Map Awareness

Unit Selection is Your First Move: Before the battle even begins, you get to pick and place your units. Think about what kind of enemies are on the map. If it's full of flying units, you'll want to bring along some archers, since they're their biggest weakness. Planning your initial placement can make a tough map feel way easier.

Understand Movement Ranges: Every unit, friend or foe, has a movement range shown in tiles. Most ground units can move 6 tiles, some 5. Mounted and flying units usually get 7 or 8 tiles, and pairing up can even boost that to 9! Don't forget about the Boots item – it permanently adds 1 to a character's Movement. Knowing these ranges is crucial. It helps you make sure a unit that charges in can actually retreat next turn. You can also position a unit just at the edge of enemy range, then have them move in for the first hit on their next turn. Most importantly, it prevents your army from getting split up. If your flyers zoom ahead while your foot soldiers lag behind, you could be in serious trouble.

Terrain Matters (A Lot!): Different terrain types have different effects. You can't cross voids, cliffs, or deep water unless your unit can fly. Some terrain damages you each turn, others heal you. Some terrain might give you extra movement, while others can severely restrict it, sometimes down to just 1 tile! Use these choke points and terrain features to your advantage to control enemy movement and funnel them where you want them.

Dragon Veins are Game Changers: These are special spots on the map, usually activated by royal family members (they'll have a small crown icon). Activating a Dragon Vein can trigger a huge variety of effects. Always press A to see what a Dragon Vein does before you activate it! Some are essential for progressing, others are super helpful, and some can even be detrimental if used at the wrong time. We'll point out specific Dragon Veins in the main walkthroughs for each map.