Kingdom of Wei Walkthrough

Note: As you unlock more characters, your lineup will change during replays, so only allies who are always present in each stage will be listed. Generals and officers whose appearance is determinant are marked with asterisks.

Yellow Turban Menace: Han Forces Vs. Yellow Turbans
"The Yellow Turbans have surrounded Xia Pi Castle. Defeat their commander Zhang Liang!"

Commanders: Huangfu Song Vs. Zhang Liang

As Wei, players start at the western position of the map, engaging Deng Mao and Huang Shao. Although the player can help Liu Bei out with Gao Sheng, it is recommended to watch out for the rain storm that comes after Zhang Liang summons it. This will cause Huangfu Song to advance through the stream in the castle only to be met by He Yi leading an ambush party out of the rain. Give the commander a hand and continue marching forward. Sun Jian and Liu Bei can take care of themselves throughout the battle. After Huangfu Song exits the castle, Yan Zheng will appear as a second ambush party. Upon reaching Zhang Liang's location, he will activate the geysers which behave as an environmental hazard. Walk pass those springs and put Zhang Liang down. By clearing this stage and defeating him before he escapes, he will not appear in the last battle.

Yellow Turban Fortress: Han Forces Vs. Yellow Turbans
"Dispel Zhang Bao's sorcery and take down the Yellow Turban Fortress!"

Commanders: Zhu Jun Vs. Zhang Bao

Cao Cao and Liu Bei will attack from the east while Sun Jian will march from the west. Attack He Yi and defeat him to pass through the circular path. Go closer to the south and Pei Yuan Shao will use strong winds to slow the player down. Upon entering the bottom path, destroy the 3 windmills to make the winds die down. Defeat Cheng Yuanzhi to open the gate and eliminate Zhang Bao. By clearing this stage and defeating Zhang Bao before his escape, he will not appear in the final battle of this chapter.

Yellow Turban Rebellion: Han Forces Vs. Yellow Turbans
"Defeat Yellow Turban leader Zhang Jiao and bring an end to their rebellion!"

Commanders: He Jin Vs. Zhang Jiao

Cao Cao will march from the east while Sun Jian will advance in the west. Liu Bei will attack the center and join the other two forces, usually meeting up with Sun Jian and his forces. If Zhang Liao or Zhang Bao escaped the previous battles, they will use their magic to hinder the player from reaching Zhang Jiao. Assisting Sun Jian or Liu Bei is not mandatory, though the additional experience may prove useful in future battles to come.

Battle of Si Shui Gate: Allied Forces Vs. Dong Zhuo's Forces
"Attack Luo Yang's defensive stronghold at Si Shui Gate and defeat Li Jue!"

Commanders: Yuan Shao Vs. Li Jue

The player starts the battle near Cao Cao and the first three generals of Dong Zhuo's army: Li Su, Niu Fu, and Gao Shun. Go ahead and take them out so that Cao Cao can join Sun Jian's assault at Si Shui Gate. As you know, Sun Jian will request for supplies to be sent to his army. Yuan Shu will not do so and hold the supply cargo unit back. Having no choice you must help out Cao Cao and Sun Jian since they are both camped at Si Shui Gate. If you got a horse, haul your butt to Liu Bei's position where the back road is. Since you are at Liu Bei's area, help him out and take the back road into the enemy supply depot. Defeat Fan Chou and Sun Jian will be ready to assault Si Shui Gate. After you arrive at the gate, join in the fighting and defeat Hua Xiong. Later on, Zhang Liao (if he is not unlocked yet Dong Min will take his place otherwise) will appear to take Yuan Shao's head so put him down before that happens. Defeat Li Jue or allow him to retreat.

The Battle of Hu Lao Gate: Allied Forces Vs. Dong Zhuo's Forces
"Break through Hu Lao Gate, evade Lu Bu and defeat Dong Zhuo!"

Commanders: Yuan Shao Vs. Dong Zhuo

At the start of the battle, Cao Cao will assault from Zhu Qiao Gate while Liu Bei will attack from Xuan Wu Gate, though Li Ru will spring an archer ambush to stall Cao Cao from reaching him. However, if Si Shui Gate was done first, the Allies get a morale boost at the start of the stage. After you managed to break through the gate, a siege ram will appear to destroy Hu Lao Gate. Head for Hu Lao Gate and eliminate the Guard Captains there to increase the chance of survival for the ram. Once the gate falls, the allied army will rush in to meet Lu Bu guarding the inside. You can fight him as he will always challenge you to a duel or you can run pass him towards Diao Chan. Once you gained entrance into the last area, Dong Zhuo will set the city on fire. At that time, Yuan Shao will advance the main army. Defeat Dong Zhuo or make him retreat to seize victory.

