Vandal Hearts II/Chapter 1

Railroad

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 5000 Geil
Items:

• Halbert (axe) – V4, H53 (chest)
• Fire Ring (accessory) – V4, H35 (hidden)

The real first chapter of the game starts with a very easy battle, so don't worry that you can't change your characters' equipment before the battle starts. In addition to the hero, you will control Vlad and Pike: the first will "inherit" Clive's equipment and the second that of Yuri. There are five enemies to face in this battlefield, but they are all very easy to defeat. They only have 20 HP each (so you'll take them out in one attack) and their attacks aren't all that powerful. There is also a wizard among the enemies, but all he can do is heal other units. Not much to say even about the battlefield, which is long and narrow, with the ground around the train all flat. There are two items to collect: the chest is easy to reach, but you need Wing Armor to get to the hidden item above the train.

Luxar Village

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 6000 Geil
Items:

• Cutlass (sword) - V4, H24 (chest)
• V-cape (accessory) - V7, H13 (hidden)
• Bandana (accessory) - V15, H17 (hidden)
• Graver (spear) - V16, H24 (chest)

This is where it starts to get serious. This battle is definitely more challenging than any you've faced so far. You will have two new allies: Pratau and Lira. Remember to upgrade everyone's equipment at the shop before starting this battle and create a diversified group, made up of characters with different equipment and skills. Since you can finally buy Wing Armors, you should equip at least one of your characters with this armor and dedicate it to collecting treasures, since there are four of them here and in very different locations. Finally, you should equip each character with a healing herb and an attack item. Even though there are five of you now, there are seven enemies to defeat here. Try to deal with them a little at a time, so you don't get surrounded. The battlefield has many buildings and reliefs, but it is probably enough for your group to stay near the entrance to the village (except of course for the character in charge of collecting the items), the enemies will come towards you on their own. The first to step forward will be two enemies with swords who shouldn't be much of a problem, even if they are quite tough. On the next turn, the two mages in the lower square will start moving. They are two decidedly dangerous opponents: one can cause huge damage to the group with the Requiem spell and the other can heal enemy troops. So try to eliminate them as soon as possible, using the spells contained in the magic staves, attack items, such as scrolls that you can buy in shops and long-range weapons (being the mages lower than the group you should have a good range). If you succeed, you will have overcome the most difficult part of the fight. The remaining enemies, which will come towards you progressively, are not much of a problem if you have already eliminated the wizards. There is an enemy with a dagger, one with a long-range weapon, and a winger with a spear, which can deal massive damage to a single character. So be careful not to get hit.

Bahtar Plain

Victory condition: Defeat Godeau
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 7000 Geil
Items:

• Shades (accessory) - V1, H12 (hidden)
• Urn (special weapon) - V1, H28 (hidden)
• Ballast (accessory) - V9, H29 (chest)
• Hint-5 - V11, H13 (hidden)

Godeau can be considered the first "boss" you encounter. To win this battle it is sufficient to defeat him, however in order to reach him you will first necessarily have to face other enemies, furthermore Godeau starts moving from his position only when you have already defeated the most of his troops. Here too, therefore, you will probably be forced to eliminate all or almost all enemies. Besides Godeau there are seven enemy troops. Generally they are not a big problem, try to deal with them a little at a time. However, there is also a wizard who can cause you serious damage: try to eliminate him quickly when he approaches, also using attack items if necessary. Godeau, too, can cause serious damage from a distance by casting Requiem and has a special attack (Dervish) that allows him to physically attack all characters around him. So avoid if possible to surround him and attack Godeau at close range only with the characters equipped with the best protections. Godeau has 150 HP, so it will probably take you at least two turns to defeat him. The terrain doesn't present major obstacles, but there are many pools of water, so it is certainly convenient to have a character or two equipped with Wing Armor. If you fail to collect all four treasures during battle, you can always come back here later. Note: If you don't kill all enemies, you won't get the full 7000G reward, but the win-no-loss bonus will remain unchanged.

Fort Gusta

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero or of all fort units
Basic reward: 8.000 G
Items:

• Joule (dagger) - V6, H127 (hidden)
• S-coater (accessory) - V15, H2 (chest)
• Runners (accessory) - V15, H2 (hidden)
• Ice Ring (accessory) - V15, H12 (chest)

Here you will meet two more allies, Gilti and Maria. At the start of the fight they are held hostage by the enemy troops, on top of the fort, while your party is at the opposite end of the battlefield. Try to approach the fort quickly, to make enemy troops divert attention from the fort and start attacking your main group instead. Gilti and Maria will still be forced to take out at least a couple of enemies, but that shouldn't be a big deal. In fact, the enemies close to the fort have short-range weapons and low mobility. After they move you are free to attack them. Gilti has a bow with which he can attack from a distance, dealing massive damage to enemies below, while Maria has a sword with a couple of techniques that allow her to cause thunder elemental damage at close range. The other enemies, which you will have to face with the main group, are not very dangerous; the only one who can cause you some problems is a wizard who you should try to eliminate as soon as possible. There is a pool of water between you and some of the enemies, so a character or two with Wing Armor can be useful. Regarding the treasures, there are four to find. One is hidden under a chest that you need to open first. In order to take the Joule however, you need the Blockmake skill, which you don't have yet. You will then have to come back here later.

