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How to play Loyalists

2026-01-12T16:43:58Z

Jozrael: /* Loyalists vs Drakes */

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<div class="tright" style="width: 300px; height: 300px;>https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24portraits%24humans%24horseman.png</div>

==Loyalist units==
Spearman is a basic combat unit with ability to strike and retaliate before his enemies.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png</div>
* good defense in mountains and villages
* lawful, can be upgraded into 3 useful units (balanced melee/ranged javelineer and melee units with strong blade or pierce damage)
* strong vs drakes, cavalry and ulfserkers; weak vs skeletons and skeleton archers
* strong melee attack with '''first strike''' (pierce), weak ranged attack (pierce)

Heavy Infantryman is very slow, but powerful defender. He can hit hard, has great resistances yet low defenses.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png</div>
* low defenses, slow and cannot reach mountain hexes
* lawful, but can have fearless trait to fight well any time
* strong vs skeletons and melee fighters; weak vs mages, dune burners and orcish archers
* strong melee attack (impact)

Fencer is quick skirmisher. He is faster than most loyalist units and he is a good support, not a frontline unit. Good for blocking enemy units.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png</div>
* maximum defense in multiple terrains (70%), but low hitpoints
* lawful
* strong against wounded units; weak in 1vs1 fighting
* strong melee attack (blade)

Horseman is a very important unit. During day, he can use his charged attack to kill some units in a single strike. Better in offense than in defense. Very expensive to recruit (23 gold)
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png</div>
* low defenses, but good resistances to blade and impact weapons.
* lawful, can be upgraded into 2 useful units (balanced knight and very offensive lancer)
* strong when attacking; weak in defending
* strong melee attack (blade) with '''charge'''

Cavalryman is a mixture of horseman and fencer. Balanced unit with good resistances, high movement but low defenses. Good mobility on flat lands, slow on difficult terrains.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png</div>
* low defenses, but good resistances to blade and impact weapons.
* lawful
* strong against grunts, augurs and even dark adepts; weak to spearmen, skeletons and archers
* strong melee attack (blade)

Bowman is a ranged unit of the loyalists. They are weak in melee fighting, which calls for careful positioning and cover from your other units with higher survivability.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png</div>
* good defense in mountains and villages
* lawful
* strong vs drakes and anyone with no or limited ranged attack; weak vs ulfserkers and skeletons
* weak melee attack (blade), strong ranged attack (pierce)

Mages are in both rebel and loyalist armies. They provide fire damage in their magical ranged attack.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png</div>
* good defense in mountains and villages, but low hitpoints
* lawful, can be upgraded into 2 useful units (white mage is a good healer, while red mage provides excellent damage)
* strong against skeletons, saurians, ghosts; weak when not protected by other units
* weak melee attack (impact), strong magical ranged attack (fire)

Merman Fighter is a melee warrior connected with water.
<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24hunter.png</div>
* good defense in water (50-70%)
* lawful
* strong on maps with lots of water and swamps; weak on maps with small amount of water
* strong melee attack (pierce)

==Starting troops - random opponent==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png
(95 gold)

When you don't know '''which faction you are facing''', it is good to get a mixture of units.

'''White mage''' is an obvious pick. Healer and good ranged attacker against undead and drakes. '''Lieutenant''' is another solid option, because he can use his leadership in a battle. '''Swordman''' is another usable unit, because he is a very good fighter, stronger and more resilient than lieutenants in melee combat.

==General Loyalist Strategy==
Loyalists are considered to be the most versatile faction in the game. They have the most available unit types to recruit (8) among all other factions. Loyalists are mostly a melee oriented faction, with three ranged unit types, the '''mage''' the '''bowman''' and to a lesser extent, the '''spearman''' (and its upgrade: the '''javelineer''', but their ranged units play a significant role in the loyalists strategy and have to be used effectively. About the melee troops the loyalist player gets to choose among:
* '''Heavy Infantrymen''': few strikes, high damage per strike, slow, higher hitpoints, good resistances, low defenses, deals impact damage which is good against undead
* '''Spearman''' average strikes, average damage per strike, average movement, medium hitpoints, normal resistances, average defenses, deals pierce damage which is good against drakes, has a weak ranged attack
* '''Fencer''': high number of strikes, low damage per strike, quick, low hitpoints, bad resistances, good defenses, deals blade damage which is good against elusive foots or wose, deals less total damage than the other two, is a skirmisher.

The loyalists unit price ranges from the cheap spearmen and mermen (14 gold) to the expensive horsemen (23 gold).

Loyalist units generally have good hit points and they deal good damage, even the cheap spearman and bowman. Even their scout has high hit points and better melee attack compared to most of the scouts of the other factions. But OTOH, the loyalist scout has lower defenses than most of the other scouts and they do not have a ranged attack.

The loyalists have some units with good resistances, like Heavy Infantry or Cavalryman, which can be very good for defending if you notice that your opponent doesn't have the proper units to counter them. Other units, like the bowman, who is more vulnerable than the previous two, but is also good for defense because it has better defense, is cheaper and it deals solid damage back in both melee and range. Similar goes for the spearman.

'''When attacking''', Loyalists have units which can be pretty devastating, like the horseman for attacking enemy mages and other ranged units, mages against the entrenched melee units, fencers for killing injured enemies and valuable units trying to heal behind their lines. But the mentioned units are also very vulnerable and they can die very easily if not properly supported.

The loyalists as a faction generally have average '''defenses''' (they do not get 70% defense anywhere, with the exception of the fencer, which is a special case) and they are not a terrain dependent faction (like the Elves or Knalgans are). Therefore, even if it is good to put spearmen and bowmen on mountains, villages and castles where they get 60% defense, you should also take the faction you are facing into account when deciding where to place your units. For example, if you are fighting knalgans, you should try not to move your units next to hills and mountains and/or take the hills and mountains with your units and leave the forest to the dwarves.

All the loyalist units are lawful, which obviously leads to the conclusion that the loyalists should be more aggressive and attack at day (or even start at dawn, because your opponent in most of the cases will be reluctant to attack too aggressively and leave units on bad ground when the morning arrives) while at night the loyalists should at least play conservatively, or in some cases even run away. Of course, that is also dependent upon the faction of your opponent.

'''The greatest weakness''' of the loyalists is their limited mobility. The loyalists' units have normal movement, some of their units like the horseman, cavalryman, merman fighter and the fencer are pretty quick when they are in their favorable environment, but all their units get slowed over rough terrain a lot compared to the other factions' units. Half of the loyalists units can not even move on/over mountains, and their scouts get significantly slowed in forest, for example. This lack of mobility will often give your opponent an opportunity to outmaneuver you in the game. To prevent that, sometimes it is good to attack hard on a certain point and defend only with minimal amount of units elsewhere, rather than uniformly spreading your units around the front.

Loyalists have access to blade, pierce and impact attacks, same as any other faction. However, their mages can use '''fire''', while white mages can use '''arcane''' attack.

==Villages==
<div class="thumb tleft">https://raw.github.com/wesnoth/wesnoth/master/data/core/images/terrain/village/human3.png</div>
Spearmen, bowmen and of course fencers are good to hold villages. You can also use units like heavy infantry or cavalryman, but their defenses are weaker. Use your fencers and cavalrymen to grab villages quickly. You can also use horsemen to attack enemies with their powerful attack and take enemy villages next turn, but it is very dependent on remaining hit points. Mermen are an obvious choice for water and swamp villages.

==Loyalists vs Loyalists==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png A
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png D+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png D-

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png</div>
Loyalists in mirror match means a lot of possibilities on each side. 8 units vs 8 units. Some of them are only good against cavalry, some only against mages... so your tactics should be a lot about rock-paper-scissor strategy. Find out what exactly is your enemy doing. It is possible that all units will be used again and again.

You must be ready to spearmen rush, cavalier rush or any other rushes - and expect fighting all the time, because all units are lawful. Cavalry might be good here, but they can be forced to retreat by spearmen and other cavalry. Fencers might be killed by mages and mages by fencers. So this game will be a lot of fun, or a lot of defending.

Horseman, cavalryman and fencers are fast on flat plains, while units like heavy infantry is very slow. Killing mages is always a good idea, because upgraded ones could tip the battle too much in your opponents favor.

Think about targets for your attacks. Mages can be killed easily, so they should never really be the main force of your army. While fencers are weak, they can threaten your opponents economy when they and some of your cavalry can get deep into enemy territory and take some villages. Trading a fencer for a mage is beneficial, because the difference in recruitment cost is 4 gold.

* '''Spearman:''' Good unit for everything. It can attack and defend with their good melee attack, even with help of the first strike ability. Use them a lot. They can also collect experience with their weak ranged attack, when holding the line. They are good against horsemen, cavalryman, fencers and mages. Try to not attack heavy infantry of course.

* '''Heavy Infantryman:''' Defensive unit, usable vs spearman and cavalry. Slow when moving and retreating.

* '''Fencer:''' One or two will not hurt. Use them on good terrain, because they might die fast. Also mages can burn them with ease.

* '''Horseman''' Good unit, but not in loyalist vs loyalist. Can be used against other cavalry, but your money (horseman costs 23 gold) will be better spend elsewhere. 2 spearman and one bowman (42 gold) is better than 2 horseman (46 gold)

* '''Cavalryman:''' Take one for village grabbing, but this is not the best unit you can use against loyalists.

* '''Bowman:''' Your "poke" guy. They will weaken the enemy, but you may have to use other units for finishing them off.

* '''Mage:''' Your best damage dealer. They can attack spearman, heavy infantry, merman or any other unit. Make sure to protect them well, because mages (and especially ones with quick trait) can die quickly. Use them as support unit, not as the main fighting units. Fencers are their arch enemies. Alternate approach is to get as much villages as possible with your fastest units and rush mages with escort in ratio 1:1.

* '''Merman Fighter:''' Good in water. Who has more of them usually wins, but making too much of them will mean that your land force will be weaker.

==Loyalists vs Rebels==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png A
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png A-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png C-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png D

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24elves-wood%24archer.png</div>
Rebels are a very versatile faction like the Loyalists. So you need to counter their versatility with yours. Their weakest trait is low hit points. That is compensated somewhat by relatively higher defenses and mobility, so you'll need a combination of hard-hitters and speed. Mages are also nice for their magical attacks. The key for a Loyalist general is to effectively use his hard-hitting units and kill as many units as he can at day. At night is is advised to defend well as elves are neutral.

The smartest thing you can do upon discovering that your opponent is playing Rebels is to assume that your opponent has Woses and recruit accordingly. Woses are a necessary counter to Loyalists' daytime attacks and as soon as your opponent realizes that you are Loyalists he will almost certainly recruit Woses. Remember that just because you don't see any Woses doesn't mean there aren't a couple hiding in the forest! To fight Woses you will need Cavalry as meat shields, Mages to deal damage and maybe Fencers to get the last hit in. Sadly, Cavalry are very vulnerable to Elvish Archers, so you'll need to make sure that the Archers die, which can be difficult if they are in forest. Get Horsemen which can one-shot Archers (despite their high dodge) and keep up with your Cav. If one horseman misses, follow up with another one, it's a lucky archer that can dodge 4/4 one-shot attempts. Heavy Infantry are also great against everything but Woses and Mages and will reduce the effectiveness of Archer spam. Spearmen are useless against Woses, recruit them sparingly and keep them away from unscouted forest.

An alternative way of playing this match-up is to maximize the mobility offered by the Loyalists' fastest units, namely the two horse units. By using them to outrun the Rebel units you can achieve some devastating rushes. Some matches require use of both styles of playing. Again, their versatility must be countered with yours.

* '''Bowman''': Rebels in general are effective in both melee and ranged attacks, so recruiting a ranged unit is less beneficial than most factions because most of the Rebels' units can retaliate against you. They can be useful for taking out an Scout or two, but otherwise, this is not really a smart buy.

* '''Cavalryman''': A good scout and an effective counter to Woses. Watch out for Archers, though, they can really tear horses to shreds. And as always, they are effective against ranged oriented units like the mage. If you're going for some faster action, Cavalrymen are vital in the attack. They do great damage during the day, and combined with their dangerous mobility, they can be a fearsome unit indeed. Just be careful of archers ZoCing you and tearing the unit to shreds. Cavalryman can be ambushed by rangers and woses when marching near the forest.

* '''Fencer''': The Fencer shares the 70% defense in the forest like most of the elves, but it has negative resistances. Theoretically, they should be effective against Woses, but more often than not Woses will crush them easily. In spite of this, Fencers still have skirmisher, which means that they can sneak behind an injured unit and finish them off. Do not over-recruit them, as enemy Mages will tear though their high defense. They are also dangerous to elvish archers located on flat land.

* '''Heavy Infantryman''': Usefulness similar to bowman. It's too slow to deal with most of the Rebel units, and it is demolished by Mages, Woses and even Archers. Even though it has a high damage potential and good resistances, because of its inherently low defense Shamans can easily get hits on it and turn it into a piece of metal for a turn. Shaman can also make sure that their attack will be too weak to injure elves or mages in the rebel army.

* '''Horseman''': One Horseman may be nice, but no more than that. Enemy Archers will tear them apart and Shamans totally mess them up. They're expensive too. Their greatest use is probably killing Mages or an Archer/shaman that has gone slightly off-track. Again, when mobility is required, these units need to rush in and do serious damage. Since Rebels are mostly comprised of low-hp units, horsemen at day can usually rip them apart. Again be careful of archers, as this unit is worth 23 gold. Shield him properly if he is damaged.

* '''Mage''': You'll need these guys to tear though those high elvish 60-70% evasion in the forest; but be careful, Archers and Shamans will retaliate and some pretty nasty things may come from that. One purely positive thing though, they just absolutely destroy Woses. 13-3 at day. Mages are expensive and fragile though, so keep them protected.

* '''Merman Fighter''': If the map has a lot of water, maybe recruit one or two to prevent the Rebel's Mermen Hunters from taking over the waters. Otherwise they don't really contribute much else.

* '''Spearman''': A necessity. To defend at night, to kill pretty much anything except for Woses, and to be cheap and cost only 14 gold. These guys pretty much tear though most of the Rebel units, if it were not only for the high-defense Archer and Shaman. Get a bunch, and move them like a wall against the enemy units.

At the start of the game, recruit 1-2 Cavalrymen, depending on the map size, 1 Mage, (1 Merman Fighter if you need some water coverage), maybe 1 Fencer, and the rest Spearmen. Later on you maybe can recruit some Horsemen if your opponent mass recruits Mages, or more Cavalrymen and Mages if he masses Woses. Otherwise, Spearmen and Mages should help you get through most of the match.

If you're going for speed, recruit 2-3 Cavalrymen, depending on the map, 1 Horseman, maybe 1 Fencer, and the rest Spearmen. Use your Spearmen to fill the holes and consolidate the territory that the horses took over. Use the horses to outrun the archers and attack when they can.

==Loyalists vs Northerners==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png A-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png B-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png C+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png C+

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24orcs%24grunt.png</div>
The main problem you will have when facing northeners are two things: poison and numbers. If northeners didn't have assassins, it wouldn't be much of a big deal; you could out maneuver them with your superior scouting units and skirmishers to grab their villages and then finish them off one by one with spearmen/bowmen. Unfortunately assassins' poison makes defending at night extremely difficult, and by poisoning your units, they often force you to retreat and heal, or die to retaliation. The key to winning this matchup is to use your superior versatility: the northeners greatest weakness is that ALL of their units are very average and don't often have many special abilities. Use your first strike ability of spearmen to defend against grunts, trolls and wolf riders (even at night), use your magic to finish off wounded assassins, and you can charge at any of their wounded units and kill them with one hit. Since all of your units are lawful and theirs are chaotic, you'll want to press your advantage at day and kill as much as possible. Another problem the northeners have is that all though their units are many in number, they do not have a very high damage per hex ratio. Use this to your advantage. Travel in packs, use the Zone of Control lines to prevent your units from being swarmed too easily and keep your vulnerable units like mages behind damage soakers like spearmen or heavy infantries. If you can, try and make night time defenses near rivers. Northeners will hurt themselves when they attack you, as they have low defense in water and are majorly disadvantaged by deep water, because it prevents them from easily swarming you.

Don't attack assassins with bowmen; you don't want to be poisoned and be forced to retreat in your daytime assault.

* '''Spearmen''': Pretty much your best unit against northeners. Their first strike ability is great in defense and their attack power to cost ratio is quite high. They also have good health and can retaliate in ranged. As in many matchups, the bulk of your army.

* '''Mage''': The mage is fragile and expensive and has a weak melee attack, which is the exact opposite of northeners. Not a great defender unless your opponent goes mad with assassins. However, they have lots of attack power at day and are very useful for knocking trolls of their perches and finishing off those pesky assassins. You'll want a few of these, but make sure you keep them protected.

* '''Bowmen''': Good unit to have. They can attack grunts and trolls (although you'd want mages to attack trolls) without retaliation, and can defend against assassins in the night. They can also take out any wolves that stray too far from the main orcish army. They're not as good as mages, but they're cheaper and tougher.

* '''Cavalryman''': Cavalryman are superior to their wolf counterpart and can hold ground against grunts and trolls reasonably well. It's also a good idea if your opponent likes to spam lots of assassins to let them be the target of their poison as they can just run away and heal. Your heavy infantry? Not so much. Be wary of the cheap orcish archer, as cavalrymen are weak to pierce.

* '''Heavy Infantryman''': Heavy infantryman are heavily resistant to physical attacks like blade, pierce and to a lesser degree, impact. You'd think this would make them great units against northeners, if the orcish archer didn't have a ranged fire attack. Heavy Infantry are also too slow to effectively deal with poison, and that's a 19 gold unit that can't fight. However, they are useful in defense if you opponent hasn't recruited too many archers and they can even be useful in attack to crush up injured grunts or other units.

* '''Horseman''': The horseman is a little controversial in this matchup. Northeners are cheap and melee orientated, which is exactly what horseman do badly against. They're also quite tough, which means one hit kills are rare. However, they have one very important advantage over the northeners - high damage per hex. A horseman is very useful for softening up units or outright killing them (particularly when paired with a mage) which will be important in breaking ZoC lines, which can be a real pain with all the units northeners can field. Get one or two at best, else it quickly yields diminishing returns.

* '''Fencer''': The fencer is a melee based unit that is fragile against blade attacks of grunts, which means they don't have an awful lot of fighting effectiveness with them. On the other hand, the fencer's skirmisher ability is really valuable against the many northener units, and can finish off injured archers or go on sneaky village grabbing incursions. One or two might be useful, but not more - this unit is not a serious fighter! Make sure you keep them on 70% terrain if you can as well - two hitter grunts can have trouble taking them out.

* '''Merman Fighter''': Water based melee unit that doesn't do well against the orc nagas, recruit only if there's lots of water and keep them in defendable terrain, else they'll quickly be killed.

As usual, recruit cavalrymen and mermen depending on map (3-4 cavalryman for larger maps, 2-3 for medium sized ones and probably no more than one or two for small maps like Isar's cross). Recruit plenty of spearmen and attack at day.
Make sure you travel in large groups and do not attack with small numbers even at day - northeners will swarm you too easily. Also, make sure you don't overextend yourself at day, as northeners do a lot more damage at night. Pay careful attention to your mages - they will be the one the northies will be going after, so retreat them quickly. When defending, try to avoid attacking units that can retaliate - unless you have a reasonably high chance of killing them that turn. Avoid attacking trolls if you can't heavily damage them or outright kill them - their regeneration will mean they can heal from any scratches your bowmen might have dealt them.

==Loyalists vs Undead==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png A
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png C-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png C-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png D-

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24undead-skeletal%24skeleton%24skeleton.png</div>
This battle is very different in campaigns and in classic multiplayer. In multiplayer, when fighting undead your recruiting pattern will depend on whether your opponent spams Skeleton Archers or Dark Adepts for ranged attacks. If you see lots of skeletons, you'll have to focus heavily on HI and Mages. If you see lots of DAs, you'll want some Cavalry, Horsemen and maybe some Spearmen.

* '''Bowman''': Almost entirely useless. You might use them to poke at Walking Corpses, Ghouls, Vampire Bats and Ghosts, but Mages are much better at all of these things. Only buy a Bowman to counter a large zombie horde.

* '''Cavalryman''': You'll want some Cavalry for scouting and dealing initial damage to DAs so that a Horseman can finish them. They are also decent at fighting Skeletons in the daytime, because Cavalry are blade-resistant. However, the cheap Skeleton Archers will really ruin Cavalry quickly at night, so if there are any Skeleton Archers on the other side you won't be able to use Cavalry to hold territory. If your opponent over-recruits DAs, however, you can use cold-resistant Cavalry to hold territory against them. They are also decent for holding territory against Ghouls because they can run away and heal (unlike your HI).

* '''Fencer''': Fencers are a bad recruit in this matchup because they are vulnerable to the blade and pierce damage of skeletons and cannot damage them much in return. They are also incapable of holding territory against DAs, who cut right through the high defense of Fencers. However, you may want to have a Fencer or two around for trapping DAs or getting in that last hit. With luck, they may also be able to frustrate non-magical attacks from skeletons and the like.

* '''Heavy Infantryman''': You need Heavy Infantry to hold territory against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and they will be your unit of choice for dealing melee damage, especially to the cheap Skeleton Archers. Any HI in the daytime can kill a full-health skeleton archer in two hits, while a strong HI in the daytime can kill a full-health skeleton in two hits, dealing 18 damage per strike (even a Mage in daytime cannot kill a skeleton in one round, unless supported by a Lieutenant). A fearless HI may be dangerous even at night. If you don't have enough HI to go around, you can get your initial hits in on a Skeleton Archer with an HI and finish him with a Mage. Just keep HI away from DAs, and only let Ghouls hit HI if the HI is on a village (or has a White Mage or other healer next to him), since HI can't easily run away to heal. Also beware Walking Corpses, which deal a surprising amount of damage at all times of day since HI can't dodge and impact damage goes around their resistances, and the ranged cold attack of Ghosts. The biggest problem with HI is they are slow, which means they're hard to retreat at night and hard to advance in day. Without shielding units they'll get trapped and killed, and if you have to shield a unit maybe it should be a Mage instead.

* '''Horseman''': Because they deal pierce damage, Horsemen may not be very useful when faced with Skeletons. However, if your opponent over-recruits Dark Adepts, Horsemen can be extremely useful, as DAs deal no return damage to the normally risky charge attack. Horsemen can even be used to finish Skeleton Archers, their nemesis, in the daytime. However, if your opponent recruits enough Skeleton Archers you will have a hard time shielding your Horsemen from their devastating pierce attacks, and Skeleton Archers are dirt cheap. Horsemen can also one-shot bats and zombies, which can be useful if you need to clear out a lot of lvl 0 units quickly. I would want to have at least one Horseman around to keep my opponent from getting too bold with DAs, if not more. Your opponent will be forced to recruit DAs if you have HI in the field.

* '''Mage''': Mages are an absolute necessity against Undead. If you do not have Mages it will be almost impossible for you to kill Ghosts, but with Mages it's a piece of cake. Mages are the best unit for killing almost everything Undead can throw at you, and can even be used to finish Dark Adepts in the daytime. Your main problem is that Dark Adepts are cheaper and deal almost as much damage, so your opponent can spam DAs while you cannot afford to spam Mages. You will also have the difficult task of shielding fragile, expensive mages against lots of cheap Undead units. Your opponent will use Skeletons and Ghouls to attack your Mages when he can, but bats, zombies or just about any other unit will do for killing your Mages in a pinch. Shield your Mages well, surround them with damage soakers and if you can deliver them safely to their targets you'll be able to clear out the Undead quickly.

* '''Merman Fighter''': Mermen make a decent navy against Undead, since bats and Ghosts will have a hard time killing them with their high defense. Even Dark Adepts will find Mermen annoying because of their 20% cold resistance. However, Mermen will have a hard time hurting anything the Undead have with their lame pierce weapon. Generally Mermen are only good for holding water hexes and scouting, but don't underestimate how useful that can be. Some well-placed Mermen on a water map can prevent bats from sneaking behind your lines and capturing villages or killing injured units. Even on mostly land maps, a Merman in a river can help hold a defensive line, or a quick Merman can use a river to slip behind the enemy to trap DAs or other units that are trying to escape at daytime.

* '''Spearman''': Spearmen are mostly useful as cheap units for holding villages and occupying space when faced with Dark Adepts or Skeleton Archers. (You'll want to avoid letting DAs hit your Heavy Infantrymen because of their vulnerability to cold.) However, you don't really want Spearmen to take hits from DAs, it would be better to let the cold-resistant Cavalry absorb the damage. The only units Spearmen are good for attacking are Dark Adepts and Walking Corpses. Spearmen are completely useless against skeletons unless you level one into a Swordsman, and even then they're pretty mediocre. However, if there are lots of Skeleton Archers you won't be able to use much Cavalry or Horsemen, so a Spearman or two may be necessary as defenders and damage soakers even if they are lousy at dealing damage to Undead.

==Loyalists vs Knalgans==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png A
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png B+
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png C-

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24dwarves%24fighter.png</div>
Dwarves are tough and have high defence on their preferred terrain, while their counterparts — outlaws — are mobile and benefit from high defence on non-dwarf terrain, such as flat, forest and swamp. As in the other matchups, an important part of your strategy will be countering their versatility with yours: your mages can defeat high defence ratings, your cavalrymen can outrun (and kill) outlaws, while your heavy infantry can act as road blocks. Nonetheless, the knalgan faction ''does'' have superior tactical flexibility, and you must be aware of that.

Terrain is very important in this matchup, as dwarves are much weaker out in the open. Your units move poorly on rough terrain; it is important that you take note of terrain placement and avoid placing your units in such a way that they can be outmaneouvred. You don’t want your spearman to be forced to fight a dwarvish fighter on a hill or mountain. And if you can grab a mountain, hill or forest hex before your opponent, it means advantage for you. Your enemy has no way to bypass a good defence rating.

* '''Spearman:''' The meat of your army, as usual. Their first strike ability is especially useful against thieves and dwarvish fighters.

* '''Bowman:''' The bowman doesn’t have enough damage potential to break tough dwarves. Spearman will do 7–3 or (if strong) 8–3, and that rises to 9–3 and 10–3 at day; your bowman will only do 6–3 and 7–3 respectively. Mages deal more damage and with higher accuracy. But, mages are fragile and spearmen are melee units, so there are some uses for this unit.

* '''Heavy infrantryman:''' This unit’s resistances make him awesome against the knalgan faction, but he’s too slow (and can’t even occupy mountain hexes!) Avoid over-recruiting, as your enemy will be able to outmaneouvre you and force you to fight on unfavourable terrain. That said, this unit is hard to kill; he can really buttress your force if correctly placed and supported.

* '''Mage:''' The mage’s magical fire attacks are very useful against dwarvish and outlaw units, but they are very vulnerable to ulfs; they also should not be used to attack thunderers/poachers when not on mountain or castle hexes. An important utility unit, but don’t go overboard.

* '''Cavalryman:''' This unit is useful for countering outlaw forces (even poachers: you can attack them before they can attack you) and can hold ground against dwarvish fighters. Unfortunately, thunderers really mess this guy up.

* '''Horseman:''' This unit’s usefulness is debatable. On the one hand, he is a powerful damage dealer at day: thunderers, poachers, gryphons and even fighters will fear him then. On the other hand, the poachers’ and especially thunderers’ pierce attacks are devastating; at night he is a liability rather than asset. Also, he is very risky to attack dwarves or outlaw units on 60% or more defence.

* '''Fencer:''' Another debatable unit. Skirmish and good mobility (especially on those important hill and mountain hexes) allows him to finish off weakened dwarves or hold key terrain. His high defences allow him to dodge the enemy’s attacks. On the other hand: he lacks the damage ability needed to break the opponent’s defences. Personally, I like this unit, but not all players agree.

* '''Merman fighter:''' Good on water. But he he has no other virtues.

==Loyalists vs Drakes==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png A
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png B
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png B-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png D
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png D-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png E

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24drakes%24fighter.png</div>
Battle between loyalists and drakes is intense and you can expect a lot of fire damage from drakes. However, none of your units fears fire. While drakes are 1-on-1 stronger, you can prepare more cheaper units. Also, drakes are friends with saurians, who can push back or destroy your cavalry. Common strategy is also using a lot of spearmen, because they are much cheaper than drakes and drakes are weak to pierce damage. They can also fight well against saurians, because this loyalist unit have much more HPs that saurian skirmishers or augurs.

* '''Spearman''': Great! Great against almost everything. And if you can upgrade one, it is even better against drakes and/or saurians. Same as bowmen, one alone spearman is not very dangerous.

* '''Bowman''': Good unit against drakes, average against saurians. If you opponent buy a lot of drake burners, use several archers and spearmen against them. However, bowmen are weak against drake fighters and clashers during the day.

* '''Horseman''': Great against drakes, but very vulnerable to saurians. However they can greatly weaken strong drakes or even kill them. Make sure you attack first. Not good for defense, do not over recruit. Spearman is simply better most of the times.

* '''Fencer''': Blade attack against saurians, good defense, high mobility, skirmisher - all you need to defend important units at night and ZOCing during day. Make sure that big, powerful drake fighters, gliders and burners cannot run away from your spearmen. Fencers works great with horseman too.

* '''Merman Fighter''': While not needed, their ability to fight saurians in swamps and water can be useful. All drakes with exception of clashers can attack them and not get any retaliation.

Other units are not very important for you. Situationally you can use mermen against saurians in the swamps. Also remember, that you need more units than drake player, so cheap units like spearmen are the way to go. Heavy infandrymen and cavalrymen might be good based on ratio between drakes and saurians.

==Loyalists vs Dunefolk==
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24cavalryman%24cavalryman.png A
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24spearman.png A-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24heavyinfantry.png A-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24fencer.png A-
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-magi%24mage.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24merfolk%24fighter.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24horseman%24horseman.png C
https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24human-loyalists%24bowman.png E

<div class="thumb tleft">https://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/pics/core%24images%24units%24dunefolk%24soldier%24soldier.png</div>
Dunefolk have an obvious advantage over loyalists in ranged combat. Many of their units can attack you without fear of retaliation. Two or your ranged units are weak to their melee and balanced fighters. Dunefolk is similar to elves, so same tactics can be used - hit them hard and do as much damage as possible.

Both factions are lawful, with some small liminal and neutral exceptions. Speed is mostly better for dunefolk, so you will have to combine any of your units with your cavalry. Problem is that your cavalry is weak to pierce damage from rovers, dune scouts and dune skirmishers. Enemy units are also vulnerable to certain attack types, so use it to your advantage.

One of the main problems you might face are dune soldiers. They are very strong in 1v1 fight, so usually it is a good time to attack from multiple sides. Because dunefolk is generally faster, this can be a big problem and some of your units may get encycled. They are also resistant to pierce and blade attacks, making them a walking fortress. It takes a lot of firepower from mages, but they can kill your mages quickly.

* '''Spearman:''' Important unit for both frontline and hunting dune riders. Weak to dune soldiers. Their first strike is very good, so balanced enemy unit will attack him with ranged weapon.

* '''Bowman:''' Bowman are generally weak and easily countered by dunefolk units. Melee-only dune soldiers are resistant to pierce.

* '''Heavy infrantryman:''' Very slow, but also well armored. These guys is your answer to many of the dunefolk units. Because almost everyone is lawful, these guys can slowly march forward, with help of other units. They can be countered hard by dune burners, so try to keep burners from your HIs. Combination of HIs and fencers/cavalryman might be interesting here.

* '''Mage:''' 20 gold for good attacker, that can by slain during the day too quickly. Do not over recruit them.

* '''Cavalryman:''' Vulnerable to pierce, what is very bad against dunefolk. On the other side, they are very good against blade (dune soldiers, dune rovers) and impact (herbalists). They are one of your faster units, so you need them.

* '''Horseman:''' When used correctly and against good enemy, these guys can provide some very needed kills. Dunefolk can withstand their attack with many of their units. 23 gold for a mediocre unit in this battle is too much.

* '''Fencer:''' We can say that they are "cousins" to dune skirmishers. Blade is generally good against dunefolk. Try to hit burners and herbalists. Enemy do not have any marksman or magic attack, so they can be a good roadblock and hunt down enemy wounded units.

* '''Merman fighter:''' Good on water. Neutral nagas are their rivals, so try to attack during the day and guard during the night.

== Specialists ==
How to play specialists: [[How to play Horseman|Horseman]] - [[How to play Mages|Mages]] - [[How to play Skirmishers|Skirmishers]]

[[Category:How to Play]]

UnderTheBurningSuns

2024-02-17T15:58:26Z

Jozrael: /* Kaleh and Nym */

This campaign takes place eons after the others. At the height of Wesnoth's power, an additional sun was magically created and raised into the sky. Millennia later, entropy has had its due: the fertile plains of Wesnoth have turned to desert. There are few survivors from the age of the empire. The focus of these scenarios are the Quenoth Elves, who are particularly well-adapted to living on the sands.

In terms of gameplay, Under the Burning Suns' scenarios tend to be somewhat longer than in other campaigns. They stay interesting by typically changing their victory conditions several times before the scenario is won.

