Overview
First and foremost – this guide is full of spoilers. I recommend using it only after your first playthrough, at the very least least.Given how sprawling this game is and how many different types of characters you can play, creating a “perfect” or even comprehensive walkthrough for every decision would be too complicated. I will instead explain the outcomes of each meaningful decision and what kind of stats / choices you need to make to accomplish your goals. In interest of keeping this guide relatively short, I will ignore most idealism/cynicism mercy/ruthlessness decisions. Naturally, I recommend you play Sabers of Infinity before starting Guns, possibly with the help of this handy guide.
Guide intro and terms:
In interest of keeping this guide relatively short, I will ignore most decisions that only affect you idealism/cynicism mercy/ruthlessness stats. I will venture to offer a broad explanation here:
Idealistic characters are highly optimistic AND are happy with the established order. A stance for democracy / feminism / baneless rights is often a cynical position in game parlance.
Mercy / ruthlessness are more straightforward. Just remember that you may extend / deny mercy to everyone – your soldiers, your comrades and your enemies.
All stat increases are listed as a percentage of your current stat. I’m won’t bother with the % symbol, but remember that (for instance) +20 loyalty doesn’t correspond exactly to a +20 on the stat screen.
Ditto your casualties / losses. Each -1 to troop strength is vaguely equal to two dudes. You can only have your troop strength drop to 0 during big battle set-pieces – and if it ever does, you’ll end up dead.
Obviously, you’ll also die if your health drops to 0.
I will often state “you need X in stat to get a particular outcome”. You may, of course, have the game to show you your stats at any time. More importantly, “X in stat” means “at least X or more”. “If 90 in stat then X, if 40 in stat then Y” means that the game first checks if your stats are good enough for the better outcome, then checks if you at least have enough stats for the lesser outcome, etc.
Your relationship with certain characters can vary between +100 and -100. When I write “+ to Name”, I’m referring to your relationship with said person. “Caz” is Cazarosta, “Kat” is Katarina. The Takaran ambassador is Cassius or Holt.
“Lt.s” are your squadron lieutenants. “Your favorite Lt” is the lieutenant whose squad you’ve attached yourself to during initial training. They will be called upon to handle any difficult task, and will often be the squadron’s representative when talking to you.
Independence / initiative: Whenever you let your sergeants / lieutenants handle a problem without direct supervision from you, they will gain +1 to their initiative (the counter is separate for sergeants and for lieutenants). Being more independent makes them more effective at solving problems.
Elf hate / feminist / progressive – over the course of the game, you will be able to express (to yourself or to others) your opinion of Takarans, women, and changes to traditional structures. As you become involved in politics, you will be able to take a public stance in support of your beliefs. Mostly important to your relationship with certain characters in this game, but will probably matter more in Lords of Infinity (the sequel, coming in 2021).
Relationships and Romance:
Cunaris, Havenport, Cassius Holt and Countess Welles all start their relationship with you at 50. Katarina starts at 30. Your relationship with Cazarosta is determined by your choices in the previous game.
Cunaris only really matters for background info and being able to spare Keane if you don’t have the requisite rep / intelligence. However, your relationship with him may actually influence his son’s attitude in certain spots in the sequel.
You gain rep with him by taking responsibility and being good at your job. If you’re not disgraced, letting your Sgt improve your men and taking care of Renard are both simple ways to gain favor.
Havenport is massively idealistic and optimistic. Present yourself as a buff and honorable soldier to win his support.
You want to bluff him at the card game even if you don’t have the stats to win: +10 to relationship in exchange for 10 crowns is a given. Taking Kharangia alongside his highlanders also helps, if you’re competent. Your relationship will probably matter more in Lords of Inifinity, if he survives.
Spending time with Caz and acting ruthless / idealistic will increase your relationship.
If he takes you partisan hunting you miss out on the Mentor achievement.
Cassius doesn’t actually require you to be an elf-fanboy.
Just be a cool progressive feminist who shows him a bit of respect and demonstrate that you are a competent soldier. Even though you don’t get to have an elf romance, he will be able to save your life in several occasions at Kharangia 2 if your soldiering isn’t great.
Katarina likes ruthless fellows. Always be in favor of annihilating the enemy, however you can.
You want to chase the partisans into the forest, always agree to do your duty for country any king and (if interested) flirt shamelessly. Probably the biggest thing you can miss is (voluntarily) visiting her during the siege of Kharangia. This is your best and earliest chance to set up romance flags. A disgraced officer who was dragged into Kat’s presence won’t have the chance to do so.
Once you have set some romance flags with Kat, you may decide that you’re less “in love” with her and more interested in using her. There are no stats checks or major changes involved, but (say it with me) this might change in the sequel.
Welles likes feminist fellows who are NOT otherwise too progressive. She wants to put women on the battlefield, but not a full-on elfish meritocracy.
She likes good soldiers with a decent reputation. Obviously, you also need to support her remarks during the dinner scene – getting a ride home from her is your only chance to set up romance flags.
Renard is simple enough. As long as you don’t start looting and don’t go after princess Anna in the secret mission, he’ll like you and allow you to mentor him.
Lewes’: Just… don’t be an a-hole. Either save him while having all your ducks in a row, or apologize profusely (or save him poorly but flirt flatter him). There’s no Lewes romance at the moment, and there’s no real tangible benefit to being friends with Not!Sharpe.
Intro and training
“Regular” and disgraced heroes have different intros. Let’s start with the regular version:
Ambush the Antarians
Whatever tactic you choose, your men will end up faltering. You will now need to fix things, each tactic being associated with a stat. If you have 50 or more in said statistic, you get 4 losses. Less, and you take a full 10 losses.
Fight the Antari yourself: Soldiering
Do something clever: Intellect
Rally the men: Charisma
Let your Sgt do something about the men?
Yes: set Sgt initiative to 2.
I make the decisions (see below re: “deal with the men yourself”): set it to 0
Men will sort themselves out (spoilers: they won’t): set it to 1
Each Sgt deals with the men differently.
Lanzerel: +5 to discipline, morale, loyalty
Fenton: +15 loyalty, -5 morale
Harlech: +15 morale, -5 discipline
Hernandez: +15 discipline, -5 loyalty
Villanueva: +10 discipline, morale, loyalty, but -10 to rep and -10 strength.
Cunaris questions you
Sgt is working on it (selectable if you let your Sgt handle the men): +5 to your relationship with Cunaris
The fault was mine: -4 rep, +5 Cunaris.
My men are useless scum: -10 Cunaris.
Won’t fail you next time / the blame is not mine: -5 Cunaris.
If you’re an only child, your house debt will be 12000 crowns. Each sibling adds 3000 crowns to the debt. However, any siblings you retroactively allow to exist will feature in the third installment.
You can get on well with your mother (if she lives) or your sibling(s), but not both.
Your income is 30 crowns per month (35 AND your house debt is 2000 crowns less if you’ve selected the capital area as your origin). You might need funds to purchase a major / lieutenant colonel commission (800 and 1500 respectively, though you get an automatic major rank if you lead the Forlorn Hope), investing in Garing’s plans (as much as you want) and possibly supporting Hunter’s ascension to Sainthood (50 or 250 crowns).
By the time you’re done with the introduction and training, you will receive 26 (?) times your income, minus whatever you send to your family.
Deal with the men yourself:
B-b-bonus crowns!: -200 wealth, +10 to discipline, morale, loyalty.
Nothing: nothing.
Scapegoats: -2 strength, +15 morale, +15 discipline, -30 loyalty
If you’ve been knighted (extremely likely, as you’re not disgraced) there’s no real penalty for deciding you will wear your shiny metal a$s if and when you choose. I’ve outlined the exact outcomes for each battle below – but the vast majority of time, wearing Knight Armor keeps you safer than the alternative.
As you get new officers, your troops get +25 to morale, discipline, loyalty and +5 strength.
As noted above, the Lieutenant whose men you attach yourself to will become your favorite Lt and will handle most independent assignments. However, this does NOT mean anything for your relationship with said Lt or for the “Mentor” achievement.
Inspection is coming
It will sort itself out: it won’t. -5 rep.
Extra drill: +10 discipline, -10 loyalty.
Reward the best: +5 discipline, +5 loyalty, -10 morale.
Speed up reloading (requires 55 intellect): no changes whatsoever.