Eliminate Zhang Jiao: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Yellow Turbans
"Defeat Zhang Jiao before he joins with Zhang Lu's forces!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Zhang Jiao How to get it: Skip the Yellow Turban Menace in Chapter 1 and allow Zhang Jiao to escape in the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

A common misconception is that you have to play the Yellow Turban Fortress and Yellow Turban Rebellion in order to unlock this stage, but in reality, the former stage is optional. Anyway, Xu Huang will try to stall Zhang Lu's army while Xiahou Dun will take over the fortress to keep him from advancing (Yes, this is why this battle happens after Ch 2 for Wei instead of Ch 1 like the other two kingdoms, because Xiahou Yuan, the last initial character, is replaced by Xu Huang, who is unlocked after Ch 2). Assist them both as best you can because Zhang Lu will arrive real quick. Once you've done that, rush to the fortress up top and take out the generals guarding the area. Do not even bother trying to reach Zhang Jiao because strong winds will keep you from getting to him.

The main objective here is to beat Zhang Lu's soldiers to cause the real Zhang Lu to appear so do not bother even trying to beat him. If Zhang Lu reaches Zhang Jiao then they both will cast a spell on your army to cause everyone (Including Xiahou Dun and Xu Huang) to turn against Cao Cao, and the spell can't be broken. Once Zhang Lu's army is defeated, the real Zhang Lu (not the illusion) will appear at the second fortress in the north. Once Zhang Lu is defeated, Zhang Jiao will use a spell that causes the soldiers to revolt (but not the generals). Cao Cao and his generals will struggle, but they will not be routed if you break the spell. Once the strong winds have stopped, get to Zhang Jiao's position as quick as you can and destroy the 3 large cauldrons. With the spell gone, Zhang Jiao will be easy for you to beat and this will be the end of the Yellow Turbans forever.

Battle of Xia Pi: Cao Cao Forces Vs. Lu Bu's Forces
"Surround Xia Pi Castle, and isolate Lu Bu as he tries to break through!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Lu Bu

Right from the beginning, Zang Ba will attack the main camp from the north west while Zhang Liao will launch a surprise attack on Xiahou Dun near the east gate. Go over there and bail Xiahou Dun out and Zhang Liao will join Cao Cao's forces, convincing many of Lu Bu's men to desert him (You can also unlock Zhang Liao with Lu Bu after you clear any main campaign once. Also, if you replay this stage on Musou Mode, he is replaced by Gao Shun). Return back to the north and eliminate Zang Ba. Some time later, Xiahou Dun will have a cut scene where he takes an arrow to his eye, but despite his wounds, he will still keep on fighting. Next, Lu Bu will slowly realize that he is out-numbered and try to send a carriage to the west territory to ally with Yuan Shu. You can stop the carriage or if you love a challenge, or need the experience, then allow the carriage safe passage. Around the land, there are three generals who will surrender when their life is low: Wei Xu, Song Xian, and Hou Cheng. Go ahead and get rid of them to cause Lu Bu's morale to drop. Once the three generals have surrender, Chen Gong will automatically surrender as well, though you'll need to approach him to trigger a cutscene of him surrendering to your character.

In case you did not notice, the north gate in the west area is open so head on in to notice the stream going through the castle. Take this moment to either defeat Diao Chan and make Lu Bu go on a rampage or return to the large rock that was located north near the enemy gate captain. Once the rocks have slowed down the stream, you can easily pass through with little difficulty. Also, the Red Hare horse will cause Lu Bu's morale to be low so get it before him, but that does not mean you actually get the horse. After some time passes in the battle, Yuan Shu will appear to reinforce Lu Bu if you let the carriage go or not. Defeat Yuan Shu and his officers to take a lot of trouble off your back and put Lu Bu in his place; however, you can end this battle quickly if you:

If those things are done then Lu Bu and Diao Chan will retreat. Should that happen, Lu Bu will appear as reinforcements for Zhang Xiu in Wan Castle. Clearing this stage will prevent Lu Bu from appearing in the last battle. If you happen to be playing as Xiahou Dun, you can earn his level 10 weapon by taking out Diao Chan after getting shot in the eye.
 * A.) Defeat all the generals on the outside of the castle.
 * B.) Stopped the carriage from passing through the west gate captain.
 * C.) Allow Chen Gong to surrender.