== Campaign-Level Strategy ==

=== Gameplay ===

Under the Burning Suns changes several of the rules you may be used to from other scenarios. Here is a list of the most crucial changes:
* Regarding movement and defense, sand is the new forest for these elves
* Elves' movement cost in caves is 2 (not 3)
* Some units (Fighters, Kaleh, Nym) have multiple attacks per turn, and each attack costs a variable amount of attacks. E.g., if Nym has 4 attacks per turn and her bow costs 2 attacks, she could attack 2 different units or the same unit twice.
* Some units (Sun Singers, Kaleh, Nym) have multi-hex attacks. These DO FRIENDLY FIRE DAMAGE.
* Taurochs have 2 separate attacks that can each be used once per turn.
* Recall costs have been completely changed. Units cost 33%, 50%, and 66% (by difficulty) of their recruit cost.
** This means that a 30g level 2 Warrior on Nightmare is unchanged at 20g, but only 10g to recall on Challenging.
** Your level 1 units with XP are now a pittance to recall!
** Meanwhile a 136g level 3 Tauroch Protector costs _90g_ to recall on Nightmare, and still 45g on Challenging!
** No saving up all your level 3s to trivialize the big fights! Leveling a unit up 'too fast' may make it harder to field in the future beyond its increased upkeep!
* XP costs now scale by difficulty, up to 2x the price on Nightmare!
* Your elves are lawful and subject to the day-night cycle, which has changed quite a bit:
** First Dawn
** First Morning, Midday, Afternoon (3 turns of daylight)
** First Dusk
** The Short Dark (Night)
** Second Dawn
** Second Morning, Midday, Afternoon (3 turns of daylight)
** Second Dusk
** The Long Dark 1-4 (Night)

=== Kaleh and Nym ===

These characters don't level up like ordinary units, with individual trees with over 15 perks each to unlock. If an attack has 'accuracy', it's subtracted from enemy defense. If an attack has 'parry', it's subtracted from enemy attack regardless of who initiates combat.

Kaleh
* Swordsmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Strong Strikes: +2 damage (sword). +1 hp
*** Swordsman: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Taunt: +1 attacks per turn, new attack (7 damage, 1 strike, costs 1 attack, 30 parry). Units hit by this MUST attack Kaleh if they can reach him on their turn. Sword gets +10 parry. +4 hp
*** Run-By (Taunting Strike): REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. Taunting Strike no longer costs movement. +6 hp
* Strength Training: +1 damage (sword, bow). +2 hp
* Bowmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (bow). +2 hp
** Strong Shots: +2 damage (bow). No hp
*** Bowman: +10 accuracy/+2 damage (bow).
** Piercing Shot: REQUIRES STRENGTH TRAINING. New attack (14 damage, 2 strikes, costs 4 attacks, cannot be used two turns in a row. Hits 2 hexes in a row).
*** Stronger Grip: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Overwhelming Power. +10 damage (piercing shot).
*** Overwhelming Power: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Stronger Grip. +11 damage (piercing shot). Piercing Shot can now only be used every third turn, and hits three hexes in a row.
* Stamina Training: +1 movement. +10 hp
** Endurance Training: REQUIRES SEVERAL LEVEL-UPS FIRST. +15 hp.
** Skirmisher: Grants Skirmisher. +3 hp
* Training with Bolas: New attack (6 damage, 2 strikes, costs 2 attacks).
** Slow: Bolas now slow. +2 hp
*** Opportunist: REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. When an enemy leaves Kaleh's ZoC, he will do a single bola strike.
* Inspiring: REQUIRES all of: Swordsmanship, Bowmanship, Bolas, Strength, and Endurance (not Stamina). Grants super-leadership (leadership plus an extra level that affects even L3s).

Nym
* Swordsmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Accurate Strikes: +10 accuracy (sword). +3 hp
** Faster Strikes: +1 strike (sword).
*** Sword Dance: REQUIRES ACCURATE STRIKES, AND FOOTWORK. +10 parry/-2 attack cost(sword, so now it only uses 2 attacks).
* Bowmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (bow). +2 hp
** Quickdraw: +1 strike (bow). No hp
*** Ranger: REQUIRES FOOTWORK. +20 parry/-2 attack cost (bow, so now it only uses 2 attacks).
** Rain of Arrows: New attack (14 damage, 1 strike, costs 4 attacks, hits the hex behind the target, and ALL other hexes adjacent to that hex. So 7 hexes total, centered behind the target). +2 hp
*** Toxic Rain: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Twin Arrows. -6 damage/+1 strike (rain of arrows). Rain of Arrows now poisons.
*** Twin Arrow: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Toxic Rain. +1 strike (rain of arrows).
* Stamina Training: +1 movement. +10 hp
** Footwork: +10 defense on all terrain.
** Skirmisher: Grants Skirmisher. +3 hp
* Training with Bolas: New attack (6 damage, 2 strikes, costs 2 attacks).
** Slow: Bolas now slow. +2 hp
** Run By (Bolas): REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. Bolas no longer cost movement.
* Herbalism: Grants heals.
* Run By (Sword & Bow): REQUIRES SWORD DANCE, RANGER, and SKIRMISHER. Sword and bow no longer cost movement.

=== Unit advancement ===

There's no way to know this beforehand, but you'll have to fight a some big underground battles. The army you build during the first scenarios should be capable of fighting in caves. There are two main variables to consider for underground battles:
# Can each unit move at least 3 cave hexes per turn?
# How can I maximize damage in narrow corridors?

Because of these two priorities, deciding which units to level in early campaigns is very important. For instance, the following units are not as effective:
* After 1.14: Tauroch units, Scout units, and Quenoth Fighters, unless they are Quick
* Prior to 1.14: Marksman, Hero, Scout

There are more effective units:
* Desert Sylphs and Shydes fly over rough terrain. Sun Sylphs also Illuminate, which is crucial for supporting your Lawful units.
* The Fighter line's defense buffs can be effective in caves, so long as they are Quick.

=== Other Units ===
There's no way to know this, either, but you'll be granted several units in the course of this campaign whose sole purpose is to die (or leave you) to serve the story. They are still valuable fighters, but bear in mind how they are not as valuable as your main units -- especially Kaleh and Nym.
* Garak, captain of the Quenoth guards
* All but 1 of the loyal troops (dwarf or troll) who join you underground will leave you before Out of the Frying Pan. They are truly expendable.
* The Flesh Golem, Kromph, will eventually turn on you. Expendable unless you want the 16 XP that will come from killing him by your own hands.
* The fire mage Eyrissa leaves you before Out of the Frying Pan. If you kept her alive, she will grant you a Flaming Sword.

== The Morning After ==

* '''Objectives''':
** Rescue surviving elves in villages
** Defeat the Necromancer (L2) leader to the North
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 32 / ?? (Easy/Medium/Hard)
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym
* '''Starting gold''': 0

Some strange meteors have destroyed the homes of our heroes. Kaleh and Nym must search for survivors by capturing villages inside the city walls. Landing on an empty village will sometimes flush out a few elves. In the beginning, they will be battling Mud-crawlers. Since you have no keep in which to recruit, put the Mud-crawlers to the sword and save all the new units. Note that, unlike other campaigns, Giant Mud-crawlers here will not spawn smaller Mud-crawlers upon their death. Also note that the grey brown trail around the lake is not as good defensively for you as the sand.

The villages will lead you counter-clockwise around the lake. At the southernmost portion of the lake you'll find a shattered bridge leading to a shrine in the center of the lake. You don't have to go there right away, but the scenario won't complete until you rescue the Druid and both Shamans there. Be aware that stepping off the island will trigger the appearance of an enemy Cuttlefish -- use fresh units to wear down its health with ranged attacks before finishing it off with melee.

Garak the Captain will be found with a few recruits on the Training Ground, which is just to the East of the bridge. It's possible that your people headed for the bridge will trigger this encounter - you'll find a bigger mob of Mud-crawlers than you've seen so far, and likely get some bruises cleaning them out. [Wesnoth 1.14.x] Garak's "teaching" ability allows him to share EXP with adjacent units, so don't be afraid to brawl with him.

The villages on the East side of the city represent stables - capturing them will give you Scouts. If the Scouts explore the outer edges of the map, they will find 2-3 more villages and units, but no more Mud-crawlers. You're now ready for bigger game!

Completing the circuit around the lake reveals the destroyed keep on the North side. The tribe leader Tanuil is pronounced dead, Kaleh now leads the tribe. On turn 11, a Necromancer Xanthos will show up to lead the Undead against the elves. Head north to take the battle to his keep. On turn 16, the Quenoth hunting party returns on the North edge of the map, to the west of Xanthos.

== Across the Harsh Sands ==

* '''Objectives''':
** Kaleh must reach "Pinnacle Rock" at the North end of the map.
** Defeat the Outlaw leader.
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 60 / ?? (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Starting gold''': 300

<big>Scenario-specific gameplay rules</big>

In addition to the two-sun daily cycle for this entire campaign, this particular scenario has more particular rules involving water economy, which make it play quite differently than usual: Your refugees are traveling through an "extra-barren" area and they are short on water-skins and even food. They are therefore at risk of ''dehydrating''. The rule for this effect triggering is:

If a unit is:

* At the ''beginning'' of a turn,
* during the ''day'': any of Dawn, Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Dusk;
* On a ''sandy'' hex: sand, road, rubble or sand-dunes;
* ''Without a nearby healer'' - a Shaman, Mystic etc. standing in an adjacent hex;

Then the unit will experience "thirst" and lose:

* - 4 / 5 / 6 HP (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* -1 point of damage on each attack (melee and ranged)

These effects are cumulative. The HP loss may be healed by any healer, during the day or the night - but the attack degradation is only healed at an oasis, i.e. by being located on a water hex at the beginning of a turn.

You may be wondering "What about staying in villages?" - well, there are effectively no villages along your way. Instead, the water hexes of oases heal 8 points of damage, regardless of the source of damage, in addition to removing the effects of dehydration. Thus, an oasis becomes a point of healing, surrounded by no-thirst grassland hexes.

<big>Map Layout</big>

This is a long vertical map. You start at the South end and move North. At your destination there's the headquarters The Black Hand, a band of outlaws. (Not that it's clear what being an "outlaw" even means in a tribal, stateless, semi-nomadic society and in the middle of the desert, but whatever.) Between you and them, other than desert, dunes and mountains, are 4 oases; these are located at east and west edges of the level, with occasional short stretches of road peeking out of the sands, indicating the direction of the next one. The oases are (in order):

# The small oasis you start in.
# An oasis with Giant Scorpions.
# An oasis with a contingent from an outlaw band, The Black Hand.
# An oasis surrounded by a castle (complete with a keep and a leader), inhabited either by:
## A colony of Ogres, or
## A Wight with his undead minions
# A "mirage oasis" which disappears as you near it

<big>Recruitment and formation</big>

While 60 turns might sound like a lot, your navigation in this level is quite constrained: In the day, by the risk of dehydration, and at night by roving Ghosts (see below). So, don't stay in the keep too long; you should be able to handle everything you'll run across with a single castle's worth of troops (6 units) if you're careful. If you're not careful, it doesn't matter how many troops you get. Also, remember there are no villages on your way, and all of your recruits are supported "out-of-pocket".

All your recalled/recruited units can become dehydrated - including healers, therefore you should keep your healers in pairs. A reasonable formation is a "hedgehog" around Zhul and a Quenoth Mystic:

__
__/U \__
/U \__/U \
\__/H \__/
/U \__/U \
\__/H \__/
/U \__/U \
\__/U \__/
\__/

or along a diagonal axis:
__
__/U \__
__/U \__/U \
/U \__/H \__/
\__/H \__/U \
/U \__/U \__/
\__/U \__/
\__/

this is 10 units: 2 healers ('H') + 8 any other ('U') = 4 starting units + 6 recalls/recruits. Out of those six, make one the Mystic/Shaman; another - a Quenoth Scout, and the other four could be, say, two Quenoth Fighters and two Tauroch Riders.

Why place the two healers adjacent to each other? Because a healer, by him/herself, is ''not'' in itself safe from dehydration, so the healers must support each other.

<big>Strategy</big>

Your hedgehog will begin following the remains of the old road East-North-East. You won't be able to keep the hedgehog together if the group travels faster than 5 hexes per turn - the speed of the slowest unit - so that Scout you got will not be very effective right now beyond increasing you range of view. That's okay, we'll be able to let it loose soon. At night, of course, you can break this formation - but you must reform it before Dawn to avoid dehydration.

One reason you might break formation at night is your being attacked by roving ghosts: Indeed, in most areas (outside oases), and at every turn of night (including dusk but excluding dawn), one or two Ghosts will appear near to your units, to "prey on the weak". You're not all that weak, but a Ghost may be able to pick off a wounded character of yours if you just keep the hedgehog formation. If your characters have high HP, you have the option of just ignoring the Ghosts' harassment - after all, your units are ineffective against them (except for Garak), and they against you with your good sand defense; they will spontaneously disappear at dawn.

You should arrive at the second oasis at about first-dusk, and promptly be attacked by the Scorpions - who have decent desert movement and vision range - plus the roving Ghosts. Focus on the Scorpions first, unless you can land a terminal blow on a low-HP ghost; in fact, the Ghosts might even attack some Scorpions for you. After you take out the Scorpions, you'll find a Traveler's Ring. This artifact will make the designated unit invulnerable to hunger and thirst. Give it to your Scout; it can take off on its own without getting dehydrated.

If you somehow got dehydrated on day 1, or took a really bad beating - you might wish to rest in the oasis (remember: +8 HP in the water) before reforming your hedgehog; the bandit bathers' oasis is due West-by-Northwest.

As you approach the midline of the level, you'll find it a hilly region infested by several Ogres. Despite their high HP, they're not so difficult to beat, since they're slow in sand and will not all gang up on you; they're not Chaotic, so they won't get a bonus when you're able to break formation; they have no ranged attack; and - if you catch them on sand hexes, you'll have twice their chance to hit. A Pathfinder (leveled Scout), Nym, or Kaleh - with the hunting skill - can slow them down to make sure even their relaliation loses its sting. The issue you may have here is your formation, which will likely break up (unless you go very slowly), and in daytime will result in some dehydration - that will be a handicap in your next encounter.

If you dispose of the entire group of Ogres, you'll receive a special treat: A Loyal [http://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/mainline/en_US/Dust%20Devil.html Dust Devil] - an elemental earth spirit. It has a respectable arcane-type melee attack, and a nice impact-type swarm ranged attack - both effective against the Undead. If that's not enough - it has 8 MP and low movement cost over most terrain, _and_ it has at least 50% defense everywhere, _and_ it recovers 6 HP per turn on sand or dirt hexes; so it's an excellent scout. It won't be your "tank" against the Undead, though, due to limited HP and its vulnerability to cold and arcane attacks.

The Black Hand's pool outing oasis is next: You'll find a mixed bag of Bandits, Thugs, Poachers and Trappers enjoying the pool (after all, it's not like they have a lot of crime to attend to). If you had your Scout in their sights before, they might have even joined the fray against the Ogres and yourself. By now should have some extra leveled-up units, so it won't be anything you can't handle - especially if you make sure to fight in daytime. The main issue here being the hills and the Ogres having impeded your formation. Depending on how effective you are in keeping everybody together, you might have some units go into battle wounded rather than wait for the healers to attend to them. When you are done here tack East-by-Northeast towards the castle oasis.

Close to the castle, you'll chance upon a Red Mage named Elyssa, who is being changed by a force of skeletal units. You'll obviously save her - you just let her fill the empty spot in your hedgehog formation (with the scout no longer needing its former spot). Remember she's very effective against the Undead - but you need to keep her safe from the counter-attacks of Skeletons and Revenants.

As for the castle itself - there is some random roll-of-the-dice which decides whether you'll find Ogres or the Undead in it. If it's the Wight leader (an L2), it will have an "honor guard" of four units (Ghosts on Medium difficulty), and will have amassed some money for recruiting (it has a high base-income despite the lack of villages). Remember that Wights are quite mobile, and this one won't hesitate to leave its castle to target someone vulnerable.

The last (non-)oasis has a signpost at its entrance, announcing you've reached the home of the Black Hand of (existentially-unemployed) outlaws. When you cross some horizontal line, they will have already begun recruiting in earnest - and between the leader's basic income and their tent villages, they can recruit two units each turn without any gold reserves... So, hurry North. The leader of bandits is named Thorn, an L2 Outlaw (on Medium; probably a fugitive on Hard); when you take him out, he bargains for his life - and when you accept, he takes all of the remaining bandits with him.

The bandit leader's offering in exchange for his life is a vial of Holy Water. As you may recall from other campaigns, the unit which picks it up has its melee attack change type to arcane. Choose carefully - you probably want to give this to a unit with a pierce-type attack, add
Now you have a second unit with a highly-effective attack against the Undead (in addition to the trampling Tuaroch riders).

When you complete your objectives, you get a 20-per-turn early finish bonus (which doesn't correspond to the number of villages), before carryover deduction.

== A Stirring in the Night ==

* '''Alternative Objectives''':
** Survive until the (elongated) night is over with no more than 6 villages lost, or
** Defeat both Undead leaders
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 12 / ?? (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* '''Starting gold''': 200

<big>Layout</big>

This map is on the small side compared to the last scenario - it's just the surroundings of the Elves' encampment for a single night: Tents/villages and some bonfires, on sand and sandy hills, at the edge of proper hills with a bit of forest. The right of the level is a North-South path between the (5-hex + keep) castles of two Undead leaders: A Lich and a Death Knight. They are, in fact, each other's enemies, and you are just in the way: One of your villages is almost smack on the path; and four more are close to it (one turn for a Ghost, two turns at most for other Undead, from the path). Your castle is on the left of the level, with an oasis blocking the way - meaning it takes a few turns to get from there to where the action is.

<big>Strategy</big>

This scenario has a special consequence for the rest of the campaign: Whenever you lose a tent/village to enemy forces in this scenario, its inhabitants are turned to un-death, i.e. part of the group Elvish survivors from your village is lost. The consequence: Higher recruitment price for units, for the rest of the ''entire campaign'', if more than 3 tents/villages are lost. And it doesn't help if you regain a village - those inhabitants are just gone. So - protecting villages from the Undead is job #1.

Seeing how the rival Undead forces are fighting each other, not you - you would expect that such protection shouldn't be that big of a deal. Unfortunately, they seem to be rather fond of tents... Undead units will opportunistically leave the N-S path to capture a tent/village - particularly the high-mobility units like Ghosts and Bats. On the other hand, the Undead also crave mortal flesh (a little retroactive pun there), so when faced with a choice between a village + sentry and an empty village - they won't always go for the village, especially if it's farther away from the N-S path. Still, play it safe and try to man villages that are within an enemy's movement range, whenever this is tenable.

This scenario feels quite different depending on how frugal and speedy you were in your voyage North. If you were reasonable and kept a tight formation with ~10 or a few more units, and didn't meander too much - you should be awash in gold. If that's the case, you will probably want to aim for the two Undead leaders; three rounds of recruitment/recall should be sufficient in this case. On Hard, that might be less feasible even with the extra gold, or require much more cannon fodder. If you've started this scenario with a lot less gold then you're in for more of a challenge, and will be hard-pressed to take the maximalist stance of "no village left behind".

The first couple of turns of the level, though, are not affected by your recruitment - since even scouts will take until turn 3 to even arrive at the Eastern villages. An important first dilemma is whether to protect that easternmost village in "no-man's land", in the middle of the path. Do that, and you've guaranteed most of the Undead's attention will be directed at _you_: They have to go through you to get to their rivals anyway.

As for recruitment and recall - bear in mind that all fighting will be at night - a major disadvantage for you vis-a-vis the Undead. That means it is even more important to use their movement impairment in the sand, to isolate and gang up on them. And you will have a lot of switching-of-positions, to get to villages which come into danger: The Bats and Ghosts will fly around you, and later there's another surprise (see below). Fighters will be rather un-useful for this purpose - slow (even the quick ones) and with the wrong attack types (except if one of your fighters took the holy water potion); Tauroch riders have Impact attacks, and if you have L2 stalwarts they'll defend pretty well from the skeletal units - but they're even slower; when you recall or recruit some on turn X, they will come into play on turn X+3 or X+4 (!), and will be mostly limited to one region of the map.

This means that, in this scenario, the Dustbok riders - the Scout line of units - must shine. You'll need quite a bunch of them to support and replace your early-turn front-line units. They bruise easy, but remember that, after being attacked, they can retaliate and retreat on he same turn (their Disengage ability) - this will come in very handy. You will likely find yourself attacking with a wounded Scout, moving it away, then replacing it with a fresh one, on the same village, and attacking again. When advancing Scouts on this level, Pathfinders will be much more useful than Archers, due to their ability to Slow. This is important to reduce your losses against the damage-bonus-enhanced Undead.

If you plan on disposing of the Undead leaders, try moving in earlier rather than later, even at the price of unit losses, because both leaders make 20 gold per turn before any income from villages, and will often recruit a pair of units per turn. Keep in mind that voodoo ceremony Garak undertook before this battle: If you keep him in good health, he can repeat his attack on an enemy target again and again: The Lich is where you should send him, since its melee is much weaker than the Death Knight's.

On Hard, you're more likely to be on the defensive throughout the scenario - requiring some good luck, as well judicious use of slowing and leadership. If any of your Archers have leveled-up to be Desert Rangers, their Backstab ability may also come in handy.

On turn 7, a contingent of Orcs - a patrol? - moves down the path from the Northwestern outcropping. These are certainly easier to deal with - you can properly stab them; but that doesn't make their weapons sting any less. Make sure and keep your terrain benefit by sticking to the sand. Their leader, Ganthos, has no keep - but he does have an income; so if you let him, he will sneak down the Western edge of the map and use your own keep while his minions ravage the encampment. Finally, note that the Orcs are quite willing to attack the Undead, not just your own units, and may do so if a lot of the Death Knight (Northeast leader)'s minions remain.

Garak will meet his demise at the end of this scenario, in a rather arbitrary way (which, even after being foreshadowed, seems rather arbitrary). But - you can't let him die earlier.

== Descending Into Darkness ==

Starting now, you lose the comfort and protection of the sand. The terrain here is primarily hills and mountains, interlaced with river and swamp. When you initially step into the mountains, Goblins will appear. The mountain road forks West or North. The western fork leads you to a bridge over the river that has a village on either side. Stepping anywhere close to here triggers the appearance of more Goblins and some Naga led by an Orcish Slayer [or Assassin on Easy difficulty]. It's probably more fight than the two villages are worth. However, if you're playing on Medium or Hard, you have to fight these sooner or later - may as well face them now before you get too busy. Plus, you can choose to face them during daylight.

The northern fork takes you over another bridge to the keep of Panok the Direwolf Rider. He moves ridiculously fast, so you might have a hard time pinning him down. His troops are mostly Goblins, so consider him to be a warmup for the tougher foes you'll face in the caverns. Upon his death, he drops a ring and possibly triggers the Naga and the Slayer.

From here, there are two roads: the North, and the West. Both lead to tunnels into the mountains, and each ends in the keep of an Orcish Warlord [Orcish Warrior on Easy]. The exit tunnel could randomly be behind either keep. Though the two keeps are linked by paths inside the mountain, it might be quicker overall to leave Kaleh outside until you determine whether he needs to go East or West. You could either split your troops and tackle the entrances separately, or send the whole bunch down the closest hole. In that case, expect a pitched battle as the furthest Orc reinforces the nearest.

The turn after Kaleh first enters either cavern, he will be pursued by a Cloaked Figure/Dark Assassin. It doesn't matter if Kaleh is surrounded, the Assassin will temporarily displace any Elf or Orc that is in his way when he appears. Other findings:
*If you follow the river where it enters the mountain, it will lead you to a Goblin Impaler guarding a treasure chest. Not exceptionally tough, but he will fight from solid ground while you stand in the water. The chest contains 40 to 80 gold.
*Continuing around the river, there is a passageway [coordinates 18,10] that ends in a pool. If you step into the pool, you will find a glowing blade. You may choose to either take it or leave it. If you take it, that character's melee attack will now deal cold damage, but a monster will appear to block your escape. It's only level one [and cute at that!], but again it will be on dry land while you will be starting in water. It's kind of a long trip, so you'd be unlikely to finish it before the end of the scenario unless you send a Scout or other fast unit. Alternately, if Nym didn't get the Holy Water, have her get it.

== A Subterranean Struggle ==

You're in a tunnel headed East. Soon you will see a squad of Giant Ants in front of you, while a Cave Spider tries to sneak up behind you. If you flee the Spider, stalactites will crush and kill it. Eventually you find yourself in a great chamber where Dwarves and Trolls are doing battle. You are forced to choose which side to ally with, and then you will be required to eliminate the other side. Your choice will stay with you for a few more scenarios, as the campaign forks after this. Fortunately, there is a keep right in front of you, though the battle is currently raging in it.

Soon after choosing sides [probably about the time you get your keep clear], your opponent will pull a sneak attack that nearly wipes out your allies. Most of the rest retreat. Three turns later, they make it up to you by giving some loyal troops to you. If you are allied with the Dwarves, the two tribes of Trolls are Southeast and Southwest from your keep. If you are allied with the Trolls, the two tribes of Dwarves are Northeast and Northwest from your keep.

Guard Kaleh well: some time after receiving your reinforcements (turn 20 on Medium difficulty), the Cloaked Assassin will reappear. This time they will Slow Kaleh and take up to half his hit points. There's some more crazy talk, and the Slow effect lasts until the Assassin has been removed again. Note that even if your troops now succeed in destroying the enemy tribes, this scenario won't end until the Assassin has been dealt with.

==Diverging Campaign Path==
===In the Tunnels of the Trolls===
You start in a small keep with few places to go. The tunnel leading West is where you just came from. To kick things off, move a unit to the East-most dirt hex. At the end of the turn, Dwarven demolitions will make this wall an entrance to the Troll kingdom. You will immediately see a Troll leader and his minions in a keep. Don't get too excited; he's not your target, merely an outpost. However, the clock is ticking, so finish them off quickly. Afterward you might wish to use his keep to recruit an additional healer to support Zhul, and if you have a unit with the cold blade bring them as well.. Since it costs no upkeep, you may as well recall all the Dwarves that you've been given by your allies.

This cavern has exits leading North, East, and South. North only goes to the edge of the map. East leads to some Trolls interrogating some Dwarves. Play your cards right and you'll be able to rescue a Dwarvish Stalwart, who joins your party out of gratitude [though he's not grateful enough to be Loyal...]. South is the exit going toward the objective. This leads into a large lava cavern. Similar to the second scenario, you'll need to keep as many troops as possible gathered around a healer. However, the lava hexes are not safe for your units to end their turns on, other than the flying units. This is going to slow down your progress, as most units will not be able to use all their movement points.

The Troll Shamen blow up the bridge going directly to them, so you'll have to take an alternate route clockwise around the rim of the lava pit. They will conjure up a fire elemental to slow your progress; after you kill it, it will periodically regenerate. Additionally, as you reach certain checkpoints the Shamen will create more Fire Guardians, though these don't regenerate. When you reach the southern part of the rim, you'll be rewarded by a small pool of water that will heal whomever is standing in it by ten points per turn. The rim is interrupted here by a rock projection sticking out to bar your way. After this, you have to proceed by "island hopping".

By the way, there are two passages on the western side of the lava pit that aren't strictly necessary to get to, but might be worth exploring [flying units only]. The lower is blocked by the ghost of a Dwarf who died in the upper. Burying the remains of the Dwarf allows you to proceed further down the lower passageway to a Troll crypt guarded by a Zombie Troll Whelp. Flying over the Chasm allows you to loot the crypt for the poison wand it contains. Whomever picks it up will add poison damage to their melee attacks.

When you reach the spit of land that the Shamen are standing on, one will run to the boss. I got lucky in that the other chose to stand in the lava to get around me. He was a lot easier to finish off then. ;^) After that, follow South and East. The tunnel quickly narrows down to a single lane, and your progress will be impeded by some Whelps. The lair has a pair of alcoves containing Troll dead, who will eventually be turned into Zombies to further slow you down. By the time you deal with these and the army of Trolls the boss is recruiting, you might not have much time left. Finally take out the other Shaman and the Chieftain. Good luck!

<Big>Dealing With Dwarves</Big>

This is mostly just dialog, though if you have kept Elyssa alive she will decide to stay and study the Dwarves. As a parting gift, she presents you with a flaming sword, and you can recruit/recall any unit to take and deal out fire damage. Too bad she'll be drowning soon. The other bad news is that all of your loyal troops will also be staying down here when you go up into the outer world. Only one Dwarf will volunteer to guide you. If you saved the Stalwart, it'll be him.

=== In the Domain of the Dwarves ===
You start in a small keep. Move a unit to the West-most dirt hex. At the end of the turn, Troll fire magic will make this wall an entrance to the Dwarven kingdom. You will immediately see a small contingent of Dwarves in a fortress. Since it costs no upkeep, you may as well recall all the Trolls that you've been given by your allies. Recruit healers and quite a few expendable troops (the Dwarves aren't shy about using Berserkers!).

The area around the fortress has several tunnels. Going clockwise from your current position, the South-East avenue only goes to the edge of the map. South-West leads to a humorous scene of a Dwarven drill instructor berating his troops. Bring two mid-level Trolls, preferably a mix of melee and ranged types to deal with these. Past this will be a Troll being tortured by a Dwarf. He pretty much rescues himself, but joins your party out of gratitude. North-West is the exit going toward the objective. North is a Dwarf guarding what will become a dead end.

The main path crosses two single hex wide bridges over a chasm. After you push the Dwarves back to the bridges, your flying units support your front line from the chasm. The leader of this Dwarven contingent challenges you to get up close and personal. After you do, however, he blows up the main entrance to the Dwarven Keep. Now you'll have to make a right turn detour through the Black Lake.

Bats and Giant Tentacles will accost you in the lake. Your flying units (Zhul, and Sun Slyphs if you have them) will need to head northeast, using coral reef as cover, if they want to assassinate the Dread Bat leader. Meanwhile, your main army should circle westward as quickly as possible -- you can't afford to get bottlenecked by L2 Dwarves if you hope for an early finish. Send a small contingent (supported by a flyer) to the northernmost part of the lake, there is a Dwarven Hermit speaking some Gollum-like speech. When he dies, all your troops will have access to his amulet, which is basically a key. The southeast portion of the lake contains a crypt which the key will unlock.

Looting the crypt gives one unit a belt of strength that is supposedly good for 12 additional hit points. Sun Sylphs are ideal recipients, due to their low health. Upon putting on the belt your exit will be blocked by a ghost -- a piece of cake for a Sun Sylph, but troublesome for most other units.

Back to the mainland, the Chieftain and his troops will be almost directly west of where your people get back on land. There's a wall in the way, though, with entrances on both the North and South portions of it. The southern route is slightly closer, but is also a chokepoint. Send some faster troops the northern way to attack the Dwarves' rear.

<Big>Talking With Trolls</Big>

This is mostly just dialog, though if you have kept Elyssa alive she will decide to stay and study the Trolls. As a parting gift, she presents you with a flaming sword, and you can recruit/recall any unit to take it and deal out fire damage. Too bad she'll be drowning soon. The other bad news is that all of your loyal troops will also be staying down here when you go up into the outer world. Only one Troll will volunteer to guide you. If you saved the victim of Vengeful Dwarf, it'll be him.

== Out Of The Frying Pan ==
Thankfully, this is the last of the underground fighting. It's too bad you can't recruit more of the Dwarves/Trolls you've allied with, as they could really help here. Your opponents have dammed the river and the whole tunnel system is being flooded. This is bad: every turn you will lose several hexes of floor. Recruit/recall no more than a single castle's worth of troops, as you'll lose more to drowning than to fighting. Actually, it's best to not recruit any units, though you should recall the Dust Devil, since it is loyal; you are going to need your gold later at a second keep, and you don't want to pay upkeep until then.

It is best to play this similar to "The Elves Beseiged". Don't fight any more than you absolutely have to, prefer to instead move past the enemies and let them drown behind you. Water areas that you haven't seen yet won't rise, so don't send fast scouts ahead of your slower troops (an exception: the Dust Devil doesn't trigger the "more water" events, except for the one at the end of the secret passage).

The first cavern will have your exit blocked by three of your opponents, be they Dwarf or Troll. Next is a scattering of Giant Ants. They don't put up much of a fight. The exit is the North West tunnel. The following cavern is populated by three humans who decide to attack you. The tunnel behind them is also flooding, so you need to make haste to the western tunnel. The next cavern is marked by a magical warding [looks like clouds] that blocks passage except through the red rune 'gate'. It won't hurt to step onto the rune, but upon leaving it the lead character will be burned for 25%-35% of their total hit points while both gates disappear. Also, a variety mix of undead will suddenly appear in the chamber. Some of them will gather around around the entrance chokehold, so you'll need skirmish ability to effectively assist the now lonely lead character. If you have Grog, best to send him in first, as he can heal up the damage by the time the battle is over. Also, his impact weapon is best used against the skeletons in the back of the room. The same goes for Rogrimir, naturally, but he'll need healing afterward.

There is a secret door at 24,49 that will lead you around the red rune room. It has more water there, though [not to mention the Soulless], so it's another opportunity to have good troops drowned. The cavern where this tunnel connects back behind the red runed room has two blue runes that will heal whomever steps upon them to 100%, but not cure poison. They are also only good for a few uses, so probably just use it to heal Zhul and your badly bruised ally.

