Recommended SRPG free game "IMPERIALIZER" introduction and strategy guide

This time, I've written an article about "IMPERIALIZER," a free simulation RPG created with a unique system.
This is a very robust and challenging SRPG, and it's a highly addictive game that will make you lose track of time.
A playable version was released on July 30, 2023, and the official version 1.0 was released on December 21, 2024.

My first playthrough took approximately 45 hours (on normal difficulty).

*Although the URL contains "trial," the content is a rewritten version based on an article about the trial version.
The URL remains unchanged and is still in use.

Game Overview

story

The initial part of the story, as the title suggests, is about the "imperialization" of the country.
The story begins with the Parisian Empire taking action to unify the states of the region known as Ragmel.
The protagonist, Laufey, is the emperor's daughter, and at various points in the scenario, she is faced with difficult decisions regarding her father's radical unification of Ragmel.

It might be a little unusual for the main characters to be from the "Empire" side.
A common trope in other works is that the protagonist, who belongs to an empire, begins to question its methods and defect.
However, this film incorporates the theme of "Imperializer" into its title.
Therefore, I believe the story's highlight will be how the protagonist, as a member of the Empire, will behave.
This part has a gameplay feel similar to "Romancing SaGa 2".

The graphics are reminiscent of Fire Emblem from the Super Famicom era.
The pixel art character portraits exude the charm of classic Fire Emblem.
The status screen has an image reminiscent of the Berwick Saga, and each unit has a relatively large number of pages and a lot of information.
Although there is a lot of information, you can view detailed explanations for almost every item by clicking the mouse wheel.
You might feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information, but I think that's something that's been taken into consideration.

General game flow

The game flow is as follows:Scenario Part ⇒ Quest Mode ⇒ Battle Map ⇒ Scenario Part...and so it proceeds.
Quest mode is the part of the game where you freely explore your base and prepare for the next map.
You can perform actions such as talking to your companion characters and gathering supplies.
The game features an RPG-like interface where you walk around the castle to prepare.
Shortcuts are also available via right-click, making it convenient to navigate to your destination.

Once you've finished preparing in quest mode, you'll move to the battle map and begin the actual battle.
When you actually deploy, you select your deployment location from an overall map like the one shown in the image below.
The frequent appearance of screens resembling a territorial conquest simulation game reminds you of the title.

Even in the scenario part, the kind of visual effects shown in the image above make you realize, "Ah, the Empire is invading other areas as well."
I thought it was an interesting approach because it sparked a lot of imagination regarding the characters we haven't seen yet.

Game System

This game utilizes a distinctive system, particularly in its battle maps.
My general impression is that it's like taking the Berwick Saga and adding the active turn-based system used in Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics.
Therefore, the gameplay experience on the battle map is intense and not a simple average of the two.
There's no distinction between player turns and enemy turns; battles continue continuously, making it hard to stop playing and creating an addictive experience that keeps you playing.
By the way, you can save your game at any time while progressing through a stage.

Below, I will describe some of the various systems, item by item.

Action order

Regarding the order in which units act, units will act in the order in which their parameter "AG" has accumulated.
AG stands for Active Gauge, which increases or decreases depending on your speed, equipment weight, and items you have in your possession.
This makes it difficult to think, "Since I have free hands, I'll just give them as many items as possible!"
It's important to carefully consider what each unit should be given, taking into account their respective roles.
If you want to ensure your units get more turns, you can equip them with only the bare minimum of weapons and focus on overwhelming them with a barrage of attacks.
Since the frequency of actions differs greatly between heavy warriors and light infantry, this parameter can be said to be extremely important.

Shield System

Equipping a shield can directly reduce the damage you receive.
However, it will not activate unless you are in "Shield Mode," which corresponds to the opponent's attack attribute.
(Shield mode can be selected before combat, similar to equipping a weapon.)

For example, if the shield mode is set to "Slash," it can reduce the damage from slashing attacks, but it will not activate against attacks such as "Thrust" or "Blunt."
The knight's shield is heavy, but it's worth the weight because it supports two attributes, such as "slashing" and "piercing/shooting."
Conversely, if you can determine which shield mode an enemy equipped with a shield is in, you can gain an advantage in battle by attacking with an element that doesn't correspond to that mode.

As you become stronger, you may also acquire skills and abilities that allow you to react and respond to other shield modes.

Combat Techniques

Each character learns combat techniques corresponding to the skill values of their equipment.
Simply put, it's the attack method—the type of technique you use with the weapon you've equipped.

For example, if you're attacking with a spear in a normal way, the basic technique called "thrusting" will suffice.
There are various ways to use this technique, such as using a "leg sweep" if your intention is to slow down the enemy's actions.
If you want to focus on defense, you can set the skill to "Parrying" and use it in conjunction with your shield to create a more defensive setup.

Advanced techniques come with drawbacks such as reduced attack power, increased weapon wear, and increased unit fatigue.
Depending on the type of weapon, you can use different attributes such as piercing or slashing.
Since equipment of the same type references the same skill values, it might be interesting to try out various weapons (for example, with bows, there are shortbows that prioritize maneuverability and longbows that prioritize attack power).
To avoid the opponent's shield mode and attack, it's important to use different combat techniques.

fatigue

Attacking enemies or using combat skills on the battle map will cause fatigue to accumulate.
When fatigue exceeds your maximum HP, various actions will be restricted, and you will no longer be able to gain experience points.

Fatigue can only be recovered by using certain items or progressing through chapters.
Using only a limited number of units will make it difficult to progress through the game, so it's important to use a variety of units.
Currently, relying on just one person to complete the game is actually quite difficult, so I don't think you need to worry about it too much.

magic

The magic system is also somewhat different from that of conventional SRPGs.
Each character has a predetermined type of magic they can use.
Magic can be broadly divided into two categories: spirit magic and priestly magic.
Spirit-based entities include fire, water, and wind elements, while priest-based entities include sacred and evil-repelling elements.

Magic is basically used by consuming consumables such as "Spirit Stones" and "Sacred Stones."
The stones have a set number of uses, such as "60," which can be thought of as the MP (Master Points) residing within the item.


For example, in the image, under "Water Magic Bullet," if you look at the left column, you'll see that the load is "2".
In other words, using Water Magic Bullet consumes 2 uses of Spirit Stones.

Furthermore, as shown in the image above, you can also select a different "casting style."
In addition to normal incantations, there are also "trajectory manipulation" and "multi-layer incantation" techniques, which add bonuses to the attack power of magic.

Regarding the specifications of the spirit stones, the small number represents the magical power they contain (4 in the image above), and this power is consumed each time you use magic during gameplay.
While it recovers gradually as turns pass, it won't keep up if you keep using high-energy magic, so you'll need to take measures such as carrying multiple spirit stones.
Also, the maximum amount of magic power you can hold (37 in the image above) gradually decreases, so you will need to buy more after a certain amount of time.
You can find out more about these specifications by talking to Melfarc in training mode.

others

It also incorporates various other systems.
There are various elements to the game, such as "capture," where you capture enemies and take their equipment; "counterattack line," where you can avoid counterattacks by dealing a certain amount of damage; and "parrying," where you focus on dodging rather than counterattacking.

What makes it unique is that there are no hit rates or evasion rates; instead, damage taken is reduced by an "evasion reduction" system.
In other words, lighter units will experience reduced damage from attacks in proportion to their evasion and damage reduction abilities (it's like evasion also contributes to their defense).
Conversely, units with low agility have less evasion reduction, so it is essential to take measures to reduce damage, such as using shields.

You will struggle to complete the game unless you understand and master each of these game systems in order.

Review (no spoilers)

story

The story is interesting as a military chronicle, with its descriptions of back-and-forth battles with various countries.
The film features many scenes that make the viewer aware that the entire nation is at war, such as depictions of negotiations with enemy countries and battles in various locations.
The story was interesting right to the end, and I couldn't take my eyes off it, wondering how it would unfold.

The hegemonic role within the empire is largely played by characters other than the protagonist, Laufey.
Since Laufey himself holds moderate views, his conflict with the Empire's methods is depicted to some extent.
However, it is also possible to play the game in a style where you defeat everything by force without allowing any prisoners to be taken.
Besides the choices you make in the story, your play style will also be evaluated using parameters such as "classic" or "dominant," so that's where differences will likely emerge.

There isn't much description of characters who aren't the main characters.
However, since the story itself doesn't focus on an individual, I didn't feel any particular discomfort.
Personally, I preferred the similar distance I had with the companion characters in Romancing SaGa 2, rather than having each character explored in great depth. I found that it actually fostered a greater sense of attachment.

System aspects

It's a very elaborate system, and the level of detail in the combat system in particular is incredible.
The status items and other details have become quite numerous, but I feel that these items allow for a unique expression of each unit's characteristics, something that couldn't be expressed in traditional SRPGs.
For example, if your AG (Agility) decreases due to factors such as speed or having fewer items, your action frequency will increase.
I think this is a great system that showcases the strength of unit mobility, something that couldn't be expressed in the traditional simple turn-based system.

