Let's Battle Ogres! (Ogre Battle 64)

A character named Sepia is introduced in a sepia flashback scene? Excellent. Atlus really takes this to an art.

From what I've been told about this game's story, you might as well just give in and go for it.

A lot of LPs I've looked at (on archive sites, etc) do the gay joke thing to death but knowing about this game other than these screenshots... It wants it. Wants it hard.

If you make him into a Berserker, you need to name him Wario.

Nah, it's just nameless NPCs. It's supposed to symbolize a bunch of different people casting Ankiseth out. The translation's pretty bad, but it's not that bad.

Color me disappointed.

Or sepia...

I tried playing a bit this morning, but I ended up getting sidetracked fidgeting around with different classes, so here's a quick update on how PANTS Platoon looks now.



It's kind of hard to tell, but I turned the Archer in Beef Jerky's unit into a Sorceress. Sorceresses are Chaotic, and since I'm making that a Chaotic unit it made sense.

Done. I still can't change him into a Berserker yet, but he's got the name and that'll be happening in another level or so.

I realized that Lichald's unit was in all sorts of trouble. First, Berserkers, Wizards, and Ninjas are Chaotic classes whereas Clerics are Lawful...so I took the Cleric out of that unit and switched it with the Amazon in G&G's unit that was tilting Chaotic. I didn't want two Clerics in G&G's unit, so I put one in Dio's unit and took one of his Amazons. I decided I would make the new Amazon in Lichald's unit into a Sorceress ASAP, but I noticed that the element Maxwell was wouldn't make combo magic with her...but the guy had made into a Ninja's element would. So, I switched the two of them. The guy who was previously Maxwell the Wizard is now Taco the Ninja, and Benedict the Ninja is now Maxwell the Wizard. This actually works a lot better, since the new Maxwell has way better magic-related stats, and Taco has way better physical-related stats. I still don't really know what to do with Troi, but he can't be a Knight anymore since the rest of the unit is now going to be Chaotic. I figure I might just leave him as Phalanx (and later a Cataphract) since they can be somewhat Chaotic. I dunno, we'll figure that out. I could always just kick him out too and replace him.

I still don't know what the hell to do with Leia's unit. Haha. Anyway, there'll be another late night update tonight.

So, we're technically finished in Mylesia, but there's still more things we can do. So I guess we aren't finished at all, huh?



New gamplay feature! After beating a map, you can go back and visit any shops or talk to townspeople and stuff. A lot of sidequests are done this way. Hey, that can't be why we're here, is it?!



What? Lichald's unit (which has Troi in it) is in Troi's hometown? What for?

Troi: Hey, Mom!



Even in medieval times, moms were a huge pain in the ass.

Troi's Mother: Really? But, I'm still worried.



Yeah, we just had it lying around. The Gods were all like "Hey, take this" and we were like "I don't know what the fuck to do with this!" and they were all like "Nah, nah...it's cool. Take it."

Troi's Mother: Your father made it for you. Take good care of it, okay?

Is Troi's dad a famous shield maker or something? What the hell is going on here?

Troi's Mother: Make sure you keep it clean, and in good working order. Stay healthy, and...and......
Troi: Cut it out, Mom!



The Hallowed Shield is actually pretty awful, but it nullifies status ailments, so it's good to keep around. For now I'm just going to give it to Troi because...well, why not?

There's another reason why we came here. The shop in Elgorea sells all of the default equipment for Knights, and we have enough money to pick up a few sets. I bought three for now, but we'll have more before this update is through. The important thing is that we get can now create Knights. Knights and Paladins are typically the backbone of almost any army in this game, so this is a big advantage for us. Only one of the Fighters in G&G's unit is ready to become a Knight so I changed his class, and the other will be ready in another level. Anyway, now we're ready to go to the border.

Hugo: Here is the plan. Listen carefully...



Another simple map. This one's pretty small too. Split everyone up and meet up again in the middle. Sorry about that weird glitch with the background there. I was able to fix that, but not after going through an entire battle with G&G and Yumil talking underneath Dio and the enemy fighting. It was a bit of a trip.

Hugo: That is the plan of operations but...the Revolutionary Army is acting strangely.



strangely adv.
Synonyms: strange, peculiar, odd, queer, quaint, outlandish, singular, eccentric, curious
These adjectives describe what deviates from the usual or customary.

Hugo: I have no idea why, but they're marching south. They're leading a group of peasants, and trying not to attract attention.
G&G: They're just heading south? What could be their motive?
Hugo: I don't think they need to be prepared for invasion by forces outside Palatinus...in any case, we should take precautions.

First thing's first. The starting town has a shop in it that sells the starting Fencer equipment: Jin-Gasa, Bastard Sword, and Cloth Armor. Fencer gear is extremely cheap, so I only bothered to pick up one set for now.

And maybe it's just me, but isn't it weird that the "Fencer" class uses two handed swords?

Dio, G&G, and Lichald head west, while Leia and BJ head south. Leia's unit is really starting to become a liability, so I'm trying to use her more often to get her some more exp. But it's not helping much. I could have incorporated her characters into other units and put some males in her unit to balance it out, but I think I'd just be hurting myself by doing this.



We encounter our first Fencers! Look at their silly hats and skirts! They're pretty strong though, so whatever.



Wow, Dio's Cleric is pretty good. 33 is a lot at this stage in the game.



No real purpose for this one. I just thought Mike would like to see Maxwell in action (he's actually doing pretty good, and will be even better in a little bit once I can pair him with a Sorceress).

Since this map is small, it became a bit of a clusterfuck. And hey, is that Debonair I see?!

Thankfully we got a bit lucky while we were hunting units down.



Both Leia and G&G were able to chase units to the point of exhaustion, and then attack them while they were asleep. After killing a bajillion units, we had found an Amulet, a Claymore (a Fencer sword), a Marionette (a weapon that Doll Masters use). We can make Doll Masters now, but unfortunately for you, I hate them so we won't be doing that.

Debonair of the Wind: So you belong to the PANTS Platoon. I've heard much about you recently. I don't want to fight you, but...I can't let you through either.



What the hell is it with people in this game? Yes, I frickin' mind.

Leia takes a stab at Debonair, but her unit is, quite frankly, too shitty to be able to do much of anything. I had BJ kill some of his henchmen on purpose to soften him up. I technically could've just killed him outright, but we get more exp the more we fight him. G&G softened him up even more, Dio killed the other Knight in his unit, and Lichald's unit finished off the Sorceress and Debonair.