The exits out of the blue runed room are thus: South is back to the red runed room. South-West is the water-logged Soulless. North-West is the 'Training Room'. A ghostly teacher in back of the room runs his ghostly students through weapons drills with you as targets. Destroying the students is not helpful, as the master keeps reanimating them. You need to take him out, but the Zone of Control of the students keeps you from getting to him. Yet another call for the Skirmish ability. I don't bother going in there, as there's no real gain for the amount of time you'll have to spend here. What i like to think of as the 'main exit' from the blue runed room is due north. This leads to a sleeping area where you will be assaulted by the skeletal remains of its former inhabitants. Your ally should have half of them cleaned up by the time the last of your troops gets in. This route is slightly longer in terms of hexes than going through the Training Room, but i still get through in fewer turns.

Besides, there is a goody to be had this way: North of the skeletons is the lab area. You'll find the secret door at 17,36. Inside, you'll find a red rune blocking the way, then two more further up. Stepping upon the first rune causes the character to suffer the usual 25%-35% damage PLUS poison. Then the other two runes are covered by angry monsters [failed experiments]. Both are first level. Behind them is a Frankenstein-style monster trapped in a ring of fire. If you Skirmish past the two, you can break the ring to release the second level Flesh Golem. It will fight for you. You have to be careful, as its Berserk fighting style can be a double edged weapon. Nonetheless, it can be useful to have another Chaotic fighter on your side.

The next room beyond either the Training Room or sleeping area is the sacrificial altar. Setting foot in here conjures two second-level fire demons the next turn. Bring out your Cold Blade and whatever ranged weapons you have handy. Note that every time you step on the tiled floor around the altar you are given the chance to pull a lever. Do not pull the lever until all your people are in this room and ready to leave. Pulling the lever opens two secret passages behind the Altar. The eastern is your exit; the western is flooded. Six turns after you pull the lever, the entire temple area will be Deep Water.

The exit goes through a Crypt area that is guarded by a Spider Lich. It is tough, but vulnerable to Fire and impact damage; you should still have both. After you leave the Crypt, you will again be stopped by: the ever mysterious Cloaked Assassin. This time you are able to capture him and get his whole sad story. I think it was about turn 30 or so that i got my people past the dangers of the raging waters. Woo-hoo!: you've made it out into the sand again, and are ready for some real fighting!! Fortunately there's a rather haughty group of humans who seem to think your people are meant to be sacrificed to their 'Dark Lady'.

By all means, start recalling troops to teach them a lesson. You probably need to spend all your gold. Figure the opposition is 20-something in Sergeant Durstrag's tribe plus five messengers and periodic visits by vengeful undead. These will mostly just bother your troops who are near the South end of the valley. Don't bother looking for the messenger; it isn't on the map yet. At some point, a messenger will materialize just East of the oasis. After taking him out, you only have a half dozen or so turns to finish off Sergeant Durstrag or another messenger will be created, along with his escorts. Don't forget the chest of gold just South of your Keep. If the battle goes on long enough, the flood waters will eventually come out of the side of mountain on the West end of the valley and make a new river.

== Blood is Thicker than Water ==
Out of the frying pan, into hot water! Let's break this down into parts for each objective:
===Free the Mermen===
If you click too rapidly through the introductory text you will miss some crucial details: Namely that your enemies lie to the northwest, and that you're looking for ''five'' merfolk. It's worthwhile to get them all, as each will become a loyal troop once freed from the cage. The humans are Loyalist factioned in three tribes. They are not the mysterious 'Iron Council', just followers. The leader is a third level commander while the other two are second level lieutenants. Depending on the level of difficulty, you could be seeing things like Shock Troopers, Swordsmen and Cavaliers. Probably about three keeps worth should be good. If you wipe out all the bad guys before the sacrifice, but don't free all five merfolk, your troops will just wander idly until the time of the sacrifice. Freeing the fifth mermaid starts the rebellion, thus potentially saving a few turns for the end of scenario bonus.

It's easy to miss the the fifth Mermaid, as she is hidden in the small cave just north of the eastmost humans' keep. This is in deep water, so the land lubbers won't be able to help. Have the Mermaid Priestess and another Merman approach the island from the East side. The cage there holds a Mermaid Enchantress and is guarded by a few Walking Corpses/Souless. The other large island in the Northwest is closed off, you won't be able to get there yet. If it isn't obvious, use your freed merpeople very sparingly on land. Unless the humans are standing on the shore, or otherwise making themselves easy targets, just park your finny allies in the water. Sometimes they can jump on a village to prevent a wounded bad guy from getting a rest. If you have dealt with all the humans before turn 16, don't just stand around. Start shifting all the elves where they will next be needed next: the east side of the mainland and the eastmost island. Dwarves, Trolls, and Golems move slowly enough that they probably won't make it to the rebels before the rebellion is over. May as well leave them on the North-West island [the village at 20,23 is a good location] in readiness for the third objective, possibly accompanied by any of your elves with a move of 5.

On turn 16, any merpeople still caught will be pan-fried in a little butter as an offering to the Dark Lady. This is performed by a briefly seen Necromancer named Hekuba. He is a member of the Iron Council. Or is that an Iron Chef? Should any leaders of the Loyalists still remain, they will depart to prepare 'Plan B'. Sigh. It was so much easier to get to them on the mainland. If they are all dead, the Iron Council will then begin 'Plan C'.
===The Rebellion===
After the Dark Lady is newly invigorated by the sacrifice, the apparition of Eloh appears to (and appeals to) one of your elves. He expresses his faith in the apparition, and challenges you for leadership of the elves. You'll have to fight him for supremacy, and you won't be able to recruit new troops until this is over. Zhul will be torn between her admiration of Kaleh and Eloh. She will go to Eloh and sell Kaleh's goodness. The apparition rebuffs Zhul and petrifies her. If you don't have any other healers you might wish to recall some before making the long trek East. The rebel base is the northeast island. This was inaccessible to non-swimmers, but the merfolk will show you some Shallow Water paths to the island. If you're feeling shorthanded, you can wait offshore (backed up by a healer, of course) and hammer the defenders in the water. They seem quite eager to rush out to you. It might take a little longer this way, though.

As you approach the island, some Crab Men will appear and attempt to eat you. They're not terribly tough, but they're in their natural element and you're not. As insurance, have the ranged attack merfolk provide a screen in the deep water around you. The melee attack merfolk could perhaps approach the island from the north side. There is a river that goes right to where Eloh is standing. Four successful hits from Merman Warrior can do it...

If you have Kromph, the Flesh Golem, it will soon fall under the sway of the Dark Lady. It talks to itself for a few turns as a warning. When that happens, best surround it with ranged attacks. It changes sides on the beginning of your turn, so you can blast it before it gets a chance to attack. If you manage to strike down Eloh before she complete's Kromph's sub&shy;version, her final command to it causes it to collapse into a heap of confusion. Oh, but we barely knew ye...

If your costs to recruit are high as a result of the battle between the Spectres, it might interest you to know that the rebel elves are not your target - Eloh and Tanstafaal are. Whenever you destroy the apparition and capture Tanstafaal, the remaining elves will automatically switch over to your side. You might not want the extra overhead for the rest of this scenario, though. (The returning elves are loyal from 1.16.2.) Besides, they screen Tanstafaal so well that most of them will have to be done in to get to him. Oh, and Zhul comes around after the apparition is gone.

===Capture Ships===
The next fight will take place on the formerly closed northwest island. This is the home of the Iron Council - a trio of Necromancers. Hekuba is their leader and stays on his keep. The other two are free to move and not even shy about stepping into the water. Nevertheless, they can hold their own out there at night. Plan C is the Necromancers raising the seabed to provide Shallow Water paths from the island - they actually think they're attacking YOU. Well, pride goeth before a fall. With the settling of the rebellion, you are able to recruit again. If you find yourself needing to do that, you have to chose whether it is better to use Tanstafaal's keep and march them all the way back West, or detour Kaleh down to one of the humans' keeps south of the action.

The troops of the Iron Council include a mixed bag of skeletal types and if plan B is place the human leaders will also be here. Hekuba can recruit the same troops as the humans did, plus more Necromancers, Skeletons/Revenants and Skeletal Archers/Bone Shooters. You'll have quite a fight on your hands to make landfall. After you do get on solid ground things aren't so bad. Of course, if the enemy captures the island at 20,23, you'll have to fight them through the water twice. It's probably better to continue to press them at night to prevent that. It'll be a little easier to take on the Necromancers if you can level up the Enchantress and the Priestess.

The bad guys won't be able to destroy the ships. For game purposes, the ships are actually villages. Thus, the worst thing that can happen to the ships is they get recaptured. The merfolk can't cross or occupy ship terrain - not even after they've been captured. I suppose they would have a hard time climbing ladders. When you have all four, the scenario immediately ends. You might wish to finish off any of your opponents that are close before capturing the last ship.

== Speaking With The Fishes ==
Just dialog. A curiosity is that the queen of the Merfolk - Melusand - is giving all your people a seashell brooch, but doesn't say what they're good for other than they enable her to track your progress!

== The Battle for Zocthanol Isle ==
Wow! This time around you'll have to battle five tribes, plus bats. You immediately have to head West along the southern shore of the island, searching for a keep. You'll soon find a Saurian Oracle who looks like he doesn't really need the keep he's sitting in. It's not a particularly tough fight, but you're under time pressure to immediately begin churning out units. As soon as Kaleh takes his seat in the center of the keep, your loyal merfolk return bringing the remaining ships and a group of merfolk you can recruit. They also capture the villages South of you, so you can immediately begin sending the troops North. Zhul makes a comment about not needing gold if you lose. I will simplify: this is the last scenario in which you do any recruiting, so you may as well bust the budget. You still have to face down four tribes. From left to right:

* '''Naga #1:''' If you follow the Shallow Water from your keep North, it'll lead to a small keep with a Naga Myrmidon. His tribe is not heavily populated, but you'll see them first due to closeness. Send half your loyal merfolk up there to deal with them, and recruit some new merfolk to assist.
* '''Undead:''' Not too far North of your keep will be a Draug recruiting a fairly strong assortment of undead: Blood Bats, Ghosts/Wraiths, various second level skeletal types, Soul Shooters, and Necrophages. On higher levels of difficulty, there will be Spectres and Draugs as well.
* '''Orcs:''' On the northeast corner of the island will be a peninsula. There you'll find a Orcish Sovereign recruiting a stiff mix of Orcs and leveled Wolf Riders, nothing under second level.
* '''Naga #2:''' On the east side of the island is more shallow water leading to another Naga Myrmidon. He is a twin to the western Naga, but he'll have more time to recruit before you get to him. Packs of Naga Hunters shooting poison can be deadly day or night. You can take them out with a mix of fast Elves supported by Mermen and a healer. If you're not used to recruiting merfolk, please note that the Mermaid Initiate is not capable of any healing or curing until she's levelled up.

The other threat you'll face are the bats that show up every dusk and harry you until morning. Easy difficulty gives you five Vampire Bats every night. Higher levels of difficulty take away two of those, but add Blood Bats. Like the Ghosts in the second scenario, these are not worth chasing after. They will, however, pick off the weakest of your troops. Anybody who is below 20 hit points is vulnerable at night. Hedgehog like crazy at night, if you don't have enough units for a massive line. If the bats don't see any likely targets, they will unflag any of your unguarded villages. You don't need the money, however, so who cares?

As soon as you have the keep, victory conditions change to reaching the black citadel. However, that'll take some work, as hordes of undead will soon begin pouring down your way. If you dally in recruiting/recalling, you might get flanked by Direwolf Riders and packs of Naga on your eastern side. Send the Dwarf/Troll (You ''do'' still have him, don't you?) along with Nym, Zhul and what's left of your initial landing to deal with the undead while the faster troops you recall head East along the beach. By all means also send whomever has the holy water North. Your merfolk can nail down your watery flanks, both west and east. You'll also need some sturdy elves to block the gap between the lagoons. You'll need another healer for the eastern front, and ideally a third to support the middle. If you don't have the Mermaid Priestess/Diviner in the eastern group, better send along a Shyde/Star.

Melusand told you that the black citadel was in the center of the island. It is, if by "center" you mean "north side". However, it is surrounded by mountains, so merfolk will be of no help there. If any undead come to the coast, then merfolk spellcasters could be helpful. There's a secret area off the northwest shore of the island that the merfolk could explore if they have nothing better to do. A wrecked ship is guarded by a Sea Serpent. Just South of the ship is a sunken treasure worth a little gold. We're really not worried about gold anymore, however. Northwest of the wreck is a sandbar containing another merman in a cage. Inside is a badly wounded Merman Triton. You can send him and the rest of your mermen east across the top of the board and then down to the orc leader.

You might reach the black citadel before finishing off the Orc. If so, victory conditions change: you will need to kill both the undead and orcish leaders before being able to open the door. After finishing them off, victory conditions change again: now get any unit to the door of the black citadel. Since you probably won't need ''everybody'' to take on the Orc, you may as well leave somebody near the citadel. When the door is open, there's some drama that ends up in having Kaleh, Nym, and Zhul go into the citadel to again face the apparition of Eloh. If your ally is still alive, he comes along as well.

== The Final Confrontation ==
Earlier I alluded to the fact that during this battle you won't be able to recruit. You come into a hexagonal cave/chamber that is partially paved and partly rock floor. It somewhat reminded me of "The Duel" scenario ending the Eastern Invasion campaign. It's just the people I mentioned in the last paragraph of the Zocthanol scenario: Kaleh, Nym, Zhul and possibly Grog or Rogrimir. The Apparition of Eloh will be in the front of you, and she will have charmed some of your young troops to use against you. The objective is to defeat the apparition, quite possibly the easiest objective ever. By all means have the ally go first, since he will move faster and defend better on the cavern floor. When i did it, Grog the Troll Warrior took her out in a single move: both swings connected and she was done.

While this may not be as emotionally satisfying as having Kaleh or Zhul finish her off, it has the beneficial effect of leaving more characters able to move to fulfill the second objective. The two recruits are freed from their charm, if you are able to keep them alive in this pit of despair. After the apparition is gone you get to see "the man behind the curtain" so to speak. The evil creature doing all this isn't a standard brand demon, but some relation to Cthulhu. Yechnagoth is composed of a brain (Central Body), energy source (Pulsing Spires), and multiple fists (Crawling Horrors.) Don't even waste your time attacking the Central Body yet. Note that the Spires are a different team than the others.

As long as the Pulsing Spires are alive, the Central Body has 100% resistance to any attack AND it fully heals every turn. Every turn it can attack any adjacent unit, spray slime [hurts 10-12 points and slows] on any unit in the cavern, AND summon one or more new Crawlers. There is no turn limit, but you want to hurry before you get overwhelmed by Crawling Horrors. Due to my lucky start, I was able to finish before turn 5. The Spires have no melee attack, so hammer them as you reach them. (Well, even their ranged attack is nothing to write home about.) Even though the paved parts of the floor all lead to the Central Body, try not to have any character end their turn next to it until the Pulsing Spires are gone. You might find yourself using the hedgehog again, with characters not actively attacking surrounding Zhul to heal up from the constant depredations of the Crawlers.

After you have taken out the third Spire, the Central Body becomes a Weakened Central Body, which is a much more reasonable opponent. The healing stops, and the hit points, resistances and attack damages drop. Again, two mighty hammer blows could finish it off. Congratulations! You've just won yourself a tropical paradise island!!

[[Category:Campaigns - Walkthroughs]]

UnderTheBurningSuns

2024-02-17T06:13:22Z

Jozrael: /* Kaleh and Nym */

This campaign takes place eons after the others. At the height of Wesnoth's power, an additional sun was magically created and raised into the sky. Millennia later, entropy has had its due: the fertile plains of Wesnoth have turned to desert. There are few survivors from the age of the empire. The focus of these scenarios are the Quenoth Elves, who are particularly well-adapted to living on the sands.

In terms of gameplay, Under the Burning Suns' scenarios tend to be somewhat longer than in other campaigns. They stay interesting by typically changing their victory conditions several times before the scenario is won.

== Campaign-Level Strategy ==

=== Gameplay ===

Under the Burning Suns changes several of the rules you may be used to from other scenarios. Here is a list of the most crucial changes:
* Regarding movement and defense, sand is the new forest for these elves
* Elves' movement cost in caves is 2 (not 3)
* Some units (Fighters, Kaleh, Nym) have multiple attacks per turn, and each attack costs a variable amount of attacks. E.g., if Nym has 4 attacks per turn and her bow costs 2 attacks, she could attack 2 different units or the same unit twice.
* Some units (Sun Singers, Kaleh, Nym) have multi-hex attacks. These DO FRIENDLY FIRE DAMAGE.
* Taurochs have 2 separate attacks that can each be used once per turn.
* Recall costs have been completely changed. Units cost 33%, 50%, and 66% (by difficulty) of their recruit cost.
** This means that a 30g level 2 Warrior on Nightmare is unchanged at 20g, but only 10g to recall on Challenging.
** Your level 1 units with XP are now a pittance to recall!
** Meanwhile a 136g level 3 Tauroch Protector costs _90g_ to recall on Nightmare, and still 45g on Challenging!
** No saving up all your level 3s to trivialize the big fights! Leveling a unit up 'too fast' may make it harder to field in the future beyond its increased upkeep!
* XP costs now scale by difficulty, up to 2x the price on Nightmare!
* Your elves are lawful and subject to the day-night cycle, which has changed quite a bit:
** First Dawn
** First Morning, Midday, Afternoon (3 turns of daylight)
** First Dusk
** The Short Dark (Night)
** Second Dawn
** Second Morning, Midday, Afternoon (3 turns of daylight)
** Second Dusk
** The Long Dark 1-4 (Night)

=== Kaleh and Nym ===

These characters don't level up like ordinary units, with individual trees with over 15 perks each to unlock. If an attack has 'accuracy', it's subtracted from enemy defense. If an attack has 'parry', it's subtracted from enemy attack regardless of who initiates combat.

Kaleh
* Swordsmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Strong Strikes: +2 damage (sword). +1 hp
*** Swordsman: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Taunt: +1 attacks per turn, new attack (7 damage, 1 strike, costs 1 attack, 30 parry). Units hit by this MUST attack Kaleh if they can reach him on their turn. Sword gets +10 parry. +4 hp
*** Run-By (Taunting Strike): REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. Taunting Strike no longer costs movement. +6 hp
* Strength Training: +1 damage (sword, bow). +2 hp
* Bowmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (bow). +2 hp
** Strong Shots: +2 damage (bow). No hp
*** Bowman: +10 accuracy/+2 damage (bow).
** Piercing Shot: REQUIRES STRENGTH TRAINING. New attack (14 damage, 2 strikes, costs 4 attacks, cannot be used two turns in a row. Hits 2 hexes in a row).
*** Stronger Grip: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Overwhelming Power. +10 damage (piercing shot).
*** Overwhelming Power: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Stronger Grip. +11 damage (piercing shot). Piercing Shot can now only be used every third turn, and hits three hexes in a row.
* Stamina Training: +1 movement. +10 hp
** Endurance Training: REQUIRES SEVERAL LEVEL-UPS FIRST. +15 hp.
** Skirmisher: Grants Skirmisher. +3 hp
* Training with Bolas: New attack (6 damage, 2 strikes, costs 2 attacks).
** Slow: Bolas now slow. +2 hp
*** Opportunist: REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. When an enemy leaves Kaleh's ZoC, he will do a single bola strike.
* Inspiring: REQUIRES all of: Swordsmanship, Bowmanship, Bolas, Strength, and Endurance (not Stamina). Grants effectively a level of leadership, that stacks with leadership.

Nym
* Swordsmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Accurate Strikes: +10 accuracy (sword). +3 hp
** Faster Strikes: +1 strike (sword).
*** Sword Dance: REQUIRES ACCURATE STRIKES, AND FOOTWORK. +10 parry/-2 attack cost(sword, so now it only uses 2 attacks).
* Bowmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (bow). +2 hp
** Quickdraw: +1 strike (bow). No hp
*** Ranger: REQUIRES FOOTWORK. +20 parry/-2 attack cost (bow, so now it only uses 2 attacks).
** Rain of Arrows: New attack (14 damage, 1 strike, costs 4 attacks, hits the hex behind the target, and ALL other hexes adjacent to that hex. So 7 hexes total, centered behind the target). +2 hp
*** Toxic Rain: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Twin Arrows. -6 damage/+1 strike (rain of arrows). Rain of Arrows now poisons.
*** Twin Arrow: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Toxic Rain. +1 strike (rain of arrows).
* Stamina Training: +1 movement. +10 hp
** Footwork: +10 defense on all terrain.
** Skirmisher: Grants Skirmisher. +3 hp
* Training with Bolas: New attack (6 damage, 2 strikes, costs 2 attacks).
** Slow: Bolas now slow. +2 hp
** Run By (Bolas): REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. Bolas no longer cost movement.
* Herbalism: Grants heals.
* Run By (Sword & Bow): REQUIRES SWORD DANCE, RANGER, and SKIRMISHER. Sword and bow no longer cost movement.

=== Unit advancement ===

There's no way to know this beforehand, but you'll have to fight a some big underground battles. The army you build during the first scenarios should be capable of fighting in caves. There are two main variables to consider for underground battles:
# Can each unit move at least 3 cave hexes per turn?
# How can I maximize damage in narrow corridors?

Because of these two priorities, deciding which units to level in early campaigns is very important. For instance, the following units are not as effective:
* After 1.14: Tauroch units, Scout units, and Quenoth Fighters, unless they are Quick
* Prior to 1.14: Marksman, Hero, Scout

There are more effective units:
* Desert Sylphs and Shydes fly over rough terrain. Sun Sylphs also Illuminate, which is crucial for supporting your Lawful units.
* The Fighter line's defense buffs can be effective in caves, so long as they are Quick.

=== Other Units ===
There's no way to know this, either, but you'll be granted several units in the course of this campaign whose sole purpose is to die (or leave you) to serve the story. They are still valuable fighters, but bear in mind how they are not as valuable as your main units -- especially Kaleh and Nym.
* Garak, captain of the Quenoth guards
* All but 1 of the loyal troops (dwarf or troll) who join you underground will leave you before Out of the Frying Pan. They are truly expendable.
* The Flesh Golem, Kromph, will eventually turn on you. Expendable unless you want the 16 XP that will come from killing him by your own hands.
* The fire mage Eyrissa leaves you before Out of the Frying Pan. If you kept her alive, she will grant you a Flaming Sword.

== The Morning After ==

* '''Objectives''':
** Rescue surviving elves in villages
** Defeat the Necromancer (L2) leader to the North
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 32 / ?? (Easy/Medium/Hard)
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym
* '''Starting gold''': 0

Some strange meteors have destroyed the homes of our heroes. Kaleh and Nym must search for survivors by capturing villages inside the city walls. Landing on an empty village will sometimes flush out a few elves. In the beginning, they will be battling Mud-crawlers. Since you have no keep in which to recruit, put the Mud-crawlers to the sword and save all the new units. Note that, unlike other campaigns, Giant Mud-crawlers here will not spawn smaller Mud-crawlers upon their death. Also note that the grey brown trail around the lake is not as good defensively for you as the sand.

The villages will lead you counter-clockwise around the lake. At the southernmost portion of the lake you'll find a shattered bridge leading to a shrine in the center of the lake. You don't have to go there right away, but the scenario won't complete until you rescue the Druid and both Shamans there. Be aware that stepping off the island will trigger the appearance of an enemy Cuttlefish -- use fresh units to wear down its health with ranged attacks before finishing it off with melee.

Garak the Captain will be found with a few recruits on the Training Ground, which is just to the East of the bridge. It's possible that your people headed for the bridge will trigger this encounter - you'll find a bigger mob of Mud-crawlers than you've seen so far, and likely get some bruises cleaning them out. [Wesnoth 1.14.x] Garak's "teaching" ability allows him to share EXP with adjacent units, so don't be afraid to brawl with him.

The villages on the East side of the city represent stables - capturing them will give you Scouts. If the Scouts explore the outer edges of the map, they will find 2-3 more villages and units, but no more Mud-crawlers. You're now ready for bigger game!

Completing the circuit around the lake reveals the destroyed keep on the North side. The tribe leader Tanuil is pronounced dead, Kaleh now leads the tribe. On turn 11, a Necromancer Xanthos will show up to lead the Undead against the elves. Head north to take the battle to his keep. On turn 16, the Quenoth hunting party returns on the North edge of the map, to the west of Xanthos.

== Across the Harsh Sands ==

* '''Objectives''':
** Kaleh must reach "Pinnacle Rock" at the North end of the map.
** Defeat the Outlaw leader.
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 60 / ?? (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Starting gold''': 300

<big>Scenario-specific gameplay rules</big>

In addition to the two-sun daily cycle for this entire campaign, this particular scenario has more particular rules involving water economy, which make it play quite differently than usual: Your refugees are traveling through an "extra-barren" area and they are short on water-skins and even food. They are therefore at risk of ''dehydrating''. The rule for this effect triggering is:

If a unit is:

* At the ''beginning'' of a turn,
* during the ''day'': any of Dawn, Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Dusk;
* On a ''sandy'' hex: sand, road, rubble or sand-dunes;
* ''Without a nearby healer'' - a Shaman, Mystic etc. standing in an adjacent hex;

Then the unit will experience "thirst" and lose:

* - 4 / 5 / 6 HP (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* -1 point of damage on each attack (melee and ranged)

These effects are cumulative. The HP loss may be healed by any healer, during the day or the night - but the attack degradation is only healed at an oasis, i.e. by being located on a water hex at the beginning of a turn.

You may be wondering "What about staying in villages?" - well, there are effectively no villages along your way. Instead, the water hexes of oases heal 8 points of damage, regardless of the source of damage, in addition to removing the effects of dehydration. Thus, an oasis becomes a point of healing, surrounded by no-thirst grassland hexes.

<big>Map Layout</big>

This is a long vertical map. You start at the South end and move North. At your destination there's the headquarters The Black Hand, a band of outlaws. (Not that it's clear what being an "outlaw" even means in a tribal, stateless, semi-nomadic society and in the middle of the desert, but whatever.) Between you and them, other than desert, dunes and mountains, are 4 oases; these are located at east and west edges of the level, with occasional short stretches of road peeking out of the sands, indicating the direction of the next one. The oases are (in order):

# The small oasis you start in.
# An oasis with Giant Scorpions.
# An oasis with a contingent from an outlaw band, The Black Hand.
# An oasis surrounded by a castle (complete with a keep and a leader), inhabited either by:
## A colony of Ogres, or
## A Wight with his undead minions
# A "mirage oasis" which disappears as you near it

<big>Recruitment and formation</big>

While 60 turns might sound like a lot, your navigation in this level is quite constrained: In the day, by the risk of dehydration, and at night by roving Ghosts (see below). So, don't stay in the keep too long; you should be able to handle everything you'll run across with a single castle's worth of troops (6 units) if you're careful. If you're not careful, it doesn't matter how many troops you get. Also, remember there are no villages on your way, and all of your recruits are supported "out-of-pocket".

All your recalled/recruited units can become dehydrated - including healers, therefore you should keep your healers in pairs. A reasonable formation is a "hedgehog" around Zhul and a Quenoth Mystic:

__
__/U \__
/U \__/U \
\__/H \__/
/U \__/U \
\__/H \__/
/U \__/U \
\__/U \__/
\__/

or along a diagonal axis:
__
__/U \__
__/U \__/U \
/U \__/H \__/
\__/H \__/U \
/U \__/U \__/
\__/U \__/
\__/

this is 10 units: 2 healers ('H') + 8 any other ('U') = 4 starting units + 6 recalls/recruits. Out of those six, make one the Mystic/Shaman; another - a Quenoth Scout, and the other four could be, say, two Quenoth Fighters and two Tauroch Riders.

Why place the two healers adjacent to each other? Because a healer, by him/herself, is ''not'' in itself safe from dehydration, so the healers must support each other.

<big>Strategy</big>

Your hedgehog will begin following the remains of the old road East-North-East. You won't be able to keep the hedgehog together if the group travels faster than 5 hexes per turn - the speed of the slowest unit - so that Scout you got will not be very effective right now beyond increasing you range of view. That's okay, we'll be able to let it loose soon. At night, of course, you can break this formation - but you must reform it before Dawn to avoid dehydration.

One reason you might break formation at night is your being attacked by roving ghosts: Indeed, in most areas (outside oases), and at every turn of night (including dusk but excluding dawn), one or two Ghosts will appear near to your units, to "prey on the weak". You're not all that weak, but a Ghost may be able to pick off a wounded character of yours if you just keep the hedgehog formation. If your characters have high HP, you have the option of just ignoring the Ghosts' harassment - after all, your units are ineffective against them (except for Garak), and they against you with your good sand defense; they will spontaneously disappear at dawn.

You should arrive at the second oasis at about first-dusk, and promptly be attacked by the Scorpions - who have decent desert movement and vision range - plus the roving Ghosts. Focus on the Scorpions first, unless you can land a terminal blow on a low-HP ghost; in fact, the Ghosts might even attack some Scorpions for you. After you take out the Scorpions, you'll find a Traveler's Ring. This artifact will make the designated unit invulnerable to hunger and thirst. Give it to your Scout; it can take off on its own without getting dehydrated.

If you somehow got dehydrated on day 1, or took a really bad beating - you might wish to rest in the oasis (remember: +8 HP in the water) before reforming your hedgehog; the bandit bathers' oasis is due West-by-Northwest.

As you approach the midline of the level, you'll find it a hilly region infested by several Ogres. Despite their high HP, they're not so difficult to beat, since they're slow in sand and will not all gang up on you; they're not Chaotic, so they won't get a bonus when you're able to break formation; they have no ranged attack; and - if you catch them on sand hexes, you'll have twice their chance to hit. A Pathfinder (leveled Scout), Nym, or Kaleh - with the hunting skill - can slow them down to make sure even their relaliation loses its sting. The issue you may have here is your formation, which will likely break up (unless you go very slowly), and in daytime will result in some dehydration - that will be a handicap in your next encounter.

If you dispose of the entire group of Ogres, you'll receive a special treat: A Loyal [http://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/mainline/en_US/Dust%20Devil.html Dust Devil] - an elemental earth spirit. It has a respectable arcane-type melee attack, and a nice impact-type swarm ranged attack - both effective against the Undead. If that's not enough - it has 8 MP and low movement cost over most terrain, _and_ it has at least 50% defense everywhere, _and_ it recovers 6 HP per turn on sand or dirt hexes; so it's an excellent scout. It won't be your "tank" against the Undead, though, due to limited HP and its vulnerability to cold and arcane attacks.

The Black Hand's pool outing oasis is next: You'll find a mixed bag of Bandits, Thugs, Poachers and Trappers enjoying the pool (after all, it's not like they have a lot of crime to attend to). If you had your Scout in their sights before, they might have even joined the fray against the Ogres and yourself. By now should have some extra leveled-up units, so it won't be anything you can't handle - especially if you make sure to fight in daytime. The main issue here being the hills and the Ogres having impeded your formation. Depending on how effective you are in keeping everybody together, you might have some units go into battle wounded rather than wait for the healers to attend to them. When you are done here tack East-by-Northeast towards the castle oasis.

Close to the castle, you'll chance upon a Red Mage named Elyssa, who is being changed by a force of skeletal units. You'll obviously save her - you just let her fill the empty spot in your hedgehog formation (with the scout no longer needing its former spot). Remember she's very effective against the Undead - but you need to keep her safe from the counter-attacks of Skeletons and Revenants.

As for the castle itself - there is some random roll-of-the-dice which decides whether you'll find Ogres or the Undead in it. If it's the Wight leader (an L2), it will have an "honor guard" of four units (Ghosts on Medium difficulty), and will have amassed some money for recruiting (it has a high base-income despite the lack of villages). Remember that Wights are quite mobile, and this one won't hesitate to leave its castle to target someone vulnerable.

The last (non-)oasis has a signpost at its entrance, announcing you've reached the home of the Black Hand of (existentially-unemployed) outlaws. When you cross some horizontal line, they will have already begun recruiting in earnest - and between the leader's basic income and their tent villages, they can recruit two units each turn without any gold reserves... So, hurry North. The leader of bandits is named Thorn, an L2 Outlaw (on Medium; probably a fugitive on Hard); when you take him out, he bargains for his life - and when you accept, he takes all of the remaining bandits with him.

The bandit leader's offering in exchange for his life is a vial of Holy Water. As you may recall from other campaigns, the unit which picks it up has its melee attack change type to arcane. Choose carefully - you probably want to give this to a unit with a pierce-type attack, add
Now you have a second unit with a highly-effective attack against the Undead (in addition to the trampling Tuaroch riders).

When you complete your objectives, you get a 20-per-turn early finish bonus (which doesn't correspond to the number of villages), before carryover deduction.

== A Stirring in the Night ==

* '''Alternative Objectives''':
** Survive until the (elongated) night is over with no more than 6 villages lost, or
** Defeat both Undead leaders
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 12 / ?? (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* '''Starting gold''': 200

<big>Layout</big>

This map is on the small side compared to the last scenario - it's just the surroundings of the Elves' encampment for a single night: Tents/villages and some bonfires, on sand and sandy hills, at the edge of proper hills with a bit of forest. The right of the level is a North-South path between the (5-hex + keep) castles of two Undead leaders: A Lich and a Death Knight. They are, in fact, each other's enemies, and you are just in the way: One of your villages is almost smack on the path; and four more are close to it (one turn for a Ghost, two turns at most for other Undead, from the path). Your castle is on the left of the level, with an oasis blocking the way - meaning it takes a few turns to get from there to where the action is.