Another thing I found interesting was that flying units can only be attacked with ranged weapons such as bows and javelins.
In traditional SRPGs, flying units were vulnerable to bows and didn't have very high defenses, making them difficult to deploy on the front lines.
However, in this game, you won't take direct damage except when counterattacking, making it much easier to use.
(However, if the opponent is a flying unit, they will be directly attacked as usual.)
I feel this is an example of how the realism of "you can't be easily attacked because you're flying" is reflected in the gameplay.

Furthermore, it seemed that every unit was strong and had a specific way of being utilized.
The degree of freedom in choosing weapons is fairly high, so you can avoid being bound by the initial image of the character and use them in unexpected ways by giving them unusual weapons.
I find myself wanting to play through the game multiple times because I'm spoiled for choice with which units to use.

Game balance

The game balance is somewhat challenging if you want to acquire all the fame bonuses.
However, if you're willing to give up some of the multiple bonuses, it will be easier.
I realized that trying to achieve perfection from the start would be quite difficult.
Those familiar with recent Fire Emblem games might find it difficult.
In my opinion, it's about the same difficulty as the Berwick Saga, or perhaps slightly easier.
It might seem particularly difficult at first when you're not used to the system, but once you understand it, you'll be able to experiment with various things and play the way you want.

I would restart if a unit died, but reloading and starting over wasn't too much of a hassle.
That's because the system's future can change considerably depending on how the units are operated, so I have a strong feeling that we can make it work.

Information regarding reinforcements and other such matters is relatively open.
However, unexpected events can occur, so it's best to be prepared to restart at least once. Treating your first playthrough as a reconnaissance mission will make the game much easier.
As I've said many times before, if you try to play perfectly from the start, you'll end up having to restart a lot of times, which will be very time-consuming and difficult.
I think it's best to complete the first playthrough first, and then enjoy a more satisfying experience on the next playthrough.

General tips for strategy (basic aspects)

I'd like to share some tactics and strategies that I found useful while playing the game.

Use the training facility

In the quest mode at the start of each chapter, you can train at the training grounds only once.
Since you can easily raise your level up to the level of that chapter, use this opportunity to level up any units that are lagging behind in training (you can raise them up to level 5 in chapter 5, and up to level 10 in chapter 10).
Since you can easily raise your level through training, conversely, this means that when you're playing a stage, you only need to focus on clearing it.

Additionally, Laufey can converse with each unit and ask them various questions.
Even with units you don't use often, you might discover unexpected ways to utilize them, so try talking to them if you feel like it.

Before defeating all of them, you can call for reinforcements using a command, so make use of that as well.

Make good use of potions

In this game, you can use items on your opponent by stacking your allied units together.
This means that anyone can become a healer in emergencies by using potions on their allies.
We'll accumulate a decent amount of money, so let's give everyone some potions.
If you're using a unit as a tank, it's a good idea to give it a healing potion+ as well.
Unlike traditional turn-based systems, the healer's turn may not always come when you want to heal.

Utilize the movement after being knocked back during combat.

In this game, direct attacks are treated as having a range of 0, so you can attack by overlapping with enemy units.
If the attack fails to defeat the opponent, the attacking side will be repelled back to a location within their movement path where there are no units.
In this case, if the attacking unit moves over another unit and engages in combat,Unless you defeat your opponentThe unit will be returned to a location where there are no units.
By using this technique, even if you attack an enemy on the other side of a tank unit, you can still return to the area behind the tank unit.
It's quite useful in defensive battles, for example, when you want to whittle down enemies on the outside from inside your defensive line.
After weakening them, use a unit with the ability to move again to finish them off and return to safety.

Hit and run with mounted units

Units with a riding skill level of 2 or higher can move again after taking an action.
If the opponent is a walking unit, you can wear them down without taking any damage by skillfully creating distance after attacking.
This tactic is particularly effective when you are being pursued by the enemy.

Make effective use of flight units

As mentioned earlier, in this game, flying units cannot be directly attacked by the enemy (they can be counterattacked if you initiate the attack).
Therefore, once the archers are eliminated, you can attack safely even if your units are somewhat advanced.
Since its agility is also high and it's easy to pursue, it's best to keep its AG low and increase the number of attacks it can perform.

Tips for capturing monsters & make sure to get good equipment.

In this game, you can capture enemies fairly naturally without even trying.
You can accumulate a decent amount of money by capturing enemies and selling their equipment.
By not hoarding more than necessary and instead acquiring Obsidian-type weapons and armor early on, starting from Chapter 6 quest mode, you can significantly boost your overall combat strength.
Even units with mediocre attack power using iron weapons can become quite powerful relatively easily by equipping them with cutting-edge weapons made of obsidian or similar materials.
However, making everything out of obsidian would be expensive, so for items that wear out quickly, such as knight's shields, steel would be a good choice.
Also, since spirit stones and sacred stones are expensive, you should actively try to capture enemies of mages.

Also, if you're using a unit that's currently equipped with a buckler, consider switching to a kite shield; this will increase the number of attributes it can cover and make it more durable.
In that case, since the kite shield is heavy, you can reduce the weight by making it out of silver.
If you feel a unit is mediocre, I recommend boldly specializing its equipment; this can completely change its usability.

Capture occurs when an enemy's remaining HP reaches zero. If the damage dealt exceeds this amount but is less than their LP, they enter a critical state where they can be captured.
(For example, if an enemy has 10 HP and 4 LP, dealing 10-13 damage will bring them to the brink of death.)
It's possible to use the blunt side of the weapon or hold back, so if you have the opportunity, go for it.

Incidentally, if an ally is captured, they will lose all their items, but they will not die.
Don't worry, they'll come back after you clear the stage.

Don't give them any unnecessary items.

As I've mentioned many times before, in this game, AG increases with weight.
I'm tempted to give them lots of spare weapons, but I think it's better to resist that urge.
It's best to limit your equipment to two or three types, including weapons and shields.
For units that you want to have many variations in, you can suppress the increase in AG by using lightweight materials such as silver.

Conversely, it would also be interesting to have non-combatants carry spare equipment to pass on to other members.

Map-specific strategy notes (spoiler alert)

This game offers a variety of strategies depending on the player.
The strategy notes presented in this section are just one example of a strategy, and I don't believe they represent the most efficient solution.
I hope this will be helpful to players who are having trouble completing the game.

Chapter 1: The Princess of the Empire

The only thing you need to be careful about is making sure you don't let the bandits who are fleeing east get away.
It would be a good idea to have your mounted units head east beforehand.
If you send the other foot units towards the boss, you should be able to earn a bonus.
Let's get used to how to use shield mode on this map.
Alfrain and Orlein's combined attacks are simple yet powerful, so they are very effective when working together.

Chapter 2: The Shadow of the Grotesque

This map features monsters as the main enemies.
The units on the right and left will continue southward and each will attempt to capture the enemy's territory.
The boss in the lower left area will spawn enemies, so it's dangerous to rush forward.
Adjust the turn order by having each unit wait, allowing Juno to go first after activating the barrier, and having the other units follow Juno.
Stepping outside the barrier could lead to being attacked by lurking enemies and quickly defeated.

Slimes are poisonous, so you can safely defeat them by attacking them with Tino or indirect attacks.
It's safer for the enemies near the boss not to actively attack until the unit on the right catches up.
I think the key to victory is to resist the urge to worry about reinforcements and advance calmly.

Alfrain and Kleinel can clear the stage more safely by advancing while ambushing and defending against the approaching vampire bats that are lurking nearby.
Also, Evil Eye has treasure, so be sure to pickpocket it at Refe.

After clearing the game, if your reputation in quest mode exceeds 5, you can talk to Cassley to recruit her as a companion.
After Chapter 3 begins, level up your characters through training if necessary.

Chapter 3: The Beast Baring Its Fangs

This map is quite challenging, requiring you to split your forces into two groups.
It might be better to divide the troops by their movement range rather than by their roles.
The Baggers are positioned at the very front of the western battlefield, while the cavalry units are at the very back of the western side.
However, the western battlefield consists of narrow roads, making it difficult to involve too many units in combat.
Sending in more archers and flying units should allow for better coordination with the defending NPCs.
If you want to ensure the survival of all of Lanafeld's troops, position the healer Melfark near the front of the western battlefield.

Use infantry units such as Jaguarlow, Beograi, and Laufey to intercept bandits on the eastern battlefield.
Bandit reinforcements can be dealt with relatively easily if you block them off using bridges and other means like Beograi.

Once Belmouth starts to move, we should retreat our troops.
If you manage to escape north of the cliff, time should run out.