The fight with Debonair is the first taste of things to come. Debonair blocked a lot of my physical attacks, and took extremely reduced damage. I admittedly took my time with him to get the most exp out of him, but it took all of PANTS Platoon to beat him. Later battles will have all of my units running likes lemmings into the bosses, hoping for a victory through attrition.

Debonair: You are indeed strong...I am definitely no match for you, if I'm alone.



Hey, a good item for once! That item lets one character level up once. Not a bad thing to have, especially if you like item duping. Remember 99 Rare Candies? Yeah, you can do that in this game...only it's 55 Champion Statuettes.

Gilbert: Debonair! We're ready to retreat!



Thanks Goofus. That's exactly what I was thinking. "Hey dude, I gotta go." "Um, we're fighting to the death right now." "Yeah, but I gotta jet. Laters." Hell no.

Gilbert: Settle, you say? That means nothing! Even though people want change in this kingdom, not all of 'em are capable of fighting. Fortunately, my kingdom is willing to accept refugees. Do you understand? Our goal was to delay you and move the refugees to Zenobia. We succeeded, so now there's no reason to fight. Well, see you later.
G&G: What!? I won't let you escape!!

Young Man's Voice: Are you looking...for us?
G&G: !!!
G&G: What are you intentions? What are you planning to do to this kingdom?
Destin the Valiant: Is that all you're concerned about...? Is that what you, who defended the rebels and defied your superior, believe? Tell me your intentions! Will you forsake those who are discriminated and branded as lower class!?



"You" as in the people. Not "you", as in...you know, you. We don't like you!

Aisha: ...suffer.
Saradin the Warlock: For the past few months, we have been watching your kingdom...everyone is fighting with everyone, and Lodis is pulling the strings.



G&G: You're instigating war against Lodis, aren't you? Now I see your motives!!
Destin: ...
G&G: You're a threat to this kingdom. This world is on the verge of insanity! Your strength...your charisma draws people toward you. They all look to you for help...this kingdom still has hope. But even that fades away...in front of you. Revolution, huh? What's to become of the army, once the Revolution succeeds? You're going to send the soldiers against Lodis, isn't that right!? ...I won't let you!!
Destin: Enough!! What did you see at the Volmus Mine!? Did you think that it was right for people to be slaughtered like animals!?



Alex: You first, douchebag! You're shouting at my character!
Destin: I'm not shouting!
Alex: Oh really?
Destin: Alright, I am! I'm shouting!!! I'm shouting!!!

G&G: I know...something has to be done. But the way you spread war for the lower class throughout Palatinus is wrong!
Saradin: Life is precious by nature, regardless of race or social class. But this kingdom weighs people's lives too lightly. Do you not think it is wrong? Our goal is to right this wrong. We have no intention of making this kingdom just for the lower class. Many have joined us in the name of revolution. Although they all share the desire for change, some tend to act excessively and we have difficulty keeping things under control. I see that you are also troubled...is it your lack of ability to deal with the situation? Or is it the disparity between reality and your ideals? I know it is difficult, but you must find your own way. Do not be swayed by what is around you.



See? The low CF path is good after all. Saradin agrees with me!

Messenger: Oh, here you are. Are you Goofus? I have a message from General Godeslas.
G&G: From the general?
Messenger: Yes. You are requested to return to Akka Castle immediately.
Hugo: Return to the castle...? Hmm, I wonder what this is about.
Messenger: I don't know the details, but I heard that's where they're planning the next operation. That is the message. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to my duty.

A new operation, huh? Time to go back to Porno McStachington.

Episode 6 Mini Addendum:



Here's our current army. Wario was able to change into a Berserker, and the other Fighter in G&G's unit was able to change into a Knight. However, the Amazon in G&G's unit is one level away from becoming an Archer, the Amazon in Lichald's unit is one level away from becoming a Sorceress (and thus unleashing some awesome combo magic), and the Fighters in Dio's unit are one level away from becoming Fencers. So in one level, we'll be completely and utterly awesome.

I missed this post earlier, but I can make these names now. One of the Knights in G&G's unit will be Mario, and I'll change Lemmy (one of Dio's Fighters-soon-to-be-Fencers) into Luigi. We've already got Wario the Berserker, too. As far as Europea goes, we can pick her up on the way to getting Biske (the werewolf), so that's completely doable.

I'm something like 99% sure that one of the prequisites for having Biske join is not having any Zenobians. I know for sure that you can't have [G&G's dad Ankiseth] (I probably wasn't going to be able to take him anyway since he's a high CF character and this is a low CF playthrough). And since I'm taking the low CF path, wouldn't it make sense to get both of the unique to low CF playthrough characters?

The votes for and against getting the Zenobians are about even (slightly in favor of Biske and Carth), but if you count my vote then that makes getting Biske and Carth the winning choice. So that's what we'll do! Low CF playthough all the way!

Oh, and I've been doing research and a Lich should be very doable. I can't pick one up until way later, but I'll make it happen.

Clearly you need a Peach and a Daisy at this rate. Clerics or sorceresses is my vote for them. If you can ever get a Princess that should be Zelda. If you're gonna do that theme, might as well run with it!

Great!

The werewolf is a high CF character. Liedel, another high CF gets an ending with him. If you go low CF, the only character you get is the Black Knight.

Yeah, baby, hot Wizard-on-Sorceress action! By which I mean, combination spells, which is pretty much the same thing.

do you know how much do you have to train the lil soldiers so they can turn into actual characters.

How many soldiers do you have to train to get a centurion???

We're much more badass in real life.


Now it becomes clear. Skirts AND two-handed swords? These are not fencers, they are Scots.

could you please name some

archer = Fran
Paladdin= Basch
Swordmaster = Auron
Dark Knight = Gabranth
knight = chaz

Today’s update is about just how wrong a battle can go in Ogre Battle 64. It has the single most important decision to be made in the game, which we’ve thankfully already determined. So let’s not dick around anymore and get right into it.

G&G: Excuse me.
Godeslas: Goofus, you're here.
Rhade: Are you that rookie from before? I see you've made a name for yourself.
Godeslas: As we all know, the Palatinean Revolutionary Army has been gathering strength. We gained information from a rebel captive that they are planning to recapture the Volmus Mine and its outlying areas. We've confirmed the troop movement.



Alright, our first Engrishy line! So far the translation has been sloppy and uneven, but now we have a true moment of Engrish in all its glory.

Well, I suppose this could’ve been a typo. After all, they only left out one word. Bah…well, I’m sure there’ll be other excuses for me to make fun of this game’s localization later.

