Advanced: Non AOE Formation for Faction Maps

(credit to Lucifere)

Advanced: Non AOE Formation for Faction Maps

Getting through the faction maps without using the AOE formation.
Hi all. First of all I'm going to lay out my credentials. My name is Lucifere and I play in S1. I am a level 110 and at the end of Ragnarok. I am also a player who does not like the AoE build that had become the meta for the early part of the game. As such i achieved my place without using Maia, Bellephron, Pandora, Sponde or any of those AoE heroes. meaning I went though both the faction maps and Tartarus without the use of those heroes.

So as the most experienced player when it comes to not using the AoE formation. I thought I'd give out some general pointer on how to suceed without using AoE.


The Heroes

When going through the faction maps you need a good combination of offense and defense. So I'm going to seperate these heroes into offensive and defense troops. After each one I will give them a rating between 1-10 on how well they work in a non AoE team. The higher the score the better they are.

Offensive Troops



1) The AoEs - Wait what? I thought you said this was a non-AoE guide? It is in that its how to get through the high level maps without using the standard (Dancer, Bugler, Bugler, Bugler AoE) formation. That being said the AoE's can be good troops if used as part of a team. Pandora especially with her stun can offer much needed support as well as a decent offense. That being said you don't need to go all out on them as you do in a AoE build. Give them a decent horse 4k+ for good damage and use them more as a way to thin out those pesky rear mages/healers.

Score: 7-8 depending on the hero.

2) The Sally Outburst Hero - Okay if your not using AoE these guys are your bread and butter. Everyone gets access to Ares who is a great Sally hero. The Zeusian and Athenian prestige Sally might be better but that's a matter of opinion. You give one of these guys a 5k horse and watch them tear through your opponents. The fact that once they get their BM off it continues to go off turn after turn is a god send in these map. Pair them with a bugler or two and these guys never stop hitting unless they run into a morale Absorption or Nocturnal Blitzkrieg Hero. You don't even need to give them a weapon. I don't on mine. I still use these guys, they have proven themselves time and time again.

Score: 10 As i said these guys are awesome. I was able to beat both the faction Maps and Tartarus without maxing a mount on one of these guys. (I still haven't maxed their mounts)

3) Hades - Okay Smooth Attack is a huge damage dealer. You give him a good horse and this guy can decimate an enemies troops. And while he deals over double the damage as the Sallier's each use of his BM he needs to charge it from 0 after each use. Which means he's getting his BM off every 2-3 turns. Good to use if you don't have access to the second Sally Outburst Hero.

Score - 9 he deals too much damage to ignore but last to constancy to make him a 10

4) Sacred Stardust - Good game changer, deals more damage the lower amount of troops he/she has. Can be a brutal attack. Same issue as Hades though. And frankly Hades is better.

Score - 6 or 8(Hera) Hera is hands down the best of these troops so unless you have her I would go with a Sally or Hades.

5) Strike in Column/Strike in Line/Angel Wings - Good choices more of an offensive troop then the AoE. To me they have the same downfalls as Hades without the huge offensive attack. But then I'm not an expert.

Score: 7 can do damage but you need a high level mount and then some support as well. Your much better off with the above choices.

6) Sneak Raid - This is a very useful support ability for getting rid of pain in the but back row mages, healers etc. Deal damage and stuns the unit behind the first. Great support unit but it is what i said support.

Score - 8 for pure support awesomeness. Their were a few fights where I wish i had one of these. Cassandra and Metis in Athena map for example.

7) Other types of BM - I'm just going to list the score here.
Morale Absorption/Nocturnal Blitz- 6
Crash and Burn - 2
Armored Charge - 5
Soul Taking Arrows - 4
Phantom Attack - 5
Mutiny Outbreak - 6 - Heal is always good
All Out Ambuscade - 7 Stun is always an awesome attack support. Just no good units with this ability.

Blueflame Carroballista - Okay this unit is awesome. I wish I had trained this unit up. Column Valor damage is great. Especially ince whole purple weapon start dropping in Apollo Legion. Get a weapon of 2k + or higher on this guy and wash the magic happen.

Score - 10 Thaumas is good, Zeus's Iason is better.

9) Armored Trojan Horse - Another great offensive unit. Actually really great. Its ability to crit overcomes the black possibility. Its like a sally hero but with Valor. And Critical. And you automatically get one in Aeacus

Score - 9 Depends on the front opponent too much. Great for removing front line Mages or Buglers as well as seige.