Chapter 4: The True Threat

If you take too long, powerful reinforcements will appear, so be mindful of speed as you advance.
This map requires effective use of mounted units.
It will be easier if you deploy units like Eshdal, who can be moved again after recovering, and Juno, who is extremely resistant to monster attacks.

First, let's send the mounted units ahead to rescue the civilians.
However, the citizens may not need to worry too much, as Fenelia will heal them well and Rafshan is strong.
However, be careful as Fenelia could be in danger if she is subjected to a concentrated attack by bandits.

The other walking units will advance while dealing with enemies from the north.
Laufey is eager to talk to Zenon, but first, let's talk to Rafshan and recruit him as a companion.

To rescue the child in the bottom right, let's send Tino there alone from the start.
After talking to the child, you'll need to use Tino to act as a shield to prevent the child from entering the enemy's attack range.

Chapter 5: The Avenger

If your goal is simply to clear the level, the safest approach is to carefully advance your troops along the paths on the map.
You can ignore the Evil Eye in the upper left corner; just deal with the enemies that are approaching you.
You can obtain a Bloodstone (Poison/Paralysis Resistance +50) by visiting the house in the upper left, so if you want it, it's more reliable to go around by crossing the bridge from the center.
If you want to defeat Evil Eye, you can easily do so by having high-attack monsters like Jaguar Law or Rafshan attack it.
Alternatively, you could have Tino make a surprise visit right before clearing the game.

The Minotaur positioned on the first bridge is a formidable opponent, so let it attack once with a throwing axe or similar weapon, then gradually whittle it down with direct attacks.
Just like the centaurs, the golems stationed at the base should be easily defeated if everyone works together to chip away at their health.
In any case, let's advance carefully, making sure to avoid unnecessary counterattacks.

To finish off zombies and skeletons, you can use Juno's destructive technique or the Kris Knife.
You don't need to force yourself to deliver the final blow; if they're getting in the way, you can simply defeat them once and they'll disappear, so there's no need to completely eliminate them.

Chapter 6: The Crisis of the Empire

Clearing it on your first try might be quite difficult.
Taking reinforcements into consideration, it's necessary to plan in advance who to send where.
The areas that will see the most intense fighting are around the castle gates in the lower left and lower right.

When enemies invade through the castle gate at the bottom center and destroy the houses, the Dragon Knights will begin to advance towards General Wolfen in the upper right.
Even if the houses aren't destroyed, the dragon knights will eventually move towards you as turns pass, but protecting the houses as much as possible will buy you some time before they move.
Considering the initial positions of fast mounted units, I think it might be possible to defend them by moving as quickly as possible.

Below is an example of the layout I used during my own gameplay.

- Castle gate in the lower left

Initially, we'll use Orion to block the attack, but his defense is simply too weak.
Send in a Bagger and switch roles as a wall.
Leave the tank units in place and position them with units like Refe, who can perform hit-and-run tactics with his second action, archers who can attack from behind walls, and Melfar, who can heal and perform indirect attacks.
There are quite a few enemies.

- The castle gate at the bottom center
This is the first battlefield, a fiercely contested area.
Let's send our main force ahead and prevent them from entering the castle.
If we can quickly calm things down here, we can allocate our forces to other gates.
If we position Luvigane at the castle gate, we'll be safe for a while.
Since Luvigane has Guard II, even if you go outside the castle gate, you can safely reduce the number of enemies as long as you stay adjacent to Luvigane.

- The gate in the upper left
At first, it might seem like you don't need to defend yourself, but two bandit reinforcements will come later, so you'll need to defend yourself a little.
Having any available units like Orion, Selm, or Tino guard the gate in the lower left should be sufficient.

- The gate in the lower right

The Imperial heavy infantry NPCs are quite capable, so you can hold out for a while.
If we assign one healer to the group, we should be able to hold out for a while.
Place units like Repnard and archers that can perform indirect attacks to whittle down enemies outside from behind the wall.
Also, since NPCs coming south from the gate in the upper right will join you partway through, you probably won't need to commit too many of your own units to the fight.

- The gate in the upper right
This is an allied unit confronting the Dragon Knights.
As advised at the beginning, I think the safest approach is to treat Wolfen and his group as expendable pawns.
When I played, I didn't send any allies, but Wolfen was surprisingly tough and managed to hold on somehow (I remember him dying quite a lot in the previous demo).

Be careful, as units fighting near the gate in the lower right corner will be pulled in if they enter the attack range of the dragon knights.
After a certain amount of time, the Dragon Knights will retreat (around 600 TP?).

If you complete the game with Wolfen surviving, you will receive a Tactical Manual (Tactics +1, Tactical Growth Rate +10).

Chapter 7: Aerial Combat

The key will be how to protect the Pegasus Knights.
The clear condition is for your allies to leave the map from the upper right corner, but you can also clear the mission by eliminating all enemies.
Since one of the bonus conditions is the survival of allied forces, it might be a good idea to keep them on standby rather than forcing them to take orders.

Since there are many hunters hiding in the forest, let's proceed cautiously, sending referees ahead.

Oswald and the Dragon Knights will move when you enter their attack range.
Since they only move one at a time, you can lure them out little by little and take them down one by one.
Dragon Knights can only attack with ranged attacks or flying units, so be careful when deploying them.
Conversely, allies who lack means of attacking the dragon knights might find it more efficient to divide their forces and engage enemy infantry.

Enemy infantry often wear obsidian-type equipment, and their attack power is surprisingly high, so be careful.
Enemies positioned in the forest are difficult to hit effectively with anything other than close-range attacks, as their evasion and damage reduction abilities make them hard to defeat.

Chapter 8: Crossing the Grasslands

During the quest mode before the stage begins, you can recruit Myurei as a companion if you meet the conditions.
He's near the entrance, so let's talk to him.

The clear condition is that all allied units must escape from the bottom right corner.
That alone isn't difficult, but ideally, you'd want to aim for a certain level of fame as well.

Our immediate plan is to wait for the enemy approaching us, together with the Maybach unit, and intercept them.
I think it would be best to draw the enemies in sufficiently, then have Laufey talk to Maybach and give the order for everyone to charge.
Once we've defeated the first wave, let's continue marching eastward, in step with the Maybach unit, towards where Valenstan awaits.
If you advance alongside your allies and utilize Luvigane's escort II, there's nothing to fear.

The bandits on the south side of the cliff are fighting steadily with three flying soldiers, and around Lefe and Kleinell.
If you wait on the south side of the cliff, all the bandits will rush straight towards you, so lure them to the edge of the cliff and then use repositioning to whittle them down from the north side.
If you wait on the north side of the cliff, the enemies won't attack you even if you're within their range, so you should be able to fight safely.
We have time, so let's take our time and defeat them gradually.
Be careful, as your character will be attacked if you position them right at the edge of a cliff.

If you visit the house in the lower left, the swift archer Laila will join your party.
The Feather Moon you possess has the exceptional effect of lowering AG by 10.

When your TP reaches around 500, a second wave of reinforcements will appear around Valenstan.
When your TP reaches 1000, the final reinforcements will arrive, but these reinforcements are tough, so you'll want to defeat Wallstein before your TP reaches 1000.
If it seems too difficult, just have your allies retreat.

After the final reinforcements arrive, send the Maybach unit against them while your own unit withdraws.
If the Maybach is destroyed, we will lose, so let's do our best to escape before that happens.
Depending on the situation, it might be a good idea to order Maybach to take over, but you need to be careful about the timing as your own unit could be targeted depending on the relative positions.

Although we managed to cripple Godolph early on, the cliff was too dangerous to capture him, and he escaped.
Looking back, I think it would have been better to either deal with Godolph later or just defeat him outright.

Chapter 9 Encounter

We need to divide into two groups: one to confront them head-on and another to rescue Tulsa.
The troops facing the enemy head-on should work with the nomadic tribes to establish a defensive line near the base.
The nomadic archers' attacks are powerful, and they are smart; they don't charge in recklessly, only attacking when they can return to their fixed position by repositioning.
Taking advantage of the adjustment that allows him to wait in a fixed position, it would also be a good idea to have Murray constantly cheer near Esen.
Position yourself so you can receive covering fire, and eliminate them before they can attack you.
If we stay here and fight together with the nomads, we shouldn't have too much trouble.
If all the nomads survive, you will receive a book on horsemanship from the chieftain after completing the game.

Since monsters will inevitably catch up to Tulsa along the way, send a few mounted units to whittle down the pursuing enemies.
Carmine and Geo, despite being mounted units, have strong defenses, so I think they would be suitable.
If you put Anna Rose on a horse beforehand, you can attack with a plasma ray with a range of 2, so let's retreat while repelling the pursuers together with Rayaf.
Limit your attacks to repelling enemy units that have caught up to you, and only engage in combat after rejoining your main force.
Once you get caught, you can be paralyzed by the Harpy or have your AG depleted by wave attacks.

Once we've dealt with the enemy in front of us, we'll face off against the monsters.
Having Juno on the team gives you an advantage in battle.

