Guide in Blaze (Free SRPG): Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

I played "Guide in Blaze," a game made with SRPG Studio.
Free SRPG "Mistria Horizon" andMizuoukiThis is a simulation RPG created by Bibinba, the creator of "[Title of previous work]".
This game is about leading your army to victory as a strategist through choices and decisions.
Its distinguishing feature is that it is created with a clear concept that sets it apart from other SRPGs.

My first playthrough took about 8 hours (on safety mode).

Game Overview (No Spoilers)

Elena and Ryuma, who live in the Imperial territory of Sanrose, are the central characters of this story.
With the help of Elena's brother, Selfis, who graduated from the military academy, the two successfully defend the city from an invasion by a neighboring country.
Having managed to defend the city at great cost, the two resolve to fight to protect what is important to them, or until their faith breaks.

There are five difficulty levels to choose from.
You can choose from several modes to suit your play style: "Tactical Mode" (no saving during stages), which best matches the game's concept; "Recovery Mode" with automatic saving and rewind functionality at the start of each turn; "Safety Mode" where you can save and load at any time; and the generally easier "Casual Mode" and "Blessing Mode."

This game is based on a traditional SRPG (Strategy Role-Playing Game).
However, since it employs many unique specifications and systems, we will introduce them one by one.

Bonus points

In this game, you can earn BP (Bonus Points) in addition to money when you clear a stage.
You can earn even more points by fulfilling specific conditions set for each stage.
By earning a lot of BP and clearing the game, your score rank displayed after the ending will increase.
Additionally, you can purchase guide skills (explained later) by spending BP, but this will reduce your BP holdings, resulting in a lower clear score (this will not negatively impact your game progress).

Since it's difficult to meet all the BP acquisition conditions, I think it's necessary to consider it as a challenge element and compromise at a certain point.

Weapons and items

In this game, there is no rock-paper-scissors system based on weapon compatibility.
Since there is no limit to the number of uses for a weapon, its value lies solely in its assigned performance.
With a few exceptions, none of the allied weapons are special; they're all weapons that can be bought at the shop.

Additionally, you cannot add or remove items from your inventory or swap them with other units during gameplay.
You'll need to organize your items beforehand on the preparation screen.

Level up

In this game, with the exception of some powerful enemies, the experience points you can gain are basically fixed at 10 points.
andEach time you clear a map, all members gain 100 experience points and level up by one level.
There's almost no need to deliberately adjust how you finish off enemies in order to level up your units, allowing you to focus purely on conquering the game.

Even units that are not currently deployed will have their levels increased, although they won't be displayed on the screen.
This specification makes it easier to use different units for each stage, thus expanding the range of units that can be effectively utilized.

Class Change

In this game, class changes are not the kind where you rank up vertically from a lower class to a higher class.
It's like changing class horizontally, so you can do it as many times as you like.
For example, in a map where you need many units that can perform long-range attacks, you can increase the number of units that can use bows by changing the class of a Fighter to a Ranger.
While there aren't many possible class changes, such as Fighter ⇔ Ranger or Mage ⇔ Bishop, I think it does increase the player's freedom of choice.

The system makes it easy for players to implement tactics they find easiest to use, so it can be fun to experiment with unbalanced strategies without worrying too much about balance.

Guide and Command Skills

In this game, your "SP" increases with each battle you engage in (for some units, it also increases as turns pass).
You can use guides and command skills by consuming accumulated SP.

The "Guide" command temporarily strengthens allied units other than your own.
For example, using the "Full Attack" guide will increase the attack power of that unit until the next turn.
There are various guides such as "full defense" and "full dodge," and it would be difficult to defeat powerful enemies without using these commands.

Command skills are like special moves that consume SP to unleash.
For example, the "Finishing Move" command skill allows you to temporarily increase your attack power and attack enemies.
Most units possess a "special attack" ability, but some units also have unique command skills.
When a unit you own appears, check its effect.

Hiring mercenaries and succeeding

At bases between stages, you can hire mercenaries by paying money.
The list of mercenaries you can hire at that point will be displayed, so hire them if needed.
If you haven't reached the maximum number of deployable units early in the game, hiring mercenaries will definitely increase your fighting strength.
Let's actively recruit people.

In the "Squad Interaction" feature that occasionally appears on the base screen, you can talk to the mercenaries.
Some events only occur if you have specific mercenaries hired at the same time.
While they don't directly participate in the main story, each character has a detailed background and backstory, so you'll gradually grow attached to them.

Examining the sign at the end of the corridor may trigger a special event.
Sometimes, unexpected relationships between characters are revealed, so be sure to use the interaction command when it appears.

If a mercenary dies during a stage, a "Succeed" event will occur.
You can acquire the skills that mercenary possessed in the form of skill items or guide skills.
When you turn a skill into a skill item, you can use that skill while you possess it.

When used as a guide skill, it can be applied to various units, but the effect is temporary (and in some cases, the specifications may differ slightly from the original).
Depending on the skill, you need to carefully consider which form of inheritance is most useful.
However, please note that the inheritance event will not occur if the unit does not survive even once when the map is cleared.(It's not a good idea to hire someone just for their skills and then immediately murder them.)

Additionally, if a unit dies, you will receive 1000G as compensation for the casualty.
The cost of hiring mercenaries is 1000G per person, so even if you lose troops in battle, you can quickly replenish your forces.
The more mercenaries you have die, the more your skills will improve through inheritance, but the choice of playstyle is left to the player.

Review (no spoilers)

I've completed this game twice.
There are several branching paths, so I've actually only completed the latter half of the game a few times.

This game had very distinct features and was extremely enjoyable.
Originally, when you think of SRPGs, I think the tension comes from the severity of the gameplay, like in the first Fire Emblem, where if an ally dies, you lose them permanently.
However, in recent years, its unforgiving nature has not been widely accepted, and it seems that there has been an increase in games where you don't lose your character or where you can choose the difficulty level.
As the number of such casual consumers increases,I felt that this game doesn't try to avoid the death of allied units, but rather incorporates it into the game system in a way that players can accept.
And in fact, I think it was successful.

