Dark Legions (PC)
Dark Legions cheats:
Player's Guide
CHARACTERS
Da Boyz
The basis of mastering Dark Legions lies in fully understanding
the game's
characters. All 16 of them have their own strengths and
weaknesses, and their own
specific uses, both on the strategic map and in combat. Over the
next four pages
we tell you what these qualities are as well as advise you which
characters are best
in which situations, taking into account whether you're playing
against the
computer or another human opponent. So without further ado,
meet...
Berserker
The humble Berserker is the weakest character in Dark Legions,
with no special
strategic powers and just simple sword attacks in combat.
However, a Berserker is
far from useless, for one simple reason - it's cheap. The
Berserker's low cost
means that even the smallest army can afford several of them, and
their loss in
combat is far from crippling. However, the rule book's suggestion
that you should
use them as 'trap-finders' should be ignored - with sensible use
of Seers, this is
unnecessary. Instead, use a screen of Berserkers as your front
line, to slow down
and weaken enemy attackers.
In combat, Berserkers should avoid characters with ranged
attacks, as they'll often
get killed before they even get a swing in. However, a large
enough number of
Berserkers can wear down, and even kill, the toughest of
opponents by attacking
in a wave. This is particularly effective against the computer.
When controlling a
character without a ranged attack, the Dark Legion's artificial
intelligence will
charge straight at you. Stand still, facing the approaching
enemy, and when the
character is still just out of range, begin a Killing Blow move.
If you get the
timing right, the opponent will be hit just as it gets within
attacking range,
ensuring that you do the maximum amount of damage, even if it
then proceeds to
rip your Berserker to pieces.
Conjurer
The Conjurer is the most expensive character in the game, but
it's a good
investment nonetheless. Its ability to summon new troops gives
your army great
strategic flexibility, allowing you to temporarily replace lost
forces, bolster a
weak area of your defences or deal with a particular type of
enemy, by
summoning the right kind of character to deal with the situation.
Bear in mind, however, that a summoned creature will survive for
only ten turns
at the most, and it'll grow gradually weaker as time goes by.
This means that
ideally you should not summon a creature until enemy troops are
within sight of
the Conjurer, and preferably not until the summoned character can
immediately
attack its target, while it's at its strongest. This poses a
problem, because
Conjurers should be protected from combat at all times - even the
lowly Berserker
can be a serious threat. Because of this weakness you should
always hide your
Conjurers behind a screen of real bodyguards (the stronger the
better) and save
enough life-force so that if an enemy does get close, you can
summon a last ditch
defender.
In keeping with all the magicians in the game, Conjurers work
well in
combination with other character types, and should always have a
Templar right
next to them. Rings of Life and Rejuvenation increase their
usefulness, and a Ring
of Speed allows them to move up the map faster, bringing their
considerable
power to bear.
Demon
This is the most powerful fighter available to you - it's
difficult to do anything
wrong with a Demon. Against human players their sheer
psychological effect is a
useful device, and even the computer knows enough to be wary of
them. Their
huge combat ability means that they are very flexible, serving
equally well as
assault troops or as a virtually impenetrable wall of defence. A
group of Demons
is one of the only forces capable of smashing through the enemy's
line on its own.
In addition, their very strength makes them capable of defeating
just about every
other character in the game. The only opponents they should be
wary of are: Fire
Elementals, due to their ranged attack and partial immunity to
the Demon's breath
weapon; Trolls, due to their great strength (a Troll won't find
it easy to kill a
Demon, but it can certainly weaken one severely); and, of course,
other Demons.
However, the biggest danger when using Demons is over-confidence
- because of
their seeming invulnerability there's a strong temptation to just
charge in and duke
it out toe to toe with everything. But remember, Demons can be
worn down just
like any other character. The Demon's Sonic Scream, while useful,
should only
ever be used when a Demon is right in the thick of it and likely
to die, otherwise
you should save its life-force for what it does best - fighting.
Fire Elemental
Other than the brute power of the Demon, the Fire Elemental is
arguably the most
dangerous fighter available to you in Dark Legions. Its use in
combat requires a
bit more skill, but with practice it's more than a match for any
other character in
the game (including the big four-armed red guys with the horns
and serious
halitosis problems). Due to their speed and ability to fly over
chasms and water,
Fire Elementals also make ideal scouts and roving troublemakers.
The key to using Fire Elementals in combat is range - stay away
from your
opponent and pepper him with Fireballs, using the Mini-Nova
attack only as a last
resort. Against a slow-moving enemy without a ranged attack, this
is easy, but
tougher baddies take a little more skill. Against a fast-moving
adversary, terrain
can be your best friend. Hide on the other side of a tree (or
whatever) and wait
until the other character comes around it, then blast them and
run away.
When fighting something that can fire back, things get a lot
harder, although the
computer AI has problems controlling these characters. Stand
still, facing the
computer's character, and when it gets in line with you it'll
fire. Immediately let
loose your own Fireball and dodge to one side. The computer will
tend to sit there
and get hit. As soon as its missile has passed you, move back
into the line of fire
and repeat the process. This can take a while to get the hang of,
but it means that
you can often come out of such a fight without a scratch.
The same rules apply to the Nova as to the Demon's Scream, but
remember, it
kills the Elemental.
Illusionist
The Illusionist is one of those characters whose usefulness is
very dependant on
whether you're playing against the computer or another player.
Against another
human player, who has no way of telling what is an illusion and
what isn't,
Illusionists can be a powerful force. Mixing Illusionists in with
real characters can
make a group seem far more powerful than it is, and this tactic
can be used to
divert your opponent's attention from a real threat, or scare him
into backing off.
In these instances you can afford to create illusory Demons and
Trolls, as their
appearance is more important than their combat ability.
Against the computer, which is immune to psychology, Illusionists
are less useful
and you should concentrate on creating characters with ranged
attacks - remember
that a single hit in combat destroys an illusion.
The greatest enemy to the Illusionist, though, is the Seer. If
your opponent (real or
computer) uses these characters well, your Illusionist will be
all but powerless. It's
this weakness that really limits Illusionists, and makes them of
dubious use.
