Bone Continent War Chronicles (Free SRPG) Introduction, Impressions, and Strategy Notes

I have completed "Bone Continent War Chronicles," a game created with SRPG Studio by Kenji Goto.
As the title "War Chronicles" suggests, it depicts realistic warfare set in a fictional world.
This is not a story of rewarding good and punishing evil; rather, it is a work that vividly depicts the human condition and the karma of war, for better or for worse.
My completion time was approximately 20 hours on hard mode.

Game Overview

"Bone Continent War Chronicles" is a simulation RPG set on the Bone Continent, which exists in the fictional world "Mishgard" created by the Share World Project.
I played the game without any prior knowledge of the world or setting, but I think you'll enjoy it without any problems.

The story begins when Saltunia, a powerful elven nation, suddenly begins an invasion of human kingdoms.
The story revolves around four main characters, who are princes and princesses from four different countries.

Regarding difficulty level

You can choose from three difficulty levels.
The difficulty levels above Normal are tense because units do not revive once they are defeated.
If you're familiar with SRPGs, you shouldn't get stuck even when playing on hard mode.
Since you can save at the start of each turn, saving after every turn makes it easier to restart, which is a good idea.

While each stage often has a turn limit, you're unlikely to get caught out unless you employ an extremely defensive strategy.
Additionally, you can earn trophies by clearing each stage while fulfilling the set conditions.
The items you can obtain as trophies are useful, but it's not a problem if you don't get them.
I recommend aiming for wins when you have the opportunity, and playing cautiously when you don't.

Soldier units & mercenaries

As mentioned in the game's included files, in addition to the main units, this game also features soldier units.
The death of soldier units does not affect the main storyline.
However, the growth rate is generally high, and there are surprisingly many small conversation events.
The dialogue spoken upon death is also meticulously crafted, changing in detail depending on the survival status of other soldier units.
They are by no means weaker than the main units, so use them as needed.
Since multiple soldiers of the same class can join your team, they are useful when you want to create a skewed team composition.

Additionally, depending on the stage, you can hire mercenary units during the preparation screen before the battle begins.
By paying money, you can increase the number of allies in addition to the original number of units you can deploy, so using this feature will make things easier.
Mercenary units are basically treated as guests only for that stage, so there's no problem with treating them as expendable pawns.

Abundant character illustrations and event CGs

The character designs and event CGs for this game were created by Bourbonheim.
In addition to character portraits and standing poses, a considerable number of full-size CG illustrations are used, enhancing the storyline.
Even pre-battle conversations between specific units sometimes include a full illustration, which is a nice touch.
The character portraits also have a wide variety of options depending on the situation, which I think is quite a lot for a free SRPG.
Many songs are used as background music, which plays a role in enhancing the story.

Review (no spoilers)

I completed the game on hard mode (ver1.01).
The scenario and gameplay sections are substantial, making this a very rewarding game to play.

As mentioned in the previous section, players familiar with SRPGs should have no problem choosing hard mode.
The difference in difficulty mainly lies in the amount of experience points gained and the number of enemies; it doesn't mean the enemies' parameters are higher.
While it's said that you gain less experience points on Hard mode, the number of enemies is high, so the total experience points you gain might not be that different from other modes.
At least, I never had any trouble leveling up while playing on hard mode.

Compared to other SRPGs, the unit growth rate is relatively high, so it feels like anyone can become strong with a little training.
If you properly train any character until they can change classes, they will become quite strong, and by combining them with items like the Warp Staff, you can easily clear the game.
While there are many easy shortcuts to clear the game, which might make it feel a bit simplistic at times, I think it's a very accommodating design that suits various play styles.
It seems like there are many different play styles possible, such as a challenge run where you don't use any soldier units, or conversely, a challenge run where you only use soldier units.

I think the volume of content in each stage is quite large.
There are many things to do within each stage, and the situation changes midway through, so it might be difficult if you try to play perfectly from the start.
On the other hand, if you just want to clear the game without caring about the consequences, it's not difficult. So, the level of satisfaction with this game will likely depend on how the player decides where to compromise.

In this work, I rarely had any financial difficulties.
You often acquire weapons through conversations, and you can reduce costs by repairing them.
Even with powerful weapons, you can use them freely without having to worry about conserving them, so there was less stress in that regard.
However, when weapons break, it's sometimes impossible to tell what they originally were, which is a bit inconvenient.
Furthermore, since grimoires disappear once their power is used up, it's necessary to stop using them just before they're completely depleted and then repair them.

The story begins with a classic, straightforward introduction, progresses through a non-convenient plot development, and then moves towards its conclusion.
Because the characters are driven by their own sense of justice, I felt that the ruthlessness and harshness of war were vividly portrayed.
Those who prefer a clear distinction between good and evil may need to be careful.

I can really feel the attention to detail in the graphics.
There's a point in the game where your troops are besieged for a long period, and I was surprised and impressed by the fact that all the male units on your side have beards during that siege.
The game features a wealth of pre-battle dialogue, offering plenty of enjoyment in pitting seemingly related units against each other.

Strategy Notes - Hard Mode (Contains Spoilers) *Version 1.01

I played on hard mode, aiming to earn as many trophies as possible.
Now that I've managed to complete the game, I thought I'd write down my gameplay strategy and tips.
Please be aware of this if you intend to complete the game on your own.