Normally, losing allied units is only a disadvantage, but in this game, skill inheritance makes it a significant advantage.
I generally try to avoid losing allies in SRPGs, but in this game, the benefits of death are so significant that I played without trying to avoid losing any characters more than necessary.
Since I have to restart less often when allied units die, the number of times I save and load has decreased, and I feel that it has actually become less stressful.
If you think about it, the reason I've been repeatedly saving and loading while playing SRPGs until now was because I didn't want my allies to die, so it makes sense that the number of times I have to restart will decrease.

In this game, the system surrounding the death of allies is particularly well-designed.
Therefore, I think it's safe to say that the game balance is such that teammates are more likely to die.
Not only are the allies' attack powers high, but the enemies' attack powers are also generally high, and in most cases, both sides die after taking just two or three hits.
Players who are determined to avoid their teammates dying might find this difficult.
However, on the other hand, there are many maps that become much easier if you can accept the deaths of your teammates.
In escape maps, there are many stages where a large army is closing in from behind, or maps where you absolutely must hold off a powerful enemy, where sacrificing your allies makes the game much easier.
Ideally, winning without anyone dying would be best, but in reality, that's often difficult.
It may seem like a ruthless approach, but sacrificing a pawn from the start to save your other allies is a valid strategy within the game.
I believe that the decision-making process and the resulting internal conflicts are the invaluable experiences that can be gained through playing the game.

Now, regarding the recommended difficulty level for this game, perhaps because it's a tactical mode where you can't save mid-map, each stage is relatively short.
If the difficulty level were too high without the ability to save, it would become too difficult to complete the game, so I think it was just right.
(Having said that, I was playing in safety mode. Not so much to avoid losing units, but because I wanted to try different things each turn...that's my excuse.)
Even when using up save slots frequently in safe mode, having 99 save slots available was a great advantage.

The story was interesting because it tested the player's decisions.
To put it simply, it was a situation that required major decisions, much like in Tactics Ogre.
The story branches out significantly, which I think will increase motivation for repeated playthroughs, especially when combined with the mercenary system.
Sometimes, circumstances that were not apparent from one route become clear from the other.
For these reasons, I recommend playing it multiple times.

The main characters, Ryuma and Elena, don't have particularly strong personalities.
I think that's because the two of them also serve as avatars for the player.
I think both characters were portrayed as worthy protagonists, each possessing their own distinct strengths.

The graphics are visually appealing and cool, thanks to the beautiful character portraits used.
There were many variations in facial expressions, and it was enough to keep me entertained.
Even people who don't usually play SRPGs will likely be drawn in just by looking at the screenshots.
(For those who don't usually play SRPGs, some parts might be a bit challenging...)

I also thought the background music was good.
The way the music utilized both electric guitar and drums in the more intense parts and piano-driven pieces in the more mellow sections really enhanced the overall sound.

In summary, this game required decisions both in terms of the story and tactically, such as deciding who to keep alive and who to let die, making for a very fresh gameplay experience.
I think it was a simulation RPG where "decision-making" and "choice" were key themes.

Strategy Notes (Contains Spoilers)

Basic tips

- Fight in a way that prevents counterattacks
In this game, the enemies have high attack power, and you'll be defeated very quickly after being hit just a few times.
It becomes extremely important to attack unilaterally using weapons that cannot be counterattacked.
Make sure to equip warrior-type characters with spears (range 1-2) and mage-type characters with blizzards (range 1-3).
However, there are times when you need attack power to deliver the finishing blow, so equip your character with an axe, sword, fire spell, or thunder spell as you prefer.

- Paralyzing Bow to immobilize them
The Paralysis Bow, which can be equipped by Rangers, has the effect of preventing enemies from moving.
If there are too many enemies to handle, a strategy of paralyzing them to hold them in place is effective.
Being able to hold off an enemy with the actions of just one ally is a very efficient way to fight.
Let's hold off the dangerous enemies until the other units are free.

・Recommendation of healing potions
Using the Heal spell in this game consumes 2 SP.
Since it can't be used every turn, you can't always heal at the time you want.
Since healing potions can be used not only on yourself but also on adjacent units, it's safest to have at least one set for everyone.
Since they are often poisoned and paralyzed, it's a good idea to have a panacea on hand if you have the opportunity.

Guides I found useful

・Running at full speed
As a guide available for purchase, it was very easy to use and I relied on it frequently.
It's very useful for increasing the speed of advancement and when you're just a little short of reaching a target.
Having every member of the unit capable of guiding carry one will give you more flexibility in various situations.

- Siege
This guide seems essential for defeating tough enemies.
It requires three people to surround the enemy, but it inflicts significant damage.
When combined with other command skills, you can expect even greater damage.

- Long-range counterattack
This guide shows you how to counter every attack, even with equipment that has a range of 1.
I think it will be very useful in areas with many enemies using sniper bows or enemies with a range of 3.
Additionally, it's possible to use a daring tactic of equipping a powerful unit with many other guides and then sending it in to quickly deplete the enemy's health.

- Exclusive defense
You can't get it until you clear Chapter 2, which is a post-game element, but it's useful because it has an effect that increases your survival rate.
The fact that it only costs 1 SP is a great advantage, making it a useful superior alternative to full defense or full evasion.

A combination of skills I found useful

- Skilled Escape Artist (Fran - Can move again after attacking) + Sniper Bow (Weapon)
This combination compensates for the sniper bow's weakness of being unable to attack after moving, thanks to its longer range.
I feel that by combining it with other skills and command skills, it might be possible to create a unit like Golgo 13 that can deliver a one-hit kill.

Fighter + Heavy Armor + Magic Resistance Shield + Masochist (Takuro - absorbs damage when attacked with 5 or more SP) + Endurance (Gearlim - +3 Defense when enemy attacks first) + Steadfast (Lize - +3 Magic Defense when enemy attacks first)
The above combination is the final form, but it's a combination of skills that further solidifies units with high defense.
Just when it seems like it's about to die, its masochistic side kicks in and it recovers, allowing for a tougher playstyle.

