Chapter 3, Side Castle 2: Heavensong City Keep

**Map 15** (Chapter 3, Side Castle 3) is a 11x11 large-sized symmetrical map in TinyGroove. Its S-rank can be achieved if completed in <20 days. The mission involves the player competing with Tenri to capture Heavensong City. Winning yields the Tri-Chalice, Artefact 'P', which amplifies the player's groove accumulation rate by 15%/turn, which is pretty great to have for the rest of the campaign. As a Side Castle mission, some unique game mechanics are introduced and the map is inherently tougher than most to win.

### **Mission Background**

Tenri has the advantage early in the mission by possessing the central barracks and both corner towers while the player possesses no production structures at the start. This means at least one if not the first 2 turns are dedicated to having Dark Mercia capture barracks while the enemy captures half of the city.

The gimmick on this map is that it's a city and property values are greater than standard villages, and increase in value the closer to the city center you get. The barracks in the city center is the focal point of the battle of this map, and the 6 villages surrounding it yield the owning player 200 gold per turn instead of the usual 100. Likewise, the other cities in the map provide 150 gold per turn over the usual 100, and the 2 gateway villages near the towers provide 100 gold per turn, and amplify your groove accumulation rate by 15%/turn (stacking to 30%/turn if you own both). This is a nod to the tri-chalice artefact you receive if you destroy the enemy's stronghold.

#### Helpful Tips

So far, this seems easy, with extra gold to be had, there are no treasure chests on the map, but still, you should be looking for a money bin to store your excess cash in no time... except... taxes. Every 3 days, Tenri taxes the city and takes gold away from you (adding it to her funds) for every village you own, proportional to its value. Similar to Monopoly's property tax or building improvements card, this gets worse the more properties you own. Because even as you win, the enemy wins... it's almost as if the only way to truly stick it to the Man (or Woman in this case) is to burn this mother to the ground...

Coincidentally, you can do that here and remove all of the City's properties from Tenri's Tax Base if you want to. After capturing the central barracks, 4 villagers will appear and defect from the Heavensong army near the barracks. You may guide them back to your purple flag next to your stronghold to rescue them. Rescuing them all before the enemy defeats one will get you one of this mission's achievements, while rescuing at least two opens up a new strategy to employ. Revealing this hint after rescuing at least 2 of the villagers will allow you to destroy any of the villages on the map by completely surrounding it with your units. Going HAM and destroying all villages and the central barracks this way will net you this map's other Achievement.

The "Urban Arsonist's Cache" is hidden Artefact 'O', under one of the villages near the enemy's stronghold. Destroying the village and standing on the chest that is revealed in the wreckage will yield this relic that gifts the player with an extra 100 gold/day on any mission thereafter throughout the campaign when possessed at the outset of a mission.

### **Achievements**

#### A19: Please, Sir, I Want Some More Salvation!

Conditions: Rescue all 4 conscripted Heavensong Villagers after capturing the central barracks on the map.

#### A20: Raze the Roof

Conditions: Level every village and the central barracks in Heavensong City. Destroy a village by inciting a riot by surrounding it on all possible sides with your units after capturing the central barracks and rescuing at least half of the fleeing villagers.

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