Kumenu Canyon

Victory condition: Defeat Thorpe
Defeat condition: Death of the hero or of Pratau
Basic reward: 10.000 G
Items:

• Hint-6 – V33, H1 (chest)
• Goblin (shield) – V18, H8 (chest)
• L-vase (accessory) – V33, H8 (hidden)

Here you will meet another boss, Thorpe. She’s a decidedly more formidable opponent than Godeau. In fact, she has great mobility, thanks to her winged armor and is able to cause massive damage from a distance, with her Dragonfire attack. Even at close range she can deal some serious damage, with Double Slash and Dervish. Thorpe has 180 HP, so you should try to weaken her with ranged attacks, before facing her directly. You have the terrain against you in this fight. Thorpe and most of the enemies are in fact on top of a hill, while your group must start from the bottom. Among the enemies are also a wizard and an archer. You should try to eliminate them as soon as possible with ranged attacks, but it's not easy. The archer in particular is capable of causing massive damage from his position, so make sure your characters are never in range (stay close to rock faces). As if all this wasn't enough, your group is initially split in two: the hero, Vlad and Pike on the left of the battlefield and the other characters on the right. Try to reunite the two groups as fast as possible. Thorpe will start approaching you when you've already defeated most of the enemy soldiers. You probably won't need to climb the hill, she will come against you directly. Make sure that all (or almost) of your characters have an item or skill to recover energy, because this fight is quite tough. Finding all three treasures while fighting Thorpe is not easy. If you're in trouble or don't want to take any chances, it's best to re-enter the battlefield later.

Porta River

Victory condition: All units cross the river
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 12.000 G
Items:

• L-glove (accessory) - V1, H1 (hidden)
• Magibook (accessory) - V14, H17 (hidden)
• Nailbat (special weapon) - V14, H29 (chest)

To win this battle it is enough that all your units cross the river but, even in this case, to overcome it you will still be forced to kill all, or almost all, enemies. Enemies will come at you in groups. The first will be three soldiers with swords tough enough, but easy to defeat. Then a wizard capable of casting Blastburn will come forward, who you should try to eliminate quickly. At about the same time, two winged enemies with spears, capable of flying over the river, will begin to approach you. You should be able to defeat them quite easily with bows and thrown weapons. The enemy that will cause you the most trouble is a mage on the opposite side of the river, who can cast Blastburn and also heal enemy units. Try to lure him onto the dock, by placing one of your characters near the opposite river bank (or on the water if you have Wing Armor) and then quickly take him out, using your spells and attack items. The remaining enemies shouldn't bother you, probably all they can do is slow you down as you try to cross the bridge. There are three treasures to collect in this battlefield, two of which require Wing Armor. You can still take it easy, even after all enemies have been defeated, as the battle won't end until all of your characters have crossed the river.

Ghote Plain

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero or Yuri
Basic reward: 14.000 G
Items:

• Balloon (special weapon) - V1, H1 (chest)

Although there are many enemies to defeat, this battle is not the toughest. In addition to your group, you will also have Yuri and three other helpers of him, who are on the opposite side of the battlefield. Additionally, the terrain gives you an advantage, as your characters are on high ground to your left and right, while your enemies are mostly in the valley between. Yuri and his group, thanks to their powerful spells, should be able to eliminate all enemies near them without problems. Maybe wait for them to move before attacking them, in order to be sure to hit multiple enemies with a single spell. The hero and his party will have to deal with the remaining enemies, which shouldn't cause you too much trouble. Use your spells and long-range weapons to strike them from above before they can get close. There is only one wizard among the enemies, which you should be able to eliminate rather easily anyway. However, try to avoid his attack, because he is quite powerful. There is only one item to collect here, inside a chest, which you can reach easily.

Barn Mt. Range

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 16.000 G
Items:

• Maracas (special weapon) - V23, H8 (hidden)
• Pickax (special weapon) - V5, H14 (chest)

Here you still have Yuri's help, but not his three companions. There are several enemies and the terrain is very varied, with water obstacles and high ground. At the beginning you can consider dividing your group in two, sending part of the characters to defeat the three enemies on the hill on the left and the rest of the group to face the enemies further ahead. If you intend to do this, you are better off using wizards (Yuri is fine) and characters with Wing Armor, because to reach the hill on the left you will have to cross a very narrow bridge and then climb up. In the meantime, obviously the three enemies - two archers and a wizard, will target you. So be careful. The wizard in particular can heal his allies and poison your characters. For this battle you should therefore have at least one item or skill to cure the poison, in case you get hit. After defeating them you can reunite the group. The remaining enemies aren't much of a problem, except for another wizard, with two attack spells and high magical defense. As always, try to face them a little at a time. Regarding the treasures to find, don't forget to take the Pickax from the only chest present, a special weapon equipped with the Blockmake skill, which allows you to reach otherwise unattainable positions (and treasures) on the battlefields. After taking it, you can in fact go back to some previous battlefields to collect the items you previously left out. Maracas are also very useful, with their Blockbreak skill, which you will need later if you want to find all the treasures. Do not sell these weapons until you have learned their special skill and remember to always store these skills in other weapons.