Unless you're confident in your ability to pick off opposing
Seers, it's probably
best to avoid using them.
However, if you do decide to have an illusionist in your army,
keep it close to a
Templar or two, give it Rings of Life and Rejuvenation if at all
possible (a Ring
of Speed might not go amiss either), and keep it out of combat at
all costs.
Orc
In many ways the Orc is just a slightly more powerful Berserker,
and much of the
same advice applies - use Orcs in great numbers as a screen for
your main line
and in groups to intimidate a human opponent or wear down a tough
character.
The key difference between the Berserker and the Orc is in
combat. The Orc's
Charge Attack, as well as causing a decent amount of damage,
allows him to close
the distance between himself and the enemy quickly (or run away
quickly - you
don't have to charge at the opponent, after all). Against
computer-controlled
characters without a ranged attack, the Orc can use the same
technique as the
Berserker, charging at its opponent as it approaches. In addition
to this, though,
the Charge Attack gives an Orc a slightly better chance against
characters with
ranged attacks - hopefully getting close enough to do some
damage, at any rate.
Finally, the Charge is of great use against human players, who
can often be forced
to panic by using it.
When you do get close, avoid the Head Butt - it's too slow to be
of much use.
Instead, go for Side Swings with the Orc's Cestii, which are
quick and can easily
cause a lot of damage. The ideal attack from an Orc is a Charge
followed by two
or three Swings - this'll seriously damage even the toughest of
characters before
the Orc dies.
Phantom
The Phantom is a character dominated by its special ability -
everything else is
secondary to the fact that the enemy can't see it. And that's the
key to using it
effectively. Without its invisibility it's a very average
character, slow moving and
of limited use in combat.
The Phantom is ideally suited to being a scout, sneaking past the
enemy's front
lines to locate its Orb Holder and other weaker characters. Bear
in mind, however,
that if an enemy moves on to the unseen Phantom, combat will
still occur, giving
away not just its existence, but its position as well. To avoid
this you should be
careful when moving your Phantom - stick to the edges of the map
when possible,
but if that's not possible, hide behind obstacles and in awkward
spaces - most
people (including the computer) will just move across and down to
avoid an
obstacle, so hiding right behind one is a good idea. The real
problem with using a
Phantom in this way is its speed - a scout is no good if the rest
of your army
outruns it, so Rings of Speed are a must. A Ring of Power or two
can also turn it
into a good assassin.
As with Illusionists, the Phantom's biggest enemy is the Seer,
who can negate its
special ability. Again, only use Phantoms if you're confident of
dealing with
enemy Seers before they cause too much trouble.
Seer
A Seer is one of the most strategically important characters in
the game. All your
enemy's cleverly placed traps, sneaky Phantoms and confusing
Illusionists are
useless when one of these characters is about. However, Seers do
suffer from the
same problem as all the strategically strong characters - they're
horribly weak in
combat but need to be close to your front line to do their jobs,
making them prime
targets for your opponent. As such, always protect them with some
big, tough
bodyguards, preferably Demons.
In spite of what the manual says, Seers are all but useless in a
fight, especially
against higher level computer opponents, against which their
befuddled attack is
worthless, so if they get attacked, they're as good as dead.
Seers really must be
protected as well as possible.
Beyond that, there's little else to say about them. Their powers
are always active,
requiring no input from you. Just be careful not to let your
front line stray beyond
the Seer's range of sight, or you negate the point of having the
character in the
first place.
Troll
Despite being second only to the Demon, in sheer destructive
ability, these
characters appear far more useful than they really are. The
problem with Trolls is
their slow speed, which makes them virtually useless as an
offensive force - it
takes them too long to get into the action. You can negate this
with a couple of
Rings of Speed, but then you're paying more per Troll than you
would for the far
tougher Demon.
Where the Troll does come into its own, however, is in a
defensive role. Leave
your Orb Holder at the back of the map, scatter a few Trolls
around it and turn
them into rocks on your first turn. Then, even if the enemy does
break through
your line, there'll be a nasty surprise waiting for it.
In combat the Troll is suitably tough, able to deal out a
satisfying amount of
damage as well as soak up a fair amount. When playing against the
computer and
faced with an enemy without a ranged attack, you can use a
similar technique to
that of the Berserker, but with the Troll's devastating Overhead
Smash Attack.
However, ranged attacks can cause the slow-moving Troll a lot of
trouble,
especially the pesky Fire and Water Elementals.
Shape Shifter
The Shape Shifter is a very flexible character, which offers you
a number of
options, and makes a good Orb Holder. Its shape-changing ability
is completely
free of charge, so you can change from one form to another as
many times as you
like without weakening the character, and it gains all of the
combat abilities of its
current form.
As stated in the game manual, deception is the Shape Shifter's
forte, and you
should make the most of its ability to confuse and surprise an
opponent. Because
of this ability, the character is far more useful against human
players than the
unperturbable computer opponent, which won't suffer from the same
shock when
a Demon appears 'out of nowhere' and rips up its flank.
Note: You should be careful when following the advice in the
manual. Pretending
to be a weak character in order to lure the enemy close and then
changing into a
Demon or Fire Elemental and frying them is a good tactic, but
you've got to be
very careful Š if the enemy can reach you and attack in one
turn, you wonÕt have
a chance to change forms, and you'll be stuck as a Seer or
something else equally
pathetic in combat, effectively throwing your Shape Shifter away.
Be sure to
look closely at the ranges of the opposing characters when trying
this trick.
Templar
The Templar is another character of great strategic importance.
It can not only
heal adjacent characters at a cost to their own life-force, but
by merely standing
close to them it can give them a bonus to their revitalisation
every turn.
Unfortunately, while they're not as helpless as some characters
in combat, they
aren't particularly strong either, and should be protected if at
all possible.
Templars are particularly useful to have around the magician
characters (Wizard,
Conjurer and Illusionist), as their special powers burn
life-force at an alarming
rate. You should aim to have at least one Templar in your force
for every two
magicians, and move them as a group, so that the magicians
receive the Templars'
bonuses at all times.