This is from version 1.01.
Please note that there are quite a few changes in version 1.20 and later.

- Don't worry too much about whether your soldier units are alive or dead while playing.
In the early stages, it was very difficult to keep all the soldier units alive, so I played with the understanding that some casualties were unavoidable.
Since dying a certain number of times would grant us powerful items such as "Comrade's Blessing" (all allies' accuracy and evasion +10%) and "Spirit's Blessing" (defense and magic defense +10), I thought it turned out to be a good thing in the end.
The latter allows you to efficiently gain experience points by having the unit you want to level up carry it and charge into battle.

・ Actively utilize mercenary units
Since you can hire more mercenary units than the number of units you can deploy, it's convenient to hire them even if you're a little worried about money.
The lineup is quite user-friendly and addresses many common needs, so I think it will be easy to use.

How to use bonus points
Basically, I think it's fine to exchange BP for large treasures.
If you're not particularly short on money, the "Rabbitman's Feather" item, which increases movement speed, is very useful, so if you're unsure what to buy, you can't go wrong with this.
Use this freely on your main units that you feel have low mobility.

- Engage in conversations effectively
Conversations between units can result in receiving powerful items or increasing their stats.
While it's unavoidable for soldier units, you should definitely make sure to complete the dialogue for the main units.

・Make full use of repair tools
Once Boltack and Jaradan join your party, be sure to actively use repair tools to fix your weapons.
Repair tools can be purchased for 3000G and used 7 times, so theoretically, it would cost 428G to fully restore any weapon.
There's not much need to buy new weapons just because they're worn out, so let's repair them as much as possible.

Class changes can be done early.
It's only natural to want to raise your units to level 20 before changing them to advanced classes.
However, in this game, the units have a high growth rate, so I feel it's okay to change their class relatively early on.
Specifically, if a character is level 10 or higher and at least one parameter has reached its maximum value, wouldn't it be okay to change their class?
When training a unit, try to equip it with as many weapons as possible so that you can take advantage of the growth rate bonus.

・Utilize the support effects
With so many main units and soldier units available, you might find yourself wondering who to use.
In such cases, choose and train units that have as many support relationships as possible.
Support effects become quite important in the later maps.
In particular, units with the "Tactician" skill, which increases the hit and evasion of allies within a 5-square radius by 15%, are extremely effective when grouped together.
Let's make good use of it.
(Rudy, Sigmund, Barbara, Rolf, Galahad, etc.)

Below, I will write my play records for each stage individually.

Prologue: The Bone Wolf Extermination

Since you have healing items, you probably won't get defeated even if you charge in straight away.
It's a good idea to use forts and forests to minimize damage taken as you progress.

Chapter 1: The Age of the Sword

There are many villages and houses to visit, and many conversation events between units, so let's divide the work and make sure we don't miss anything.
The house right next to where Solkan appears will trigger a conversation with his sister if you visit it as Solkan.

Reinforcements will appear along the way, but they're not a threat if you equip a sword and deal with them.
If you focus on Sigmund and advance from there, you should be able to clear it easily.

Clearing the stage within 7 turns will earn you a trophy and the Orc Helmet (Defense +1, Defense Growth Rate +10%).

Chapter 2: The Abducted Bride

This stage has a really cool background music track.
You can hire up to three mercenaries before the stage starts, but since it's still early in the game, you can easily clear it without hiring any.
To concentrate experience points on Rudy and Hans, it might be better not to hire anyone, as this will also save you money.

Freya and Suzume, let's hurry and meet up with Rudy and the others.
Having Freya wait in the mountains could delay the enemy, but it also carries a high risk of being surrounded, so it's not recommended.

When you approach the boss, Gereon, reinforcements will appear nearby.
Be careful, because defeating Gereon will increase Ghislain's magic power and speed by 3.

The trophy acquisition bonus is "Heim's Remedy" (recovers 3 HP each turn, HP growth rate +10%).
It's useful to give to units that act independently or to units that act as a defensive wall on the front lines.

Chapter 3: The Battle for the Träne River

This map features four floating islands arranged vertically.
Both sides have a large number of units, and neither side wants to engage in a head-on confrontation with large numbers of units.
Let's advance while keeping our steps in line and making use of the narrowest parts of the road.

Be careful when you reach the second island from the left, as reinforcements will appear from the south and southeast.
At the weapons shop on the south side, it will be easier if you buy a hammer with heavy armor effectiveness and a pike or poleaxe with mounted armor effectiveness.
The enemies around the boss are heavily armored, so without a hammer, the only way to deal effective damage is with Elisabeth's magic.

The trophy is "Träne's Tears" (restores the user's HP by 20, any number of times).

Chapter 3 Side Story: The Darkness of Alseis

This map requires you to progress while being protected by powerful allies.
If you're not focused on leveling up Freya, this map isn't particularly difficult.
It's fine to raise them within reasonable limits.
Since the only means of healing is Baal's ranged heal, if you take damage, use the magic circle in the center of the crossroads to heal yourself.

Chapter 4: The Kinoe Succession War

The map is vast and may seem overwhelming with so much to do, but as long as you allocate your forces appropriately to each route you take, you'll be fine.

