Just got done with my first game run through of FE. Since the enemy empires were absolutely no match for my Mage + Tank/Mage Champ combo, I decided to take them against Epic Quest monsters. Even so, the only one that gave me moderate difficulty was the final boss. I he was only moderate because he had a lot of weak dragons in the back I had to sweep away first before I could storm him to death. After two sweeps, all the dragons were dead and I just ran around on Wargs spamming Storm until he finally died. No big deal.
Overall? The Hero system is an improvement over the first game, vastly more interesting. Yet, I'd like more out of it. One thing which bothers me is that once I devote so much time into a large group of unstoppable killing machines, I lose interest in making another another army. Especially when the one I use can just teleport around the map and run at 10+ move speed per-turn.
Warrior Abilities are stupidly strong, even better than magic. Berserk + Sweep is a nuke that's better than most spells in the game, especially if you combine it with the Druss Blade that cuts 66% of enemy defenses.
Tactical Battles is really where the fun is, though I honestly would wish for more tactical in the tactical battles. After I pretty much made one battle plan, it's all I ever needed for every single thing I encountered. One strategy to rule them all.
I recommend some changes to tactical battles if you could try:
1. Make the tactical maps bigger and less cluttered with useless objects and obstructive color pallets that make it difficult to see.
2. Make things like elevation matter when you have archers - hell actually put in a mythical bow for a change. I tried to make an archer champ but she never got any archer gear. This isn't added yet aside from basics I guess.
3. Less predictable AI behavior. I can always trust them to attack the first thing I throw in - my tanky warrior mage. Instead of evenly distributing armor, I jsut put ALL the best armor and defense items on one person. Give them Drain Life, give them a powerful 100% defense Shield, give them Sweep, and watch the fun as the AI surrounds the champ and makes for ideal targets to get swept.
Tact battles have improved, but I never felt like I was doing anything chess-like. I kept using the same three spells all game: Haste, Berserk, Storm.. Somethings using Thunderstorm to teleport around if I was being focused. Easy stuff.
Wargs OP.
Warriors OP.
Air Mage OP. Storm, random? Ha... Funny how 'random' it is when it seems to always hit the strongest target.
I'd love to use more armies, but the thing is getting good ones of decent size for a tactical battles takes WAY TOO LONG to research. The game pretty much insists I just forget about armies entirely and focus 100% on decked out powerful champs and rocking the world army stomping single cast abilities.
Seriously, make armies more available to the player.. Give me legions of people early on, allow me to make huge squads - early game. Allow me to make a BIG army.. EARLY game.. This may help the game feel more like tactics rather than a virtual game of wack-o-mole.
Let's not forget that it takes forever to build units too. Seriously? I would love to get more big battles going, but I'm almost NEVER running lots of teams because it just takes -way- too long them. It's much cheaper to just run around the map picking up Champions and making -that- you army. You get tons of equips for free, why research um?
