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Heroes Community > Library of Enlightenment > Thread: Heroes 3 Campaigns on Impossible Difficulty
Thread: Heroes 3 Campaigns on Impossible Difficulty
MightyImp
MightyImp

Tavern Dweller
posted February 27, 2006 07:20 PM
Edited by MightyImp on 27 Feb 2006

Heroes 3 Campaigns on Impossible Difficulty

While waiting for Heroes 5 to come to the Mac (and oh it will be a while...), thought I'd replay all the Heroes 3 on impossible difficulty. Although it can be really tough, I've also found out that certain maps were designed with even one small advantage (say, a sanctuary) that makes it possible to win the map on impossible. Just shows the ingenius amount of forethought the creators put in the campaigns. It's also to their credit that it's just as addicting as ever.

While I've found strategies here, on Celestial Heavens, and even the defunct Astral Wizard site (it's archived on webarchive.org) that are helpful, I'm at a point where I'm finally out of strategies on a certain map. Before I go into the details, I will say that I'm on the 23rd map of Shadow of Death, so if anyone wants to either follow me or have questions on certain maps, feel free. There are definitely some fun and challenging tricks, such as the last map I played, Harvest. You have to generate 15 cyclops before you're invaded on week 3 (one of your towns doesn't even have a fort), abandon them completely and run for a neutral area before the AI gets there, upgrade the cyclops to kings at a hill fort, defeat a bunch of ghost dragons without losing your cyclops (which gives you Xsi at level 20 with all expert skills), trade your cyclops for angel wings, give everything to Xsi who flies into a neutral Necromancer castle bypassing a ton of Necro creatures at a garrison, and captures it and two gold mines. After that, it's a cakewalk . I even lost Xsi by creating tons of earth elementals when guarding a castle, the AI wiped me out but ran away, and I rehired him the next turn.

The next map, Final Peace is a skunk. I'm stuck (Harukaba's walkthrough is here [url=http://www.celestialheavens.com/viewpage.php?id=297]Final Peace Walkthrough[/url]). The problem is that the AI accelerates its army to somehow defeat gold dragons guarding a blue tent, and Lord Fayette gets out and can destroy the black dragons as early as week 3 (though if you aren't close, he rarely invades until at least week 5). To get to the tent, you have to defeat a few black dragons guarding your area (of course they divide into stacks of one each) and a garrison with 10 liches, 5 bone dragons and 30 vampires. Every gold mine in your territory is guarded by level 7 creatures, and you and Clancy are separated by two sets of level 5 creatures, you start out with no resources and your towns at zero level. There's not even a war machine factory.

Lord Fayette has moderate statistics, town portal, and almost 100 dread and death knights, and a devastating death ripple. Any cut and run strategies are hampered by dead ends in every corner, and I know for sure two necro castles only have level one mage guilds.

I refuse to accept defeat, and think every map has a strategy. For instance, even though luck can win a map through a random artifact, every map seems to have constants; that is, some factors that are designed to be clues to winning the map. But I've only succeeded in luck so far. Both Clancy and Gem have one random expert skill that loads on restart. There's a warrior's tomb that Clancy can visit on the first turn that seems to be critical to winning, and five artifacts and a black market on your side of the black dragons. It may be possible to build a Wizard's well, as all three artifacts have appeared numerously separately on loaded maps (every bit helps). Note that Clancy has excellent skills and I'm almost possible he can be rehired.

Right now I have a saved game with Titan's Cuiras in the crypt and a pendant of life on the same map.

Possible strategies:

1. Push for the underground Necro castle and hope it has level 5 mage guild.

2. Build level 5 mage guild in one of the ramparts, forsaking all else and hoping for the best. Maybe use Clancy repeatedly somehow to wear him down.

3. Invade blue way too early completely getting wiped out in the process, and hope you can guard the blue tent somehow. There is an artifact between the black dragons and the garrison.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

-Mighty Imp
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Russ
Russ


Promising
Supreme Hero
blah, blah, blah
posted February 27, 2006 07:40 PM

I've played all scenarios on impossible. The basic idea is: rush, rush, rush, rush, rush and use the spellbook as best as you can. Also - make sure to visit EVERY +stat town or building on your way. That is extremely important. Oh, and did I mention you have to RUSH? I've had no problems finsihing any campaigns except for "The Birth of The Barbarian" (because Yog can not cast spells) - I had to restart it from the beginning because I chose 2 wrong skills and I had to restart a couple of times later on. The swamp level is the hardest one for Yog. He starts with level 1&2 stronghold critters and he has to fight heroes with full quadriple - built fortress armies, 10 spellpower, meteor shower and other nasty spells!!!

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MightyImp
MightyImp

Tavern Dweller
posted February 27, 2006 08:09 PM

Actually, I found an easy strategy to beat the swamp level (A Tough Start) that you mentioned. I think the AI invades on week 1, tough. like you said. But that's what I'm saying about HOMM strategy, you have to turn it on its ear.

The problem? Yog can't cast spells, the enemy invades on week 1.

The solution? Give the Angelic Alliance to a hired spellcaster hero. He instantly becomes powerful (I had Alagar with ice bolt). Use him exclusively to dominate. Since he's low level, winning numerous battles easily makes it simple to cherry pick his skills and he advances quickly. When it's safe, trot out Yog to boost his experience. Once you've wiped out the AI, transfer the fastest, mightiest troops to Yog and go to Yog-exclusive border guards.Give one fast troop to some shuttle heroes to go around the map to save time, including one on a ship to transfer artifacts necessary to beat the map. By the time Yog got back to the subterranean gate, I had one of my heroes Fed Ex the Sword of Hellfire to him.