- Sturdy Fighter + Long-Range Counterattack (Guide) + Fearless (Grimm - Attack +3 when enemy attacks first)
This is a standard combination: using a unit with high defense and a long-range counterattack guide.
By combining skills that activate when the enemy strikes first, you can increase the damage taken from counterattacks.

- My Own Pace (Fury - +15% hit/evasion when enemy attacks first) + Hide and Seek (Diz - Evasion increase doubled due to terrain effect)
If you position a unit with decent speed in a forest or similar location, it can act as a dodge tank, dodging attacks and counterattacking, becoming virtually unstoppable on its own.
However, given the circumstances, it would be difficult to use a long-range counterattack guide, so a Mage with a range of 1-3 would be more suitable.

- Magical talent (Asha - Adds 20% of her magic power to her attack power) + Fighting experience (Laios - Reduces the enemy's defense by half with a command and then attacks) + Sadist (Doris - Attack +3 when attacking first)
This combination aims for maximum firepower when engaging tough enemies.
With this combination, equipping an axe and using the Siege Guide should allow you to inflict a significant amount of damage.

Prologue Three people

After defeating the first enemies approaching you, intercept them at the location shown in the image.
If you use Selfis's Guide and Full Defense to make Ryuma tough, and have Elena heal him, you should be able to win.
If Ryuma had waited for the right moment to unleash his special attack, he could have defeated him much faster.

Chapter 1: The Reclusive Strategist

If you stick out too far from the cover, you'll be spotted, so stay within the limits and wait during the first turn.
In the next turn, we'll take down the two approaching enemies at once.
The Fighter should be able to defeat them with Mel's Fire and Elena's Magic Rod, while the Ranger should be able to defeat them with Myra's attacks and Laios's Bare Knuckle.
Then, on the next turn, reduce Amida's HP to 10 or less and capture her to clear the stage.
There are enemies nearby making it difficult to attack, but if you attack from three spaces away with Laios's bow, and then chip away at their health from two spaces away with Mel's Fire or Myra's spear, you should be able to capture them when you get close.

Chapter 2: A Guide to Determination

If you want to save all the villagers, rescuing the villager on the far right will be quite a challenge.
In my case, I gave up and continued playing the game.
In this game, both allies and enemies are quite vulnerable to being defeated, so you need to proceed carefully or you'll easily have casualties (which is probably the intention).

In the event where you save the girl, you need to use the "Full Speed Ahead" ability on either Laios, Mel, or Myra, and then stand to the right of the girl to protect her.
Someone will die, but this is unavoidable, so let's just accept it.
The stage is cleared once you defeat the boss, Jagi.

After clearing the game, if you choose "I probably can't bear it anymore," it's game over.
That could be considered one possible outcome.

Chapter 3: Strategists and Commanders

Use buildings to your advantage and avoid taking on large numbers of opponents at once.
Make the most of Beriot's command skills, and use Guide units to solidify your defensive wall.
You should be able to protect yourself safely by either completely avoiding the attack or, if you have purchased the item, by fully defending against it.
When your HP starts to drop, you won't have much time to heal, so swap in another unit to protect it.

Chapter 4: The Tomboy Princess

This map involves fighting while protecting Clarice.
Thanks to her noble skill, she can block one lethal attack per turn, but she cannot withstand any more attacks than that.
The Ranger's Paralysis Bow can guarantee immobilizing enemies for one turn, so make good use of it.
The Paralysis Bow is also effective against the boss, Goza, so it's a good idea to keep him occupied until the other enemies are dealt with.

Chapter 5: The Battle for the Fortress

Since allied Imperial soldiers are very useful, your own troops should not push too far forward and instead contribute to the battle like remoras.
Even if you manage to defeat enemies, you'll only gain 10 experience points, so there's no need to push yourself too hard.

When the enemy platoon leader and your allies begin fighting, position yourself so that you can capture him from the side when his HP drops below 10, and try to capture him whenever possible.
Having both Ryuma and Elena equipped with the Full Speed Run Guide is very useful when you're just a little short on movement points.
Also, please note that units that have already captured an enemy cannot be captured again on this map.
It's a waste to have a unit that can capture the enemy when you have the opportunity to do so.

On the enemy's 9th turn, enemy reinforcements, the Sagittarius unit, will appear from the bottom right.
Since they are tough enemies, it's best to avoid engaging them too much and prioritize heading towards the boss.
However, if Nadia engages in combat alone, there's a high chance she'll be defeated and it'll be game over. Therefore, it's best to keep some distance and have Selfis and Elena provide support to increase her chances of survival.
In my case, I was praying that Nadia would somehow manage to withstand the situation in the position shown in the image.

Meanwhile, the unit on the left hurried to their boss, Nena, and managed to capture her.
Here again, the key is to utilize allied forces and fight in a way that minimizes your own casualties.

Chapter 6: The Ruthless Emperor

It seems to be linked to the number of prisoners captured on the map we saw earlier.
Since any movement of an allied unit will trigger combat, you cannot intervene until Clarice and Elena are within a reasonably safe range.
I don't think Clarice and Elena will be able to escape until at least the third turn.
Because friendly forces use a guide that covers the entire area, they can catch up to enemy prisoners of war very quickly.
If you can have the Ranger use Full Speed and hit the prisoners with the Paralysis Bow, I think your allies will be able to take care of any enemies that are left behind.
On the enemy's fifth turn, an archer with a poison bow will appear on the bridge on the near side, so be careful not to let Clarice die from poison.