10) Golden Burning Bull - The AoE of Valor, this guy deals much less damage the the AoE BM but is much more versatile as he starts dealing damage right away. Takes some good lining up to make him shine though.

Score - 8 (Poseidon and Athena) 10 (Zeus) Zeus's pan is far and away the best version of this. If your Zeusian you want him. End of Story.

11) The Hammer Chariot - Deals a little more damage then the Trojan Horse but without the crit it just doesn't shine as much.

Score - 7 Poseidon has a decent one otherwise I wouldn't bother.

12) Pyromancers - Good choice for mages, especially if your Poseidon. I personally think Hephaestus's stats make him a little too good but I'm biased. Only Athena doesnt really have a good option on these guys as I think Charon is just a little too weak.

Score - 8, Hephaestus 10 great i you have a great book otherwise too squishy. Unless your Hephaestus.

13) Hydromancers - More damage then Pyro less hit. Sorry in the later maps consistency is King

Score - 6

14) Meteorite mages - AoE mage damage, sounds great. Not for Expeditions, they just don't seem to pack the power punch your going to want.

Score - 5

15) Thunder Mages - Don't Bother...next

Score - 2

16) Sunburst and Cyclone Mages - Can be awesome support units and I hate going up against them, but in the later maps your best bet it to hit hard and fast. Not worth the spot unless you have a killer offense.

Score - 4

Defensive Troops

1) Buglers - Yeah these can be awesome tanks/meatshields. Wash one for Valor give her a good armor and stick her in front and watch her extend the life of your party by about 3 turns. Which in these maps is all it takes to turn a loss into a win. I would use two but it depends on your formation make up. Plus it can buff up those Sallies

Score - 9-10 based on how you use it.

2) Asclepius - Becomes incredibly useful later on. I would recruit it just to have it in case you need it. Longevity is good therefore healing is good.

Score - 10 should be obvious

3) Total Defense - This guys is a god in the defense department. This ability does 3 things, 1 deals valor damage (yes valor), 2 reduces all incoming damage(except mages) by 2/3rds, and 3 refills morale to 100. Need i say more. Also since all are on good blockers this guy is awesome for taking on seige weapons.

Score - 10 a well places one of these can halt the opponent attack while your guys mop up.

4) Nymph Dancer - Not really worth the spot, has sucky defense and no real use outside the AOE formation. Never use with Sallier's

Score - 4

5) Armored Chariot - Godlike defense but no real oomph at least compared with the Total Defense guy. Don't bother.

Score - 3

6) Zeus - Zeus' Blessing is a great move for giving your guys a needed Morale Boost. Also great for giving Hades and those guys 2 BM's in a row. Also a really good Valor sponge with a good armor. Still he's almost too supporty. Still he's one of a kind and very very good at what he does. Do not use unless using 2 or more BM's

Score- 5 with One other BM, 8 with 2 or more.


Okay so there a list of what heroes are good outside the AoE formation. This post is reaching its character limit so. Ill make equipment, Rens washing and Techs on another post.

All the Other stuff
Now Hero Choice is one think but you need a few others also to get through the faction maps, and Tartarus.

Equipment

Okay now equipment of course depends on what heroes you use. If your not using a Valor hero you don't need a weapon. No mage, no book, no BM no horse.

Thing you will need in general:

- 5 armors all of which need to be +1000 Valor Shield or above. I would suggest your defensive troops have a higher armor if possible. Mine had a 1200 for instance. Second Highest Armor should be on your primary Attacker.

- 5 Cloaks at 2000 or above, and 1-2 cloaks at 3k. 2 would be good but not necessary. Your top cloak should go on your primary attack, you second strongest cloak should go on your secondary attacker.

Okay the reasons for these assignments are as follows.

At the beginning of the battle your opponent will be using Valor attacks you want your front line to have a good Valor defense led by your meat sheild/Defensive troop. By the time your opponents get around to their BM's your meat shield will be close enough to death that the extra damage from the lower cloak wont matter. However it will matter to your primary and secondary attackers who you put in the back to protect while they deal damage. The need a good spirit defense to protect against Strike in Column and All Out Attacks from your opponents as well as any remaining BM's after the initials have finished off your meat shields.


Now for the Offense.

Spirit - This is going to depend on who your primary attacker is. Ill list them.

