Part 41: Bonus 2 - Chapter 11B: Escape to Freedom

Bonus 2 - Chapter 11B: Escape to Freedom


Following his advice, Roy led his forces south toward the isle of Caledonia, which was one of the three largest islands of the Western Isles.

Located on Caledonia was Castle Idina. Here, men from all over the Isles were rounded up and locked in prison cells to be sent to Mt Ebrakhm, the Mines of Death. When Roy arrived at Castle Idina, the situation was already looking grim...

The Mines of Death. Riiiight.







You idiot! If we stay there, we have no choice but to work and work until we die! You're going to put up with that!? Don't you have family or something back home?

Yeah...

If we escape to the northeast, there are some people who can help us. We just have to make it that far!

”Wait, you mean that’s why they call them the Mines of Death? Shit.”



What were the guards doing!?



...That means there is someone among our ranks who is making contact with the enemy. Morgan!



Yes, my lord.

I will return to the capital at Djuto. Keep sending workhands to Ebrakhm! I can't afford to lose that mine now!



Yes, that is Castle Idina. The people captured from around the Isles are first imprisoned there before being sent to Mt Ebrakhm. Today happens to the day of the month on which they are transported to the mines. Rescuing them after that could be difficult.

Then we have to hurry!

Yes. I have already sent some spies to sneak into the castle and help the captives escape.

How will they release them?

I have told them to send the captives to the northeast of the castle. In other words, here.

All right. Let's help the people first, and then we can attack the castle!



11B, relatively short and an easy map on the whole. Geese will be coming out from the village on turn 6, so Roy's entourage will be heading down that way, while Fir is needed on the north side.

Watch out, Fir. Lots of axes up there.



Elphin makes his proper debut, coming with all kinds of goodies for us. Considering this run is effectively over this chapter anyway, I have him use the Angelic Robe so he doesn't die horribly.



Starting in the southwest corner, there are four citizens that will make their way up to our starting position. They are...less than sturdy. And of course, there is a reward should all four of them successfully escape.

By Radiant Dawn, civilian NPC children would evolve to actually have stats.



The ballista to the south is garden variety, but this guy has a new toy. Long Ballistae are more or less exactly what they say on the tin. Just as a longbow is a bow with 2-3 range instead of 2, a long ballista increases from 3-10 to...



Fifteen. Fifteen goddamn spaces. And an extra 5 Mt compared to vanilla ballistae. He's surrounded by mountains, so the only units that can rush him are Tate and Thany, and he'll gladly get out of the ballista to attack them with his Steel Bow if you get in close, plus he has a Shaman friend to boot. Just leave him alone and let him waste his bolts on high-avoid people.

Now, since this chapter is the end of the line for this group, I figured I would have some fun and show off some people who have been left behind in the main run.



This is also a chapter in which we get see some rather ridiculous promotion gains. Sue picks up an extra 6 HP, and 4 Res isn't exactly shabby.



Clarine's aren't quite as impressive, but she got more magic in that single promotion than she did in 10 levels.



Dieck picks up 4 Def, but otherwise this is a pretty ho-hum promotion. On a more practical note, he does have enough Con to use every single sword (except Zephiel's personal one) and almost every axe (Steel, Hammer, and Halberd are 15 Wt, Brave is 16, Devil is 18) without any speed penalties.



Cavalier -> Paladin is another solid, if boring promotion.



Sweet Christ IntSys. 8 HP is overkill for any unit, but especially for a fighter, whose main role is to be a sack of HP that smacks you really hard with an axe. And IntSys deserves two kicks in the balls for FE7's Warrior promtion now. One for not giving them any speed, and a second for taking it out when the fucking prequel already had a perfectly serviceable promotion.

There is an ongoing effort to establish the exact criteria IntSys uses to decide when and in what contexts to be total assholes. It is going poorly.



He sings, he does the exact same thing as Lalum, what do you want me to say about it?

There appears to be a bird on his shoulder. That’s something.



