Vantage Master/Gameplay

Game Modes
Scenario Mode: The main game. You have the choice of Easy and Normal; Easy reduces the difficulty by reducing the levels of enemy masters. Otherwise, the game plays about the same. Natials and spells are gradually earned as you play.

Expert Mode: Eight extra hard stages with masters many levels higher than yours. You begin with all 24 Natials and 6 spells.

Free Mode: You can play on any map in the game, and fully customize both the blue and red masters. You can set either side to be human or CPU controlled. This can be used to create a match with starting conditions of your choosing, spectate a CPU battle, perform tests, or play a two-player mode in a hot-seat fashion.

Network Game: The TCP/IP mode is likely all you'll use in this day and age. The host (who chooses "yes" at the initial dialog) gives their IP address to the client (who chooses "no"), and the client enters it into the provided field. The host will likely need to forward several ports (which are unknown at this time), or have both parties use a program such as Hamachi to connect.

Controls
Left Click: If it's your turn, left clicking will select the current unit and allow you to choose a location to move to within its range. Doing so will bring up the Command menu, at which point you can choose to execute an attack, if the unit is in range, or perform another action. While the action menu is open, you can also left click to change the facing of your unit before selecting an action, though attacking or using magic will force a specific direction.

Right Click: Right-clicking on a unit brings up the Sub Command menu, containing a number of range measuring options to help you gauge the reach of attacks. Use these well; the AI is not forgiving of carelessly placing units in peril.

Natials
Natials are elemental creatures that are summoned by a master. They cost magic points to summon, and a small upkeep cost every game hour. Additionally, any spells cast by a Natial consume MP from the same source.

Natials come in one of four elements: earth, water, fire, and heavens. Each has the offensive and defensive advantage over another: earth is superior to water, water is superior to fire, fire is superior to heavens, and heavens is superior to earth. Each element also has a defensive advantage to its own kind, though not as powerful as a superior element.

Some Natials also come in day and night types, which gain power during their respective time of day and lose power during the opposite. The difference is tremendous, so look for the sun and moon symbols that denote these types.

Magic
While you begin a match with full MP, your pool will quickly drain as you summon monsters, which cost MP up front, as well as an upkeep every game-hour. To gain more MP, you'll need to capture magic stones. Magic stones are glowing colored hexes. To capture a magic stone, you need only place a unit on top of one and perform an action with that unit to end its turn. MP is received every game-hour, with the exact amount depending on how many stones a master controls, as well as the magic ability score of the master.

The color of the stone indicates the current controller of that stone, with blue being the blue team, red being the red team, and purple being uncontrolled.

The 30% defensive boost and the 1 HP healing per turn they provide make stones easier to defend, and are a haven for units at risk of damage, making them very important locations.