Godeslas: No doubt they will strike in the next few days...but we don't know the details. We will join forces with the Central Division...assault Volmus, capture Frederick Raskin, and put an end to the revolution! But, we need time to organize the troops. Since your battalion has performed well, despite its lack of experience, I want you



Yeah, seriously? I’m supposed to single-handedly stop a revolution and I’m, like, three months out of the academy. No pressure or anything.

Rhade: No worries, kid. Our troops will be right behind you. All you need to do is surprise the Revolutionary Army and create a diversion. We'll handle the rest. When their main forces attack, I'll take care of them myself.
Godeslas: Expect the Zenobians to show up, too. I'm counting on you, Goofus.
Rhade: Hey, you don't have to capture any rebels, you hear me?



Can they make this guy any more generically evil? I’m surprised he hasn’t bitten a puppy’s head off or thrown a baby out a window or something. That would really drive the point home.

Rhade: Why are you staring at me? You have a problem?!
*G&G leaves*
Rhade: What are you planning to do with him, huh? You're going to use his war record to your advantage, like a promotion...am I wrong?
Godeslas: I, I just thought he was suitable for this operation. I have no such intentions...
Rhade: If you say so. You won't be able to keep him under control anyway. ...look at his eyes.



Foreshadowing!

Ariosh: G,Genereal Godeslas!! The Re...Revolutionary A,Army...
Godeslas: Calm down! So, what about the Revolutionary Army?



IT'S A TRAP

…sorry, I couldn’t help it.

Ariosh: And at the same time, they've captured more than half of the strongholds!
Godeslas: What!? That's not possible! With their petty forces? What happened? And what do you mean 'the same time'!?
Ariosh: There were many traitors within the Southern Division...the strongholds fell quickly with little bloodshed...
Godeslas: Which...which lands are still intact!?
Ariosh: Gunther Piedmont, Dardunnelles...and the section of Alba centered here, Akka Castle.

Hey, guess where we’re going next?

Godeslas: At least the central route is still secure...Damn rebels...We acted too slowly!? But, what now? There's still time before reinforcements arrive from the Central Region.



Here's more pointless swearing. Remember folks, this thread is rated T for Teen!



Godeslas: Without a leader, the Revolutionary Army will be reduced to a mob...there's still hope if Frederick Raskin can be taken care of! We can do it!

So now, it really is up to us. It’d be terrible if Goofus were to suddenly have a change of heart.

Hugo: They orchestrated their uprising very well.
G&G: What's the reason behind the timing of the uprising?
Hugo: Their sending noncombatants to Zenobia...the failed abduction of Prince Yumil...the morale of their men, the soldiers of Alba turning coat...all of them are important...they've found the most opportune time to strike. We were ordered to capture Frederick at all costs. He's trying to cover his own ass from his mistakes.

After saying this, we’re randomly thrown into the briefing without warning. This map is the same as when we captured the Volmus Mine earlier, only there are more areas to the north.



The plan is simple. Beef Jerky and G&G’s units will head north and take all of the strongholds, while Dio, Leia, and Lichald take the stronghold immediately to the south, and then split up and capture the three outlying areas. Simple, right? What could go wrong?

G&G: Their leader... what kind of man is Frederick?
Hugo: I know little of the man, but many rumors follow him...his interest is in politics, rather than war. Many say he's a bleeding-heart idealist. There is much criticism from within the Revolutionary Army. Is something bothering you, Goofus?
G&G: ...

This is probably the fourth or fifth time G&G has responded to a question by saying “…” and then having the scene change. It’s starting to get pretty damn annoying.

Things start off pretty well. Leia encounters an enemy at the first stronghold…



…but thanks to a change I made in her unit (those of you who have really been paying attention may have already caught it), she’s easily able to take care of it. Dio heads towards the southeast, Leia heads southwest, and Lichald heads towards the terrority to the east. So far, so good.



G&G and BJ are running into a bit of trouble. See that? There are four units on that one stronghold. A unit of Hawkmen (and a Raven, an upgraded Hawkman) keep flying over the river and trying to capture our HQ, a Witch unit guards the stronghold, and a Dragon Tamer and Wizard unit are constantly traveling down the road to try and attack our HQ. I can repel the DT/Wiz/Hawkmen units but I take too much damage to be able to pursue them. They then go and rest at the stronghold to the east and try again. G&G and BJ are constantly alternating between attacking the stronghold and defending our HQ. But four units is a bit too much to handle with just two units at this point in the game.

Basically, G&G and BJ are cornered and while they’re in no danger of being defeated, they can’t move forward without help from our other units. So I decide to keep the enemy forces occupied and try to get Dio and the gang up north as soon as possible. The only problem is that they start having problems of their own.

Leia is able to take care of the unit guarding the stronghold to the southwest, but unfortunately the unit is pushed in the direction that we absolutely do not want her to go.



See that unit on top of that mountain? Well, she’s hurt and guess where she’s going to try and go? The stronghold that we captured on our way south and left completely open! Shit! Shit! This couldn’t get any worse!



Oh crap, it just did! You may have noticed in the first map picture that Lichald was fighting an Archer unit to the east. What wasn’t pictured was a Knight unit that spawned nearby and after being defeated, got pushed towards the same empty stronghold that the Valkyrie unit was heading towards. So now we’ve got two units that we can’t catch up to heading for a base I left open. I started sending BJ down to help out, but he was too slow so I called him back to continue keeping the northern forces busy. The enemy re-captures the stronghold, but Leia is able to repel both of the units that had stopped there and liberate the stronghold.



In my desperation, I sent Lichald down to chase the Knight unit, but he wasn’t able to catch up. I stopped and turned Lichald around to go rest at our easternmost stronghold. I was then going to have him finish mopping up some units left in the area and then head north. Leia was able to push the Knight away…push him past Lichald, and right towards the stronghold Lichald had just taken! Shit! Shit! Now we’re going to have to re-take another base! The Knight does succeed in recapturing the stronghold, but Lichald then promptly applies The Hurt™ to his tender regions.

In a high CF playthrough, this would have been absolutely disasterous. Thankfully for us, this isn’t really a big deal.

But it is supremely embarrassing.

Thankfully, things…



…are going…



…pretty well everywhere else. Dio took care of the units defending the Volmus Mine in the southeast easily, and G&G and BJ actually make some progress against the four units that won’t stop pestering them. The leaders of the Hawkmen, Dragon Tamer, and Wizard units were all killed, which makes them much less of a threat. Leia heads north to help out, and eventually the stronghold to the east of our HQ falls.



Leia, BJ, and G&G head north...



…while Operation Mop Up continues down south. It takes a while, but eventually the rest of the enemy’s units fall and everyone heads north.



