Part 65: Siege Defense

I'd normally post short updates like this on sequential days, but... I'm busier now, sadly. Every-other-day from here on out, bonus/extra updates excepted.

Chapter 32: Siege Defense
(Or, "Route A Short Level Stretch, Part Two of Three")





What!? Damn! Don't let the Imperial Army through the gates! I won't let Egvard fall a second time!

Surprisingly, telling a bunch of warmongers that you'd really like a peace treaty doesn't quite work.




Much like Sasha, Alicia has traded her original outfit for a Swordmaster-esque coat. The result is still a bit impractical, but it actually resembles battle gear now, so I approve. For some reason or another, there's a notch in her sword now.

As mentioned, Alicia's skill list improves a lot after promotion. She picks up Melee Guard 4, Fearlessness 4, Frontal Blow 3, Lion Strike 3, Retaliation 1, and Karma Strike 1, leaving her at 6 skill points. In eight levels, she'll pick up Divine Seal 5 and then start to work on her counter skills.

Everyone has Topaz in every Amulet slot now. Alicia gets the Black Ring to help her catch up. (Also because it's funnier this way.)



Another short level.




In Route B, every formation with Armors gives at least some of them ZOC. This is a serious and entirely intentional limiter on Serdic, since he never learns Null ZOC. Then you get to Route A, where Altrius is weaker and learns Null ZOC, and suddenly every single Armor has no skills, let alone ZOC. It's aggravating. It's not a complete loss, since enemy Guardians still have ZOC the vast majority of the time, but it's kind of a dick move.

The Armors, as you may have surmised from the above, have no skills. The Snipers don't have skills either.



The two Jousters are the same, and the Trooper boss is just the same thing scaled up.

If Selmer had Yumil Magna 5 instead of 4, we might be able to end this fight in one turn: He's exactly nine squares away. We definitely could if I subbed Ansom in to weaken him first. Oops, I guess.

Five conversations now.

Margus and Kay


You got that right. Last time, though, we lost, and we couldn't do anything other than escape...
Not this time. We're going to protect Egvard at all costs!

Alicia and Rukia


Do you ever wear anything more... feminine?

Her first class seems to have a skirt. A fairly short one at that. So your answer is, "Yes, until yesterday, at which point I got this awesome coat."

(Unless she's Scottish and that was a short kilt, I guess? Highlander and all that.)
I never thought YOU'D be the one to ask me that. I'm the governor of Cale first, and a woman second. I must be a leader in every aspect: action, speech, and even dress.
Is that so, huh? Well, all I'm saying is that I think Margus prefers girls who're a little more ladylike.
Wait... What is this about Margus all of a sudden?
What d'you mean? That's how it is, right?
...No, no.
Hmm?



You have the wrong idea.
Kay, then?
......! Rukia! We're in the middle of a battle here! We don't have time for idle gossip.


I'll leave it at that... For today.
Ughhh...

Marie and Owl


Yes! And it's thanks to your help, Owl.
Hey now, cut that out.
It's the simple truth. If you hadn't listened to me back in the Gareh mountains, I don't know what would have happened.
Mmm... There's still enemies around here. We can talk later.
Of course. I hope you'll help us for a little while longer.

Altrius and Alberich


You misjudge me. I'm going to stay with you until the end.
Are you all right with that? We'll be fighting the Empire from here on out.
I've been prepared for that possibility from the start.


Gauss...
I left my home because of my admiration for the Emperor. The pride I felt as one of Emperor Gauss' [sic] hand-picked Grands is all that kept me going sometimes... I need to see if I can find that same strength within myself, without his favor.
I see. I wish you luck, then.



Hahaha... I see your point.
All the same, I hope you win. For all our sakes.
You ask a lot, don't you? I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best.

I love that little "wish you luck" exchange near the end.

Altrius and Marie


No.
Then it's worked out well.
What has?
Now you have a second chance of doing what you were unable to before. You can redeem yourself.
Thank you for the encouraging words, Marie. I'm beginning to feel I can do it this time.



Teeheehee...

Map start.



Selmer vaporizes three Armors.



Everyone moves up. No one can attack any enemy first turn, so they position themselves to attract fewer attacks.

Every non-boss enemy moves up, most of them attacking. The team was at the edge of the bottom Armor ranges, so none of them became aggressive.



I'd rather not deal with this horse.



I could have worked on Ten'I Slip shenanigans; getting Selmer to any spot other than the one directly above Izuna would have been enough to let Senda Prison reach and eliminate the Snipers. That'd be risky with the boss there, though.




Altrius works to weaken the armor in front of Alicia and let her activate Fearlessness safely. Sadly, she isn't quite strong enough to one-shot the Archers, even with Lateral Blow 4 and Fearlessness 4.



Sasha can eliminate most of the weakened enemies but not all.



Honestly, there's no real downside to having Marie killed when she doesn't know Oratoriorae and you don't really need her for the stage. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth.



The surviving Sniper ignores everyone and books it for the objective. He's not going to succeed, of course, but it's a nice thought. Selmer kills him.



I want Alicia to get these kills. The sooner I get Divine Seal the better, really, and she's generally useful.

Altrius kills the War Mage, Marie heals Alicia.



Every level helps.




The time limit is very generous considering how easily it is to end this map in one turn. Abyss Gate 5 + Ansom can also do it, even if you don't have Ymir Magna 5.


What will you do, Altrius?



Boy's grown a bit of a spine, hasn't he?



Total resets since chapter 20: 4 (+0)

Next time: Diversion