Since Ogre Battle is a strategy game, creating your own strategy is part of the fun. This page lists strategy used by some specific players.
Opponent's strategy
The game's artificial intelligence follows a simple strategy: (1) re-conquer any city occupied by the rebels; (2) attack any rebel unit that gets close.
If the Rebels stay in their base city, the Imperials will come at them in a straight line. If the rebels go and liberate cities and temples, the Imperials will spread as well.
Whenever an Imperial unit is severely weakened, it will retreat to a city or temple where the members health points will be slowly restored. Whenever the leader of an Imperial unit is killed, the unit icon will change (to a skull and crossbones) and it will retreat to the Imperial base in a straight line. If the survivors make it to their base, the unit will be restored to its initial members and full health points.
Defensive strategies
Duran of Forcena's strategy
This strategy was heavily criticized for being a non-strategy that removes the purpose of the game. It is effective, though. It inspired #Abacos' strategy, also.
Copied from the source:
- It requires only two units. Just have the unit with your opinion leader stay on your home base, and deploy a unit slightly in front of the other one with your best fighters, and just let the enemies come. You may want another unit in there in case something happens to your main attacking unit (especially early on). Once all enemy units have been obliterated, just have your opinion leader's unit run through and liberate everything and do whatever recruiting requirements you need to do. It becomes much easier to manipulate your ALI and CHA this way, and much easier to build up a very strong attacking unit.
If you apply this strategy, your Alignment will be invariantly very low. As a consequence, your Reputation will drop quickly as well, unless you use a third, separate unit specifically to liberate cities and temples.
Abacos' strategy
- Before the battle
At the beginning of the game, answer Warren's questions following a path of holiness. This way, your initial army will include a large number of Clerics.
Create nine units: 3 holy (including the Lord), 3 neutral and 3 evil. Of these units, make two evil units able to fly (Gryphons); as soon as possible, make a third unit able to fly (Hawk men).
Create each unit with four characters: a leader, a large class and two small ones. Put two characters in the front and two in the back; rearrange them when weakened. Take advantage of back-row skills; some units will then require to have one character in the front and three in the back.
- In battle
On the battlefield, do not advance: enemies will always come at you in waves in a straight line. Also, enemy waves will result further split in two: first the fast sky units, then the slow land units. Deploy three units at the rebel base; three holy units with Clerics in the mid-wings; three (evil?) flying units on the far wings.
Once a wave has made contact with the base, let the wings close in from the sides and from behind. This way, the enemies will be unable to retreat to get replacements for the fallen. After a wave of enemy units has been annihilated, open the wings and prepare to "welcome" the next wave.
When all enemy units have been annihilated, return almost all units to the base. Keep just the Leader and a fast unit with high alignment. Liberate all towns and temples to raise your reputation, collect Tarot cards, and enjoy the plot. Wait for the midday tributes to over-compensate the war expenses. Defeat the boss using all the Tarot cards you just collected in the area.