The Pain Train pulls into Boss Town, and it’s time to finally finish this. This battle took over a week of in-game time because it was such an absolute mess. Unfortunately, battles are only going to get longer and harder as the game goes on.

Quiet-Mannered Man: Are you from the Southern Division?
Leia: You are the leader of the Revolutionary Army...?
Valna: Sir Frederick, what are you doing!?



Valna: You'll pass through here over my dead body!



Alright guys, let’s pass through here. Make sure not to trip on that dead guy.

Alright, it’s finally over. And hey, a decent spear! Now that we have a ton of spear using classes (Troi, Leia, our Valkyries), this is actually useful.



G&G: I don't know why, but...I hated everything...I didn't know what to do; I wanted something to fix my problem...I only cared about myself. I didn't care about anything else. ...I just let life carry me along. The fact that I'm standing in front of you right now...I don't even know if...this is according to my will.
Frederick: It is very difficult to live one's life as one desires. And it doesn't necessarily mean that it is right. Letting life guide you is one way of living.

Apparently this little chat is really important to Goofus, because in about ten seconds he’s going to seriously fuck up his military career because of it. Nevermind the fact that this conversation doesn't even make any sense.

Dio: Hey, they're here!
Godeslas: Ha, hahahahaha! Well done!! Well done, Goofus. I knew you could do it.
Rhade: Your so-called revolution is over. Do you have anything to say before you die?
Frederick: Even if I die here, a new leader will emerge after me. It may be difficult for you to understand, but the flame of revolution will not be extinguished by my death. The fight for freedom will continue as long as this kingdom remains corrupt.
Rhade: The hell with revolution! How dare you mock us!!



Oh, that’s right! Thanks; I completely forgot.

Rhade: Goofus, finish him off.
G&G: ...!!!
Rhade: What, you can't do it Goofus? You disobey my order? I guess you share the same blood as your father...traitor's blood.
G&G: What?!
Rhade: Did I say something wrong, Goofus? You're the son of Ankiseth 'the murderer' isn't that right?



G&G: You!!

Me?

Godeslas: Calm down, Goofus! Are you going to bring disgrace to yourself, just like your father? ...Listen to me. They are the source of unwanted chaos to this kingdom. Unless we do something, this kingdom will be destroyed...all Palatinus will be left in ruins!



Nope.

Godeslas: You want to protect the kingdom, don't you? Goofus, execute him. Only then will this war end. This will be it. ...Finish him.



Under normal circumstances I’d make a joke about Mortal Kombat and Fatalities and the “Finish Him!” voice or something, but this is different. This is the single most important decision in the game. We'll be picking option two. I’ll be talking about it more in this episode’s addendum. But for now, let's continue with the story.

G&G: ......
Rhade: What's wrong with you? You can't do it again? Well, too bad for you, Goofus. You can expect a demotion!



Loud Person Who Always Talks Out Loud At The Movie Theater: I told you he was no good! I told you! I told you!!!

Dio: Let me do it.
G&G: Dio...



Rhade: Good thing someone has guts. What's your name?
Dio: Dio...Diomedes Rangue!
Rhade: Fine then. Go ahead, Diomedes. If you can, I'll take you back to the Central Division with me.





Loud Person Who Always Talks Out Loud At The Movie Theater: Ooooooh, I can’t watch!

Loud Person Who Always Talks Out Loud At The Movie Theater: Awww, yay! He’s good after all!!! See, I told you he was a good guy. I told you.

Dio: Go, Goofus! I'll take care of them!







Frederick: Thank you for saving my life, Goofus.
G&G: It was nothing.

Yeah, you’re right. Mostly because you didn’t do it.

Frederick: But, was that the right action for you to take? You are now wanted by the army...no, by the entire kingdom.
G&G: I'm not exactly sure myself, but I have no regrets.
A Voice: You'd better not regret it, Goofus. If you do, then we did all that for nothing.



Hugo: You young people are so reckless...that was too much excitement for an old guy like myself.
G&G: Hugo, Leia! Why are you here?
Leia: Why are we here!? We went along with your decision, Goofus! You're our commander, remember? Com-man-der! We're supposed to follow you, no matter what!

Even if you’re a traitor, apparently.

Hugo: Leia's got a point. It all comes down to following our hearts. Goofus, don't feel responsible for us being with you.
G&G: I'm sorry. It's my fault you went through all this trouble...
Dio: Hey! Didn't you listen to what the old man said? 'You don't have to feel responsible.' You still don't get it? I chose to be here! I'll probably have more fun if I stick around with you...than to get back in the army and work my butt off trying to become a knight.
G&G: Th...thank you.
Dio: Man, you're not the type of guy who says stuff like that. But Goofus, what are we gonna do now? No way in hell can we get back into the Southern Division.



I know we killed something like 12,000 of you but now we want to join you. Is that cool?

G&G: As soldiers of the Palatinean Army, we've hurt countless people. I can't make up for what I've already done, but I want to do whatever I can for the people in this kingdom. Please allow us to join you!
Frederick: A person's history does not matter to us. Anyone willing to strive for the end of the class system and declare independence from the Holy Lodis Empire is welcome. Many people are still being tyrannized by the Palatinean Army, right here in the Southern Region. We need as much help as we can get to save them...we need people that we can trust. Goofus, I need you to decide right now. Are you willing to lay down your life for our cause?
G&G: I won't look away from the brutality anymore. We'll do our best for the Revolutionary Army...for this kingdom!

So we’re now the bad guys…but now the bad guys are the good guys. And the previously good guys are the bad guys. And all of this because Goofus talked to a guy in a floppy hat for a few minutes and decided that that was worth throwing away everything he’s ever worked for. And for some reason, all of his troops went AWOL with him.

I dunno; it’s a JRPG. Just go with it.

I have tomorrow off so I’m planning a double-sized update. We’ll be beginning the quests to unlock the Dragoon and Princess, as well as picking up two new characters and taking on our first missions under the Revolutionary Army’s flag.

The Most Important Decision

Remember that choice that I said was super important? If you pick option two and you chose to fought Dio at the beginning of the game, he leaves your group permanently.

Also, if you pick option two, the Zenobians won’t ask to join your group, whereas they will if you pick option one.

And remember Biske, that werewolf I've been talking about? If the Zenobians even ask to join your group, then you can’t recruit him. Even if you turn them down. Just having them ask makes him unrecruitable. So this decision affects whether or not one character will stay, and whether six others will join you or not. Kind of a big deal.

Thankfully for us, it’s not though. We decided to do a no-Zenobians/low-CF playthrough, so that means picking option two.