Chapter 7 Transport Mission

We will advance by dividing the troops into upper and lower groups.
Having a Ranger who can use the Paralysis Bow here makes things much easier, as it can temporarily prevent the enemy from taking action.
If you're a Mage, having equipment that allows you to attack from above the cliff, such as a Blizzard, or if you're a Fighter, a Spear, will make it easier to defeat them.
The ranger with the sniper bow in the top left is quite troublesome, but the only way to defeat him is to counter with a sniper bow of your own, so if you don't have the resources, just ignore him.
However, since it's dangerous if Sayla, the person you're protecting, is targeted, you should either heal her frequently or use the full-dodge guide to try and avoid the attack at all costs.

Since there are enemy hiding spots behind cliffs, it's a good idea to use guides like Full Defense on units you send ahead to make them a little safer.
Since there's little risk of being surrounded by so many enemies, let's steadily reduce their numbers one by one.

Chapter 8: In Search of Supplies

There's basically no combat, but the map is like a fairly challenging stealth action game.
It might be a good idea to start by observing how the enemy soldiers move.
It's a good idea to carefully determine which six bags to collect before deploying personnel.
If you take things too slowly, you'll run out of time.

If you deploy a Ranger, you can combine the Paralysis Bow and the Full Speed Guide to brute-force escape.
It's a good idea to have some healing potions on hand just in case.

Chapter 9: Sounds of the Dark Prison

These stages make it fairly clear which enemies you need to fight.
Each of our allies is strong enough to win even if left alone.
Selfis should focus on supporting Nadia and avoid getting ahead of herself.

After defeating Nena, Sagittarius will be strengthened and begin to approach you.
By then, our allies should have mostly finished their engagement, so let's use them as cover and advance.

Sagittarius has very high attack power, so it's safest to leave it to your allies.
However, since defeat occurs if Zilran is defeated, focusing your guiding and healing efforts on Zilran will increase your safety.
Poison Arrows and Paralysis Bows are also effective, so if your unit can withstand the counterattack, it's worth trying to provoke them.

Chapter 10: A Choice in the Flames

This is an extremely difficult map.
The biggest problem is figuring out how to defeat Sagittarius, which has high attack power and strong defense.
We need to defeat them quickly because we also need to rescue Alisa and the Sister.
I will write down the steps I took to complete the game as an example of a successful strategy.

Our strategy will be to use a guided encirclement attack to try and defeat them.
At worst, if we have the one that our reinforcement, Selfis, is carrying, we should be able to manage.
As preparation, I give the unit with the highest strength at the moment (in my case, Ryuma) an axe and the "Fighting Experience (inherited from Laios)" skill.
If you choose to have someone other than Ryuma take on the attacking role, it might be easier because you can use the guides of both Selfis and Ryuma.
However, a drawback is that SP doesn't accumulate naturally for classes other than Ryuma and Bishop, making it difficult to use "Fighting Experience" smoothly.

Give Elena two healing potions, and either prepare plenty of units that can use heal spells for the other units, or have everyone carry healing potions.
Additionally, having a Ranger equipped with a Paralysis Bow or Poison Bow will increase the likelihood of success.

First, on the first turn, send Elena charging straight at Sagittarius.
You will take damage during the enemy's turn, but ignore it and rush into the church on the next turn (2nd turn) to rescue Alisa, who is relatively close (however, there is a pattern in which Sagittarius will block the entrance to the church, so in that case, move a little further away and wait).
If you try to help the sister, you'll probably need full-speed support.
The other members will proceed with Sagittarius.

On the third turn, use the Paralysis Bow on Sagittarius to paralyze it, and have the other members prepare to surround it at the edge of their attack range.
If you hit a Ranger with a Paralysis Bow, you should try to heal them as much as possible (you can use Fran's Escape Skill to get them to safety).

On turn 4, have Selfis use the Siege Guide on Ryuma, surround Sagittarius with other units, and then use the Command Skill "Fighting Experience" to attack with the axe.
We manage to land an effective hit on Sagittarius, but Ryuma also takes heavy damage from the counterattack, so we mobilize all other units to heal him.
If your attacker is not Ryuma, in addition to a siege attack, it's a good idea to use the full-force attack guide.
If you can only surround them from three sides at this point, use a paralyzing bow to immobilize them.
When you've successfully surrounded the enemy on all four sides, using the Poison Bow to inflict poison increases the chances of finishing them off in the next turn.

On turn 5, we attack Ryuma again with a siege, combined with the skills "Fighting Experience" and "Axe."
If you still can't defeat it, try to whittle it down with the other members.
Once we defeat Sagittarius, all that's left is for Elena to be rescued and for us to escape safely.
If you're worried, you can also use the guide to run through the building at full speed with Ryuma for added peace of mind.

Chapter 10: Supplementary Account - Crossroads

On this map, you will have to choose between the Ryumaru route, where you seek revenge for the emperor, and the Elena route, where you endure and continue fighting.
Choose your preferred route, and if you're curious about the other one, you can play through it a second time.

*The following is Ryumaru Route

Chapter 11: The Pursuers

We are being attacked from both the front and the back.
The general strategy is for a few people to hold off the enemy from the rear, while the enemy in front either detours or attacks head-on.

In my case, I had a unit equipped with "Hide and Seek" (double terrain effect) hidden in the forest at the back to attract the enemy and have it withstand the attacks using healing potions.
If you can deal damage to the enemy through counterattacks and whittle them down, they'll be preoccupied with healing, reducing the number of attacks they can make, so you can surprisingly withstand their attacks.

At the front, a frontal assault will result in heavy casualties, but if you can clear it quickly, the survival rate of the units holding back the enemy at the rear will increase.
The difficulty level seems to vary greatly depending on your play style, but if you use your units as expendable pieces, you should be able to clear it relatively easily. I feel this map offers a taste of what makes this game so enjoyable.

Chapter 12: The Attacker

I think this is an unusually easy map to complete.
If you enter the attack range of the patrolling rangers, reinforcements will arrive from the north.
Let's wait for them to pass before we begin our strategy.

Since the enemy is divided into left and right, let's split our forces into two groups to attack.
Since the enemy units that are positioned in a location don't tend to move much from their original positions, you can attack them unilaterally with weapons that have a range of 3 or more, such as Blizzards or Bows.
We have plenty of time, so let's take our time and defeat them.
However, if you don't defeat them all at once, the Bishop in the back will heal them.
It's a good idea to make effective use of guides for re-action and steadily reduce their numbers one by one.