Battle of Wan Castle: Cao Cao's Focres Vs. Zhang Xiu's Forces
"Hold off Zhang Xiu's ambush and rescue the isolated Cao Cao!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Zhang Xiu

All you have to do here is make sure Cao Cao gets away. The only problem here is you got to back track a lot. Start off by eliminating the officer and gate captain near you. Next, move south to the next officer and put him out of the way. Later, Dian Wei will have a cut scene as he helps Cao Cao to safety. After you cleared out the generals and officers in the area, Cao Cao will be stalled by the fires within the castle. Although he is trapped, Dian Wei (Xu Zhu will replace him if the player uses Dian Wei) will provide Cao Cao with a way out. Defeat Zhang Xiu one last time and make sure Cao Cao has a clear shot for the exit. Completing this stage before Xia Pi gives you a small advantage, however if Lu Bu escaped from Xia Pi, then he will be here to stop Cao Cao, so you have to put him out of the way. If you happen to be playing as Dian Wei, you can earn his level 10 weapon, and for that you have to clear out the generals and trigger the two cutscenes mentioned above (you have to time the second cutscene right in order to get the weapon).

Battle of Guan Du: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Yuan Shao's Forces
"Destroy Yuan Shao's vast army by hitting its weak spot!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Yuan Shao

As the battle starts off, players may choose to win the short way or the long way. The short way is by defending Bai Ma and Yan Jin and not letting them fall. The long way involves piercing through the enemy's assaults. Yan Liang will attack near Bai Ma and after slaying two officers, those officers being Lu Bu's former officers Wei Xu and Song Xian, Guan Yu will come out to attack. You can keep Guan Yu in this battle by defeating Liu Bei before he meets him. Guan Yu will attack and defeat Yan Liang and Wen Chou. You'll notice that Guan Yu is powered up for this battle as he is surrounded by orange lightning. Yan Liang and Wen Chou are as well, but lose theirs once Guan Yu announces he's come for their heads. After a couple of minutes have passed (or once you defeat those two), Yuan Shao will appear and launch a full-scale assault on both Bai Ma and Yan Jin. If you want to ensure the fall of Bai Ma or Yan Jin then you must lure enemy generals to your comrades. Once Bai Ma or Yan Jin falls, head for the castle Guan Du as you mount up a strong defense. If you choose to help them, be warned that around when you defeat Yuan Xi while he's attacking Yu Jin in Bai Ma, if you skipped the Battle of Xia Pi and went straight to this stage, Lu Bu will then appear to reinforce Yuan Shao. Strangely enough, he has a unit of Lady Guards with him, but Diao Chan did not join him for this battle.

Do not worry about the other generals that were routed, just stay on defense and wait for the opposing army to come. Once they arrive, 3 siege rams will appear to destroy the walls of Guan Du. At that time, Wu Chao's location will be marked on the map. Cao Cao himself shall go assault Wu Chao and you can either join him or stay on defense at Guan Du. Once you destroy the rams, nothing can stop you from that point on, but destroying Wu Chao will give you a bonus. As the assault on Wu Chao begins, Yuan Shao will send reinforcements to the location. After you successfully destroyed Wu Chao, you will be on your way to win the battle. Also, Zhang He will want to serve only the most beautiful general, and defect to Cao Cao's forces (unless he's already unlocked, then he won't appear in the battle at all). If you didn't unlock Zhang He here, you will have to clear 11 stages to unlock him. With Wu Chao burning, Cao Cao's Army's morale will rise up and start beating back the enemy. After all enemy officers have been defeated, Yuan Shao himself will retreat in shock that he was beaten by Cao Cao.

You can earn Xu Huang's level 10 weapon here, and for that you have to destroy Wu Chao while allowing Guan Du to be demolished by the rams (The crucial part is the cutscene showing the castle wall collapsing, the same cutscene required for Yuan Shao's level 10 weapon, so you can afford to destroy two rams, the one bashing the gates and the one at the western wall. The ram that will trigger the cutscene is the one in between, next to the gates).

Guan Yu's Escape: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Guan Yu's Forces
"Chase down Guan Yu and the carriage and dispatch any enemies in the way!"

Commanders: Xiahou Dun Vs. Guan Yu How to get it: Skip the Yellow Turban Fortress in Chapter 1, then clear both stages in Chapter 2.

