Hulao Gate

The Battle of Hulao Gate (虎牢関の戦い, rōmaji: Korōkan no Tatakai) was an important defense point on the path to Luoyang that was attacked by the Allied Forces, headed by Yuan Shao, in their attempt to overthrow Dong Zhuo. Lu Bu was defeated here by the three sworn brothers Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. The gate is also known as Sishui Gate.

Historically, while there were conflicts fought at this place, the major battle depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms was never fought here.

Dynasty Warriors
Taking advantage of the turmoil caused by the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Dong Zhuo seizes the opportunity and usurps control of the imperial court through the force of his army. Beginning a reign of terror, Dong Zhuo is declared a traitor of the Han empire and Yuan Shao raises a call to form a coalition to bring down the tyrant.

In this series, the allied forces are usually split into three pronged attacks headed by Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei, while Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan and others remain behind and normally charge when the forces gain an advantage. In most games, Lu Bu remains the last challenge before entering the gate, but can often be avoided by taking another path or simply running past him. The second game in the series involves opening four gates named after the Four Gods themselves in order to advance to the main area Lu Bu is guarding.

The third installment uses a less-intricate map (which is reused for Dynasty Warriors Advance), with Liu Bei's forces on the east side, and both Sun Jian and Cao Cao converging on Sishui Gate (localized as Fanshui/Fan Shui Gate in the Western ports, oddly) guarded by Hua Xiong. During the battle, Yuan Shu's forces are assaulted by Lu Bu, all while not giving Sun Jian the supplies needed (making this battle a composite version of both Sishui Gate and Hulao Gate in all). Most likely, depending on the player's speed and the stage's difficulty, Lu Bu will often defeat Yuan Shu's forces very quickly. This version of the stage is also famous for being the requirement to unlock Lu Bu, being to rack up 1000 K.O.s on either the Musou Mode or Free Mode version of the stage on any difficulty.

The Dynasty Warriors 4 version of the stage makes it part of the Luo Yang series of stages (along with the Tong Gate and The Imperial Seal stages), and the whole eastern side of the map series is used, with some portion leading out to Tong Gate's area as Dong Zhuo's escape point. The area just beyond the gate shows nearly the whole capital as opposed to just Dong Zhuo's camp, where Dong Zhuo resides in one section of the city. This is also the game where both Hu Lao Gate and Si Shui Gate are separate stages from that point onward. Sun Jian and Yuan Shao's main camp in the east, Liu Bei in the north and Cao Cao south and Liu Bei in the north are to break through their respective gates guarded by Dong Zhuo's vanguard in order to advance on the gate. The gate's names reuse the Four Gods naming motif for them but only Baihu Gate (白虎門, Byakkomon) is exempt. The gate in the east is Qinlong Gate (青龍門, Seiryūmon), the north gate being Xuanwu Gate (玄武門, Genbumon) and the south gate being Zhuque Gate (朱雀門, Suzakumon). The other two gates that have not opened yet by the time one gate opens will automatically do so when the player opens them from the other side (from the center field).

The player must then escort a battering ram that appears as soon as allied forces converge onto the very central rendezvous to break down Hu Lao Gate. Successful or not, the gate will still open, and eventually Lu Bu will charge out, and often challenge the player to a duel, but it's possible to avoid him by moving past him. Diaochan will happen to be guarding the gate to Luo Yang where Dong Zhuo resides in one of the districts with some of his other generals. Trying to reach Dong Zhuo himself will cause him to burn the capital (as he explains he can also sacrifice as many cities as he wants for his paradise) and move to his aforementioned escape point, where he will rarely engage in combat. If Dong Zhuo is reached before killing Lu Bu, he will only retreat if his health is low as opposed to having nearly all of his main forces being wiped out. If Sishui Gate is skipped during this battle during Musou Mode, then Li Jue will ambush the player's main camp. But if the stage is played beforehand, then either victory will increase Sun Jian's performance via his morale as an NPC, or cause him to be cautious and careful if supplies were not delivered on time to him. In Dong Zhuo's forces scenario, it is Yuan Shao who burns down the capital instead (saying that "it is not easy to burn down the Han capital, but it must be done to stop Dong Zhuo").