To begin with, visit the blue-roofed castle gate in Sigmund and recruit Bortak to your party.
You can talk to Sven to recruit other party members and advance the conversation.
In the second half of the battle, Armor Knights will appear, so it would be helpful to have a hammer ready.
Pole axes are always useful.
After that, let's split up the troops: one to eliminate the Nym bandits in the east, and the other to intercept the orc troops coming from the northwest while rescuing Victoria, who is isolated in a house to the north.

The bandits from the east are not particularly strong opponents.
However, the bandit reinforcements that appear a little later are quick to escape, so it's a good idea to use a cavalry unit.

The troops fighting the orcs will have an advantage if they advance early and block the narrow roads.
Sending a fast-moving unit towards the village in the northeast will ensure a solid position.
The farmers you shouldn't defeat will head towards Victoria's village, so once you've rescued Victoria, just leave the others at a distance.

Once you've dealt with the attacking orc troops, reorganize your forces into a cavalry unit with high mobility and head northwest to defeat Louise.
The infantry units will be stationed southwest of the town, near Commander Manstein's post, in preparation for the second half of the battle.
By the way, you can find gold dust in the yellow mountain, so be sure to collect it.

Louise's Metio Flame is powerful, but if you overwhelm her with numbers, it's not that much of a threat.
If you're aiming for the trophy, try to defeat them in around 15 turns.

Now, once you defeat Louise or 25 turns have passed, Oswald and Erwin will sortie.
At the same time, in the southeastern port town, Kurt's Arrow Knight unit appears as reinforcements for the allies.
The Arrow Knights can be used as shields, but they only join your party after you've cleared the stage, so be careful if you're aiming for everyone to survive.
For now, Kurt and his men should head towards where Guard Commander Manstein is located and try to eliminate the threat from the outside.
The enemy's crossbow units are troublesome due to their high attack power, but they are vulnerable if we launch an attack on them.

Oswald's heavy infantry are vulnerable to hammers or Kurt's harp arrows.
Therefore, Kurt should prioritize targeting heavily armored soldiers.
Erwin, who was coming towards them, was finally persuaded to retreat only after Sigmund, Victoria, and Kurt all spoke to him.
(Addendum: It seems that the subsequent events will not change even if you don't try to persuade them.)

Oswald will use healing items when his HP decreases.
Use Sven's Laevateinn, Kurt's Harp Arrow, and Sigmund to defeat them all at once.

The trophy you receive is "Hilde's Letter" (Luck +5, Luck growth rate +10%).
I don't think it would be a big problem if I couldn't get it.

Chapter 5: Betrayal

The opening scene where he confronts his father was reminiscent of Chapter 5 of "Genealogy of the Holy War."
For starters, let's recruit Jaradan from a nearby village.

The enemy may seem numerous at first glance, but once you defeat their generals, such as Bergtei, their subordinate soldiers will disappear in an instant.
Since the enemy consists entirely of cavalry, engaging in open battle would put us at a disadvantage, but we can manage if we concentrate our attacks on the enemy general.
There aren't many good points to intercept, so I think it's best to target the enemy commander here.
If you have the Fire Spirit Necklace, which prevents status ailments, I think it's not a bad idea to give it to Rudy and let him wield Alcatraz alone in the fort.

Casar's troops will not move until they are within attack range.
Gradually expand your range of activity and avoid confronting large groups of people at once.

Once you've laid out the path to completion, go to the northern graveyard and grind for experience points by fighting zombies.
Once your characters reach a certain level, the amount of experience points you gain will decrease, but it will be easier if you train a variety of members.

Chapter 5 Side Story: Revenge

This map involves controlling Freya and simply running south.
If you use Manbu to hold off your pursuers, you should be able to clear the stage naturally.

Chapter 6: The Twin Pearls of Rentia

Since you'll be dealing with enemies coming from multiple directions, it's a good idea to hire plenty of mercenary troops.
For the time being, we will be heading out to defeat the pirate force led by Gueclin.
However, it will be very difficult if the units you will use for persuasion later are not placed in the appropriate locations beforehand.

Sigmund persuades Dio, who appears in the northeast cave on turn 10.
Barbara needs to persuade Felicia, an ally who will appear in the village in the north-central area, and Nicholas, who will appear in the northwest.
If you're adding them to your team, be sure to allocate your forces considering where each of them appears.

Pirates like Gueclin will be attacked with flying and mounted units.
Be careful when you build the bridge, as pirate reinforcements will appear.
The Arbalest ships have a long range, but their accuracy isn't that great, so overwhelm them with numbers and take them down.

On turn 10, Vlad's ogre infantry will appear from the northwest, and Benjamin's rabbit-man unit will appear from the northeast.
The Ogre infantry aren't much of a threat, but the Rabbitmen are troublesome because they have high mobility and some of them use status-altering attacks like poison and sleep, as well as magic attacks.
It might be a bit difficult to slowly gather all the conversations between allies, as you'll likely be short on time.

The bone south of your starting position will yield a large treasure if you examine it.
However, be careful, as a Gargoyle flying unit will be placed right next to it when you investigate.
Be careful, because if you go to investigate with a weak unit right away, you won't stand a chance.
Exploring the northern cave will yield Rabbitman's Feathers (a doping item that increases movement speed by 1).