Bows still suck as a primary weapon, but they're ludicrously useful as a secondary. Hand Axes have the same base hit as a Steel Axe (50) and Warriors aren't exactly known for their skill, which means bows give them a ranged option that actually might hit something, and still hits hard enough to do some serious damage thanks to their strength. Even with an Iron Bow, Lot can still two-shot this guy with a 97% chance of landing.



Meanwhile, Alan gets a little overzealous in dealing with a fighter.



Is anyone capable of dodging these things? Anyone at all?

I love the Fighter animation for the sole reason that it uses this particular frame to pause while the enemy’s HP ticks down.



The berserker is the big threat, but Fir is up in the mountains, so she's pretty much guaranteed to dodge, and the cavalry is sitting just outside of everyone's range.


Then please take this. I grabbed it when I was escaping from the castle. I hope everyone else made it out okay... [Got Red Gem]

Psh, you aren't even as loaded as a runaway Etrurian prince that everyone thinks is dead, get out of here kid.



The druid, shaman, and fighter pop up on turn 4 and start chasing the villagers. They're not in much danger, since they have a two-turn head start on escaping, and the enemies are behind by 10 or so tiles in the first place.



It should also be pointed out that despite being able to easily one-shot them, the ballista asshole won't target the villagers. Of course, had Elphin not used that Angelic Robe, he'd have been one-shot by the ballista as well.



Unfortunately, Fir only attracted the one fighter, so we have to be a little more proactive with our murdering. Rutger finishes the fighter that Fir weakened, and Sue moves up to attack the next one.





Recent events have solidified the Nomad Trooper Sword Crit as pretty much everyone’s favourite GBA Fire Emblem Animation ever. Not that anyone needed any more reasons to love it.



Turn 6 starts a couple turns of pirate reinforcements. We already saved the village, so Roy and Lilina hang out to murder a few.


Blah blah exact same conversation as in 10A



Also on turn 6, Geese shows up to help us kill some pirates. He still has his B rank in Axes, but no Brave Axe this time around, just the Steel and Hand varieties.



Anyway, Roy brings him into the fold, and he continues murdering some pirates with Lilina.



In the north, Fir is still getting terrible levels.



Rutger kills the berserker, so the civilians are in the clear.



Alan and Dieck charge ahead - the only enemies of note left are the mercs by the castle anyway, so no reason to keep them back here.



The druid and shaman present a problem, because together they can one-shot basically anyone in our army. Fortunately, we can just overpower them. Lot can easily eat the hit and is just strong enough to kill the druid.



Similarly, Sue is just strong enough to off the shaman, and the only option the fighter has is to attack her head-on when she has a sword equipped.



Yes.

All right! Then let us be off!

...I'm sorry we made you help us out like this. We know you're looking for your daughter...

Well, you guys helped me, so I should help you in return. Besides, you're fighting with your lives to protect your people. How could I refuse to help such brave men as you?

Why, who is this dashing gentleman?





Okay, so he's not really that amazing. But come on, it's Bartre! And he comes with Geese's Brave Axe!



And just throwing it out there, but HHM was oddly prophetic. Dead on in HP/Str/Spd, and only significantly off in Res, arguably Luck.

And no ludicrously specific requirements for recruiting other characters, either!



Anyway, Fir is the unit of choice here.



Ah, Fir! I was looking for you.

Father, I have made up my mind. I want to become a great swordmaster like Mother...

I understand. I don't mean to drag you home. In fact, I want to assist you in your journey!

Assist me?

There are many hardships on a journey of training. I can help you in tough situations.

But, Father... There would be no point if I didn't overcome those hardships on my own...

Nonsense. Are you saying that you would not be able to train yourself with your father around? Or do you not understand your father's love for worrying about you like this?

No! That's not it...

Good, we understand each other. But first, we must capture that castle! *leaves*

Sigh... I have to tell Master Roy that we're getting another member...





It doesn't take long to reduce things to just Morgan.



Good. Dispatch them immediately. Send them out from the back so that they can defend the castle even if we should be surrounded.