If it makes those of you who wanted to recruit the Zenobians feel any better, the Zenobians have some serious handicaps. Debonair can’t change his weapon or accessory, Destin can’t change his accessory, and Saladin can’t change his weapon. Aisha and Gilbert are identical to the Priestess and Beast Master classes except in appearance and Saladin is almost identical to an Archmage...so they’re not really anything special. Debonair and Destin are, but unfortunately, Debonair’s inability to change his weapon limits his effectiveness a tiny bit. So, while they’re all good, they’re not truly great or anything. We’re really only missing out on Destin here. He's the only one who is truly great, but we can get by without him.

Status Report



So here’s what our army looks like now. The Amazon in G&G's unit is now an Archer, the Amazon in Lichald's unit is now a Sorceress, Dio's unit now has two Fencers and an Archer, and Leia's unit now has a Cleric and an Archer. Everything's going pretty well...unfortunately, next mission we'll be getting two new characters, so we might need to be making some changes soon. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Also, did you see what I did to Leia's unit? I gave her a Cleric first, and then later an Archer to help with damage. But more importantly, I gave her a Cleric. Leia's unit isn't very strong, but it was always just strong enough to win an encounter. It just took multiple encounters to beat an enemy since her unit is weak. That was difficult because the damage would add up quickly, forcing Leia to rest a lot. But now we have a Cleric to heal, so that eliminates the need to rest a bit (fatigue is still a factor, but it's not as big of a deal). Leia's unit is now useful as a kind of damage-over-time type of unit.

But anyway, everything's going well. I've decided to invest the time necessary to get a Dragoon and a Princess as well as a Lich, but that's it. No Angel Knights/Seraphs or Vampires. That's just too much.

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I don't know where you got that from, but that's wrong. He does have an ending with her, but he is not a high CF character. Technically speaking all characters can be recruited if you stay at a neutral CF and their other perquisites are met...so it is possible to have the two of them on the same team regardless of whether you're going for a high or low CF. But Biske isn't a high CF character.

Done. Peach is the Cleric in G&G's unit with Mario, and Daisy is the Cleric in Dio's unit with Luigi.

I can name an Archer Fran, sure. But I've already got names for all of my Paladins, Swordmasters, and Dark Knights. Sorry.

Next update (or possibly/probably next next update) I'm going to through and show all of the renamed characters and point out who still needs names. I think that will work better.

They have to gain 100 exp points, but they gain a different type of exp than regular units do. Each battle they win, they gain 2 exp points for each tiny person. After they get 100, they turn into either a Fighter or Amazon, depending on the gender of the unit leader.

Seven, but it's totally not worth it because Centurions are awful. They're crappy fighters, and the only noteworthy thing they can do is lead a legion...but legions are awful, so they really can't do anything.

From what I remember Biske was a freedom fighter before being sent to prison by Ankiseth. I could very well be wrong, but that fact, combined with the fact that he has another ending with a high CF character fairly screams high CF. I know you can't get him if you get Ankiseth, but I wasn't aware you couldn't get the Zenobians either. Are you sure about that? I know thats definetly true for Carth, but that seems strange for Biske's case

So the most important decision of the game is choosing between, "No!" or "I don't really feel like it"? Am I correct in assuming that you join the revolutionaries regardless?

Before we move on with the story, it's high time we get started on the Dragoon and Princess sidequests. You guys want a Dragoon, right? I know that so far no one has mentioned wanting a Dragoon but it sounds cool, right? Right! Since this is optional stuff, I’d usually save it for the addendum section of my update…but since the Dragoon, Lich, and Princess quests are pretty long and involved and were requested by you readers, I’ll be talking about them in the main part of each update instead. First, let's head back to Mylesia. That’s the map where we found Troi and escorted Prince Yumil (see episode 5).

Our first order of business is to head to the town of Idorf. We’ll be heading back here later too, but that’s literally weeks away from now.

Old Man: Decades ago...When I was young...the mountains were filled with furious dragons that terrorized us. However, their presence wasn't without benefit. Many Dragoons visited to train, and to slay the dragons. Our economy flourished. In time, the dragons have become more scarce.



Old Man: As a result, blacksmiths were forced to cultivate the land...making farm tools and kitchen utensils to make a living.



Damn Dirty Hippy: It's a metaphor for our dependence on oil, man! We need to take down the system!!!

Old Man: Huh? You want to know where they are? They're rumored to be in Burgunny at Gunter Piedmont, and Kynora near Mount Ithaca.

You know the blacksmiths he’s talking about? Well apparently there’s only two of them, That's right; this town's economy depended entirely on two people.

Old Man: They can barely eke out an existence. Heating, shaping, hardening...artists who wish to make true weapons are all that are left.

Ooookay. Whatever that means. So...there used to be Dragoons and apparently the people who used to make stuff for Dragoons are in Gunter Piedmont and Mount Ithaca. And hey, we're heading to Gunther Piedmont next! Looks like we'll to pay this blacksmith a visit, huh? This is all we need to do in Mylesia for now, so let's head back to the first area of the game, the Tenne Plains, to get started on the first half of the Princess quest.

The Princess quest is way more involved overall than the Dragoon quest, but the first half (which we're about to start) isn't that bad. The second half, though? Absolute murder…but whatever. We need to send a female-led unit to the town of Bordeux.

Noblewoman: I moved here with my husband, but how...how could a refined woman like myself live out in the country?



Ah ha! Our first truly engrishy moment! No "maybe it was a typo" justification here! But don't worry folks, this is but the first of many. Later on we'll find a town where the townspeople speak in Japanese. I forget which map it is, but I hope to find it again.

Noblewoman: I can give it to the dressmaker in Billney in Tenne Plains. I've never seen such gorgeous dresses anywhere. Why not have one made for yourself, instead of fighting like barbarians?



Maybe now you can see why quests in this game are a pain in the ass. If not; don't worry. It will become obvious in time. We’re done here. There's nothing else we can do for now, but after the next two missions we'll have to do some investigating. But enough of this, let's move the story along. Time to head to Gunther Piedmont in the east.

Frederick: I would like you and the PANTS Platoon to act as mobile force. Commanded by you, of course.
G&G: Mobile force? Are we on our own?
Frederick: That's correct. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I need you to go to the mine in Gunther. And once you liberate the area, head north to Dardunnelles.

Yeah, it's a bit "inconveinent" that we won't haven't any back up. Prick.

Frederick: You will understand why once you get there. I'll be counting on you, Goofus.