Spending your free time
Self improvement: +5 to soldiering, charisma, intelligence.
Working on your memoirs: may have an effect in the third game. You won’t actually complete your memoirs in this game, even if you spend all your free time compiling them.
Watching Cazarosta (if your relationship at least 55): +10 to your relationship with Caz, providing access to an extra scene and a +10 boost to soldiering later on.
Socializing (requires 50 charisma): +15 rep.
Antarian: You get one chance to use perfect Antarian (requires studying Antarian 3 times) and a few chances to use basic Antarian. Also, if you decide to improve your linguistic skills at least twice, you are rewarded with a +10 to intelligence.
Supervise your squadron: +5 to discipline, morale, loyalty.
Disgraced characters have an different intro section. Initial choices only matter for Katarina’s romance.
Talk to Katarina
“Your name” (first step in possible Kat romance) leads to: “Another question” for +5 to Katarina, “Family Name” for -5 to Kat.
Who are your superiors: +5 to Kat if your intelligence is 40, -5 if it’s lower.
Cunaris will be keeping an eye on you
“I’ve been cleared of wrongdoing”: -5 to Cunaris.
Your men actually start out in better shape than a non-disgraced officer’s default troop (35 in every statistic), get another +5 to every stat as your officers arrive and yet another +5 before you start taking suggestions for improvement. As a disgraced character, Garrett will replace Renard Findlay as your third lieutenant.
Lt.s plans for improvements
Sandoral: +10 loyalty and morale, -10 discipline.
Baylock: +30 discipline, -15 morale, -5 loyalty.
Garret: +10 to discipline, loyalty, morale, -20 rep.
As a reminder – by the time the intro and training end, you should have 26 x your income worth of funds (minus whatever you send home).
On the way to Kharangia
Setting out:
Promising to protect Renard (if you’re not disgraced) gives you +10 to Cunaris, promising to try your best gives you a +5.
If your squadron discipline is below 35 as you head out, you’ll take a -5 hit to reputation.
Interesting conundrum as you set out – the more alert your men are for an ambush, the higher the hit to their morale: +5, 0, -5 and -10 respectively. If you’ve taken at least normal precautions, your men will spot the ambush without taking casualties. Minimal precautions will leave you with 2 losses, and having your men be relaxed makes them take -4 casualties (-6 if morale is under 50).
Pursue the partisans?
If you want to pursue the partisans, the Lt. whose troops you’ve drilled with will undertake the mission.
Sandoral – you take -2 losses for a +10 to morale if your discipline is at least 50.
Baylock – you take -4 losses for +10 to morale if your morale is at least 40.
Renard Findlay – you take -2 losses for a +15 to morale if your loyalty is at least 40.
Garret – you take -2 losses for a +15 to morale if your loyalty is at least 50.
If you troops don’t have the skills, you will take both the losses and -10 to morale (-4 losses and -15 morale for Findlay, -3 and -15 for Garret)
Parting volley: +10 morale if your discipline is at least 50 (40 if your men were placed on high alert, 45 if they were on normal alert, 60 if they were told to relax). Otherwise, you get slapped with -10 to morale.
Let go: -5 to morale.
Katarina questions your handling of the encounter
Chasing the partisans into the forest: +10 to your relationship with Katarina
Not chasing them (letting them go or giving a parting volley) gives a -10.
If you managed to hurt the partisans (successful parting volley or chase): +10. Failed chase: +5
You didn’t pursue: telling her she’s right / you don’t wish to discuss this gains you a +5.
If you didn’t pursue, but your intelligence is 50 or higher: you can tell her they were leading you into a trap for +5 – If you’re at least 50% ruthless, you’ll get another +5, evening things out
The Bridge:
Driving the men at double speed: a hefty -20 to morale. You also lose:
A cart (and pass the bridge long before the ambushers arrive, granting you +10 loyalty)
2 days (meaning you reach the bridge after it’s trapped)
1 day (if your intellect is at least 45), which means you arrive just as the ambush is getting set up.
Moderate haste: 1 day lost, meaning you reach the bridge as it’s being trapped. -10 morale.
Normal pace loses 2 days: the bridge is trapped as you get there
Soldiering or intelligence of at least 45 allows you to send a detachment ahead to hold the bridge.
(Losing any carts, whether on the bridge or before it, will give you -10 to your relationship with Katarina later on)
If the bridge is trapped, you will need at least 50 intelligence to pass unscathed, getting +10 loyalty in the bargain. Otherwise, you take -12 losses, -20 morale and lose 4 carts in the bargain. After the disaster, helping the men gives you +5 to loyalty, standing tall +5 to morale, while stepping back gives +5 to discipline.
If you arrive as the ambush is being set up:
You need at least 50 loyalty to charge and win without any losses. Otherwise, you take -1 loss (AND -15 health, unless you have 60 soldiering or your fav Lt. is Baylock).
You need at least 50 discipline to to win a shooting fight with only -1 loss. Otherwise, you take -2 losses.
You need at least 50 morale to win via skirmishing with only -1 loss. Otherwise, you take -2 losses.
Winning the fight on the bridge gives you +10 morale.
If your soldiering or intelligence is at least 45, you can order your favorite Lt. to capture the bridge.
If discipline or morale is at least 50, you will take -1 (Sandoral and Garret) or -2 (Baylock and Findaly) losses and gain +15 morale and +1 to Lt. initiative. Otherwise, you take -6 losses and -15 morale.
Siege of Kharangia
As a result of participating in the siege, your troops are hit with -5 to morale and -10 to discipline.
Card game:
Calling Marcus’ bluff gets you a +2 to your relationship with him, but loses 10 crowns.
Folding nets Havenport’s disapproval to the tune of -5.
Trying to bluff gets you +10 approval from Havenport. If your charisma is at least 60 you gain 50 crowns. Otherwise you lose 10 crowns.
Letters:
No unique reactions if you decide to change how much you’re sending home – just a chance to reconsider one way or another.
A Knighted character has the chance to support the Wolfswoods with word / deed. Any repercussions are reserved for the third game.
If you’ve captured Torranobirit with Elson and Cazarosta in Sabres, you will now be awarded 800 crowns as a ransom.
A disgraced character will be instructed to visit Katarina. Ignore her (by choosing two other options) and you will get an impressive -40 to the relationship.
Time spent during the siege:
You can undertake 3 out of the following 4 – visit Garring, Katatrina, train your men, and write/edit your memoirs. You want to check on your men first and foremost – if you can successfully call a staff meeting, the training effects will be more pronounced the sooner you start the training.
Checking on your men
If your charisma is at least 45 and either your Lts or your sergeants (or better yet, both) have an independent streak, you can call a staff meeting and figure out a solution together. You will need both Lieutenants and Sergeants to have some taste for independent action to come up with a plan (in other words, you’ve let your Sgts sort out the men at the start and your favorite Lt capture the bridge).
If they do, both Sgt and Lt. independence will improve, and you will get +30 (or +20 / +10, if this is the second/third action you undertake) to both discipline and morale. If the Sergeants lack initiative, you will get (once again, depending on how early you’ve started training) +30 to discipline and +15 to morale, +20 to discipline and +10 to morale or +10 to discipline and +5 to morale. If it’s the Sgts that take over, it’s +15 to discipline +30 to morale, +5 (yes, not an error) to discipline +20 to morale, and +5 to discipline +10 to morale respectively.
Letting your favorite Lt. take over the training improves their initiative, but hits you with a -10 to morale if your loyalty isn’t at least 40.
Sandoral’s training gives the troops +10 to loyalty and +10 to discipline.
Baylock’s training gives the troops +20 to discipline but -10 to morale.
Findlay’s training gives the troops +20 to morale but -15 to discipline.
Garret’s training gives the troops -10 to loyalty. And that’s all it does.
Taking over yourself reduces Lt. initiative, but allows you to focus on a particular area in need of improvement.
Drilling the men gives you +20 discipline, but unless you intelligence is at least 50, -10 to morale.
Delegating the work to the NCOs gives +20 to morale, but unless your soldiering is at least 50, -10 to loyalty.
Singling out loyal men gives +20 to loyalty, but unless your charisma is at least 50, -10 to discipline.
Letting the Sergeant take over the training increases their initiative but decreases Lt. initiative:
Lanzerel’s training gives the troops +15 to morale and +15 to discipline.