The other role that a Templar can fulfil is as an 'undead
killer'. By loading a
Templar down with suitable rings (Life, Power, Stamina,
Protection and so on) it
can become a powerful force in its own right. Combine this with
the Templar's
natural bonuses when fighting undead (Vampires, Phantoms, Wraiths
and
Zombies) and you have a potent force, especially if you time your
attacks to occur
during the day!
Thief
Although on the face of it the Thief might seem quite a handy
character, to be
honest it's not much use. Provided you make good use of your
Seers, youÕll be
able to avoid enemy traps, and by doing so avoid the need for the
Thief. Your
opponent can't move over his own traps, so you'll rarely, if
ever, be cut off from
an area of the map.
The other problem with Thieves is that disarming traps is
dangerous, and often
gets the character killed. You have to ask yourself whether it's
worth paying the
points for a character whose only real use is to disarm traps
that could just as
easily be avoided.
These problems are only compounded by the Thief's lack of combat
ability - it's
just not very tough at all. It's a shame, because it has some
neat moves, but the
only way a Thief will ever become a force in combat is with a lot
of skill and a lot
of rings.
If you do decide to use a Thief, it's best to manually disarm
traps. When doing
this, remember to look at any symbols following the one you have
to guess, not
just the one before. For example, if you've been given the symbol
in the top-left
corner, a blank and then the symbol in the middle-right, then the
blank can't be the
top-left symbol, or the bottom-left symbol.
Vampire
The Vampire takes a fair amount of skill to use to its fullest
potential, but if you
take the time to practise with it, this character can turn the
tide of a battle. The key
to success with a Vampire is to create as many zombies as quickly
as possible.
Not only does this mean that the Vampire will lose less
life-force per turn (and
will eventually start to gain some, if you create enough
zombies), but it also
means that you can get the Vampire's life-force up to a good
level.
The zombies themselves are also very useful. Not only do they
provide you with
'free' cannon fodder with which to wear down your opponent, but
they also serve
as an excellent distraction, forcing your opponent to divert
troops away from the
front line in order to deal with them.
Because of this, the Vampire shouldn't be used as part of a
formation, but sent off
ahead of the rest of your army, hopefully sneaking around the
edges of the enemy
and attacking weak targets to start off with. Rings of Speed are
useful - remember,
every turn that goes by the Vampire grows weaker - and a Ring of
Stamina helps
in combat.
The trick to using the Vampire in combat is to get a feel for how
long the enemy
will remain paralysed and withdraw before it 'snaps out of it',
then run away until
your stamina has returned.
Wizard
Wizards have all the same drawbacks as the other magician
characters - they're
weak in combat, but need to be near the front to be useful, thus
requiring
bodyguards, and their strategic power burns off life-force.
However, like the other
magicians, they're very useful guys to have around, despite these
problems.
More than any of the other 'strategic' characters, Wizards work
best in a group.
Two or three of them together with a screen of bodyguards to hide
behind and a
like number of Templars to boost their revitalisation rate can be
a powerful force
on the battlefield. Their special ability to freeze opponents in
place is very
flexible in this situation. Each Wizard can 'hold up' a nasty
monster until you're
ready to deal with it, or all can target the same enemy, usually
killing it in a turn
or two.
Although they are weak in combat, Wizards at least have a
half-decent couple of
ranged attacks that give them a better chance of surviving a
fight. Use the first
attack to freeze your opponent and then let loose with the other
- even the
strongest of enemies will have trouble defending themselves
against this
onslaught.
As with all the magicians in Dark Legions, Rings of Life and
Rejuvenation are
almost a prerequisite for the Wizard, and a single Ring of Speed
will help it keep
up with the rest of your forces.
Water Elemental
They may not be quite as tough as their arch enemies the Fire
Elementals, but
Water Elementals have an incredibly useful strategic power -
provided that there's
water on the map. By teleporting to an area of water on the
enemy's side of the
map you can get instant scouting information and, unless the
enemy has some
nearby Water Elementals of its own, you can just sit in the
middle of the water
and recover your life energy. This 'hiding in the water'
technique is also useful
when you get badly wounded in a fight, allowing you the time to
recuperate.
In combat, the Water Elemental's ranged attack isn't very
powerful, but is one of
the most rapid in the game, making for an effective close attack
as well. However,
the Tidal Wave Charge can do some real damage, and can be used in
just the
same way as the Orc's Charge. Because the Water Elemental has a
ranged attack
as well, it's often useful to use the Tidal Wave to get away from
an opponent
who's dangerous at close range.
Water Elementals are good all-round characters, useful both in
combat and on the
strategic map. As such, they benefit from virtually any ring you
can give them,
although Life and/or Rejuvenation are particularly useful if you
want to teleport a
lot. Bear in mind, however, that a Water Elemental is far less
useful on a map
without any water.
Wraith
As the manual says, the Wraith's teleporting ability makes it an
ideal assassin,
which is very useful for picking off those pesky characters that
are weak in
combat but powerful on the strategic map, and happen to be
inconveniently
hidden behind other enemies. Unfortunately, their low starting
life-force means
that they are virtually incapable of doing this at the start of
the game. What's
worse, unless your opponent is nice enough to provide you with a
few weak
targets to build up your energy, the Wraith will end up either
being killed early or
wandering around in a useless fashion.
To prevent this, always equip a Wraith with as many Rings of
Rejuvenation as
possible, and (unless there are a couple of weak characters on
offer) keep them
well back until their life-force has risen to a decent level.
When teleporting into
combat, take the time to think of the consequences - is the
Wraith going to be able
to survive the inevitable counter-attacks, and if not, is it
worth sacrificing it? With
these characters it's best to wait for a good opportunity when
the Wraith will be
able to do the most damage, rather than throw it away early and
wish you still had
it later. Of course, if you wait too long, that's just as bad.
But no-one ever said that
strategy was going to be easy!
STRATEGY
The first thing to realise about Dark Legions is that playing
against the computer
is very different to playing against a friend, and so requires
different approaches
and strategies. The following guide is split into two sections
(Computer Challenge
and Friendly Fun), one for each kind of opponent. Both sections
assume that you
are playing with a moderately-sized army (2500 points or more) -
much smaller
than this and the game stops being as much fun.
