Stratos Mission 2 Mission Title: Orchalchis, a border outpost that keeps watch over Surtur's keep Objective: Rescue Lord Surtur Mission Attributes: +2 to Stratos, +1 to Persephone (with award), -1 to James, -1 to Pyro, -1 to Charnel New Units: Vortick New Spells: Airshield Stratos sends you to Orchalchis to help Lord Surtur, whom you learn has been ambushed by Acheron, an enemy wizard. You receive two manahoars and a free vortick, a new Stratos ranged unit. Your new spell is airshield, which forms a shield around your wizard and deflects ranged attacks; cast this spell before entering large battles to keep you relatively safe from enemy assaults. Rescuing Lord Surtur is your first mission objective. Walk forward and construct a manalith to begin the mission. Take time after each battle to convert enemy souls into available units. After constructing the manalith, proceed to the next mana fountain and build a second manalith. You have no available souls, so you can use only the vortick until converting enemy souls. Spot the indicator on the minimap and game screen - this indicates Lord Surtur's position. Proceed toward the indicator, and a sylph scout will interrupt your charge. The scout indicates that Lord Surtur's group has been ambushed. Add the sylph to your attack group when she becomes available. Lord Surtur has been captured by Acheron's sac-doctors, and he will be taken to Acheron's altar if you don't hurry. Lose Lord Surtur, and the mission ends in failure. Order your units to attack Acheron and his units while you move through the battle toward Lord Surtur and the sac-doctor. Use your low-level offensive spell (which would be lightning if you played Stratos mission 1) to attack the sac-doctor. Don't bother with converting red souls yet - go straight for Lord Surtur! Once the sac-doctor dies, Lord Surtur is freed from the sacrifice ritual, and he joins your party. You also receive new mission objectives. Mid-Mission Objective - Lord Surtur must survive. Desecrate Acheron's altar: Persephone's units, which were assisting in Lord Surtur's defense, are offered to you. Add them to your attack groupings. If you can keep Persephone's units alive, she will offer you an award at mission's end. Convert the enemy red souls in the aftermath of the previous battle. It will take some time for your sac-doctors to collect and return to your altar (cast speed-up on the sac-doctors to increase their speed). The remainder of the mission is just fighting battles against Acheron. Defend near manaliths (and add a few guardians if you possess spare souls). Convert Acheron's red souls for your use to increase the size of your army. Remember that Lord Surtur must survive. He's tough, but he can be killed - monitor his health closely and use the heal spell as necessary. Acheron employs guardians on his manaliths. Peek at their type and summon counters. For instance, if they're melee units, use air units; if they're air units, use ranged units; and if they're ranged units, use melee units. Cast offensive spells to assist in the fight. Convert more souls to gain a greater advantage. Construct manaliths over exposed fountains. Push Acheron back to his altar and cast a desecrate spell on a vortick. To banish a wizard for good, you must cast the spell on the wizard's altar and then defeat the wizard in combat. If you defeat an enemy wizard without desecration, the wizard can float to a friendly manalith or to the altar and reform. Defeat Acheron (Lord Surtur survives) to complete the mission in success.   « Previous Page Stratos Missions (cont.) »