Fenton’s training gives the troops +15 to discipline and +10 to loyalty
Hernandez’s training gives the troops +25 to discipline
Harlech’s training gives the troops +20 to morale and +10 to discipline, but gives you a -5 hit to your reputation.
Villanueva’s training gives the troops +10 to morale and +10 to discipline.
Just getting out of the way gives your Lt.s +2 independence, drops discipline by -25 but raises morale by +10.
Memoirs will probably have an effect in book 3.
Visiting Katarina
If you’ve lost any carts on the way over, you get hit with a -10 to your relationship now.
A disgraced officer will be required to lead the Forlorn Hope. Claiming it’s suicide will ding your relationship by -5, while “if duty demands it” gives you a +5. Giving your life not for honor but for her sets up romance flags if your relationship is at least 35. Otherwise, you are dinged another -10.
A non-disgraced Dragoon can get +2 to his relationship with Katarina the moment he visits, if his charisma is at least 45. Saying you called merely for the pleasure of her company will grant you another +5. Going with “how YOU doing -> drab company” dings you with a -5. If you relationship with Cazarosta is at least 45, she apologizes to you – “no need” gives you +10, “you are forgiven” +5, “prove you have learned better” -5.
Garring
You can choose to invest as much as you like. Sums equal to or higher than 20, 100, 400 and 2000 will result in different messages, but what effect each sum of investment will have (if any) remains to be seen in the third game.
If you charisma is at least 30 and intellect is at least 65, you will have a chance to improve on Garring’s designs. Once again, the full effect will only take place in the next game. You get +1 to your hidden “progressive” stat for investing, another +1 if you improve the design.
Volunteering for the Forlorn Hope:
There are benefits both to volunteering and to sitting the attack out. The disgraced officer is forced to volunteer, so if you’re playing one you might as well skip to the next section.
The Forlorn Hope (FH from now on) is very definitely going to kill a LOT of your men. Remember that the men you’re going to lead are volunteers from your own troops. Unless you have both excellent soldiering and knightly armor, you’ll also have a lot of chances to get shot to pieces and pick up major health damage. The upside is a free rank and the possibility of picking up a fair bit of reputation (though not as much as you’d think, if you go with conservative choices).
Following the attack with the rest of the army provides more opportunities for loot and atrocities. Conversely, you can still gain a decent bit of rep at a lower risk of getting killed.
Cazarosta wants command of the FH
As a non-disgraced officer, you may still yield your place to Cazarosta for +30 to your relationship with him (good move even if you were never planning to lead the FH regardless)
Otherwise, you can lead the FH and become his enemy, or:
If your relationship with Caz is good enough (at least 50), you can convince Havenport to let you both lead the FH. This gives you +20 to your relationship, an easier time surviving the FH, and you (might) remain buddies.
Battle of Kharangia – Forlorn Hope
How many guys volunteer for your Forlorn Hope:
There’s a complex computation involving the strength of your men as you lead the FH. You get anywhere between 8 and 25, depending on your stats. If you have no men left, you die, obviously. Losing all your dudes is the easiest (though far from the only) way to fail the FH. Also, every trooper that dies during the FH is subtracted from your squadron strength.
You get 12 dudes by default. +4 if Caz joins in. (Having Caz along will also restore +1 to your strength at certain intervals, which I will indicate with a “Caz restore +1”) +5 if both morale and loyalty are over 60, +2 is just one is over 60, +2 if both are over 40 (each + is exclusive – if your loyalty is over 60 and your morale is 50, you’ll get +2 guys, not +4). You get -4 if both morale and loyalty are under 25, -2 if morale is under 25 or -2 if loyalty is under 30. Finally, you get +4 if your charisma is over 40 AND another +2 if your charisma is higher than 60 (cumulative).
Preparations
Before you start your advance, you can give yourself a number of advantages (each is selectable if the relevant stat is at least 35):
Keep the men in high spirits (charisma): if your charisma is less than 50 OR if your morale is less than 60 you’ll need to select this to inspire the men so that they charge the cannon, then to counter-charge the enemy. However, dislodging the bane seals later in the assault has the same effect.
Making sure you men can make use of their skills (soldiering) will save you 2 casualties as you scale the glacis and rush into the breach.
Finding the safest path to the breach (intelligence) will also save you 2 casualties.
Wounded casualties:
Abandon the wounded: -2 losses, -10 loyalty and +15 to your relationship with Caz (if he’s present).
Allow your men to carry the wounded back: -5 strength, +10 loyalty and -15 to your relationship with Caz.
“Some other way”: requires at least 50 intelligence. -3 losses, +10 loyalty and no changes to Caz.
Banefire trap
Leading the party through the traps gives you +5 loyalty, +10 reputation and -1 loss. If you’re wearing your Knight armor, you’ll remain undamaged. If not, you’ll take -25 to your health. However, you relief will have to navigate the bane trap later, delaying them and resulting in another -2 losses.
Letting your men set off the traps nets you -4 losses.
Dislodging the seals gives you +15 loyalty and +25 reputation and has the side effect of keeping the men in high spirits (same effect as making the choice to inspire your men while preparing for assault). If you’re wearing your armor, your party will take -3 losses. Otherwise, you will take -40 health damage.
Letting Caz lead the way leaves you with -1 loss, -20 to Caz, and his dedicated enmity.
Scaling the fortifications:
If you have armor on you, you will take -10 damage unless your soldiering is above 70.
Dealing with the cannon:
If your soldiering is less than 50 OR if you’re wearing armor, you’ll take -4 casualties when facing the cannon (wearing armor also guarantees you’ll take 25 health damage). If you’re not wearing armor and are a good soldier, you’ll only take -2 losses.
Caz restore+1
Rally the men: requires 50 charisma or having inspired the men beforehand.
Do it yourself: If you’re wearing your armor or are carrying a runegun, that’s an easy +15 reputation with no other checks. Otherwise, you need soldiering of at least 60 not to die while doing so.
Pistol Snipe: works if soldiering is at least 50, but costs you -2 losses if your skill is lower.
If you gave the runegun to Campos in the last game, he can handle the gunners for you.
Finally, if Caz isn’t your enemy, he can charge the cannon with his men.
Antari counterattack:
The game reviews your losses at this stage. Good way to check your remaining strength if you’re not keeping track – you’ll need a “heavily outnumbered force of dragoons” to successfully countercharge. You’ll need at least “a dozen or so” to successfully stand and fight.
You can countercharge if you have at least 8 dudes and 60 morale / the men are inspired. You take -3 losses and +15 rep.
Stand up and fight: you survive if your morale is at least 60 and you have at least 6 dudes (you have been keeping track, right?) OR if your soldiering is at least 70 or if it’s at least 40 and you have your armor on. In any case, you take -2 casualties and +10 rep. If none of the above is true, but your discipline is 60, you survive, take 2 losses and +5 rep, and end up being pushed back (the equivalent of falling back).
Falling back: requires at least 45 intellect (or Caz’s presence) to notice and disable the cannon before retreating. Otherwise you take -2 losses before the Antari even charge you.
You get a Caz restore +1 after whatever decision you make.
Antari counterattack some more
The faster you fall back, the more inevitable losses you will take as the Antari keep pressing. If you fall back or hold the line you’ll take -3 casualties (and Caz restore +1). If you’ve countercharge, you actually get +1 strength back instead.
If you’ve cleared the glacis, your reinforcements should come in now. Otherwise, you’ll have to take another -2 losses before being rescued at the last moment.
Battle of Kharangia – Storming the city.
If you don’t have the stats for taking on the Forlorn Hope, or if you would rather check out another path, you can stay behind and take the city with the rest of the army.
During the course of the assault, you will have a separate counter for the strength of the attacking troops under your command (the regiment as a whole) and your regular troops (your squadron). Anyone who gets killed is removed from both the attacking troops counter and your squadron (your men are so unlucky that they end up taking all the fatal shots), but various troops that get lost, peel off to loot, or otherwise don’t join in the fun are only removed from the regiment strength during the assault.
Keane is missing:
Attack without him: -5 rep.
Find him: -5 morale.
March towards the city:
Stay in a column: -4 strength.