Next, Hugo and Goofus talk a bit. Goofus is worried that Frederick doesn't trust him since they've basically been sent on a suicide mission, and Hugo brushes the whole thing off. It seems weird to me that Hugo isn't the least bit concerned. Hugo mentions that Goofus needs to earn Frederick's trust, and that's the purpose of this mission. And he's right...but he's also sending the PANTS Platoon into almost certain doom, and Hugo's not even a tiny bit concerned? …Maybe he's suicidal?



This map is a bit tricky. There's a path through the mountains that leads to the enemy's HQ, but it's Ambush Central if we take that route. Or we can go around and take the extremely long way and go through with no problems. Or we can do both and get tons of exp and loot! In addition, the town of Cayes in the southwest of the map has something important that we need to pick up. So I'll be sending Goofus down the outer path, and everyone else will tackle the mountains.

Hugo: Now, we have one more objective. To rescue a man...a man who could be of great help to the Revolutionary Army.
G&G: Who is he?
Hugo: Asnabel Birall...he was once known as the Iron Hammer of Palatinus. If he didn't rebel against Lodis, he would've been a high-ranking officer by now, but...he's quite a stubborn fellow.
G&G: Do you know him?
Hugo: I guess you can say so. Well, Goofus? Isn't this a good opportunity for us to gain their trust? If we complete this assignment, we'd certainly be part of grander operations as members of the Revolutionary Army.



Hugo: It's mere coincidence, except...for you.

Wouldn't that make it not a coincidence, then?

Hugo: I fought alongside Ankiseth, your father.
G&G: My father!? Then you were in the Central Division...
Hugo: That's right. I know Ankiseth was assigned as Prince Yumil's bodyguard, that you and Prince Yumil were friends, and...I also know what actually took place during that incident. (see Episode 5 for details!)
G&G: I wouldn't have imagined.
Hugo: I didn't intend to hide it. It's just that I couldn't find the right moment to tell you.

Really? It's taken you this long? He was famous; a ton of people knew him. I'm sure you're not the only one who knows Goofus' dad. Eh, whatever.

Hugo: I understand why you wanted to keep some distance between you and your father. But it's now a thing of the past. For me...and for you and your father. Come on, we need to go.

At the start of the battle I immediately split my forces up. BJ and Rumpus are able to kill the leader of a Valkyrie unit that was guarding the stronghold near the mountain path…



…and Lichald and G&G are able to push away the guard of the other stronghold. After liberating the stronghold near the mountains...



Two Beast Tamer units spawn and begin making their way towards us. G&G is able to finish off the Knight unit that was guarding the other stronghold and heads south to the city of Cayes. More on this in a bit. For now, we need to focus on the two Beast Tamers and the weakened-but-still-alive Valkyrie unit.



Leia's unit is able to take out the Beast Tamer's leader, which is really all that matters. Remember, once a unit is leader-less, it won't retreat to a stronghold to heal or try and capture any of your own. This is an even bigger deal in this case because the Beast Tamer was boosting the strength of the two Hellhounds, and with him gone, they'll be even easier to handle. It still needs to be finished off, but it can wait. Leia makes a tactical retreat and BJ and Rumpus kick the living hell out of the second unit. Now we have three leaderless units that we can deal with whenever we choose…which is good because Wario and one of the Valkyries in Leia's unit were severely hurt and need time to rest.



Meanwhile, after clashing with a Valkyrie and Sorcessess unit a few times, G&G is able to liberate the town of Cayes. Remember how I said this town was important?

Young Girl: Do you belong to the Revolutionary Army? Please...



No, no…the other one. The confectioner, Asnabel the Tooth Melter. Yes, you idiot! That Asnabel!

Young Girl: A while ago, before you arrived...he was arrested for contacting the Revolutionary Army. I beg you, please save Asnabel...
G&G: Don't worry, that's exactly why we're here.



G&G: If you'd like, I can take you back to my place. Chicka-chicka-booowww wowww.

…but yeah, we're taking her.

G&G: If you'd like...but why are you so worried?
Katreda: My name is Katreda Birall. Asnabel is my father.
Atlus: Abrupt scene change upon revelation.

If we don't pick up Katreda before the mission ends, then we can't pick up Asnabel after the mission. So that's why we had to take the long road no matter what. G&G is going to rest up for a bit, so let's head back up north...



Where things have gotten a bit cluttered. Two of the leaderless units have driven themselves to fatigue from running in circles so much. They get taken care of as Lichald heads in to take the stronghold.



Our first combination spell! This is a horrible picture, but Maxwell and our Generic Sorceress cast Clay Assault on our enemies. Hurray! I tried to get a better screenshot, but it's pretty hard since Clay Assault has a fast animation. This is the best one I could get.

And seriously, what was this guy thinking? A Phalanx and four Soldiers? He must be suicidal too. Him and Hugo should go shop at Hot Topic together.



So now we've got G&G headed to the east to take the last stronghold, and everyone else is on mop up duty. Then it'll be boss raping time and we can all go home. …at least that's the theory. While on mop up duty, another two units spawn in the mountains and attack Lichald's unit. He's able to get away with no problems, but he needs to rest for a while and we have to carry on without him.

G&G are able to liberate the town in the south, so now we're all set to take on the boss. Once we finish mopping up, of course.



Mopping up takes a while (we still aren't done when I took this picture) but we're almost there. Leia's unit encountered a wild Golem, but we weren't able to tame it. Which is a bit of a shame, but it’s hard to kill a Golem in one turn with your weakest unit anyway.

Makisi: So you're Goofus, eh? Traitor!



Says the guy who uses an axe. Makisi is in the middle of the front row, so he's basically a giant bullseye. The chump goes down in one encounter.

Makisi: I...lost...? I, impossible...how could they...kill...



Hey, a Flame Flail. We can give that to one of our Berserkers.

Katreda: Father!
G&G: Are you alright? We're safe now.
Katreda: I can't thank you enough for saving my father.
Asnabel the Iron Hammer: You're Goofus? Why did you risk your life to save me?



I like how Asnabel responds to his own question. Nevermind the fact that it doesn't make any sense.

Asnabel: It's an old story. It looks like my daughter's made her mind up to join you. No more problems should arise here...what would you say if I offered my services to your battalion?



Are you kidding me? Do you see that beard? Hell yeah we'll take him!

G&G: We gladly accept your offer, Asnabel.
Asnabel: Alright, then! I will fight for the people of Palatinus.

So we've now got a Cleric and a Berserker, and no place for them to go. Uh oh. Well, before we worry about that there are still a few more things we need to do. A few more sidequest-y things we need to do, to be precise. First I need to put Katreda and Asnabel in a unit, so for now I make a new unit with just the two of them. Let's go back to Gunther Piedmont.