The version in the fifth installment does away with the initial minor gates, and like before has Hu Lao Gate be marked on one corner of the map where only Dong Zhuo's camp is shown. The gate itself has an empty room lit up inside it, which is two gates instead of a single one. It is in this version the player can use an alternate path to travel through in the north, where Zhang Liao will be waiting. As before, attacking Dong Zhuo first before dealing with Lu Bu will cause Lu Bu to rush to his aid.

Lu Bu's story ends at Hu Lao Gate in Dynasty Warriors 6. Tired of Lu Bu's various invasions and disruptions of territories and battles, the warlords of the land, including Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Zhang Jiao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and Cao Cao, band together in order to defeat their common foe.

Dynasty Warriors 8 restricts Hulao Gate to Shu and Wei's stories. In any of the routes, player succeeds or fails to secure the supply route for Sun Jian, Hua Xiong will guard Sishui Gate, only to be killed. Wei Xu will issue an archer attack after the first gate is crossed. At Hulao Gate, Jia Xu will try to block the coalition's entrance to Dong Zhuo's territory. When the gates are cleared, Lu Bu will appear to "crush the vile pests". He will fly into a rage and pursue the player if they defeat Diaochan. When the coalition evades or defeats Lu Bu, Dong Zhuo sets fire to the capital causing panic among the civilians.

The difference of the stories is that in Liu Bei's story, Zhang Jiao may protect the main camp for Liu Bei. In Cao Cao's story, should Lu Bu be defeated at Luoyang before the battle, his dialogue against the player will change.

In Dong Zhuo's scenario, Luoyang is already in flames, and he begins his retreat as well as his search for Diaochan. Dian Wei first impedes the way by attempting to lock Dong Zhuo's forces into the blazing castle. After that, Liu Bei and his brothers appear to charge out against the fleeing army. When they are defeated, Sun Jian, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao appear before Dong Zhuo at Sishui Gate, but they are defeated. Soon Diaochan appears within a garrison, but upon Dong Zhuo's arrival, she attacks him with Lu Bu at her side. When both of them are defeated, Dong Zhuo finally retreats, happily seizing and forcing the maiden to come along.

During the expansion, another scenario is given for Dong Zhuo. In this scenario, it is Yuan Shao who seizes power and holds the emperor after the fall of the eunuchs, and in response: Dong Zhuo forms his own coalition consisting of his own forces and that of Sun Jian's forces against Yuan Shao. To the north Dong Zhuo's main camp are minor warlords, unsure of who to join in the battle. As soon as they see one side winning, they will begin mobilizing for the winning side. Despite obstacles such as Cao Cao, Liu Bei and even Ding Yuan and Lu Bu, Yuan Shao is defeated, and Dong Zhuo seizes the emperor.

In Lu Bu's story, he must escort Dong Zhuo away from Luoyang via carriage. Along the way, Lu Bu earns praise from Chen Gong who praises him than Cao Cao. On the frontlines, many of Dong Zhuo's officers fight at the escape point near Yuan Shao's camp. If Hua Xiong is among those rescued, it can open the Hypothetical story branch.

Warriors Orochi
In the first title, the Shu army, led by Zhao Yun, attempts to rescue the cornered forces of Sun Ce from the Orochi forces led by Sima Yi. While Zhao Yun leads a charge on the eastern route up to Sun Ce, Wang Ping moves to the center of the battlefield posing as Lu Xun, Sun Ce's adviser, in order to distract the enemy. Once the rescue mission is complete, Zhou Yu orders the armies to lure the enemy into the battlefield's center, and for Zhu Ran to set the area on fire once the enemy is drawn in.

The Samurai alliance battles Kiyomori at Hu Lao Gate in Warriors Orochi 2. Sakon takes the eastern route in order to liaise with Nobunaga for reinforcements.

In Warriors Orochi 3, Cao Pi's forces battle the demon army using the Yashio'ori to subdue two Hydra heads at Hulao Gate. Should any of the weapons be destroyed, the player will automatically lose. After eliminating the remaining heads, Cao Pi and his entourage will advance towards Kiyomori's main camp which is filled with various traps including poisonous gas. Shuten Dōji must also survive in order to open the gates leading to the enemy commander.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
This battle takes place in chapters 4 and 5.