Chapter 13

This map involves escaping from Berriot by taking either an upper or lower route.
In the route shown above, Zexis will appear on the third turn.
If you manage to capture them, they will join your party after you clear the stage.

The route below will lead you to Selfis and Guy, who is trying to kill Selfis.
Selfis is an enemy, but if she is defeated, it will result in defeat, so try to eliminate Guy as quickly as possible.
While Selfis's henchmen will attack Guy, their accuracy is low, so they're not very reliable.

I chose the lower route, positioned Mel with the Hide and Seek skill and Blizzard as the rearguard, and, while also using Sail's full-speed dodge guide, I was holding off the pursuit.
Ryuma goes ahead alone, heading towards the exit point.
It would have been difficult for Mel to hold off all the pursuers by herself, so we fought while retreating.
The key is to fight from a distance where Beriot's command effect won't activate.
Additionally, if you have a ranger equipped with a sniper bow and the ability to escape, you can safely inflict damage while retreating.

Chapter 14 The Prince's Departure

This map involves attacking the enemy fort from two directions.
The extent to which we push our attack is up to us, but this is a relatively easy map to fight on, so let's aim for the special bonus.

When moving from here, using Prince Milan's full-speed sprint will increase your marching speed.
Also, when enemies are approaching, leave units capable of counterattacking within their attack range so that you can chip away at their health with counterattacks.
Doing so reduces the enemy's chances of healing and makes it easier to reduce their numbers during your turn.
For chipping away at the enemy's health, you can safely do so by using the "Guide to Counterattack" skill on tough units, or by using the "Guide to Defense" skill on units equipped with Blizzard or Spear.

Chapter 15 Trick

At first glance, it seems like a simple surprise attack mission, but once the initial battle is over, the map suddenly changes to one where you need to retreat.
If any unit other than the two at the top of the initial position takes action, the enemy will detect the presence of other units.
Move the two front-line units downwards to draw the boss as close as possible.
Be careful, as defeating the boss will cause an explosion that inflicts heavy damage on nearby units.

After that, a large number of enemy reinforcements appear, and the objective becomes getting the Prince of Milan to escape.
A small number of enemy reinforcements will appear near the withdrawal point, so be sure to bring along enough units to eliminate them.
You can narrow the path by destroying the stone statues along the way.

By preparing a unit with high defensive capabilities to use as a sacrificial pawn, you can buy yourself a considerable amount of time, making it much easier to clear the stage.

Chapter 16: The Crossroads of Fate

The map is divided into two halves, and the first half is quite difficult.
Knowing when to use Molotov cocktails and providing support for Selfis will be crucial.

First, we don't have time to deal with the enemies in the initial room, so we use the "Full Speed Run" guide on each other to somehow outrun them.
I have a place where I'd like to use one of the Molotov cocktails later, but you can use the other one wherever you like.

When you reach the area with the red carpet, Seraphis will appear.
I want Seraphis to wipe out the enemies, but if I do that, there's a chance Seraphis will be defeated, so if I use the Full Defense Guide, she'll take almost no damage.

The enemy will prioritize targeting Selfis to some extent, but we don't want them to come too close to our side, so we stay away from the center of the crossroads and throw Molotov cocktails behind us to block their path.
This way, there's no need to worry about what's behind you, so I think you can proceed calmly.

The maps in the second half are similar to event maps.
If you leave it to Seraphis to provide support, you should be able to clear it without any problems.

Chapter 17: Reclaiming the Homeland

This is a map for sieging a castle.
Since most enemies don't move, I think it will be easier to fight if you have plenty of units with long range.
Enemy units with sniper bows are troublesome, but if you use the Guide for Long-Range Counter on a tough unit, you can deal damage efficiently through counterattacks.
Let's use our sniper bows to finish off any wounded enemies and reduce their numbers.

Chapter 18: The Beginning of the End

The Nationalist militia will become your allies if you talk to them in Seil or Milan.
However, if you try to talk to them, you'll be in a position where you're likely to be targeted by concentrated enemy attacks during the enemy's turn, putting both you and the militia in danger.
In particular, if a militia member is defeated, it explodes, dealing 30 damage to surrounding units.
From a gameplay perspective, it's easier to defeat the militia while they're still enemies, rather than trying to persuade them.

Beriot's troops will appear from the bottom right, but if you let them engage Stolpa's troops, there is a high chance that units that should not be defeated will be destroyed, leading to your defeat.
After getting as close as possible, use a full Milan army sprint to quickly close the distance and launch a concentrated attack to defeat them.

Chapter 19 Three-party cooperation

Triple-way relationship (teiritsu)... A state in which three forces stand side by side (according to Wikipedia).

The three armies are facing each other, but we should approach a little later and try to take advantage of the situation.
If we let the two armies fight each other for too long, there's a possibility that Elena and Berriot will be defeated.
However, the enemy tends to target the easier-to-defeat regular soldiers first, so it's not that difficult.
In a chaotic battle, it becomes difficult to control the battlefield, so use Milan's all-out attack at the right moment to quickly close in.

Final Chapter: A Wish at the Edge of the World

Similar to the battle against Sagittarius in Chapter 10, we'll want to make use of the siege strategy guide.
Selphis will eventually summon three powerful enemies.
Fighting them head-on would be very difficult, so only defeat them when necessary.

Paralysis Bow is effective against all enemies except Evil Cardinal, so a Ranger can immobilize them.
However, you will inevitably take damage in return, so if you don't want your characters to die, you will need several healers.

Let's try our best to defeat them in one go by making full use of Sail's ability to act again and Milan's ability to sprint across the entire army.
Because there are more units that can use the guide, I felt that Chapter 10 was more difficult.