Remember how Troi was able to get the Hallowed Shield? Well, Asnabel and Katreda have special items they can get too. Plus, we can buy Dragon Helms (for Dragoons) in just a minute. G&G gets sent to the town of Burgunny and runs into a man wearing the most awesome hat ever.



Guy With Awesome Hat: Cuz my wife's an Indigan...I'm afraid of her...hiccup! Nag me about my drinking!? I ain't...I ain't afraid! Hiccup! I'm...got it!? Hiccup!

The next day we come back and find out a bit more about Guy with Awesome Hat.

Barkeep: Did you see that drunk? He was a skilled blacksmith, but his wife left him because of his drinking.



Barkeep: Why do you ask? I don't think it's a good idea to get involved in their problems. It's none of our business. Don't you think?

NO I DON'T. I need him to make me a helm, damn it. While Goofus is chatting it up with drunks, Asnabel and Katreda head to Kinseya and...



Asnabel: And who might you be?

It's me, your illegitimate daughter!

Young Woman: We were taken prisoners at the Gunther Mine. You helped us survive. Without your encouragement, we would've lost all hope.

Asnabel: Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that apparently even though it was literally yesterday. Right.

Asnabel: I just did what I had to do. Don't make a big deal over it.

Young Woman: I'd join you if I could...but, I'm no soldier. Please take this. This helmet has been passed down through the history of Alba. I have no use for it.



How the hell are random townspeople getting all these rare items? Anyway, time to go to Inekell for more townspeople-giving-away-Godly-items-goodness.

Woman: Haven't seen you in a while, Katreda. How are you doing?



...in bed!! Ha ha!! Get it!?

I mean sexually!

Woman: That's great. Your mother entrusted me with this...
Katreda: My mother?
Woman: She asked me to give this to you when you grew up. If you must sell it, it will fetch a good price. But I would try not to.



The Angel's Brooch isn't very useful, but it possibly raises the chances of creating an Angel Knight. If you have a female character who meets the requirements of becoming an Angel Knight, and you let them die in battle, there’s a chance they may come back as an Angel Knight. And supposedly the Angel’s Brooch boosts the odds of that happening but it’s never been definitively proved. But I hope it’s true, because otherwise this thing is absolutely worthless.

The Helm of the Fearless, however, is not. It boosts your STR by 20 and DEX by 5, but lowers your AGI by 15. So you miss less and hit harder but dodge less. That's a very fair trade, I'd say. It turns whichever unit wears into a physical powerhouse. Typically units that need STR and DEX don’t need AGI anyway, so this thing has basically no downsides.

We’re still not done though. It’s time to wrap up the first stage of the Dragoon quest. First we'll need to head back to the Volmus Mine map a third time. Goofus then heads to Senal to meet with the blacksmith's wife.

Guy with Awesome Hat’s Wife: I see. He's causing trouble...I'll give him one last chance. I'm sorry to cause you trouble. Please come to our store when you visit Burgunny. He may be a drunk, but he's skilled at helmet making. Perhaps, he's one of the best in the kingdom.



Yeah, how's about free? I had to walk for weeks to get this news to you.

Guy with Awesome Hat’s Wife: Oops, I'm sounding like a salesman! Hahaha...

Yeah, very funny. Make me come out all this way, and you can’t give me a helm for free? Come on! Anyway, back to Burgunny one last time.



Guy with Awesome Hat’s Wife: I think my husband learned his lesson. He quit drinking and devoted himself to his work. Honey, these are the people who convinced me to come back here. You should thank them.

Guy with Awesome Hat: Uh...yeah. I don't remember much, cuz I was drunk...but, uh, thanks anyway.

Guy with Awesome Hat’s Wife: Hmm. He can't even thank you properly. I'm really sorry. It doesn't seem like it, but he really appreciates what you did. He's just shy...our store is open year-round, from 7 to 7. This is the only place that sells Dragoon helmets, so please come again.

Now we can buy a Dragon Helm for 260 Goth. Alright, part one of three of the Dragoon quest is done. Soon we’ll be getting the Dragon Armor, and way later in the game we’ll get the Sword of Tiamat and we’ll be done.

That’s it for today’s update, but be sure to check this episode’s bonus section for an in-depth explanation of the changes I’ve made to our army, as well as an announcement regarding character names. And when I say in-depth, I mean it. Consider yourself warned! Be sure to check out the naming announcement though; that’s fun for children of all ages.

Status Report



Alright, we've got two new characters and no place to put them. We've got a new axe/hammer type weapon and new helm which seriously boosts the attack power of its wearer and they need to go somewhere. Let’s figure this out.

Asnabel is a Berserker, and I really don’t see any reason why we should change his class. Berserkers are Chaotic, so Asnabel either needs to get worked into a Chaotic unit or have a new unit made. Katreda is a Cleric, so she needs to either get worked into a Lawful unit or have a Lawful unit made for her. Of course, I could have just used Soldiers from the beginning and then now I’d have extra characters to fill in the gaps…but I hate using Soldiers so I didn’t, and now we’re semi-screwed. But it’s okay. There are a few ways out of this. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it, and I have a plan.

Katreda can replace someone very easily since we already have three Clerics. Asnabel can too since we have multiple Berserkers, but Wario and Lichald have both been really good so far, so I don’t want to change them. Katreda is on par with Peach (G&G’s Cleric) and Dionne (Leia’s Cleric) in terms of healing, and she’s worse than Daisy (Dio’s Cleric). I don’t want her to replace someone who’s better than her, and since I’ve got the Mario/Peach thing going with Peach that makes Dionne the most likely candidate for replacement. I can take Dionne out of Leia’s unit and change her job to something else. I experimented a bit and she makes an above average sorceress. Sorceress are Chaotic, so I can take Wario out of BJ and Rumpus’ unit and replace him Dionne as a Sorceress. Dionne and Mary’s (the generic Sorceress in BJ’s unit) elements are compatible, so they’ll be eligible to use combination magic. Wario can go with Asnabel and form a new unit. So they’re not alone, I can take Troi or WhiteMage (the Ninja) out of Lichald’s unit and replace him with a Soldier. Asnabel’s unit can be rounded out with some Soldiers as well. The end result will look like this:



This setup is ideal for a few reasons:
- G&G, Dio, and Leia’s units all remain the same.
- BJ’s unit loses a bit of physical power but gains a significant amount of magical power in return.
- Lichald’s unit loses little in terms of physical power since ninjas are fairly weak anyway, and may potentially produce a new Fighter for us.
- Asnabel’s unit has some decent physical power, and will eventually produce a new Fighter for us to use. In addition, new characters we find will now have a unit to go into.
- The “peer pressure” aspect of alignment (see Episode 1 Addendum) will help a great deal here too. Katreda is leaning Lawful, and she’s now in a unit full of Lawful leaners. This will help push all of them into full tilt Lawfulness. Dionne was Neutral, and now she’s in the most Chaotic unit I have, so she’ll quickly turn Chaotic (which is what we want her to do so she can switch to the upgraded version of the Sorceress later). Wario and Asnabel are both leaning Chaotic, so this will help put WhiteMage over the edge (again, which is what we want).

