User Guide

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task there, e.g. attack an enemy hero or a monster, pick up resources, capture a structure, enter a shop,
learn from a Master, attack a Castle, etc.
Heroes can move to any specified point on the map provided they can see it and there are no
obstructions. Some portions of the map are not immediately visible (the "fog of war") but will become
revealed as the heroes explore the map. Heroes will always try to take the shortest route to a selected
destination, bypassing enemies when possible. Should you wish to fight an enemy on the way to your
eventual destination, you will need to direct your hero to the enemy first and enter combat before
proceeding onward. Heroes move farther along a road in a given turn than they do crossing the
countryside. Mountains, water reservoirs, forest, lava, some bushes, and all structures (except empty
forts) are considered impassable.
Once you have selected all your heroes and their destinations for a given turn, issue the End of Turn
command (by clicking the “hourglass” icon in the lower right-hand corner) to have your heroes execute
your orders. Heroes with more experience will move first. Once you have ended your turn, any
remaining ether from that turn is lost.
Before you end your turn, if you instructed a hero to attack an enemy but the enemy has since moved,
your hero will change his route and still try to move towards the enemy, providing he is still visible.
Otherwise, your hero will stay where he was and wait for your next command.
Enemies
Generally, your enemies are other players representing one or more Lords, depending on the mission.
The Lords of the hostile races order their heroes to attack you and capture your structures, prevent
your moving freely around the territory, and organize ether attacks on your Castle. In single-player
mission and campaign games, the computer controls your enemies. In multiplayer games, you fight one
or more human opponents. Remember, you will never actually face an enemy Lord but must instead
face the heroes he controls. To destroy the Lord himself, you must destroy his Castle. On most maps,
there are also neutral monsters to be overcome as well.
Area of interception. To attack an enemy, you must approach him. Every monster has its own
“interception area,” a space of variable width around the monster, which, if entered by a hero,
automatically triggers combat. Neither your own nor enemy heroes have interception areas; combat
between them can only be initiated by direct contact ordered by a Lord. However, a fort controlled by
a hero does have an interception area. Therefore, forts provide an effective means of controlling
territory since a hero cannot pass by an occupied enemy fort without triggering combat. Building
several forts around your Castle and important structures is an effective means of defense.
When combat begins, the game automatically switches to the tactical mode and the Combat Screen
appears. Confrontations with enemy heroes and neutral monsters on the Territory map happen in
essentially identical ways (see “Combat” and “Combat Screen” sections for more).
Diplomacy
In multiplayer games, players can enter into alliances with each other. In a campaign game, the game
script determines alliances. Any party can terminate alliances at any moment. Any changes in diplomatic
relations become effective on the next turn. Alliances exist exclusively between the two parties; your
relationships with your ally’s other allies and enemies don’t change. Similarly, your ally will not be
obliged to attack your enemies if they are currently not at war with each other.
All monsters are hostile to all players. There can be no alliances with monsters or alliances between
monsters themselves.