If your sergeant is Harlech or Larenzel, and they are independent, they will protest as you approach the breach. If you insist on keeping your men in a column you will be hit with -5 loyalty and -4 strength. If you spread out at their insistence at just as you approach the breach, you will take -2 losses, and they will gain +1 independence. If you spread out into skirmish mode, you’ll take no additional casualties. However, see below for the dangers of approaching the breach in anything other than column order:
If you march in extended formation, you will take -4 losses as you march up. However, if discipline is less than 40, you will take a -15 to your attacking force strength as you scale the fortifications.
Skirmish order means you take absolutely no casualties as you approach, but if your discipline OR morale are under 55, you’ll lose -30 while scaling.
Assigning your men:
You will have to decide who attacks the walls, as well as (if your intellect is at least 50) who wards off the flank attack and (if your soldiering is at least 50) who guides the reinforcements. Your choices are – your favorite Lt. from your own squadron, Cazarosta’s Lt. Hawkins with his veterans or the cowardly and stupid Lt. Butler. If you don’t have the skills to figure out that some of these tasks need to be done, any spares will join Havenport’s main assault force.
Hawkins will win the fight on the walls.
Butler will lose the fight, leading to -6 casualties.
Your men will win if their discipline is at least 30 and their morale is at least 45, provided the regiment still has at least 75 strength (i.e, you didn’t bungle a skirmish deployment). Even if they win, they will take -4 casualties.
You get +10 or -10 to your relationship with Havenport depending on whether the wall was taken or lost.
If you aren’t wearing armor and don’t have at least 40 soldiering, you take -15 health.
If you haven’t posted any men to guard the flank, you’ll take -6 losses. If your own men are guarding the flank, you take -2 losses.
Losses:
At the end of the battle, if you’ve send all 3 squadrons to different tasks, then your men will take -12 losses if their discipline is below 50. Otherwise they take -6 losses. If you didn’t have the skills to figure out someone should guard the flanks, and another squadron joined the main assault force, then the losses are spread out and your squadron only takes -6 losses even if they’re an undisciplined mob.
However, if you haven’t sent anyone to guide the reinforcements, you will take -10 losses if your discipline is higher than 50 and -18 if it’s lower.
Obviously, this doesn’t take into account the losses detailed previously (failing to take the walls etc).
Havenport sucks:
(Only if you had the skills to send your men to the flank / to guide reinforcements).
Experience will help: +5 to relationship.
Deal with it you ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ disgrace: -15 to relationship.
+5 to relationship for guarding the flanks, another +5 for guiding reinforcements.
Looting:
(Your men only bother asking for permission if discipline is at least 60 and loyalty is at least 40)
Let the men loot and do some looting yourself: +10 to morale and loyalty, -10 to reputation, see below for more options. Only selectable is you’re at least 50 ruthless.
Let the men loot: +10 to morale and loyalty, -10 to reputation.
They can loot in an organized fashion: -15 loyalty and morale unless you have 50 charisma and 35 ruthlessness. You loot 800 crowns (1000 if you’ve learned Antari).
Convince the men to remain under discipline: requires at least 45 charisma. +15 to rep.
Forbid the men from looting: -30 loyalty and discipline, +10 to rep.
If you’ve decided to start looting as well:
No mercy: 1200 crowns and an extra -15 rep.
Try to avoid brutality: 600 crowns and -5 rep.
Let’s be civil: 200 crowns, or 500 if you speak Antari and have at least 50 charisma.
Letting the men loot makes them “hardened” – more likely to commit atrocities at your command. (This is also a stat they might have from the previous game, if you’ve massacred the Antari camp alongside Caz and Elson)
If your men never bothered to ask permission
Your men are about to go looting on their own:
Convince the men to maintain order: works if you have at least 60 charisma or loyalty. If your loyalty is at least 20, they will either ignore you or (if your sergeants have at least 2 independence) be disciplined by the sergeant. If you don’t command even 20 loyalty, you’ll end up murdered.
Discipline must be enforced: Requires ruthlessness of 50. If loyalty is at least 40, you get -20 loyalty and -1 loss. Otherwise, you end up murdered.
If you manage to stop your men from looting, you get +10 rep.
Your men aren’t looting:
Enforce discipline: -20 loyalty if loyalty is under 60, +10 rep.
Set up a safe zone: -25 morale is loyalty is under 60. You get to make a decision about who to let into the safe zone:
Protect the banebloods: +10 rep.
Protect the banebloods for a price: 400 crowns.
Allow as many people as we can: -10 rep.
March back to camp: You get nothing, sir. Good day.
After Kharangia
If you’ve commanded the Forlorn Hope:
You get +25 rep and a major rank (+5 to income).
You’ll have your health restored back to 50 (if you’re under 24), 45 (if you’re under 30) or 40.
If your Lt.s are independent, you’ll get -6 losses. Otherwise, if your Sgts are independent or if your discipline is at least 60, you get -10 losses. If none of the above is true, you get hit with -16 losses.
If both Lt.s and Sgt’s are highly independent, they’ll have prevented your troops from doing any looting. If your Sgts are independent, there won’t have been much looting. Otherwise, your troops become a bunch of hardened bastards.
Findlay will come ask you for advice now – As long as you’ve led the FH / didn’t stoop to looting and express appropriate disgust / consider the pillaging a cruel necessity, you get his approval and can agree to mentor him.
If you’ve looted the city:
Keeping all the loot: -25 loyalty and -10 rep
Splitting the loot by rank: +10 loyalty and 1/4th of the loot.
Even shares: +5 morale, +20 loyalty, 1/6th of the loot.
Even shares to those who stayed: -10 morale, +20 loyalty. If loyalty was less than 45, 1/6th of the loot, otherwise 1/10th.
If your men didn’t loot the city:
No rewards: No changes
A few good men: -5 rep, +5 morale.
I won’t be stingy: -10 rep +10 morale.
Entire squadron: -15 rep, +10 morale, +10 loyalty.
As your troops rest:
If your Lt.s are independent, you get +5 to discipline. If not, -5 discipline.
Partisan hunting with Caz:
Only available if you’re disgraced / watched him way back in Noringiaand and if you have at least 55 relationship. +15 to Caz and +10 to soldiering if you join in. -5 to health if your soldiering is below 50. You miss out on helping Baylock with his duel.
Admiring Caz’s plan gives you +10 to the relationship. Taking the shot gives you +10 to the relationship, refusing to take the shot -20. You need 55 charisma to take the shot and miss.
You get another +15 to your relationship with Caz on the way back, unless you’re at least 40 merciful / objected to his plans.
Baylock’s duel:
Refuse to be his second: -5 morale, -10 rep.
Stop him from dueling or persuade him not to: -1 to Lt initiative, +5 rep if you’re not disgraced, -10 if you are. -15 morale (-10 morale is your rep is at least 60).
Agree: -25 reputation, minus 10 discipline. Unless you have at least 45 intelligence, in which case you change the site of the duel successfully.
A successful duel leads to +15 morale, +10 loyalty, +10 rep if you’re at least 51 idealistic, -10 rep if you’re not.
Congratulating Baylock leads to +1 initiative, asking him to refrain in the future leads to -1. He will ask you to mentor him after these replies and these replies only.
Replacements:
Get as many replacements as you can: every replacement is -1 to discipline, morale, loyalty.
Get the best replacements (requires at least 50 rep): every replacement is -0.5 to discipline, morale, loyalty. Also, you’re limited to 10 replacements if your rep is under 60 and to 20 if your rep is under 75.
Holt, the Takaran Ambassador:
Whenever you consider the Takarans, you have the choice to start spouting MAGA slogans and gain a +1 to your hatred of knife-ears, or to embrace diversity and gain a -1 to xenophobia.
You get to ask 3 questions during the dinner. Only one actually affects your relationship:
“Your visit” – a chance to gain -1 feminist and -5 to relationship with Holt or +1 feminist and +10 to the relationship.
You form an opinion of Holt:
Pompous: +1 to elf hate, -10 to relationship.
I’d like to be his friend: -1 to elf hate, +10 to relationship.
You get 6 months worth of income over the course of this chapter.
Travelling to Fort Kharan
If you’ve requested replacements for your casualties, they will arrive just in time to participate. Take note of your troops reduced stats.
Spend your time with:
Cassius: +10 to relationship, only selectable if you don’t hate elves (ingame, at least)
Katrina: +10 to relationship if you already have a relationship of 45 or more.
The men: +10 to loyalty.