Computer Challenge
The computer opponent in Dark Legions is far from the toughest in
a modern
strategy game, but the huge advantage it gains in points on the
higher levels,
combined with its considerable skill in combat with certain
characters, can still
make it a formidable challenge. To beat it, and to beat it
convincingly, it's
important to understand its weaknesses. And here they are:
The computer is not very good at fighting with or against
certain characters (see
last month's issue for more details on this).
It has only a very basic grasp of overall strategy. It tends to
spread all its
characters across the map and charge them down to meet you. It
will keep the
various magicians in groups, back from the action, and keep its
orb carrier at its
end of the map, but that's about it.
It tends to give its orb to a 'weak' character, often a magician.
Even with the extra
power granted by the orb, these characters are far from hard to
kill.
It has very little ability with breaking through your lines, or
any other coherent
plan.
It seems to pick its army on a semi-random basis, just having as
many of every
character as it can afford. It does tend to pick a lot of Seers,
and push them
towards the front. Likewise it tends to spend a fair number of
points on traps,
which it scatters around liberally.
Taking Your Pick
Your strategy in Dark Legions begins with the choosing of your
army, and when
playing against the computer there are several points to bear in
mind. The first
thing to realise is that it's not worth using traps as a
destructive weapon. The
computer tends to saturate its forward lines with Seers, making
it unlikely that
your traps will escape notice. Although killing off the Seers is
possible, it does
mean that you have to divert characters from more important
targets (a Seer is no
military threat on his own) and it's pointless once the traps
have been spotted
anyway - the computer doesn't seem to forget the location of
traps, even if the
spotting Seer is killed or moves away. You can, however, use
traps to block off
certain areas. In this case you want your opponent to see them,
and thus the
computer's mass of Seers doesn't matter - the enemy characters
won't be able to
move through the line of traps, and that's the point of them in
the first place. By
using this technique you can channel the computer's forces into
the area of the
map where you want them, and cut down on the number of areas that
you have to
defend.
On a similar note, Phantoms and Illusionists are of very limited
use against the
computer for exactly the same reasons as traps, so it's best not
to bother with them
unless you have a specific love of either of these characters.
Phantoms are a bit
weedy anyway, and for the extra points it's better to buy a
Conjurer and have
some solid help at your beck and call.
Do remember to include at least one Seer on your side, though.
The computer
really does love traps, especially at the higher difficulty
levels, where it has points
to burn and strews them around liberally. There's nothing quite
as annoying as
losing a valuable character without so much as a fight, so it's
vital for you to be
able to spot traps early.
The other types of character to avoid when playing against the
computer are
weaklings, like Orcs and Berserkers. The computer isn't
intimidated by huge
gangs of these guys, so it's more efficient to have a smaller
number of tough
characters. For the price of four Berserkers you can get a Demon,
and normally
it'll take a lot more than four boneheads with swords to bring
down one of the big
red guys.
Getting Down To It
The key to beating the computer is to use characters in concert,
building a central
formation and advancing it up the battlefield under the cover of
skirmishing
groups. Group some Wizards, Conjurers, Templars and Seers
together, then put a
solid line of Demons in front of them and slightly to either
side. Give all the
magicians Rings of Speed (so they can keep up with the rest of
the formation),
Life and Regeneration.
Put a couple of Vampires right at either edge of the board, with
Rings of Speed
and Stamina, then a couple of groups of Demons, with whatever
rings you fancy,
to either side of the main formation. Scatter some Fire
Elementals around, as well
as whatever other characters you fancy. Finally, put a Demon or a
Shape Shifter
right at the bottom of the map, and give him the Orb. When the
game begins, you
just advance the central group steadily up the map - the Demons
will easily
protect the magicians, who should be used as and when needed. Use
the smaller
group or groups of Demons as skirmishers, taking out the enemy as
they find
them, and use the Fire Elementals to clear the way for the main
advance, dealing
with anything nasty or dangerous that might threaten one of the
bodyguard
Demons. Advance the Vampires up the flanks at full speed, trying
to slip past the
front lines and circle around to the weaker characters at the
back. Creating a few
zombies behind the main line confuses the computer no end.
Follow this plan and you should be able to defeat even the
hardest difficulty
levels. Just keep your Orb Carrier where he started, and advance
slowly with the
rest of your forces, grinding the enemy down. If you're playing
on a larger map,
with more points, keep to the basic idea, just form multiple
central formations.
Friendly Fun
Mixing it up with the computer is fun, but the ultimate test of
your skill with Dark
Legions comes from fighting another player. Human players are
capable of far
more intelligent plans and strategies than the computer, and can
be far better in
the combat sections of the game. The problem is that it's harder
to give definite
guidelines telling you what to do, as every player will use
slightly different ideas,
and have their own strengths and weaknesses. Still, there is some
general advice
that applies to most situations.
For a start, ignore most of what you've learnt about playing the
computer. You
can no longer count on your opponent making glaring errors and
simple mistakes.
Many of the hints above are based on the fact that the computer
is relatively
immune to deception and psychology. This isn't true of a human
opponent.
Illusions, Phantoms, big gangs of Orcs and traps are all far more
useful against
another player, for example. The formation idea still works, but
you'll need to
more adequately protect its sides and rear from sneaky attacks by
and intelligent
player. Most importantly, you can't just leave your Orb Holder at
the back of the
map, unprotected. A human player will normally assume that any
character near
the back is a potential Orb Carrier and go for them with a
vengeance.
However, some things still work. Demons have an even higher
intimidation
factor, Fire Elementals are just as effective at clearing the way
for your
formations, and sending Vampires up each flank to circle in
behind is even more
effective (in fact, Vampires can be one of the most powerful
groups of characters
in a two-player game).
The real key to playing against another person is to remain
flexible, and keep an
eye on what's going on. Try to maintain the initiative by
attacking in several areas
at once, confusing your enemy, and try to predict what he or she
is likely to try
next. Most of all, play around, and try new things whenever you
can Š you never
know what's going to work, so it's best to try everything.