<big>Strategy</big>

This scenario has a special consequence for the rest of the campaign: Whenever you lose a tent/village to enemy forces in this scenario, its inhabitants are turned to un-death, i.e. part of the group Elvish survivors from your village is lost. The consequence: Higher recruitment price for units, for the rest of the ''entire campaign'', if more than 3 tents/villages are lost. And it doesn't help if you regain a village - those inhabitants are just gone. So - protecting villages from the Undead is job #1.

Seeing how the rival Undead forces are fighting each other, not you - you would expect that such protection shouldn't be that big of a deal. Unfortunately, they seem to be rather fond of tents... Undead units will opportunistically leave the N-S path to capture a tent/village - particularly the high-mobility units like Ghosts and Bats. On the other hand, the Undead also crave mortal flesh (a little retroactive pun there), so when faced with a choice between a village + sentry and an empty village - they won't always go for the village, especially if it's farther away from the N-S path. Still, play it safe and try to man villages that are within an enemy's movement range, whenever this is tenable.

This scenario feels quite different depending on how frugal and speedy you were in your voyage North. If you were reasonable and kept a tight formation with ~10 or a few more units, and didn't meander too much - you should be awash in gold. If that's the case, you will probably want to aim for the two Undead leaders; three rounds of recruitment/recall should be sufficient in this case. On Hard, that might be less feasible even with the extra gold, or require much more cannon fodder. If you've started this scenario with a lot less gold then you're in for more of a challenge, and will be hard-pressed to take the maximalist stance of "no village left behind".

The first couple of turns of the level, though, are not affected by your recruitment - since even scouts will take until turn 3 to even arrive at the Eastern villages. An important first dilemma is whether to protect that easternmost village in "no-man's land", in the middle of the path. Do that, and you've guaranteed most of the Undead's attention will be directed at _you_: They have to go through you to get to their rivals anyway.

As for recruitment and recall - bear in mind that all fighting will be at night - a major disadvantage for you vis-a-vis the Undead. That means it is even more important to use their movement impairment in the sand, to isolate and gang up on them. And you will have a lot of switching-of-positions, to get to villages which come into danger: The Bats and Ghosts will fly around you, and later there's another surprise (see below). Fighters will be rather un-useful for this purpose - slow (even the quick ones) and with the wrong attack types (except if one of your fighters took the holy water potion); Tauroch riders have Impact attacks, and if you have L2 stalwarts they'll defend pretty well from the skeletal units - but they're even slower; when you recall or recruit some on turn X, they will come into play on turn X+3 or X+4 (!), and will be mostly limited to one region of the map.

This means that, in this scenario, the Dustbok riders - the Scout line of units - must shine. You'll need quite a bunch of them to support and replace your early-turn front-line units. They bruise easy, but remember that, after being attacked, they can retaliate and retreat on he same turn (their Disengage ability) - this will come in very handy. You will likely find yourself attacking with a wounded Scout, moving it away, then replacing it with a fresh one, on the same village, and attacking again. When advancing Scouts on this level, Pathfinders will be much more useful than Archers, due to their ability to Slow. This is important to reduce your losses against the damage-bonus-enhanced Undead.

If you plan on disposing of the Undead leaders, try moving in earlier rather than later, even at the price of unit losses, because both leaders make 20 gold per turn before any income from villages, and will often recruit a pair of units per turn. Keep in mind that voodoo ceremony Garak undertook before this battle: If you keep him in good health, he can repeat his attack on an enemy target again and again: The Lich is where you should send him, since its melee is much weaker than the Death Knight's.

On Hard, you're more likely to be on the defensive throughout the scenario - requiring some good luck, as well judicious use of slowing and leadership. If any of your Archers have leveled-up to be Desert Rangers, their Backstab ability may also come in handy.

On turn 7, a contingent of Orcs - a patrol? - moves down the path from the Northwestern outcropping. These are certainly easier to deal with - you can properly stab them; but that doesn't make their weapons sting any less. Make sure and keep your terrain benefit by sticking to the sand. Their leader, Ganthos, has no keep - but he does have an income; so if you let him, he will sneak down the Western edge of the map and use your own keep while his minions ravage the encampment. Finally, note that the Orcs are quite willing to attack the Undead, not just your own units, and may do so if a lot of the Death Knight (Northeast leader)'s minions remain.

Garak will meet his demise at the end of this scenario, in a rather arbitrary way (which, even after being foreshadowed, seems rather arbitrary). But - you can't let him die earlier.

== Descending Into Darkness ==

Starting now, you lose the comfort and protection of the sand. The terrain here is primarily hills and mountains, interlaced with river and swamp. When you initially step into the mountains, Goblins will appear. The mountain road forks West or North. The western fork leads you to a bridge over the river that has a village on either side. Stepping anywhere close to here triggers the appearance of more Goblins and some Naga led by an Orcish Slayer [or Assassin on Easy difficulty]. It's probably more fight than the two villages are worth. However, if you're playing on Medium or Hard, you have to fight these sooner or later - may as well face them now before you get too busy. Plus, you can choose to face them during daylight.

The northern fork takes you over another bridge to the keep of Panok the Direwolf Rider. He moves ridiculously fast, so you might have a hard time pinning him down. His troops are mostly Goblins, so consider him to be a warmup for the tougher foes you'll face in the caverns. Upon his death, he drops a ring and possibly triggers the Naga and the Slayer.

From here, there are two roads: the North, and the West. Both lead to tunnels into the mountains, and each ends in the keep of an Orcish Warlord [Orcish Warrior on Easy]. The exit tunnel could randomly be behind either keep. Though the two keeps are linked by paths inside the mountain, it might be quicker overall to leave Kaleh outside until you determine whether he needs to go East or West. You could either split your troops and tackle the entrances separately, or send the whole bunch down the closest hole. In that case, expect a pitched battle as the furthest Orc reinforces the nearest.

The turn after Kaleh first enters either cavern, he will be pursued by a Cloaked Figure/Dark Assassin. It doesn't matter if Kaleh is surrounded, the Assassin will temporarily displace any Elf or Orc that is in his way when he appears. Other findings:
*If you follow the river where it enters the mountain, it will lead you to a Goblin Impaler guarding a treasure chest. Not exceptionally tough, but he will fight from solid ground while you stand in the water. The chest contains 40 to 80 gold.
*Continuing around the river, there is a passageway [coordinates 18,10] that ends in a pool. If you step into the pool, you will find a glowing blade. You may choose to either take it or leave it. If you take it, that character's melee attack will now deal cold damage, but a monster will appear to block your escape. It's only level one [and cute at that!], but again it will be on dry land while you will be starting in water. It's kind of a long trip, so you'd be unlikely to finish it before the end of the scenario unless you send a Scout or other fast unit. Alternately, if Nym didn't get the Holy Water, have her get it.

== A Subterranean Struggle ==

You're in a tunnel headed East. Soon you will see a squad of Giant Ants in front of you, while a Cave Spider tries to sneak up behind you. If you flee the Spider, stalactites will crush and kill it. Eventually you find yourself in a great chamber where Dwarves and Trolls are doing battle. You are forced to choose which side to ally with, and then you will be required to eliminate the other side. Your choice will stay with you for a few more scenarios, as the campaign forks after this. Fortunately, there is a keep right in front of you, though the battle is currently raging in it.

Soon after choosing sides [probably about the time you get your keep clear], your opponent will pull a sneak attack that nearly wipes out your allies. Most of the rest retreat. Three turns later, they make it up to you by giving some loyal troops to you. If you are allied with the Dwarves, the two tribes of Trolls are Southeast and Southwest from your keep. If you are allied with the Trolls, the two tribes of Dwarves are Northeast and Northwest from your keep.

Guard Kaleh well: some time after receiving your reinforcements (turn 20 on Medium difficulty), the Cloaked Assassin will reappear. This time they will Slow Kaleh and take up to half his hit points. There's some more crazy talk, and the Slow effect lasts until the Assassin has been removed again. Note that even if your troops now succeed in destroying the enemy tribes, this scenario won't end until the Assassin has been dealt with.

==Diverging Campaign Path==
===In the Tunnels of the Trolls===
You start in a small keep with few places to go. The tunnel leading West is where you just came from. To kick things off, move a unit to the East-most dirt hex. At the end of the turn, Dwarven demolitions will make this wall an entrance to the Troll kingdom. You will immediately see a Troll leader and his minions in a keep. Don't get too excited; he's not your target, merely an outpost. However, the clock is ticking, so finish them off quickly. Afterward you might wish to use his keep to recruit an additional healer to support Zhul, and if you have a unit with the cold blade bring them as well.. Since it costs no upkeep, you may as well recall all the Dwarves that you've been given by your allies.

This cavern has exits leading North, East, and South. North only goes to the edge of the map. East leads to some Trolls interrogating some Dwarves. Play your cards right and you'll be able to rescue a Dwarvish Stalwart, who joins your party out of gratitude [though he's not grateful enough to be Loyal...]. South is the exit going toward the objective. This leads into a large lava cavern. Similar to the second scenario, you'll need to keep as many troops as possible gathered around a healer. However, the lava hexes are not safe for your units to end their turns on, other than the flying units. This is going to slow down your progress, as most units will not be able to use all their movement points.

The Troll Shamen blow up the bridge going directly to them, so you'll have to take an alternate route clockwise around the rim of the lava pit. They will conjure up a fire elemental to slow your progress; after you kill it, it will periodically regenerate. Additionally, as you reach certain checkpoints the Shamen will create more Fire Guardians, though these don't regenerate. When you reach the southern part of the rim, you'll be rewarded by a small pool of water that will heal whomever is standing in it by ten points per turn. The rim is interrupted here by a rock projection sticking out to bar your way. After this, you have to proceed by "island hopping".

By the way, there are two passages on the western side of the lava pit that aren't strictly necessary to get to, but might be worth exploring [flying units only]. The lower is blocked by the ghost of a Dwarf who died in the upper. Burying the remains of the Dwarf allows you to proceed further down the lower passageway to a Troll crypt guarded by a Zombie Troll Whelp. Flying over the Chasm allows you to loot the crypt for the poison wand it contains. Whomever picks it up will add poison damage to their melee attacks.

When you reach the spit of land that the Shamen are standing on, one will run to the boss. I got lucky in that the other chose to stand in the lava to get around me. He was a lot easier to finish off then. ;^) After that, follow South and East. The tunnel quickly narrows down to a single lane, and your progress will be impeded by some Whelps. The lair has a pair of alcoves containing Troll dead, who will eventually be turned into Zombies to further slow you down. By the time you deal with these and the army of Trolls the boss is recruiting, you might not have much time left. Finally take out the other Shaman and the Chieftain. Good luck!

<Big>Dealing With Dwarves</Big>

This is mostly just dialog, though if you have kept Elyssa alive she will decide to stay and study the Dwarves. As a parting gift, she presents you with a flaming sword, and you can recruit/recall any unit to take and deal out fire damage. Too bad she'll be drowning soon. The other bad news is that all of your loyal troops will also be staying down here when you go up into the outer world. Only one Dwarf will volunteer to guide you. If you saved the Stalwart, it'll be him.

=== In the Domain of the Dwarves ===
You start in a small keep. Move a unit to the West-most dirt hex. At the end of the turn, Troll fire magic will make this wall an entrance to the Dwarven kingdom. You will immediately see a small contingent of Dwarves in a fortress. Since it costs no upkeep, you may as well recall all the Trolls that you've been given by your allies. Recruit healers and quite a few expendable troops (the Dwarves aren't shy about using Berserkers!).

The area around the fortress has several tunnels. Going clockwise from your current position, the South-East avenue only goes to the edge of the map. South-West leads to a humorous scene of a Dwarven drill instructor berating his troops. Bring two mid-level Trolls, preferably a mix of melee and ranged types to deal with these. Past this will be a Troll being tortured by a Dwarf. He pretty much rescues himself, but joins your party out of gratitude. North-West is the exit going toward the objective. North is a Dwarf guarding what will become a dead end.

The main path crosses two single hex wide bridges over a chasm. After you push the Dwarves back to the bridges, your flying units support your front line from the chasm. The leader of this Dwarven contingent challenges you to get up close and personal. After you do, however, he blows up the main entrance to the Dwarven Keep. Now you'll have to make a right turn detour through the Black Lake.

Bats and Giant Tentacles will accost you in the lake. Your flying units (Zhul, and Sun Slyphs if you have them) will need to head northeast, using coral reef as cover, if they want to assassinate the Dread Bat leader. Meanwhile, your main army should circle westward as quickly as possible -- you can't afford to get bottlenecked by L2 Dwarves if you hope for an early finish. Send a small contingent (supported by a flyer) to the northernmost part of the lake, there is a Dwarven Hermit speaking some Gollum-like speech. When he dies, all your troops will have access to his amulet, which is basically a key. The southeast portion of the lake contains a crypt which the key will unlock.

Looting the crypt gives one unit a belt of strength that is supposedly good for 12 additional hit points. Sun Sylphs are ideal recipients, due to their low health. Upon putting on the belt your exit will be blocked by a ghost -- a piece of cake for a Sun Sylph, but troublesome for most other units.

Back to the mainland, the Chieftain and his troops will be almost directly west of where your people get back on land. There's a wall in the way, though, with entrances on both the North and South portions of it. The southern route is slightly closer, but is also a chokepoint. Send some faster troops the northern way to attack the Dwarves' rear.

<Big>Talking With Trolls</Big>

This is mostly just dialog, though if you have kept Elyssa alive she will decide to stay and study the Trolls. As a parting gift, she presents you with a flaming sword, and you can recruit/recall any unit to take it and deal out fire damage. Too bad she'll be drowning soon. The other bad news is that all of your loyal troops will also be staying down here when you go up into the outer world. Only one Troll will volunteer to guide you. If you saved the victim of Vengeful Dwarf, it'll be him.

== Out Of The Frying Pan ==
Thankfully, this is the last of the underground fighting. It's too bad you can't recruit more of the Dwarves/Trolls you've allied with, as they could really help here. Your opponents have dammed the river and the whole tunnel system is being flooded. This is bad: every turn you will lose several hexes of floor. Recruit/recall no more than a single castle's worth of troops, as you'll lose more to drowning than to fighting. Actually, it's best to not recruit any units, though you should recall the Dust Devil, since it is loyal; you are going to need your gold later at a second keep, and you don't want to pay upkeep until then.

It is best to play this similar to "The Elves Beseiged". Don't fight any more than you absolutely have to, prefer to instead move past the enemies and let them drown behind you. Water areas that you haven't seen yet won't rise, so don't send fast scouts ahead of your slower troops (an exception: the Dust Devil doesn't trigger the "more water" events, except for the one at the end of the secret passage).

The first cavern will have your exit blocked by three of your opponents, be they Dwarf or Troll. Next is a scattering of Giant Ants. They don't put up much of a fight. The exit is the North West tunnel. The following cavern is populated by three humans who decide to attack you. The tunnel behind them is also flooding, so you need to make haste to the western tunnel. The next cavern is marked by a magical warding [looks like clouds] that blocks passage except through the red rune 'gate'. It won't hurt to step onto the rune, but upon leaving it the lead character will be burned for 25%-35% of their total hit points while both gates disappear. Also, a variety mix of undead will suddenly appear in the chamber. Some of them will gather around around the entrance chokehold, so you'll need skirmish ability to effectively assist the now lonely lead character. If you have Grog, best to send him in first, as he can heal up the damage by the time the battle is over. Also, his impact weapon is best used against the skeletons in the back of the room. The same goes for Rogrimir, naturally, but he'll need healing afterward.

There is a secret door at 24,49 that will lead you around the red rune room. It has more water there, though [not to mention the Soulless], so it's another opportunity to have good troops drowned. The cavern where this tunnel connects back behind the red runed room has two blue runes that will heal whomever steps upon them to 100%, but not cure poison. They are also only good for a few uses, so probably just use it to heal Zhul and your badly bruised ally.

The exits out of the blue runed room are thus: South is back to the red runed room. South-West is the water-logged Soulless. North-West is the 'Training Room'. A ghostly teacher in back of the room runs his ghostly students through weapons drills with you as targets. Destroying the students is not helpful, as the master keeps reanimating them. You need to take him out, but the Zone of Control of the students keeps you from getting to him. Yet another call for the Skirmish ability. I don't bother going in there, as there's no real gain for the amount of time you'll have to spend here. What i like to think of as the 'main exit' from the blue runed room is due north. This leads to a sleeping area where you will be assaulted by the skeletal remains of its former inhabitants. Your ally should have half of them cleaned up by the time the last of your troops gets in. This route is slightly longer in terms of hexes than going through the Training Room, but i still get through in fewer turns.

Besides, there is a goody to be had this way: North of the skeletons is the lab area. You'll find the secret door at 17,36. Inside, you'll find a red rune blocking the way, then two more further up. Stepping upon the first rune causes the character to suffer the usual 25%-35% damage PLUS poison. Then the other two runes are covered by angry monsters [failed experiments]. Both are first level. Behind them is a Frankenstein-style monster trapped in a ring of fire. If you Skirmish past the two, you can break the ring to release the second level Flesh Golem. It will fight for you. You have to be careful, as its Berserk fighting style can be a double edged weapon. Nonetheless, it can be useful to have another Chaotic fighter on your side.

The next room beyond either the Training Room or sleeping area is the sacrificial altar. Setting foot in here conjures two second-level fire demons the next turn. Bring out your Cold Blade and whatever ranged weapons you have handy. Note that every time you step on the tiled floor around the altar you are given the chance to pull a lever. Do not pull the lever until all your people are in this room and ready to leave. Pulling the lever opens two secret passages behind the Altar. The eastern is your exit; the western is flooded. Six turns after you pull the lever, the entire temple area will be Deep Water.

The exit goes through a Crypt area that is guarded by a Spider Lich. It is tough, but vulnerable to Fire and impact damage; you should still have both. After you leave the Crypt, you will again be stopped by: the ever mysterious Cloaked Assassin. This time you are able to capture him and get his whole sad story. I think it was about turn 30 or so that i got my people past the dangers of the raging waters. Woo-hoo!: you've made it out into the sand again, and are ready for some real fighting!! Fortunately there's a rather haughty group of humans who seem to think your people are meant to be sacrificed to their 'Dark Lady'.

By all means, start recalling troops to teach them a lesson. You probably need to spend all your gold. Figure the opposition is 20-something in Sergeant Durstrag's tribe plus five messengers and periodic visits by vengeful undead. These will mostly just bother your troops who are near the South end of the valley. Don't bother looking for the messenger; it isn't on the map yet. At some point, a messenger will materialize just East of the oasis. After taking him out, you only have a half dozen or so turns to finish off Sergeant Durstrag or another messenger will be created, along with his escorts. Don't forget the chest of gold just South of your Keep. If the battle goes on long enough, the flood waters will eventually come out of the side of mountain on the West end of the valley and make a new river.

== Blood is Thicker than Water ==
Out of the frying pan, into hot water! Let's break this down into parts for each objective:
===Free the Mermen===
If you click too rapidly through the introductory text you will miss some crucial details: Namely that your enemies lie to the northwest, and that you're looking for ''five'' merfolk. It's worthwhile to get them all, as each will become a loyal troop once freed from the cage. The humans are Loyalist factioned in three tribes. They are not the mysterious 'Iron Council', just followers. The leader is a third level commander while the other two are second level lieutenants. Depending on the level of difficulty, you could be seeing things like Shock Troopers, Swordsmen and Cavaliers. Probably about three keeps worth should be good. If you wipe out all the bad guys before the sacrifice, but don't free all five merfolk, your troops will just wander idly until the time of the sacrifice. Freeing the fifth mermaid starts the rebellion, thus potentially saving a few turns for the end of scenario bonus.

It's easy to miss the the fifth Mermaid, as she is hidden in the small cave just north of the eastmost humans' keep. This is in deep water, so the land lubbers won't be able to help. Have the Mermaid Priestess and another Merman approach the island from the East side. The cage there holds a Mermaid Enchantress and is guarded by a few Walking Corpses/Souless. The other large island in the Northwest is closed off, you won't be able to get there yet. If it isn't obvious, use your freed merpeople very sparingly on land. Unless the humans are standing on the shore, or otherwise making themselves easy targets, just park your finny allies in the water. Sometimes they can jump on a village to prevent a wounded bad guy from getting a rest. If you have dealt with all the humans before turn 16, don't just stand around. Start shifting all the elves where they will next be needed next: the east side of the mainland and the eastmost island. Dwarves, Trolls, and Golems move slowly enough that they probably won't make it to the rebels before the rebellion is over. May as well leave them on the North-West island [the village at 20,23 is a good location] in readiness for the third objective, possibly accompanied by any of your elves with a move of 5.

On turn 16, any merpeople still caught will be pan-fried in a little butter as an offering to the Dark Lady. This is performed by a briefly seen Necromancer named Hekuba. He is a member of the Iron Council. Or is that an Iron Chef? Should any leaders of the Loyalists still remain, they will depart to prepare 'Plan B'. Sigh. It was so much easier to get to them on the mainland. If they are all dead, the Iron Council will then begin 'Plan C'.
===The Rebellion===
After the Dark Lady is newly invigorated by the sacrifice, the apparition of Eloh appears to (and appeals to) one of your elves. He expresses his faith in the apparition, and challenges you for leadership of the elves. You'll have to fight him for supremacy, and you won't be able to recruit new troops until this is over. Zhul will be torn between her admiration of Kaleh and Eloh. She will go to Eloh and sell Kaleh's goodness. The apparition rebuffs Zhul and petrifies her. If you don't have any other healers you might wish to recall some before making the long trek East. The rebel base is the northeast island. This was inaccessible to non-swimmers, but the merfolk will show you some Shallow Water paths to the island. If you're feeling shorthanded, you can wait offshore (backed up by a healer, of course) and hammer the defenders in the water. They seem quite eager to rush out to you. It might take a little longer this way, though.

As you approach the island, some Crab Men will appear and attempt to eat you. They're not terribly tough, but they're in their natural element and you're not. As insurance, have the ranged attack merfolk provide a screen in the deep water around you. The melee attack merfolk could perhaps approach the island from the north side. There is a river that goes right to where Eloh is standing. Four successful hits from Merman Warrior can do it...

If you have Kromph, the Flesh Golem, it will soon fall under the sway of the Dark Lady. It talks to itself for a few turns as a warning. When that happens, best surround it with ranged attacks. It changes sides on the beginning of your turn, so you can blast it before it gets a chance to attack. If you manage to strike down Eloh before she complete's Kromph's sub&shy;version, her final command to it causes it to collapse into a heap of confusion. Oh, but we barely knew ye...

If your costs to recruit are high as a result of the battle between the Spectres, it might interest you to know that the rebel elves are not your target - Eloh and Tanstafaal are. Whenever you destroy the apparition and capture Tanstafaal, the remaining elves will automatically switch over to your side. You might not want the extra overhead for the rest of this scenario, though. (The returning elves are loyal from 1.16.2.) Besides, they screen Tanstafaal so well that most of them will have to be done in to get to him. Oh, and Zhul comes around after the apparition is gone.

===Capture Ships===
The next fight will take place on the formerly closed northwest island. This is the home of the Iron Council - a trio of Necromancers. Hekuba is their leader and stays on his keep. The other two are free to move and not even shy about stepping into the water. Nevertheless, they can hold their own out there at night. Plan C is the Necromancers raising the seabed to provide Shallow Water paths from the island - they actually think they're attacking YOU. Well, pride goeth before a fall. With the settling of the rebellion, you are able to recruit again. If you find yourself needing to do that, you have to chose whether it is better to use Tanstafaal's keep and march them all the way back West, or detour Kaleh down to one of the humans' keeps south of the action.

The troops of the Iron Council include a mixed bag of skeletal types and if plan B is place the human leaders will also be here. Hekuba can recruit the same troops as the humans did, plus more Necromancers, Skeletons/Revenants and Skeletal Archers/Bone Shooters. You'll have quite a fight on your hands to make landfall. After you do get on solid ground things aren't so bad. Of course, if the enemy captures the island at 20,23, you'll have to fight them through the water twice. It's probably better to continue to press them at night to prevent that. It'll be a little easier to take on the Necromancers if you can level up the Enchantress and the Priestess.

The bad guys won't be able to destroy the ships. For game purposes, the ships are actually villages. Thus, the worst thing that can happen to the ships is they get recaptured. The merfolk can't cross or occupy ship terrain - not even after they've been captured. I suppose they would have a hard time climbing ladders. When you have all four, the scenario immediately ends. You might wish to finish off any of your opponents that are close before capturing the last ship.

== Speaking With The Fishes ==
Just dialog. A curiosity is that the queen of the Merfolk - Melusand - is giving all your people a seashell brooch, but doesn't say what they're good for other than they enable her to track your progress!

== The Battle for Zocthanol Isle ==
Wow! This time around you'll have to battle five tribes, plus bats. You immediately have to head West along the southern shore of the island, searching for a keep. You'll soon find a Saurian Oracle who looks like he doesn't really need the keep he's sitting in. It's not a particularly tough fight, but you're under time pressure to immediately begin churning out units. As soon as Kaleh takes his seat in the center of the keep, your loyal merfolk return bringing the remaining ships and a group of merfolk you can recruit. They also capture the villages South of you, so you can immediately begin sending the troops North. Zhul makes a comment about not needing gold if you lose. I will simplify: this is the last scenario in which you do any recruiting, so you may as well bust the budget. You still have to face down four tribes. From left to right:

* '''Naga #1:''' If you follow the Shallow Water from your keep North, it'll lead to a small keep with a Naga Myrmidon. His tribe is not heavily populated, but you'll see them first due to closeness. Send half your loyal merfolk up there to deal with them, and recruit some new merfolk to assist.
* '''Undead:''' Not too far North of your keep will be a Draug recruiting a fairly strong assortment of undead: Blood Bats, Ghosts/Wraiths, various second level skeletal types, Soul Shooters, and Necrophages. On higher levels of difficulty, there will be Spectres and Draugs as well.
* '''Orcs:''' On the northeast corner of the island will be a peninsula. There you'll find a Orcish Sovereign recruiting a stiff mix of Orcs and leveled Wolf Riders, nothing under second level.
* '''Naga #2:''' On the east side of the island is more shallow water leading to another Naga Myrmidon. He is a twin to the western Naga, but he'll have more time to recruit before you get to him. Packs of Naga Hunters shooting poison can be deadly day or night. You can take them out with a mix of fast Elves supported by Mermen and a healer. If you're not used to recruiting merfolk, please note that the Mermaid Initiate is not capable of any healing or curing until she's levelled up.

The other threat you'll face are the bats that show up every dusk and harry you until morning. Easy difficulty gives you five Vampire Bats every night. Higher levels of difficulty take away two of those, but add Blood Bats. Like the Ghosts in the second scenario, these are not worth chasing after. They will, however, pick off the weakest of your troops. Anybody who is below 20 hit points is vulnerable at night. Hedgehog like crazy at night, if you don't have enough units for a massive line. If the bats don't see any likely targets, they will unflag any of your unguarded villages. You don't need the money, however, so who cares?

As soon as you have the keep, victory conditions change to reaching the black citadel. However, that'll take some work, as hordes of undead will soon begin pouring down your way. If you dally in recruiting/recalling, you might get flanked by Direwolf Riders and packs of Naga on your eastern side. Send the Dwarf/Troll (You ''do'' still have him, don't you?) along with Nym, Zhul and what's left of your initial landing to deal with the undead while the faster troops you recall head East along the beach. By all means also send whomever has the holy water North. Your merfolk can nail down your watery flanks, both west and east. You'll also need some sturdy elves to block the gap between the lagoons. You'll need another healer for the eastern front, and ideally a third to support the middle. If you don't have the Mermaid Priestess/Diviner in the eastern group, better send along a Shyde/Star.

Melusand told you that the black citadel was in the center of the island. It is, if by "center" you mean "north side". However, it is surrounded by mountains, so merfolk will be of no help there. If any undead come to the coast, then merfolk spellcasters could be helpful. There's a secret area off the northwest shore of the island that the merfolk could explore if they have nothing better to do. A wrecked ship is guarded by a Sea Serpent. Just South of the ship is a sunken treasure worth a little gold. We're really not worried about gold anymore, however. Northwest of the wreck is a sandbar containing another merman in a cage. Inside is a badly wounded Merman Triton. You can send him and the rest of your mermen east across the top of the board and then down to the orc leader.

You might reach the black citadel before finishing off the Orc. If so, victory conditions change: you will need to kill both the undead and orcish leaders before being able to open the door. After finishing them off, victory conditions change again: now get any unit to the door of the black citadel. Since you probably won't need ''everybody'' to take on the Orc, you may as well leave somebody near the citadel. When the door is open, there's some drama that ends up in having Kaleh, Nym, and Zhul go into the citadel to again face the apparition of Eloh. If your ally is still alive, he comes along as well.

== The Final Confrontation ==
Earlier I alluded to the fact that during this battle you won't be able to recruit. You come into a hexagonal cave/chamber that is partially paved and partly rock floor. It somewhat reminded me of "The Duel" scenario ending the Eastern Invasion campaign. It's just the people I mentioned in the last paragraph of the Zocthanol scenario: Kaleh, Nym, Zhul and possibly Grog or Rogrimir. The Apparition of Eloh will be in the front of you, and she will have charmed some of your young troops to use against you. The objective is to defeat the apparition, quite possibly the easiest objective ever. By all means have the ally go first, since he will move faster and defend better on the cavern floor. When i did it, Grog the Troll Warrior took her out in a single move: both swings connected and she was done.

While this may not be as emotionally satisfying as having Kaleh or Zhul finish her off, it has the beneficial effect of leaving more characters able to move to fulfill the second objective. The two recruits are freed from their charm, if you are able to keep them alive in this pit of despair. After the apparition is gone you get to see "the man behind the curtain" so to speak. The evil creature doing all this isn't a standard brand demon, but some relation to Cthulhu. Yechnagoth is composed of a brain (Central Body), energy source (Pulsing Spires), and multiple fists (Crawling Horrors.) Don't even waste your time attacking the Central Body yet. Note that the Spires are a different team than the others.

As long as the Pulsing Spires are alive, the Central Body has 100% resistance to any attack AND it fully heals every turn. Every turn it can attack any adjacent unit, spray slime [hurts 10-12 points and slows] on any unit in the cavern, AND summon one or more new Crawlers. There is no turn limit, but you want to hurry before you get overwhelmed by Crawling Horrors. Due to my lucky start, I was able to finish before turn 5. The Spires have no melee attack, so hammer them as you reach them. (Well, even their ranged attack is nothing to write home about.) Even though the paved parts of the floor all lead to the Central Body, try not to have any character end their turn next to it until the Pulsing Spires are gone. You might find yourself using the hedgehog again, with characters not actively attacking surrounding Zhul to heal up from the constant depredations of the Crawlers.

After you have taken out the third Spire, the Central Body becomes a Weakened Central Body, which is a much more reasonable opponent. The healing stops, and the hit points, resistances and attack damages drop. Again, two mighty hammer blows could finish it off. Congratulations! You've just won yourself a tropical paradise island!!

[[Category:Campaigns - Walkthroughs]]

UnderTheBurningSuns

2024-02-14T06:45:50Z

Jozrael: Big overwrite of the beginning for 1.18

This campaign takes place eons after the others. At the height of Wesnoth's power, an additional sun was magically created and raised into the sky. Millennia later, entropy has had its due: the fertile plains of Wesnoth have turned to desert. There are few survivors from the age of the empire. The focus of these scenarios are the Quenoth Elves, who are particularly well-adapted to living on the sands.

In terms of gameplay, Under the Burning Suns' scenarios tend to be somewhat longer than in other campaigns. They stay interesting by typically changing their victory conditions several times before the scenario is won.

== Campaign-Level Strategy ==

=== Gameplay ===

Under the Burning Suns changes several of the rules you may be used to from other scenarios. Here is a list of the most crucial changes:
* Regarding movement and defense, sand is the new forest for these elves
* Elves' movement cost in caves is 2 (not 3)
* Some units (Fighters, Kaleh, Nym) have multiple attacks per turn, and each attack costs a variable amount of attacks. E.g., if Nym has 4 attacks per turn and her bow costs 2 attacks, she could attack 2 different units or the same unit twice.
* Some units (Sun Singers, Kaleh, Nym) have multi-hex attacks. These DO FRIENDLY FIRE DAMAGE.
* Taurochs have 2 separate attacks that can each be used once per turn.
* Recall costs have been completely changed. Units cost 33%, 50%, and 66% (by difficulty) of their recruit cost.
** This means that a 30g level 2 Warrior on Nightmare is unchanged at 20g, but only 10g to recall on Challenging.
** Your level 1 units with XP are now a pittance to recall!
** Meanwhile a 136g level 3 Tauroch Protector costs _90g_ to recall on Nightmare, and still 45g on Challenging!
** No saving up all your level 3s to trivialize the big fights! Leveling a unit up 'too fast' may make it harder to field in the future beyond its increased upkeep!
* XP costs now scale by difficulty, up to 2x the price on Nightmare!
* Your elves are lawful and subject to the day-night cycle, which has changed quite a bit:
** First Dawn
** First Morning, Midday, Afternoon (3 turns of daylight)
** First Dusk
** The Short Dark (Night)
** Second Dawn
** Second Morning, Midday, Afternoon (3 turns of daylight)
** Second Dusk
** The Long Dark 1-4 (Night)

=== Kaleh and Nym ===

These characters don't level up like ordinary units, with individual trees with over 15 perks each to unlock. If an attack has 'accuracy', it's subtracted from enemy defense. If an attack has 'parry', it's subtracted from enemy attack regardless of who initiates combat.