One regret is that I sent too many units towards Tulsa; it was a waste.

Chapter 10: The Iron Fortress

There are various ways to approach this, but I divided my forces into a frontal unit mainly composed of infantry and a left-flank unit and advanced accordingly.
Please note that you cannot enter the castle without dismounting from your vehicle.

Furthermore, if you keep using the same unit for too long, there is a risk that its equipment will break down or become fatigued.
Units expected to be fully operational as tanks should be equipped with multiple shields, and surplus equipment should be given to non-combatants.
A supply unit will appear in the later stages of the map, allowing you to use their warehouse, so you shouldn't get stuck due to a lack of weapons, but be careful.

·front
We'll take advantage of the solid defenses of Bagger and Luvigane and advance little by little.
The Lance unit's charge is particularly powerful, so use Kleinell's counterattacks to hold them back while defeating them with magic attacks.
Stay within the range where Luvigane's Guard II is effective, and proceed slowly by making full use of the ability to move again.
It is extremely important to advance without rushing.

While it's possible to carefully take down the archers on the cliff who are in a defensive position with Rayaf's long-range shots, it's better to use heavily armored soldiers who have switched from shield mode to ranged to break their defensive stance before attacking.
Also, remember that if you stand on top of a cliff, you won't be hit by close-range attacks from lances.

・Left side
On the left flank, as long as you're careful of enemies with throwing weapons, your Pegasus Knights won't be attacked.
Having someone like Selm, who can use Wind Spirit Barrier, to cancel the archers' counterattack state would be reassuring.
There's also a route that involves visiting the house in the upper left and using a hidden passage, but in that case you'll need scouts (probably Refe or Laila), and it seems only light infantry and regular infantry can pass through.
I didn't use it myself, but if your troops advancing to the left want to enter the castle directly, this would be a good option.

・Inside the castle
Once you enter the castle, Ainsworth will try to escape from the upper right, so hurry and don't let him get away.
It would be best to split the troops into two groups, one on the left and the other on the right, and advance separately.
After reaching 1000 TP, reinforcements will frequently appear from just above the prison.
They're not a threat since they're only one at a time, but be careful.

Kroisel will move when you enter its attack range.
It's very tough and has high attack power, so let's attack it together as a group.
Even if no damage is dealt, the opponent's AG will decrease, which can delay their actions.
If you can destroy their shield, they're no longer a scary opponent.
Be careful, as even if you defeat it once, it will revive using its willpower skill.
If you're not accumulating Domination Points, then by all means, capture it and take Answeller.

*Just before clearing the game, I realized I had forgotten to rescue Zifal from prison, so I rescued him again and it cost 2280 WT.

Chapter 11: Conquering the Azure Sea

In Quest Mode, if your Wisdom level is 5 or higher and your Dominance level is 8 or lower, you can invite Noie to join your party in the 2nd floor conference room.

First, we'll have everyone gather at the base where Stase is located.
Since Laufey and his group are the furthest away, they can move quickly if their formation consists only of flying units and cavalry.
For allies at other landing points, position them carefully, considering the balance of forces.
If you only have two units at a point, you can either place a strong unit there, or even place a flying unit to join up with other allies.

After some time has passed, four assassins will appear in the mountainous area to the west where Stase is located.
Staze is strong and won't be defeated easily, but he's in danger if the assassins attack him all at once.
If you want to protect your allies to some extent and gain fame, advance quickly.
Additionally, dragoons will continuously appear from the upper right of the map, so be prepared to intercept them with archers and flying units.
Since there are a lot of reinforcements coming from the east, that will be the main battlefield from the middle of the game onward.

Gerza will join your party if you talk to him in Lefe.
However, depending on when you talk to her, Gerda could quickly find herself in danger, so be sure to prepare in advance by having Lefe carry some healing potions.
If you speak to him too late, you'll be defeated by Schtaze, so you'll want to send multiple units to help besides Lefe.

When you speak to Schterze in Laufey, your allies will begin to move south.
Drake and some of the pirates will try to get ahead of you to the escape point, so assign them some escort units.

Chapter 12: The Shadow of Pursuit

You can obtain the Potion of Agility by visiting the house directly below the Lizardmen.
Additionally, clearing the game without engaging in combat with Lizardmen will grant you +1 point in the "Royalty" tier.

As TP progresses, reinforcements of Dragoons will appear in the lower right corner of the map.
Ultimately, Guenst will show up, so I don't want to fight him head-on.
Since going in to meet the enemy would result in a significant loss of time, it would be best to prioritize the infantry moving north, and to use cavalry units' attacks and repositioning abilities to keep fighting without stopping.
If you can use the divine magic "Salvation Ritual," you can rescue units that have stopped to fight, which should allow for a smoother advance.

In terms of clearing the stage in turns, it's probably faster to take the route with the lizardmen on the left.
However, in my case, I wanted to allow Nahari and Rafshan to converse safely, so I took the right route.
Ultimately, the right route was captured by Quall and Jampallo's reinforcement dragoons, resulting in a narrow escape, so it's a good idea to consciously aim for a quick advance.
One strategy might be to avoid deploying units with low movement speed from the start.
One possible strategy is to have only some of the stronger characters, including Rafshan, take the right route, while the rest take the left route.

Also, since there are a large number of assassins hiding throughout the map, using Tulsa's Forest Transparency will make the fight considerably easier.
Be careful not to be caught off guard.

Despite numerous setbacks, I managed to leave just in the nick of time.
I think the main reason for the difficulty was that units with poor mobility got stuck in traffic when trying to cross shallow waters.

Chapter 13 Different Justices

I tried fighting both sides head-on on the bridge without hiring the Veran mercenary group, but I absolutely do not recommend it; it was hell.
I suspect it would probably be easier to hire Veran and pay a large sum of money (I haven't tried it).

After filling the warehouse with shields and potions, I positioned Luvigane in the middle of the bridge, had Myurei sing continuously while giving encouragement with Annarose's Lightning Speed Activation, and further supported them thoroughly with Fenelia's Holy Veil and Exhealing.
Luvigane's brand-new shield is almost destroyed every turn, so if you don't reduce the number of enemies quickly, it will turn into a drawn-out, attritional battle.
We gradually reduced the enemy forces using units capable of repositioning, centered around Zemeckis and Luvigane, while the remaining units engaged Veran in the rear.

The Pegasus Knight Hugea will use a wide-area attack called Hurricane, but as long as you don't get defeated, I think you can quickly recover with Fenelia's Exhealing.
We want to launch a coordinated attack when they get close, and make sure to take them down in the first engagement.

I didn't have time to visit the house in the upper left.

I fought a straightforward, no-nonsense battle head-on, so I cleared it relatively quickly, but I ended up having to reload the game many times.
Next time, I want to use the Veran Mercenary Group to make the game easier.

Chapter 14: The Flames of Madness

It may seem difficult because there are many enemies, but there are also many allies and friendly forces.
Furthermore, since enemies generally move towards the inside of the castle walls, they won't bother attacking outside their attack range even if your units are within it.
Don't be overly afraid; instead, actively launch attacks from behind.

To ensure smooth conversations with everyone, Laufey should enter the city walls through the east gate and proceed with the conversations.
We will divide the units into those moving inside the city walls and those moving outside the walls, and advance them separately.
Basilisks and Evil Eyes can inflict status ailments with melee attacks, so attack them with ranged attacks instead.

Once Zenon appears, the tactical and morale levels of the entire army improve, making battles considerably easier.
Once Zenon appears, it would be a good idea to go on the offensive.
Until the western defenses are complete, Juno should stay put and erect a barrier near the barrier pillar.
By creating a barrier with Sanctuary above the castle gate, you can prevent enemy invaders from entering on foot.

In the middle of the stage, three griffins will appear on the south side.
Since it's a flying type, it's in danger if Zenon and Beoglai attack it directly.
Let's eliminate them as soon as possible.

The golems that become active in the second half of the battle are tough and formidable opponents, so use magic units to hold them off.
Leaving the west gate solely to our allies makes it highly likely that we won't be able to defend it.

Jikutogo has high stamina, but its attack power isn't particularly high outside of close-range attacks.
If you create a barrier or something similar, you shouldn't have too much trouble fighting them.
Be careful not to defeat Jikutogo too quickly, as this will prevent you from defeating the Evil Eye in the lower left.

Chapter 15: The Enchanting Forest

This is a forest map where you aim to incapacitate all enemies except monsters as you progress.
Having units with staves or swords that can use the blunt side of their attacks, or units that can use restraint, will make progress easier.
Having characters like Tulsa, who can find hidden enemies, and Refe, the scout, will make advancing your troops much easier.
The terrain makes it difficult to move forward while riding a horse, so get on and off as needed to proceed.

You can ignore units that you've successfully incapacitated, but be careful if you're aiming for fame, as they will be defeated if there are monsters nearby.

