First off, I have to say I liked this game as well as its predecessor. I didn't give it a higher score simply because most of the problems in its clunky interface have yet to be resolved. Most of my complaints have been well covered in the other reviews, so I'll limit my suggestions. First, provide better scouting reports (mission descriptions). At the very minimum they should include weather and terrain info. Second, provide info in the report about how many troops were sent. Was the force horribly underpowered, just a little too weak, sufficient, overwhelming, or just plain ridiculous?
I tend to play these games to completion, meaning I try to unlock all the secrets and find all the details. So, after playing a loooong time, I decided to look under the hood, so to speak, to see what I was missing. After downloading the file and decompiling it I was appalled at what I found. The code was a mess and had qute a few bugs. A lot of typing and probably mistakes could have been prevented with a few functions. That wasn't what disappointed me, however.
First of all, the vast majority of spells, unit special abilities, and leader bonuses are not implemented at all. Each unit has only two stats that make up its usefulness in battle: melee and ranged damages. After subtracting losses, these two stats are tallied and compared to the mission requirements to see if you succeed or fail. It's that simple. There is no bonus for military training, taunting, reflexes, protection or any of the other abilities. The displayed health and protection stats are also total BS. The only messages relating to combat that DO mean anything are the failure messages saying you need more melee (axes and swords) or ranged support (their ranged support was too much...). Everything else is just "flavor."
Some unit abilities are implemented, notably the thieving ones. Thieves get a bad rap from the guy mission report even though they do nothing but help. Following is a list of other notes from looking at the code:
10% chance (9% if you also have knights) that thieves can rob bandits for additional loot.
Cold weather can kill hanches, unless you have Lenneth, bedrolls or tents.
Hot weather will kill henches.
Whole lot of noise about bad lighting, but no effect on mission.
Rough terrain can be safely crossed with rope or Asher, otherwise expect casualties.
Climbing mountains needs rope and climbing picks or people will probably die. Some units are immune.
Traps can be evaded by having boggins, thieves or a hero with the Rookery Clasp. The Blood Sword can reduce casualties by one.
Chests can be opened by boggins, thieves, sneak-thieves, black wolves, Asher, Ivy or crowbars. Even if the thieves are blamed for opening an empty chest, you still get the added loot.
Doors can be opened by boggins, thieves, sneak-thieves, agents, Asher, Ivy, bombs, crowbars, bolt cutters, drills, or a hero with the Ogre Charm. Again, you get the same loot despite the different messages.
Buried treasure requires shovels, pickaxes, bombs or Mina, checked in that order. Pickaxes can produce extra copper or iron, and Mina has a 1/3 chance at finding a bonus mushroom.
Signal flares, mapkits, Asher or Ern will prevent units from becoming lost.
Starvation is prevented with food rations, iron rations, pots, fishing rods, war dogs, nets, a hero with the Redwood Bow, Cinnacat or Ern. Cinnacat has a 1/4 chance of finding a bonus mushroom if he prevents the troops from starving.
Food rations will spoil in bad weather causing starvation, even if you have ALL the others as backup.
Poisons are cured by sending along medicine. It only targets specific units in specific slots, though.
Disease is cured with antibiotics. It also only targets specific units in specific slots.
Henchmen, cultists, warriors, hedgemages and miners are also susceptible to special dangers that can kill them. Especially nasty considering what you have to do just to get the mushrooms for caster units. Try not to put hedgemages in slots 2 or 4 or cultists in slots 1 or 4. ;)
Every mission there is a 1% chance each of unlocking each of the special units. Producing them still requires certain buildings. These units are frost elves, slimes, emnos, shardknights, firespirits, black wolves and minotaurs.
There is a 2% chance each mission of finding a relic, up to a maximum of 32. That's a LOT of missions to fill your vault.
The Butterfly pendant gives a 1/8 chance of finding a mushroom and a moss.