The trophy item is "Lentia's Lute" (which allows you to give an ally another turn with the skill "Song of Courage").
You can only use three units.

Chapter 6 Side Story: Magnificent Cruelty

Barbara and Felicia are isolated in the center, but it's possible to defeat the boss without waiting for them to regroup.
After defeating the Armor Knight with Felicia's magic, defeat Anna with Barbara.
Hermann is easy to defeat if you use Felicia's Intelliperi.

The trophy is "Lentia's Poison" (a skill for using paralyzing poisons).

Chapter 7: The War of the Five Feudal Domains

I want to recruit Masaru, Maison, and Ria, so let's send either Suzume or Kaya north as soon as possible.
You can control both Masaru and Maison by talking to one of them.
After the conversation, our allies retreat southward.
Once we've made them our allies, we should quickly withdraw our troops as well.
If you're not concerned about trophies, it's best to use a Warp Wand (which can be purchased on the sortie preparation screen) to talk to Masaru or Maison on the first turn for a smoother experience.

In Maison, if you visit the house next to the weapons shop, you can get the Tonbokiri sword from the girl, so don't forget to get it.

By turn 4, a squadron of harpies will begin to appear in the northeast.
Sending a few archers over there would make things easier.
As each turn passes, reinforcements other than harpies will increase, so concentrate your forces and push them back.
Harpies can even charge through the mountainous area in the middle of the map, so there's a high chance that the refugees will be caught up to.

On turn 8, enemy cavalry reinforcements will begin to appear from the southwest, so be sure to position your allies there beforehand.
Although it looks like a beast, it's a cavalry type, so you can aim for a suicide attack with a poleaxe.
They are quite fast and have decent attack power, so it will be difficult to stop them unless you have a unit with high defensive capabilities.

By turn 10, the enemy units that were initially positioned to the north will also move south.
The objective is to evacuate the refugees, so if you want to defeat all enemy commanders, you need to block their escape routes with your units.

By the way, if you increase Kaya's defensive capabilities and send her in alone, you can level her up quite a bit.
The Harpy troops will ignore you, so you can't stop them, but if you position them in a location with terrain advantages and have them fight other enemies, I think you can hold them back quite effectively.

I hadn't obtained any trophies on this map.

Chapter 7 Side Story: The Alfheim Route

At first, the enemy numbers are manageable, but gradually reinforcements arrive, making it impossible to win.
Let Cassis transform into a dragon and charge at the enemy, while the remaining members use the pillars to hold their ground.
Have Rebecca wait on the chair between the pillars, and position the other members on the outside.
If you have the opportunity, attack the enemy to gain experience points.

Chapter 8: Light and Shadow of Sylvania

The first thing we need to consider is eliminating the magicians who are using "Mekong Delta" from within the city walls.
Since their range is 3-10 and they are dangerous, let's have archers equipped with arbalests eliminate them.
If you don't have strong archers, hire a mercenary sniper to boost your magic defense and use them in your team.
By using characters like Dan, who joins your party on the information gathering screen, or Lute from Rentia, to give archers another chance to act, you can eliminate them more efficiently.

Once we eliminate the threat from the Mekong Delta, all that's left is to slowly and steadily siege the castle.
If Louise's Meteor Flame in the rear is getting in the way, have a mobile ally go and suppress it while you're holding the fort.

The group of enemy commanders near Benjamin are formidable opponents, so use the narrow entrance to eliminate them with magic attacks and other means.

The trophy is "Sylvania Robe" (Magic Defense +3).

Chapter 8 Side Story: The Road to Pornia

If you position Rebecca and Freya using the corners and edges of the map to protect them, I think you can successfully defend them from enemy flying units.
You can eliminate the remaining enemies with Ariadne, or you can let them run out of weapons and then proceed safely.

Chapter 9: The Siege of Hinomiyako Castle

Because they are under siege, the male unit's illustration features a full beard, which I think is a nice touch.

When Rudy and Sengoku talk, you'll obtain "Hinokagutsuchi," which is useful for defeating the boss, Reigal.
Also, make sure to place any units that will initiate conversations close together.
To be prepared for emergencies, it's a good idea to give Sparrow a warp wand so you can easily respond in unexpected situations.

If you're aiming for the trophy, you'll need to defeat the enemy general in the south, which will make it quite challenging.
The Ghost Beast troops coming from the southeast are coming towards us, so let's first intercept them.
The Salamander troops to the southwest will inflict minor injuries on you, so you'll have a lot of trouble unless you make sure everyone is properly equipped with status effect countermeasures.
The longbowmen led by Rivers in the south-central area are positioned on high ground, which makes them a troublesome unit.
Furthermore, enemy reinforcements keep pouring in from the vicinity, so you won't be able to push back unless you have a considerable amount of firepower to annihilate them.
I think it would be difficult for the allied forces sent to take them down unless they are assigned ace pilots.

On turn 8, a beast force will appear from the northeast and attack.
Since they keep appearing, it's dangerous unless you have several people stationed there beforehand.

