Chronological order of missions? (spoilers)

[Sikon]

Corlagon, regarding the order you posted, I suspect Haven 1 takes place before Inferno 1 after all, not after. Since in it Kiril is still in the Empire alongside Anton.

[Angelspit]

(spoilers hidden)

The spoilers are visible on some layouts of this forum. Allow me to add a warning in the title.

[jtemperance]

Corlagon, Sikon, et al, having a sense of the order of the scenarios is very helpful information to me, thank you! I just finished the introductory scenarios last night and was quite puzzled about where to begin.

Many thanks!

[akai-kitsune]

OK, so here is the correct chronological playing order:

- Heart of Nightmares (Collectors' edition map)
- Prologue 1
- Prologue 2
- Stronghold 1
- Sanctuary 1
- Inferno 1
- Haven 1

Corlagon, regarding the order you posted, I suspect Haven 1 takes place before Inferno 1 after all, not after. Since in it Kiril is still in the Empire alongside Anton.

So should I play Inferno 1 or Haven 1 first?

[XEL II]

I think Ishtvan Griffin is a pretty cool guy, eh defies Angels and doesn't afraid of anyhting.

Kiril and Ishtvan are the best characters in the whole game. There are also some nice ones, like Michael and Slava. My least favourite so far would be Anton, mainly because of his crappy voice acting (it sounds good pretty much only in the intro). Anastasya is too whiny (and hight strung) for my liking. Sandor and Kraal are fine. So is, but she's very often being pretensious and unreasonably bitchy. She's also basically the lesser version of Adrienne, and the original is better

As for the campaign plot in general, it's not very much better that, let's be honest, dogsh*t instead of storyline we got in HoMM V, but the story presentation and narrative have evolved dramatically compared to the aformentioned previous installment. Yes, it's far behind from MM 3-7 and HoMM 2-4 in terms of quality, originality and characters. For instance, this soap opera-esque story about five Griffin siblings couldn't compare with the Succession Wars between Archiald and Roland (in terms of the magnitude of events and even tragedy), nor would the backstory about the Elder Wars between the Angels and the Faceless compare with struggle between Corak and Sheltem or prehistory of world-creating Ancients and their universe-wide rivalry with Creators and war against the Kreegan. Same goes with most characters compared to those in classic series games, plot twists, etc.

But it's already evident from Heroes VI that Dansky and Co. are capable of creating a fine and at times pretty good storyline. HoMM V was crap, CoH and DMoMM were decent at best, Heroes VI is by far the best game in Ashan setting.

P.S. By the way, isn't it Christopher Walken voicing Uriel. They even look alike

[Sikon]

So should I play Inferno 1 or Haven 1 first?

Haven 1, I think. Probably doesn't matter, though, since they don't intersect except for that one cutscene in Haven 1.

[Corlagon]

The backstory cutscenes in Haven 1 are all flashbacks (the playable portion of the mission itself occurs after Anton swears genocide against the Faceless), so chronologically it takes place after Kiril has disappeared. That said, they are indeed independent and don't spoil each other, so the order is fairly interchangeable.

[akai-kitsune]

@Sikon & Corlagon: I'm a bit overly meticulous when it comes to story, so much thanks.

[Avonu]

Kiril and Ishtvan are the best characters in the whole game. There are also some nice ones, like Michael and Slava. My least favourite so far would be Anton, mainly because of his crappy voice acting (it sounds good pretty much only in the intro). Anastasya is too whiny (and hight strung) for my liking. Sandor and Kraal are fine. So is, but she's very often being pretensious and unreasonably *****. She's also basically the lesser version of Adrienne, and the original is better

Stephen is nice character, too bad he lacked brain and some survival instincts and died so quickly.
Kiril on the other hand is so... I don't know how to say, blank? He lacks any personality trails IMO - on the other hand, maybe it is because of game translation and dubbing.
Anastasya for me was very good - from young and naive girl, in-love with her teacher, she grow to independent person who kicked her manipulator ass. I thought I will not like this emomancer but surprising, she's very good described character.
I didn't play Sandor, Irina and Anton campaigns yet, so no clue how their personality looks like.
I don't like Slava but on the other hand he is not bad character too. He is just a bit too much platehead to be a cleaver ruler. Maybe I remember Roland character too much, which was good knight and good ruler. Slava seems to lack some Roland trails as ruler.
Sveltana seems a little better then her brother.