The holder's Band gives a 75% chance of finding a pathetic amount of bronze, tin or ale. If your hero is not carrying it, there's a 1% chance the recipe is discovered.
Taking the Ogre Charm gives a 1/6 chance of finding 20 silver. W00t.
There's a 1% chance each mission to find full or partial recipes to the Serpent Spear, Redwood Bow, The Redshield, Ancient Bracer, Butterfly Pendant and Ogre Charm.
The herb guide gives a 25% chance of finding an additional mushroom. Battlemages and monks do not increase their effectiveness, they just generate different messages for failure.
Sending miners gives a 30% chance of increasing the first two loot items by 10.
Loot capacity is 5 * henchmen plus units in slots one and two plus extra for wagons, mules, etc.
Final mission: 449 melee and 99 ranged to win. That's 25 archers and 43 berzerkers. Or just send 57 shard knights. The fewest possible units to win would be 20 sackmen and 35 black wolves. None of these units even need mushrooms. Just make sure enough survive the journey to win the fight. Send the henchmen along if you want to keep playing and need the loot.
Unit stats:
Troop Melee Ranged Cost in Silver (Assuming you buy materials)
henchmen 0 0 5
Conscript 1 0 10
Boggin Rogue 2 1 9
Warrior 1 0 17
Thief 1 1 14
Battle Master 2 0 28
Gladiator 2 0 50
Cultist 1 1 30+M
Thumper 2 0 24
Mauler 3 0 26
Destroyer 4 0 400
Agent 1 4 100
Hedge Mage 2 3 13+M
Sun Cleric 2 0 170
Knight 5 0 330
Healer 1 0 54
Guardian 3 0 340
Sackman 2 5 80
Brute 4 0 21
Twisted One 2 0 82
Brave 1 0 20
Frost Elf 4 0 15m+2M+P
Brigand 2 1 14
Green Slime 3 0 ?
Enno 8 0 140+20m
Sneak Thief 2 0 15
Shaman 1 0 76+M
Scrapper 2 0 30
Hunter 1 0 22
Fithling 10 0 690
Shard Knight 8 4 280
Warden 8 0 100+M
Fire Spirit 2 3 350
Battle Mage 7 4 20+3M
Black Wolf 12 0 300
Miner 1 0 14
Berserker 10 0 94
Minotaur 10 0 640
Archer 1 4 13
Monk 1 0 34
Succubus 8 0 92
M = mushroom
m = mana
P = moon pearl
Smithing recipes:
Item First Second Third Fourth Fifth
Black Staff Onyx Onyx Onyx Onyx Onyx
Serpent Spear Maple Wood Maple Wood Maple Wood Maple Wood Onyx
Morning Star ? ? ? ? ?
holders Band Onyx Flame Maple Wood Walnut Leaf Mantle Pearl
Redwood Bow Maple Wood Maple Wood Maple Wood Maple Wood Mycelium
The Redshield Dragon Scale Dragon Scale Dragon Scale Dragon Scale Flame
Tower Blade ? ? ? ? ?
Ancient Bracer hill Bear Tooth Mycelium Feather Red Coral Dragon Fossil
Rookery Clasp Feather Feather Feather Feather Feather
Butterfly Pendant Red Coral Red Coral Meteorite Red Elk Antler Mantle Pearl
Ogre Charm Red Coral Dragon Scale Dragon Scale Dragon Scale Flame
Spell Recipes:
Enchanted Swords Force Citrine
Lightning Bolts Thunder Garnet
Fire Bolts Fire Force Ruby
Ice Bolts Ice Force Aquamarine
Blood Boil Air Death Garnet
Healing Aura Air Nature Amethyst
Enriched Soil Earth Nature Garnet
Boulder Smash Fire Earth Force Citrine
Racoon Companions Earth Force Nature Ruby
Health Boost Earth Death Nature Garnet
Revive Fire Air Thunder Nature Amethyst
Night Vision Air Earth Force Nature Sapphire
Magical Bolts Fire Air Earth Thunder Force Aquamarine