Starting the turn after his little announcement and going for three turns, the castle dumps out a pair of enemies from the back. This can be a nasty surprise, because you can't spawn-camp them like you can fort reinforcements, and it's quite possible that they show up right next to your healer/Elphin/*insert other squishy or injured unit*.



Hurry and kill off the ones who escaped! ...Wha-? Wh-Who are you!?

Bartre's buddies are also as keen as can be on attacking Morgan. It generally ends badly for them.



Morgan isn't too dangerous stat-wise, but he will fuck you up with his weaponry. You never want to be on the recieving end of an effective weapon, and a Silver Axe is quite capable of speaking for itself. The javelin is by far the best thing to deal with, so if you can spare someone like Lugh or Lilina to sit there and tank hits and keep him using it, it's probably a good idea.

The Javelin has 9 less Mt than the Silver Axe and 5 less than the Horseslayer (or 16 if you’re a cavalier). So, yes, it’s preferable.



Bartre comes in to get the ball rolling while Lilina attacks from afar, inaccurate as both of them are.



Lilina pulls a crit out of her ass to wipe the floor with him on a counter.



Who...are you...?



And a shitty level to top off a chapter full of them. Oh well. This run's inconsequential anyway.



...mean that we've rescued all of the people on the Western Isles.

Right. To fully liberate the Western Isles, we must get rid of the Etrurian capital.

All right, then we're going to Djuto next. ...Elphin, may I ask you something?

What is it, Master Roy?

Correct me if I'm wrong. But aren't you someone of high Etrurian nobility?

...! ...And what makes you think that?

Well...I can't really explain it, but... The way you talk, maybe? In Ostia, I learned to study people and make estimates about them. Anyway, am I right?

What would you do if I were who you think I am?

What? No, I wouldn't do anything in particular.

...?

You must have a reason to hide your identity. You can tell me when you feel comfortable about it. Okay?

...

All right, let's go to Djuto! To save these isles and defeat our true enemy!



What! Who are you?

Here, give this to General Roy. Thanks to him, we can see our families again.

We people of the Western Isles never forget when people help us!

Make sure you say thanks for us.

And that we all express our gratitude from the bottom of our hearts! [Got Energy Ring]

-----



Level 1 Bard
Affinity - Light

HP: 15 (80%)
Strength: 1 (5%)
Skill: 3 (5%)
Speed: 10 (65%)
Luck: 11 (65%)
Defense: 4 (25%)
Resistance: 1 (55%)
Con: 6

Elphin may serve the same role as Lalum and be hamstrung by the same unpromoted caps, but he's definitely the better of the two "refresher" units. On average at L20, both Elphin and Lalum will have maxed speed and have around 24 luck (Lalum - 24.2, Elphin - 23.5), but Elphin will have an extra 3 HP, 3 Def, and 2 Res on her. It's not exactly anything to write home about, considering that neither Elphin nor Lalum should really be getting attacked in the first place, but given a choice between the two, Elphin is better in basically every single way.



Level 2 Warrior
Axes - A, Bows - D, Affinity - Thunder

HP: 48 (70%)
Strength: 22 (40%)
Skill: 11 (20%)
Speed: 10 (30%)
Luck: 14 (20%)
Defense: 10 (20%)
Resistance: 3 (5%)
Con: 14

Unless you have a serious beef with the maps themselves, more often than not the choice between the A and B route comes down to how badly you want to use Gonzales and whether you want Echidna or Bartre. Unfortunately for Bartre, the goodwill Elphin gets over Lalum is lost when you compare him to Echidna. He's a bucket of HP and hits pretty damn hard, but heroes are much more useful than warriors on the whole, and Echidna has really good bases. Bartre, on the other hand, is beat out by our Lot in pretty much everything except strength and HP, and Lot got promoted 10 levels early. Bartre isn't bad, but a mediocre warrior loses out to a good hero.

On an unrelated note, Bartre is the third of four returning playable characters from FE7 (the previous two being Merlinus and Marcus). We won't be seeing number four for a long time, but if you paid attention in FE7, you can probably figure out who it is now.