A common misconception is that to unlock this stage, you have to go straight to the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Chapter 1, but that's not necessary. It is highly recommended to obtain a good horse like Red Hare or Shadow Rider to clear this battle. Although players can eliminate all the enemy officers blocking the way, they run the risk of letting Guan Yu or the carriage reach the escape point. Moreover, defeating Guan Yu is a much easier task than simply clearing the map of enemies. However, if you decide to attack the carriage, Guan Yu will reveal the first one to be a decoy. You'll need to wreck the second one if you decide to avoid Guan Yu to win the stage before either of them escape. Also, you may want to get past the final gate, as that will cause a supply unit to appear at the fourth gate. Defeat the supply captain to obtain the Way of Musou.

Battle of Ji Province: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Yuan Shao's Forces
"Drive a wedge between the three brothers and destroy the Yuan Family!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Yuan Shao How to get it: Go straight to Hu Lao Gate in Ch 2, then in Ch 3 let Yuan Shao retreat in the Battle of Guan Du.

A common misconception is that to unlock this stage, you have to defeat Lu Bu at Hu Lao Gate, but you don't have to. Defeat the three generals outside of the two fortresses in the north. Once you knock off one of the officers under Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan, you will see that the Yuan brothers are at each others throat, especially once you take out their other brother, Yuan Xi, the lynchpin. Time to talk one of them over. Yuan Shang is on the left while Yuan Tan waits in the right. Take your pick and either Yuan Shang or Yuan Tan will join you with their surviving troops and officers. After the other brother is defeated in battle, Yuan Shao will arrive to see his family in such a mess. Once the other brother is caught in his own anger, he will quickly rejoin Yuan Shao, but it won't matter at that point. Defeat the last two members of the Yuan family to clear the battle.

Battle of Bo Wan Po: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Liu Bei's Forces
"Be wary of Zhuge Liang's schemes and defeat Liu Bei quickly!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Liu Bei

As the soldiers start their march into the woods, Zhao Yun will be seen at the first cross path and will retreat when the soldiers attack. The only two ways to prevent the fire attack is by either knocking Zhao Yun away from his destination (he will keep fleeing until he lures you to Guan Ping's ambush) or challenge him to a duel which is done by letting him attack the soldiers first before you make your advance on him. Once you have defeated Zhao Yun, let your allies discover the traps and ambushes throughout the land. Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei will eventually disappear from the front line and appear later on. As your soldiers advance further into the forests, Guan Yu will later on appear to begin his attack, but he won't be as tough as he should be when his ambush is successful. Close to the end of the battle, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang will appear next to your supply depot. If you managed to prevent all the traps in the forest, Zhang Fei will not burn the supply depot. Moreover, a fast horse will be needed for this level. Also, by clearing this stage, Zhuge Liang will be weaker in the final battle.

Battle of Chang Ban: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Liu Bei's Forces
"Chase the fleeing Liu Bei. Eliminate everyone who stands in the way!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Liu Bei

The very famous battle that made Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei very famous. As Liu Bei flees from Cao Cao, it is your objective to prevent him from reaching the Chang Jiang river. Although it can be tough, there is a way to make it a lot easier. As you rush down towards the south, Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei will be along the way to stop you. Once you get near Liu Bei, perform the taunt and lure him back towards the north so your allies can keep him busy. It may be a lot of work, but it will save you the time you need to get rid of the other generals. Although Liu Bei's escape boat may arrive, it won't matter much if he is trapped behind your lines. Defeat the remaining generals on the field and claim yourself another victory! Also, clearing this level will deplete Liu Bei's forces in the final battle.

Still, Liu Bei won't advance unless you've managed to close distance with him. Once he crosses the Chang Ban Bridge guarded by Zhang Fei, he stops until you catch up, which is usually once you engage Zhang Fei at the bridge, or Zhuge Liang in the central fortress, then he'll move towards Mi Zhu and the southern fortress gates to await the arrival of Liu Qi, which happens once you reach the narrow path above said gates he passes through to reach the escape ship. This can buy you some time to go after all of his officers for experience if your character needs it as the longer you can keep Liu Bei from moving closer to his escape point until you can engage him, the better, especially if you can catch him in the narrow path between the two gates as if your allies can catch him in a pincer move there, he'll have no way to reach the escape point and lose you the stage. Also, it helps if you can defeat Zhang Fei in a duel when confronting him at the Chang Ban Bridge as it will provide a major morale boost to Cao Cao's forces, helping to ensure Liu Bei does not get away at all.