Heeding the death of Hua Xiong, Dong Zhuo personally brought an army of 150,000 men with Lu Bu, Li Ru, Fan Chou, and Zhang Ji east to Hulao Pass, while sending 50,000 men under Li Jue and Guo Si to reinforce Sishui Pass. Once at Hulao Pass, Dong Zhuo ordered Lu Bu to lead the vanguard with 30,000 men and set camp in front of the fortified pass.

The coalition decided to send half of their forces to engage Dong Zhuo's forces. Eight coalition warlords, namely, Wang Kuang, Qiao Mao, Bao Xin, Yuan Yi, Kong Rong, Zhang Yang, Tao Qian, and Gongsun Zan each led their forces towards Hulao Pass under Yuan Shao's command. The first to arrive in Hulao Pass was Wang Kuang. Lu Bu rode out alone, atop the magnificent Red Hare, halberd in hand, and donned in shining ebony armor, he demanded a worthy challenger to face him. Most of the infantry had heard of Lu Bu's reputation, and none steped forward until one of Wang Kuang's officers, Fang Yue, volunteered to duel Lu Bu. In less than five rounds, Fang Yue was killed, and Lu Bu charged through Wang Kuang's force, killing the routing soldiers left and right. Fortunately for Wang Kuang, the forces of Qiao Mao and Yuan Yi came to his rescue. They decided to withdraw 30 li from the pass and set camp there.

Soon, the remaining five coalition warlords arrived at the camp, where they discussed and concluded that Lu Bu could not be defeated by any living soul under heaven. Just then, Lu Bu's men arrayed outside the coalition camp, and the eight coalition warlords went to meet the enemy. Mu Shun, an officer under Zhang Yang, galloped towards Lu Bu with his horse, but was immediately killed. Wu Anguo, an officer of Kong Rong, then charged out with his metal club. They fought for ten rounds, but then Lu Bu lopped off Wu Anguo's arm with his halberd. The coalition forces charged out and rescued Wu Anguo, and each side retreated to their own camps. Cao Cao commented that all eighteen warlords should be collected to discuss a plan to defeat Lu Bu, and that if Lu Bu was somehow defeated, Dong Zhuo would essentially be a pushover.

Just then, Lu Bu again came out to taunt the coalition, demanding another challenger. This time Gongsun Zan himself went to challenge Lu Bu, but had to withdraw after a few rounds (which probably saved his life). Lu Bu gave chase, but he was distracted by Zhang Fei, who called him a bastard slave with three surnames (referring to Lu Bu's own surname and those of his two adopted fathers; it was almost certain that Zhang Fei was drunk when he made this comment). The now-angry Lu Bu then battled Zhang Fei for a surprising fifty rounds, with neither gaining an advantage over the other. Then Guan Yu, brandishing his Green Dragon Crescent Blade, dashed out to assist his oath brother. The three fighters were engaged in another thirty bouts, but still Lu Bu seemed unbeatable. Then Liu Bei, holding up his Dual Swords, also joined the battle.

Like a merry-go-round, the three oath brothers galloped in a circle caging Lu Bu inside. In this way, Lu Bu couldn't focus on fighting one opponent without leaving his flanks exposed, and soon he began to tire from having to constantly defend himself. Unable to face the combined efforts of his three opponents, Lu Bu then made a feign at Liu Bei and retreated through the resulting gap back to the pass gate. The trio chased after Lu Bu but due to the speed of Red Hare, they could not keep up with him. However they abandoned the chase after they spotted Dong Zhuo. Zhang Fei attempted to charge onto the fortification to kill Dong Zhuo, but he was repelled by the rain of arrows from the pass.

After having achieved a task thought impossible, the eight coalition warlords declared the battle won, and received Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei for a celebration of their heroic victory.

Trivia

 * There is a typo in Dynasty Warriors 6 where the base of Dong Zhuo's forces is labeled as "Dong Zhou's Main Camp".