Experimentals in trouble:
Agreeing to help out grants you Lewes’ respect (+3 if you’ve done well, +2 if you’ve suffered casualties)
Agreeing to let Cassius participate gives you +10 to your relationship with him and -10 to Katarina.
Ordering him to got back gives -10 to your relationship with him and +10 to Katarina.
Asking he go back for the lady’s sake is only available if you have 60 charisma, and gives +5 to both.
Deal with the Antari
Going with Lewes’ plan leaves you with -10 morale, -10 reputation and -5 losses.
If you decide to countercharge: If you have 50 discipline OR 65 morale, you get +10 morale, +10 rep and -3 (if you have the discipline) or -8 (if you have to rely on morale) losses. Otherwise, the countercharge is a failure, with -10 morale, +5 reputation, -15 losses and -5 to your relationship with Cassius (if he’s with you).
Covering for Lewes’ retreat gives you -10 to morale and reputation, -4 losses and -5 to Cassius (if he’s with you), unless you have 55 discipline, in which case you get +5 reputation and -4 losses.
Abandoning the experimentals gives you -15 rep and an achievement.
Lewes has a lot of respect for you (3) if you’ve successfully countercharged, less (2) if you’ve followed other plans. Offering to share a drink back at the fort (at the cost of -10 rep) will increase that respect (+2). Giving him a dressing down will decrease it (-1).
Way forward:
North: +10 to Cassius, -10 to Katarina. If you ask her to trust your choice as a friend (relationship 55) you get -5. A disgraced officer blathering about everything he’s done for her gets a -15. If your intelligence is at least 45, you can explain the other path is just as risky and mitigate the loss to -5.
East: +10 to Katarina, -15 to Cassius, unless you tell him the risk is too great: -20, or -10 if you have at least 45 intelligence.
North path:
Antari attack camp:
Skirmishers: -10 morale, -5 rep, -4 losses. Unless you’ve bought your unit dragonlock pistols in the first game and aren’t disgraced: +5 morale +10 loyalty, -2 losses.
Defend the camp: -5 morale, -5 loyalty, -5 reputation, -4 losses. If discipline is at least 55, morale -5, rep -5, -2 losses.
Mount up: if your soldiering is 65 or intellect 40, you get -1 loss and -5 morale. Otherwise, if your soldiering and horse aren’t good enough, you die. If you don’t die, -15 morale, -6 losses.
If you have more than 45 soldiering AND intellect, you get +15 discipline. Otherwise, you get +5 discipline (+10 if your Lt.s are independent)
East path:
Blogia:
-5 to relationship with Cassius if you’re disgraced.
Stoke the fires of vengeance: +10 to Katarina, +10 to morale, achievement if charisma is 55 and idealism is 40. Otherwise -10 morale.
Show off where we fought (only available if not disgraced): +15 to Cassius if you have at least 55 intelligence, +5 if you don’t.
Ceremony of remembrance (only available if not disgraced): rep +5, morale +5, loyalty +10.
Let the men scavenge (only available if disgraced): Cassius -10, rep -10, loyalty +15.
Food spoiled:
Ration carefully: -10 morale and -10 loyalty if both intelligence and soldiering are at least 55. Otherwise, you get -10 morale and loyalty AND have to resort to one of the other choices as well.
You can buy the fodder yourself: +5 loyalty, +5 morale, -120 crowns (-80 if you have at least 55 charisma and speak Antari, -60 is you speak it well).
Let the Lt.s buy the fodder: -10 loyalty and -10 morale if they’re not highly independent, no changes if they are.
Let each man buy his own: -10 loyalty and -4 strength.
Pillage for food: -10 rep, -10 loyalty, -5 to your relationship with Cassius.
Meet Welles
+15 to Welles if your reputation is at least 65, -15 if it’s less than 35.
Solokovil
You get with -5 to your rep right away if you’re romancing Katarina.
Let Cassius fight?
Don’t take the risk: +5 rep, -10 to Cassius.
Diplomatic / no opinion: -5 rep, -5 to Cassius.
Trust him: +10 to Cassius.
Let women soldier?
You’re tearing our society apart, Lisa!: -10 to relationship with Welles. If your charisma is at least 70 or your intelligence is at least 50, -20 to Welles, -5 to Cassius and +15 rep.
Impractical: -10 to Welles. If your charisma is at least 70 or your intelligence is at least 50, -10 to Welles, -10 to Cassius and +15 rep.
Elfish nonsense (only available if you hate elves): -15 to Welles, total enmity with Cassius, +5 rep.
Not bad: -15 rep. Then another -15 rep and +10 to Welles. If your charisma is at least 60 and your idealism at least 55, your second change (after you automatically get -15 rep) is -5 to rep, +5 to Katarina and Cassius and +15 to Welles.
Long view: -15 rep, +5 Welles. If intellect is at least 45 and soldiering at least 50, +15 to Katarina, +10 to Welles, -5 to Cassius, -5 rep.
Better than baneless: -15 rep, +5 Welles. If intellect is at least 60, +15 Holt, +10 Welles, -5 rep.
Cannot rely on old rules (only if you’re at least 55 cynical): -15 rep, +5 Welles. if charisma at least 60: -5 rep, -5 Cassius, +15 Katarina, +5 Wells
Keep out of it: -5 rep, -5 Cassius.
If you’ve objected and had the stats to have your objection make an impact, you will summoned to a meeting with the king.
You get +5 to royal favor right away if you’ve led the FH.
Resist change?
Yup: -5 royal favor.
Some change is good: +10 royal favor
I was trying to annoy people: -10 royal favor.
Change is direly needed: +5 royal favor.
If you’ve agreed with Welles, she offers you a ride home.
Why be a feminist?
Thought so for some time (only available if you’ve approved of feminism at least twice): +10 to Welles.
Your argument swayed me: +15 to Welles.
Tired ideas / my reasons are my own: -5 to Welles and the conversation ends.
Speaking hypothetically: -10 to Welles and the conversation ends.
Women leading in battle?
Don’t even go there: -10 to Welles.
Practical obstacles: +5 to Welles.
Following your convictions, m’lady: +5 to Welles and another +5 if you have at least 55 charisma.
You get another +5 to Welles if you’ve made at least 2 feminist observations, and another +5 if you have at least 40 idealism.
Opinion on Welles?
Captivating: +10 to Welles, +romance.
Get along famously: +10 to Welles.
Serve my ambitions: just -20 to idealism.
Meh: no changes.
Unpleasant: -10 to Welles.
Later on, Sandoral wants to attend Lady Welles’ saloon. -5 to morale if you let him do so.
Let him attend again?
Stop him from attending: Lt.s are less independent from now on.
No objection: -10 rep, Lt.s more independent.
Sure, just tattle to me later: -10 rep, Lt.s more independent, mentor to Sandoral.
If you haven’t participated in the FH (still a captain) you can now buy a major commission for 800 crowns. +5 to income in the future.
If you’ve led the FH AND got the Gryphon of Rendower in the last game, you get +15 rep.
If you’ve pledged your support to the Wolfwoods, you can now maintain it , withdraw it, or increase it. You can craft a declaration of support (if your rep is at least 60) or send money instead of declaring your support publicly (50 or 250 crowns – sending more money does in fact mean your support has more effect).
As your men keep patrolling, you get hit with -10 morale.
If you’re disgraced, Garret will ask you to supply him with vinegar. A simple matter – “you can rely on me” to mentor him, no changes for any of the other options.
You get 3 x your monthly income as the chapter ends.
Mhillanovil attack
Each obstacle you deal with as you make your way towards the barges takes a certain amount of time to navigate, depending on the course you take. If the total time taken is more than 5, you’ll miss out on taking the barges.
Antari Horsemen charge:
Ride through them: -1 time, -10 morale, -2 losses. If discipline is 55, just -1 time.
Lure the enemy (only if intellect is 45): +3 time. If discipline is less than 40, -3 strength.
Volley: -2 time. If your discipline is less than 50 AND troop strength is under 70, -3 time and -3 strength.
Saber them: -2 time and -4 losses. If morale is 55 AND discipline is 40, -1 time and -2 losses.
Unless you’ve decided to ride through them, the Antari horse retreat and you can utilize “a plan that will lose neither men nor time” below.
Camp defenders:
Ride through the volley: -1 time and -3 strength if morale is 35. If morale is less than 35, you take 5 losses, -20 health and get knocked out (or killed, if your health is under 20).