If your unit (presumably male only?) waits near the southern bridge, an event will occur where they are brainwashed, and reinforcements will appear from the east and west of the map.
Coincidentally, I had only deployed Rayaf and Selm as male units, but the event occurred with both of them.
However, the event did not occur if you crossed the bridge quickly or moved south by rescuing someone in Fenelia, so use this to your advantage if you want to avoid the event.

Like the previous map, maps where you fight monsters reduce the opportunities to obtain loot, making it difficult to earn much money.

Chapter 16: The Beast Demon Showdown

Just like the previous map, the battle will take place in a forest.
If you wait in the forest, Lagarsia will inflict status ailments on you from a distance.
Since it's difficult to complete the quest while completely avoiding the forest, be sure to prepare plenty of ways to recover from status ailments.
It is also important to ensure they have sedatives on hand.

One of the prestige requirements is to complete the game without killing any of the Eelzoot tribe, but this is extremely difficult.
Even if you incapacitate them in battle, there's a risk they'll be defeated by monsters, and if they're left waiting in the forest while incapacitated, they'll be poisoned and killed by Lagarsia.
If you want them to survive, ignoring them might be the best option.

Brainwashing by incubi and succubi is extremely dangerous.
The safest strategy would be to lure them in with a unit of the same sex and then fight them.
If, due to the nature of the advance, it's not possible to have same-sex opponents deal with each one individually, have a healer on standby nearby so that any brainwashed opponents can be quickly recovered.

After the stage begins, Belmouth and Zenobia will appear in the lower left corner a short time later.
It's extremely dangerous to charge in, so let's keep it quietly waiting in the corner.
If you accidentally leave them in the forest and they get poisoned, the situation becomes disastrous.

If you want to steal Lagarsia's Serpent Staff, Caduceus, the proper way would be to neutralize it with Juno's Gleipnir or something similar, then use Wind-Up to disarm it, and then pickpocket it with Refe.
If you perform a melee attack in normal circumstances, the mind control barrier will be activated, so be careful not to attack at close range.

Chapter 17: Dust

I initially thought I could just ignore gaining fame and clear the map by cutting across the desert, but it ended up turning into an all-out war.
Since there are many flying enemy units, having many characters who can use bows might make the battle easier.

For the time being, we planned to have the main force cut through the eastern desert while we dealt with only the Gigas Knights that were heading towards us.
I thought I could avoid fighting the two demon generals to the north if I ignored them, but an event occurred while I was crossing the desert, and they ended up coming towards me.
In this case, the timing often coincides with when Maoza's cavalry unit moves, resulting in a fierce battle.
Be extremely careful of Maoza's attack power when he's wielding a lance.

In my playthrough, I happened to get a good connection with Neue's Trance & Icicle Rain, which allowed me to effectively eliminate the demon generals as well, but if that doesn't happen, it seems like it would be quite difficult.
Try to survive by using units that can create barriers, stacking their abilities, and utilizing area-of-effect attacks.

Also, the three-hit fire breath attack that Cerberus uses before moving is quite powerful, so try to defeat it in one go when engaging in combat.

When Neue enters a trance state, she can use abilities such as an automatically activated barrier created by her chanting ability and magical counterattacks (depending on her training status), so I learned that she can be surprisingly tough and resilient.
I felt it was an extremely powerful unit because it can perform actions that are close to unparalleled.

Chapter 18: The Death March

If you complete the mission without anyone other than Rafshan and the other four entering the cathedral, you will receive the Magic Emerald Ring (Spirit Skill +7) after completing the mission.
If you have Rafshan or Nahari in your roster, you should try to get them.

First, the main force will advance northward, and then head east towards Gitza.
Majid and his men are fighting the undead, but they don't have a unit that can finish them off, so have a flying unit equip a Divine Orb or use a Breath Weapon to help eliminate them quickly.
Once Majid and his men are free, they will head into the cathedral, making the defense of Halsim easier.

Rafshan and his companions continue their journey towards Kalsim.
There are undead inside the building, so give your character a Kris Knife or something similar so they can finish them off.
Be careful, as there are assassins lurking along the way.
Halsim will fight back with his clones, but Shahiz is quite strong, so you can't just leave him alone.
Let's act as a shield for them as soon as possible.
Also, since Shahiz is difficult to damage due to his evasion skills, focus your attacks on him rather than attacking him sporadically.

Since the enemies our main force is fighting are all undead, let's keep using Breath Weapon with Juno.
If you can just imbue it with the Holy attribute, you should be able to inflict massive damage, so I don't think you'll have much trouble.
Murray's Requiem for the Dead is also effective.

You can obtain an amulet by visiting the house on the far right of the map.
However, there's an assassin lurking nearby, so be careful not to get taken out by accident.
If you defeat or capture Shahiz, the assassin will try to escape from the bottom right of the map, so be careful if you're aiming for fame.
Also, to gain fame, you need to defeat Shahiz, not capture him (probably).
Whether you choose to acquire valuable weapons or gain fame depends on the situation.

There shouldn't be any assassins that have been missed, so it seems that Shahiz must be defeated, not captured, in order to completely eliminate the assassins.
Added in April 2024:It seems I simply missed taking down the assassin, so capturing him is also acceptable instead of focusing on killing him.

Chapter 19: The Demonic Dragon Revived

This will be an all-out war in which all factions join forces.
Since Manugek is difficult to attack at close range, you can gain an advantage by assembling units that can perform ranged attacks.
While our allies are being targeted, let's whittle them down as quickly as possible.
Since status effects are somewhat effective, units that have difficulty dealing damage should focus on support, inflicting status effects, and eliminating weaker enemies.
Similarly, if you assign the allied forces that appear along the way to eliminate the weaker enemies, you can concentrate on Manugek.

When you reduce its HP to about half, it will start using area-of-effect attacks such as Dragon's Roar (loss) and Black Rain (curse).
If Black Rain is used, the front lines could fall apart, so either spread your forces out to some extent or try to finish the battle quickly.

The attack methods I found to be effective are as follows:
・Ryubald's Arbalest
It requires charging, but its base power and dragon-specific attack bonus allow it to inflict high damage.
When combined with Farissa's Victory Dance, it allows for immediate action while charged, resulting in the greatest damage reduction.

- Razor Farfir of Manafesta
Thanks to the dragon-slaying attack, a decent amount of damage can be dealt, and follow-up attacks can be expected.

- All bow units
Equipping a longbow with powerful arrows allows you to safely inflict high damage.

・Gleipnir of Juno
The effect diminishes over time, but it can still be useful for delaying the enemy's actions up to about two times.
It might be best to save it for the later stages of the fight when they start using area-of-effect attacks.

Neue Trans + Deep Freeze
The damage isn't particularly high, but you can expect it to inflict status ailments.
Due to the status effect, it's a good idea to use multi-layer casting even if it reduces damage efficiency.

I was prepared for casualties when Black Rain was used, but somehow we managed to defeat it.
It might be safer to spread out the units that deal the most damage.

Chapter 20: The Dark Realm

Since there are many monsters and a fair number of undead enemies, don't forget to prepare holy-attribute weapons to deal with them.
Pay attention to the effective placement and use of Juno, Zega's Breath Weapon, Divine Orb, and Kris Knife.

Even if you cast support magic or barriers on your allies, Freed's Abyss Gate will remove all buffs from the entire map.
When using breath weapons or similar abilities, be sure to use them at the right time.
I might be imagining things, but it seems like they sometimes don't use Abyss Gate if only one or two people are using support magic (I could be mistaken).

The enemies are clustered in the lower left, but once you reach around TP200, Gitza will appear as reinforcement in the lower right.
After Gitza appears, Nabie and the monsters in the surrounding area will also start heading towards you.
The terrain will slow our advance, but let's try to deal with Gitza as quickly as possible so we can counterattack.
The stage's terrain makes it difficult for the entire army to fight at once, so it would be a good idea to split your forces into two groups.

When fighting Fried, be sure to use support magic as much as you can.
If they neutralize it with Abyss Gate, you won't be attacked by them, and if they continue to attack, you can fight while the effects of your support magic remain.
Let's make full use of barriers and other such abilities in battle.
The event will change slightly depending on whether you defeat Fried or Narbie first (though the outcome won't be significantly different).

Chapter 21: The Decisive Battle in the Sky

This map's objective is to escape by heading north, with the goal of getting all your troops out of the area.
Since there are many flying enemies, it will be easier if you deploy more archers or units capable of ranged attacks.

Shortly after the stage begins, friendly Lumadora Dragon Knights will appear in the southwest and southeast (there is information that this requires certain flags to be met based on the progress of previous events).
Let's leave the enemies on both sides to them to some extent and have our troops advance quickly north.
However, aside from Guensto, Manafesta, and Jampalo, the other characters aren't particularly strong, so try not to rely on them too much.