On turn 12, a group of harpies will appear near the central courtyard.
If we can control the narrow passage directly beneath the throne, even flying units won't be able to get over it, so dealing with them should be easy.

On turn 15, dragons, including Reigal, will appear to the left of Sengoku.
Dragons have high defense, but you can deal effective damage by attacking them with bows that are effective against flying enemies.
Have Rudy wait nearby beforehand, and then attack with Hinokagutsuchi or similar.

The trophy is "Banshu's Medicine Box" (restores 20 HP to adjacent units, unlimited).

Chapter 9 Side Story: The Valley of the Dragons

This map is designed for small groups to complete.
It's easier if Kaya is well-developed, but even if she's not, I think you can manage because the mercenaries are strong.
Velzer reduces the number of dragons approaching him by using hit-and-run tactics.
The other members should position themselves to benefit from each other's support effects, and if they also take terrain effects into consideration, I think they can avoid most attacks.
If you can get past the first group of dragons, the rest shouldn't be too difficult.

The trophy is "Banner of Braavos" (weapon effectiveness avoidance).
If you give it to Welzer or Barbara, they'll be able to charge in without worrying about arrows.

Chapter 10: The Island of Evil

A large group of Sky Dragons is coming from the north, so first we need to stay calm and intercept them in the forest.
However, if you're aiming for the trophy, you can't afford to waste time, so you'll need to engage in combat while advancing.

Suitable opponents for Lindworm would probably be Rudy, Galahad, or Welzer.
At the very least, advance these three and the healer as early as possible so that they can fight within 10 turns.

Barbarians other than dragons pose little to no threat.
However, there are many reinforcements, and you can take unexpected damage from the barbarians wielding flame axes.
Handle this carefully.

If Ria has grown to a certain extent, you can obtain "Yoichi's Bow" through a conversation with Maison.
With a range of 2-4 and high power, it's a useful weapon.

The trophy is "Dragon Feather" (Speed +3).

Chapter 11: The Battle of the Lion Steppe

Because you're facing the enemy in a vast grassland, a direct confrontation will result in heavy casualties.
I think the easiest way to advance is to slip in between our Wallachian allies and march together.
Since dealing with enemies is quite difficult, you should actively use items that temporarily boost your stats so that you can defeat them more quickly.
Using a unit with high defensive capabilities as a decoy to attract the enemy and delay them, thus dispersing their forces, is also an effective strategy.
Be careful of heavily armed orc soldiers with pikes that allow for mounted attacks.

The enemy commanders surrounding Bertrand will move if you enter their range of action.
It would be difficult to lure them all at once, so let's lure them in little by little.

If you stand on a bone on the map and the "Examine" option appears, an item is hidden there.
You can also find valuable items such as "Rapiers" and "Wind Spears," so if you have the time, take a look around.

If you leave Nicholas alone, he will leave after the map is cleared, but if you have him talk to Manuluga on this map and select "The Ogre is changing," Nicholas will not leave.

The trophy is "Blood Armor" (for parrying and dodging critical hits).

Chapter 12: The Army of Death

This map requires you to divide your troops into several groups and send them in for the invasion.
There are three units: one to protect Rolf and the civilians in the northwest, one to intercept the orc forces in the southwest, and one to attack the legion of the dead in the northeast.

First, if you want to help Rolf, it's easiest if you can send a strong unit via warp.
Rudy, equipped with the "Dragon's Elixir" needed to recruit Rolf, would be the perfect choice.
Rolf and Rudy alone won't be enough against the enemy, so we'll send Velzer as well, and if that's still not enough, we'll send a few more.
The orc troops in the southwest are the easiest to deal with, so we'll use the area near the bridge to intercept them.

The large army from the north will move from any enemy that enters their attack range, so lure them out little by little and then engage them.
If you equip Mobunario with a poleaxe or naginata and send them in, they'll easily take down the cavalry.
However, it is dangerous to enter the range of Chimeras or enemies with magic.
If you can properly distribute your forces, this map shouldn't be too difficult.

The trophy is "Talisman" (Magic +3).

Chapter 13: The Tragedy of Servius

In other SRPGs, this stage feels like it's about the same length as a final battle map in the later stages of the game.
On the information gathering screen, the "plunder" command will deduct 100 bonus points in exchange for 5000G.
If you use up your bonus beforehand, the disadvantages essentially disappear.
If you're unsure what to exchange, I recommend either exchanging for treasure or for a stat-boosting item that increases your movement speed.
Ballista soldiers are a bit expensive, but hiring them will make things much easier.

Now, while there are various possible routes on this map, it's generally best to proceed through the two entrances at the front.
We'll use ballista soldiers and arbalests to eliminate enemy long-range attackers before they can invade.
Since spearmen adjacent to enemies performing ranged attacks are guarding them with abilities like "Adjacent Guard" and "Spear Screen," it's best to defeat them first.
Use songs of courage or similar tactics to encourage them to act again and eliminate them as soon as possible.

To lower the drawbridge, you need to pull the lever nearby.
I think you should proceed once you've eliminated a certain number of enemies and secured your safety.

Once you've infiltrated a certain distance, the outermost door you entered through will turn into a wall, preventing any units other than flying units from entering.
Units that are late to enter will have to flank, so be careful not to leave any infantry behind.