Rattle their nerves – if charisma is 55, -1 time, -1 strength. If not, you take -2 losses and -20 health, dying or getting knocked out.
Detour: -3 time.
A plan that will lose neither men nor time (only if intelligence is 45 and you didn’t select to ride through the Antari cavalry): -1 time. If discipline is less than 45, also -1 strength.
If you get knocked out (and take -20 health damage), you’ll end up recovering +10 health after the battle if you’re under 30, +5 otherwise. If both Lt.s and Sgts are highly independent, they’ll have managed to take the barges without you: -4 strength, +10 rep. If your Lt.s are highly independent, they will capture the barge at the price of -8 losses, +10 rep. If the Sgts are highly independent, you will take -4 losses, -10 morale and -10 loyalty: no barges, no rep increase. If no one under your command can display initiative, you will take -10 losses, -10 rep, -10 loyalty, -10 morale.
Also – as you get knocked out, your horse is killed. You can requisition a ♥♥♥♥ horse, buy a fairly poor horse for 45 crowns (30 if your charisma is 60) or a decent horse for 90 crowns (60 if your charisma is 60).
Your men starts looting:
Ain’t no one got time for that: -1 time. If loyalty is at least 60, -5 rep. If it’s between 40 and 60, -10 rep, -5 royal favor. Less than that: -20 rep, -15 royal favor.
Get the looters back in line: if you have 50 charisma and 35 loyalty, -2 time. Otherwise, -3 time, -10 morale.
Commissar style (only available to the ruthless): If charisma is 35 OR loyalty 20, you get -10 morale and -1 time. Otherwise you get fragged.
I should loot as well: -15 rep, -10 royal favor, and you fail the mission. Then you start getting extra penalties: yet another -10 royal favor if you’re wearing armor, another -15 rep if your favorite Lt is Sandoral and you have less than 45 charisma. If your Lt. is Findlay and you have less than 55 charisma you get -25 rep and you lose your mentor status. Your reward is 350 crowns – 650 if your intelligence is 55.
If everything you’ve done has taken 5 time or less, you’ll automatically secure the barges. +20 rep, +15 royal favor.
If you’ve taken 6, 7, or 8 time slots to get to the barges, you’ll still be able to recover them if you have both 45 intellect and 45 soldiering AND a good horse (one you’ve bought rather than requisitioned). +15 rep, +10 royal favor.
If you’ve failed, whether due to taking too long, stopping to loot, or getting knocked out, you get -15 reputation, -10 morale and -10 loyalty.
If you’ve won AND had previously captured Karl Loch during the bridge battle in Sabers, you’ll be able to offer him a position in your household (which will make him fairly prominent in Lords of Infinity)
Once you settle in after the battle, your men recover +10 morale.
Spend your free time on:
Learning or improving Antari: +10 intelligence if you’re improving your command of Antari.
Start, edit, or finalize your memoirs: No matter how much you write, you will never finish.
Develop your Lt.s: requires you to have mentored at least one of your Lt.s. If you decide to mentor Renard further and are a Knight, Cunaris will ask you to take him on as a squire before Kharangia 2. Not tangible effect for mentoring the others?
Spend my time with Katarina / Welles / Cassius: requires at least 50 relationship. Visiting Katarina gives you +10 to her and +5 to Welles, as well as a chance to advance your romance. Visiting Welles gives +15 and some insight into her motives. Cassius gives +15
The men are freezing, sir!
Then let them freeze!: -6 strength, -20 loyalty, -20 morale.
All buy myself: costs you the troops strength X 2 worth of crowns. +10 loyalty.
Talk the fellow around: requires 50 rep and not being disgraced. +10 loyalty.
Let Garret steal some: -15 rep if your charisma is under 55.
As winter ends, Katarina will drop by to offer her secret mission, provided you’re disgraced / have at least 50 relationship with her. If you’re romancing her, “everything I do, I do it for you” will progress the romance and give +10 to Katarina. A non-disgraced officer may place himself at Katarina’s disposal (+10), be happy to help a friend (+20) or do it all for her (+15 and romance furthered). If you refuse (which you can’t do if disgraced) you’ll have one last chance to change your mind (+5). Refusing outright gives you -20.
As the chapter ends, you 5 x your monthly income.
Secret Mission aka War crime central
Denying Katarina’s advances outright: -10 to relationship.
As you might assume, once the scheme is revealed you can break up with Katarina. Conversely, if you weren’t romancing her thus far, yet your relationship is at least 60, you can start a romance at the last moment by declaring you are enamored with her murderous ways.
Your men get +5 morale as they rest.
Morning before the assault:
Inspection: +10 discipline, -5 morale.
Let them sleep: +10 morale, -5 discipline.
Problem solver: +5 loyalty.
As you have fun storming the castle, you take 7 casualties. If discipline AND morale are 30, you only take 4. If both are 50, your men escape unscathed.
You’ll have to decide whether you stay in the yard or accompany L and K into the keep. If you volunteer to escort Katarina for her safety, you’ll get +10 to your relationship if it’s already at 55, and -10 otherswise. Staying in the yard seems like the “default” course of action, so we’ll review it first:
Holding the yard:
Letting your men rest: +15 morale.
Taking the walls: Allows you to take a few potshots at the Hussars with no stat check, gaining a nice bit of ransom.
Form up around the gate: Allows you to try and stop the escaping Hussar party without having to pass a stat check to form your men up at the last moment.
Hussars advance:
Let them go: Let’s them go.
Harassing fire: If you’ve taken the walls or if your discipline is 65, you’ll manage to get some prisoners.
Shoot the girl: requires ruthlessness 60, as well as 55 loyalty or “hardened”. -20 rep, -15 morale, -10 loyalty. Unless your men are very hardened (having looted Kharangia, probably), in which case -5 morale, -5 loyalty. If they won’t open fire, you can shoot the girl yourself, provided you have at least 80 soldiering. -10 morale, -20 loyalty. (Miss the shot for -15 morale, -10 loyalty)
You can either shoot all her bodyguards or take them prisoner, no stat checks required. Shooting them all sets your men to “hardened”, keeping them alive gives you a nice ransom.
(Shooting the girl OR trying to stop the charge will cost you your mentoring of Renard, if any)
You can try and stop the charge by placing your men in the way:
Hold the line (if already formed up in front of the gate): +10 rep.
Form up before the gate (if not formed up already): Requires 45 morale and loyalty OR having your armor on + at least 35 loyalty + you having at least 70 idealism. +10 rep.
If you’re trying to stop the Hussars, they start out with 100 strength. You want to kill as many as possible with your volley, then have enough unit stats to overpower the rest.
The Hussars Charge
Aim high: -30 hussar strength if your discipline is 60 (and you take -8 losses). -20 HS if your discipline is at least 35 (and you take -12 losses). If you don’t even have that, you take -20 losses.
Aim low: -20 hussar strength if your discipline is 60 (and you take -4 losses). -10 if your discipline is at least 35 (and you take -8 losses). If you don’t even have that, you take -20 losses.
Just fire: -20 hussar strength if your discipline is 60 (and you take -6 losses). -12 if your discipline is at least 35 (and you take -10 losses). If you don’t even have that, you take -20 losses.
Melee is joined:
The Hussars start out by taking losses equal to your Lt.s initiative score x 5. You get a boost to morale equal to your Sgt initiative score x 10.
You need at least 70 men AND your discipline + morale being higher than the remaining Hussar strength to survive with “only” half your men killed. Otherwise, your Sgt and possibly even your Lt.s (other than Garret / Renard) will die as well.
Time to finish this:
If you have 40 ruthlessness, you can just shoot the girl and take the Hussars prisoner, no checks required.
Rally and capture her in a sudden rush: requires 65 charisma.
Capture her by trickery: Requires charisma 40 and at least 3 Antari lessons.
Compel her to surrender through force: requires 75 soldiering or at least 45 soldiering + armor. +5 rep with armor, +10 rep without.
Capturing the girl by any means gives you +15 to Katarina.
Treatment of prisoners?
She’s a lady (talkin’ about that little lady): +10 rep, -5 to Katarina.
Usual treatment: Meh, no changes.
Precautions must be taken: +10 Katarina, -5 rep.
Killing the girl gives you a hefty +25 to Katrina.