I'm glad to know that beating the map I'm playing is possible, just hasn't hit me yet.
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Russ
Russ


Promising
Supreme Hero
blah, blah, blah
posted February 27, 2006 08:43 PM

Quote:
The solution? Give the Angelic Alliance to a hired spellcaster hero. He instantly becomes powerful (I had Alagar with ice bolt).
So, basically, you've restarted until you got the right spellcaster? That DOES count as a restart But nice strategy, anyways.
I was able to finish it the Yog way. I've used the war machines and tactics to their most and I've used my 2-nd and then 3-rd heroes to distract the most powerful enemy heroes while Yog was busy taking their castles. After you got some army they were a piece of cake for him. Week 1 was the hardest because of the invasion - I had to give up 1 hero and my castle just to keep yog out of trouble.

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MightyImp
MightyImp

Tavern Dweller
posted February 27, 2006 09:11 PM

I didn't have to restart to get my spellcaster, I got lucky, but it definitely would be easier than restarting the whole campaign.

I don't think you have to restart to find the right spellcaster, you should get a choice between a spellcaster and a warrior every time. I got lucky with the one I got, but I don't even think his ice bolt advantage took affect against a stronger hero. Many spellcasters come with a specialty spell already (Even Yog comes with chain lightning that he can't use), so I think the chances are good for success.

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Nebuka
Nebuka


Promising
Supreme Hero
Save me Jebus!
posted February 28, 2006 12:05 AM

Now I'm interested in these campaigns. Been a lot of time since I last played them...and anyway wasn't so good on impossible.

Well, save for Gelu's easy campaign.
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MightyImp
MightyImp

Tavern Dweller
posted February 28, 2006 02:03 AM

Well, I got past the dragons, Russ, using your rush advice, but there is no way I'd use that strategy to this extreme normally, especially on Impossible. The black dragons killed 2/3 of my small army, so I'm moving through the shroud with only 4 marksmen, 20 dwarves and 30 grand elves. Got lucky, lost half of that taking a Necro castle. Sent a scout around and he hadn't got to the blue tent yet. Was weak for days but nobody attacked, now I can build up.
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Russ
Russ


Promising
Supreme Hero
blah, blah, blah
posted February 28, 2006 04:38 PM

I noticed that Rush is the only way to beat some of those. You'll hire army as you capture towns, so taking losses is np. The enemy towns are usually fully built too. I remember one map where the enemy necro was *supposed* to collect swarms of peasants scattered around, but I got there first He would have killed me for sure with a 1000+ skeleton army, lots of mana and high level spells.

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Nebuka
Nebuka


Promising
Supreme Hero
Save me Jebus!
posted February 28, 2006 07:26 PM

Yeah, rushing is really good in some maps. Rushed on that fortress map, rushed on next one, where you fight castle.

Tried now vs tower, beat 30 diamonds that were guarding entrance to thier area, but heroes are a bit tough for my starting army. I mean, they have lousier army, but also spells that deal 100-400 dmg, and 300+ spell points.

Looks like I'll have to wait for thunderbirds.
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Russ
Russ


Promising
Supreme Hero
blah, blah, blah
posted March 01, 2006 04:02 PM

Quote:
Tried now vs tower, beat 30 diamonds that were guarding entrance to thier area, but heroes are a bit tough for my starting army. I mean, they have lousier army, but also spells that deal 100-400 dmg, and 300+ spell points.

Looks like I'll have to wait for thunderbirds.
Are you sure that this is the only way you can go? I don't remember exactly, but there usually are "weaker" and "stronger" enemy areas. Maybe you've missed the "weaker" one.

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MightyImp
MightyImp

Tavern Dweller
posted March 01, 2006 05:38 PM

I had better luck going west first, clearing the gold mine and getting the ogres, then when I was ready cleared the middle diamonds. Sent a decoy hero south and Yog north to take the Tower. Since you rush, every step is critical so make sure you visit the stables on day 1 every week you can.

It's easier then to take the westmost tower before the eastern one, which the AI always gets early. There's also a bunch of Ancient Behemoths guarding a tent that you have to be ready for (I think I had to wait a few days after wiping out the AI).
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Nebuka
Nebuka


Promising
Supreme Hero
Save me Jebus!
posted March 01, 2006 09:12 PM

Oh, I finished the map already. In week 2 blue was dead. They first came to me...and only 'problem' was to beat two heroes that had high damage spells. Lost a lot, but after that was a breeze.

Finished Gelu's campaign as well. Now just Gem's and Crag's.

Chances are that Crag's will give me trouble. I hate no tavern in maps.
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Boda
Boda

Tavern Dweller
posted October 08, 2013 04:23 PM

Changing difficulty

Sorry for necro'ing the thread, but since im a newtimer, i can only reply and this one seemed the most obvious.

Ive been thinking about challenging myself to play Heroes III on impossible difficulty too. How can i change difficulty in Heroes III RoE and AB?I believe some mod can do it, can someone link it?

Thank you all in advance.

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frostymuaddib
frostymuaddib


Promising
Supreme Hero
育碧是白痴
posted October 08, 2013 06:06 PM

I'm not sure that there is a mod, but this is what you could do: use resedit tool to extract campaigns from lod files in your data folder (I'm not sure what are the exact files, but you will figure that out ) and edit them with campaign editor. Go to  Edit -> Campaign Properties and check Scenario difficulty is user selectable. Save your campaign and load it up as custom campaign. I haven't tried this, but it should work.

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