Man, and I thought Axe!Raven was brutal on this map before...The Bartre and Guy Show with halberd and longsword took that to a whole new level.
I think, in general, we've basically reached invincible status.
- Tactics — 4 stars
- Survival — 5 stars
- Funds — 4 stars
- Exp — 1 star
- Combat — 5 stars
As soon as Hector reported the Fire Emblem was in a swamp, I should have known there would be an ambush.
Nils told me before we came out here that it would be a good idea to carry a lot of gold with us, so I sold off a bunch of spell tomes Erk, Lucius, and Canas left with us, and a guiding ring—we have just over 20,000 gold now. I can't see why though—did he think we could bribe the thieves supposedly based here?
Anyway, just in case the Emblem is actually here, we're going to take the three crumbling old castles scattered around the swamp's perimeter. I gotta admire Hector's confidence—it's a trap? Great! Let's overrun all their fortifications at once!
I kind of wish Hawkeye, Sain, and Wallace were still with us, we could use the manpower—I left the thieves, Eli & Ninian, Serra, and Oswin in town. Wonder if there's any chance of reinforcements...
Hector: Protects Merlinus, killing pirates and pegasus knights, until Farina arrives seeking employment. "Say, excuse me! Yes, you, the grim-faced one!" Although flabbergasted by the frankly absurd price she demands, he accepts at my word—we need a flier badly right now.
Lyn: Heads for the west castle, making heavy use of a steel and iron sword but taking no damage. She breaks the iron sword on a warrior after taking the castle.
Guy: Goes for Pascal's castle. Criticals or doubles lots of fools with the longsword until it breaks. Takes a huge hit from Pascal's spear, but evades everything else until he can drink an elixir. When the path ahead is clear, he claims the second fortress.
Bartre: Partnered with Guy. Soaks up ballista shots. Many, many cavaliers and monks prove no match for his artistic brutality with the halberd. Ends Pascal's miserable life with a few swipes of the halberd when he ventures too close. Cleans up the remaining enemies without bothering to heal, using his iron monster of a bow.
Farina: A pegasus-mounted mercenary wings in from the south looking for work. She flies straight north toward Hector, but unfortunately is in range of two pirates...she dodges the first and counter-criticals him, trades blows with the second, and takes a break to talk to Hector.
Upon being hired, she flies east again to renew her battle with the second pirate, this time finishing him. The bishop standing watch on the battlements of the eastern fort attacks her with long-range light magic, but she consumes a vulnerary and flies toward him with death in her eyes. He desperately hurls bolt after bolt at her, but Farina is too speedy. She daringly hovers barely out of range of a ballista and javelins him a few times, swooping in to claim the final castle in a simultaneous maneuver with Guy.
9 turns. No penalties this time. I thought I remembered Farina showing up a lot sooner...my only regret on this level was her not arriving in time to save the village. Not that I need another Elysian Whip, I got the one in New Resolve, but for the Karla cameo.
MVP: 3-way tie—Bartre for tanking like a MAN, halberding lots of stuff, and killing Pascal; Guy for same with longsword; and Farina for saving me a long trip.
MVT: Another one-time-only special award, this time for terrain, going to the double patch of forest near Pascal's castle. Bartre and Guy literally held off an army there.