There are some points to be careful about in the middle of the game.
The moment you enter within 10 squares of Lyon, Lyon's dialogue will play, and the enemy will begin to attack aggressively.
If you're aiming to earn the trophy, defeating Lyon is the easiest and quickest method, so I recommend taking this approach.
In that case, it's easier to take out the surrounding healers with the ballista first.

Lyon is a formidable opponent, but if you attack him with the special weapons of your well-trained mages, you can defeat him relatively easily.

If you're aiming for treasure chests and civilian-defeat items rather than trophies, stay away from Lyon and advance while avoiding the center.
This might be more lucrative than the trophy rewards.

Once you defeat one citizen, Lyon will open its north gate, and the citizens will flee north.
Therefore, it's best not to defeat the civilians immediately, but rather to send units towards the north gate first before starting to take them down.
Also, if you have managed to reduce the enemy numbers fairly well after 15 turns, Wallachian allies will appear from the east, and the same scenario will unfold.
Defeating civilians often yields gold, but if you defeat a group of three, you can obtain a valuable item from one of them.
The boy positioned in the northeast will give you the "Aegis Shield" (Defense/Magic Defense +3, Critical Hit Evasion), the girl in the northeast will give you "Gungnir", the woman in the north will give you "Area Heal", and the woman in the northwest will give you "Swanchika", all of which are powerful items.
If you can flank them from the north with flying units, or warp ahead to get there first, you should be able to destroy them without letting them escape.

The trophy is "Servius's Harp" (Skill: Servius's Melody = Hit and critical hit rate within 3 spaces +10%).

Chapter 14: Golden Eyes

Since everyone will become poisoned on a specific turn, you must also prepare countermeasures.
The "Flame Spirit Necklace" prevents status ailments, so if you equip it to your ace unit that can charge in alone, they can become the vanguard who clears the way.
It's a good idea to have an antidote, but it's also helpful to have a restorative staff that can heal poisoned allies from a distance.

Since reinforcements keep spawning endlessly, you'll need to push forward by forcing your way through to some extent.
The most troublesome are the Lesser Demons with Van Flame, which can attack twice.
Unless your unit has a reasonably high evasion or magic defense, it will be wiped out very quickly.
The area around the boss is particularly vulnerable to intense attacks, as many enemies use long-range attacks such as Meteor Flame.
Use staves and items to increase Ace's magic defense, and quickly take out any ranged attackers.

The trophy is "Night King's Ring" (Magic +2, Energy Drain skill = HP absorption based on proficiency percentage).

Chapter 15: The Sunset of Saltunia

You need to break through the gate from three directions.
First, don't rush, and use the Arbalest and other units to take out the enemy's ranged attackers.
The enemy has a wide variety of ranged attacks, including Metio Flame, Arbalest, and Ballista.
As long as you're not under multiple attacks, it's generally okay to force your way through with relatively strong units.

Since you can only deploy 10 units, it's a good idea to hire plenty of mercenaries without hesitation.
Use the mercenary with the Unlock Staff to open each door from a distance.

The spirit warrior Eila in the front has a long range, but her magic weapon isn't that powerful, so I think you can defeat her without much difficulty if you have well-trained units.
Trying to avoid Eila will take time as you have to go around her from north to south, so I recommend destroying her.

The Rentia warships and naval forces may choose to remain stationary rather than launch a full-scale attack.
In my case, I sent Barbara, equipped with the Braavos banner (which prevents suicide attacks), to eliminate the ballistas positioned inside the southern city wall, and then proceeded to destroy the ballistas along the coast.
If you don't have the Braavos banner, you might consider sending a well-trained Wilhelm with the Evasion (attack avoidance) skill.

The trophy is "Angel Elf Statue" (skill "Moonlight").

Chapter 16: The Value of Accumulated Bones

This map requires you to divide your troops into six groups of five and advance through the map.
Until you defeat the second gatekeeper, it will be difficult to cooperate with other units, so you will need members who have grown within each unit.
In the worst-case scenario, you could probably use warp to get out of any situation, but be careful.

Another point to note is that since this is treated as an indoor map, you will need to dismount your horse to proceed.
Ballista soldiers can participate in the initial battle, but be aware that they cannot proceed to the stairs beyond.
If you hesitate, reinforcements will appear from the stairs at your starting position, so be careful as it will be dangerous unless you block both sets of stairs or move forward.

Once you defeat all the gatekeepers in the center, the pillars in the room will disappear, and everyone can reunite.
After that, the door to proceed opens, and Louise appears.

The undead knights that appear when Louise shows up are soldier units that you have previously killed.
Every unit is a formidable opponent with high stats, and there are well-developed pre-battle conversations. In particular, if you engage in battle with characters who have close relationships, such as Rudy, Sigmund, or Barbara, you'll encounter a variety of dialogues.
When you defeat Louise, this dead unit will disappear.

Further inside, Rennes and his guards are waiting.
If you've made it this far as a player, you should be able to defeat it without any problems.
After clearing a stage, you'll be presented with choices that affect the ending, so it's a good idea to save your game data right before clearing this stage.