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Player's Guide
CHARACTERS
Da Boyz
The basis of mastering Dark Legions lies in fully understanding
the game's
characters. All 16 of them have their own strengths and
weaknesses, and their own
specific uses, both on the strategic map and in combat. Over the
next four pages
we tell you what these qualities are as well as advise you which
characters are best
in which situations, taking into account whether you're playing
against the
computer or another human opponent. So without further ado,
meet...
Berserker
The humble Berserker is the weakest character in Dark Legions,
with no special
strategic powers and just simple sword attacks in combat.
However, a Berserker is
far from useless, for one simple reason - it's cheap. The
Berserker's low cost
means that even the smallest army can afford several of them, and
their loss in
combat is far from crippling. However, the rule book's suggestion
that you should
use them as 'trap-finders' should be ignored - with sensible use
of Seers, this is
unnecessary. Instead, use a screen of Berserkers as your front
line, to slow down
and weaken enemy attackers.
In combat, Berserkers should avoid characters with ranged
attacks, as they'll often
get killed before they even get a swing in. However, a large
enough number of
Berserkers can wear down, and even kill, the toughest of
opponents by attacking
in a wave. This is particularly effective against the computer.
When controlling a
character without a ranged attack, the Dark Legion's artificial
intelligence will
charge straight at you. Stand still, facing the approaching
enemy, and when the
character is still just out of range, begin a Killing Blow move.
If you get the
timing right, the opponent will be hit just as it gets within
attacking range,
ensuring that you do the maximum amount of damage, even if it
then proceeds to
rip your Berserker to pieces.
Conjurer
The Conjurer is the most expensive character in the game, but
it's a good
investment nonetheless. Its ability to summon new troops gives
your army great
strategic flexibility, allowing you to temporarily replace lost
forces, bolster a
weak area of your defences or deal with a particular type of
enemy, by
summoning the right kind of character to deal with the situation.
Bear in mind, however, that a summoned creature will survive for
only ten turns
at the most, and it'll grow gradually weaker as time goes by.
This means that
ideally you should not summon a creature until enemy troops are
within sight of
the Conjurer, and preferably not until the summoned character can
immediately
attack its target, while it's at its strongest. This poses a
problem, because
Conjurers should be protected from combat at all times - even the
lowly Berserker
can be a serious threat. Because of this weakness you should
always hide your
Conjurers behind a screen of real bodyguards (the stronger the
better) and save
enough life-force so that if an enemy does get close, you can
summon a last ditch
defender.
In keeping with all the magicians in the game, Conjurers work
well in
combination with other character types, and should always have a
Templar right
next to them. Rings of Life and Rejuvenation increase their
usefulness, and a Ring
of Speed allows them to move up the map faster, bringing their
considerable
power to bear.
Demon
This is the most powerful fighter available to you - it's
difficult to do anything
wrong with a Demon. Against human players their sheer
psychological effect is a
useful device, and even the computer knows enough to be wary of
them. Their
huge combat ability means that they are very flexible, serving
equally well as
assault troops or as a virtually impenetrable wall of defence. A
group of Demons
is one of the only forces capable of smashing through the enemy's
line on its own.
In addition, their very strength makes them capable of defeating
just about every
other character in the game. The only opponents they should be
wary of are: Fire
Elementals, due to their ranged attack and partial immunity to
the Demon's breath
weapon; Trolls, due to their great strength (a Troll won't find
it easy to kill a
Demon, but it can certainly weaken one severely); and, of course,
other Demons.
However, the biggest danger when using Demons is over-confidence
- because of
their seeming invulnerability there's a strong temptation to just
charge in and duke
it out toe to toe with everything. But remember, Demons can be
worn down just
like any other character. The Demon's Sonic Scream, while useful,
should only
ever be used when a Demon is right in the thick of it and likely
to die, otherwise
you should save its life-force for what it does best - fighting.
Fire Elemental
Other than the brute power of the Demon, the Fire Elemental is
arguably the most
dangerous fighter available to you in Dark Legions. Its use in
combat requires a
bit more skill, but with practice it's more than a match for any
other character in
the game (including the big four-armed red guys with the horns
and serious
halitosis problems). Due to their speed and ability to fly over
chasms and water,
Fire Elementals also make ideal scouts and roving troublemakers.
The key to using Fire Elementals in combat is range - stay away
from your
opponent and pepper him with Fireballs, using the Mini-Nova
attack only as a last
resort. Against a slow-moving enemy without a ranged attack, this
is easy, but
tougher baddies take a little more skill. Against a fast-moving
adversary, terrain
can be your best friend. Hide on the other side of a tree (or
whatever) and wait
until the other character comes around it, then blast them and
run away.
When fighting something that can fire back, things get a lot
harder, although the
computer AI has problems controlling these characters. Stand
still, facing the
computer's character, and when it gets in line with you it'll
fire. Immediately let
loose your own Fireball and dodge to one side. The computer will
tend to sit there
and get hit. As soon as its missile has passed you, move back
into the line of fire
and repeat the process. This can take a while to get the hang of,
but it means that
you can often come out of such a fight without a scratch.
The same rules apply to the Nova as to the Demon's Scream, but
remember, it
kills the Elemental.
Illusionist
The Illusionist is one of those characters whose usefulness is
very dependant on
whether you're playing against the computer or another player.
Against another
human player, who has no way of telling what is an illusion and
what isn't,
Illusionists can be a powerful force. Mixing Illusionists in with
real characters can
make a group seem far more powerful than it is, and this tactic
can be used to
divert your opponent's attention from a real threat, or scare him
into backing off.
In these instances you can afford to create illusory Demons and
Trolls, as their
appearance is more important than their combat ability.
Against the computer, which is immune to psychology, Illusionists
are less useful
and you should concentrate on creating characters with ranged
attacks - remember
that a single hit in combat destroys an illusion.
The greatest enemy to the Illusionist, though, is the Seer. If
your opponent (real or
computer) uses these characters well, your Illusionist will be
all but powerless. It's
this weakness that really limits Illusionists, and makes them of
dubious use.