Mine Level Three

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 18.000 G
Items:

• V-cape (accessory) - V9, H7 (chest)
• Philbook (accessory) - V9, H13 (hidden)
• Map-11 - V13, H20 (hidden)
• Thunder Ring (accessory) - V15, H20 (chest)

First and easiest battle set in the basement of the mining prison. Here you won't have any more helpers because Yuri will abandon the group, but you shouldn't have many problems. The enemies are all insects, none of which are particularly dangerous. Their attacks can poison you, however, so prepare accordingly. The terrain here is to your advantage. Your group is in fact on a raised path that goes all around the battlefield. Use your warriors to eliminate the enemies that come towards you along the raised edge and your archers and magicians to attack those in the large cavity in the center and you should easily win this fight. You will then do well to dedicate one of your characters to collecting treasures, because there are four of them here. To reach the two chests, you must have necessarily learned the Blockmake skill from the Pickax, found in the previous battlefield. You should always take this skill with you from here on out.

Mine Level Four

Victory condition: Defeat all enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 20.000 G
Items:

• Hi-herb (item) - V21, H0 (hidden)

Here too you will only have to deal with insects, the same as the ones you have just faced. There are three behind your starting position: a mage and eventually an archer will be enough to kill them before they can reach you. Three more are on the right and you should defeat them easily. The ones that will cause you the most problems are on the hill in front of you. Here there are in fact two archers and two enemies with high mobility. They will usually start attacking you once you have defeated the other enemies. Pay close attention to archers in particular, who can cause serious damage from their position. Climbing the hill is tough and time consuming, especially for characters wearing Heavy Armors. A good way to stay out of range of their attacks is to climb up to the edge. Try to eliminate them as soon as possible. This is one of the few battlefields in the game that you can't return to later. However, there is only one item to collect and that is a common Hi-herb.

Mine Level Five

Victory condition: Defeat the Boss Ant
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 22.000 G
Items:

• Hi-herb (item) - V3, H8 (hidden)

A boss fight, with a single huge opponent. But also one of the easiest battles in the game. The Boss Ant has 220 HP and only one attack, which takes around 30 HP from characters who find themselves in its area of influence. Nothing to worry about then, especially if you have a wizard capable of healing the group. Despite its enormous size, there is only one point to attack. During the first turn, approach the boss and start attacking him from a distance with magicians or attack items. On the next turn, surround the boss with characters equipped with short-range weapons, attack it from a distance with archers and wizards and you should easily drain all his HP. Again, you can't return to this battlefield later, but the only item to collect is a Hi-herb.

Mine Corridor #27

Victory condition: Defeat all the enemies
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 23.000 G
Items:

• B-insect (bow) - V0, H24 (chest)
• Goblin (shield) - V14, H24 (chest)

Here you have Yuri's help again. At the beginning it is best to divide your units in two, trying to form two balanced groups. The enemies will in fact come at you from two sides. You may also want to deploy your units back, except those wearing Wing Armor, because the stairs to the raised edges are near the bottom end of the battlefield. The first enemies, with swords, that come towards you shouldn't cause you too many problems. After defeating them, you can also try to reunite the group, but it is not strictly necessary, because the enemies will come towards you automatically and the enemy forces are perfectly symmetrical. The most dangerous enemies, namely archers and wizards, are the ones who will come towards you at last. There is one wizard in particular, who can cast Darkmoon, which causes very large damage. So try to save your attack items and your best skills for them. Maybe also send your winged characters towards them to finish them off. There are two chests at the bottom of the battlefield. To reach and open them, you need the Blockmake skill.

Mohosa's Secret Chamber

Victory condition: Defeat chief jailer Samhin
Defeat condition: Death of the hero
Basic reward: 24.000 G
Items:

• C-potion (item) - V7, H7 (hidden)

The last battle of the chapter is quite tough. You will have Yuri's help for the last time. Near you, on a rise there are some enemies armed with swords, which you should defeat easily. Two more similar enemies will come towards you a little further on. Maybe use some spells against them, but not too many and keep the attack items. On the left side, on the raised paths, there are in fact decidedly more insidious enemies, namely two archers, who from their position have an excellent range and can cause considerable damage and a magician who can both attack your group and heal the enemy units. Try to eliminate them quickly. To attack these enemies you should use your wizards and your winged characters. Remember to keep the wizards next to the vertical wall, so that the archers can't hit them. Samhin, your main objective, is located at the bottom of the battlefield, on the top path and has 220 HP. He also can cause serious damage to your units when he casts Blizzard. Near Samhin is also Mohosa, that is even more dangerous, but fortunately he can attack you only if you get close and your only goal is to defeat Samhin. You are therefore better off ignoring him. Try to attack Samhin from a distance, using your spells and attack items, which you should save for this phase of the battle. If your units are wounded, Yuri's Heal Light skill will be very useful. Once Samhin is defeated, Mohosa will retreat and you will have won the battle. This is a battlefield you can't return to later, but the only item to collect is a C-potion, so nothing essential.