Final Chapter (A) The Price of Peace

This is the route you take if you choose to fight Sigmund.
Be careful, as the entire unit may come out at once.
It would be best to focus on defeating Sigmund in the south first.
If you defeat Sigmund, all the surrounding soldiers will retreat.

After that, let's head west to defeat Barbara.
Please note that if you destroy an allied unit that is now in the enemy ranks, that unit will be considered dead, and the epilogue will not occur.

Final Chapter (B) Duel at Dawn

This is the route you take if you go to rescue Freya.
Since it's a battle between 7 allies and 5 enemies, it can be ended in a short time.
I don't think there are any particularly difficult points.

Character impressions and reviews (contains spoilers)

I'd like to write about my impressions and thoughts on the approximately 30 members I deployed just before the final stage.
This will include spoilers for the story, so please be aware if you do not want to know.

Sigmund

He's a character who could be considered the main protagonist, a counterpart to Rudy.
I never expected him to fall to the dark side, so the developments in the second half were quite surprising.
Is the root cause perhaps an inferiority complex stemming from the fact that Lyon took Freya away from him?
In that sense, he is a character that reminds me of Hardin from "Mystery of the Emblem".
There were valid reasons why he changed, so he was someone I couldn't quite bring myself to hate.

As a unit, it can serve as a vanguard, being a mounted unit with high strength and defense.
After class change, their magic defense also increases, leaving them virtually undefended.
If you feel unsure about charging into the enemy, changing classes early will make you more reliable.

Barbara

In a sense, he is the mastermind who stands in opposition to the King of Rennes.
However, it is only natural for royalty to act in a way that maximizes their country's interests, so no one can criticize them for it.
Considering the way she was treated by her father, it's understandable that she might have such extreme views.
The final scene with the fight with the sparrow was very impressive and well-drawn.
The way the sparrow's kimono was disheveled, revealing her shoulder, was very realistic.

As a unit, it has high strength and defense from the start, and it won't be easily defeated even if it charges in alone.
As long as you can be careful about anti-aircraft attacks, this unit has strategic value, such as being able to single-handedly provide support in distant locations.

Wilhelm

When he first appeared, he seemed like a rather dangerous character, but by the end, he had settled into the role of a sensible person, alongside Kurt.
Because he loves his sister, he doesn't blindly accept everything she does, but he also has the strength to firmly admonish her when necessary. As Rudy also praised, I think he's a great younger brother.
"If the person you love has gone astray, you must correct them out of love..."

She can be used in a similar way to Barbara, but her slightly lower stats leave some concerns.
Even if she learns a skill that ignores special attacks, she's still weak against magic, so it's best to use her in a more limited way than Barbara.

Felicia & Elisabeth

They are identical twin sisters who are magicians.
Remember that Elisabeth was fond of men, and Felicia was fond of women.

All the magic-using units in this game are strong, and like them, it's worthwhile to train both of them.
They look the same, so it's easy to get them confused, but both are very user-friendly.
The exclusive spell Intelliperi is quite powerful, attacking three times, so repair it and use it carefully.
I made one of them disappear.

Eleonore

He's a valuable healer in Sigmund's camp.
However, ever since I obtained the "Lentia's Lute" trophy, I've been using her more often as a support character who can grant extra turns.
Looking back, I think it would have been better to give it to Wilhelm, since you don't gain much experience points that way.
When combined with Dan's "Song of Courage," the two can move infinitely while staying adjacent to each other.

・ Erwin

Depending on how the story unfolds, Sigmund's brother will probably die.
While it's not strictly necessary to recruit them, having them as allies means having all siblings together, which is a nice feeling.

While their growth rate isn't particularly impressive, the squad commander's skills are useful, and even at their initial level, their lance attacks are quite powerful.

・Kurt

He was Sigmund's younger brother, and I feel he was actually the one with the most political talent.
It was refreshing to see a masculine, wild side of him during our conversation.

The harp arrow, its exclusive weapon, can be used like magic, allowing it to function like a mounted unit capable of using magic, making it very useful.
The Harp of Inspiration is also subtly useful, as its support effect increases attack power, and it can also be used to help Kurt himself gain experience points.
While its offensive power as an attacker isn't outstanding, it's a reliable unit with high consistency.

Victoria

She's a tomboy, but she's a cute character who becomes a maiden in front of Kurt.
Personally, I really like this character design.

Since it grows in a similar way to Kurt, it will become quite strong if you raise it.
In particular, in the later stages of the game, it pairs exceptionally well with magic weapons such as the Megid Blade and Wind Spear, which can be purchased from the shop, allowing you to easily defeat enemies.
After class change, this versatile unit can also use staves.

Sven

He's a solitary, fallen noble mercenary with incredibly intense eyes.
It's sad to think that even if it's revived, it will only be destroyed within a single generation.
Having few people to support is a subtle but significant drawback.

When you first join the party, Laevateinn is powerful because there are many enemies with low magic defense, but if you don't train her strength and let her use regular weapons, she will lack power.
Since its defensive capabilities aren't high and evasion is its strength, it's important to train it to have high speed in addition to strength.

Lars

These are the soldier units that I used until the very end.
Since there are few archer infantry units that can use long-range attacks like the Arbalest, it was quite useful.
Because you possess the plundering skill, if you increase your strength sufficiently, you can steal items from enemies with ease.
However, since you can save money by repairing items in this game, I think it's sufficient to aim to steal items you don't already own.