Liu Bei can escape one of two ways:

1. If you decide to ignore Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei, especially if your character is under-powered or their weapon is too weak, Liu Bei will advance until he reaches Mi Zhu's position at the southeastern gate blocking access to the escape point, where once Liu Qi's ship arrives, the gate will open and Liu Bei will make a run for it. Also, by avoiding the officers guarding Liu Bei's rear and going after Zhou Cang and then Zhuge Liang and his sub-officer, Sun Qian, this will be nothing but borrowed time as the gate will remain closed for only a short while once Liu Bei reaches Mi Zhu, so make the most of it with getting through the central fortress and catching up to Liu Bei before he can make a run for Liu Qi's escape ship.

2. If you went after Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei, while doubling back to get Zhang Fei's sub-officer Liao Hua, who had guarded the northwest entrance into the central fortress first before Zhang Fei, Liu Bei will abandon meeting up with Mi Zhu and attempt to escape via the already open southwestern gate, with Ma Su launching an ambush to slow down Cao Cao's pursuing forces from catching up, but he will hold position midway along the narrow path between the gate Mi Zhu guards and the open one until the cutscene of Liu Qi's ships arriving occurs, then make his move to escape while Ma Su keeps the enemy busy.

Either way, if you can get Liu Bei to be distracted by your bodyguards by placing them in their Hold Position stance once they engage him, they will keep him busy, buying you time to go after everyone else for the experience, if your character needs it, and to allow your allies to catch up to Liu Bei and take some pressure off of your bodyguards, so make good use of the time they buy you.

You can earn Zhen Ji's level 10 weapon here, and for that your targets are all the playable officers (Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei will always challenge you to duels, and you have to beat them in those duels).

Battle of Chi Bi: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Allied Forces
"A naval showdown. Take out the Wu commander, and the Alliance will fall!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Sun Jian

As the battle starts, a message indicating Pang Tong's strange behavior in the northwest will be triggered. As you fight the allied army of Wu and Liu Bei, you will receive various messages from soldiers. The second message will say a strange altar is set up near the Wu camp. Moreover, you got lots of ground to cover. Although Pang Tong's ploy is not real important (Unless you are aiming for Wei's 4th ending and Cao Cao's level 10 weapon, which require you to stop Pang Tong in addition to stopping the wind prayer and fire attack. For Cao Cao's level 10 weapon, you also have to dispatch Lu Meng and Gan Ning before Huang Gai even arrives), you can still surprise him by going over to the area, forcing him to give up on his ploy and defect back to the Allies and retreat from the battlefield.

Upon your arrival near the altar, enemy reinforcements will appear, but Zhuge Liang won't have much protection. Defeating Zhuge Liang will determine which kingdom you will face for the next chapter. If you cleared out Bo Wan Po, then Zhuge Liang won't be fully healed during this battle as he and his bodyguards will have very low health bars; furthermore, if you also went through the Chang Ban battle, then reinforcements will be little, otherwise, Guan Yu will be leading the Shu reinforcements for the Allies. Defeat Zhuge Liang and he will not be able to summon the South-East Winds. Two down and one to go. You will receive word that Huang Gai is ready to join Cao Cao so head over to his position and defeat him upon his arrival. Once you prevented the plots against your army, it is a walk through the land from there on out. Take out Sun Jian and the alliance will fall before you.

Battle of Tong Gate: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Allied Forces
"The vengeful Ma Chao is defending Tong Gate. Destroy him!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Ma Chao How to get it: In Ch 4 skip Chang Ban.

This battle is rather straightforward, though Han Sui's defection makes it much easier. Eliminate the generals in the south area and prepare to deal with Ma Chao's officers Ma Dai and Pang De. In order to get Han Sui to defect, take out all the generals on the field, leaving only Ma Chao and Han Sui. Make sure Han Sui does not have any officers under his command. After Cao Cao meets with Han Sui, he will immediately defect. Defeat Ma Chao to end the battle. You can earn Xu Zhu's level 10 weapon here by eliminating Ma Chao's sub-officers and getting Han Sui to defect.

Lu Bu's Offensive: Cao Cao's Forces Vs. Lu Bu's Forces
"Lu Bu is invading Xiao Pei. Lure him into the castle and destroy him!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Lu Bu How to get it: Defeat Lu Bu at Hu Lao Gate and Guan Du, then in Chapter 4, play Chang Ban.