We engage the Dickssa relatively soon after our allies arrive.
They're not very tough opponents at this point, so let's defeat them quickly.
Stopping to attack enemies, including Dixsa, can take surprisingly long.

Just as they are about to break through the center, the Lumadora army begins to retreat towards both sides of the map.
Enemy reinforcements will periodically appear around the northern escape point, which is the player's objective, so wait for your units to arrive before engaging them.
Reinforcements will continue to appear, so you can't let your guard down until the very end.
Let's advance while protecting our weaker units.

I did manage to take Dixa's Wind God Bow, just in case.
However, considering that the next map will be the final one, it seems like it's not really necessary at this point.

Final Chapter: The One Who Mastered Magic

This is the final map in the main story.
If you dawdle, reinforcements of harpies and griffins will continuously appear from the bottom of the map.
Flying units and mounted units, including enemy units, will not enter indoors.
Let's advance the troops so they can get indoors as quickly as possible.

The enemy you should be wary of is artificial spirits.
It's annoying that it uses troublesome magic, but if you defeat it with a melee attack, it will self-destruct, dealing massive damage.
Most units will take fatal damage, so try to defeat them with ranged attacks.
Also, enemy cavalry armed with lances are a danger.
A lance attack performed from a distance after a running start is almost instantly fatal if you don't use a shield.
Flying units are immune to Lance attacks, so make good use of them in battle.

As for the route I took, I climbed up the cliff straight ahead.
It saves time, and using the cliffs makes it less likely to be surrounded by enemies.
While climbing the cliff, be sure to watch out for approaching enemy air units.

Once you defeat all the Lugius copies inside the building, you will be able to go to Lugius.
Lugiuscopy are formidable enemies, each wielding magic of a different element, but you can easily defeat them even through walls by concentrating your attacks with high-attack archer units.
Lugiuscopy, who uses powerful attacks like Sol Ignis and Deep Freeze, requires careful attention to his range when approaching him.

Along the way, enemy reinforcements will appear, including undead enemies, some of which will invade indoors.
If you're going to split your forces into two groups and advance on either side, be sure to prepare countermeasures against undead enemies.

The artificial spirit located behind the real Lugius, that is, at the top center of the map, will use an astral gate to neutralize support magic.
You can ignore them, but if necessary, sending in flying units or similar to deal with them at the same time you enter the building might make conquering the interior a little easier.
However, there are a large number of enemy reinforcements outside, so if you miss your chance, it will be difficult to defeat them.
There are various ways to deal with this, such as having a strong unit defeat them and then recovering them with the Secret Ritual of Salvation, sneaking in with Lefe or Nahari, or sneaking in with Melfark's Mist Cloak.

An event occurs when Lugius and Laufey engage in combat, and afterwards, if Laufey inflicts damage on Lugius, it is possible to put Lugius into a berserk state (only once).
When in a state of chaotic madness, area-of-effect attacks like Catastrophe are sealed, and the power of magic itself is slightly reduced.
Damage can be dealt by characters other than Laufey, so focus your attacks on him.
However, counterattacks can be quite painful, so unless you have a fairly strong unit, you'll be defeated.

I rushed through it, but I think it might have been better to take my time and approach it more carefully in terms of turns.

Final Chapter Side Story: The Will to Live

This map depicts a situation that is very much like an "eclipse" (from the manga "Berserk").
To summarize the clear conditions, Salomenea must reach the escape point in the north-central part of the map once, and then each unit must escape.
The game is cleared when Laufey successfully escapes, and any units that have not escaped by then are considered dead.
As for Salomenea, once she reaches the initial departure point, there is no need to have her depart again.
However, be aware that if she is defeated, it's game over.

I considered whether to head north from the west or the east, but I felt that Yggdrasil was in the way on the east side, so I headed north from the west.
However, once they reach near the exit point, Lagarsia teleports Yggdrasil directly below the exit point.
Yggdrasil constantly attacks, so it will try to stop allies who are trying to reach the escape point by attacking them.
However, it won't activate if your AG is below 20, so you can force your way through by sending a large group of people at once.
Also, since attacks from interceptors don't seem to reach flying units, you can activate interceptors with flying units to make them waste their attacks, while simultaneously chipping away at their AG with leg sweeps and other attacks. This way, you can get through to some extent without defeating them.

With so many enemy units coming at you, I think some of your allies will be overtaken and defeated.
Since it will be difficult to keep everyone alive, it will be necessary to make the difficult decision to cut some people down.
Since you can't see the post-game epilogue for units that die, you'll want to keep them alive if possible.

As time passes, powerful named enemies will appear from all directions on the map, cornering you.
This is truly a desperate situation, but this is the real, final map.
Let's do our best to make it back to Ragmel alive.

Looking at the official log uploader, it's terrifying to see that there are some incredibly skilled players who have wiped out the entire enemy team (and on hard mode, no less).

Unit usage impressions (spoiler alert)

Finally, I'd like to share my thoughts on using the unit.
There were generally many useful units, so I often struggled to decide who to keep.
The usability of a character changes considerably depending on which weapon they are equipped with, so try equipping them with various weapons without preconceived notions; you might discover new possibilities.
If you can gain skill bonuses through skills, it's a good idea to try switching between different weapons within that range.

Since some units may not join your party depending on your progress, not all units are listed.
Also, guest characters who temporarily join your party are not included.

These are my impressions after the first playthrough, so my impressions might change after the second playthrough.
Especially in hard mode, many reinforcements carrying valuable skill books appear, so the feel of using a character can change significantly depending on the combination of skills you use.

Laufey

Since they were deployed on every map, they naturally grew stronger.
You'll steadily become stronger step by step, learning magic, riding a horse, and learning Firebolt with a range of 2.
It became even easier to use once my equestrian level reached 2.
The ability to use pyro-weapons while attacking was both convenient and powerful.

He's a versatile player who can handle both physical and magical abilities.
Earth Blaze and Sol Ignis are useful weapons with no weaknesses in terms of power or range.

Alfrain

From the beginning, he played an active role through coordinated attacks with Orlein.
The spear-throwing skill gives you the advantage of being able to deal with floating enemies.
In the second half, our opportunities to deploy were somewhat diminished by other units.

・ Orlean

Our selling point is our coordinated attacks with Alfrain.
Because it has better power delivery, it gives the impression of being more powerful than Alfrain.
However, in the second half of the season, he spent more time on the bench alongside Alfred.
I liked the character who wasn't intimidated by women of high social standing and tried to woo them.

Bagger

The Knight Shield, which covers two attributes, is quite sturdy and reliable in the early stages of the game.
Furthermore, it has high destructive power because it can reliably eliminate enemies in duels.
However, during combat, if you make a mistake in selecting weapon attributes or shield mode, the battle may drag on, and there is a risk that the shield's durability will decrease rapidly, so caution is necessary.

If you're looking to utilize the Phalanx skill, I think equipping spears like partisans would also be an interesting option.
Since using heavy armor skills tends to increase AG (Armor Gauge), this character is one of the candidates for using the Horsemanship Book.

・Melfarc

In the early stages of the game, Healing Water, with its range of 2, is useful for healing, and Water Sept is also excellent as a shield that can block one attack.
Once you learn Aqua Cyclone, its range increases to 2, making it an easy-to-use magic-type unit that can both heal and attack.
After that, you'll learn spells that lean more towards healing and support, such as Mist Concealment, Aqua Screen, and Healing Rain, which heals over a wide area.
It's a shame that I acquired Casting Refinement II a little late (or so it seems).

・ Kleiner

At first, it wasn't very impressive, but after equipping it with an Obsidian Shortbow and Arrows, its attack power increased significantly, and it quickly became a mainstay of my team.
The covering fire skill is also quite powerful.

Once their strength has increased to a certain level, I want to equip them with a longbow to boost their attack power.
While it excels in interception and covering fire, its weakness lies in its inferior mobility compared to Rayav and Laila.

Tino

Being a flying unit makes it quite useful.
Even if you're attacked with a bow, you don't need to be too scared if you keep your shield in shooting mode.
Even when all three sisters weren't present, they could still perform coordinated attacks, making them effective in many stages.
Among the three sisters, she was a stable attacker with a good balance of attack power and speed.

Because of its high mobility and ability to move again, it's useful as an emergency healer if you equip it with healing potions or status ailment recovery items.

Juno

When fighting humans, there are few effective attack methods, making it difficult to use.
However, in maps with monsters, especially in the later stages of the game, it immediately becomes a regular member of the team.
You can act as a shield with your barrier, and your absolute purification and breath weapon are very useful against undead enemies.

Using Gleipnir against tough opponents will give you a significant advantage in battle.
Furthermore, it learns many skills that are useful against monsters, making it a unit that will definitely be useful in the later stages of the game.
I want to deploy a barrier while using breath weapons on the front lines, so this is a candidate unit to use the Book of Horsemanship on.