As for our trio of Angels - hard to say. No clue about Michael yet but Uriel and Sarah seems to missing some trails to be a good or tragic "heroes". Their motives seems reasonable but something is missing for me in their behavior. Maybe it's again translation and dubbing fault.

[Mirez]

OK, so here is the correct chronological playing order:

- Heart of Nightmares (Collectors' edition map)
- Prologue 1
- Prologue 2
- Stronghold 1
- Sanctuary 1
- Inferno 1
- Haven 1
- Necropolis 1
- Stronghold 2
- Sanctuary 2
- Haven 2
- Necropolis 2
- Sanctuary 3
- Stronghold 3
- Inferno 2
- Necropolis 3
- Inferno 3
- Sanctuary 4
- Stronghold 4
- Haven 3
- Necropolis 4
- Haven 4
- Inferno 4
- Epilogues

I've decided to play the campaign in chronological order and thus your list. But I've already spotted a mistake. Haven 1 should definitely go before inferno 1.
In the cut scene where Slava is buried (I assume) early in the first haven campaign you can see Kiril and the angel (forgot her name already) standing in the background. So this must've happened before they went so seogh

[Corlagon]

Um, did you read my previous post? Just above there?

[XEL II]

Where does it say that the cutscene of Slava's memorial service is a flashback? All the flashbacks and dream sequences in the campaigns are indicated as such by characters, usually after they end. There are no such mentions about that cutscene, besides, before it Anton never mentions Kiril going missing in Sheogh, nor does any other character or text.

That cutscene could well have taken place during the start of Anton's campaign of restoring order in the duchy.

[Mirez]

Um, did you read my previous post? Just above there?

It isn't a dream sequence/flashback.
Slava is killed at the start of the haven campaign, after Sandor rescued Irina a.k.a. after stronghold and sanctuary campaign.
In the first 2 weeks the prosecution of Anastasya is mentioned (her being influenced by faceless). At the start of week 3 Slava's burial is seen.
It can't be a flashback because Slava was still alive prior to the Haven campaign.

[XEL II]

Avonu, who exactly is Stephen? Don't remember a character of this names in campaigns.

My favourite characters in all campaigns so far are Slava, Kiril and Michael, followed closely by Kraal, Sandor and Goink.

[akai-kitsune]

I only finished the first mission of Inferno three other maps, but honestly Kiril seems like nothing more than an average, all-knowing, wiseacre teenager.

The man calls the overlord who's possessing him Azzy... The creature tells him how he vanquished the floating cities of the Angels but Kiril whines "Give me a break!". Give me a break!? Really? Is that all you have to say?

[Corlagon]

Apologies to everyone; you are right. Haven 1 is before Inferno 1. I thought the funeral scene (and hence all earlier events) was a flashback based on a comment in the VIP forum about the Haven splash screen being at the beginning of the story, but it was my misunderstanding. The Uriel comment makes it quite definitive. I'll correct the lists, but can't edit quotes where they're copied.

who exactly is Stephen

Equivalent of Isthvan

[Avonu]

Question about Inferno campaign: is there more information about Kiril and Sarah plot in other campaigns? Because for me Sarah's plot and Kiril final fate make no sense based only on his campaign. On the other hand, the person who screwed Polish translation can be guilty of this.

And wouldn't Necropolis 4 AFTER Haven 4? I will play Haven campaign as last, so maybe it answer some of my questions.

[XEL II]

And wouldn't Necropolis 4 AFTER Haven 4? I will play Haven campaign as last, so maybe it answer some of my questions.

