Ambiorix's Warning strategy guide

**Ambiorix's Warning strategy guide** is made for giving players a winning strategy about the battle during the storyline quest Ambiorix's Warning. This is considered a very difficult battle or impossible battle to win by the legate's group itself. This guide should provide any player essential information to become more resilient or even gain the upper hand.

## Group setup

* 3 principes, with one fully specialised as a veteran, one specialised as defender and a third specialised as defender/vanguard. The third one is filling up the gap between the rock and the rest of the group.
* One Sagittarius
* One or two Triarius. The first should have a medic and flagbearer specialisation (Syneros) and the second a destroyer specialisation, with inspire and healing skills.
* No or just one Veles, with an assassin specialisation and duelist specialisation. The Spear of Achilles provides the unique reaping skill, which can make a veles very deathly the first two turns.

### Princeps setups

When it comes to the three principes, each princeps needs different skills in order for the shieldwall to properly work.

The first setup is the near-invincible princeps or juggernaut (princeps 1). This unit should be a defender (full bulwark), equipped with Mithridates' Crown, a set of heavy armour with no piercing affixes, equipped with Dumnorix's Shield and a powerful weapon, such as the Electrum Khopesh. In case the first shield fails, the second set should be common set of sword and shield. This unit should be able to reach the highest maximum Resistances of 94%, for both piercing and slashing attacks. The tactical items should be Pilum/Throwing Knives and Bandage. As the last unit destined to fall, it can be quite handy to heal other units or the healer.

The second princeps (princeps 2) should be a full veteran specialisation with a mixed vanguard/defender specialisation, equipped with Aegis or in case of Deianeira, with Zairichi's Labrys as weapon or Alexander's Spear. Armour should be as protective as possible. Banner of Jupiter and Water jug should be the tactical items. The most important task to use Stand Fast, to prevent allies from being stunned. Combined with Flawless Defense, this should unit should have excellent defensive properties, while being able to provide some damage as well. Cat's Grace can be used to give the unit a bit of dodging skill, which is quite handy for this slighty more vulnerable defender.

The third princeps (princeps 3) can be Caeso Quinctius Aquilinus or a praetorion with defender, with vanguard as second specialisation. Flawless Defense helps tremendous for this role. Heavy armour should be suited for high defenses. Equipping this unit with Ancile, makes it possible to last quite long, even more so with the Weapon skill Hunkering Down. Equip him with the weapon Alexander's Spear or Archelaus' Sword to give the defender the ability to bite nasty with status effects, but it won't become a main damage dealer. Pilum and Water jug are quite good for this role. A second shield and weapon should be used, with a different weapon type equipped in the weapon slot, with a good generic shield as second shield.

### Sagitarrius setup

One Sagittarius, or Julia Calida specialised as a hunter and second sniper/marksman specialisation. With the skill Barrage, a double bow setup is needed. The two equipped bows should the Bow of Ogmios and either Izil's Bow or Eurytus' Bow, though the latter is preferred, as there are a few heavies and they won't get reinforced. The Ogmios is a very powerful bow with its penetrating damage and quite capable of dealing more damage than any other bow. With Calida's Hamata, it sometimes possible to gain multiple barrages before the skill is finally depleted. Calida's Hood is good at keeping her safe in turns when she doesn't kill any enemy. The Token of Libitinia, or its effect transferred to another Talisman, is a great way to have the ultimate killing machine. Throwing Knives and perhaps Noxious Smoke Bomb / Smoke Bomb finish the rest.

### Triarius / triarii setup

The first Triarius (Syneros especially) should be setup as a healer with a second flagbearer specialisation (Rousing speech being a plus). You probably want to give him decent armour, thus either pick Assassin Garb or some strong armour with the unique property from Syneros' Toga tranferred to the piece. Rod of Ascelpius should be equipped to provide extra healing power to his skills. Two sets of Bandage should equipped in his tactical item slots. The second slot should have at least the Unarmed skill Aid available. The goal is to provide aid and status effects, or Inspire other units when not having to those things.

The optional second triarius which should be deployed is a destroyer specialisation, with the Lance of Olyndicus (Shielded Trust, Extend and Penetrate) equipped for ultimate savagery throughout the entire battle. It's a plus when this unit has Inspire and the medic skills Field Medic and Cure. Armour should be top-notch heavy armour, with the talisman and armour providing defensive and offensive-minded affixes. Bandage as the first item and Pilum, Throwing Knives or Smoke Bomb should be equipped as second tactical item.

## First two turns

The preparation turn should be used to place the units at the following locations:

* Princeps 3 should be placed between the boulder and the wall, as far as possible south. There should be no gap to pass through.
* Princeps 1 and 2 should be placed east and form the shield wall. Princeps 2 should be placed south of the boulder, while princeps 1 should be placed south of princeps 1, with the bullwark shield providing other units the most protection. The healer should be placed behind the one of the two shield walls, with the unit having the most armour, places west of the shield providing some protection to the sagittarius

The first enemy turns depending on luck, as the charger is able to jump and use stun, able to make havoc. Ambiorix will move to the opening of the shield wall in the middle, but will sacrifice all his movement to do so. What the other characters do, is different for every one.

At the first turn, two a smoke bomb northwest, with one hex in front of the shieldwall east smoke-free. This will block the archers from attack northeast and may force to head downstairs. Princeps 1 should use Stand Fast in a way that it reach all allies. If shield strength is low, then it's also a good to get rid of Ambiorix's Attack of Opportunity. The healer should use War Horn, for extra damage before the damage dealing begins. Princeps 3 should use a pilum at the leader Ambiorix to remove some armour. The Veles / Triarius Destroyer should come in action to kill the charger, before dealing some damage to Ambiorix. The Saggitarius should finish the job with Barrage, using all attacks possible, finishing with Quick shot and with a hit, end with Overwatch. If lucky, the charge is restored by the armour, allowing for another turn of ranged carnage.

The second turn consists of healing and taking down the most obvious targets, as desribed below. After the two turns, the battle can vary wildly. Prevent your more vulnerable characters from getting hurt by keeping up the shieldwall. Reposition the shield wall if possible slow and steady, until the battle is won. If the battle can't be won, try at least to take down the other chieftain before facing an unavoidable defeat.

### Target priorisation

In the battle, it's essential to prioritise the following targets when there are opportunities to take them down.

* Chargers, as their stun ability is dangerous to the group. Stunning two or members is very lethal. This stun can be countered with Stand Fast, as well as curing stunned members, but if not active, the veteran shouldn't be stunned as well.
* The leader Ambiorix being the first, as he is powerful charger and will probably be in combat range from the first turn.
* Druids, as they are able to cure injured men and being able to revive incapitated allies. Killing them is needed to prevent pesky enemies being revived.
* Veles, as they are able to penetrate gaps in the formations without triggering Attack of Opportunity and are able to target your softer allies quite effective. Their disarming skill can make matters even worse.
* Archers, and foremost stalkers when visible. Stalkers are the elite archers and very dangerous. Then the other chieftain, followed by the standard archers.
* Heavies, they pose the least threat when it comes to damage and other disadvantageous effects.