Shadow on the mountain

Shadow on the mountain.

"Here they come!"

Accessed times
since updated 18 january 98.

Mission: Defend the standard in the middle from waves of enemies.

Note:

The waves vary a bit when they arrive this will give a certain amount of randomness to this mission.
This mission is great practice for the netgames. You will be up over your head with things to do.

Difficulties:

Focusing on the right front.
Unit usage.
Speed of action.

Main threats: Hostile dwarves and archers.

Hint:
Use you height advantage, but use a bit of Wellingtonian tactics. Keep you units not right at the edge of this advantage, but a bit back, that should protect most of them from random explosions.
There is a short lull initially, use this to make good presets. 1 recommend 3 different preset each for melee and archers.
The main trick of this unit is switching your focus between fronts at the right moment.
Seriously, you probably will not have time to use the Journeyman. Still I could be wrong.
Same thing with placing satchel charges, you will probably not have the time.
This could be a very good co-op level.

Film: No casualties.

Download.
Binhqx
Zip-format

Walktrough

The Tale

The Map

The explanation

In order to tackle this level, unless you like the suspense, you should be aware of what is going to happen. You will be hit by a wave from the south, that's the one you are seeing. It will consist of dwarves, thrall, more dwarves and finally myrmidons.
Wave 2 from the lake consists of dwarves, archers and thrall followed by more dwarves and more thrall. Wave 3 from the northeast is archers followed by myrmidons and finally dwarves. The last wave consists of myrmidons, thrall and finally archers.

Make your presets. Move the units at the flag, except the Journeyman towards the cliff at the lake. These units will handle the entire 2nd wave by themselves, provided you can give them enough attention.

Here they come!
Your dwarves and archers should be able to handle the first wave dwarves, just watch out for runaway explosions. If Wave 1&2 hits you at the same time, switch to the lake, but you should switch back to check things when the dwarves hit you south flank. Switching at the right time will be the hard part.

Blasting archers.

Dwarves killing themselves.

At the lake archers and dwarves are advancing on you. Neither should be much of a threat, because the archers are very intent on getting onto the cliff your guys are on, so intent they wont shoot your dwarfs as he blasts them. The dwarves on the other side will happily blast themselves as they unsuccessfully tries to lob grenades onto the cliff. Your only real threat on this front are the dwarves coming from the south and hordes of thrall.

On the south front you should see more dwarves. Again handle them a bit away from the edge and hopefully chain explosions will blast them away. Finally there are the myrmidons, let the dwarves and archers soften them up and the berserkers finish them off. As usual watch the dwarves so the do not fling grenades into your pack of berserkers.

This done, move the majority - but not all - of your berserkers and archers plus one dwarf towards the standard. The guys at the lake should be in mopping up stage now. Finally move the remaining berserkers on the south side down and slightly up on the other side. They will save an unexpected reinforcement.

No rest for the weary. On the northeast front archers will try taking pot shots at your units. Have your own archers, pick off the right group and your berserkers charge the left one. A protracted duel will only lead to casualties. Just pull the berserkers back before the myrmidons arrive. Soften them up with missiles before recharging with the berserkers.
On the south front a single dwarf dressed in boring fallen lords uniform has broken free of the spell binding him. The berserkers you moved down the slope should have no problem handling the myrmidon chasing him.

Dwarves in the kettle.
Keep the kettle burning.

The myrmidons are followed by dwarves. Pull your troops back a bit. The enemy dwarves will become closely packed in the small "kettle" as the approach you troops. Archery fire should bring one or more dwarves down here. Add one grenade and you will have a chain explosive recipe curing the hostile dwarves. Keep your berserkers out of range.

Whew!
Last wave coming in from the south. The myrmidons should give you little trouble if you are reasonably intact. Assuming you have dwarves left, neither should the thrall. The big threat are the archers. Let Wellington be your tutor and pull you troops back a bit. When the archers have advanced a third or so up the slope, have your dwarves toss grenades down the slope. That's it. Just keep your units from charging down the slope, and you wont see the Trow. You can rest now. Phew!

The Tale	The Map	The explanation
		In order to tackle this level, unless you like the suspense, you should be aware of what is going to happen. You will be hit by a wave from the south, that's the one you are seeing. It will consist of dwarves, thrall, more dwarves and finally myrmidons. Wave 2 from the lake consists of dwarves, archers and thrall followed by more dwarves and more thrall. Wave 3 from the northeast is archers followed by myrmidons and finally dwarves. The last wave consists of myrmidons, thrall and finally archers.
		Make your presets. Move the units at the flag, except the Journeyman towards the cliff at the lake. These units will handle the entire 2nd wave by themselves, provided you can give them enough attention.
		Here they come! Your dwarves and archers should be able to handle the first wave dwarves, just watch out for runaway explosions. If Wave 1&2 hits you at the same time, switch to the lake, but you should switch back to check things when the dwarves hit you south flank. Switching at the right time will be the hard part.
	Blasting archers. Dwarves killing themselves.	At the lake archers and dwarves are advancing on you. Neither should be much of a threat, because the archers are very intent on getting onto the cliff your guys are on, so intent they wont shoot your dwarfs as he blasts them. The dwarves on the other side will happily blast themselves as they unsuccessfully tries to lob grenades onto the cliff. Your only real threat on this front are the dwarves coming from the south and hordes of thrall.
		On the south front you should see more dwarves. Again handle them a bit away from the edge and hopefully chain explosions will blast them away. Finally there are the myrmidons, let the dwarves and archers soften them up and the berserkers finish them off. As usual watch the dwarves so the do not fling grenades into your pack of berserkers.
		This done, move the majority - but not all - of your berserkers and archers plus one dwarf towards the standard. The guys at the lake should be in mopping up stage now. Finally move the remaining berserkers on the south side down and slightly up on the other side. They will save an unexpected reinforcement.
		No rest for the weary. On the northeast front archers will try taking pot shots at your units. Have your own archers, pick off the right group and your berserkers charge the left one. A protracted duel will only lead to casualties. Just pull the berserkers back before the myrmidons arrive. Soften them up with missiles before recharging with the berserkers. On the south front a single dwarf dressed in boring fallen lords uniform has broken free of the spell binding him. The berserkers you moved down the slope should have no problem handling the myrmidon chasing him.
	Dwarves in the kettle. Keep the kettle burning.	The myrmidons are followed by dwarves. Pull your troops back a bit. The enemy dwarves will become closely packed in the small "kettle" as the approach you troops. Archery fire should bring one or more dwarves down here. Add one grenade and you will have a chain explosive recipe curing the hostile dwarves. Keep your berserkers out of range.
		Whew! Last wave coming in from the south. The myrmidons should give you little trouble if you are reasonably intact. Assuming you have dwarves left, neither should the thrall. The big threat are the archers. Let Wellington be your tutor and pull you troops back a bit. When the archers have advanced a third or so up the slope, have your dwarves toss grenades down the slope. That's it. Just keep your units from charging down the slope, and you wont see the Trow. You can rest now. Phew!