So, does this sound good to everyone? I have a save state made before I made all these changes, so if you have any other ideas we do that instead. I still haven't given the Flame Flail and Helm of the Fearless to anyone yet, so if you have any opinions on that, let me know (I'm torn between rewarding Lichald with both or splitting them between Asnabel and Wario).

Character Names

A lot of character names have been put forth, and Witsu’s recent post made me realize I don’t have enough characters and/or the right characters to implement all of them. So I’m going to take the time and show what units I have renamed and what ones still need names.

G&G’s Unit – G&G
Badguy – Knight (he stays no matter what)
Mario – Knight
Peach – Cleric
Fran – Archer
Dio’s Unit – Dio
Luigi – Fencer
Ozzy – Fencer
Daisy – Cleric
Gillian – Archer
Leia’s Unit - Leia
Katreda
Kitty - Archer
Monica – Valkyrie
Kasha - Valkyrie
BJ’s Unit - Beef Jerky – Beast Tamer
Rumpus – Hellhound
Mary – Sorceress
Dionne – Sorceress
Lichald’s Unit - Lichald – Berserker
Maxwell – Wizard
Sarah – Sorceress
Troi
Asnabel’s Unit - Asnabel
Wario – Berserker
WhiteMage - Ninja

The names in bold are the default names and I would like to change them. For the record, we have three Sorceresses, two Valkyries, and an Archer that all need names. I’m sorry for not implementing all of the names you’ve all suggested, but there’s only so many characters I can name and there was a lot of overlap so I had to pick which ones I liked the best. Some of you suggested names for classes I don’t have yet, so if you want me to I can use those names for these characters. Or if any of you have any new ones you’ve come up with, let me know.

I initially took Jimm’s request and named everyone in Dio’s unit after metal singers etc., but there were too many other requests and I had to lower it to two members. Sorry Jimm! And I don’t have anything “big” yet so I figured naming a Ninja WhiteMage would be a good substitute, Elfir.

Viewer Mail

I'm like 99% sure, yeah. He's a low CF character through and through. Like I said, you can still recruit him along with some of the high CF characters...just not Ankiseth or the Zenobians. It makes sense that he would be, but his inherent werewolf-ness kind of ruins the ability for him to be a high CF character.

Yes, you join regardless. If you say no then G&G changes his mind and agrees to do it after all, and then cuts Frederick's ropes himself. Your choice also affects the story in some ways, but there are other more important choices story-wise that are made later. This one is the "most important" because it affects the greatest number of special characters you can or cannot recruit.

This is what I love about games like OB64 -- fiddling around with the characters and making sure that everything is just so. I guess that means I've got a little twink in my DNA, but ah well.

...I'm not sure I follow you.

Man, I wish so hard that I had the 50 hours to play this game again right now. Stupid thesis.

Did Thor just join the PANTSPlatoon? I think Thor just joined the PANTSPlatoon.

This is, by far, the ugliest update I’ve made so far. Things go wrong right from the beginning. But it’s okay; I’m able to pull out a victory in the end. Come watch me suffer, won’t you?



Godeslas: What brings you here? Do you need to take care of some business?

Remember this mother fucker. This mother fucker right here. He is bad news.

Baldwin: The Southern Region...is in terrible condition.
Godeslas: ...A, am I to be punished?
Baldwin: No, I didn't come here for that. But the Triumvirate is taking the matter quite seriously. ...Punishment is inevitable.
Godeslas: ...



Baldwin: And you have been good to me for a long time...



Baldwin: ...Are you willing to try it?
Godeslas: ...Wh, what is that?
Baldwin: This will grant you power. ...There are some risks involved, though.



Umm...you're the commander now. Shouldn't people be reporting to you?

Destin: Long time no see...Goofus, right?
G&G: Y, you're...!
Destin: Last time we met, we were still on opposing sides...I'm Destin Faroda. Glad to make your acquaintance.
G&G: Me, too. Um, I apologize for the other day.
Destin: ...?
G&G: I lashed out at you without understanding the intentions of the Revolutionary Army.
Destin: Oh, that. It's no big deal. Everyone has a thing or two in their past. What's important is that you're here, by your own will...As long as your will is strong, I'm glad you decided to join the Revolutionary Army.
G&G: Thank you, Destin.
Destin: Alright, next topic. There is a reason why we wanted you to come here. Currently, the reinforcements from the Central Division are heading for Akka Castle. I want you to liberate this area and prepare for the encounter with the enemy reinforcements. And at the same time, we will conduct the assault on Akka Castle!
G&G: I see. Leave this area to me.
Destin: We're relying on you, Goofus.
Hugo: Now, let me explain the details.



This map is deceptively simple. It seems like there's no real need to capture the neutral stronghold down south, and as long as the enemy doesn't have any flying units we won't need to worry about it being captured and used as a base to assault our HQ. We'll split everyone up and send half north and then east and the east through the mountains. ...And we'll just hope that there's no units waiting off screen to come and invade our HQ. /foreshadowing



You know, a few maps ago it was all up to us to stop the revolution. Now it's all up to us to make it succeed. Do we have to do everything around here!?

Hugo: The course of the revolution depends on the outcome of this operation.

Fun Fact: Even though he was present during that entire scene, Saradin had no dialogue. Go figure.



Holy crap! Two seconds into the battle and we're already under attack! I figured we might as well test Asnabel's unit out against them, and it went pretty well. The Doll Master unit makes a break for the neutral stronghold, but Asnabel is able to hunt him down before that happens. It takes a few encounters, and this highlights Asnabel's unit's biggest weakeness: no healers, and a lot of low defense classes. Asnabel is going to need to rest for a while, and this is going to be one of our more item-dependent units. Chaotic units in general are pretty item intensive, but one with a Ninja and two Berserkers? That's just asking for trouble.



Meanwhile, G&G and Leia head north to liberate Melphy (remember this town, we'll be heading here later!) while Dio/BJ/Lichald head east. Dio runs into a Wizard unit and...



Revolutionary Soldier: I knew about the reinforcements, but who did this, before we even arrived?

Off Screen: Help! Someone, help me!!



OH SHIT OGRES