Dan

To be honest, she wasn't so much a combatant as she was a hero for her courageous song that allowed allies to act again.
It's useful when you just need to get the character to act a little more, so it came in handy in various situations.
It's especially useful when you have a unit you want to train.

・Dio

They can be used as lock-picking specialists who are also capable of combat.
However, in the later stages of the game, the Unlock Staff, with its longer range, became more useful, and its opportunities to shine decreased.
The karambit knife is a powerful weapon that can inflict significant damage even if your character isn't very well-developed, as it attacks twice and ignores defense.

Rudy

He's a character who's the perfect counterpart to Sigmund, a more conventional protagonist.
He looks cool with a beard, but I had him shave it off just in case.
I was captivated by the scene where he yells, "Don't play around in battle, Sigmund!"

With excellent parameters, skills, and even exclusive weapons, this character will likely be central to defeating many powerful enemies.
Its defensive capabilities are somewhat questionable, so you should be a little careful when sending it into enemy territory.

Sparrow

This unit can wield many staves with no usage limit, allowing for worry-free gameplay.
There's not much need to make them combat personnel, so there's no need to rush their class change.
When you have some free time, you can efficiently gain experience points by swinging the Banshu's Staff.

As I mentioned in my review of Barbara, the final verbal battle between Barbara and Suzume is incredibly exciting and a must-see.

Hans

This archer appears early in the game and possesses a wide range of skills.
The inability to use the Arbalest is a drawback, but since it can move again after attacking, it's possible to enhance its movement capabilities and use it like cavalry.
By utilizing the terrain's effects, it becomes easier to avoid attacks even when surrounded by enemies, resulting in higher survivability.
On the other hand, on maps that resemble vast grasslands, there's a higher chance of being overwhelmed and defeated by concentrated attacks, so caution is necessary.

Kaya

While his defense is a concern, his high evasion rate makes up for it; he's a one-man army of magicians.
Since Welzer, who is in a support relationship with them, is also quite strong, if you team them up, you can send them deep into enemy territory with peace of mind.
This ace character excelled in a wide range of situations, from fighting regular enemies to boss battles.

・Welzer

The Dragonlance is a powerful flying unit.
Aside from some concerns about magic defense, her parameters are sufficient, and like Barbara, she can be used to fly around on her own.
Because she has adjacent escort, if you have her charge into the enemy lines next to Kaya, she will scatter the enemy group.

The pre-battle conversation event with Cassis on the final map is a must-see.

Galahad

While not strong enough to dominate the battlefield, using him in conjunction with the other three mercenaries creates a synergistic support effect, making him quite powerful.
While the Holy Sword of Renais is powerful, it's important to note that Galahad's speed is relatively low, making it difficult for him to attack again.

I find the line spoken in the conversation with Rosetta, "A soldier has no past. You can only become a soldier by abandoning your past," to be profound and cool.

Mobunario

Although they are heavily armored, their speed is not bad, so if the opponent doesn't use magic, you can charge in with considerable confidence.
If you equip them with special attack weapons like poleaxes and send them forward, they can annihilate cavalry units.
If you're deploying a group of four mercenaries, this unit is the one you can entrust with the front line.

Giorgio

He is an extremely fast swordsman, and with the addition of support effects, he is a reliable swordsman who can dodge most attacks.
Normally, you use a sword, but switching to a karambit knife against tough enemies is extremely effective.
This is a unit I definitely want to use.

Rosetta

This archer has high offensive capabilities, and I would definitely like to equip him with an Arbalest and have him perform long-range attacks.
With its archer evasion skill, it excels in battles against other archers, and its ability to move again gives it high mobility.
I mainly used the composite bow I already owned, and used it a lot.

Masaru

He may have a menacing face, but he's a samurai general full of manly spirit.
This front-line unit has high offensive capabilities, and the fact that it can also use a bow is very helpful.
Since Lia, who was the one providing support, also becomes very strong when trained, she played a very important role.

Maison

While not as strong as Masaru or Ria, Maison is still a very reliable asset.
If I have extra unit slots, I'd like to raise them.

·rear

They aren't very strong when you first join, but they get significantly stronger as their level increases.
The Yoichi Bow, which you can obtain through a conversation event with Maison, has a long range and is powerful.
Depending on how they interact with other units, they can function as either front-line fighters or archers.

Wilmer & Tobias

This unit can be hired towards the end of the game.
(Image shows only one side)
While its usability is limited to certain stages, it's quite effective at taking out enemy units with long-range attacks.
Ballista Arrow III is expensive, but its power and accuracy are extremely high, making it well worth the price.
It's difficult to use in stages where the battlefield is constantly changing, but it's very useful if your main focus is on sieging or defending castles.

・Boltak & Jaradan

(Image shows only one side)
When shopping at shops on the map, you can save money by using the Root-Cutting skill.
However, in this game, repairing weapons is more economical than buying new ones, so there's no need to force your units into battle unnecessarily.

I was surprised when he casually appeared in Welzer's flashback.
However, the conversation with Velzer towards the end neatly resolved all the plot points, which made me feel satisfied.