Part 25: Chapter #13: Norze Reclaimed

In honor of Simply Simon, it's a Mittwoch Bonus Update!

Chapter #13: Norze Reclaimed

Briefing



: Yes. The hilly terrain makes it a great place to defend, yet a tough place to attack.
: Nonetheless, it is ours for the taking today!

Interview



For all of the talk about Bastion's many lady loves, it appears that he loves Andrew most of all.
: You need to turn that frown upside-down, Bastion! You're going to give yourself wrinkles!
: Did you hear Andrew speaking of all the girls he's loved before?! I'd gladly love half that many!
: Reyna promised to make us all some brownies after we take Norze Castle! So let's make it quick, okay?!
: I really do find that reflecting on the events of the day while watching the sun sets calms my nerves.
More like ZZZZeira! Okay, that sucked. How about, "well I find youe interviews to be eNERVating."
: Your Highness, the day approaches when the Kingdom will be restored and you will rule over a nation!
: I will never die in combat, Bastion. I don't want to bring that much grief to the women of the Continent...
: Hey! Barlow just ate my sandwich!

Mission



: Well, here goes nothing!
: We're under attack! General, it's the Kingdom Army!
: Dispatch the defense force! Fight with all your strength, men! The Kingdom must be repulsed!
: This is a considerably larger group than I'd expected...
: No time for doubt. Go!!

Right, so, going into this mission, we've been repeatedly told how hard it's going to be to assault Norze Castle because of its superior defensive position. So, what would the dumbest possible defense be?



Hard to think of anything must worse than leaving the safety of the castle to fight the enemy in a situation where they hold the high ground.



This mission is all about proper placement. The key is to hold onto the high ground, because the only way up to it is going up a few narrow paths, and you can use those to bottleneck the enemy forces. This allows you to put your stronger ATACs on those paths, and essentially force the enemy to attack guys like Bastion or Andrew, who they simply aren't going to be able to hit/damage. My positioning in this picture isn't ideal because I haven't closed off the right side of the plateau.



: I'm joining the battle! As always, if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself!

The General will bring out four Einlagers as reinforcements. They weren't threatening four missions ago, and they sure as hell aren't now.



And some more Imperials pour into the gap in my lines. Foch, I ain't. Still, it's not really that dire. Also, the ATAC in the upper-left of the screen is Galvas. I put him in the penalty zone for dying last mission. It's the only way he'll learn.



There, that looks a bit better. Anyway, I should have blocked off the right side a bit sooner, but these ATACs aren't exactly world-beaters, so you should have a comfortable margin for error. At this point, most of the remaining Imperials are stuck trying to attack Andrew and Bastion, who they have no chance in hell of hitting from the front. The mission is practically over even though half of the enemy troops are left.



It's kind of sad, really. The enemy AI simply isn't good enough to do anything but keep throwing its troops against my units, even though they're having zero success. The reason that Sharking are so tough is that otherwise, once a player gets comfortable with the game, and starts getting access to FP-building attacks like Turbulence, every mission would be like this. For balancing purposes, the game needs to have units like the Sharking, which have to be so strong and fast simply to have a chance.



And that's the end of that.
: Victory is ours! (The terrain favored the Imperial troops, and we were outnumbered...but we still emerged victorious! You trained me well, Father. I only wish you were here to see the fruit of your labor.)



: The rest of them resisted with force, and we responded in kind. Their casualties were great. I apologize, Your Highness. I know you would have much preferred to take the castle without bloodshed.
: Indeed, I would have, Galvas...But I know that war and death are inextricably linked.
: This is a great day, Your Highness. We have retaken what the Empire stole from us so long ago. It has been many years since I last walked the great halls of Norze. It brings back many memories. Now we sit on the threshold of the royal capital...We shall reclaim the heart and soul of the Pharastia Kingdom!
I should mention that the royal capital is distinct from the Imperial capital, so it's not like we're about to wipe the Empire off the map.
: Indeed we will, Galvas.
: You feeling okay, old man? Your eyes are redder than Reyna's cheeks after I squeeze a naughty joke!
: Galvas is fine, Andrew! He could battle for three days and still best us all. Besides, can you fault his enthusiasm? The capital lies within our grasp!
: Please take care of yourself, Galvas. I want you at full strength for the battles to come.



Oh, yeah, this guy. What's his name? Short-round? Mighty Mite?
: Of course, Puck! What's going on?
Puck, yeah, that's it!
: I found a Waiban hidden inside the castle's ATAC hangar! It's in really bad shape right now...But there are enough parts here that I could fix the damage and get it up and running! What should I do?
: The Waiban? I'm unfamiliar with that type of ATAC.
: It's an older model, but a very strong one. Ganlon used a Waiban until his well-deserved demise.
: Ah, now I know the one. That WAS a powerful ATAC. You say you can make this Waiban fully operational, Puck?
: You bet, Bastion! I can make it like new! Better than new, even!
: So why are you wasting time talking to me when you should be working?
: Ha, ha, ha. 'Nuff said. Bye!



: The difference being that he doesn't need to liquor up the ATACs before he can touch them...the bastard!
Damn...that's....that's not bad. Sometimes Working Designs' competence makes this a bit harder on me.
: Bastion, we have more to discuss before we try to take the royal capital. The news I am about to impart could have been worse, but it is still quite distressing.
: That doesn't exactly fill me with hope and confidence, Zeira.
: Prince Duyere is now Emperor Duyere. He claimed the throne vacated by his father, as expected.
: Yes, Zeira. The news of Duyere's ascension is hardly surprising. What does it matter to us? We will be destroying his inheritance soon enough!
: I haven't finished. The new Emperor is not content to merely sit around the palace counting his gold...His first act after his ascension was to travel to the royal capital.
: What?!
: It makes perfect sense. Duyere is under suspicion in the death of Degalle. By warring with us, he can focus attention away from himself, impressing the Imperial Army.
: I was rather hoping he'd be an idiot.
: Worse yet, he'll be piloting the Sarbelas, one of the excavated ATACs. They don't come much stronger.
Yeah, okay, that's a blatant lie.
: What, that old relic?! It belongs in a museum, not on the battlefield! Let's go and turn it into scrap metal!
: Well said, Andrew. I pray that your enthusiasm is not dampened by reality. We'd best depart at once...



: This is the royal capital? (This is the place where I was born, and the place where my father...the father I never knew...was slain.)
: Today, we strike a fatal blow to the Empire! Today, we reclaim the heart of the Kingdom! Commence the assault!



But first, let's give Barlow the Waiban we've just got. It took us 13 missions, but we finally have everyone in decent ATACs. What can stop us now?

Next Times: Sharkings! Sharkings can stop us now!