Unless you're confident in your ability to pick off opposing
Seers, it's probably
best to avoid using them.
However, if you do decide to have an illusionist in your army,
keep it close to a
Templar or two, give it Rings of Life and Rejuvenation if at all
possible (a Ring
of Speed might not go amiss either), and keep it out of combat at
all costs.
Orc
In many ways the Orc is just a slightly more powerful Berserker,
and much of the
same advice applies - use Orcs in great numbers as a screen for
your main line
and in groups to intimidate a human opponent or wear down a tough
character.
The key difference between the Berserker and the Orc is in
combat. The Orc's
Charge Attack, as well as causing a decent amount of damage,
allows him to close
the distance between himself and the enemy quickly (or run away
quickly - you
don't have to charge at the opponent, after all). Against
computer-controlled
characters without a ranged attack, the Orc can use the same
technique as the
Berserker, charging at its opponent as it approaches. In addition
to this, though,
the Charge Attack gives an Orc a slightly better chance against
characters with
ranged attacks - hopefully getting close enough to do some
damage, at any rate.
Finally, the Charge is of great use against human players, who
can often be forced
to panic by using it.
When you do get close, avoid the Head Butt - it's too slow to be
of much use.
Instead, go for Side Swings with the Orc's Cestii, which are
quick and can easily
cause a lot of damage. The ideal attack from an Orc is a Charge
followed by two
or three Swings - this'll seriously damage even the toughest of
characters before
the Orc dies.
Phantom
The Phantom is a character dominated by its special ability -
everything else is
secondary to the fact that the enemy can't see it. And that's the
key to using it
effectively. Without its invisibility it's a very average
character, slow moving and
of limited use in combat.
The Phantom is ideally suited to being a scout, sneaking past the
enemy's front
lines to locate its Orb Holder and other weaker characters. Bear
in mind, however,
that if an enemy moves on to the unseen Phantom, combat will
still occur, giving
away not just its existence, but its position as well. To avoid
this you should be
careful when moving your Phantom - stick to the edges of the map
when possible,
but if that's not possible, hide behind obstacles and in awkward
spaces - most
people (including the computer) will just move across and down to
avoid an
obstacle, so hiding right behind one is a good idea. The real
problem with using a
Phantom in this way is its speed - a scout is no good if the rest
of your army
outruns it, so Rings of Speed are a must. A Ring of Power or two
can also turn it
into a good assassin.
As with Illusionists, the Phantom's biggest enemy is the Seer,
who can negate its
special ability. Again, only use Phantoms if you're confident of
dealing with
enemy Seers before they cause too much trouble.
Seer
A Seer is one of the most strategically important characters in
the game. All your
enemy's cleverly placed traps, sneaky Phantoms and confusing
Illusionists are
useless when one of these characters is about. However, Seers do
suffer from the
same problem as all the strategically strong characters - they're
horribly weak in
combat but need to be close to your front line to do their jobs,
making them prime
targets for your opponent. As such, always protect them with some
big, tough
bodyguards, preferably Demons.
In spite of what the manual says, Seers are all but useless in a
fight, especially
against higher level computer opponents, against which their
befuddled attack is
worthless, so if they get attacked, they're as good as dead.
Seers really must be
protected as well as possible.
Beyond that, there's little else to say about them. Their powers
are always active,
requiring no input from you. Just be careful not to let your
front line stray beyond
the Seer's range of sight, or you negate the point of having the
character in the
first place.
Troll
Despite being second only to the Demon, in sheer destructive
ability, these
characters appear far more useful than they really are. The
problem with Trolls is
their slow speed, which makes them virtually useless as an
offensive force - it
takes them too long to get into the action. You can negate this
with a couple of
Rings of Speed, but then you're paying more per Troll than you
would for the far
tougher Demon.
Where the Troll does come into its own, however, is in a
defensive role. Leave
your Orb Holder at the back of the map, scatter a few Trolls
around it and turn
them into rocks on your first turn. Then, even if the enemy does
break through
your line, there'll be a nasty surprise waiting for it.
In combat the Troll is suitably tough, able to deal out a
satisfying amount of
damage as well as soak up a fair amount. When playing against the
computer and
faced with an enemy without a ranged attack, you can use a
similar technique to
that of the Berserker, but with the Troll's devastating Overhead
Smash Attack.
However, ranged attacks can cause the slow-moving Troll a lot of
trouble,
especially the pesky Fire and Water Elementals.
Shape Shifter
The Shape Shifter is a very flexible character, which offers you
a number of
options, and makes a good Orb Holder. Its shape-changing ability
is completely
free of charge, so you can change from one form to another as
many times as you
like without weakening the character, and it gains all of the
combat abilities of its
current form.
As stated in the game manual, deception is the Shape Shifter's
forte, and you
should make the most of its ability to confuse and surprise an
opponent. Because
of this ability, the character is far more useful against human
players than the
unperturbable computer opponent, which won't suffer from the same
shock when
a Demon appears 'out of nowhere' and rips up its flank.
Note: You should be careful when following the advice in the
manual. Pretending
to be a weak character in order to lure the enemy close and then
changing into a
Demon or Fire Elemental and frying them is a good tactic, but
you've got to be
very careful Š if the enemy can reach you and attack in one
turn, you wonÕt have
a chance to change forms, and you'll be stuck as a Seer or
something else equally
pathetic in combat, effectively throwing your Shape Shifter away.
Be sure to
look closely at the ranges of the opposing characters when trying
this trick.
Templar
The Templar is another character of great strategic importance.
It can not only
heal adjacent characters at a cost to their own life-force, but
by merely standing
close to them it can give them a bonus to their revitalisation
every turn.
Unfortunately, while they're not as helpless as some characters
in combat, they
aren't particularly strong either, and should be protected if at
all possible.
Templars are particularly useful to have around the magician
characters (Wizard,
Conjurer and Illusionist), as their special powers burn
life-force at an alarming
rate. You should aim to have at least one Templar in your force
for every two
magicians, and move them as a group, so that the magicians
receive the Templars'
bonuses at all times.