There is a small inconsistency in Necropolis 4. Canonically, Anastasya meets Anton soon after he takes back Falcon's Reach, after she defeated Uriel.

[maltz]

I am a little confused with Mother Namtaru's plot in the posted order on page 1.

Inferno - defeated in Mission 2 by Inferno invasion (Kiril), but spared with Anastasya's arrival
Necropolis - alive and well in Mission 4, but warns about Inferno invasion

It seems to me that Inferno 2 happens just before or after the opening of Necropolis 4. Anastasya thus received the kiss of the spider queen.

By the way, people may be inclined to play the story according to the chronological order. I heard some people end up with level-1 main characters to start subsequent missions. Not sure whether it is caused by jumping around the campaigns.

[Slayer of Cliffracers]

There is a small inconsistency in Necropolis 4. Canonically, Anastasya meets Anton soon after he takes back Falcon's Reach, after she defeated Uriel.

Uriel dies at the beginning of Haven 4 (ie before the mission starts). There is no inconsistancy. Anastasya kills Uriel inside his own head. He comes to save the emperor from the demons but then collapses inexplicitly to those who didn't complete the campaign.

I am a little confused with Mother Namtaru's plot in the posted order on page 1.

Inferno - defeated in Mission 2 by Inferno invasion (Kiril), but spared with Anastasya's arrival
Necropolis - alive and well in Mission 4, but warns about Inferno invasion

It seems to me that Inferno 2 happens just before or after the opening of Necropolis 4. Anastasya thus received the kiss of the spider queen.

By the way, people may be inclined to play the story according to the chronological order. I heard some people end up with level-1 main characters to start subsequent missions. Not sure whether it is caused by jumping around the campaigns.

I've come up with my own chronological order for all the missions. I've also figured out when key events happen between missions.

________________________Duke Slava's Death_____________________
Tutorial 1/Griffin Bane
________________________Pavel marries Kate and has children________
Tutorial 2/The Emporer's Will
________________________Irina married off to Gerhart_______________
Stronghold 1/No Country for Orc Friends
Sanctuary 1/The Fury and the Mire
Stronghold 2/The Good the Bad and the Bloody
Sanctuary 2/The Winding Stair
_______________________Duke Pavel Murdered_____________________
Haven 1/Something is Rotten
_______________________Anastasya executed______________________
Necropolis 1/In the Wake of Adversity
Inferno 1/Angel, Angel, Burning Bright
Necropolis 2/Towards the Within
Haven 2/Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair
Sanctuary 3/The Blood Dimmed Tide
Stronghold 3/The Barbarous Seven
______________________Blood Moon Eclipse________________________
Sanctuary 4/Death-in-Life and Life-in-Death
Haven 3/Tempt Not a Desperate Man
______________________Irina's Baby is Born_______________________
Stronghold 4/A Wormful of Demons
Necropolis 3/Circumradiant Dawn
Inferno 2/Fearful Dawn
Necropolis 4/The Spider's Strategem
Haven 4/A Battle Lost and Won
Inferno 3/In the Forests of the Night
Inferno 4/A Marraige of Heaven and Hell
______________________Michael declares war on the Faceless_________
Tears Final/Tears Such As Angels Weep
Blood Final/Dark with Excessive Bright
______________________Kate's burial_____________________________

I compiled this chronology carefully over the course of playing the campaigns. I may have made some mistakes though because I can't remember all the details.

The biggest problem I had was the last two campaigns. The problem is they both appear to be happening simataneously but we know that this can't actually happen because in the boss scene at the end of both has Michael and Kate confronting eachother even though they can't both be in the Sky City and the Twilight Warrens at the same time.

I settled for the scenes involving Michael in the Warrens being flashbacks as Michael is already dead at that point but the Blood hero doesn't know. This is why they never get any help from him throughout the mission. Had Michael been physically present at the time he would have been able to help defeat the Daughter of Malassa but if Kate had been present in the battle with Michael but in human form then she might not have been in a position to make any decisive impact.