Kaleh
* Swordsmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Strong Strikes: +2 damage (sword). +1 hp
*** Swordsman: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Taunt: +1 attacks per turn, new attack (7 damage, 1 strike, costs 1 attack, 30 parry). Units hit by this MUST attack Kaleh if they can reach him on their turn. Sword gets +10 parry. +4 hp
*** Run-By (Taunting Strike): REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. Taunting Strike no longer costs movement. +6 hp
* Strength Training: +1 damage (sword, bow). +2 hp
* Bowmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (bow). +2 hp
** Strong Shots: +2 damage (bow). No hp
*** Bowman: +10 accuracy/+2 damage (bow).
** Piercing Shot: REQUIRES STRENGTH TRAINING. New attack (14 damage, 2 strikes, costs 4 attacks, cannot be used two turns in a row. Hits 2 hexes in a row).
*** Stronger Grip: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Overwhelming Power. +10 damage (piercing shot).
*** Overwhelming Power: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Stronger Grip. +11 damage (piercing shot). Piercing Shot can now only be used every third turn, and hits three hexes in a row.
* Stamina Training: +1 movement. +10 hp
** Endurance Training: REQUIRES SEVERAL LEVEL-UPS FIRST. +15 hp.
** Skirmisher: Grants Skirmisher. +3 hp
* Training with Bolas: New attack (6 damage, 2 strikes, costs 2 attacks).
** Slow: Bolas now slow. +2 hp
*** Opportunist: REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. When an enemy leaves Kaleh's ZoC, he will do a single bola strike.
* Inspiring: REQUIRES all 5 'basic trainings' with no prerequisites. Grants effectively a level of leadership, that stacks with leadership.

Nym
* Swordsmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (sword). +2 hp
** Accurate Strikes: +10 accuracy (sword). +3 hp
** Faster Strikes: +1 strike (sword).
*** Sword Dance: REQUIRES ACCURATE STRIKES, AND FOOTWORK. +10 parry/-2 attack cost(sword, so now it only uses 2 attacks).
* Bowmanship Training: +1 damage/+1 strike (bow). +2 hp
** Quickdraw: +1 strike (bow). No hp
*** Ranger: REQUIRES FOOTWORK. +20 parry/-2 attack cost (bow, so now it only uses 2 attacks).
** Rain of Arrows: New attack (14 damage, 1 strike, costs 4 attacks, hits the hex behind the target, and ALL other hexes adjacent to that hex. So 7 hexes total, centered behind the target). +2 hp
*** Toxic Rain: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Twin Arrows. -6 damage/+1 strike (rain of arrows). Rain of Arrows now poisons.
*** Twin Arrow: MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE with Toxic Rain. +1 strike (rain of arrows).
* Stamina Training: +1 movement. +10 hp
** Footwork: +10 defense on all terrain.
** Skirmisher: Grants Skirmisher. +3 hp
* Training with Bolas: New attack (6 damage, 2 strikes, costs 2 attacks).
** Slow: Bolas now slow. +2 hp
** Run By (Bolas): REQUIRES SKIRMISHER. Bolas no longer cost movement.
* Herbalism: Grants heals.
* Run By (Sword & Bow): REQUIRES SWORD DANCE, RANGER, and SKIRMISHER. Sword and bow no longer cost movement.

=== Unit advancement ===

There's no way to know this beforehand, but you'll have to fight a some big underground battles. The army you build during the first scenarios should be capable of fighting in caves. There are two main variables to consider for underground battles:
# Can each unit move at least 3 cave hexes per turn?
# How can I maximize damage in narrow corridors?

Because of these two priorities, deciding which units to level in early campaigns is very important. For instance, the following units are not as effective:
* After 1.14: Tauroch units, Scout units, and Quenoth Fighters, unless they are Quick
* Prior to 1.14: Marksman, Hero, Scout

There are more effective units:
* Desert Sylphs and Shydes fly over rough terrain. Sun Sylphs also Illuminate, which is crucial for supporting your Lawful units.
* The Fighter line's defense buffs can be effective in caves, so long as they are Quick.

=== Other Units ===
There's no way to know this, either, but you'll be granted several units in the course of this campaign whose sole purpose is to die (or leave you) to serve the story. They are still valuable fighters, but bear in mind how they are not as valuable as your main units -- especially Kaleh and Nym.
* Garak, captain of the Quenoth guards
* All but 1 of the loyal troops (dwarf or troll) who join you underground will leave you before Out of the Frying Pan. They are truly expendable.
* The Flesh Golem, Kromph, will eventually turn on you. Expendable unless you want the 16 XP that will come from killing him by your own hands.
* The fire mage Eyrissa leaves you before Out of the Frying Pan. If you kept her alive, she will grant you a Flaming Sword.

== The Morning After ==

* '''Objectives''':
** Rescue surviving elves in villages
** Defeat the Necromancer (L2) leader to the North
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 32 / ?? (Easy/Medium/Hard)
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym
* '''Starting gold''': 0

Some strange meteors have destroyed the homes of our heroes. Kaleh and Nym must search for survivors by capturing villages inside the city walls. Landing on an empty village will sometimes flush out a few elves. In the beginning, they will be battling Mud-crawlers. Since you have no keep in which to recruit, put the Mud-crawlers to the sword and save all the new units. Note that, unlike other campaigns, Giant Mud-crawlers here will not spawn smaller Mud-crawlers upon their death. Also note that the grey brown trail around the lake is not as good defensively for you as the sand.

The villages will lead you counter-clockwise around the lake. At the southernmost portion of the lake you'll find a shattered bridge leading to a shrine in the center of the lake. You don't have to go there right away, but the scenario won't complete until you rescue the Druid and both Shamans there. Be aware that stepping off the island will trigger the appearance of an enemy Cuttlefish -- use fresh units to wear down its health with ranged attacks before finishing it off with melee.

Garak the Captain will be found with a few recruits on the Training Ground, which is just to the East of the bridge. It's possible that your people headed for the bridge will trigger this encounter - you'll find a bigger mob of Mud-crawlers than you've seen so far, and likely get some bruises cleaning them out. [Wesnoth 1.14.x] Garak's "teaching" ability allows him to share EXP with adjacent units, so don't be afraid to brawl with him.

The villages on the East side of the city represent stables - capturing them will give you Scouts. If the Scouts explore the outer edges of the map, they will find 2-3 more villages and units, but no more Mud-crawlers. You're now ready for bigger game!

Completing the circuit around the lake reveals the destroyed keep on the North side. The tribe leader Tanuil is pronounced dead, Kaleh now leads the tribe. On turn 11, a Necromancer Xanthos will show up to lead the Undead against the elves. Head north to take the battle to his keep. On turn 16, the Quenoth hunting party returns on the North edge of the map, to the west of Xanthos.

== Across the Harsh Sands ==

* '''Objectives''':
** Kaleh must reach "Pinnacle Rock" at the North end of the map.
** Defeat the Outlaw leader.
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 60 / ?? (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Starting gold''': 300

<big>Scenario-specific gameplay rules</big>

In addition to the two-sun daily cycle for this entire campaign, this particular scenario has more particular rules involving water economy, which make it play quite differently than usual: Your refugees are traveling through an "extra-barren" area and they are short on water-skins and even food. They are therefore at risk of ''dehydrating''. The rule for this effect triggering is:

If a unit is:

* At the ''beginning'' of a turn,
* during the ''day'': any of Dawn, Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Dusk;
* On a ''sandy'' hex: sand, road, rubble or sand-dunes;
* ''Without a nearby healer'' - a Shaman, Mystic etc. standing in an adjacent hex;

Then the unit will experience "thirst" and lose:

* - 4 / 5 / 6 HP (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* -1 point of damage on each attack (melee and ranged)

These effects are cumulative. The HP loss may be healed by any healer, during the day or the night - but the attack degradation is only healed at an oasis, i.e. by being located on a water hex at the beginning of a turn.

You may be wondering "What about staying in villages?" - well, there are effectively no villages along your way. Instead, the water hexes of oases heal 8 points of damage, regardless of the source of damage, in addition to removing the effects of dehydration. Thus, an oasis becomes a point of healing, surrounded by no-thirst grassland hexes.

<big>Map Layout</big>

This is a long vertical map. You start at the South end and move North. At your destination there's the headquarters The Black Hand, a band of outlaws. (Not that it's clear what being an "outlaw" even means in a tribal, stateless, semi-nomadic society and in the middle of the desert, but whatever.) Between you and them, other than desert, dunes and mountains, are 4 oases; these are located at east and west edges of the level, with occasional short stretches of road peeking out of the sands, indicating the direction of the next one. The oases are (in order):

# The small oasis you start in.
# An oasis with Giant Scorpions.
# An oasis with a contingent from an outlaw band, The Black Hand.
# An oasis surrounded by a castle (complete with a keep and a leader), inhabited either by:
## A colony of Ogres, or
## A Wight with his undead minions
# A "mirage oasis" which disappears as you near it

<big>Recruitment and formation</big>

While 60 turns might sound like a lot, your navigation in this level is quite constrained: In the day, by the risk of dehydration, and at night by roving Ghosts (see below). So, don't stay in the keep too long; you should be able to handle everything you'll run across with a single castle's worth of troops (6 units) if you're careful. If you're not careful, it doesn't matter how many troops you get. Also, remember there are no villages on your way, and all of your recruits are supported "out-of-pocket".

All your recalled/recruited units can become dehydrated - including healers, therefore you should keep your healers in pairs. A reasonable formation is a "hedgehog" around Zhul and a Quenoth Mystic:

__
__/U \__
/U \__/U \
\__/H \__/
/U \__/U \
\__/H \__/
/U \__/U \
\__/U \__/
\__/

or along a diagonal axis:
__
__/U \__
__/U \__/U \
/U \__/H \__/
\__/H \__/U \
/U \__/U \__/
\__/U \__/
\__/

this is 10 units: 2 healers ('H') + 8 any other ('U') = 4 starting units + 6 recalls/recruits. Out of those six, make one the Mystic/Shaman; another - a Quenoth Scout, and the other four could be, say, two Quenoth Fighters and two Tauroch Riders.

Why place the two healers adjacent to each other? Because a healer, by him/herself, is ''not'' in itself safe from dehydration, so the healers must support each other.

<big>Strategy</big>

Your hedgehog will begin following the remains of the old road East-North-East. You won't be able to keep the hedgehog together if the group travels faster than 5 hexes per turn - the speed of the slowest unit - so that Scout you got will not be very effective right now beyond increasing you range of view. That's okay, we'll be able to let it loose soon. At night, of course, you can break this formation - but you must reform it before Dawn to avoid dehydration.

One reason you might break formation at night is your being attacked by roving ghosts: Indeed, in most areas (outside oases), and at every turn of night (including dusk but excluding dawn), one or two Ghosts will appear near to your units, to "prey on the weak". You're not all that weak, but a Ghost may be able to pick off a wounded character of yours if you just keep the hedgehog formation. If your characters have high HP, you have the option of just ignoring the Ghosts' harassment - after all, your units are ineffective against them (except for Garak), and they against you with your good sand defense; they will spontaneously disappear at dawn.

You should arrive at the second oasis at about first-dusk, and promptly be attacked by the Scorpions - who have decent desert movement and vision range - plus the roving Ghosts. Focus on the Scorpions first, unless you can land a terminal blow on a low-HP ghost; in fact, the Ghosts might even attack some Scorpions for you. After you take out the Scorpions, you'll find a Traveler's Ring. This artifact will make the designated unit invulnerable to hunger and thirst. Give it to your Scout; it can take off on its own without getting dehydrated.

If you somehow got dehydrated on day 1, or took a really bad beating - you might wish to rest in the oasis (remember: +8 HP in the water) before reforming your hedgehog; the bandit bathers' oasis is due West-by-Northwest.

As you approach the midline of the level, you'll find it a hilly region infested by several Ogres. Despite their high HP, they're not so difficult to beat, since they're slow in sand and will not all gang up on you; they're not Chaotic, so they won't get a bonus when you're able to break formation; they have no ranged attack; and - if you catch them on sand hexes, you'll have twice their chance to hit. A Pathfinder (leveled Scout), Nym, or Kaleh - with the hunting skill - can slow them down to make sure even their relaliation loses its sting. The issue you may have here is your formation, which will likely break up (unless you go very slowly), and in daytime will result in some dehydration - that will be a handicap in your next encounter.

If you dispose of the entire group of Ogres, you'll receive a special treat: A Loyal [http://units.wesnoth.org/1.15/mainline/en_US/Dust%20Devil.html Dust Devil] - an elemental earth spirit. It has a respectable arcane-type melee attack, and a nice impact-type swarm ranged attack - both effective against the Undead. If that's not enough - it has 8 MP and low movement cost over most terrain, _and_ it has at least 50% defense everywhere, _and_ it recovers 6 HP per turn on sand or dirt hexes; so it's an excellent scout. It won't be your "tank" against the Undead, though, due to limited HP and its vulnerability to cold and arcane attacks.

The Black Hand's pool outing oasis is next: You'll find a mixed bag of Bandits, Thugs, Poachers and Trappers enjoying the pool (after all, it's not like they have a lot of crime to attend to). If you had your Scout in their sights before, they might have even joined the fray against the Ogres and yourself. By now should have some extra leveled-up units, so it won't be anything you can't handle - especially if you make sure to fight in daytime. The main issue here being the hills and the Ogres having impeded your formation. Depending on how effective you are in keeping everybody together, you might have some units go into battle wounded rather than wait for the healers to attend to them. When you are done here tack East-by-Northeast towards the castle oasis.

Close to the castle, you'll chance upon a Red Mage named Elyssa, who is being changed by a force of skeletal units. You'll obviously save her - you just let her fill the empty spot in your hedgehog formation (with the scout no longer needing its former spot). Remember she's very effective against the Undead - but you need to keep her safe from the counter-attacks of Skeletons and Revenants.

As for the castle itself - there is some random roll-of-the-dice which decides whether you'll find Ogres or the Undead in it. If it's the Wight leader (an L2), it will have an "honor guard" of four units (Ghosts on Medium difficulty), and will have amassed some money for recruiting (it has a high base-income despite the lack of villages). Remember that Wights are quite mobile, and this one won't hesitate to leave its castle to target someone vulnerable.

The last (non-)oasis has a signpost at its entrance, announcing you've reached the home of the Black Hand of (existentially-unemployed) outlaws. When you cross some horizontal line, they will have already begun recruiting in earnest - and between the leader's basic income and their tent villages, they can recruit two units each turn without any gold reserves... So, hurry North. The leader of bandits is named Thorn, an L2 Outlaw (on Medium; probably a fugitive on Hard); when you take him out, he bargains for his life - and when you accept, he takes all of the remaining bandits with him.

The bandit leader's offering in exchange for his life is a vial of Holy Water. As you may recall from other campaigns, the unit which picks it up has its melee attack change type to arcane. Choose carefully - you probably want to give this to a unit with a pierce-type attack, add
Now you have a second unit with a highly-effective attack against the Undead (in addition to the trampling Tuaroch riders).

When you complete your objectives, you get a 20-per-turn early finish bonus (which doesn't correspond to the number of villages), before carryover deduction.

== A Stirring in the Night ==

* '''Alternative Objectives''':
** Survive until the (elongated) night is over with no more than 6 villages lost, or
** Defeat both Undead leaders
* '''Must survive''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Starting units''': Kaleh, Nym, Zhul, Garak
* '''Turn limit''': ?? / 12 / ?? (Easy / Medium / Hard)
* '''Starting gold''': 200

<big>Layout</big>

This map is on the small side compared to the last scenario - it's just the surroundings of the Elves' encampment for a single night: Tents/villages and some bonfires, on sand and sandy hills, at the edge of proper hills with a bit of forest. The right of the level is a North-South path between the (5-hex + keep) castles of two Undead leaders: A Lich and a Death Knight. They are, in fact, each other's enemies, and you are just in the way: One of your villages is almost smack on the path; and four more are close to it (one turn for a Ghost, two turns at most for other Undead, from the path). Your castle is on the left of the level, with an oasis blocking the way - meaning it takes a few turns to get from there to where the action is.

<big>Strategy</big>

This scenario has a special consequence for the rest of the campaign: Whenever you lose a tent/village to enemy forces in this scenario, its inhabitants are turned to un-death, i.e. part of the group Elvish survivors from your village is lost. The consequence: Higher recruitment price for units, for the rest of the ''entire campaign'', if more than 3 tents/villages are lost. And it doesn't help if you regain a village - those inhabitants are just gone. So - protecting villages from the Undead is job #1.

Seeing how the rival Undead forces are fighting each other, not you - you would expect that such protection shouldn't be that big of a deal. Unfortunately, they seem to be rather fond of tents... Undead units will opportunistically leave the N-S path to capture a tent/village - particularly the high-mobility units like Ghosts and Bats. On the other hand, the Undead also crave mortal flesh (a little retroactive pun there), so when faced with a choice between a village + sentry and an empty village - they won't always go for the village, especially if it's farther away from the N-S path. Still, play it safe and try to man villages that are within an enemy's movement range, whenever this is tenable.

This scenario feels quite different depending on how frugal and speedy you were in your voyage North. If you were reasonable and kept a tight formation with ~10 or a few more units, and didn't meander too much - you should be awash in gold. If that's the case, you will probably want to aim for the two Undead leaders; three rounds of recruitment/recall should be sufficient in this case. On Hard, that might be less feasible even with the extra gold, or require much more cannon fodder. If you've started this scenario with a lot less gold then you're in for more of a challenge, and will be hard-pressed to take the maximalist stance of "no village left behind".

The first couple of turns of the level, though, are not affected by your recruitment - since even scouts will take until turn 3 to even arrive at the Eastern villages. An important first dilemma is whether to protect that easternmost village in "no-man's land", in the middle of the path. Do that, and you've guaranteed most of the Undead's attention will be directed at _you_: They have to go through you to get to their rivals anyway.

As for recruitment and recall - bear in mind that all fighting will be at night - a major disadvantage for you vis-a-vis the Undead. That means it is even more important to use their movement impairment in the sand, to isolate and gang up on them. And you will have a lot of switching-of-positions, to get to villages which come into danger: The Bats and Ghosts will fly around you, and later there's another surprise (see below). Fighters will be rather un-useful for this purpose - slow (even the quick ones) and with the wrong attack types (except if one of your fighters took the holy water potion); Tauroch riders have Impact attacks, and if you have L2 stalwarts they'll defend pretty well from the skeletal units - but they're even slower; when you recall or recruit some on turn X, they will come into play on turn X+3 or X+4 (!), and will be mostly limited to one region of the map.

This means that, in this scenario, the Dustbok riders - the Scout line of units - must shine. You'll need quite a bunch of them to support and replace your early-turn front-line units. They bruise easy, but remember that, after being attacked, they can retaliate and retreat on he same turn (their Disengage ability) - this will come in very handy. You will likely find yourself attacking with a wounded Scout, moving it away, then replacing it with a fresh one, on the same village, and attacking again. When advancing Scouts on this level, Pathfinders will be much more useful than Archers, due to their ability to Slow. This is important to reduce your losses against the damage-bonus-enhanced Undead.

If you plan on disposing of the Undead leaders, try moving in earlier rather than later, even at the price of unit losses, because both leaders make 20 gold per turn before any income from villages, and will often recruit a pair of units per turn. Keep in mind that voodoo ceremony Garak undertook before this battle: If you keep him in good health, he can repeat his attack on an enemy target again and again: The Lich is where you should send him, since its melee is much weaker than the Death Knight's.

On Hard, you're more likely to be on the defensive throughout the scenario - requiring some good luck, as well judicious use of slowing and leadership. If any of your Archers have leveled-up to be Desert Rangers, their Backstab ability may also come in handy.

On turn 7, a contingent of Orcs - a patrol? - moves down the path from the Northwestern outcropping. These are certainly easier to deal with - you can properly stab them; but that doesn't make their weapons sting any less. Make sure and keep your terrain benefit by sticking to the sand. Their leader, Ganthos, has no keep - but he does have an income; so if you let him, he will sneak down the Western edge of the map and use your own keep while his minions ravage the encampment. Finally, note that the Orcs are quite willing to attack the Undead, not just your own units, and may do so if a lot of the Death Knight (Northeast leader)'s minions remain.

Garak will meet his demise at the end of this scenario, in a rather arbitrary way (which, even after being foreshadowed, seems rather arbitrary). But - you can't let him die earlier.

== Descending Into Darkness ==

Starting now, you lose the comfort and protection of the sand. The terrain here is primarily hills and mountains, interlaced with river and swamp. When you initially step into the mountains, Goblins will appear. The mountain road forks West or North. The western fork leads you to a bridge over the river that has a village on either side. Stepping anywhere close to here triggers the appearance of more Goblins and some Naga led by an Orcish Slayer [or Assassin on Easy difficulty]. It's probably more fight than the two villages are worth. However, if you're playing on Medium or Hard, you have to fight these sooner or later - may as well face them now before you get too busy. Plus, you can choose to face them during daylight.

The northern fork takes you over another bridge to the keep of Panok the Direwolf Rider. He moves ridiculously fast, so you might have a hard time pinning him down. His troops are mostly Goblins, so consider him to be a warmup for the tougher foes you'll face in the caverns. Upon his death, he drops a ring and possibly triggers the Naga and the Slayer.

From here, there are two roads: the North, and the West. Both lead to tunnels into the mountains, and each ends in the keep of an Orcish Warlord [Orcish Warrior on Easy]. The exit tunnel could randomly be behind either keep. Though the two keeps are linked by paths inside the mountain, it might be quicker overall to leave Kaleh outside until you determine whether he needs to go East or West. You could either split your troops and tackle the entrances separately, or send the whole bunch down the closest hole. In that case, expect a pitched battle as the furthest Orc reinforces the nearest.

The turn after Kaleh first enters either cavern, he will be pursued by a Cloaked Figure/Dark Assassin. It doesn't matter if Kaleh is surrounded, the Assassin will temporarily displace any Elf or Orc that is in his way when he appears. Other findings:
*If you follow the river where it enters the mountain, it will lead you to a Goblin Impaler guarding a treasure chest. Not exceptionally tough, but he will fight from solid ground while you stand in the water. The chest contains 40 to 80 gold.
*Continuing around the river, there is a passageway [coordinates 18,10] that ends in a pool. If you step into the pool, you will find a glowing blade. You may choose to either take it or leave it. If you take it, that character's melee attack will now deal cold damage, but a monster will appear to block your escape. It's only level one [and cute at that!], but again it will be on dry land while you will be starting in water. It's kind of a long trip, so you'd be unlikely to finish it before the end of the scenario unless you send a Scout or other fast unit. Alternately, if Nym didn't get the Holy Water, have her get it.

== A Subterranean Struggle ==

You're in a tunnel headed East. Soon you will see a squad of Giant Ants in front of you, while a Cave Spider tries to sneak up behind you. If you flee the Spider, stalactites will crush and kill it. Eventually you find yourself in a great chamber where Dwarves and Trolls are doing battle. You are forced to choose which side to ally with, and then you will be required to eliminate the other side. Your choice will stay with you for a few more scenarios, as the campaign forks after this. Fortunately, there is a keep right in front of you, though the battle is currently raging in it.

Soon after choosing sides [probably about the time you get your keep clear], your opponent will pull a sneak attack that nearly wipes out your allies. Most of the rest retreat. Three turns later, they make it up to you by giving some loyal troops to you. If you are allied with the Dwarves, the two tribes of Trolls are Southeast and Southwest from your keep. If you are allied with the Trolls, the two tribes of Dwarves are Northeast and Northwest from your keep.

Guard Kaleh well: some time after receiving your reinforcements (turn 20 on Medium difficulty), the Cloaked Assassin will reappear. This time they will Slow Kaleh and take up to half his hit points. There's some more crazy talk, and the Slow effect lasts until the Assassin has been removed again. Note that even if your troops now succeed in destroying the enemy tribes, this scenario won't end until the Assassin has been dealt with.

==Diverging Campaign Path==
===In the Tunnels of the Trolls===
You start in a small keep with few places to go. The tunnel leading West is where you just came from. To kick things off, move a unit to the East-most dirt hex. At the end of the turn, Dwarven demolitions will make this wall an entrance to the Troll kingdom. You will immediately see a Troll leader and his minions in a keep. Don't get too excited; he's not your target, merely an outpost. However, the clock is ticking, so finish them off quickly. Afterward you might wish to use his keep to recruit an additional healer to support Zhul, and if you have a unit with the cold blade bring them as well.. Since it costs no upkeep, you may as well recall all the Dwarves that you've been given by your allies.

This cavern has exits leading North, East, and South. North only goes to the edge of the map. East leads to some Trolls interrogating some Dwarves. Play your cards right and you'll be able to rescue a Dwarvish Stalwart, who joins your party out of gratitude [though he's not grateful enough to be Loyal...]. South is the exit going toward the objective. This leads into a large lava cavern. Similar to the second scenario, you'll need to keep as many troops as possible gathered around a healer. However, the lava hexes are not safe for your units to end their turns on, other than the flying units. This is going to slow down your progress, as most units will not be able to use all their movement points.

The Troll Shamen blow up the bridge going directly to them, so you'll have to take an alternate route clockwise around the rim of the lava pit. They will conjure up a fire elemental to slow your progress; after you kill it, it will periodically regenerate. Additionally, as you reach certain checkpoints the Shamen will create more Fire Guardians, though these don't regenerate. When you reach the southern part of the rim, you'll be rewarded by a small pool of water that will heal whomever is standing in it by ten points per turn. The rim is interrupted here by a rock projection sticking out to bar your way. After this, you have to proceed by "island hopping".

By the way, there are two passages on the western side of the lava pit that aren't strictly necessary to get to, but might be worth exploring [flying units only]. The lower is blocked by the ghost of a Dwarf who died in the upper. Burying the remains of the Dwarf allows you to proceed further down the lower passageway to a Troll crypt guarded by a Zombie Troll Whelp. Flying over the Chasm allows you to loot the crypt for the poison wand it contains. Whomever picks it up will add poison damage to their melee attacks.

When you reach the spit of land that the Shamen are standing on, one will run to the boss. I got lucky in that the other chose to stand in the lava to get around me. He was a lot easier to finish off then. ;^) After that, follow South and East. The tunnel quickly narrows down to a single lane, and your progress will be impeded by some Whelps. The lair has a pair of alcoves containing Troll dead, who will eventually be turned into Zombies to further slow you down. By the time you deal with these and the army of Trolls the boss is recruiting, you might not have much time left. Finally take out the other Shaman and the Chieftain. Good luck!

<Big>Dealing With Dwarves</Big>

This is mostly just dialog, though if you have kept Elyssa alive she will decide to stay and study the Dwarves. As a parting gift, she presents you with a flaming sword, and you can recruit/recall any unit to take and deal out fire damage. Too bad she'll be drowning soon. The other bad news is that all of your loyal troops will also be staying down here when you go up into the outer world. Only one Dwarf will volunteer to guide you. If you saved the Stalwart, it'll be him.

=== In the Domain of the Dwarves ===
You start in a small keep. Move a unit to the West-most dirt hex. At the end of the turn, Troll fire magic will make this wall an entrance to the Dwarven kingdom. You will immediately see a small contingent of Dwarves in a fortress. Since it costs no upkeep, you may as well recall all the Trolls that you've been given by your allies. Recruit healers and quite a few expendable troops (the Dwarves aren't shy about using Berserkers!).

The area around the fortress has several tunnels. Going clockwise from your current position, the South-East avenue only goes to the edge of the map. South-West leads to a humorous scene of a Dwarven drill instructor berating his troops. Bring two mid-level Trolls, preferably a mix of melee and ranged types to deal with these. Past this will be a Troll being tortured by a Dwarf. He pretty much rescues himself, but joins your party out of gratitude. North-West is the exit going toward the objective. North is a Dwarf guarding what will become a dead end.

The main path crosses two single hex wide bridges over a chasm. After you push the Dwarves back to the bridges, your flying units support your front line from the chasm. The leader of this Dwarven contingent challenges you to get up close and personal. After you do, however, he blows up the main entrance to the Dwarven Keep. Now you'll have to make a right turn detour through the Black Lake.

Bats and Giant Tentacles will accost you in the lake. Your flying units (Zhul, and Sun Slyphs if you have them) will need to head northeast, using coral reef as cover, if they want to assassinate the Dread Bat leader. Meanwhile, your main army should circle westward as quickly as possible -- you can't afford to get bottlenecked by L2 Dwarves if you hope for an early finish. Send a small contingent (supported by a flyer) to the northernmost part of the lake, there is a Dwarven Hermit speaking some Gollum-like speech. When he dies, all your troops will have access to his amulet, which is basically a key. The southeast portion of the lake contains a crypt which the key will unlock.

Looting the crypt gives one unit a belt of strength that is supposedly good for 12 additional hit points. Sun Sylphs are ideal recipients, due to their low health. Upon putting on the belt your exit will be blocked by a ghost -- a piece of cake for a Sun Sylph, but troublesome for most other units.

Back to the mainland, the Chieftain and his troops will be almost directly west of where your people get back on land. There's a wall in the way, though, with entrances on both the North and South portions of it. The southern route is slightly closer, but is also a chokepoint. Send some faster troops the northern way to attack the Dwarves' rear.

<Big>Talking With Trolls</Big>

This is mostly just dialog, though if you have kept Elyssa alive she will decide to stay and study the Trolls. As a parting gift, she presents you with a flaming sword, and you can recruit/recall any unit to take it and deal out fire damage. Too bad she'll be drowning soon. The other bad news is that all of your loyal troops will also be staying down here when you go up into the outer world. Only one Troll will volunteer to guide you. If you saved the victim of Vengeful Dwarf, it'll be him.

== Out Of The Frying Pan ==
Thankfully, this is the last of the underground fighting. It's too bad you can't recruit more of the Dwarves/Trolls you've allied with, as they could really help here. Your opponents have dammed the river and the whole tunnel system is being flooded. This is bad: every turn you will lose several hexes of floor. Recruit/recall no more than a single castle's worth of troops, as you'll lose more to drowning than to fighting. Actually, it's best to not recruit any units, though you should recall the Dust Devil, since it is loyal; you are going to need your gold later at a second keep, and you don't want to pay upkeep until then.

It is best to play this similar to "The Elves Beseiged". Don't fight any more than you absolutely have to, prefer to instead move past the enemies and let them drown behind you. Water areas that you haven't seen yet won't rise, so don't send fast scouts ahead of your slower troops (an exception: the Dust Devil doesn't trigger the "more water" events, except for the one at the end of the secret passage).

The first cavern will have your exit blocked by three of your opponents, be they Dwarf or Troll. Next is a scattering of Giant Ants. They don't put up much of a fight. The exit is the North West tunnel. The following cavern is populated by three humans who decide to attack you. The tunnel behind them is also flooding, so you need to make haste to the western tunnel. The next cavern is marked by a magical warding [looks like clouds] that blocks passage except through the red rune 'gate'. It won't hurt to step onto the rune, but upon leaving it the lead character will be burned for 25%-35% of their total hit points while both gates disappear. Also, a variety mix of undead will suddenly appear in the chamber. Some of them will gather around around the entrance chokehold, so you'll need skirmish ability to effectively assist the now lonely lead character. If you have Grog, best to send him in first, as he can heal up the damage by the time the battle is over. Also, his impact weapon is best used against the skeletons in the back of the room. The same goes for Rogrimir, naturally, but he'll need healing afterward.

There is a secret door at 24,49 that will lead you around the red rune room. It has more water there, though [not to mention the Soulless], so it's another opportunity to have good troops drowned. The cavern where this tunnel connects back behind the red runed room has two blue runes that will heal whomever steps upon them to 100%, but not cure poison. They are also only good for a few uses, so probably just use it to heal Zhul and your badly bruised ally.

The exits out of the blue runed room are thus: South is back to the red runed room. South-West is the water-logged Soulless. North-West is the 'Training Room'. A ghostly teacher in back of the room runs his ghostly students through weapons drills with you as targets. Destroying the students is not helpful, as the master keeps reanimating them. You need to take him out, but the Zone of Control of the students keeps you from getting to him. Yet another call for the Skirmish ability. I don't bother going in there, as there's no real gain for the amount of time you'll have to spend here. What i like to think of as the 'main exit' from the blue runed room is due north. This leads to a sleeping area where you will be assaulted by the skeletal remains of its former inhabitants. Your ally should have half of them cleaned up by the time the last of your troops gets in. This route is slightly longer in terms of hexes than going through the Training Room, but i still get through in fewer turns.