*The following is Elena's route

Chapter 11: Suppression Operation

You can earn bonus points by clearing the stage without killing as many of the civilians as possible.
The civilians can be captured when their HP drops below 10, so capture them whenever you have the opportunity.

If we're going to go head-to-head, the best strategy would be to split our forces into two and ambush them at the bridge.
However, if you're worried about dispersing your forces, you can concentrate your troops on one side from the start and advance from there.
The boss tends to be isolated, so I think you can easily defeat him if you advance quickly.

Chapter 12: The Day I Became Shogun

This map requires you to prevent enemies from invading the carpet, while also ensuring that Berriot is not attacked.
Be sure to place a Ranger equipped with a sniper bow in each of the four towers.
If you don't have enough Rangers, you can change your Fighter class.
The rangers you place in the upper left tower will need to defeat some enemies on their own, so it's best to place units with high accuracy and attack power there to make things a bit easier.
Also, since the enemy boss with a sniper bow will appear from the bottom right, make sure to equip your units in the top right and bottom right with healing items.

For the other units, you can basically group them together in the center of the map and position them to block the path of any reinforcements that appear.
Having the skill to run at full speed will come in handy in an emergency.

Chapter 13

This stage involves chasing after Ryuma and Elena, making sure they don't get too far apart as they try to escape.
The victory condition is that Ryuma and Sail leave the battle.
This is the exact opposite situation to that of Ryumaru.
It's a good idea to equip units that can use the Guide ability with the Full Speed Run skill, and have them guide each other as they pursue the enemy.
If you follow him well, you should be able to get within 5 spaces of Ryuma around the time you pass the statue of the saint.

Berriot's command skill level has increased to 2, making it more effective.
Since it has high HP and is difficult to defeat, push it to the front lines to give your teammates an advantage in battle.

Along the way, Seraphis and two Imperial soldiers appear as reinforcements.
An enemy assassin will appear to the left of the statue, so surround him with two soldiers and take him down.

Zexis, who appears from the north, will join your party after you clear the stage if you capture him when his HP is below 10.
Because of their high strength and increased attack and defense when there are no allies around, the Ranger is recommended over the Fighter.

Chapter 14: Invasion

This is a standard castle siege map.
The key is how to eliminate the barrage of sniper bow fire near the entrance.

The enemy archers are within range of attacks with a range of 2, so one strategy is to ignore the damage and approach them.
If you want to play it safe, it might be more efficient to equip units with high attack and defense power with the "Long-Range Counterattack Guide" skill and whittle down the enemy with counterattacks.

The entrance after breaching the gate is narrow, but by strengthening your combat units with various guides and using long-range counterattacks, you can quickly eliminate the enemies.

Chapter 15: The Queen Who Protects the Nation

This map features attacks on the castle town from two directions.
Since the battlefield isn't very large, I think you'll be able to progress much more comfortably if you prepare plenty of Rangers equipped with sniper bows.
One or two vanguard units are usually sufficient.

There's no need to rush, so let's take things slowly and make use of Beriot's support and guidance.
If you're aiming for the bonus for capturing the queen, it's a good idea to advance quickly.

Chapter 16: The Crossroads of Fate

The content is the same as Ryumaru's.
The three of you should use the guide to help each other escape, and then block the path twice with Ryuma's Molotov cocktails.
I think Selfis won't be defeated if you provide support at least once with a defensive or evasive guide.

After clearing the game, you will be given the option of whether or not to hand over Princess Clarice.
Whether or not you hand over Clarice will slightly alter the events of the following chapters, and the story branches off from Chapter 19.
If you hand it over, you proceed to "Conflict," and if you do not hand it over, you proceed to "Three-way balance."

Chapter 17: The Inviolable Tower

The boss, Boyz, is a high-strength unit, and if you use a sniper bow, you can defeat him within the first few turns of the stage.
You can defeat Boze by placing a unit equipped with a sniper bow within its attack range, counterattacking with a ranged counterattack, and then using a guided full-power attack (fastest in 2 turns).

It turns out that Saints = Saint Az = Saintess Az (those who played Mistria Horizon will get a chuckle out of this).

Chapter 18: The Beginning of the End

The first half of the map is one where you control Selfis and fight.
The nationalist soldiers that appear along the way will explode when defeated, dealing 30 damage to anyone within 2 squares of them.
Even Selfis can be defeated if caught in the explosion of all three, so keep your distance and avoid being attacked by multiple enemies at once.
If you defeat your opponent in a counterattack, you will lose the battle prematurely.

The second half uses the same map as Ryumaru's route, but this time the formation is in the lower right corner.
If you eliminate and neutralize the snipers on the high ground, you'll then be in a position to continuously target the enemy with your sniper bow.

Stolpa will move towards you if you enter its attack range.
Because they have high mobility, they are easy to isolate, so lure them in and gang up on them the next turn.

Chapter 19 (A) Tripartite arrangement

If you keep hiding Clarice instead of handing her over, you will enter this route.

It's a three-way battle, but the tricky part is that we absolutely cannot let Ryuma die.
Ideally, I'd like to wait for Ryuma and Nadia's forces to fight each other, but if I wait too long, Ryuma and Nadia will engage in battle quite far north, making it difficult for me to intervene.
Overall, let's proceed with the idea of prioritizing the attack on Nadia's forces.

Commander-class units like Marista increase the accuracy and evasion of surrounding enemies, so it's dangerous not to take them down first.
Use ranged attacks like sniper bows to whittle down their health and defeat them as quickly as possible.

This map has some tricky timing issues, but we're almost there, so let's keep going!

Chapter 19 (B) The End of Conflict

If you hand over Clarisse, you will cooperate with Nadia and fight as allies.
If Ryuma dies, you will lose, so you must take the southern side of the cliff as much as possible and engage Milan as early as possible.

When Nadia's army passes near the cliff, the cliff explodes, dealing 20 points of damage to surrounding units and turning the nearby terrain into a fire-filled area (5 points of damage).
The enemy won't move towards us, so just be careful of their long-range attacks and proceed calmly.
The dialogue and other elements that will appear from now on will change depending on whether you defeat Milan or capture him.