Jaguar Law

This character is a powerful attacker who can make the most of greatswords thanks to their two-handed wielding skills.
If you try to make the most of the two-handed weapon skill, you won't be able to equip a shield, which makes you a little unsure about your defense. However, your HP is relatively high, and once you learn parrying, it's not such a big concern.
Even against opponents with high HP, you can completely crush them.

I used Rafshan in the later stages because it could act again and had high mobility, but I felt that the destructive power of Jaguar Law was necessary against tough enemies like Gigas Knight.

・Ryubard

This is the second archer.
The longbow that comes as initial equipment is powerful, and although he is slower than Kleinell, he can be effective as an archer with heavy single-hit attacks.
Firing after charging is especially powerful.

Once you acquire the Arbalest, you can excel as a character who can instantly defeat enemies with a single blow.
Giving him a regular bow would make his AG (Arm Gauge) too high, so I think it's best to have him exclusively use the Arbalest.

Referee

At first, I thought he was a non-combatant of the thief type, but he's actually an excellent attacker.
It's easy to attack again, and even if you equip daggers and throwing knives, you'll get plenty of turns.
It's not very durable, but it has a high evasion rate, so it somehow manages to survive.
Hiding in the forest, I quickly take down flying enemies with throwing knives.

This unit is also important for pickpocketing valuable items from enemies that cannot be captured.

・Casley

Initially, their abilities are low, but with proper training, they will show growth worthy of the title of ace.
Let's raise it using training mode and other features.

Initially, I had them heavily reliant on shields, but when I took advantage of the light infantry's skills and removed the shields, they were able to attack more frequently and felt much more powerful.
Once I learned how to parry, I didn't need to rely on my shield so much.
Since delivering the finishing blow increases AG, it felt like I got a lot of turns.

・Selm

When he first appeared, I didn't think he was very strong, but as he learned magic, he gradually became more useful.
If you learn Razor Gust, your range will increase to 2, and if you learn Healing Wind, you can also heal.
With Rapid Wind, I could also support my teammates, so I felt like there were a lot of things I could do.

The increased mobility provided by the flight barrier made things much more comfortable.
However, there were quite a few incidents where, when the effect wore off, the character crashed into an immobile square and was forcibly captured...
While weapons like Hurricane and Tempest are easy to use, their overall power is somewhat subdued, which is a drawback.

Eshdal

In the early stages of its appearance, it was useful with its area-of-effect healing ability, Earth Heal, its support ability Strength, and also with its ability to sprint and move again.
I stopped cultivating it much towards the end.

Magic often seems unremarkable at first glance, but there might be some clever ways to use it.
Perhaps the best strategy is a simple, brute-force approach: cast Strength on yourself and let yourself be hit by a flail.

・Rafshan

He's a powerful attacker, on par with Jaguar Law.
I didn't give him a shield in order to make the most of his skills, but his high evasion ability means it's not much of a problem.
However, equipping a curved sword limits your attack options, making it somewhat difficult against opponents wielding knight shields.
Having throwing knives as a secondary weapon worked well.

Luvigane

Saber with the extremely useful Guard II ability, which allows her to provide protection simply by being adjacent to other units.
It's no exaggeration to say that I was only able to complete this game because of her.
We deployed the tank Luvigane to the front lines, and operated it in a way that allowed her and the accompanying units to fight as a single platoon.

Because the shields were inevitably losing a lot of health, I started giving them supply management logs midway through the battle and used Feather Runes to control the increasing AG (Armor Gauge).
I think the best approach is to focus on defense using parrying and shielding rather than trying to counterattack.
Since it will be taking on many attacks, it will be more stable if you equip it with plenty of accessories that prevent status ailments.

Fenelia

She's a traditional healer, but she also learns tactically important magic.
Range Heal and Holy Veil remain useful spells until the very end.
The secret art of salvation you learn along the way is a rescue magic that summons units from far away.
There are many ways to use it, such as pulling along Murray, who can only sing before moving, or rescuing units that are holding back enemies.

Exhealing is useful as enemies increasingly use area-of-effect attacks, and there are also status ailments that can only be removed with Dispel.
This is a unit that will never run out of opportunities to shine until the very end.

By the way, I used the equestrian book for her.

Orion

I haven't deployed them since the map where they first appeared.
However, since you can repair equipment through blacksmithing on the formation screen, it's an important unit for saving money.
Since blacksmithing increases fatigue, using an elixir that increases maximum HP on him will allow him to perform more repairs.

Shannon

This unit is like a greedy package, being a Pegasus Knight that can also heal.
While her offensive power is slightly inferior to her other sisters, her magic, such as the barrier created by Holy Veil, is undoubtedly very useful.
Learning Range Healing will finally make you a fully-fledged healer, but learning the Secret Art of Salvation will make you even more useful.
In my case, I was slow to learn, so I didn't have many opportunities to use it, but I felt that it would be very useful as a rescue unit with more mobility than Fenelia.

Norn

This Pegasus Knight, despite wielding an axe, is adept at performing follow-up attacks.
Among the three sisters, she has many offensive skills and possesses great destructive power.
Attacks with the blunt damage attribute have a high chance of passing through the enemy's shield mode and also have the effect of lowering their AG, making them very useful.
Let's deploy Tino and Shannon together and annihilate the enemy.

・Murey

The most important role of this unit is to increase the AG of allied units within range using Hero's Aria.
As the range increases, there's an indescribable feeling of satisfaction in dramatically boosting your allies' AG.
The drawback of only being able to sing before moving is resolved once you learn the ability to move again at level 20.
Until then, it would be best to rely on Fenelia's secret ritual of salvation.
It seems there's a way to move again quickly by using two horsemanship books, but I don't think it's worth sacrificing the horsemanship skills of two other units just to borrow a move from earlier.

Requiem of the Souls was somewhat useful as an emergency measure when I didn't have a weapon ready to eliminate undead enemies.
Furthermore, Spirit Nocturne can significantly boost the attack power of magic units, so it can be extremely effective depending on when it's used.

Laila

The most important thing when recruiting a monster is the Feather Moon it possesses.
Let's give it to a unit that needs it more than Layla.

While not particularly powerful in terms of combat ability, the Scavenger skill, which allows you to steal items from defeated enemies, plays an important role when it comes to obtaining items from enemies that cannot be captured.
Since I'm not strong enough to wield a longbow, I think a shortbow would be a good weapon for me.

・ Rayaf

This is undoubtedly a useful unit, as it can use bows while mounted.
Long-range fire is useful when attacking enemies that are in a defensive position or those behind walls.
However, since it was a skill that could only be used before moving, I didn't have many opportunities to use it.

After equipping him with a longbow, he became a powerful attacker with attack power on par with Ryubard, combined with high mobility.
In the second half, I equipped him with the Divine Orb, and he was incredibly useful in eliminating the undead enemies one after another.

Carmine

Equipped with a knight's shield, this sturdy mounted unit possessed the strength to charge into the front lines.
When it first appeared, it could form a two-man top lineup with Geo.

I tried giving him a lance, but giving him regular weapons also increased his AG (Agility Points), making him difficult to use.

Geo

Thanks to its impenetrable skill, this mounted unit is even tougher than Carmine.
Since the shield activates even outside of this mode, if you don't care about defense, you don't necessarily need a knight's shield.
However, they wear out quickly, so they will break easily unless you equip them with multiple shields.

I had intended to use it as a mobile shield, but I didn't end up deploying it very often.

Anna Rose

In terms of feel, he's a magic warrior that's like a scaled-down version of Laufey.
I can use both physical and magical abilities, but my senses haven't developed much, so I feel like I'm only halfway there.
However, once you've mastered Lightning Speed Activation, even just having the role of continuously charging Murai can be useful.

Tulsa

While its effectiveness is limited to certain maps, it's useful in forested terrain as it allows for ranged attacks.
I excel at supporting enemies by finding hidden ones or putting them to sleep.

While their archery skills are high, their low tactics prevent them from dealing significant damage.
I think it's best to fight quietly using magic as your main weapon.

・ Zifal

Like Eshdal, having area-of-effect healing is convenient, but he's mediocre as both a healer and an attacker.
However, it can be useful if it focuses on support roles such as creating a shield to prevent status ailments with Prism Veil.
Unusual magic spells like Light Body Phantom Sun can be used to increase the number of healing and support hands.

Gerza

He possesses many offensive skills and, like Beograi, can throw axes at long distances.
On the other hand, it's not very good at defense, so I think it's important to use it in situations where you can defeat the enemy quickly without taking any damage.

・Neue

Depending on when the transformer is used, this unit can be quite powerful.
By gathering enemies together to some extent, then using Trance and Icicle Rain, you can inflict powerful damage on multiple enemies.
As your skill level increases, the attack range of Icicle Rain will expand, allowing you to deal damage over a wider area.

