Battle for Wesnoth

Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game in a fantasy setting with single-player campaigns and multi-player matches. It is free software released under GPL. You can download the game to play at the Battle for Wesnoth website.

In campaign games, you go through a series of scenarios, in which your leaders will either have to escape, defeat the enemy leaders or to resist capture. Not only should you try to achieve the objective as fast as possible because there is money bonus to gain depending on how early you finish the scenario, but you should use each scenario to build up a balanced and formidable army so as to face tougher battles ahead.

Each unit has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, elves have better defense in forest and can move through forest faster than other types of units. An interesting twist to this tactical strategy game is that a unit strength or its effectiveness in a battle is affected by the time of the day (day-night cycle) and the unit's alignment, which can be either lawful, neutral or chaotic. During the day, lawful units fight better and during the night, chaotic units fight better. Units can also advanced to higher level units through gaining experience in battle.

I find myself when playing this game to do the best to protect my higher level units such that on once occasion, when my paladin is killed, I replayed the previous turn trying to change that outcome! I was able to changed it by sending my leader instead to the front to be hacked by undeads! (Note: once your leader died, you lose. The leader in this game is usually not strong because the leader is more than often at the back of the battle in which he can recruit new units (or recall existing units) at the keep and also because of the need to protect it.)

:)

The picture below shows the scenario at Crossroads, where the enemy finds my units too overwhelming, that they run away from battles! The enemy units try to kill my stray units instead! Good AI! :)

Battle at Crossroads

More screenshots from the final scenario.

A quick and messy battle ensues! All my recruited knights eventually fall in the battle.

Start of a quick and messy battle

The Great Dwarves are superb! Konrad and Delfador go for the lightly defended Asheviere.

The Great Dwarves defend and the leader attacks

I think I would have like the hit points to be deducted more proportionately, in ways less dependent on luck!

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