Besides, there is a goody to be had this way: North of the skeletons is the lab area. You'll find the secret door at 17,36. Inside, you'll find a red rune blocking the way, then two more further up. Stepping upon the first rune causes the character to suffer the usual 25%-35% damage PLUS poison. Then the other two runes are covered by angry monsters [failed experiments]. Both are first level. Behind them is a Frankenstein-style monster trapped in a ring of fire. If you Skirmish past the two, you can break the ring to release the second level Flesh Golem. It will fight for you. You have to be careful, as its Berserk fighting style can be a double edged weapon. Nonetheless, it can be useful to have another Chaotic fighter on your side.

The next room beyond either the Training Room or sleeping area is the sacrificial altar. Setting foot in here conjures two second-level fire demons the next turn. Bring out your Cold Blade and whatever ranged weapons you have handy. Note that every time you step on the tiled floor around the altar you are given the chance to pull a lever. Do not pull the lever until all your people are in this room and ready to leave. Pulling the lever opens two secret passages behind the Altar. The eastern is your exit; the western is flooded. Six turns after you pull the lever, the entire temple area will be Deep Water.

The exit goes through a Crypt area that is guarded by a Spider Lich. It is tough, but vulnerable to Fire and impact damage; you should still have both. After you leave the Crypt, you will again be stopped by: the ever mysterious Cloaked Assassin. This time you are able to capture him and get his whole sad story. I think it was about turn 30 or so that i got my people past the dangers of the raging waters. Woo-hoo!: you've made it out into the sand again, and are ready for some real fighting!! Fortunately there's a rather haughty group of humans who seem to think your people are meant to be sacrificed to their 'Dark Lady'.

By all means, start recalling troops to teach them a lesson. You probably need to spend all your gold. Figure the opposition is 20-something in Sergeant Durstrag's tribe plus five messengers and periodic visits by vengeful undead. These will mostly just bother your troops who are near the South end of the valley. Don't bother looking for the messenger; it isn't on the map yet. At some point, a messenger will materialize just East of the oasis. After taking him out, you only have a half dozen or so turns to finish off Sergeant Durstrag or another messenger will be created, along with his escorts. Don't forget the chest of gold just South of your Keep. If the battle goes on long enough, the flood waters will eventually come out of the side of mountain on the West end of the valley and make a new river.

== Blood is Thicker than Water ==
Out of the frying pan, into hot water! Let's break this down into parts for each objective:
===Free the Mermen===
If you click too rapidly through the introductory text you will miss some crucial details: Namely that your enemies lie to the northwest, and that you're looking for ''five'' merfolk. It's worthwhile to get them all, as each will become a loyal troop once freed from the cage. The humans are Loyalist factioned in three tribes. They are not the mysterious 'Iron Council', just followers. The leader is a third level commander while the other two are second level lieutenants. Depending on the level of difficulty, you could be seeing things like Shock Troopers, Swordsmen and Cavaliers. Probably about three keeps worth should be good. If you wipe out all the bad guys before the sacrifice, but don't free all five merfolk, your troops will just wander idly until the time of the sacrifice. Freeing the fifth mermaid starts the rebellion, thus potentially saving a few turns for the end of scenario bonus.

It's easy to miss the the fifth Mermaid, as she is hidden in the small cave just north of the eastmost humans' keep. This is in deep water, so the land lubbers won't be able to help. Have the Mermaid Priestess and another Merman approach the island from the East side. The cage there holds a Mermaid Enchantress and is guarded by a few Walking Corpses/Souless. The other large island in the Northwest is closed off, you won't be able to get there yet. If it isn't obvious, use your freed merpeople very sparingly on land. Unless the humans are standing on the shore, or otherwise making themselves easy targets, just park your finny allies in the water. Sometimes they can jump on a village to prevent a wounded bad guy from getting a rest. If you have dealt with all the humans before turn 16, don't just stand around. Start shifting all the elves where they will next be needed next: the east side of the mainland and the eastmost island. Dwarves, Trolls, and Golems move slowly enough that they probably won't make it to the rebels before the rebellion is over. May as well leave them on the North-West island [the village at 20,23 is a good location] in readiness for the third objective, possibly accompanied by any of your elves with a move of 5.

On turn 16, any merpeople still caught will be pan-fried in a little butter as an offering to the Dark Lady. This is performed by a briefly seen Necromancer named Hekuba. He is a member of the Iron Council. Or is that an Iron Chef? Should any leaders of the Loyalists still remain, they will depart to prepare 'Plan B'. Sigh. It was so much easier to get to them on the mainland. If they are all dead, the Iron Council will then begin 'Plan C'.
===The Rebellion===
After the Dark Lady is newly invigorated by the sacrifice, the apparition of Eloh appears to (and appeals to) one of your elves. He expresses his faith in the apparition, and challenges you for leadership of the elves. You'll have to fight him for supremacy, and you won't be able to recruit new troops until this is over. Zhul will be torn between her admiration of Kaleh and Eloh. She will go to Eloh and sell Kaleh's goodness. The apparition rebuffs Zhul and petrifies her. If you don't have any other healers you might wish to recall some before making the long trek East. The rebel base is the northeast island. This was inaccessible to non-swimmers, but the merfolk will show you some Shallow Water paths to the island. If you're feeling shorthanded, you can wait offshore (backed up by a healer, of course) and hammer the defenders in the water. They seem quite eager to rush out to you. It might take a little longer this way, though.

As you approach the island, some Crab Men will appear and attempt to eat you. They're not terribly tough, but they're in their natural element and you're not. As insurance, have the ranged attack merfolk provide a screen in the deep water around you. The melee attack merfolk could perhaps approach the island from the north side. There is a river that goes right to where Eloh is standing. Four successful hits from Merman Warrior can do it...

If you have Kromph, the Flesh Golem, it will soon fall under the sway of the Dark Lady. It talks to itself for a few turns as a warning. When that happens, best surround it with ranged attacks. It changes sides on the beginning of your turn, so you can blast it before it gets a chance to attack. If you manage to strike down Eloh before she complete's Kromph's sub&shy;version, her final command to it causes it to collapse into a heap of confusion. Oh, but we barely knew ye...

If your costs to recruit are high as a result of the battle between the Spectres, it might interest you to know that the rebel elves are not your target - Eloh and Tanstafaal are. Whenever you destroy the apparition and capture Tanstafaal, the remaining elves will automatically switch over to your side. You might not want the extra overhead for the rest of this scenario, though. (The returning elves are loyal from 1.16.2.) Besides, they screen Tanstafaal so well that most of them will have to be done in to get to him. Oh, and Zhul comes around after the apparition is gone.

===Capture Ships===
The next fight will take place on the formerly closed northwest island. This is the home of the Iron Council - a trio of Necromancers. Hekuba is their leader and stays on his keep. The other two are free to move and not even shy about stepping into the water. Nevertheless, they can hold their own out there at night. Plan C is the Necromancers raising the seabed to provide Shallow Water paths from the island - they actually think they're attacking YOU. Well, pride goeth before a fall. With the settling of the rebellion, you are able to recruit again. If you find yourself needing to do that, you have to chose whether it is better to use Tanstafaal's keep and march them all the way back West, or detour Kaleh down to one of the humans' keeps south of the action.

The troops of the Iron Council include a mixed bag of skeletal types and if plan B is place the human leaders will also be here. Hekuba can recruit the same troops as the humans did, plus more Necromancers, Skeletons/Revenants and Skeletal Archers/Bone Shooters. You'll have quite a fight on your hands to make landfall. After you do get on solid ground things aren't so bad. Of course, if the enemy captures the island at 20,23, you'll have to fight them through the water twice. It's probably better to continue to press them at night to prevent that. It'll be a little easier to take on the Necromancers if you can level up the Enchantress and the Priestess.

The bad guys won't be able to destroy the ships. For game purposes, the ships are actually villages. Thus, the worst thing that can happen to the ships is they get recaptured. The merfolk can't cross or occupy ship terrain - not even after they've been captured. I suppose they would have a hard time climbing ladders. When you have all four, the scenario immediately ends. You might wish to finish off any of your opponents that are close before capturing the last ship.

== Speaking With The Fishes ==
Just dialog. A curiosity is that the queen of the Merfolk - Melusand - is giving all your people a seashell brooch, but doesn't say what they're good for other than they enable her to track your progress!

== The Battle for Zocthanol Isle ==
Wow! This time around you'll have to battle five tribes, plus bats. You immediately have to head West along the southern shore of the island, searching for a keep. You'll soon find a Saurian Oracle who looks like he doesn't really need the keep he's sitting in. It's not a particularly tough fight, but you're under time pressure to immediately begin churning out units. As soon as Kaleh takes his seat in the center of the keep, your loyal merfolk return bringing the remaining ships and a group of merfolk you can recruit. They also capture the villages South of you, so you can immediately begin sending the troops North. Zhul makes a comment about not needing gold if you lose. I will simplify: this is the last scenario in which you do any recruiting, so you may as well bust the budget. You still have to face down four tribes. From left to right:

* '''Naga #1:''' If you follow the Shallow Water from your keep North, it'll lead to a small keep with a Naga Myrmidon. His tribe is not heavily populated, but you'll see them first due to closeness. Send half your loyal merfolk up there to deal with them, and recruit some new merfolk to assist.
* '''Undead:''' Not too far North of your keep will be a Draug recruiting a fairly strong assortment of undead: Blood Bats, Ghosts/Wraiths, various second level skeletal types, Soul Shooters, and Necrophages. On higher levels of difficulty, there will be Spectres and Draugs as well.
* '''Orcs:''' On the northeast corner of the island will be a peninsula. There you'll find a Orcish Sovereign recruiting a stiff mix of Orcs and leveled Wolf Riders, nothing under second level.
* '''Naga #2:''' On the east side of the island is more shallow water leading to another Naga Myrmidon. He is a twin to the western Naga, but he'll have more time to recruit before you get to him. Packs of Naga Hunters shooting poison can be deadly day or night. You can take them out with a mix of fast Elves supported by Mermen and a healer. If you're not used to recruiting merfolk, please note that the Mermaid Initiate is not capable of any healing or curing until she's levelled up.

The other threat you'll face are the bats that show up every dusk and harry you until morning. Easy difficulty gives you five Vampire Bats every night. Higher levels of difficulty take away two of those, but add Blood Bats. Like the Ghosts in the second scenario, these are not worth chasing after. They will, however, pick off the weakest of your troops. Anybody who is below 20 hit points is vulnerable at night. Hedgehog like crazy at night, if you don't have enough units for a massive line. If the bats don't see any likely targets, they will unflag any of your unguarded villages. You don't need the money, however, so who cares?

As soon as you have the keep, victory conditions change to reaching the black citadel. However, that'll take some work, as hordes of undead will soon begin pouring down your way. If you dally in recruiting/recalling, you might get flanked by Direwolf Riders and packs of Naga on your eastern side. Send the Dwarf/Troll (You ''do'' still have him, don't you?) along with Nym, Zhul and what's left of your initial landing to deal with the undead while the faster troops you recall head East along the beach. By all means also send whomever has the holy water North. Your merfolk can nail down your watery flanks, both west and east. You'll also need some sturdy elves to block the gap between the lagoons. You'll need another healer for the eastern front, and ideally a third to support the middle. If you don't have the Mermaid Priestess/Diviner in the eastern group, better send along a Shyde/Star.

Melusand told you that the black citadel was in the center of the island. It is, if by "center" you mean "north side". However, it is surrounded by mountains, so merfolk will be of no help there. If any undead come to the coast, then merfolk spellcasters could be helpful. There's a secret area off the northwest shore of the island that the merfolk could explore if they have nothing better to do. A wrecked ship is guarded by a Sea Serpent. Just South of the ship is a sunken treasure worth a little gold. We're really not worried about gold anymore, however. Northwest of the wreck is a sandbar containing another merman in a cage. Inside is a badly wounded Merman Triton. You can send him and the rest of your mermen east across the top of the board and then down to the orc leader.

You might reach the black citadel before finishing off the Orc. If so, victory conditions change: you will need to kill both the undead and orcish leaders before being able to open the door. After finishing them off, victory conditions change again: now get any unit to the door of the black citadel. Since you probably won't need ''everybody'' to take on the Orc, you may as well leave somebody near the citadel. When the door is open, there's some drama that ends up in having Kaleh, Nym, and Zhul go into the citadel to again face the apparition of Eloh. If your ally is still alive, he comes along as well.

== The Final Confrontation ==
Earlier I alluded to the fact that during this battle you won't be able to recruit. You come into a hexagonal cave/chamber that is partially paved and partly rock floor. It somewhat reminded me of "The Duel" scenario ending the Eastern Invasion campaign. It's just the people I mentioned in the last paragraph of the Zocthanol scenario: Kaleh, Nym, Zhul and possibly Grog or Rogrimir. The Apparition of Eloh will be in the front of you, and she will have charmed some of your young troops to use against you. The objective is to defeat the apparition, quite possibly the easiest objective ever. By all means have the ally go first, since he will move faster and defend better on the cavern floor. When i did it, Grog the Troll Warrior took her out in a single move: both swings connected and she was done.

While this may not be as emotionally satisfying as having Kaleh or Zhul finish her off, it has the beneficial effect of leaving more characters able to move to fulfill the second objective. The two recruits are freed from their charm, if you are able to keep them alive in this pit of despair. After the apparition is gone you get to see "the man behind the curtain" so to speak. The evil creature doing all this isn't a standard brand demon, but some relation to Cthulhu. Yechnagoth is composed of a brain (Central Body), energy source (Pulsing Spires), and multiple fists (Crawling Horrors.) Don't even waste your time attacking the Central Body yet. Note that the Spires are a different team than the others.

As long as the Pulsing Spires are alive, the Central Body has 100% resistance to any attack AND it fully heals every turn. Every turn it can attack any adjacent unit, spray slime [hurts 10-12 points and slows] on any unit in the cavern, AND summon one or more new Crawlers. There is no turn limit, but you want to hurry before you get overwhelmed by Crawling Horrors. Due to my lucky start, I was able to finish before turn 5. The Spires have no melee attack, so hammer them as you reach them. (Well, even their ranged attack is nothing to write home about.) Even though the paved parts of the floor all lead to the Central Body, try not to have any character end their turn next to it until the Pulsing Spires are gone. You might find yourself using the hedgehog again, with characters not actively attacking surrounding Zhul to heal up from the constant depredations of the Crawlers.

After you have taken out the third Spire, the Central Body becomes a Weakened Central Body, which is a much more reasonable opponent. The healing stops, and the hit points, resistances and attack damages drop. Again, two mighty hammer blows could finish it off. Congratulations! You've just won yourself a tropical paradise island!!

[[Category:Campaigns - Walkthroughs]]

How to play Drakes

2014-03-14T20:45:00Z

Jozrael:

{{TOC limit|0}}
== General Drake Strategies ==

Against an opponent who has selected a random faction, you want to recruit an adaptable mixture of units. An example recruit might be one each of a Fighter, Clasher, Burner, Augur, and Skirmisher. When you discover your opponent's faction, read the appropriate section for additional advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will quickly result in lots of casualties. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to fire, Dark Adepts have no melee attack, and Drakes are vulnerable to pierce and cold. Whoever is left standing wins.

'''Drake Burner''' You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

'''Drake Clasher''' With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

'''Drake Glider''' Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

'''Drake Fighter''' Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

'''Saurian Augur''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

'''Saurian Skirmisher''' This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

'''Tactics'''On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

'''Drake Burner''' This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

'''Drake Clasher'''
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

'''Drake Glider'''

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

'''Drake Fighter'''

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

'''Saurian Augur'''

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

'''Saurian Skirmisher'''

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

''' Tactics '''

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

'''Drake Burner'''

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

'''Drake Clasher'''

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

'''Drake Glider'''

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

'''Drake Fighter'''

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

'''Saurian Augur'''

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

'''Saurian Skirmisher'''

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

''' Tactics '''

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

''' Drake Burner '''

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

'''Drake Clasher'''

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

'''Drake Glider'''

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

'''Drake Fighter'''

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

'''Saurian Augur'''

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

'''Saurian Skirmisher'''

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

''' Tactics '''

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

''' Tactics '''

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

'''Drake Burner'''
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

'''Team game'''

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
'''Drake Burner'''

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against fighters and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A

'''Drake Clasher'''

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

'''Drake Glider'''

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

'''Drake Fighter'''

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

'''Saurian Augur'''

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

'''Saurian Skirmisher'''

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

'''Tactics'''

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T20:34:53Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Drakes */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[Glossary|ZOC]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

Terrain denial is the most important aspect of this matchup. His Poachers will be trying to take your forests, while denying his hills and mountains is critical.

Shamans and Mages shine against the Dwarves. A Shaman in a forest hex has the defense and health of a thief with no physical vulnerabilities, and if she ever slows an Ulfserker you get a free kill - not that her slow is wasted on Fighters, Guardians, or Gryphons.

Priority levelups continue to be Druids and Captains. Healing and Leadership greatly enhance the Elves' capabilities; the captain essentially negates the Dwarves' armor. The Knalgans don't have access to these abilities, so they will provide a large advantage.

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C-'''

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
The Undead have very specific resistances and vulnerabilities, so many of your units are less useful

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

'''Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit a
'''Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T20:34:30Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Undead */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[Glossary|ZOC]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

Terrain denial is the most important aspect of this matchup. His Poachers will be trying to take your forests, while denying his hills and mountains is critical.

Shamans and Mages shine against the Dwarves. A Shaman in a forest hex has the defense and health of a thief with no physical vulnerabilities, and if she ever slows an Ulfserker you get a free kill - not that her slow is wasted on Fighters, Guardians, or Gryphons.

Priority levelups continue to be Druids and Captains. Healing and Leadership greatly enhance the Elves' capabilities; the captain essentially negates the Dwarves' armor. The Knalgans don't have access to these abilities, so they will provide a large advantage.

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C-'''

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
The Undead have very specific resistances and vulnerabilities, so many of your units are less useful

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

'''Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit a
'''Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T20:30:37Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Knalgans */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[Glossary|ZOC]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

Terrain denial is the most important aspect of this matchup. His Poachers will be trying to take your forests, while denying his hills and mountains is critical.

Shamans and Mages shine against the Dwarves. A Shaman in a forest hex has the defense and health of a thief with no physical vulnerabilities, and if she ever slows an Ulfserker you get a free kill - not that her slow is wasted on Fighters, Guardians, or Gryphons.

Priority levelups continue to be Druids and Captains. Healing and Leadership greatly enhance the Elves' capabilities; the captain essentially negates the Dwarves' armor. The Knalgans don't have access to these abilities, so they will provide a large advantage.

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C-'''

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T20:29:54Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Knalgans */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[Glossary|ZOC]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

Terrain denial is the most important aspect of this matchup. His Poachers will be trying to take your forests, while denying his hills and mountains is critical.

Shamans and Mages shine against the Dwarves. A Shaman in a forest hex has the defense and health of a thief with no physical vulnerabilities, and if she ever slows an Ulfserker you get a free kill - not that her slow is wasted on Fighters, Guardians, or Gryphons.

Priority levelups continue to be Druids and Captains. Healing and Leadership greatly enhance the Elves' capabilities; the captain essentially negates the Dwarves' armor. The Knalgans don't have access to these abilities, so they will provide a large advantage.

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C-'''

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T20:27:52Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Knalgans */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[Glossary|ZOC]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

Terrain denial is the most important aspect of this matchup. His Poachers will be trying to take your forests, while denying his hills and mountains is critical.

Shamans and Mages shine against the Dwarves. A Shaman in a forest hex has the defense and health of a thief with no physical vulnerabilities, and if she ever slows an Ulfserker you get a free kill - not that her slow is wasted on Fighters, Guardians, or Gryphons.

Priority levelups continue to be Druids and Captains. Healing and Leadership greatly enhance the Elves' capabilities; the captain essentially negates the Dwarves' armor. The Knalgans don't have access to these abilities, so they will provide a large advantage.

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T18:54:12Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Drakes */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[Glossary|ZOC]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T18:53:47Z

Jozrael: /* General Rebel Strategies: */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the Mage, Wose, and Merman are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The Elvish Captain provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. Shamans provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[[ZoC]]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T18:52:48Z

Jozrael: /* General Rebel Strategies: */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent, e.g. a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The '''Elvish Captain''' provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. '''Shamans''' provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[[ZoC]]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T18:51:24Z

Jozrael:

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent. An example recruit could include a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The '''Elvish Captain''' provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. '''Shamans''' provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[[ZoC]]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Loyalists==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T18:49:47Z

Jozrael:

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent. An example recruit could include a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The '''Elvish Captain''' provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. '''Shamans''' provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[[ZoC]]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Northerners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Rebels==
TODO

'''Fighter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Mage:''' TODO
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Wose:''' TODO
 Rating: '''B+'''

'''Archer:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Shaman:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' TODO
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' TODO
 Rating:'''C'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T18:38:58Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Drakes */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent. An example recruit could include a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The '''Elvish Captain''' provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. '''Shamans''' provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
Drakes are an incredibly offensive opponent: be careful of their extreme mobility and high damage. They want nothing more than to fight you on open ground, where they will massacre your fragile Elves. Denying terrain from Drakes is irrelevant in this matchup, but ensuring that you have the best possible terrain for key fights is critical. Their Saurians bring additional threats - magical attacks to force you out of the forest, and Skirmisher allows them to assassinate wounded units in your back line.

Fortunately, you have the tools to turn the tide: your Mages, while impotent against the fiery Drakes, are a key counter to their Saurian underlings. You have an abundance of Piercing damage, which the Drakes fear. Your incredible defenses can turn the tide as the easily hit Drakes fall under a flurry of arrows as their blows fail to strike your forces of the forest. You will likely aggress at night, unless he has a horde of Saurians.

'''Archer:''' AAA Pierce is the best physical damage type against all Drakes, and the Archers bring that in bulk. Be judicious where you expose them as they are the most expensive unit you'll have on your front line most turns, but you need their raw damage to shred through the large health pools of the Drakes.
 Rating:'''A'''

'''Fighter:''' The most efficient unit on your side in terms of stats/gold, the Fighter is your best answer to his Burners, and will cut up Saurians if no Mages can safely do the job. Be careful as it is slower than the average Drake. If you need to sacrifice a unit, the Fighter will deal decent retaliation damage to any drake that hits it, weakening them for a counterstrike. Finally, if you get one to Captain, that will be a significant advantage in holding off the Drakes' chosen time of day.
 Rating:'''A-'''

'''Shaman:''' You need their slow, pure and simple. A slowed Drake is likely a dead Drake. Quick Shamans might be able to snipe a Clasher on the retreat and force a favorable engagement. You don't need their defensive abilities as much as Archers should be occupying most of your front line forest hexes, but their heal is always a welcome addition. If you can slow a Burner from a forest hex, that will significantly reduce retaliation from an Archer (though it's not worth it if that Archer must then attack from a flat hex, as the reduction in defense from 70% to 40% essentially doubles the damage you will take).
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These fish will provide cover at sea. High defense, pierce, good movement - what's not to like? Recruit these as necessary for the map you are playing.
 Rating:'''B'''

'''Mage:''' Completely useless against the fireproof Drakes, one or two of these can still be a key recruit against a Saurian threat. If the Saurians never leave excellent cover, a Mage will be needed to efficiently dispatch them. Be careful, as Skirmishers are a high threat at night. Don't allow a Skirmisher to attack a Mage at night from good terrain if possible - you may not be able to safely counterattack the next turn.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Scout:''' While their ranged attack is satisfactory, they are not worth their cost in combat. One can be useful for scouting or [[[ZoC]]]; on a larger map you may require one simply for efficient village acquisition. Two is likely one too many unless you have separated fronts.
 Rating:'''C'''

'''Wose:''' Only recruit this unit if you have a cluster of villages under constant Saurian threat. Too slow to catch Saurians, extremely vulnerable to Burners, and chopped down by Clashers and Fighters, your money is better spent elsewhere. At least it will absolutely murder any Saurian it manages to actually reach.
 Rating: '''D-'''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Northeners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T17:47:24Z

Jozrael:

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent. An example recruit could include a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The '''Elvish Captain''' provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. '''Shamans''' provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Drakes==
You'll have hard time because:
* Drakes are fast (can grab villages quickly) and have high HP;
* You don't have Cold attack which Drakes are vulnerable to;

To exploit Drakes' lesser weakness, to Pierce, have more '''Archers''' than '''Fighters'''. Though, Fighters are cheap, do a good backfire, and one can level up to '''Captain'''.

Have '''Shamans''' to slow '''Clashers''' and '''Fighters'''. Sometimes, don't be afraid to slow even a Burner, to take him down then with an Archer.

If '''Saurians''' annoy you, recruit a '''Mage''' or two. They pick Saurians out of swamp and forest hexes very well, especially backed up with a Captain. Just make sure you can shield them properly after that or they will fall quickly to any Drake.

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Northeners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T17:45:42Z

Jozrael: /* General Rebel Strategies: */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent. An example recruit could include a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Your faction is largely compromised of the neutral Elves, but the '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also lawful it is usually best to fight at night.

Rebels have an abundance of ranged attacks in addition to the Dextrous trait on Elves. This enables frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage; it also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Second only to the Drakes, Rebels have good mobility. The Scout has the highest level 1 movement in the game, and all of your Elves have the efficient woodland movetype. Attempt to take an early village advantage and later [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponent's weakened units.

The Elves bring multiple special abilities to the table. The '''Elvish Captain''' provides access to the Leadership trait, which can prove the difference when fighting an enemy at their chosen time of day. '''Shamans''' provide +4 healing and the ability to slow enemy units, a cornerstone of the Rebel strategy; their 70% defense in forests even allows them to provide effective front line support.

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Drakes==
You'll have hard time because:
* Drakes are fast (can grab villages quickly) and have high HP;
* You don't have Cold attack which Drakes are vulnerable to;

To exploit Drakes' lesser weakness, to Pierce, have more '''Archers''' than '''Fighters'''. Though, Fighters are cheap, do a good backfire, and one can level up to '''Captain'''.

Have '''Shamans''' to slow '''Clashers''' and '''Fighters'''. Sometimes, don't be afraid to slow even a Burner, to take him down then with an Archer.

If '''Saurians''' annoy you, recruit a '''Mage''' or two. They pick Saurians out of swamp and forest hexes very well, especially backed up with a Captain. Just make sure you can shield them properly after that or they will fall quickly to any Drake.

==Rebels vs Northeners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T17:37:13Z

Jozrael: /* General Rebel Strategies: */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

Diversify your starting recruit against a random opponent. An example recruit could include a Scout, a Shaman, an Archer, two Fighters, and a Mage.

[[Rebels]] have excellent defense in forests. A primary consideration for your strategy should be holding and leveraging available forest hexes.

Elves are Neutral in alignment, so attack when your opponent is at their weakest. The '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful however, so take this into consideration if you recruit these units. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also strongest in the day it is usually best to fight at night.

One of the Rebels' greatest strengths is their abundance of ranged attacks in harmony with the Dextrous trait. This characteristic gives Rebels frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage. It also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Rebels also have good mobility, their Scout having the highest level 1 movement in the game (9 moves). The deadly '''Archer''' is also gifted with 6 - both are also graced with the speedy woodland movetype. Use this mobility to your advantage early by taking a village advantage and later by [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponents weakened units.

If you happen to use '''Elvish Captain''' as a leader (or to level up a '''Fighter'''), take the advantage of his Leadership. He's one of the fastest leaders, so on small maps can get to fighting line in 2 turns. Not that amazing himself, his Leadership gives nearby units +25% bonus. That's an advantage you use day-night cycle for, that's the difference between retreat and attack. When properly positioned, he can boost 3 or even 4 units a turn. Of course, this works best combined with other advantages like time of day or good unit unit matchup. Mages and Woses under his banner tear Undead in halfs.

There's always need for a trick. '''Shamans''' do three good things:
* +4 healing is never bad (though they rarely level up to give you +8);
* slow enemy units, which halves their movement and damage for a turn. The more powerful or quick your enemy is, the more useful the ability becomes;
* they have 70% defense in Forests, so, when in bad need, can stop non-magical enemies with own ZoC.

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Drakes==
You'll have hard time because:
* Drakes are fast (can grab villages quickly) and have high HP;
* You don't have Cold attack which Drakes are vulnerable to;

To exploit Drakes' lesser weakness, to Pierce, have more '''Archers''' than '''Fighters'''. Though, Fighters are cheap, do a good backfire, and one can level up to '''Captain'''.

Have '''Shamans''' to slow '''Clashers''' and '''Fighters'''. Sometimes, don't be afraid to slow even a Burner, to take him down then with an Archer.

If '''Saurians''' annoy you, recruit a '''Mage''' or two. They pick Saurians out of swamp and forest hexes very well, especially backed up with a Captain. Just make sure you can shield them properly after that or they will fall quickly to any Drake.

==Rebels vs Northeners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Rebels

2014-03-14T06:39:29Z

Jozrael: /* Rebels vs Northeners */

==General Rebel Strategies:==

On the first turn when you have a random opponent it is good to get a mixture of units. A Scout, Merman, Archer, 2 Fighters, and a Mage would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more advice.

[[Rebels]] have good to great defense in forest. Try to keep them there whenever possible, as obvious as that is. Even the easily hit '''Wose''' has his best defense (still hit more often than missed) in forest.

Elves are Neutral in alignment, so attack when your opponent is at their weakest. The '''Mage''', '''Wose''', and '''Merman''' are Lawful however, so take this into consideration if you recruit these units. You will be strongest in the day, but if your opponent is also strongest in the day it is usually best to fight at night.

One of the Rebels' greatest strengths is their abundance of ranged attacks in harmony with the Dextrous trait. This characteristic gives Rebels frequent chances to attack without taking retaliation damage. It also guarantees any opponent attacking you will take some damage in return.

Rebels also have good mobility, their Scout having the highest level 1 movement in the game (9 moves). The deadly '''Archer''' is also gifted with 6 - both are also graced with the speedy woodland movetype. Use this mobility to your advantage early by taking a village advantage and later by [[Glossary|ZOC]]ing your opponents weakened units.

If you happen to use '''Elvish Captain''' as a leader (or to level up a '''Fighter'''), take the advantage of his Leadership. He's one of the fastest leaders, so on small maps can get to fighting line in 2 turns. Not that amazing himself, his Leadership gives nearby units +25% bonus. That's an advantage you use day-night cycle for, that's the difference between retreat and attack. When properly positioned, he can boost 3 or even 4 units a turn. Of course, this works best combined with other advantages like time of day or good unit unit matchup. Mages and Woses under his banner tear Undead in halfs.

There's always need for a trick. '''Shamans''' do three good things:
* +4 healing is never bad (though they rarely level up to give you +8);
* slow enemy units, which halves their movement and damage for a turn. The more powerful or quick your enemy is, the more useful the ability becomes;
* they have 70% defense in Forests, so, when in bad need, can stop non-magical enemies with own ZoC.

==Rebels vs Undead==
Undead are resistant to both blade and pierce, so many of your units are useless. However, they are less resistant to impact and fire, so that's where you'll want to focus your recruiting.

'''Elvish Archer:''' This unit has a good pierce attack and a decent blade attack. Normally this unit is excellent, but against undead he doesn't do near as much damage. The only reason to recruit this unit would be for it's high movement points, and for the 17 gold required, you may as well recruit an '''Elvish Scout'''. Don't recruit this unit, spend your gold elsewhere. ''Rating: D-''

'''Elvish Fighter:''' These guys have a blade attack and a secondary pierce attack. Against undead, you want a couple for village holding and damaging Dark Adepts, however don't go overboard with them. ''Rating: B-''

'''Elvish Scout:''' Your scouts are only good for that: scouting. They don't have great attacks to begin with, and with the undead's resistances to pierce and blade, their attacks get that much worse. They can be good at the beginning of the game to get and hold villages, and later in the game to take out stray bats, but other than that, they're only good for ZOCing your opponents. Only recruit them at the beginning of your turn, because they're expensive and have bad attacks.. ''Rating: C''

'''Elvish Shaman:''' This unit is always helpful, because it has the healing ability. Although it isn't much, it can sometimes save your other units, especially when operated in pairs behind your lines. They also have the ''Slows'' ability, which can be used against their '''Skeletons'''. You can also slow Ghouls, however it won't be as effective because the Ghoul's main weapon is Poison, not its attacks. Their weapons are impact, too, so they'll do more damage then normal.. ''Rating: A-''

'''Mage:''' This will be your primary ranged unit. It's one of your most expensive units, but it's worth it for its fire attack. It has a ranged magical attack as well, so you can hit units even when they have good defense. You do have to remember that this unit is lawful, so you have to use it during favorable times, and keep it out of the way when unfavorable.. ''Rating: A''

'''Merman Hunter:''' This unit normally has fairly bad attacks, and then since they're both pierce, the undead's resistances make them even worse. They can be used to quickly grab water villages and hold them, but other than that they're just cruddy against '''Undead'''.. ''Rating: F+''.

'''Wose:''' Even though Woses look awesome against the undead, with their high damage impact attack and regeneration, fight the urge to spam them. They're so slow that a good player will be able to outmaneuver you and kill you easily in the night. ''Rating: B.''

==Rebels vs Knalgans==

One of the tricks with the rebels vs. knalgans is to '''really''' use the shamans to their full potential. It comes in two forms; first, shamans in forest are surprisingly durable; they have the defense and hitpoints of a thief, but lack the weakness to physical weapons. That, '''and''' they have retaliatory slowing on ranged (and can slow some of the worse melee attackers). Especially shamans in pairs, or even better - shamans backed up by a druid, can nearly stop a small group of melee dwarves from progressing into forest.

