What an utter and absolute HELLHOLE of a chapter. (Distant Blade)
Restarted a few times, but only to look up how to save the villages. Had to have Seth rush down, kill the Pirates, and rush back, while poor Tana acted as target practice for a Pirate to keep him away from the eastern village. Ross swept the east side of the map, essentially. Wasted several good Vulnerary and Elixir charges, but ah well.
Trying to keep levels even. People are starting to hit ten-and-above. Seth is level 4, which should tell you how much I've been using him as a crutch. I am badly out of practice playing FE, and I am in BAD shape regarding playing FE without any sort of Arena or Skirmish Abuse. These chapters were all so much freaking easier when I was carrying around promoted or almost-promoted units. At least Seth is no Marcus.
All right, Fire Emblem 8. I concede that you're really not a cakewalk when I don't abuse your mechanics. Happy?
Ha. Maybe, after this, I'll try an ENM run without Arena Abuse. I'll see whether Arena-Abused!HHM is easier than that...
Let's just call this growing up as a Fire Emblem player and leave it at that...
(Actually, all frustration aside? I'm enjoying the challenge. The mage-heavy party is... dubious, but nonetheless really pays off when I have to kill enemies fast. And Ross has more than paid back the Exp. I invested into him as a Trainee. Yeah, I could have put it into Vanessa instead, but VANESSA could not have casually wiped out several axe-users and a couple of Archers, now could she?
...Aaagh, speaking of flyers? I ship Tana/Cormag. I am going to be in so much pain whenever there's an archer-happy chapter with those two around... )
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Renvall was actually not very bad when Ephraim showed up. I used Kyle and Forde to soak up some enemies, though I really should have granted that Exp. to units I actually planned on USING, and had Ephraim just walk through the area as a maelstrom of destruction. Meanwhile Ross and the mages covered the right half of the map, and all was well. Except I stalled so I could get Natasha Exp. for all the wounded units, and so my turncount is absolutely hideous, but I think it will pay off long-term. After all, she turns into a Bishop, and Slayer made Artur effectively my most powerful endgame unit in my previous run. TWO Bishops = wiping the floor with monster armies. Ja?