First off, eliminate either Diao Chan or Gao Shun (or both if you have a horse). Lu Bu will enter the castle at some point during the battle and you will be instructed to ring each gong so the gates will close (you may want to wait for Zhang Liao to leave from the north gate and Xiahou Dun to leave from the west gate). Cao Cao will eventually leave the castle some time later and so will a few of your allies if they decide not to stay on the inside of the castle. Once you closed all the gates, a fire attack will be used on Lu Bu, but it ain't over yet. (Too easy huh?) After you enter back into the castle, you will find Lu Bu still very much alive and not in a good mood. Although the fire attack did lower his life, he is no longer a threat to you. Defeat him now and end his rage once and for all (if you need the experience, you can refuse the duel, at which point Zang Ba will arrive).

Chapter 5 (Ideal Route): The Fall of Wu
If you did prevent the wind from blowing in the Battle of Chi Bi, then Wu will be the kingdom you face first. (Note: If playing Fan Castle or Shi Ting as Cao Cao, he will be commander instead of Cao Ren or Sima Yi. Also, you can only achieve Wei's 4th ending by going down the ideal route.)

Siege of Fan Castle: Wei Forces Vs. Wu Forces
"Defend Fan Castle against the Wu Army. Destroy their siege weapons!"

Commanders: Cao Ren Vs. Sun Quan

The player's primary objective is to destroy the siege ramps and catapults. Since the siege ramps give the Wu army entrance into the castle, go after them first. The best horse to have for this stage is the Red Hare for speed or the Shadow Rider so you don't get knocked off. One of the siege ramps will move from the south while the other moves from the northeast. Not to mention, the Wu generals will try to stop you before you can eliminate their equipment. Also, you will want to have a character for this battle who uses a charge attack projectile and vorpal so you can destroy the ramps quickly. Once the ramps are gone or not, take out the catapults next and you will have stopped the siege assault. Lu Meng will launch his assault on you so go ahead and put him out of the way along with any other general on the field.

(HINT: During the destruction of the siege weapons, there are two strategy plots here that Sima Yi will use on Wu. First, there is a supply line across from Zhou Tai's gate captain in the south west of the castle. Defeat the supply captain and the gate captain to give Zhou Tai a morale drop. Second, Sima Yi's task unit will infiltrate the forest near Taishi Ci. Once they have completed the fire attack, lure Taishi Ci's unit in the forest and he will have less troops on the field.) Overall, once you destroy the siege equipment, head for Sun Quan and put the Sun kid down. Also, if you completed Shi Ting before the Siege of Fan Castle then Cao Xiu will appear here as reinforcements. Also, completing this stage will give you a catapult in the next battle.

If you are playing as Cao Ren, you can earn his level 10 weapon, and for that you have to take out all the siege weapons and dispatch Lu Meng when he comes charging out. The crucial part is Cao Ren saying all the siege weapons are destroyed, so don't take out too many generals, otherwise Lu Meng will come out early (needless to say, two players are recommended).

Battle of Shi Ting: Wei Forces Vs. Wu Forces
"Evade the Wu Army's traps and defeat the mastermind, Lu Xun!"

Commanders: Sima Yi Vs. Lu Xun

Although players may choose to accompany Cao Xiu, it is better to discover the enemy's plot first. Rush over to Ding Feng and defeat him to see through Lu Xun's ruse. Join up with Cao Xiu to prevent him from being ambushed. Even with the ploy foiled, Lu Xun will still use the ambush parties against you, so help out your Wei comrades. (HINT: If you completed Fan Castle beforehand, a Wei catapult will appear in the north east outside of the castle. It will head for the south gate and tear it down.) Once the gate opens, Sima Yi will order the final charge at Wu, but Lu Xun is not done yet. In one final attempt, ambush parties appear just ahead of Sima Yi's unit. Defeat Huang Gai and rush back down south to bail out Sima Yi. Once you cleared a safe path for Sima Yi, defeat the little Lu Xun and show him the way out. Also, regardless if you complete this stage or not, Lu Xun will appear in the final battle.

