Escape from Snake Island

Shipwrecked
We had narrowly missed rescuing the Jewel and were eager to get on her captor's
trail. Despite darkening skies, we set sail immediately, heading for the enemy's
shore. Half a day in, however, and the weather was getting worse and before long
we found ourself in an angry sea. There was nothing for it but to make for nearby
Snake Island and hope. We slammed into the island; the ship wrecked beneath us.
We were now marooned in hostile territory, with no boat and few men. It looked
bleak. The only glimmer of hope came from an order Sir Longarm had given the
Captain before we left: Pockets of resistance still hung on in the island and
should circumstances allow, we were to try and help our stranded forces. However,
it was now us who needed their help. Our first priority was to avoid the watchers
on the cliffs and get off the beach.

Mission One: After the Storm

We had been spotted by watchers on the cliffs! We needed to take control of the
cliff top fort before they sent out riders to alert the island's sheriff of our
presence.

Mission Two: A Timely Arrival

There were two trapped groups of allies on the island: a small force here in the
west and a larger one in the east near the main town and port. We made our way to
the first group holed up in a valley nearby. Unseen by the Snake's men we
descended the hills behind our ally's village, unsure of what we would find there.

Mission Three: The Snake's Teeth

A victory... but a costly one. We lost a lot of men and now the Snake's henchman,
well aware of our presence, would be sending a strong force to hunt us down. We
couldn't stay here any longer and we couldn't march out to meet them. There was a
third option, however. Locals told us of a long gorge running through the island's
mountains west to east; if we could enter it, we had a chance of out distancing any
pursuit. The entrance to the gorge was guarded by a fort, known locally as The
Snake's Teeth. If we could capture it, maybe we had a chance of holding off our
pursuers?

Mission Four: The Gorge of Tears

With the force the Snake's men had sent against us defeated, we had bought some
time to make our escape through the gorge. We had lost many men ourselves,
however, and whether we would make it through the gorge was another matter; not
only would we need to get past the cliff top watch tower half way along, but it was
rumored to be beset by local bandits and rife with wild animals.

Mission Five: Taking Command

As we left the gorge, we could see a castle under heavy siege on the lands below.
Surely this must be the other trapped group of loyalists. The castle looked ready
to fall so we quickly headed down, entering under a makeshift white flag through
the south gate. The Captain presented his orders from Sir Longarm to a very weary
looking sergeant and immediately set about bolstering the defenses.

Mission Six: The Road North

We had liberated our trapped men on Snake Island and now it was time to get off
this cursed land and resume our search for the Jewel. We received word that Sir
Longarm was sending ships for all of us and we were to await them at a small
fishing port further up the coast. To get there, however, we would first have to
get past a formidable fort that guarded the road north.

Mission Seven: Two Hovels and a Bucket of Fish

To describe our rendezvous as a small fishing port was a little generous; there was
nothing here other than a natural harbor. What was more alarming was the distinct
lack of ships to make our escape. We had been fighting a rear-guard action against
the Snake's men all the way here and more arrived by the day. We would just have
to dig in and pray that Sir Longarm's ships made it soon.

A Timely Departure
We withdrew in good order; our men wading through the surf to board Sir Longarm's
small flotilla. Weary but relieved, most would travel back to fight again in the
war that was raging in our homeland. We, however, would take one ship westward to
the shores of the Pig's fiefdoms; from here our quest to find and rescue the Jewel
of the North would continue.
Strategy
You don’t need to kill all the enemy troops to win.
Use some troops as decoys to slow down the enemy troops, so that you can reach the
castle.
Destroying the walls to reach the keep might be easier than destroying the
gatehouse.
Hint 4
Hint 5
Strategy
After taking the castle build as many units as you can before the first assault.
Start replacing the wood defenses with stone wall as soon as possible.
Use the market to buy resources when needed.
Building a strong farming economy will allow you to set double rations allowing you
to set higher tax rates.
Build towers in strategic locations to defend against enemy sieges.
Strategy
Destroy as little of the castle as possible while sieging will help with the later
defense.
Save as many defending troops as you can when sieging the castle as they will
surrender to you.
Use gold to buy weapons and make troops before the final attack on the castle.
Pitch ditches are very useful against enemy swordsmen.
Hint 5
Strategy
Use small groups of troops to bait waves of wolves to your main troops.
Position archers on higher ground and use troops to bait wolves to clear the path.
Send a group of macemen and archers to deal with some of the enemies in the castle.
Target crossbowmen with archers directly if the attack range is long.
Make sure you kill all the crossbowmen before going for the flag.
Strategy
You start with a lot of resources, get weapons production up and running quickly.
Get pitch production going early, you will need it for later attacks.
Upgrade the castle to stone when possible.
Protect the industry in the back of the castle early on.
The final attack is large, build sufficient defenses.
Strategy
Defend units with portable shields.
You don’t have to kill all the enemy units.
Push your pikemen through to the keep for victory.
Hint 4
Hint 5
Strategy
No market is available so plan your building strategy wisely.
Gather as much stone, wood and iron as possible between attacks.
Defend your quarry as it’s key to success.
Upgrade defenses to stone as soon as possible.
Hint 5