The other role that a Templar can fulfil is as an 'undead
killer'. By loading a
Templar down with suitable rings (Life, Power, Stamina,
Protection and so on) it
can become a powerful force in its own right. Combine this with
the Templar's
natural bonuses when fighting undead (Vampires, Phantoms, Wraiths
and
Zombies) and you have a potent force, especially if you time your
attacks to occur
during the day!
Thief
Although on the face of it the Thief might seem quite a handy
character, to be
honest it's not much use. Provided you make good use of your
Seers, youÕll be
able to avoid enemy traps, and by doing so avoid the need for the
Thief. Your
opponent can't move over his own traps, so you'll rarely, if
ever, be cut off from
an area of the map.
The other problem with Thieves is that disarming traps is
dangerous, and often
gets the character killed. You have to ask yourself whether it's
worth paying the
points for a character whose only real use is to disarm traps
that could just as
easily be avoided.
These problems are only compounded by the Thief's lack of combat
ability - it's
just not very tough at all. It's a shame, because it has some
neat moves, but the
only way a Thief will ever become a force in combat is with a lot
of skill and a lot
of rings.
If you do decide to use a Thief, it's best to manually disarm
traps. When doing
this, remember to look at any symbols following the one you have
to guess, not
just the one before. For example, if you've been given the symbol
in the top-left
corner, a blank and then the symbol in the middle-right, then the
blank can't be the
top-left symbol, or the bottom-left symbol.
Vampire
The Vampire takes a fair amount of skill to use to its fullest
potential, but if you
take the time to practise with it, this character can turn the
tide of a battle. The key
to success with a Vampire is to create as many zombies as quickly
as possible.
Not only does this mean that the Vampire will lose less
life-force per turn (and
will eventually start to gain some, if you create enough
zombies), but it also
means that you can get the Vampire's life-force up to a good
level.
The zombies themselves are also very useful. Not only do they
provide you with
'free' cannon fodder with which to wear down your opponent, but
they also serve
as an excellent distraction, forcing your opponent to divert
troops away from the
front line in order to deal with them.
Because of this, the Vampire shouldn't be used as part of a
formation, but sent off
ahead of the rest of your army, hopefully sneaking around the
edges of the enemy
and attacking weak targets to start off with. Rings of Speed are
useful - remember,
every turn that goes by the Vampire grows weaker - and a Ring of
Stamina helps
in combat.
The trick to using the Vampire in combat is to get a feel for how
long the enemy
will remain paralysed and withdraw before it 'snaps out of it',
then run away until
your stamina has returned.
Wizard
Wizards have all the same drawbacks as the other magician
characters - they're
weak in combat, but need to be near the front to be useful, thus
requiring
bodyguards, and their strategic power burns off life-force.
However, like the other
magicians, they're very useful guys to have around, despite these
problems.
More than any of the other 'strategic' characters, Wizards work
best in a group.
Two or three of them together with a screen of bodyguards to hide
behind and a
like number of Templars to boost their revitalisation rate can be
a powerful force
on the battlefield. Their special ability to freeze opponents in
place is very
flexible in this situation. Each Wizard can 'hold up' a nasty
monster until you're
ready to deal with it, or all can target the same enemy, usually
killing it in a turn
or two.
Although they are weak in combat, Wizards at least have a
half-decent couple of
ranged attacks that give them a better chance of surviving a
fight. Use the first
attack to freeze your opponent and then let loose with the other
- even the
strongest of enemies will have trouble defending themselves
against this
onslaught.
As with all the magicians in Dark Legions, Rings of Life and
Rejuvenation are
almost a prerequisite for the Wizard, and a single Ring of Speed
will help it keep
up with the rest of your forces.
Water Elemental
They may not be quite as tough as their arch enemies the Fire
Elementals, but
Water Elementals have an incredibly useful strategic power -
provided that there's
water on the map. By teleporting to an area of water on the
enemy's side of the
map you can get instant scouting information and, unless the
enemy has some
nearby Water Elementals of its own, you can just sit in the
middle of the water
and recover your life energy. This 'hiding in the water'
technique is also useful
when you get badly wounded in a fight, allowing you the time to
recuperate.
In combat, the Water Elemental's ranged attack isn't very
powerful, but is one of
the most rapid in the game, making for an effective close attack
as well. However,
the Tidal Wave Charge can do some real damage, and can be used in
just the
same way as the Orc's Charge. Because the Water Elemental has a
ranged attack
as well, it's often useful to use the Tidal Wave to get away from
an opponent
who's dangerous at close range.
Water Elementals are good all-round characters, useful both in
combat and on the
strategic map. As such, they benefit from virtually any ring you
can give them,
although Life and/or Rejuvenation are particularly useful if you
want to teleport a
lot. Bear in mind, however, that a Water Elemental is far less
useful on a map
without any water.
Wraith
As the manual says, the Wraith's teleporting ability makes it an
ideal assassin,
which is very useful for picking off those pesky characters that
are weak in
combat but powerful on the strategic map, and happen to be
inconveniently
hidden behind other enemies. Unfortunately, their low starting
life-force means
that they are virtually incapable of doing this at the start of
the game. What's
worse, unless your opponent is nice enough to provide you with a
few weak
targets to build up your energy, the Wraith will end up either
being killed early or
wandering around in a useless fashion.
To prevent this, always equip a Wraith with as many Rings of
Rejuvenation as
possible, and (unless there are a couple of weak characters on
offer) keep them
well back until their life-force has risen to a decent level.
When teleporting into
combat, take the time to think of the consequences - is the
Wraith going to be able
to survive the inevitable counter-attacks, and if not, is it
worth sacrificing it? With
these characters it's best to wait for a good opportunity when
the Wraith will be
able to do the most damage, rather than throw it away early and
wish you still had
it later. Of course, if you wait too long, that's just as bad.
But no-one ever said that
strategy was going to be easy!
STRATEGY
The first thing to realise about Dark Legions is that playing
against the computer
is very different to playing against a friend, and so requires
different approaches
and strategies. The following guide is split into two sections
(Computer Challenge
and Friendly Fun), one for each kind of opponent. Both sections
assume that you
are playing with a moderately-sized army (2500 points or more) -
much smaller
than this and the game stops being as much fun.