If you let the girl go, voluntarily or otherwise:
Had to preserve my command: gives you -25 to Katarina (only -10 if you’re friendly with Lefebvre)
Kill the daughter too?: -15 to Katarina.
The men did not obey: -15 to Katarina
Wouldn’t order my men to fire on a girl: -25 to Katarina if your ruthlessness is at least 65, but no hit to your relationship if you’re a known idealist.
Regardless, any romance you’ve had with Kat suffers a significant setback.
Let’s rewind waaaaaay back and have a look at what happens in the other route through the chapter – going into the keep.
If you have 65 charisma, you get +5 to Kat right away.
Forge forward or stay back:
See if Lefebvre needs a hand: Take -20 health (only -5 if you’re wearing armor) unless soldiering is 45.
See what’s going on: +5 rep. -5 health is soldiering is under 35 and you’re not wearing armor.
Stay in safety: -5 rep, -5 Kat.
Might I be of use?: If intellect and soldiering are both are least 35, +10 rep. Otherwise, -5 rep.
(Going ahead leads you into an encounter with the church hussars. Staying back or seeing if you can be useful skips ahead to throne room).
Church Hussars charge:
Meet the with saber in hand (if you don’t have armor): +15 rep if you have 75 soldiering. If your soldiering is at least 45, you survive with -25 health and +5 rep.
Meet them with a sword (if you have armor): +5 rep if you have 45 soldiering. Otherwise -10 health and -5 rep.
I’ve got a runegun (guess when this is available): +10 rep.
Shoot them with pistols: -5 rep if you have armor. +5 rep if you have 65 soldiering.
Stay out of it: -20 rep if you have armor. -5 rep if you don’t.
Cunning plan (requires 40 soldiering and intellect): +5 rep if Lefebvre doesn’t hate you.
Lefebvre is ready to shoot:
Let him: he does.
Every other option requires Lefebvre (a name created for cut and pasting) to be friendly / you to have 50 rep to even try.
Capture her by force: Requires 55 soldiering and armor (+10 rep) or at least 85 soldiering without armor (+20 rep).
Convince her to surrender: requires knowledge of Antari (just one lesson is enough) and 65 charisma. +15 rep.
You get +10 to Kat if Levblahblah takes the shot.
Whether or not the shot is taken, you have plenty of prisoners to ransom.
Kat is upset your men let Anna get away:
Fulfilled our aims: -5 to Kat.
The men didn’t know (if Garret isn’t you fav Lt): -10 to Kat if your relationship is under 45.
I take responsibility: -10 to Kat if your relationship is under 50.
I would have done the same: -15 to Kat.
Kharangia 2 – battle prepations
This is the default endgame if you didn’t take Kat’s secret mission.
Cunaris places you in command:
Sure I’m ready for this?: +10 to Cunaris if your rep is 65, +5 if your rep is at least 40, -5 otherwise.
Thank you for your confidence: +5 to Cunaris if your rep is 40, -10 otherwise.
Why can’t you command?: no changes.
Why can’t Cazarosta command (only if you’re not a major yet): -5 to Cunaris. If you like Caz (at least 60) or a very ruthless (at least 50) you get another -5.
If you tell Lewes you’re happy to see him, you gain +1 to his respect (need at least 3 to visit him later)
If you’ve left Lewes’ behind with no help, you can apologize for +1 respect and -5 rep. If your charisma is 45, you get another +1 respect, otherwise you get another -5 rep. (But you won’t have enough respect to visit him regardless)
Havenport gives a briefing
How can we be sure: -10 rep if you have less than 35 soldiering and less than 35 intellect and less than 55 charisma.
You can ask to be excused as well, and have a chat with Cunaris.
Havenport was right: -5 to Cunaris if you don’t have 45 charisma.
Havenport was wrong: -10 to Cunaris.
Turn your talents elsewhere: +5 to Cunaris, and another +5 if your intelligence is 55.
If you’ve decided to give Renard some extra mentoring and are a knight, you will be asked to accept him as a squire. +15 to Cunaris if you agree, +5 if you’ll think about it.
The Night Before the Battle
You get to hang out with 2 of the following (requires 50 relationship or 3 respect in Lewes’ case, 55 and lack of elf hate for Cassius):
Caz: If you’re still a captain, “You should be commanding” gives +5 to Caz. Say goodbye as he grows morbid for another +5. Another +15 if you think he’s learning to behave like a gentleman. -15 if you think it’s all a calculation.
Havenport: give what advice you can for +10 to Havenport and Elson (you’ll meet Elson’s family in the sequel and this will have a use). if your soldiering and intellect combined are over 100. +5 to each if your stats combine to 60 at least. -10 otherwise. -5 if you don’t think you’ll be much help.
Welles: -10 to Welles if you think she’s banging G.
Lewes: +1 Lewes respect.
Cassius: +10 to Holt if he finds you later. Doesn’t take up any time.
The Men: Send them your compliments for +10 to morale if loyalty is 40 (this doesn’t take any time, so you can still visit 2 other destinations). Enter and spend time for a -1 to officer initiative if they’re highly independent. +15 to morale if loyalty is 70, +5 if 40, -10 otherwise (you literally only get the option to visit the men if you have at least 35 loyalty, so the window of opportunity for a negative reaction is incredibly narrow)
Brood in your tent, Achilles style: Change your personal morality to a greater or less extent depending upon how early in the night you decide to brood.
If you’re friends with Cassius, he will come meet you in your tent before you go to bed. -5 if you reject his offer of a drink, +10 if you accept.
On the morning of the battle,
Welles rides up
“Bloody Martyr”: -5 to relationship and -5 to rep.
“No place for a lady”: -10
Insist on an escort: -1 to feminist, -5 to Welles.
Refuse: -1 to feminist, -10 to Welles.
Wouldn’t she rather observe?: -5 if your relationship is under 60.
Finally, you can now start a romance with her, if you have a relationship of 60 and haven’t started one yet.
Kharangia 2 – The actual battle.
Hartigan and Marcus are pressed – if you don’t send anyone to relieve they end up dead. However, if you relieve both, your Sgt and Marion have to die a bit later. (You need to have at least one other squadron supporting you at the crossing for your NCOs to survive). For what it’s worth, Heavenport currently has a fairly sizeable role in the sequel, while Hartigan is basically a non-entity.
All Cassius interjections only happen if he attached himself to your troop, obviously:
Flanking maneuver
Our victory is certain: +10 to Cassius if your intellect is 50, -10 otherwise.
The battle has yet to be decided: +5
Verge of defeat: -5
The Experimentals and the 5th of Foot (with Welles) are pressed – if you don’t send relief to one of them, they’ll end up dead. Furthermore, Welles still ends up dead if you send Caz to her aid, and Lewes still ends up dead if you send in Garret. However, if you’ve captured the guns at Mikhailovo and have at least 45 intelligence, you can support one with the guns while riding to aid the other yourself. If your relief force only has your squadron in it (you’ve sent Garret and Caz to help someone else out) your Sgt and Marion will end up dead, no matter what choices you take.
The battle now goes in two different paths, depending on whether you support the Experimentals or the 5th:
Support the 5th
+5 to Cassius if you have 50 intelligence.
Charge the flank:
If you have the support of at least one other squadron (either Caz or Garret are with you):
If you have at least 60 discipline, you win: -4 losses, +15 rep, +10 royal favor.
If you have at least 100 combined discipline and morale (or at least 80 + you’re wearing armor), you win: -8 losses, +10 rep, +5 royal favor.
If you don’t even have that, -15 losses, +5 rep, Welles dies. (unless the other squadron is flanking)
If you’ve sent everyone away, you need at least 40 strength to survive. Your Sgt and batman will die in the fight, and:
Discipline at least 70: -12 losses, +15 reputation, +10 royal favor, -10 health (unless you’re wearing armor / have 45 soldiering).
If you have at least 120 combined morale and discipline (or at least 90 + you’re wearing armor), you win: -15 losses, +10 rep, +5 royal favor, -10 health (unless you’re wearing armor / have 45 soldiering).
If you don’t even have that, -25 losses, +5 rep, Welles dies. -20 health (unless your soldiering is at least 55, in which cases it’s a mere -10. If you’re wearing armor, it’s -10 and 0 respectively)
Reinforce the line
+20 to Welles.
As she rides up to you: “lead the way” for another +10, “you do not command me” for a -15.
