Oberkirch (beware of bandits just north east of your base). Before you talk to
him build up a barracks, an army, and a couple of ballista towers just east of
his town centre, and make sure you've built a village centre on the western
site to give yourself more space in your population limit.
---
HELP OBERKIRCH!
---
Hopefully you waited around for a while and you now have tons of thalers.
Tribute the mayor some so that he can build his own troops, and position all
your forces to the east beside his while you wait for the countdown to end.
Your second barracks in the east ensures that the bandits will attack it
instead of the Oberkirch town centre.