Computer Challenge
The computer opponent in Dark Legions is far from the toughest in
a modern
strategy game, but the huge advantage it gains in points on the
higher levels,
combined with its considerable skill in combat with certain
characters, can still
make it a formidable challenge. To beat it, and to beat it
convincingly, it's
important to understand its weaknesses. And here they are:
The computer is not very good at fighting with or against
certain characters (see
last month's issue for more details on this).
It has only a very basic grasp of overall strategy. It tends to
spread all its
characters across the map and charge them down to meet you. It
will keep the
various magicians in groups, back from the action, and keep its
orb carrier at its
end of the map, but that's about it.
It tends to give its orb to a 'weak' character, often a magician.
Even with the extra
power granted by the orb, these characters are far from hard to
kill.
It has very little ability with breaking through your lines, or
any other coherent
plan.
It seems to pick its army on a semi-random basis, just having as
many of every
character as it can afford. It does tend to pick a lot of Seers,
and push them
towards the front. Likewise it tends to spend a fair number of
points on traps,
which it scatters around liberally.
Taking Your Pick
Your strategy in Dark Legions begins with the choosing of your
army, and when
playing against the computer there are several points to bear in
mind. The first
thing to realise is that it's not worth using traps as a
destructive weapon. The
computer tends to saturate its forward lines with Seers, making
it unlikely that
your traps will escape notice. Although killing off the Seers is
possible, it does
mean that you have to divert characters from more important
targets (a Seer is no
military threat on his own) and it's pointless once the traps
have been spotted
anyway - the computer doesn't seem to forget the location of
traps, even if the
spotting Seer is killed or moves away. You can, however, use
traps to block off
certain areas. In this case you want your opponent to see them,
and thus the
computer's mass of Seers doesn't matter - the enemy characters
won't be able to
move through the line of traps, and that's the point of them in
the first place. By
using this technique you can channel the computer's forces into
the area of the
map where you want them, and cut down on the number of areas that
you have to
defend.
On a similar note, Phantoms and Illusionists are of very limited
use against the
computer for exactly the same reasons as traps, so it's best not
to bother with them
unless you have a specific love of either of these characters.
Phantoms are a bit
weedy anyway, and for the extra points it's better to buy a
Conjurer and have
some solid help at your beck and call.
Do remember to include at least one Seer on your side, though.
The computer
really does love traps, especially at the higher difficulty
levels, where it has points
to burn and strews them around liberally. There's nothing quite
as annoying as
losing a valuable character without so much as a fight, so it's
vital for you to be
able to spot traps early.
The other types of character to avoid when playing against the
computer are
weaklings, like Orcs and Berserkers. The computer isn't
intimidated by huge
gangs of these guys, so it's more efficient to have a smaller
number of tough
characters. For the price of four Berserkers you can get a Demon,
and normally
it'll take a lot more than four boneheads with swords to bring
down one of the big
red guys.
Getting Down To It
The key to beating the computer is to use characters in concert,
building a central
formation and advancing it up the battlefield under the cover of
skirmishing
groups. Group some Wizards, Conjurers, Templars and Seers
together, then put a
solid line of Demons in front of them and slightly to either
side. Give all the
magicians Rings of Speed (so they can keep up with the rest of
the formation),
Life and Regeneration.
Put a couple of Vampires right at either edge of the board, with
Rings of Speed
and Stamina, then a couple of groups of Demons, with whatever
rings you fancy,
to either side of the main formation. Scatter some Fire
Elementals around, as well
as whatever other characters you fancy. Finally, put a Demon or a
Shape Shifter
right at the bottom of the map, and give him the Orb. When the
game begins, you
just advance the central group steadily up the map - the Demons
will easily
protect the magicians, who should be used as and when needed. Use
the smaller
group or groups of Demons as skirmishers, taking out the enemy as
they find
them, and use the Fire Elementals to clear the way for the main
advance, dealing
with anything nasty or dangerous that might threaten one of the
bodyguard
Demons. Advance the Vampires up the flanks at full speed, trying
to slip past the
front lines and circle around to the weaker characters at the
back. Creating a few
zombies behind the main line confuses the computer no end.
Follow this plan and you should be able to defeat even the
hardest difficulty
levels. Just keep your Orb Carrier where he started, and advance
slowly with the
rest of your forces, grinding the enemy down. If you're playing
on a larger map,
with more points, keep to the basic idea, just form multiple
central formations.
Friendly Fun
Mixing it up with the computer is fun, but the ultimate test of
your skill with Dark
Legions comes from fighting another player. Human players are
capable of far
more intelligent plans and strategies than the computer, and can
be far better in
the combat sections of the game. The problem is that it's harder
to give definite
guidelines telling you what to do, as every player will use
slightly different ideas,
and have their own strengths and weaknesses. Still, there is some
general advice
that applies to most situations.
For a start, ignore most of what you've learnt about playing the
computer. You
can no longer count on your opponent making glaring errors and
simple mistakes.
Many of the hints above are based on the fact that the computer
is relatively
immune to deception and psychology. This isn't true of a human
opponent.
Illusions, Phantoms, big gangs of Orcs and traps are all far more
useful against
another player, for example. The formation idea still works, but
you'll need to
more adequately protect its sides and rear from sneaky attacks by
and intelligent
player. Most importantly, you can't just leave your Orb Holder at
the back of the
map, unprotected. A human player will normally assume that any
character near
the back is a potential Orb Carrier and go for them with a
vengeance.
However, some things still work. Demons have an even higher
intimidation
factor, Fire Elementals are just as effective at clearing the way
for your
formations, and sending Vampires up each flank to circle in
behind is even more
effective (in fact, Vampires can be one of the most powerful
groups of characters
in a two-player game).
The real key to playing against another person is to remain
flexible, and keep an
eye on what's going on. Try to maintain the initiative by
attacking in several areas
at once, confusing your enemy, and try to predict what he or she
is likely to try
next. Most of all, play around, and try new things whenever you
can Š you never
know what's going to work, so it's best to try everything.
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