Assuming you’ve got at least 1 squadron left to reinforce you, you can send them to flank the enemy. If that’s the case, you only need one round of fighting, and your Sgt / Marion don’t have to die: if morale and discipline combined are 90, you take -6 losses, +10 rep, +5 royal favor. Otherwise, you take 10 losses and get +5 rep.
However, if Caz is commanding the flanking force and he’s your enemy, he’ll take the chance to frag you once the fighting is done. -2 losses if you’re in armor, -3 losses if you’re not, but loyalty is 55, -2 losses and -20 health otherwise.
If you’re much more friendly with Caz than you are with Welles, you’ll take a -10 to Welles as the battle ends.
If you have everyone are holding the line: if discipline and morale combined are 110, you take 10 losses and get +5 rep. Otherwise, you take 14 losses. +5 to Cassius is he’s attached and you have 55 charisma. If discipline and morale combined are 110, you take another 10 losses. If not, you take 15 losses.
Hold the line and hope they break first: Your Sgt dies. If morale and discipline add up to 90 and you have another squad backing you up, you take 5 losses. If you don’t have anyone backing you up, but discipline and morale add up to 110, you take -10 losses. If you don’t have that either, you die.
A surprise charge may break the enemy: +10 rep, +5 royal favor, your Sgt gets killed. If morale is 55, you take 10 losses. If you don’t have the morale, you die. You need 55 soldiering or armor or Cassius accompanying you to escape unharmed, 30 soldiering to take 20 health damage. You die if you have less than 30 soldiering.
Clever Maneuvering (requires 45 intelligence and the support of at least one squadron holding the line): 0 losses.
Alternately, you might support the Experimentals and end up facing
The Church Hussars
Cassius asks you what you think: “They terrify me” for +5 to Cassius, “We will stop them” and intellect of 50 for a +5. “Know how to kill them” can give a +10 if you’ve fought at Blogia and have 65 soldiering.
The Hussars start the engagement at 130 strength. Your stats are measured against theirs, depending on the decisions you make. If your troops ever drop below 40 strength, you lose.
“Trust your judgement”: Hussars strength is set to 100, Lewes dies.
“Withdraw your men”: +10 rep.
If you have 45 discipline and the support of another squadron, the Hussars take 40 losses. (so they’re down to 60 if the Experimentals sacrificed themselves, 90 if they didn’t).
If you don’t have anyone in support but have 65 discipline, they take 25 losses. Less, and they only take 15 casualties. Under 35, and you die.
The Hussars have stopped
Charge: +15 reputation, +10 royal favor. 25 losses (15 if you have support from Caz or Garret).
Another volley: +15 rep, +10 royal favor. If your Sgt has high initiative, -10 Hussar strength. If you have more discipline than the Hussars have strength, you win. If not, you get the chance to greet them with:
Sabers out: +10 rep, -15 losses.
If you take either hand-to-hand option: If you have armor on, -15 to Hussar strength. If you’ve got at least 40 strength, the support of another squadron, and your discipline + morale are more than the Hussar strength, you might survive (see below), but you take 15 losses, and your Sgt dies.
With armor on, you need 75 soldiering or Cassius’ support to survive unharmed, 55 loyalty to survive with 3 losses (only when not charging), 35 soldiering (45 if charging) to take -20 health damage. Anything else, and you die. Without armor on, you need 65 soldiering or Cassius’ support to survive unharmed, 55 loyalty to survive with 3 losses, 45 soldiering to take -30 health damage. Anything else, and you die. If charging unarmored, you need 55 soldiering or Cassius. The alternative is death.
Epilogue
If you haven’t been sending money home, your house debt increases by your income X 30 (adjusted for number of living siblings). You also get an interest on your debt – approximately 1/25th of the house debt total. If you’ve captured Lady Alexandra during the secret mission, you get 25000 crowns, from which your house debt and interest are automatically deducted, so you end up debt free and rich. If you’ve captured Lady Anna, you get 2500 crowns. Taking some Hussars prisoner nets you an extra 1500 crowns.
If you’ve participated in the battle of Kharangia II instead, you get 1000 crowns. Another 1000 if your reputation is over 55, otherwise just an extra 400 if you’re a major.
Either way, you also get 30 x your income worth of crowns as well.
Keane’s trial
Push for mercy: requires 65 reputation or 65 intelligence or 55 charisma AND 55 Cunaris.
Demand to make an example: -10 to Cunaris.
Obviously, what happens to Keane will matter more in the sequel.
You now have a chance to purchase a commission. A major rank (if you’ve failed to acquire one thus far) costs 800 crowns and increases your monthly income by +5. A Lieutenant-Colonel commission costs 1500 crowns and increases your income by +10.
If you’re enemies with Cazarosta, he will depart early, and you can ignore all references to him below.
Caz asks you about your plans
Go home: -5 to Caz.
A seat on the Cortes: +5 to Caz if idealism is 50, -10 otherwise.
Caz intends to stay in the army
Marvelous idea: +5 to Caz.
Kat and Caz
I expected this: +5 to Kat.
Could have told me: -5 to Kat, -5 to Caz.
Don’t enjoy being lied to: -5 to Kat.
If you didn’t participate in the secret mission
Kat won the war:
Royal intelligence and army both: +5 to Kat, +5 to Caz.
Necessary: +5 Kat, +5 Caz
Don’t approve: -10 Kat, -5 Caz.
Barbarity: -25 Kat, -15 Caz, terminates Kat romance (if any).
If you’re disgraced and don’t have 35 relationship with Kat, you get another -10 as you say goodbye.
Accomplishments
I want to complete certain achievements
I have to recommend bb’s achievement guide, which provides both highly detailed descriptions on how to achieve each AND separate walkthroughs for completing as many achievements in each playthrough as possible.
I want to romance / befriend X!
Check out the Romance / Relationships section above.
I want to participate in the Secret Mission without being disgraced!
Cultivate a good relationship with Katrina. Chase the partisans into the woods and always agree with her. She’ll offer you the chance.
I want to save everyone at Kharangia dos!
You can’t, actually. Someone has to die before the battle ends – the game code decrees so. Hartigan and Havenport will each die if you don’t send a squadron to support them – and if you’ve sent both squadrons away and are defending a crossing single handed, the very best possible outcome involves your NCOs (Sgt and batman) dying.
Fine. I want to save as many people as possible at Kharangia!
Swell. First of all – make sure your intelligence is at least 45 and that you’ve taken the guns during the Mhillanovil attack (reach the barges in time).
Next – decide whether you want to sacrifice Hartigan or Havenport. Deny your support to one of them, so that you’ll have another squad. Have the guns support the Experimentals, while you go help the 5th.
Charge the flank. With the right stats, you can win the battle with only a single dead named character.
I want to kill everyone at Kharangia 2
You sick bastard.
Not a problem. Deny your support to Hartigan and Havenport. Send Caz to support the 5th (not actually necessary, but helps plausible deniability) as you head to “rescue” the Experimentals. Allow them to sacrifice themselves. Sabers out – prepare to receive cavalry. (If you keep getting killed, you might try for a better relationship with Cassius / go for “another volley” – “receive cavalry”).
This setup kills H&H, Welles, Lewes, your Sergeant and Marion. Quite the bloodbath. Cassius and Katarina are unkillable in this game (Kat obviously isn’t present for the battle).
I want to survive the Forlorn Hope with no stats or armor!
I’m going to describe a very conservative way to go through FH, but I’m not sure whether even that is going to work for a disgraced officer who both hates Caz and has the worst stats possible, to the point that he only has 8 men to work with. I really don’t think you can have an officer who is that bad without actively sabotaging yourself.
In any case: find the safest route / assign your men to individual tasks as they lie there. Leave the wounded behind. Dislodge the seals. Yeah, you heard me – you’ll get patched up after the battle, and this saves the most dudes for later. Rally your men to charge the cannon then stand and fight (if your FH still has at least 6 strength) / fall back.
I want to pay off my house debt without participating in the secret mission
Pretty sure you can’t. There’s no way to gain even 12000 crowns (the minimal possible amount of debt, not counting interest) ingame, even if you save your money, loot as much as possible, never share, and capture the mother along with her Hussars.
Dealing with your house debt is a fairly major subplot in Lords of Infinity, so circumventing is a bit of a secret option.