Final Chapter: Brother and Sister

If you hand over Clarice, the game starts with Nadia, Ryuma, and Elena on the front lines.
If you hide Clarice in the tower, you can obtain Elena's equipment, the Holy Staff, before the stage begins.

Since Elena and Ryuma are on the front lines, Elena should continue talking to Selfis to prevent reinforcements from arriving.
Ryuma should use high-quality healing potions and guides to support Elena from outside of Selfis's attack range.

By continuing the conversation, you can prevent reinforcements from arriving, and once your allies in the rear reach the front lines, you can use the siege guide to launch an attack.
If you equip Elena with the Holy Staff and concentrate your skills and guides on her to unleash a siege attack, you should be able to inflict massive damage.

First playthrough impressions (Ryumaru route), unit usage impressions (spoiler alert)

thoughts

I played in safety mode and was able to complete the game.
Safety mode allows you to save at any time, but I didn't use the save and load functions as much as I expected.
I think the main reason is that even if your allies die, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, so there's not much point in restarting.
While there are differences in ability scores among units, the fact that there are plenty of replacements means that it's not a problem somehow gives a sense of the harsh realities of war.

Since the damage from enemies was significant, I found bow-type weapons, including spears, blizzards, and sniper bows, which allowed me to attack from outside their range without taking counterattacks, to be very useful.
In the early to mid-game, the Ranger's Paralysis Bow was useful for keeping enemies in place.

For my first playthrough, I chose the Ryumaru route.
The game's system of accepting the deaths of comrades is appealing, but the way you have to decide which course of action to take in the story is also well-thought-out and makes for a challenging experience.
At the beginning, Ryuma seemed rather impulsive, but as I watched him grow stronger after overcoming the deaths of his comrades, I grew to like him quite a bit.
I was particularly moved by the scene in the final epilogue where he persuades Elena.
"Don't just count the lives you've taken! You can't count the lives you've saved either!!" I think this is a great line from Ryuma to encourage Elena.

Mainly active units

・Ryuma

He had high ability scores and played a key role until the very end.
However, since she's a valuable asset who can act as a guide, I had to decide whether to have her attack the enemy as an attacker or guide them as a strategist.
It's inevitable that giving them a lot of guides will reduce the variety of equipment they can use.

・Elena

Since I was on the Ryumaru route, I had fewer opportunities to fight from the middle of the game onward.
However, in the early stages, they proved invaluable as a guide and healer.
One of the interesting things about the Bishop in this game is that you can also attack enemies.

・Mel

He was a veteran soldier who was a member from the beginning, survived until the end, and played a key role in the operation.
Because their magical power is among the highest, they simply dealt a lot of damage to enemies, making them very powerful.
Although it's fragile, by equipping it with a Blizzard with a range of 3 and having it wait in the woods, it was incredibly powerful, capable of not only holding off enemy units but even annihilating them single-handedly.
In the first playthrough, he performed at an ace level.

Myra

As a long-time member, I survived until the very end.
This fighter prioritizes speed and a high volume of attacks over toughness.
In the latter half of the year, they were replaced by tank-type fighters, so their opportunities for sortie decreased.

Burgess

This is the first magic-user unit to join as a mercenary.
I recruited him because I thought his dark magic would be powerful, but due to the fact that it's an SP3 command skill and Burgess's own low magic power, I couldn't really make much use of it.
The dark magic itself might be a skill that would be more effective if it were turned into a guide skill.

・Sail

As a guide and ranger, their ability to provide various kinds of support was invaluable.
The guide for re-action is very useful and comes in handy in many situations.
They have a lot they can do, so I think they're a unit that can't go wrong in the starting lineup.

Milan

While its abilities are somewhat mediocre, it's a useful mounted unit that can use the "Guide to Run Through the Entire Army" ability and can also use magic.
With high HP, toughness, and command skills, this is a unit you'll want to keep on the front lines providing continuous support.

・Purcis

I hired this unit because I didn't have any units that could heal.
My main roles were using healing spells and delivering the finishing blow to enemies.

Fury

The "My Own Pace" skill is helpful because it increases my hit and dodge rates when attacked by enemies.
I have a feeling that it would become even more powerful when combined with hide-and-seek skills.
I like characters with a berserker-like personality, so I kind of liked him.

Amy

Like Mel, this unit had excellent magical growth, resulting in significantly higher magic power.
I found it quite useful when simply needing a good merge function.
Command skills that prevent counterattacks seem useful when playing a damage-dealing role, but I felt they consumed a bit too much SP.

Gear Rim

He's a true fighter with high strength and defense.
They have a very tough image, especially due to their skills and perseverance.
If we strengthen our defense, I think we can send them to the front lines with confidence.

・Weldin

The "Dramatic" skill grants +5 to defense when attacking first, so it might be powerful when combined with "Guide to Quick Decision" (I haven't checked).
Weldin's skill stat is too low, making him unreliable as an attacker.
But the interesting thing is that it somehow manages to survive.

Impressions of my second playthrough (Elena's route), unit usage, etc. (Spoiler alert)

Post-game content

(Isn't that Az!?)
As a feature for the second playthrough, you can use clear points to purchase guide items.
Furthermore, since it allows you to increase the number of units that can use guides, I think it will greatly broaden your tactical options.

The "Guide Usage Permit" allows you to recover 1 SP each turn while possessing it.
Be sure to buy it.
Even without using the guide, it's very useful to have it equipped to units that you want to accumulate SP quickly.

Chapter 2: Supplementary Account - The General Who Was Saved

It seems this map can only be accessed on the second playthrough.
The objective is to get Berriot to escape, but this map is quite difficult.

If you take even one step outside the area, the Sagittarius forces will begin to move.
However, if Beriot can stay in the position shown in the image above, it will be possible to clear the stage in two turns.
(In the next turn, move 3 spaces down and 2 spaces to the left, and in the turn after that, you can reach the escape point.)
Let's work backward from our goal of getting Berriot to this point.

