Chapter 2 - Mission 2: Recovering Rudrum

This mission is a large-scale strategic operation, meaning you'll support Suzaku soldiers on the worldmap in invading enemy camps and recapturing nearby cities. This is also known as an area domination war. Your goal is to retake the cities of Aqvi and Corsi, more specifically, when Corsi is retaken the mission is won. On the other hand, if McTighe is retaken by the enemy, the mission will be lost. Below are the steps you'll need to take in order to win this mission:

- You can get a map overview at any time, during which time will freeze, allowing you to think things through. As you can see there are four enemy locations. They are ranked in strength with bar; only Corsi has two bars. Select an enemy location and you get information on what goals they pursue, notably which destination their troops are headed for. For the moment, all enemy location are standby with the exception of the 1st Camp, which is fighting McTighe head on.

- If you stand close to a retaken or Suzaku city/camp, your character will heal MP rapidly.

- Suzaku soldiers are marching from McTighe to the 1st enemy camp, which essentially leads to a draw halfway in between. Class 0 has the ability to intervene by closing in on enemy troops and attacking them (like usual). This allows your Suzaku troops to close in on the enemy camp, siege, and consequently conquer it; this is called breaking the chain of command. Keep in mind that the enemy forces can also attack you (and even counterattack), but attacking them from behind halves their counterattack damage. When your troops get close to the enemy camp, it enters defense mode. During defense mode, the base cannot deploy forces. Troops can attack base camps, Class 0 can't. Your role is thus to lead the troops towards enemy bases.

- When you've conquered an enemy base, it essentially becomes your base, allowing you to deploy your own troops from it. Needless to say, this grants you additional manpower on the field. You can also recover MP at conquered base camps.

- A Special Mission is initiated after conquering the 1st camp; a turret is firing at the camp from afar, preventing you from getting command authority over the troops. Simply move towards the turret and destroy it singlehandedly to fix this. The camp now gains the RDY icon. Approach the camp to use your authority and deploy troops.

- McTighe's troops will automatically be redirected towards Aqvi. Order the (Flame) Troops of the 1st Camp to march towards Aqvi as well. This easily leads to a siege of the city. In order to capture a city or fortress however, the intervention of Class 0 is required. Invading a city is possible when the paling barrier of the city (indicated by the REC icon) is destroyed by your troops. Normally a paling recovers a city's health; with it destroyed this is no longer the case..

- Aqvi is a small city. You'l simply need to defeat the fugitive Maj. Herriot, who is located in the second area. Also collect five Phantoma afterwards to make the invasion successful.

- Back on the world map, immediately order Aqvi to deploy Thunder Troops and have them march directly to Corsi, since the enemy city will deploy Warriors headed for McTighe. If you've deployed Thunder Troops from Aqvi to Corsi, this should keep them busy enough, but to be sure, stay on the lookout and make sure no Warriors reach McTighe.

- Invade Corsi and make your way to the last area, where you must defeat 1st. Lt. Hamilton. It has a ram attack which is easily evaded by dodging sideways. Its flamethrower attack is just as easily evaded.

- Mission Completion Bonus: Adjutant's Shop [Remedy] Unlocked.

- S Rank Bonus: BEHEMOTH SCALES.

Now that you're back on the world map, let's do some optional exploration. Keep in mind that once you return to the Magic Academy, (re-)entering the world map costs 6 hours of free time, so we might as well take good advantage of the fact we're already out there. Below is a list with things you can do.

- At Corsi you can speak with the Suzake Military Officer who has a ton of interesting information to offer. Be sure to listen to all of it. You can also search the left side of the street to find KAYAHARA'S PYROXENE. Furthermore, there's a clerk nearby that sells several gift items. Be SURE to purchase at least the Feminine Swimsuit - it's used in a quest later on. Lastly, the man at the far end gate secretly sells/buys Phantoma.

- On the world map, using a Chocobo allows you to travel much faster and without being hassled by random encounters. Entering any location will set the Chocobo free, but so does riding it for a while. Keep this in mind.

- To the north is the Corsi Cave. In the first area you can find SUZAKU'S COMPLETE HISTORY in a chest. It isn't advisable to continue further, since the enemies up ahead are rather tough (Level 20+). You're free to try if you save at one of the towns first, though.

- At Aqvi there's a new shop available, for details see the table.

- When you're all set, return to the Magic Academy.