Using Trance allows you to use skills such as friend/foe identification, magic counterattacks, and incantation barriers.
In particular, the chanting barrier is a constant state where a barrier equal to half your mental strength is active, and considering that your mental strength increases by 20 when you are in a trance state, it becomes quite tough.
Furthermore, since they'll attack relentlessly with magical counterattacks, the worry of them being defeated when you send them into the middle of the enemy to activate Icicle Rain is greatly reduced.

You need to carefully consider when to use Trans, but if used effectively, it's a powerful unit that can single-handedly change the tide of battle.
Prioritize using the psychic potion on Neue so that she can enter trance multiple times.
After the trance ends, the character will be in a state of loss, so quickly restore them or move them to a safe zone using the Secret Ritual of Salvation.

Nea

This is an attacker specializing in agility.
With the Iai skill, you can deal significant damage to many enemies through counterattacks, even without setting up a parry.
However, since you can't stop the attack unless you inflict enough damage to exceed the counterattack threshold, you might struggle against opponents with shields.

Even if you destroy Zetsuei, it will be repaired later during an event with Orion.
There are also enhancement events where you can acquire new skills, so let's use them up as quickly as possible first.
While Zetsuei is broken, equipping a greatsword and focusing on blunt attacks that are difficult to block with a shield might allow you to fully utilize the effects of Iaijutsu.

Nahari

This unit has abilities similar to a referee but specialized for combat.
To make the most of the dual-wielding technique, having them use throwing knives or daggers works well, as it balances speed with the weapon's capabilities.
It has the advantage of being able to deal with flying units without any problems using throwing knives.

Furthermore, I felt that this character was ideal as a knife user, especially when wielding a Kris knife.
If you don't use the "snatch" ability that often, then it could be considered a superior alternative to the "referee" ability.

Farissa

The biggest advantage of dancing is that it maximizes your allies' Agility (AG) and allows them to act immediately.
Generally, it's best to let Murray act, but if Murray's AG is close to maximum and it would be a waste to use her, you'll need to adjust the timing.
Supporting Anna Rose, who can use Lightning Speed Activation, is also a valid option.

Since the Dance of Victory grants a charge effect, pairing it with Ryubald, who is equipped with Arbalest, creates a very significant synergistic effect.
This unit can be used flexibly in various situations, so there's no harm in deploying it.
I think the Arc Falchion would be better suited to a different swordsman to make better use of its additional elemental damage.

・Zega

Since it has Guard II, it has high mobility and can fulfill a role similar to Luvigane, which can create barriers on its own.
Since she can only be freely used towards the end of the game, there may be a limited time when you can make full use of her, but she is a valuable unit that can use anti-evil magic other than Juno.
I think they'd be reliable if used as a tank character who can support allies with breath weapons and barriers.

My thoughts (with spoilers) ~with screenshots~

I'll be writing about my impressions and thoughts while playing, along with screenshots.
This contains many spoilers, so please be careful if you haven't finished the game yet.

When confronting the bandits who appear early in the SRPG, saying sweet words like, "Please, just let me go home," I wasn't sure at the start of the game whether it was due to naivety or compassion.

There's something fascinating about a world where you don't know what's going on outside; it gives you a sense of vastness.
Since "HUNTER×HUNTER" was structured in a similar way, there might be a world like the Dark Continent stretching out beyond.

From Stase's perspective, Repnard's approach must seem rather leisurely, but it's good that he has the broad-mindedness to entrust things to him.
An incompetent superior officer would likely order something like, "Go and suppress them by force immediately!" (Chagall → Eldigan).

It's a shame that there wasn't a single scene where Wesell spoke.
I'm looking forward to seeing him play a leading role in "Imperializer Gaiden: Zolzend 078".
Wesell seems like just a military officer, so even if he survives, he probably won't be very involved in the main storyline.

It's understandable that people wouldn't trust an empire that wages wars of aggression against other countries when it talks about policies of reconciliation.
It's not an incomprehensible situation considering Bertholdt's position.

This is a line that is often used as a traditional insult in the Fire Emblem series.
I can sense the Edain vibe.

This line is reminiscent of Wagnas (though that might be a stretch).
I could sense the overwhelming power of Lugius, so much so that Zenon himself called him the Demon King.

The Triangle Attack used to have strict conditions, but in this game, it's much easier to use because it can be performed with just two people, not necessarily three.

His identity remained a mystery, but later his true identity was revealed, albeit vaguely.

This is a rare individual event for Luvigane.
Although they have contrasting personalities, the two grow into individuals who can be called the shield and spear of the empire, respectively.
Because she has blonde hair, they could easily be mistaken for sisters.
I'm very grateful for Catley's weapon maintenance skill training.

Rafshan is an extremely skeptical person, but it seems his hypothesis was correct.
It seems that Zifal's identity was also prepared as a facade to use publicly, so even if his true identity is discovered, it probably won't be exposed.

Fufu☆ laughed.
Anna Rose doesn't seem to have many dialogue scenes, but she appears to speak in a refined, ladylike manner.

While Stase's arrogant attitude is noticeable, he does possess the ability to calmly assess a situation.
Knowing Laufey's character, one would think he would realize that he poses no threat to his position as heir to the throne, but perhaps because they don't seem to interact much, he became overly cautious.
Zeno seems to view Stase's ideas as somewhat dangerous, and perhaps his anxiety stems from sensing this.

An impromptu poetry presentation.
Is it something like a rap battle?

Laufey, being the son of an illegitimate child, and Farbaut, who is far removed from the political struggles, may find comfort in each other because they are both detached from the fight for the throne.
I like how the relationship between Repnard and Melfark is more casual than that of a parent and child.

I never expected that this plot point would be resolved right at the very end.

Story-wise, it seemed like things were heading towards a conflict between Laufey and Stase, so I think Stase's departure at this point made the narrative flow more smoothly.

Repnard is a perfect character with high combat and political acumen, and a great personality, but this is one of the few scenes where we get to see him in a private conversation.

It's not often discussed in detail, but it seems to imply that if you don't get married impulsively and forcefully when the opportunity arises, you'll miss it.
I was touched by Elma's troubled expression as she tried to avoid the situation.

These guys always seem to be having fun.

So cool! I really admire that!

The atmosphere of the map and the dialogue are reminiscent of Rockbouquet from Eilnep.
What a lovely smile, and you look so happy!

If you defeat Zisma here, it might mean he won't appear in Chapter 19.

Nabie delivers a textbook example of a tsundere character.
I thought there might be a romance between Fried and Tulsa, but that didn't really happen.
It seems he doesn't want to kill indiscriminately those who aren't directly related to his enemy.

No matter how many times I look at it, Harushim looks just like the artist (Wataridori Yuki).
It created a clone and managed to withstand the attack quite well.

There seems to be an age difference, but it might actually be a surprisingly good match.
A relationship where you respect each other and can grow together is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

That's the guy in the hut who was making a little money by giving information about the fortress's secret passages!

It was just a casual line from a background character, but for some reason, it made me laugh.

Just when I thought Saber had appeared, Archer showed up too.

It's well-known that the Seven Heroes in "Romancing SaGa 2" were named after train stations, but I have a feeling that the Six Demon Generals in this game were named after stations on the Odakyu Electric Railway.
I suspect that Nabie is Ebina, Dikissa is Satsukidai, Jikutogo is Gotokuji, Datima is Machida, Gitza is Atsugi, and Lagasia is Ashigara.
(I'm not very familiar with the Kanto region, so I'm not confident about this.)

Added on September 23, 2023: The author has confirmed that the name was derived from Odakyu Electric Railway.
I'm glad my prediction was correct.

I was surprised to see Salomenea looking so young, like Genkai from Yu Yu Hakusho.
Heterochromia (different colored eyes) is mysterious and cool.

This information is really outdated.

Judging from the group photo, it looks like we might be getting around three more members.
It's highly likely that the choice comes down to either the "standard points" or the "overlord points," but I'd like to investigate further.

Added on September 23, 2023:
(Information provided by flatfoot)
"This will be a spoiler, but I'll secretly write down what I know."
Zolas if he were to take the opposite path to dominance compared to Murai.
- Zisma and Wyatt (the man in the cabin) join your party when there are many casualties.
The latter is a kind of support unit, but just like when it's an NPC, it's not particularly strong.

That's what they said.
Zisma and Wyatt are probably there as reinforcements to prevent checkmate.
With Zolas and Murray essentially having to choose between the two, and Zisma and Wyatt only joining when there are many casualties, it seems unlikely that this group photo will ever show everyone together.

I like Lady Nabie the most because she's so incredibly worried about things; she's the most human-like character.
I feel like I'm being mocked by Lagarsia, who seems to only see men as slaves.

Beograi, you were an Elder Lizard all along!
In the demon world, unique and powerful enemies with seemingly intriguing backstories appear in droves, which is terrifying but also sparks a lot of imagination.

Thank you for the wonderful game.
I think this is a game that would be incredibly fun to play through a second time after you've fully understood the system.