My strategy is to support the squad in the bottom right and buy some time.
We'll use Gulvia's defensive capabilities as a shield to hold out the right-hand front for as many turns as possible.
Because the command effects of Beriot and the squad leader will combine, the surrounding units should be able to hold out more than you might expect.

Once the left entrance is breached and the enemy platoon enters the area while engaging the generals, head towards the point in the lower left via the high ground.
Move to avoid entering the attack range as much as possible, and if necessary, use any surviving, controllable allied units as sacrificial pawns.
Even if several enemies are pursuing him, Beriot should be able to withstand them to some extent.
Let's shake them off and get away.

thoughts

If we consider Ryuma's route to be the chaotic route, then Elena's route felt like the lawful route.
So, if you hand over Clarisse, you go down the Law route; if you don't, you go down the Neutral route (to put it in Tactics Ogre terms).
I thought there was only one branching point in Chapter 10, but Elena's route has even more branching paths, which was unexpected and interesting.

The characters of Nadia, Selfis, and Clarice, who weren't fully revealed in Ryumaru's route, were explored in more depth, and I felt it was definitely worthwhile to play both routes.
The scene where the usually calm Serphis manages to suppress his anger in front of the emperor was a precious moment.
As a mercenary exchange event, I enjoyed discovering unexpected events, such as learning about the relationship between Jax and Eliza.

Since it was my second playthrough, I had a better understanding of which skills and guides were easier to use, which allowed me to clear the game smoothly.
(However, I found the supplementary chapter 2 quite difficult, which made me anxious.)
This time, I tried to use as many units as possible that I didn't use much in the first playthrough.

In the second playthrough, the item "Guide Usage Permission" allows you to use a guide for one more person, which was helpful in many situations.
In my case, I had given my Bishop permission to use Guide, so it was easy to use as it recovered 2 SP each turn.
During my first playthrough, I didn't really understand how to best utilize the Bishop class, but I found it much easier to use when I assigned them a guide role like Elena.
A Bishop who can't guide others has a heal that costs 2 SP but only heals about as much as a potion, and they're not exactly capable of fighting effectively on the front lines either.
In this game, where both allies and enemies have high attack power, it's more advantageous to prioritize attacking over healing and defeating enemies quickly, which made deciding how to use the Bishop class a bit of a challenge.
However, it's strange how having a Bishop on the enemy team can be troublesome, as they can heal enemies you've damaged and make magic attacks less effective.

I thought I played pretty well on my second playthrough, but in the end, my clear score was almost the same as my first.
I think that unless you aim for an Excellent rating on every map or consciously try to acquire special points, your score won't improve much.

After playing through it twice, I felt the connection to "Mistria Horizon" anew.
I played and completed this game a long time ago, but I don't remember the details, so I'm thinking of playing it again.
If you're interested in the forbidden spells and saints that appear in this game, I recommend playing it.

Mainly active units

・Elena

Just like in the first playthrough, she was primarily used as a guide and played an active role in that.
However, in the final battle on the route where you obtain the Holy Staff, I focused on using various skills as an attacker to maximize damage output.

・Mel

Just like in the first playthrough, the high level of magic power is extremely powerful.
Inheriting Myra's relentless charge, it proved to be a trump card with a higher guaranteed kill potential than special attacks, and played an active role in various situations.
It was she who delivered the final blow to Sagittarius, whom the siege attack had failed to completely eliminate.

・Beriot

After class change, her command skill level increased, and her other stats also improved across the board, making her a versatile unit.
She was very reliable, mainly because she could exert command influence on the front lines, use guides, and attack with magic, offering a wide range of options.

Kelly

Up until a certain point, he was active as the main Ranger.
With decent strength and high skill, he was an easy-to-use archer.
This character is one of my favorites visually.

・Mystia

She's not a particularly powerful unit, but I didn't use her much in my first playthrough, so she served well as my second-best Mage after Mel.
I find Mage to be very versatile because Fire is simply powerful, and Blizzard, with its long range, also has decent power.

Eliza

This unit embodies the idea that high strength and defense are the ultimate advantages.
Equipped with heavy armor and a magic-resistant shield, it was slow, but by utilizing its full-speed sprint and long-range counterattack guide, it performed well on the front lines.
Its defense was so strong that it almost completely blocked physical damage, so I could send it in with confidence as long as there were no mages among the enemies.

Gear Rim

They were deployed in almost the same way as Eliza, standing side-by-side and reinforcing the front lines.
While her raw defensive capabilities are inferior to Eliza's, her Endurance skill ultimately gives her a comparable level of toughness.

- Siemhardt

She was given permission to use the guide system and played an active role as the fourth guide after Elena, Berriot, and Jax.
Since this class originally recovers 1 SP each turn, the total amount of SP recovered was 2.
I found it very useful because I could use not only healing staves but also a wide variety of guides.
Its strength is also fairly high, so it can be used as an attacker as well.

Jacks

Because of its high strength and defense, it was deployed near the front lines, just like Eliza and Gearim.
One of the biggest advantages is that you can use a guide, so I often used her as both a support character and an attacker.
Since its magic defense is a bit low, it was quickly defeated when it took continuous magic attacks.

Zexis

This unit didn't join my party during my first playthrough because I didn't have enough time to capture them.
With top-tier strength and a +5 bonus to attack and defense when there are no allies nearby, I used this Ranger to easily maintain distance from other units and fight effectively on their own.

The concept is a unit designed to be a romantic weapon capable of sinking an enemy with a single sniper bow shot.
By maximizing attack power and equipping various skills, it became incredibly destructive.
However, it was difficult to defeat an enemy in a single blow on my own without relying on the power of command skills.
Using a special attack, I could defeat regular enemies in one hit.
To automatically restore SP, it's a good strategy to equip the "Guide Usage Permission" item to make it easier to use command skills.
"I'll beat up anyone who gets too close" (range 8) is a great line, showing a ruthless side even though he's an ally.