FE8 - No Mounts Low Turn Counts Run: Chapter 8 - It's a Trap
9Chapter 8 is completed in 7 turns (51 total).
Quite a high turn count here, mainly because 5 move units attempt to replicate what 7-8 move units do in a normal playthrough, and this is the first map that's pretty long. A run with Seth can clear in 5 turns without much hassle; 4 turns possible with an instapromoted Franz and some rigging to KO Tirado on turn 4.
Technically, I can 6-turn the map but this assumes the impossible: Colm, being the party's only 6 move unit, needs to rambo and solo the entire northern portion of the map, which includes not only crap like loldiers but also bulky AKs (even if he's proficient and can wield the Armorslayer, their attacks at WTA really hurt him). On turn 5, Colm drops Eirika right in front of the boss, but since the boss has 2-range and Colm cannot, Colm will be attacked unless Eirika is in KO range and he is not. Eirika would need to dodge the Silver Lance attack and crit with a Rapier back (I can't imagine Colm being able to grab the kill next turn due to his horrid base skill). So yeah, quite an impossible scenario, main problem here being Colm's terrible combat performance. Even if I were to invest into Colm heavily (shield, this map's robe, lots of combat exp for sword rank and nigh-perfect level-ups), that would bear the heavy price of hurting Artur and Ross, who gain level-ups quickly here because the tough next chapter almost entirely depends on how well they can one-round enemies and take hits.
Ross becomes my main frontliner - axes grant him WTA against most enemies he will meet and he one-rounds foes easily thanks to his high strength. His speed is good enough and will continue to grow (though more slowly because we need to promote him really soon). Most everyone else follows, mainly to give Ross Eirika for the drop right in front of Tirado (the Rapier counter on enemy phase is easily the best way to deal damage to Tirado on this run, since no Hammers are around yet, which is a pity because Ross would deal some 20ish damage in a single attack with one).
Colm gets his stuff (Lockpicks and the robe) traded away because the enemy thief is faster and will proceed to steal our most valuable items otherwise. He can have our vulneraries instead all right. His mobility helps carry Eirika forward.
Meanwhile, Artur travels south to take on all the enemies there. Only the Archer will be baited by Ephraim - the rest Artur can eat for the exp he desperately needs. Moulder follows him and spams Mend. I was lucky with all the mag+spd levels - just the stats Artur needs, though I wouldn't mind some defence either.
We're saying goodbye to Eph until chapter 15, where he could offer some assistence with the desert rout (his stats are pretty darn good).
Bosskilling Tirado would require Ross and Garcia to co-operate for the kill, since Eirika's Rapier whiffed once on EP, but Ross is lucky with a crit (followed by a speed level-up!). The crit was not needed considering Eirika could've connected both Rapier attacks without much luck.
Oh, and Gilliam reaches level 10, so this means we'll have another 5 move unit in the next map. Doesn't sound too impressive but when you remember it's a unit that's very hard to kill (he did somehow die to a Killing Edge Myrm on one of my chapter 9 attempts btw) and has access to 3 melee weapon types.
Considering how many characters are about to promote, I'm once again convinced chapter 8/9 is the point where we separate the earlygame from the midgame (the lategame essentially being warpskipping + bosskilling + egg-slaying).
Challenge playlist:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbSv8zSDR9c26lYu02EA8IaBJcmStZg47
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