Battle of He Fei: Wei Forces Vs. Wu Forces
"Lure Sun Jian into a trap at He Fei and eliminate him!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Sun Jian

At the beginning of the stage, Zhang Liao will attempt to cross the bridge and lure Sun Jian to the other side. As Wu generals and officers attack the far side paths on the left and right, if you are playing as Zhang Liao then do not cross the bridge and head for the far side paths on both the left and right. (HINT: if you play as Zhang Liao, you can attack Sun Jian later after you defeated all the generals on the field. A huge advantage.) Once Sun Jian crosses the bridge, Sima Yi will have the bridge destroyed and Li Dian will appear as reinforcements. Although you can defeat Sun Jian before he jumps back across the bridge, it won't matter since reinforcements will come after a while. Lu Xun will reinforce in the west while Gan Ning appears in the east. To make it more fun, Taishi Ci will arrive in the middle near the bridge with additional officers under Sun Jian right with him. At this point, it is a general slug-fest. Help out where you can, but keep an eye out for which Wu general that is close to Cao Cao. After you eliminated the threats on the field, head for the tiger of Wu himself and end their fight.

Note: If you completed Fan Castle and the enemies manage to open one of He Fei's side gates, Sun Shang Xiang will appear with a catapult to break down the front gate.

Dong Zhuo In Ji: Wei Forces Vs. Dong Zhuo's Forces
"Dong Zhuo lives! Defeat his men and drag him out into the battlefield!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Dong Zhuo How to get it: In Chapter 2 let Dong Zhuo escape, then in Chapter 3 skip Wan Castle.

Dong Zhuo has not yet arrived so defeating his generals becomes the player's top priority. While the endless enemies try to attack you and Cao Cao, put them in their place and keep defeating enemy generals before they cause trouble. Once Dong Zhuo arrives, crush him one last time.

Chapter 5 (Default Route): The Fall of Shu
If you did not defeat Zhuge Liang in the Battle of Chi Bi (or clear the stage before the wind prayer happens) then Shu will be the kingdom you face first. (Note: If playing Jie Ting and Wu Zhang Plains as Cao Cao, he will be commander instead of Sima Yi.)

Battle of Mt. Ding Jun: Wei Forces Vs. Shu Forces
"Defend Mt. Ding Jun from the attacking Shu officers!"

Commanders: Cao Cao and Xiahou Yuan Vs. Liu Bei

As you begin, you can chase down and defeat Chen Shi, but be wary of the archers who are waiting for you on the other side of the gate. Once you you done that, head for Xiahou De to help him against Huang Zhong. After the short cut scene, defeat the old veteran and Zhao Yun will appear later on. Put Zhao Yun to the side and head for Liu Bei. After a while, Cao Cao will show up with reinforcements so make the most of your advantage and this battle will be yours without much work. Also, if you defeat Chen Shi before he can return to Shu's main camp, Huang Zhong will appear in the final battle. If you happen to be playing as Xiahou Yuan, you can earn his level 10 weapon by eliminating Chen Shi before he makes it to the enemy base, then dispatching Huang Zhong before Cao Cao arrives.

Battle of Jie Ting: Wei Forces Vs. Shu Forces
"Surround the Shu Army camped at Jie Ting!"

Commanders: Sima Yi Vs. Ma Su and Zhuge Liang

If you act quickly enough then you won't have to deal with the enemy reinforcements that appear once Ma Su is trapped. Start off by attacking the officers around the summit. Once they are dealt with, a cut scene will occur with Zhang He. After Ma Su is trapped, if you can defeat him quick enough then you will win the battle, but Zhuge Liang will show up if you are not quick to eliminate Ma Su. (HINT: Xiahou Yuan will arrive in this battle as reinforcements later on) Overall, the quicker you beat Ma Su, the better. Also, Ma Su will show up in the final battle, but Sima Yi will easily get rid of him on his own. If you have Cao Cao in this stage, he shall assume command. If you happen to be playing as Zhang He, you can obtain his level 10 weapon, however you have to defeat every last general, including Zhuge Liang and company, so after surrounding Ma Su, don't kill him yet, otherwise you won't get the weapon.

Battle of Wu Zhang Plains: Wei Forces Vs. Shu Forces
"Showdown with Shu. Defeat all enemy officers!"