AoE - You'll want some around 5.5k if not max.
Sally - 5k is good here if you use two 4-4.5k on the second one and you'll be fine.
Hades/Stardust - 5k
Strike in Line/Column - 5.5k - Max
Sneak Raid - Offensive support so should no be primary attacker

Valor - Plain a simple you need a 2k + weapon on any primary Valor attack you got regardless of type.

Mage - No idea here frankly My guess is around 700 or so should work well.


After you have your primary attack you should stagger the rest. For spirit your secondary attack should be anywhere up to 1k spirit behind your primary. For Valor about 500 and for mages about 200.

These equipment should get your through the faction maps. For Tartarus, armors at 1300, 2-3 cloaks at 3k. Horse at 5.5 or max, weapon at 2.4-2.5 and books at about 900 or higher.


Renescance

This is going to be quick and easy you want all your main heroes above g10/8 to get through the faction maps. Healers you want as high as possible as their troop grade effects their heal. Seige you also want as high as possible as it reduces the chance that they are blocked by your opponent. Don't attempt any fight with a primary attacker under g10.


Technologies/Formations

Okay for technologies you want the following Technologies maxed.

Armor Forging
Magic Resistance
Elemental Resistance
Hornblowing
Blacksmithing (if using any valor attackers)
Magic Penetration (If using any spirit attackers)
Elemental Penetration (if using any mages or healer)
Elixir
Semaphoring
1-2 formations.

Formations

Okay whats formations to use is a big decision. You should always have 2 formations at high levels one defensive and one offensive.

Offensive Formations -

Lochoi - Max if your #1 attacker uses Valor

Boar's Head - Max if #1 attacker uses Spirit

Gramarye - Max is #1 attack is a mage, also if using healer with good book.

Crescent - Max if using 2 or more critical strike troops.


Defensive Formations

Inverted Wedge - Max if using a lot of Calvary.

Skein - Just max, this is probably the best defensive formation.

Testudo - Max if using a lot of infantry

Padymavyuha - Don't ever max.


So always try to max one of each and switch as the times require it. One more thing, try and max 2 formations with different set ups. For instance don't max both Boar's Head and Testudo as they both have 3 men down the middle. Otherwise with these two formations you should be fine for any situation as it arises.


Washes


Okay these are probably the most important thing in passing the faction maps. You need to have well washed heroes. First things first some guide lines

1) Wash for ONE attribute at a time, don't try to get all three to good scores you wont, unless you spend a ton of money. Just focus on 1 attribute, Spirit for Spirit Attackers, Valor For Valor attackers/Meatshields, Element for Mages (Not the healer focus him in spirit or valor.)

2) Washes affect both offense and defense. A Spirit Attacker with a high spirit value will both deal more spirit damage and receive less. Same goes with Valor and Elemental.

3) Washing consumes a lot of resources, but is well worth it. Don't expect to spend 10 gold and have a decent wash. take the score your looking to achieve and multiple it by 20 for gold and 100 for laurels, that ho much you will be spending.

4) Do not use Platinum or Ultimate washing when washing for a single attribute, you will just waster you money. You may use them after you have achieved a high attribute to bring up the secondary ones but do not use them in the beginning.


Now on to the requirements.

Attackers: No matter what type of attacker they are Spirit, valor or Elemental, your attackers need at least a +100 in their respective attribute. Its just the way it is. If your using Bugler, healers or other support units, wash a stats to at least +60. If using two buglers I would wash one for spirit and one for valor. It gives them a huge boost. From personal experience I was stuck at Hemera in the Athena map and couldn't get past her. I washed my heroes, and without enhancing a single equipment was able to beat Hemera and all the NPC's all the way to Athena herself. So washing is crucial. Now for how to do it:


1) Use only Laurel Training and 2 gold training. The only difference is that the gold training causes the second and third stats to be a bit higher and has a higher chance of increasing the stats.

2) Don't just click over and over again. Click a few times see if the main attribute has increased. Then wait a few moments and try again. Even better switch heroes after every few washes. So do like 5 washes on one hero then 5 washes on another.

3) Don't get discouraged. Keep at it and you will succeed.

So make sure you wash as it can single handedly decide whether you pass through the faction maps or spend forever slogging through them.


I'll update this again if I think of anything else. I'll also check it to answer any questions you may have. I would prefer it if you PM me though as I can see a PM while playing. Thanks.