Wei Forces Scenario – ***** Difficulty
Target 1 – Defeat Ling Tong, Gan Ning, and Xiao Qiao in 10 minutes.
Target 2 – Take West Canyon Watchpost and Shi Ting South Post in 15 minutes.
Target 3 – At least 7 of your units including Cao Xiu survive until victory.
Strategy – This is a tough one, especially considiering how risky it is going to save Cao Xiu in the center from Ling Tong, Gan Ning, etc. Much like Guan Du though you are fighting a large number of officers right away, so it’s fun to get involved in heavy battle within seconds of joining the battle.
Starting off I usually skip through Sun Lang, Xiao Qiao and get to Ling Tong. Lu Dai is with him but just take out Ling Tong because you have more work to do. Zhou Fang, Zhang Cheng, Chen Wu, Zhang Zhao and Gan Ning are all attacking Cao Xiu in the center base. Since he absolutely must survive, you need to go by him after taking out Ling Tong. Gan Ning then rushes the base.
Fortunately once all of that is cleared up there are just small groups of enemy units on the exteriors. Ding Feng and Lu Xun attack the base next so look for them to the north. Return back to the officers you skipped in the northwest like Sun Lang and Xiao Qiao. This completes Target 1. Taishi Xiang and Zhu Huan are also up here.
Sima Yi then needs help north of here with Sun Shao, Ma Zhong and Zhu Ran. You should still have ample time to take the two southwestern bases for Target 2. The southwestern most is tricky to get to and will take some time. Only Quan Zong is down there. Also you will want to aid the very northeast forces against Sun Huan and Xu Sheng. In the valley southwest of here are Ding Feng and Sun Deng. You’ll want to deplete these forces so your forces have an easy path to the southeast.
Lu Fan and Xue Zong protect the southeast base’s exterior and Zhuge Jin / Yu Fan protect Sun Quan inside the base. If you kept Cao Xiu alive and did so in a timely manner you should have no issue with Target 3.
Wu Forces Scenario – ***** Difficulty
Target 1 –Secure 5 or more enemy bases in 10 minutes.
Target 2 – Player maintains 40 % of life.
Target 3 – At least 7 of your units including Xiao Qiao must survive until victory
Strategy – The timed target is not really so much of an issue, but it is something that needs to be done in 10 minutes. But be conservative so you can accomplish Target 2 at the same time.
If you take the southmost path going west (sloping upwards) you’ll be able to reach Xiahou Hui, and then jump into the castle with Cao Xiu right after. You should be able to take him out before Cao Ren or other enemy forces reach the center castle.
Cao Ren though comes marching from the west with Jiang Gan, Xu Yi, and Xin Pi. An eastern force comes too so you’ll need to take out Dai Ling, Hao Zhao and Cao Zhen also.
Even once you clear out all the center forces you’ll have allies all over the map to aid. Going east to take out Wen Pin and Xiahou Shang is probably best because a boatload of Wei reinforcements come with Zhang Pu, Xue Qiao, and Zhang Qiu attacking you. The enemy forces defending the northeast fort and other areas begin to press onwards in attack mode. So once the enemy reinforcements are done for you still have Xiahou Ba and Zhang Liao to take care of in that northeast area.
You have probably neglected the southwest area long enough, and Xiao Qiao is down here and you definitely need her alive. Take out Jia Kui and then Hua Xin in the center-east, if your allies don’t do that already. All that is left is the enemy base – remember to fill up your health to ensure that 40% of it is there at the end.
Sima Shi, Sima Zhao, Liu Shao and Sima Yi are east of the enemy base. After they are done, Cao Cao and his subgenerals Zhu Ling, Chen Jiao, Cao Hong, Cao Zhi and Cao Yu come after you. Of course you’ll want them all gone by the time you get ready to take Cao Cao on.
Lu Bu’s Forces – *** Difficulty
Target 2 – Take Shi Ting Northwest Camp, Wan Castle and Shi Ting Southeast Camp in 15 minutes.
Target 3 – At least 4 of your units survive until victory.
Strategy – This battle is more difficult than you’d think. But that’s only because Lu Bu is vulnerable and you’ll have to protect him (or whoever takes the commander spot for Lu Bu if you’re Lu Bu).
You’ll be positioned to head west through Yan Yu and Yu Mi, and to the Northwest Camp for Ou Xing and Yan Baihu. Others will come here to attack this base like Xue Li, Taishi Xiang and Fan Neng.
Race back to the northeast to aid those eastern allied forces against Zhou Xin. If you still have time go for Lu Fan and then soon Yuan Shu’s forces come and are planted all over the south part. Yue Jiu, Ji Ling, Lei Bo and Qiao Rui are in the southeast area and then the rest of Yuan Shu’s forces attack from the southwest.
Taishi Ci will also encounter you around here, so you have him, Yuan Shu, Yuan Yao, Yuan Yin, Chen Lan, Li Feng, Chen Ji, Zhang Xun and Liang Gang to deal with. Not to mention Liu Yong’s forces in Wan Castle. So try to separate them, then conquer. Having Lu Bu around helps.
Not much is left. Within Wan Castle is Zhang Ying, Chen Heng and Liu Yong. Then the forces in the southeast of Wang Lang’s, with Dong Xi. Make sure to help wherever the bulk of your allies are attacking so that 4 allied units survive for Target 3.