City of Malano

Hidden Cities - 2
Treasures - 10 (!)

This is the most treasure-filled map in the game. Your enemy is a Baron, which is a unique class, and you will have a chance to recruit a General to your side. The enemy city is surrounded by walls, and you can get Termites to bring them down, but don't. The walls restrict the movement of the enemy ground units as well, making them more predictable. Speed is essential on this map, so read on.

Send three strong units along the southern road from your base. Liberate the city of Labenna (the closest one), but don't stop there, move all three on. Liberate the next city along the road (Lobeeg) and leave one unit there. Move the others to the next one (Padova, right near a bridge) and leave one there. Send the last one (which I hope has some powerful spellcasters) across the bridge and south, through the opening in the walls, to the Temple just inside.

By now the first wave of enemies should be coming out of the walls. Your unit will have to fight some off before it can get to the HP-recovering Temple. The remainder of the first wave will go straight to Padova, and some of the remainder of that will circumvent it and go to Lobeeg. That's why you're guarding all three.

As you kill the first wave, send the unit that's in the Temple to Felala, the city right next to it. You will now stop almost all of the enemies as they advance. Some may make it to Padova.

Send one or two more units west of your base and liberate Uhjine and Ajij and the Temple that is between them. Also liberate Monfalko, the city in the far northwest. Move one of the units you sent west south to the center west, where there is a small road. Around there is the hidden city of Sharmony, where you will get Termites, which you should not use.

Send whoever is in Lobeeg southeast and across the river. There's a forest there, and in it is the other hidden city. You'll meet the evil merchant Toad (from Pogrom Forest) who will give you a Song of Sodoh. Accepting it will lower your reputation, and you should not bring it into a Temple or it will be confiscated, so don't take it or sell it immediately after accepting.

From that city move south. Liberate Mons Nir, then move across the bridge to Mon Bizo. Move northwest along the road, liberate Bolon Ya and stay there. Wait till the next wave of enemies ends and go through the next opening in the walls to the city of Bel Chel. That's your new choke point, where you'll be stopping most of the enemies. You'll meet Prince Tristan's valet there if you have either the Key of Destiny or a high reputation.

Move whoever was in Felala to Bel Chel, then west of it to Mantova, just north of the enemy base. Stay there. Send a scout around the map to get all the treasure (and there's lots of it) or to liberate any out-of-the-way Temples you missed (there are a few). The enemy should run out of units and funds now.

Send your Lord's unit on foot from your base (or from wherever it is) all the way south to Bel Chel. You'll meet Tristan and have the chance to recruit him. Do so. He is Muse Rauny's lover and has come to assassinate Baron Apros, the guy who was engaged to Rauny, from whom she ran away, and who now wants her back.

With Tristan recruited, move your Lord back to safety and attack Malano with whoever is in Mantova. If you use Tristan's unit to attack, you'll get to listen to a talk between him and Apros.

Boss: Baron Apros
HP: 221 | STR: 123 | AGI: 159 | INT: 159 | CHA: 51 | ALI: 39 | LUK: 49
P: 29 | F: 46 | I: 42 | E: 29 | B: 69 | W: 21

Baron Apros belongs to a unique class, the Baron. He will first cast Nightmare on someone, then Phantom on everyone. His Black affinity is strong, so this may do some damage. If you get hurt badly, use a Priestess or Empress card to heal. The Demons in front have powerful melee attacks, but thankfully nothing more. Some Angels or Cherubim in the back would be effective against Apros, but you'll find that Sorcerers will get the job done as well. You might lose the first round, but just heal and return as quickly as possible to finish off the already weakened Baron with your magic. If you want to use Tarots, use Hermit.