A Matter of Life and Death

[Wheeler Dealer]

A Matter of Life and Death, Champion

Some excerpts from my journal.

After a bit of snooping, Champion may be ambitious. The first town will be very difficult but not quite as difficult against cerberi, so restart until the main force isn't ghosts.

Week 1, took the barrow mound and defeated the 30 elves. While waiting to restore my mana for an assault on the town, Alita picked up Weakness from a shrine.

Week 2, attacked the town with 3 ghosts, 13 skeletons, 35 crossbowmen and 5 pikemen. The 3 ghosts aged the 2 stacks of imps and the cerberi. Their 76 skeletons turned out to be the most dangerous. I admit there was a lot experimenting and reloading. Only 15 crossbowmen survived.

Alita and 15 crossbowmen and 2 ghosts barely beat 132 squires for the Animate Dead Spell. Alita took 3 skeletons (to split the pikemen) and hit the pikemen guarding the path to the south twice (casting Life Drain when possible) to open the road.

Week 3, this is tough, just to find a battle that I can even make a serious dent on a H&R.

Week 4, cleared the crossbowmen guarding the second barrow mound and crossbow (maybe 4 H&R). Captured the southern necropolis, tough battle. Red in my territory, very difficult battle against 9 ballista, 44 crossbowmen and 33 squires.

Wow, Alita, alone, defeated the 17 Crusaders guarding the gold mine. The terrain is snow and Alita has snowshoes. Just cast Fatigue until it works and then Poison and stay safe. It took 26 minutes real time.

Week 5, reached the guardians of the prison, 70 ballista! Don't know what to do with that! Orange in my territory.

Week 6, Tough battle against Orange between my towns.

Week 7 started using Order Lords (I have 5) as meat shields to defeat ranged opponents. My enemies came through the north gate to threaten my necropolis, but I sold everything to build a Citadel and hired all possible creatures. Intimidated them into not attacking.

Week 8, Recovered the Dwarven Hammer and Shield, but I'm not sure I want to sell them. Finally defeated the 87 ballista guarding the prison (lost 4 of my 8 Vampires, but they were the only way to deal any real damage).

Week 9, captured a Red Haven near the center of the map. Took Red's other haven as well. Alita converted to an assassin by buying the melee skill. She took on 64 Griffins alone. Fatigue, Poison, run, run, Raise Ghosts, pretty easy (but time consuming) from there.

The Seminary possibilities were just too tempting. Alia is going to be an archmage in this life.

Week 10, Took an Orange Preserve. Feeling like I've got this under control.

Week 12, Alita reached L18 at the ToK. Beat 35 Vampires for a Mansion.

Week 13, Eliminated both Red and Orange and own all towns. Allenvale has a couple of levels to go.

Week 14, Allenvale reached L17, time to hit the ToK and finish. My army was the 2 heroes and 20 Vampires. Won @ 4,2,4, Both heroes at L18.

I ignored the character development advice in the three walkthroughs I read, and Alita finished as an archmage with 4 magic schools and Allenvale a general with 3 magic schools. (I just like magic). I basically tried to max out the number of skills I could gain.

The Hidden Hand, Champion, Max 25.

Week 1, The nearby preserve will join your cause when approached by either hero. Hired a thief.

Week 2, Gave enough chests to my thief to gain expert stealth, L6. Mana continues to be a problem.

Week 3, Went north, took a Red stronghold. Orange makes an appearance. My thief has Master Stealth.

Week 5, Took Red's last town, eliminating Red. Lost that town to Orange and later took it back. Again, I saw Red prisoners switch to Orange when they were liberated!

Week 7, captured one of Orange's havens. Both heroes bought Wizardry. My heroes are still only L20. I need to separate them if Alita is to make L25.

Not yet, Alita and Allenvale and 3 Mantises defeated 18 Black Dragons in a Dragon City. The Mantises ran to the corner on the first turn and survived a double BD attack (3 hp left). Then Martyr to protect the Mantises and lots of experimenting to keep everyone on their feet brought home the FLAWLESS victory. (Took 42 minutes, real time).

Week 8, took Orange's last haven. Could have finished at 2,4,3 but I wanted to get more levels for Alita. Alita gained L21.

Week 9, (Venom Spawn) Orange eliminated. Alita L22.

Week 10, Alita reached L23. Visited the Tree of Knowledge.

Week 11, Visited the Coliseum of Might, Alita L25 and Allenvale L22. My final army was 7 Mantises, 15 Faerie Dragons and 15 Champions. Won @ 3,3,4. Allenvale reached L23 in the final battle. I surely could have gotten him one or even two more levels if that had been my goal. I also had a L14 Ranger and 6 Order Lords.

The Dark Path, Champion, Max 32

Week 1, started ccw. Not too hard to win these battles but it's draining my mana faster than I can replace it. Captured a neutral stronghold and some mines. Hired an Order Lord.

Week 2, most battles Allendale uses Slow and Teleport to control the action and Alita uses Summon WE and Summon Cerberi (twice). Switched my preferred tactics to Alita protecting Allenvale with Martyr while he banged away.

Week 3, defeated 12 Black Dragons and 108 evil eyes for a Soul Stealer. Took Bones Ville. Red threatening my Haven.

Week 4, took Red's last town (necropolis).

Week 5, (Cerberus) Now that Alita has the Soul Stealer, she fights most battles alone. Took the NW asylum from Purple and imprisoned a L23 hero.

Week 6, Took the other neutral asylum.

Week 7, lost and reclaimed the NW asylum.

Week 8, Alita up t0 L27. I let her take most battles alone.

Week 9, (phoenixes) I don't think I can get Alita to L28 before the 2 level boosters. I still haven't found a source of zombies to fulfill the quest on the SW of the map.

Week 10, biding time until my mansion can generate 12 Vampires.

Week 12, completed Vampire quest to get the Life Shield. By hiding Alita in the sawmill just outside the purple town, I was able to trap all the Purple armies. Alita needs less than 5K xp for L28.

Week 13 (Efreeti), after Alita defeated the ambush in the NW she only needs 1300 xp for L28. Alita up to L29 at the Coliseum of Might.

Week 14, Alita reached L30. Finished the scenario @ 4,2,5.

A couple of observations. When Alita fought in the Coliseum of Might she got xp = to the difference between L28 and 29 plus an extra 3K for beating the Black Dragons.

Purple produces creatures at a much higher rate than should be possible. If you want to reach L32, just camp out in the sawmill south of the purple town and kill the purple army once a week.

The rescue, Champion.

Week 1, A group of life troops joined. Not sure that's helpful (never used troops other than Angels). It's easier for Alita to just protect herself and not worry about other troops. She will have summoned troops for gathering and exploring.

Week 2, Alita took out 27 Bone Dragons alone. Acquired the Demonary and traded it for the Cloak of Darkness. Captured a necropolis in the south.

Week 3, took the other surface necropolis.

Week 4, weird battle for an underground necropolis. There was a L32 General, 8 Evil Sorceresses and other death troops. When Alita went in alone the ESs stole her Guardian Angel and blasted her on the first two turns, hopeless. Tried again with three skeletons across the front of a square formation. The defenders of the town wouldn't come out or attack the skeletons from range!?!

Yeah, I got Divine Intervention in my Magic Guild, now if I can just get GM Life.

Alita has beaten every neutral army and converted every chest to xp and is still 17K xp short of L31. Should have just taken the Level Boosters as I found them.

Week 6, Alita reached GM Life Magic. Might have gotten another level if I had lured purple out before hitting the boosters. shouldn't cut off purple creature dens.