Shamans allow you to do one game-changing thing, which is that you can slow a dangerous melee unit, and then attack said melee unit with your fighters. Normally, attacking a dwarven fighter on grass, with your elven fighter, would be a "fair fight", and thus would be very stupid for you to engage in - the general trick to winning a game like wesnoth is to engage your units in combat only when you can arrange a fight that '''isn't''' fair. Usually it's terrain, or being outnumbered that does this, but shamans allow you to, for the space of one turn, make a normally fair fight suddenly very unfair in your favor. It allows you to do this where other factions cannot manage this, such as on open ground.

With shamans, you want to slow as many units as you can; but chiefly you'll want to find whichever "dangerous unit" is the most accessible for you to assign units to attack, and so long as you can keep most of the enemy from retaliating (say, if you slow their three hardest melee hitters), slow him, and then break rank with whatever you can attack the thing with. You'll end the turn with a few lightly scratched fighters (missing maybe 4-8 hp each), and your enemy will either have a nearly or completely dead fighter/gryphon. And conveniently, if those fighters ended their combat next to shamans, you will quickly recoup said "scratches". Woses are also very useful for these kinds of tactics - you can slow their victim, and whatever damage they receive will likely be 8hp or below. A corollary to this is that if you ever have the chance, slow an ulf, and immediately eliminate him with a fighter/wose - it's nearly a free kill.

As usual, if at all possible, get a druid, and get a captain. These level-2 abilities really enhance the elves' capability; the captain, for example, generally negates the effect of the dwarves' armor. The druid's a bit mean when applied to units with 60-70% defense (it's like turning all forest tiles into villages). These kinds of level-2 abilities are something the dwarves don't have access to, so use them to your advantage whenever possible. After you get one captain and one druid, you'll generally want to make any other level-ups into heroes and sorceresses, to give you a bit more firepower (and in the case of the former, something that can actually tank decently for the elves).

==Rebels vs Drakes==
You'll have hard time because:
* Drakes are fast (can grab villages quickly) and have high HP;
* You don't have Cold attack which Drakes are vulnerable to;

To exploit Drakes' lesser weakness, to Pierce, have more '''Archers''' than '''Fighters'''. Though, Fighters are cheap, do a good backfire, and one can level up to '''Captain'''.

Have '''Shamans''' to slow '''Clashers''' and '''Fighters'''. Sometimes, don't be afraid to slow even a Burner, to take him down then with an Archer.

If '''Saurians''' annoy you, recruit a '''Mage''' or two. They pick Saurians out of swamp and forest hexes very well, especially backed up with a Captain. Just make sure you can shield them properly after that or they will fall quickly to any Drake.

==Rebels vs Northeners==
This is a classic matchup between the 'evil' northener orcs and the good elves. Northeners are cheap and tough, as well as being largely melee orientated- your units are more expensive, more fragile and range orientated. Despite this, this is a relatively straight forward matchup; neither faction has any great resistances you have to watch out for, and orcs have no superpowerful units in their arsenal.

Generally, your biggest worry will be grunts and assassins. Assassins have poison; it's the only way northeners can effectively move you out of your forest (without taking lots of retaliation). To combat this, make sure you recruit shamans and keep them behind your front-line units to avoid taking damage from poison. Grunts do a fair bit of damage at night- so try to keep fragile units in defensible terrain.

'''Wose:''' This unit is less effective against northeners. They have no resistances to the largely blade-using northeners, and are weak to the archer's fire attack. They're also very expensive. Still, they're good at counter-attacking trolls and grunts and even wolves. They are your toughest unit though, and are good in making a roadblock. Beware they're slow.
 Rating: '''B-'''

'''Mage:''' These guys & girls are your daytime-hitters. They do great damage and what's more they're magical. Very useful at knocking trolls of their perches, but can also kill any annoying grunts of wolves that get in your way. Finally, they can be used to finish of those pesky assassins. Still, fragile and expensive, so keep them protected.
 Rating:'''B+'''

'''Scout:''' As they're name implies, they are your scouts. Beat wolves one on one, but don't recruit too many of these. They are amazingly mobile though, and are good at harassing most northener units.
 Rating:'''B-'''

'''Merman Hunter:''' These guys are your navy. They're ranged attack is usefull at harassing northeners when they are in water, and they fare well against the opponents nagas. Still, not an awful load of firepower and not massively tough. Oh and if you can level these guys, you get another slower!
 Rating:'''C+'''

'''Shaman:''' Speaking of slow, how could we forget these girls? Weak and fragile, but they are incredibly useful at counterring poison, and a pair of these give your high defence units regeneration! What's more, they do of course, slow. Slow halves the opponents damage and movement speed. They can be used to slow units you can't slaughter, and prevent rogue grunts from killing wounded units. Still, recuit with caution- no more than three shamans for every twelve other units!
 Rating:'''B+'''

And finally...

'''Fighter:''' Your grunts. Do plenty of retaliation in melee and even retaliate in ranged combat! These guys kill assassins and can be used to attack grunts if slowed by a shaman (or wolves). They're also one of your tougher units and can be used to shield other units. They're also fairly quick. Your force should have plenty of these, but they are not your biggest attacker...
 Rating:'''A-'''

How can we not mention the...

'''Archer:''' Undoubtedly the best archer in the game (excluding perhaps, the knalgan thunderer) these guys are you biggest and most reliable damage dealers. They can happily rain 5-4 arrows on the melee northeners and still retaliate back with 6x2 melee damage. As a personal preference, I love spamming these guys and raining hell from above on the orcs. Beware though, they have only 28 hp and no resistances, so at night, keep them in forest or mountains, or if you can't, use a fighter- they have a ranged attack too!
 Rating:'''A'''

==See also==
[[How to play Mages]]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Knalgans

2014-03-12T21:10:38Z

Jozrael: /* Knalgans vs Knalgans */

==General Knalgan strategies==

The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.

*'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain. 
*'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter. 
*'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.
*'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered. 
*'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well. 
*'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very few hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.
*'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines. 

A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher. 

Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60 defence on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.

==Knalgans vs Undead==

If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.) 
''Rating: A+''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with. 
''Rating: D''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead. 
''Rating: F''

'''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.'' 
''Rating: C''

'''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense). 
''Rating: B''

'''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons. 
''Rating: B-''

Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.

Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.

==Knalgans vs Rebels==

This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the "one unit must die" Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the "to kill" list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times. 
''Rating: A+''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime. 
''Rating: B''

'''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy. 
''Rating: C-''

'''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk. 
''Rating: A-''

Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.

If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.

==Knalgans vs Drakes==

These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their "luck" attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army. 
''Rating: A+''

'''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters. 
''Rating: D+''

'''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes. 
''Rating: F''

'''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction. 
''Rating: B+''

Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.

==Knalgans vs Knalgans==

A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee. 
''Rating: C''

'''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing. 
''Rating: B''

'''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again. 
''Rating: C+''

'''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Dwarf on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on. 
''A-''

Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.

==Knalgans vs Loyalists==

Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy. 
''Rating: B-''

'''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists. 
''Rating: C''

'''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1. 
''Rating: B''

Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.

You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.

You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.

Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.

==Knalgans vs Northerners==

The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing. 
''Rating: B''

'''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys. 
''Rating: C''

'''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison. 
''Rating: A-''

The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.

Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.

Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.

To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles.

To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Knalgans

2014-03-12T21:08:22Z

Jozrael: /* Knalgans vs Knalgans */

==General Knalgan strategies==

The Knalgans have perhaps the greatest tactical flexibility of any faction. Because of this, there is no one way to play the Knalgans. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your personality. You can use dwarves for power and defense and outlaws for movement and low prices.

*'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' It can take more hits than most units, making it a great defender. It also has two damage types, making it offensively versatile. It shares the downsides of all dwarves: slow movement (though few terrains slow it down) and low defense on non-specialized terrain. 
*'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Although powerful, it can just as easily do no damage at all, making this a tricky unit to know how to use. Fortunately, it is almost as durable as the fighter. 
*'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' This utility unit has value in many match-ups. It will ensure that either its opponent or it dies. Thus, it has a 100% kill chance against a non-melee unit such as the dark adept, and a very high kill chance against many non-melee-centric units, such as the Mage, Saurian Augur, Bowman, Elvish Shaman, and a wide variety of others. The problem is that your opponent can very easily kill an Ulfserker: they will lose to any dedicated melee unit unless very exceptional circumstances are in play (traits, extreme defensive differences (remember that the ulf cannot get nearly as high defensive values as the Dwarvish fighter, for example), starting hitpoints, time of day, or a combination of the above). Since it is an expensive unit, letting an elvish fighter kill your ulf out of the blue is unwise: however if he just killed a Mage and in killing the ulf the fighter is severely weakened, this is obviously a good trade for you. When using Ulfs, plan how you want them to kill and how you want them to die.
*'''Footpad:''' Opinions on the footpad vary widely. In this guide you will not see them recommended often, but many good players consider these a staple unit of the Knalgans. Regardless, this is not a unit you should overrecruit or your offensive power will be very low. It has excellent defense where your dwarves might be very vulnerable and you might not want to risk your more costly riders. Use it for it's great ZoC abilities even if its offense isn't high-powered. 
*'''Poacher:''' Also a very useful unit for the Knalgans, this unit provides a reliable ranged attack to counterbalance the power of the thunderer, plus it fills many useful hexes (notably forests and swamps) well. 
*'''Thief:''' This unit is possibly the highest damage-dealing unit in your arsenal when used correctly. A strong thief at night does 12-3 damage: the equivalent of a level 2's damage output. However, they have very few hitpoints and their low resists compound this problem. High defense and low cost offset these disadvantages. Remember to backstab with it whenever possible.
*'''Gryphon Rider:''' Possibly the best scout in the game in terms of combat, this is tempered by its high cost. Use it as a lookout for enemy advances and pick off weak or wounded units that are retreating behind enemy lines. 

A good first turn recruit against random would consist of a Gryphon Rider, two Dwarvish Fighters, a Dwarvish Thunderer, a Footpad, and a Poacher. 

Keep in mind that that the dwarves should stay in mountains, hills, and other high-defense terrain and the outlaws should stay in any non-grassland terrain, if possible. Keep in mind that since your footpads and thieves have 60 defence on grassland, and your enemy will often have 40 or even 30, it can often be to your benefit if the enemy chooses to attack them on open ground.

==Knalgans vs Undead==

If you know you're playing against Undead, the smartest thing to do is to recruit a Dwarvish Ulfserker. He will automatically kill any Dark Adept that he attacks. He is also good for taking on Ghosts during day, or even Ghouls and Skeleton Archers. Here are the units you will want to recruit to counter Undead units:

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Dark Adepts, and most other undead units in daytime. Don't recruit many unless the opponent has no Skeletons. Skeletons can kill an Ulfserker even in day. Ulfs are also expensive, so you don't want to trade them 1-for-1 with Undead units unless you get a Ghost. Be mindful of what can counterattack them on your opponent's next turn. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' counters Skeletons, Skeleton Archers, and is a generally high HP unit that can soak up nighttime damage for your front line. (Dwarvish Fighters are probably the best all-around L1 heavy infantry in the game.) 
''Rating: A+''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Do not recruit this unit if you are fighting Undead. His Pierce damage is less useful than even Blade against Undead. His low damage also makes him a bad unit to counter-attack with. 
''Rating: D''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This is a good unit to have in your front line in mountains. His high defense and good resistances should keep him alive from nighttime Skele attacks, and his 18-1 ranged will make it very risky for Dark Adepts to come after you. Thunderers are also good to attack Ghosts, as 2 ranged hits will kill a Ghost - this even works at night. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Thief:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting against Undead. 
''Rating: F''

'''Poacher:''' A utility unit versus Undead. It's good for finishing Ghosts and killing Walking Corpses. It can also be used to pick at Skeletons and Ghouls. Money is spent better on other units, but don't forget that ''he may be useful.'' 
''Rating: C''

'''Footpad:''' This weak character is really only useful versus Undead as a cheap scout. His Impact damage is good against Skeletons and Skeleton Archers, and he has the added bonuses of being Chaotic (which deals more damage when Undead try to advance at night), and being hard to hit. His best feature is his ranged attack versus Skeletons at night, and that's only 6-2. Recruiting 1 on your first turn to grab villages is likely the only use you'll get from this guy, unless you need a unit to occupy forest hexes (which dwarves do very poorly at 30% defense). 
''Rating: B''

'''Gryphon:''' Probably not the best expenditure of gold versus Undead, but they do serve many purposes that can justify their cost: they give extended view of battle, allowing you to know what is coming and to counter appropriately; they are good for getting behind enemy lines to finish hurt Dark adepts; They serve as good ZoC units for plains and forest hexes. Unlike the Footpad they do not have negative resistance to Blade and Pierce - the weapons of skeletons. 
''Rating: B-''

Generally you'll want a good dose of Dwarvish Fighters, a few Thunderers, a Gryphon for vision/utility, an ulf or two, and maybe a Poacher or Footpad. Dwarves are really what you want to use, for their high HP and decent resists. This helps them survive the nighttime onslaught, and their neutrality will give them good damage in defense and also the ability to press the attack in daytime. Don't be afraid to send an Ulfserker at a ghost in daytime -- make sure to check the CTK, but it should be good if your Ulfserker is at high hp: bonus if you can get great terrain. Defeat for the Ghost will be nearly certain if the Ulfserker is Strong.

Dark adepts will, as always, be the main danger to your army: they'll knock dwarves out of their mountains, footpads out of wherever, and even gryphons are in danger from them. Be especially mindful of where her dark adepts will most likely attack next turn.

==Knalgans vs Rebels==

This is one of the trickiest match-ups to play. Both factions are Neutral, so neither has an advantageous time of day to attack (with their main units). To win this battle you will need smart recruits and good unit placement, as well as a little luck; the same goes for your opponent. Knalgans may have a slight advantage with the "one unit must die" Ulfserker, but Rebel defense as well as heal, slow, and magic are serious counters. Look for opportunities to grab mountains and hills, especially if they have no forest next to them. ''Forests are your biggest enemy'', so occupy them with your Outlaw counterparts or Gryphons.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' counters Mages, Elvish Shamans, and oftentimes Elvish Archers. Again, don't recruit too many of these, as Elvish Fighters will easily come back to finish them off, and they are 5 gold cheaper. If you get a chance to take out a Mage, do so. Not only will you gain 1 gold in attrition, but another unit will likely have to expose itself or get hurt to finish you off. Elvish Archers should be #2 on the "to kill" list, and they are sometimes worth jeopardizing your Ulfserker for if you catch one of them off of forest. Again, the reasoning is you only lose 2 gold in the trade and the opponent must waste moves and usually HP in order to finish you. Again, they may also expose themselves. You might be able to get away with ulfing Woses if it's nighttime and you're in a mountain. Make sure he isn't a Quick, Intelligent Ulf, and check the CTK as always. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again, these will be the meat of your forces. Any front without one of these will succumb to Elvish Fighters. Dwarfs beat Elves 1-on-1, but they are more expensive. They are good damage soakers and damage dealers. Stay on preferred terrain at all times. 
''Rating: A+''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are great for holding frontline villages and chokepoints - with backup. A lone Guardsman can hold out for a turn, if lucky 2 or 3, while on a town, but he deals very little damage in return, especially against the ranged specialized Rebels. Recruit 1 if necessary, and no more than 2. They just aren't worth the lack of offensive/counter-attack units. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Another staple. This unit is great against Rebels with luck. Stick him on a mountain and Elves will hurt themselves trying to remove you. They aren't so great for dependable offense against the high defense of the elves, but their counter-attacks are great. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Thief:''' Unlike when fighting Undead, you'll want 1 or 2 of these guys depending on your play style. At night, a combo of thieves can destroy Woses, Elvish Archers, Mages, and Shaman. Keep them in the forest hexes your opponent will want, but not in daytime. 
''Rating: B''

'''Poacher:''' Poachers are useful to fill up forest hexes and to attack Elvish Fighters. Their main usefulness is as a counter-attacking utility unit to grab forest and press at night. They are cheap, somewhat weak, but deal more dependable offensive damage than the Thunderer. 5-4 at night is equivalent to a 17 gold Elvish Archer, and you only spend 14. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Rebels. It lacks both firepower and hitpoints even while in the forests Footpads and Elves both enjoy. 
''Rating: C-''

'''Gryphon:''' These monsters are incredible useful against Rebels. Their utility lies in fighting any water battles against the weak Merman Hunters, scouting, taking opportunistic attacks against poorly placed Elves, and if you find a hurt Wose, you may consider attacking one - even though Gryphons have a weakness for Impact. At night they do essentially equal damage to each other, and you may not be able to get the finishing blow with one of your slower units. Do so as a calculated risk when you only need 1 hit to kill. Otherwise it's quite a risk. 
''Rating: A-''

Generally you'll want a healthy dose of Dwarvish Fighters and Thunderers, along with several gryphons for map control. An Ulfserker, perhaps a Guardsman, and some Outlaws will provide added flexibility. Whichever chaotic units (if any) you recruit, make sure to protect them at day.

If your opponent purchases scouts, feel lucky - they are next to useless against you. Beware of ambushes, and don't scout unsure forests with your Gryphon in daytime. Take as much tactical forest as you can with the appropriate units, and make a stranglehold on mountains. Ulf when you get a good chance, and be ready to counter in day as well as pressing at night. Each battle will play out differently in this matchup according to what your opponent recruits, so see what he has early, and keep track of any Woses. Also, do not let your Ulfs be slowed or they are certainly dead.

==Knalgans vs Drakes==

These guys are big and nasty. They will burn and freeze you. Thunderers will be your main weapon, but they will require support units as well.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Good for killing Augurs, scouts, and maybe Burners. Not really a good choice against Drakes in general (because drakes can damage it faster than it can damage them), but can serve some purposes. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' A good unit to use against saurians, but generally the Fighter is not how you want to go against Drakes. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Guardsmen are worth the price against Drakes. Their Pierce goes right through Drake resistances, and a Strong one actually gets an additional point of damage on top of the point he gets for having the Strong trait (but not against Clashers). A couple of these are a good buy, especially if you plop them on villages. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' This should be your unit of choice versus Drakes. A Thunderer does 20-1 damage to Drakes in ranged, and Burners will do (6/5/3)-4 damage in return. Thunderers have much better defense than Burners, but do suffer from having 8 less HP. Thunderers have the benefit of costing 4 less gold. You'll want to use their "luck" attack on the easily hit Drakes as much as possible. Thunderers should be the meat of your army. 
''Rating: A+''

'''Thief:''' Not really useful against the Drakes, they are best used to counter Saurian Augurs, which are better countered by using Dwarvish Fighters. 
''Rating: D+''

'''Poacher:''' Another great unit against Drakes. Their attack at night deals a good 5-4 against all Drakes. Having better defense on Forest and villages, 1 or 2 of these guys aren't a bad idea. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Footpad:''' Don't recruit this unit when fighting Drakes. 
''Rating: F''

'''Gryphon:''' Useful for early village grabbing, Gryphons also can be used against the weak Saurians or Drake Burners. These fliers are probably the only way you'll hunt down retreating hurt Drakes. Don't recruit too many due to their cost and lack of a ranged defensive weapon. Drakes can pin these units far better than any other faction. 
''Rating: B+''

Recruit a Gryphon and a good mix of Dwarvish Thunderers, Dwarvish Guardsmen, a Poacher or two, and maybe a Dwarvish Fighter. Your opponent will likely get some Saurian Augurs to take away your high defense advantage, so having that Dwarvish Fighter around to take them out is usually quite helpful along with the Gryphon. Basically, recruit Pierce, Pierce, and more Pierce. Maintain your advantageous defensive terrain as much as possible, because if you don't, and you put yourself on an even playing field in that respect, you will quickly be torn apart by the Drakes superior daytime damage and HP. The daytime onslaught will be brutal, so prepare for a counter-attack and try to keep your Guardsmen up front to get best use of their Steadfast. It will be the difference between 7-4 and 6-4 daytime Burner damage and 6-4 to 5-4 daytime non-strong Clasher damage. The Guardsmen also have 8 more HP than the Thunderers. If you can level a Guardsman (with 4 kills at 70% xp, or 3 kills and 1 battle if he's Intelligent), you will have a serious roadblock to use at your disposal.

==Knalgans vs Knalgans==

A tough battle. Dwarves have great defense, and no way to combat great defense. The high HP and the resistances will make this a game needing a lot of strikes to kill. Don't think you'll be able to rush in and win - you're going to need intelligent unit placement and again, some luck. Focus on levelling (non-Gryphon) units if possible as the added damage will be needed.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' As always, one of these utility guys isn't a bad buy. Catch a Thunderer off his perch, or a Thief or Poacher in daytime, and that's one less unit to deal with. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' One of these is a must. Use it against any unit. These guys are hard to kill. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Use these to hold villages and frustrate your opponent. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Use these to besiege enemy villages or poke at DFs or Gryphons. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Thief:''' Not a good buy unless used to counter Thunderers and Poachers. Their blade attack does little to Dwarves unless backstabbing at night (8-3). Better to use Dwarvish Fighters for melee. 
''Rating: C''

'''Poacher:''' An alright cheap buy for ranged forest grabbing. 
''Rating: B''

'''Footpad:''' Don't buy this unit even if your opponent is bothering you with Gryphons. You can get 3+ Footpads for the price of 2 Gryphons, but it's not worth it. The weakness to Impact guarantees at least a 4-2 attack with these guys even in daytime, but unfortunately, unless you get bonus hp from traits, they will die in 2 hits from Gryphons, so it is still a risky buy - especially since they are useless against all other Knalgans. Just say no once again. 
''Rating: C+''

'''Gryphon:''' Useful as your only scout unit. Use these to get behind enemy lines to village steal, kill the wounded, or to pin a Saurian on bad terrain. These guys are also good forest and plains holders for crucial areas that your Dwarves will fare poorly on. 
''A-''

Recruit a Gryphon, a Guardsman, a Thunderer, a Fighter, an Ulfserker, and a mix of other useful units. This game will be won through fighting from hills and mountains, getting and keeping a money advantage, leveling a unit, and waiting for your opponent to take a risk that they shouldn't. Keep them off of your mountains at any cost. If they get there you will spend precious moves, attacks, and HP trying to take them off. It's usually better to ignore enemies on mountains than to fight them.

==Knalgans vs Loyalists==

Defend in day, strike at night. That's how the battle will go. Beware the Horseman and Mage and be prepared to counter these heavy daytime hitters. Again, an Ulfserker can be your best friend, especially if you can catch a Horseman at night or a Mage.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' If you get one, don't get it until turn two or later. Grabbing one in your initial recruit will only make him impotent during the first few turns of daytime. Ulfserkers are what you will use to kill Mages, grind up horse meat at night, and get rid of Bowmen - though they shouldn't be recruiting many. You shouldn't need more than 1 unless they go mad with Mages. 
''Rating: B''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Good to fight Spearmen, having these guys is a necessity. These are also your best unit to defend against Heavy Infantry. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Get one of these guys. These will make your front line immune to Horsemen. Also useful to counter-attack Cavalry, Mages, and Bowmen. If HI get close enough, milk XP off of them with your ranged attack. The level will come faster than you expect. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Get one or two. Good against essentially all of the Loyalist units, the pierce ranged is even better against the two mounted units. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Thief:''' These guys can be used against most Loyalist units at night, but avoid trying to backstab Spearmen. Even at night their firststrike can get nasty on this low HP unit. I recommend the Poacher instead of this guy. 
''Rating: B-''

'''Poacher:''' A great unit to counterattack Loyalists and press the attack at night. His multiple strikes are of better use against the high defense Fencer, though his ranged pierce is best against the mounted units. His attack does a modest 3-4 to Heavy Infantry at night (compared to a Thunderers 11-1), and you'll want to use this unit against Spearmen outside of day as well. Although they are weak in daytime, they serve many purposes and are well worth the 14 gold. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Footpad:''' Do not recruit this unit when fighting Loyalists. 
''Rating: C''

'''Gryphon:''' Useful as scouts mainly, you can use these to run down hurt horses, go for 1-attack-kills on Fencers (9% chance if they have no bonus hp), or again, to try to hold important grassland hexes. Beware during day though, as HI, Mages, and Horsemen can all tear Gryphons apart quickly. Recruit no more than 1. 
''Rating: B''

Recruit a Fighter, a Thunderer, a Guardsman, and a Gryphon depending on the layout of villages. Fill out your army with what you think will serve you best for that particular battle. Water battles will be nearly pointless. Cheap Mermen with higher defense will easily rout your Gryphon(s). Avoid sea battles unless you can taunt a Merman within range of a ranged unit (who can stand on decent terrain). A Gryphon's extra sight is good for spotting long range Horsemen, so it usually is worth having one around, but recruit no more than one. They don't counter any unit very cost-efficiently, so use it primarily as a scout and utility unit.

You'll want to press as hard as you can at night, more so than even against Drakes. The reason for this is that Loyalists have no level 1 Neutral or Chaotic units. Every unit the opposing player has will suffer a penalty at night - unless he has a Lieutenant behind his front line. Because of this possibility, don't press too close to his castle until you have gained a monetary advantage, as you will start losing units more rapidly when he comes back at you with an additional +25%. Put your Guardsman up front - this will dissuade any charge attacks. Keep a Dwarvish Fighter or Dwarvish Ulfserker nearby in case the player chooses to besiege you with Mages. Spearmen that attack a Guardsman in day will deal nearly equal damage to each other, which can add up quickly. Counter any advance with Thunderers and Poachers. Don't expose your Dwarves to poor terrain or they will die.

You'll want to whittle away at Heavy Infantry with Poachers and Thunderers and you'll want to give the killing blow to a Fighter. Upgrading Dwarvish Fighters should be your main priority as they are your best defense and counter to the easy Spearman-wave attack. Once leveled up, the massive HP on the Steelclad will also give it the ability to withstand attacking Heavy Infantry and Mages.

Basically, Loyalists have an incredible amount of versatility. You'll have to play smart and counterattack very well in order to win. Deal free damage when you can, and limit the number of hexes you can be attacked from - especially during day. Start commencing your attack before night actually breaks. You'll want to maximize your advantage over those 2 turns, so make sure they don't creep away before night hits. As always, stay on good terrain, and make sure Fencers can't skirmish around to kill any weak units you may be hiding.

==Knalgans vs Northerners==

The biggest problem you will have with Northerners will be their numbers. Northies will gladly trade units with you and gain a monetary advantage. Make them depend on luck by staying on good terrain, and their high upkeep may start to become a factor.

'''Dwarvish Ulfserker:''' Recruit one of these guys if you're really having a problem finishing their units off, or your opponent likes to use Assassins. He's expensive, and Northerners are melee oriented, so most of their units will be able to take a majority of this unit's HP away, if not kill him outright. Assassins' Poison will quickly erode your army's HP though, so having one may prove valuable. Since Assassins cost 17 gold you'll only lose 2 in attrition, and you'll likely take lots of hp from another unit with you. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Dwarvish Fighter:''' Again a necessity. His damage dealt in defense is how you'll deal a majority of your damage. If possible, get a rotation of these guys in the front line. You'll deal more damage than your opponent on average, but he will come with more units - 4 Grunts cost the same as 3 DFs. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Guardsman:''' Another good guy to have one of if not more. He can survive nighttime assaults better than the fighter, and will still do respectable damage back to the enemy. Use your ranged attack on Grunts to make them turn around and heal. 
''Rating: A''

'''Dwarvish Thunderer:''' Nice to have. Their combination of good resistances and ranged damage make them good counter-attackers. For cheaper ranged counter-attackers, use Poachers as they will also be used to hold forest hexes. Recruiting DTs may crowd your hill hexes, especially since that's what the Northies will be grabbing. 
''Rating: B''

'''Thief:''' Not a great buy against Northies. His melee-only nature along with his Chaotic alignment make him most effective in the same way Northeners are. Avoid the urge to recruit these guys. 
''Rating: C''

'''Poacher:''' Again, these guys you'll want to recruit a few of. When the Northies come after you at night, you can make a strong counter-attack with their 5-4 ranged. 
''Rating: A-''

'''Footpad:''' This guy can be a utility unit against Northerners, but the money is better spent elsewhere. Footpads can harass Grunts and Wolfs, take forest hexes, and block Assassins from poisoning your Dwarves. Not the best buy, but you may be able to get your money's worth. 
''Rating: B+''

'''Gryphon:''' Again, it's usually good to have one of these guys to scout, plug up grassland, and be a defensive damage dealer. He's also good for trapping/killing Assassins and being a target for their poison. 
''Rating: A-''

The biggest thing you need to worry about will be poison; this cannot be overemphasized. If you get a good foothold on mountains and hills, poison will be the weapon of choice to knock you off your perch. Be ready to fill in with a replacement unit, and try to kill assassins before any other units. Melee strikes will have to get through your resistance - poison does not. You also don't deal any damage back when poison hits you. If you know you're going to be facing poison on the next turn, have a plan for how you will be rotating units to villages to detox and heal.

Recruit a Dwarvish Fighter and a mix of other good units. Stay on villages or mountains for the first assault to minimize the effect any poison will have and reduce the chance of it hitting. Let your opponent attack you, and then counter-attack with your Poachers and Thunderers if you have them - even a Guardsman's ranged attack will add up. Send Ulfserkers against Assassins whenever you get a decent chance, as the Poison will hurt more than their melee attacks. If the northerner overrecruits assassins, you should be able to power through his ranks, so normally eliminating an assassin removes the immediate threat of poison.

Allow your opponent to attack you from forest hexes if they are next to mountains that you occupy. Your 70% defense will outdo his 50% defense, and his confidence will be higher to attack since he won't be on grass. Even if an Assassin uses that hex, if an Ulfserker is within reach, he should be able to take him out from on top the mountain.

To kill Trolls, you will want to focus exclusively on them until they die. Thus it is best to ignore them and kill others than to only do a minimal amount of damage to Trolls each turn. Their regeneration will give them essentially limitless HP if you do this. Kill his friends and then focus on him. If there are several, take them out one at a time. Try to avoid water battles with Nagas, unless there is only one. You won't want any Gryphons you get to be pinned, especially where you cannot help them, so be cautious with water battles.

To sum up, kill poisoners fast, get units that deal good melee damage in defense, and get good counter-attacking ranged units

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category:How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-03-12T20:39:26Z

Jozrael: /* Drake Burner */

{{TOC limit|0}}
== General Drake Strategies ==

Against an opponent who has selected a random faction, you want to recruit an adaptable mixture of units. An example recruit might be one each of a Fighter, Clasher, Burner, Augur, and Skirmisher. When you discover your opponent's faction, read the appropriate section for additional advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will quickly result in lots of casualties. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to fire, Dark Adepts have no melee attack, and Drakes are vulnerable to pierce and cold. Whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===
You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against fighters and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A

===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-02-11T01:52:56Z

Jozrael: /* Drakes vs Undead */

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== General Drake Strategies ==

Against an opponent who has selected a random faction, you want to recruit an adaptable mixture of units. An example recruit might be one each of a Fighter, Clasher, Burner, Augur, and Skirmisher. When you discover your opponent's faction, read the appropriate section for additional advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will quickly result in lots of casualties. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to fire, Dark Adepts have no melee attack, and Drakes are vulnerable to pierce and cold. Whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===
You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A
===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-02-11T00:24:02Z

Jozrael:

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== General Drake Strategies ==

Against an opponent who has selected a random faction, you want to recruit an adaptable mixture of units. An example recruit might be one each of a Fighter, Clasher, Burner, Augur, and Skirmisher. When you discover your opponent's faction, read the appropriate section for additional advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===

You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A
===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-02-10T23:04:32Z

Jozrael:

{{TOC limit|0}}
== General Drake Strategies ==

You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===

You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A
===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-02-10T23:00:58Z

Jozrael:

{{TOC limit|1}}
== General Drake Strategies ==

You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===

You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A
===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-02-10T23:00:44Z

Jozrael:

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== General Drake Strategies ==

You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===

You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A
===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play Drakes

2014-02-10T23:00:07Z

Jozrael:

__NOTOC__
== General Drake Strategies ==

You won't initially know what faction your opponent is, so begin by recruiting an adaptable mixture of units. A Saurian Augur, Drake Fighter, Drake Burner, Drake Clasher, and Saurian Skirmisher would be an example of such a recruit. When you discover what faction your opponent is, go to the appropriate section below for more specific advice.

Drakes generally win by dealing the most damage. Your units are big and deadly, but they're also more expensive than most; also, they're relatively fragile for their cost and many have a specific vulnerability to piercing weapons. Take advantage of having the best mobility in the game by placing your units in hard-to-access places such as behind mountains or across water from your opponent. You'll then have the advantage by being able to decide when and where battles will happen. Your major disadvantage is how easily your units will take damage. Because of this you'll usually want to be the aggressor in battle to kill a unit or two, get damaged, and then flee to heal. Having a mobile healer helps with this if villages are sparse.

Since you trade your defense for other abilities, fighting battles where your opponent has low defense will give you a greater advantage than it will for any other faction. If your opponent refuses to leave 70% defensive terrain, go heavy on the saurians rather than the drakes and attack at night.

