Part 23: Stronghold Campaign, Map Two, Part Two

The Rebels and the Red Jaguars will constantly fight over this town in the center of the map. We're completely safe at the moment as they're ignoring you, but we do have a time limit of 4 months to get our job done (we'll likely get it done in one). We can just clear out our little starting island, which includes all the mines except a Gold Mine.



Harpies might still be fairly dead weight, but at least you can use them to block off large creatures like these Jaguar Warriors from your Centaurs.



The main thing you'll want to do while Sandor is off exploring is build up your town - building your Capitol is important, and creature dwelling wise you'll want to focus on Maulers and Centaurs. Centaurs cost a hefty 8 Crystal, but luckily there's a Crystal Mine just nearby town you can quickly take over. We won't be able to upgrade any creatures on this map, though.

I also managed to get a desciption of one of the fluff weeks in this screenshot - we miss you Sulfur.



There are a free small stack of Dreamwalkers on the island, and Earth and Sky is a much appreciated support tool. First Blood and Earth and Sky allow our Maulers to move 9 paces, allowing them to reach these Pearl Priestesses straight away on the 1st turn.



There's a second Lighthouse on the island, and an Arena with a lot of Sanctuary troops that we're not ready for just yet. We also have a free ship waiting for us, and a Shipyard in case we need more. (It costs 2500 gold and 10 wood to build one) Heroes VI had a much welcome change from the series where you no longer spend an entire turn to get on and off a boat. We'll be spending a large amount of travel at sea, so that's very very helpful.

Click here to listen to the conversation!
How do you say 'Attack!'

Drava.

How do you say 'Advance!'

Drava.

Oh... 'Move out'?

Drava.

Hold your position?

Drava.

Retreat?

Hmmm. Maybe... 'Gurr-DA!'

That sounds pretty aggresive for 'Retreat'..

Nnn. Actually means 'Die where you stand'. But is only battle order that doesn't mean 'Attack!'

The Stronghold campaign is pretty straightforward, little conspiracies or Griffin politics and just Sandor and Kraal poking at each other.



Whirlpools also make a re-appearance. Fortunately they no longer eat up troops along the way, and eseentially act as just two-way portals (the exit location is randomized, but there are only two whirlpools on this map).



Before you go, though, there are two nearby Forts prime for the taking, as well as a stack of free Centaurs and Goblins, a Gold Mine and a creature dwelling. There's also a third Lighthouse just nearby.



The whirlpool dumps us just southeast of the central town. You can go grab it if the Red Jaguars currently have possession of it, or just sail northeast to their territory, passing along a giant crater along the way.

Look at that. Look at the shape, the rocks. It's a crater. But what could have formed it? What explosion, what imapct?

Heh heh heh. Maybe Sharka heard Sandor is defying him. Maybe Sharka's head exploded.

Naaaah. Lady goblin saw Goink, exploded with looooooooove!

I think there's an alternate conversation here in the Blood path, where they theorise it was the aftermath of a battle between the Angels and the Faceless. Either way, the crater has no significance whatsoever and you can sail right through it, so don't go looking for something special like I did on my first run.



Once we land, the Stronghold heroes are remarkably easy. You should have little problem winning with little to no losses. (I lost 1 Dreamwalker, but only because they fled before I could heal it.)



Before we take out the Red Jaguars, though, we have to free three sets of slaves just nearby their town. Each one is guarded by a weak stack of Maulers (about 150 of them).

You are free now. May Father Sky watch-

Ahhh. Reeble farts on gods. Reeble only believe in bananas. And coconuts. Ripe coconuts. Mmmm.... coconuts...!

(That's not Goink by the way, just a generic Goblin after we save them)

Mmm... am freeee. Like the sound of that. Freeeeeedom. Many thanks to ugly naked monkey babyteeth!

Hah! Now Janjo see why Sandor called 'Kunyakti'.

Join us, or find your way. Father Sky watch over you.

Free to fly, to move! To feel the light and the wind of Father Sky!

I hear they call you Kunyakti. That is a strong name.

We get a sizable number of troops for each slave group we free (totalling to 70 Goblins, 60 Maulers and 70 Harpies). Once we free all 3 groups, the Red Jaguars understandably turn on us.

Click here to listen to the conversation!


Slaves? Orcs. Harpies. Cyclops. No reason to keep them as slaves.

Huh. Strong enslaves weak. Leader forces obedience. That is Orc way.

Not the way of all Orcs. And not MY way.

Heh heh heh. Your way finished. Here we do Sharka way.

Wrong, bucko! Orcs do Sandor way! So says Goink!

Ira now actually leaves his town to come after Sandor. You can meet him halfway, or head up to grab a piece of the Warlord set (the Shadowsteel Armor), guarded by a pack of Cyclops. He'll catch up.



It's actually easier to fight Ira outside of town than to fight him in a siege battle. He has low number of troops other than Jaguar Warriors, so it should be of little matter dispatching him.

Once we defeat Ira, whether or not we capture his town, this mission is considered over.

Click here to listen to the conversation!


Nnn. Airini right. Two reasons. Pride and power. Sandor has insulted Sharka, and Sandor has threatened Sharka's rule.

Nnn. I'm not afraid. But I'd be even less afraid if I had more troops...

Heh heh heh. Sandor still not stupid. Go see jaguar warrior and cyclops. Maybe get some help with Sharka.

And with that, the Orc Rebels instantly come under our side, including any towns they own (including the central town if they were in possesion of it when you beat Ira). Any purple towns left remaining can be easily conquered. More importantly, Airini also comes under our control.




Airini is a secondary Hero, and she'll actually join Sandor as he progresses into the next map. This means she will also get to keep any levels or set pieces you give her, and she can also benefit from stat boosts as well. All secondary Heroes also get their level 1 reputation ability by default - Airini is an Earth Shaper, so she already has the Idol of Earth ability. Like all mercenary Heroes though, they can't gain any reputation points, so they won't be able to get their level 2 ability. They're still easy to keep levelled if need be with Mentoring - Airini actually starts at level 12, while my Sandor was level 11.



The problem is that her skills are all messed up! The AI scatters all her skills around; she has Regeneration and (Mass) Stone Skin, but she doesn't start with Tactics, Reinforcements, Heal or Drain Life, so you'll have to spend 5 or 6 levels just getting her up to par. She starts off with the (Mass) Burning Determination, which isn't really that great. She even starts with an Amulet of Thunder, which boosts Air spells, and Air Affinity I, but she doesn't even start with Lightning Bolt!

We'll cover the rest of the map next update, as well as what happens when Sandor goes Blood instead.