Unlikely Heroes

Arkantos has been driven away from the Gate and all seems lost, unless the Dwarves can reforge the Hammer of Thor in time.

Starting objective: Protect the dwarves while the cut the haft from the Taproot. (1)

Difficulty levels:

  • Easy:
    • Additional gold mine near the Taproot (5)
    • Start with Hall of Thanes and Aurora Borealis upgrades
    • Gargarensis has less units
    • Nidhogg does not attack during the mission
  • Hard:
    • Only one gold mine near the Taproot (5)
    • Gargarensis has more units
  • Titan:
    • Gargarensis has even more units
    • Less Dwarves at (6)
    • Less Hersir at (7)

This mission opens near an exposed section of the Taproot (1) that Brokk is attempting to cut down in order to fashion a haft for Thor’s Hammer. Other than your heroes, the only units under your command are several dwarves and an ox cart.

If you aren’t too stuck on fair play, then the first thing you should do is delete your starting ox cart. A new one – and more importantly, four extra dwarves – will arrive from the surface. (2)

On this scenario, for every 400 gold you gather, new units will arrive from the surface in the south of the map. (2) Aside from the starting mine, there are two mines in the east of the map near where Eitri appears. (4a & 4b) On Moderate, there will be another gold mine to be found near the Taproot Trunk, (5) on Easy – two. And of course, there is your Dwarven Mine god power.

The units you will receive for mining gold are as follows:

  1. 2 Valkyries, 6 Throwing Axemen
  2. 7 Dwarves
  3. 2 Jarls, 4 Throwing Axemen
  4. 6 Ulfsarks
  5. 6 Huskarls
  6. 2 Valkyries, 2 Jarls
  7. 6 Raiding Cavalry
  8. 2 Mountain Giants
  9. 2 Frost Giants

Nidhogg will appear near the Taproot trunk (7) after the third group of reinforcements arrive and move to where your Dwarves are working. Make sure Reginleif returns to defend them when this occurs. (Unless you want your hard working Dwarves to get roasted, of course.)

Eitri appears in the east of the map (2) after one minute has passed. Now you have to clear the path between him and Brokk, so you can bring the Hammer head to the Taproot. Eitri’s own forces will actually prove useless – because you are in the Archaic age in this scenario, Hersir have only 3 base attack. So, you are going to have use your heroes – and any reinforcements from the surface – to work your way around. Always keep your heroes in front, and advance slowly so as not to attract the attention of too many enemies at once. Use Reginleif and your Valkyries to heal units.

Gargarensis invokes the Ancestors god power when you come within LOS of five locations on the map, marked with (*)‘s. When this occurs, pull your units back so you don’t attract the attention of too many units – your heroes should kill off any minions that do go after you fairly easily.

In the north corner of the map, several Hersir are held prisoner. (6) For reasons already mentioned, they’re of no substantial use to you, so you can skip the fight necessary to liberate them if you want. If you want them, then destroy the wall imprisoning them and they’ll convert to your control. A similar situation exists if you take the path northwest of Eitri’s starting location, several Dwarves and an ox cart are imprisoned. (7) Again, unnecessary, but you may as well if you’re in the area.

Once you’ve cleared the path, simply return the Hammer head to the Taproot. (1) Now task all your Dwarves on the Taproot – once there is 30% left to go, you’ll be informed that Gargarensis’ forces have passed the boulder wall. Don’t worry, with all your Dwarves working on the Taproot, you’ll have it cut down long before they arrive.

Once the Taproot is cut down, Thor’s Hammer haft will appear.

New objective: Bring the two pieces of Thor’s hammer together.

Simply move it near the Hammer head and you’ll be rewarded with victory.

On to mission 30

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