It's good to note that the drake faction has exceptional potential for leader-kill situations. This is due to their high damage and mobility, combined with low defense, and also the availability of skirmisher units.

==Drakes vs Undead==

Playing as Drakes in this matchup is dramatic, bloody fun. The deadliest matchup in Wesnoth, this game will result in lots of casualties, and quickly. Both factions are incredibly offensive and of opposite alignment. Skeletons are vulnerable to Fire, Adepts to melee, and Drakes are vulnerable to Pierce and Cold. Basically, whoever is left standing wins.

===Drake Burner===

You'll want a couple of these to burn Skeletons, Ghosts and Ghouls mainly -- but don't pit them against Adepts. Even burning Skeleton Archers at daytime isn't a bad idea as it's the most effective way to kill them. The most expensive unit you can recruit, you'll want to recruit them sparingly and be careful to keep them alive.

===Drake Clasher===

With strong Clashers dealing an awesome 9-4 Pierce damage during the day, these are great at butchering Adepts, as well as being damage soakers. Due to their price, you'll need to avoid recruiting too many. Level one of these into a Thrasher and Skeletons won't pose a major threat any more, even at night. Clashers are the slowest of the Drakes, though, and may have trouble catching quick Adepts at daytime or escaping them at night.

===Drake Glider===

Dealing Impact melee and Fire ranged damage, these guys won't be worthless at any point, but their damage is still very weak compared to what the rest of your army can do. Recruiting too many of them isn't smart. As in any other match-up, their main role is scouting.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter is a good Adept-killer, with good melee damage in the form of 9-3 or 10-3 war blades at daytime. Their speed and ability to fly make them better at catching the retreating Undead at day, and escaping from them at night. The Fire ranged attack also gives them a bit of flexibility in their usage.

===Saurian Augur===

Don't recruit this unit when fighting Undead. It's too fragile against melee.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

This little guy actually plays a very crucial role in your army against Undead. If the Undead didn't have Adepts you'd simply roll right over them. But since Adepts are such a necessary unit in their attack against you you'll need to take them out, and you'll need to be able to do that under any circumstances. The Skirmisher gives you a weapon that not only can hustle around enemy units to strike protected Adepts, but he also gets better at night - the time when you'll want them to be dead the fastest. Having a couple of these guys around can really save your butt.

===Tactics===

On the first turn you'll want a couple Burners, a Fighter or Clasher, a Skirmisher, and another useful unit. If your opponent gets mass Skeleton Archers, get Clashers and Burners. If he gets lots of Adepts get Skirmishers and Fighters. If he likes Ghouls & Ghosts, you'll want Burners.

Deal as much damage as you can at day, because you won't be dealing much at night. Keep Burners in front as they'll do great return damage to any Adepts that try to counter-attack you during your daytime assault: they'll do 12-2 while you do 7-4. Adepts have 28 base hp.

At night simply retreat out of Adept range and have Skirmishers ready to take out any that get too close. Even if you have to retreat from a village to avoid Adepts it's worth it. You may lose a few gold, but it shouldn't add up to the 16+ you'd lose for a lost Drake. If your opponent takes the village and moves closer he'll also be closer to your new recruits to counter-attack. As day turns chase them away and you should net some gold for the units your opponent will have to replace.

==Drakes vs Rebels==

Playing Drakes in this matchup can be difficult. Your units have low defense and are weak to Pierce where the Rebels have high defense and use Pierce. You'll want to recruit a mix of drakes and saurians so that their neutrality doesn't become an advantage at any time of day. Take cheap shots when you can, because they will always be taking cheap shots at you.

===Drake Burner===

This unit is a great weapon to take out Elvish Fighters and they absolutely massacre Woses. Effective in both melee and ranged combat, this unit is always useful against Rebels on attack or defense. He costs 21g though, and there are other units you will need to recruit to be successful.

===Drake Clasher===
The only drake without a weakness to Pierce, this unit is great against Rebels. He will tear through Archers and he will beat EFs in a fight. He will overpower any Rebel and it's essential to have these guys in your force.

===Drake Glider===

Good for their movement, and can be useful to get to those hard to reach hexes to get extra shots at Archers or Shamans. Recruit according to map need for scouts.

===Drake Fighter===

Useful as a mobile fighter, the Fighter is what you'll want if there are 2 separate battlefields within close flying range of each other. The ability to leave one battle to help the other is quite useful, which is true of Burners as well, though they move slower. For pure fighting power the Clasher is better, and he is hardier. If mobility is necessary on the map though, get 1 or 2 of these guys.

===Saurian Augur===

These guys are essential to fighting Rebels. They are the only easy way you'll have of taking elves out in forest terrain. Augurs have distressingly low HP, so keep them behind the line to heal your power units, or fort him up in forest hexes your opponent will want. Using these guys as your first attackers at night will allow you to get their damage in and then move other units in front of them and consequently heal.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Useful mainly against Scouts, Archers, and Mages at night, don't recruit too many of this unit even if you're tempted. They're fragile units

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want to recruit a Clasher, a Burner, an Augur, and a mix of other units like another Clasher, or a Skirmisher. During daytime you'll want to deal as much damage as possible, as that's when you'll have the advantage. Elves fighting you will suffer massive return damage during the day. Keep your units away from places where the Rebels can use forest to attack you from, and remember to have your Augur(s) heal.

At night you can still be aggressive with Augurs. You'll probably want to retreat your drakes slightly and put any Skirmishers (or even Clashers) you have up front on good terrain. Don't be afraid to keep a mobile unit up front either if it can survive 1 round of attacks; if it can do this and survive it will slow the progress of your enemy and you can easily fly the unit back behind your line to heal. Always make sure that the front line cannot be attacked from forest hexes if possible, though this won't be as big a deal if you have several Augurs to cut through their defense. Don't be afraid to trade a Skirmisher for an Archer if you get a chance to kill one on poor terrain: you'll get a gold advantage as well as taking out the most dangerous unit the Rebels have against you.

Another strategy is to strike hard at day and then completely retreat at night. Keep your units just out of reach of your opponent and allow them to come closer to your recruits to make your counter-attack swifter and more deadly. This strategy is often quite effective as it prevents your drakes from fighting at unfavorable TOD and it allows you to decide how the first battle takes place.

Generally your targets to kill will start with Archers, as they are the most deadly unit to your forces (especially to Clashers). Next you'll want to get rid of any low-HP units your opponent has and any units on poor terrain making themselves targets. Try to keep your Clashers away from Shamans if possible (Slow seriously messes them up), and ignore Fighters if another unit presents itself as an equally appealing target. Elvish Fighters can't deal significant damage to your drakes without taking a good amount of return damage, so let them hurt themselves on you while you take out units that you won't receive much return damage from (Burners on Fighters at day though can be quite devastating).

Generally, pick your spots where the advantage presents itself that you can deal the most damage with little return damage if possible. Keep Elves from Forest hexes if possible, and use your advantageous mobility.

==Drakes vs Northerners==

This matchup can be rather interesting. The main thing you generally worry about is the cheap northerner units and the expensive drake units. Drakes have much better units but unfortunately they are expensive. Often when you lose vs. Northerners it is because of the sheer number of units they are capable of sending.

===Drake Burner===

A very useful unit during the day and even effective at night vs fighters and Troll Whelps and Wolf Riders due to their lack of ranged defense. And with at least 7-2 melee, they have the ability to defend their melee attacks. Be very careful with the number of burners you recruit though, because they are rather expensive and you need to be able to defend against the sheer number of units Northerners are able to send.

===Drake Clasher===

The Drake Clasher is preferable over the Drake Fighter in most cases, and especially when playing against Northerners. The Clasher is best to defeat those pesky and annoying assassins. Even though they cannot defend against ranged attacks, their 6-4 pierce attack will definitely hurt an assassin as the assassin has -20% to pierce. Clashers have high amounts of HP and can are very effective in fighting northerners, even though it will normally be melee against melee much of the time.

===Drake Glider===

You can often use maybe one or two gliders in the original recruiting to get to villages quickly. They can also be useful as a very mobile though small increment of damage that can aid in damage in setting up kills to level other units. I'll also use them for gaining info on recruits.

===Drake Fighter===

If you need a unit and can't wait for an extra turn, Drake Fighters are good to recruit because they are quicker then Clashers and have at least minor defense with their ranged attack, and occasionally offense when you just need to deal that little bit of extra damage to make the kill and can't afford to risk a melee attack.

===Saurian Augur===

These units are pretty effective and very useful, but do not keep them in the front of the battle. Use them behind other units to heal and to finish off with magical attacks. These units are easy to level and very effective with 8-3 magical and heal. Be careful in general with saurians because they do not have large amounts of HP.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Because of their small amount of HP you should try to refrain from using Skirmishers; however they can be helpful at times. They are pretty effective level 2 units.

=== Tactics ===

Your first depend highly on the map, experience percentage, and gold per village. Try to get all villages on the 3rd turn and then recruit depending on the units you see from your opponent.

== Drakes vs Drakes ==

This is possibly the deadliest mirror match in the game. Saurians have low HP, but deal good damage to their Drake counterparts. You'll want a balanced mix of both races as you'll likely be fighting at all times of the day and night.

=== Drake Burner ===

Generally a bad recruit in this matchup. Burners cannot do significant damage to other Drakes, though they do get free shots on Clashers. They can also torch any Saurians found on bad terrain, which is unlikely, though this is probably their greatest use.

===Drake Clasher===

This unit should make up the bulk of your forces. Dealing heavy Pierce damage and having the most hp out of any recruit (as well as not having a negative Pierce resistance), makes him the beast of burden in this matchup. Hope that yours get the Strong and Resilient traits and his get the Quick and Intelligent traits. The Clasher will beat Fighters and Burners 1v1, and the only units he needs to fear are Augurs and other Clashers, and Skirmishers at night.

===Drake Glider===

As with the Burner, this unit is a poor recruit. It has no upside other than the inconsequential Marksman on his breath attack. Do not recruit them unless the map is huge and mobility becomes critically important.

===Drake Fighter===

Not the best recruit, but he can be handy if the map makes Clashers slow. They can also tear Augurs to pieces, so if Augurs become a problem a few of these are an alright recruit. Also good as a replacement for the Glider for village grabbing, especially if Quick.

===Saurian Augur===

An essential unit. Their Cold magic deals 9-3 damage to Drakes at night, ripping them to pieces. Their healing will also be essential if used properly, as this is a bloody fight. Be careful not to over-recruit these guys, as they are quite weak in defense against any unit.

===Saurian Skirmisher===

These guys are also a good troop type to have, but again, don't recruit too many. Your Pierce damage should mainly come from your Clashers, but a couple of Skirmishers to attack opposing Augurs as well as Drakes at night can prove very valuable, especially with their high defense. Their ability to get behind the enemy lines gives you more hexes to attack the enemy from.

=== Tactics ===

On the first turn you'll want several Clashers, a couple Saurians, and possibly a Fighter or Glider to grab villages. Village distribution will determine if you need a Glider or not, as well as map size.

At night, use your Augurs on the opposing Clashers first, using your Clashers and Skirmishers to finish up. Make sure to protect your Augurs though, as they die easily, even at night. Killing a Clasher will remove a major threat come daytime, as well as net you 19g. If you must trade a Skirmisher to kill a Clasher at night, it can often be worth it.

At day you'll want to attack first with your Augurs again. Their Cold magic will do 6-3 in daytime to Drakes, which is still quite powerful. Follow up with your now incredibly deadly Clashers: Strong Clashers in day will deal 10-4 to any non-Clasher Drake.

Generally, this is the danger level of your enemy units: Clasher, Augur, Skirmisher, Fighter, Burner, Glider. You may choose to either target the deadliest units first (Clashers being easy targets for Augurs), or go for the weaker units first to give yourself a monetary advantage quickly, while receiving little retaliation damage. Either strategy can work, and levelling an Augur can prove exceptionally deadly to your opponent. Intelligent Augurs level within 2 kills. Whichever strategy you use, be sure to kill, and not just hurt your opponent, because your opponent will flee and have the unit return to fight again.

==Drakes vs Loyalists==

Drakes' weaknesses are so obvious that it seems the enemy barely has to think to come up with an effective strategy. So things like massing armies of only spearmen or dark adepts have some chance of succeeding.

But, that doesn't necessarily mean the drakes are weaker-- just harder to play correctly. The key to playing drake v loyalist is carefully managing the HP of your units so that you can get a lot of use out of them before retreating/rotating. This means you will need to carefully plan the formation of your offensive wedges, for example, considering the optimal location for '''saurian augurs'''.

=== Tactics ===

Fighting a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes is one of the big problems for a drake player - massing '''spearmen''' gives them at least 10% more strenght per gold than anything you can muster (the spearmen are cheap and they have pierce weapons), and the loyalist player can win the game by playing pretty straighforwardly - while the drakes can still win - but only if they play it smart, because the spearmen also have their drawbacks.
The biggest weakness of the loyalists ( and in the same time the biggest advantage of the drakes ) is their mobility. Of course, '''horsemen''' are fast too, but you have pretty good counters for the horsemen - clashers and skirmishers ( the later only when they are on good terain). Sure, horsemen deal 18-2 base charge on dusk/dawn but your cheaper '''clashers''' and '''skirmishers''' will strike 14-4 and 10-4 back respectfuly when charged, so your oponnent will take a big, unacceptable risk charging them unless he has spearmen or other units to soften them first. So the real problem are the spearmen, not the horsemen.

Note that the because of this mobility issue the outcome of the drakes vs loyalists duel is somewhat dependant on the size of the map - 2 loyalists v 2 drakes on Isar's Cross gives a significant advantage for the Loyalists, while on big maps like Cynsaun Battlefield the drakes are the ones having an advantage.

The second thing that the drakes have over the loyalists is ther dual alighnment, while the loyals are all lawful. You can use that to your advantage as well.

To fight a bunch of '''spearman''', you have to (and if you play it right, you should always be capable to do so) attack first, under favourable condtions. You can play without buying too many '''burners''', only a few to initiate the attack without taking much retaliation and then you have a good chance to cover them with other units, because if a burner can be attacked from 3 or even 2 sides by spearmen it will likely die in a single turn. '''Burners''' are too expensive to trow that way. You can either buy mostly '''Saurians''', in which case you can skip the burners all together and buy '''augurs''' for range which is magical. In that case you should attack at night and pull back at day, preferably out of reach of the spearmen. You should be wery careful about the terrain you put your saurians on - both '''augurs''' and '''skirmishers''' - and also about the placement of the units , namely the augurs attack from the middle so that they can be attacked from as few sides as possible and that they are able to heal both each other and the other units around them. '''Drake clashers''' and '''fighters''' are also necessary as meatshields althow you should think carefuly before attacking the spearmen with them, even as finishers - remember the firststrike. The choice between clashers and fighters is yours. Remember that the '''fighters''' are generally better on larger maps and maps that have water on them, cause they can fly quickly from one side to another with their 6 movement, but they have a pierce vulnerabilty and less HP; while '''clashers''' are both more durable and also more expensive and slower - but althow they have only 5 movement, same as the '''spearmen''', '''clashers''' have a better movetype than the spearmen or other loyalists - '''spearmen''' get slowed down in forest, hills, mountains and sand, while clashers get slowed only when moving thru forest. That means that in most cases - but not always - that the clasher can safely escape from the battle if the oponnent doesnt have any fast units.

The other way is to recuit mostly drakes and but a few '''saurians'''. In this case, some '''burners''' are necessary. Then the plan again is to strike first and to strike when the oportunity arises. Ignore the time of day. Dont get involved in a protracted everyone vs. everyone battles - thats what the spearmen want - that way they can easily use their advanages - good HP , good attack and cheapness in their favour and your more expensive (and fewer) drakes have a good chance of being overrun in several turns. Try to attack their weak spots - places where a unit is on bad tearain or, even better, far from the others - but as always think ahead of the possible enemy retaliation - attack only when the possible gain is bigger that the possible loss, and run when needed. If there aren't any weak spots, be creative and try to make some depending upon the current situation - put your '''drake figters''' in positions that threatens the unguarded enemy villages to strech their line thin so that you can attack and run before helps arrives or if you think its worth it, sneak a '''skirmisher''' in the enemy rear on a suicide mision to steal villages and if a lot of '''spearmen''' go back to punish the critter attack the others with superior numbers. You can make some other nasty tricks as well.

===Drake Burner===
If opponent has horsemen around, then burners will be like big red target signs; but still, you probably need one of them, so keep it behind the main army until it can be used safely.

===Team game===

If you happen to be playing a team game and face a '''spearmen''' rush with drakes a good thing is to ask your ally to send you a couple units which have good pierce ressistance like '''HI/Wose/Skeletons'''.
He/she wont mind, especially if you send a few good drakes in return. Then your oponnent will be sorry of recruiting in such a one-minded way. Sure he can get counters to those units as well but those are mostly units with fire which are on the other side weak against the drakes. So the threats of some of his '''spearmen''' being pwned by the '''wose''' or the '''mage''' being torn apart by your '''clasher''' would be stronger than the possibility of your drakes being overrun by his spearmen on the long run

==Drakes vs Knalgans==
You should try to outmanuver your opponent, as his thunderers will do a lot of damage to your units.
===Drake Burner===

Burners are useful because most dwarves only have 10% resists to fire, and against and 2/3rds of the outlaws you will not take retaliation damage, plus they are fast. Just be careful not to lose them, as they are 21 gold and the knalgan player will happily trade an ulfserker or fighter for him. Rating: A
===Drake Clasher===

Clashers uses are twofold. Firstly, use them to defend your villages from fast moving footpads. Secondly, add them to your attacking force of Fighters to deal a good amount of damage. Clashers are okay as long as you don't get them in Thunderer range, which is hard considering their slow speed.

===Drake Glider===

Use for village grabbing. Nothing else.

===Drake Fighter===

Cheaper and faster than the Clasher, the Fighter has a decent ranged attack. Though they are created as a melee based unit, use both, as the Knalgans are primarily melee. Rating: B

===Saurian Augur===

This unit should be used for healing. If you get the chance, use one of them to land the killing blow on another unit. Don't leave them out on Flat, though. Rating: A

===Saurian Skirmisher===

Good for killing injured units and for its +30% pierce resists, but isn't that durable.
Rating: C+

===Tactics===

If your opponent spams Thunderers, you can usually outmaneuver him with your drakes, or if he sends them out, you can kill them easily.

==See also==
{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play]]

How to play...

2014-02-10T22:33:29Z

Jozrael: /* Individual pages for each faction */

Learn how to play with and against every faction below. You will find general faction strategies as well as unit-by-unit analysis of how to play against each of the 6 "Default Era" factions (including "mirror" matches).

All strategies make the assumptions of a 1v1 game on a balanced map [any two player map aside from Cynsaun Battlefield] with default map settings on the latest version of Wesnoth (currently 1.10 for the stable branch).

[[How to play Drakes]] 
[[How to play Knalgans]] 
[[How to play Loyalists]] 
[[How to play Northerners]] 
[[How to play Rebels]] 
[[How to play Undead]]

==Legacy threads for each faction (these are many years out of date)==

[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11190 How to play Drakes] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11125 How to play Knalgans] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12431 How to play Loyalists] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11139 How to play Northerners] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12430 How to play Rebels] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11150 How to play Undead]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play|*]]

How to play...

2014-02-10T22:33:14Z

Jozrael: /* Legacy threads for each faction (these are many years out of date) */

Learn how to play with and against every faction below. You will find general faction strategies as well as unit-by-unit analysis of how to play against each of the 6 "Default Era" factions (including "mirror" matches).

All strategies make the assumptions of a 1v1 game on a balanced map [any two player map aside from Cynsaun Battlefield] with default map settings on the latest version of Wesnoth (currently 1.10 for the stable branch).

==Individual pages for each faction==
[[How to play Drakes]] 
[[How to play Knalgans]] 
[[How to play Loyalists]] 
[[How to play Northerners]] 
[[How to play Rebels]] 
[[How to play Undead]]

==Legacy threads for each faction (these are many years out of date)==

[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11190 How to play Drakes] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11125 How to play Knalgans] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12431 How to play Loyalists] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11139 How to play Northerners] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12430 How to play Rebels] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11150 How to play Undead]

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play|*]]

How to play...

2014-02-10T22:31:09Z

Jozrael: /* Individual threads for each faction: */

Learn how to play with and against every faction below. You will find general faction strategies as well as unit-by-unit analysis of how to play against each of the 6 "Default Era" factions (including "mirror" matches).

All strategies make the assumptions of a 1v1 game on a balanced map [any two player map aside from Cynsaun Battlefield] with default map settings on the latest version of Wesnoth (currently 1.10 for the stable branch).

==Individual pages for each faction==
[[How to play Drakes]] 
[[How to play Knalgans]] 
[[How to play Loyalists]] 
[[How to play Northerners]] 
[[How to play Rebels]] 
[[How to play Undead]]

==Legacy threads for each faction (these are many years out of date)==

[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11190 How to play Drakes] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11125 How to play Knalgans] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12431 How to play Loyalists] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11139 How to play Northerners] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12430 How to play Rebels] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11150 How to play Undead]

See also: general [[Play#Advanced Players|Advanced Players]] guide, and [[Replays]].

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play|*]]

How to play...

2014-02-10T22:29:49Z

Jozrael:

Learn how to play with and against every faction below. You will find general faction strategies as well as unit-by-unit analysis of how to play against each of the 6 "Default Era" factions (including "mirror" matches).

All strategies make the assumptions of a 1v1 game on a balanced map [any two player map aside from Cynsaun Battlefield] with default map settings on the latest version of Wesnoth (currently 1.10 for the stable branch).

==Individual pages for each faction==
[[How to play Drakes]] 
[[How to play Knalgans]] 
[[How to play Loyalists]] 
[[How to play Northerners]] 
[[How to play Rebels]] 
[[How to play Undead]]

==Individual threads for each faction:==

[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11190 How to play Drakes] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11125 How to play Knalgans] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12431 How to play Loyalists] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11139 How to play Northerners] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12430 How to play Rebels] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11150 How to play Undead]

If you have any comments or suggestions make them in the appropriate faction thread, or simply put them here. This is currently a work in progress, so some of the pages and matchups aren't written out yet, but will come with time. I appreciate your patience.

See also: general [[Play#Advanced Players|Advanced Players]] guide, and [[Replays]].

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play|*]]

How to play...

2014-02-10T22:29:19Z

Jozrael: /* The Purpose of "How to play..." */

Learn how to play with and against every faction by following the links below to the appropriate page. You will find general faction strategies as well as unit-by-unit analysis of how to play against each of the 6 "Default Era" factions (including "mirror" matches).

All strategies make the assumptions of a 1v1 game on a balanced map [any two player map aside from Cynsaun Battlefield] with default map settings on the latest version of Wesnoth (currently 1.10 for the stable branch).

==Individual pages for each faction==
[[How to play Drakes]] 
[[How to play Knalgans]] 
[[How to play Loyalists]] 
[[How to play Northerners]] 
[[How to play Rebels]] 
[[How to play Undead]]

==Individual threads for each faction:==

[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11190 How to play Drakes] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11125 How to play Knalgans] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12431 How to play Loyalists] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11139 How to play Northerners] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12430 How to play Rebels] 
[http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11150 How to play Undead]

If you have any comments or suggestions make them in the appropriate faction thread, or simply put them here. This is currently a work in progress, so some of the pages and matchups aren't written out yet, but will come with time. I appreciate your patience.

See also: general [[Play#Advanced Players|Advanced Players]] guide, and [[Replays]].

{{Factionbox}}

[[Category: How to Play|*]]

Category:How to Play

2008-09-08T16:17:04Z

Jozrael: New page: This is a compilation of all of the helpful "How to Play" pages.

This is a compilation of all of the helpful "How to Play" pages.

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:14:40Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 7 – Showdown */

=== An Orcish Incursion ===

''Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change.''

This is a walkthrough of '''An Orcish Incursion''', the campaign featuring Erlornas. It contains spoilers.

If you feel comfortable with turn-based games, especially ones featuring units moving on a hex map, then you can play the Tutorial and then dive right into "Medium" to get a feel for the elements of the game. After you have played a few scenarios and are ready to hone your skills, try reading [[AdvancedTactics]]. You should also be familiar with the basics in [[WesnothManual]] -- this is a walkthrough, not an exposition of basic game mechanics.

Each scenario has an individual forum thread where you can provide feedback to the authors. You can find these [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20249 here].

==== Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest ====

This is a simple 'Kill the enemy leader' scenario. The main objective in the first couple scenarios in this campaign is to develop your shaman line recruits, so you should recruit a fairly even mix of fighters, archers, and shamans. Normally as Rebels you would recruit many more fighters, but in this campaign you can be assured of lots of forest, so you don't need quite as many of them. As always, plan your starting recruits so that you can get the most villages quickly (many require a quick archer to reach expediently, unfortunately).

The battle is quickly over. Watch for the enemy grunts as they have the highest damage dealing potential, and some wolf riders may try to steal your village. Try to milk the enemy leader for XP at the end, especially on your shamans. If he's slowed, he's not much of a threat, even at night. Finish early for a nice bonus.

==== Scenario 2 – Assassins ====

Hopefully you're entering this scenario with a good hunk of xp on your units, if not lvl 2s already. Your primary goal is to get a Druid quickly in this scenario - since it was reprogrammed, the AI -does use- assassins, which will poison you. A Druid will make this far less painful than if you were relying solely on your shamans.

It is up to you where to make your stand, but try to get the enemy to fight from the river. Even if you lose a unit or two, the return damage he will deal hitting them in the river is quite tremendous and will greatly weaken their forces. Especially on the higher levels of difficulty, consider recruiting quite a bit more than one castleful for this scenario as the enemy will have units aplenty. This enemy leader isn't quite so easy to milk so finish it as quickly as possible.

==== Scenario 3 – Wasteland ====

This is an interesting scenario - no villages. Check your income in the top: it's all you're going to get. The next scenario is possible with minimum starting gold but painful, especially if you don't have leveled troops that you're willing to lose. This is slightly offset by the gold bonus you will (hopefully) get at the end of the scenario. This scenario is as much an exercise in gold management as anything else. Keep in mind that some troops may level and try to stay under your income as much as possible with your upkeep. Multiple level 1s may be better than your leveled units in some cases. A Druid, of course, is a necessity with the lack of villages.

When you finish, you will get a small gold bonus that was laying around the orcish camp.

==== Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls ====

Largely regarded as the first truly difficult scenario by many beginners, this has stumped many by either waves of troll whelps or truly scary adult trolls, depending on your difficulty. What may not be obvious to you is that the troll AI has been set up to NOT USE the two mountain hexes that border their caves, but only the path through the middle. Once you realize this it is far easier to setup a nice bottleneck for them.

Good luck! Try to eliminate the blue troll quickly so that the teal one will be a sole target.

==== Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick ====
This is a fun scenario lending you a very handy unit, the silver mage. Be careful not to lose her and use her as a surprise attacker. The AI does not understand that a silver mage can appear from any of your villages, so when she's not teleporting around the map grabbing more villages for you keep her on a village so that she's handy to aid in a strike on an unsuspecting AI unit.

You may start off with low gold after last scenario, so start off slow, especially on higher difficulty levels. Let them come to you instead of you rushing them. You have plenty of time to take the rest of the map once the first wave has pummeled you.

==== Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp ====

Pretty simple 'kill the enemy leader' scenario again. This campaign has a lot of them. Be careful of the undead at night - they pack a serious punch, but they're much less scary in the daytime. Your best unit will be your mages, and ignore any horsemen that you have unless you somehow got them to lvl 2 or even better, paladin. The final boss is a toughy. The only thing you really have that can hurt him is your mages, with Linaera being by far the best as a silver mage (she resists the lich attack quite a bit!). Get in a gang around him and then try to finish him off in one turn. If that fails, try again. You'll probably have heavy casualties finishing him if you're new to fighting liches, and beware using melee attacks on him (he'll heal when he hits you), even if his ranged attack is truly terrifyingly powerful.

==== Scenario 7 – Showdown ====

Another kill the enemy leader, but with a twist: you get 4 loyal rangers to sneak around the backside for an assassination! If you have any rangers of your own, send them along to and use the rest of your forces as a diversion to the southwest. If played well you can actually just destroy his army at the moment, but it's always fun to pop out of the trees and surround the bewildered AI =)

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:13:28Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:10:29Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:08:45Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:07:07Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 3 – Wasteland */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:04:42Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 2 – Assassins */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T16:02:16Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:58:44Z

Jozrael: /* An Orcish Incursion */

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:58:28Z

Jozrael: /* An Orcish Incursion */

=== An Orcish Incursion ===

**Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change.**

This is a walkthrough of '''An Orcish Incursion''', the campaign featuring Erlornas. It contains spoilers.

If you feel comfortable with turn-based games, especially ones featuring units moving on a hex map, then you can play the Tutorial and then dive right into "Medium" to get a feel for the elements of the game. After you have played a few scenarios and are ready to hone your skills, try reading [[AdvancedTactics]]. You should also be familiar with the basics in [[WesnothManual]] -- this is a walkthrough, not an exposition of basic game mechanics.

Each scenario has an individual forum thread where you can provide feedback to the authors. You can find these [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20249 here].

==== Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest ====

...

==== Scenario 2 – Assassins ====

...

==== Scenario 3 – Wasteland ====

...

==== Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls ====

...

==== Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick ====

...

==== Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp ====

...

==== Scenario 7 – Showdown ====

...

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:58:19Z

Jozrael: /* An Orcish Incursion */

=== An Orcish Incursion ===

**Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change.

This is a walkthrough of '''An Orcish Incursion''', the campaign featuring Erlornas. It contains spoilers.

If you feel comfortable with turn-based games, especially ones featuring units moving on a hex map, then you can play the Tutorial and then dive right into "Medium" to get a feel for the elements of the game. After you have played a few scenarios and are ready to hone your skills, try reading [[AdvancedTactics]]. You should also be familiar with the basics in [[WesnothManual]] -- this is a walkthrough, not an exposition of basic game mechanics.

Each scenario has an individual forum thread where you can provide feedback to the authors. You can find these [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20249 here].

==== Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest ====

...

==== Scenario 2 – Assassins ====

...

==== Scenario 3 – Wasteland ====

...

==== Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls ====

...

==== Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick ====

...

==== Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp ====

...

==== Scenario 7 – Showdown ====

...

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:58:12Z

Jozrael: /* An Orcish Incursion */

=== An Orcish Incursion ===

*Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change.

This is a walkthrough of '''An Orcish Incursion''', the campaign featuring Erlornas. It contains spoilers.

If you feel comfortable with turn-based games, especially ones featuring units moving on a hex map, then you can play the Tutorial and then dive right into "Medium" to get a feel for the elements of the game. After you have played a few scenarios and are ready to hone your skills, try reading [[AdvancedTactics]]. You should also be familiar with the basics in [[WesnothManual]] -- this is a walkthrough, not an exposition of basic game mechanics.

Each scenario has an individual forum thread where you can provide feedback to the authors. You can find these [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20249 here].

==== Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest ====

...

==== Scenario 2 – Assassins ====

...

==== Scenario 3 – Wasteland ====

...

==== Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls ====

...

==== Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick ====

...

==== Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp ====

...

==== Scenario 7 – Showdown ====

...

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:57:57Z

Jozrael: /* Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change. */

=== An Orcish Incursion ===

Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change.

This is a walkthrough of '''An Orcish Incursion''', the campaign featuring Erlornas. It contains spoilers.

If you feel comfortable with turn-based games, especially ones featuring units moving on a hex map, then you can play the Tutorial and then dive right into "Medium" to get a feel for the elements of the game. After you have played a few scenarios and are ready to hone your skills, try reading [[AdvancedTactics]]. You should also be familiar with the basics in [[WesnothManual]] -- this is a walkthrough, not an exposition of basic game mechanics.

Each scenario has an individual forum thread where you can provide feedback to the authors. You can find these [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20249 here].

==== Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest ====

...

==== Scenario 2 – Assassins ====

...

==== Scenario 3 – Wasteland ====

...

==== Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls ====

...

==== Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick ====

...

==== Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp ====

...

==== Scenario 7 – Showdown ====

...

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:57:42Z

Jozrael: /* An Orcish Incursion */

=== An Orcish Incursion ===

=Disclaimer: Mist is heavily revising this campaign, so many things may change.=

This is a walkthrough of '''An Orcish Incursion''', the campaign featuring Erlornas. It contains spoilers.

If you feel comfortable with turn-based games, especially ones featuring units moving on a hex map, then you can play the Tutorial and then dive right into "Medium" to get a feel for the elements of the game. After you have played a few scenarios and are ready to hone your skills, try reading [[AdvancedTactics]]. You should also be familiar with the basics in [[WesnothManual]] -- this is a walkthrough, not an exposition of basic game mechanics.

Each scenario has an individual forum thread where you can provide feedback to the authors. You can find these [http://www.wesnoth.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=20249 here].

==== Scenario 1 – Defend the Forest ====

...

==== Scenario 2 – Assassins ====

...

==== Scenario 3 – Wasteland ====

...

==== Scenario 4 – Valley of Trolls ====

...

==== Scenario 5 – Linaera the Quick ====

...

==== Scenario 6 – A Detour Through the Swamp ====

...

==== Scenario 7 – Showdown ====

...

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:57:27Z

Jozrael:

AnOrcishIncursion

2008-09-08T15:56:20Z

Jozrael: /* Scenario 2 – Reclaiming The Past */