Commanders: Sima Yi Vs. Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei

This stage will be easier if you have Cao Cao here. Start off by defeating Ma Chao and advance towards the south. If you take over the supply depot then you won't have to worry much for the rest of the battle. Head for Wei Yan's area and put him down and continue your march. Some time later, Zhuge Liang will die (Yeah Right.) and Shu will begin retreating. As Sima Yi advances from the north, attack Jiang Wei at the north gate of the Shu camp to stop the arbalest attacks. Upon Sima Yi's arrival near the bridge ramp, Ma Su will appear for some pay back, but that is unlikely. Some time later, Huang Zhong will appear to assist and get some of his own pay back. (HINT: If for some reason you did not take over the Shu supply depot, a small enemy supply convey will appear in the west and head for the supply depot. Destroying all the Wood Oxen before they escape will put a major dent in Shu morale.) Once Sima Yi reaches the north gate of the Shu camp, he will see Zhuge Liang still alive and retreat. Liu Bei will appear shortly after that (again, to be expected, and before he appears, you would have noticed that the gate troops are Liu Bei's troops). At this point in the battle, defeat all the remaining generals left on the field and head for Liu Bei. You can earn Sima Yi's level 10 weapon here, and for that your targets are Ma Chao and Wei Yan.

Final Chapter: The End of the Three Kingdoms
The final battle will only appear on the last chapter and will be different depending on which kingdom is fought last.

Battle of Cheng Du: Wei Forces Vs. Shu Forces (Ideal Route)
"Break through Shu's lines and defeat Liu Bei at Cheng Du!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. Liu Bei

Begin the battle by eliminating Wang Ping. Wei Yan will want to attack the Wei soldiers, but he is warned by Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang. (Remember this and do not approach Wei Yan till later.) Just south of Luo castle, Zhang Bao will appear to stall the Wei army from advancing. Go to him and knock him out the way. As the Wei army approaches Luo Castle, Zhuge Liang will use the arbalests to begin their attack. Once that happens, several rams will appear in the east and south of the castle. Protect the rams and they will crush the gates of Luo Castle. Once you are on the inside, take care of Ma Su and get ready to march for the final areas of Cheng Du; furthermore, Sima Yi will convince Wei Yan to join your side.

Head for the south area, where Xiahou He and Xiahou Hui will arrive, and a secret passage will be uncovered, allowing you to bypass Yue Ying and her raging Juggernauts (of course, you may as well get rid of her to prevent the juggernauts from wreaking havoc on your forces). Next, head up to the forest and prepare to meet the ambush parties lying in wait. Liu Bei and the main camp will appear once you trigger the ambush of one of his sub-officers (Guan Ping in the north, Zhang Yi in the center or Guan Yu in the south). Also, some time later, Ma Chao will appear in Luo Castle where Ma Su was at. Go ahead and send him to the grave. Once you approach Liu Bei near the capital, a peasant militia will appear to stop you. Defeat the peasant militia and take out any general left on the field. Put Liu Bei down and Cao Cao will reign supreme over China.

Battle of Jian Ye: Wei Forces Vs. Wu Forces (Default Route)
"Attack the Wu capital of Jian Ye and bring ruin to the Sun Family!"

Commanders: Cao Cao Vs. the Sun Family

There is no real strategy here. Go out there and crush the army of Wu before they can gain an advantage. The best thing to do first is eliminate all the officers on the field before attacking the Sun Jian clones. (By doing this, you will take a lot of pressure off the backs of your Wei comrades.) After you defeat the first clone, Zhuge Jin will appear near the main camp with another clone. Kick him out the battle with a beating from your own hands. Afterwards, defeat the rest of the clones around the area and you will breathe a little easier. Once you defeat any general (Huang Gai, Taishi Ci, or Zhou Tai), the Sun Family will make their appearance. With the Sun Family all attacking, you have to remember one thing. Sun Ce, Sun Quan, and Sun Shang Xiang will reappear over and over again, bolstering Wu morale until you start defeating the Sun Family in the right order. So go after the head tiger himself, Sun Jian. With him gone, Sun Ce will take over so show him how it is done. Two down and two to go. Sun Quan will assume command over the army so put that kid out before he thrashes your army. And finally, Sun Shang Xiang will be the last member of the family to take charge of the army. Put her down to end the battle and the campaign.

Ending Summaries
Includes summaries for full run (playing all stages) and speedrun (playing the last stages of each chapter only)

Full Ideal Run

 * Zhang Jiao, the founder of the Way of Peace, led his Yellow Turbans in an armed rebellion against the Han Dynasty that would spread across the land.
 * The ambitious Cao Cao joined the task force against the Yellow Turbans, and by quelling numerous uprisings throughout the land, he was quickly revered as a hero.
 * In the wake of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the heinous Dong Zhuo seized power over the weakened Imperial Court. Soon thereafter, Cao Cao joined an allied force to depose this villain.
 * The Allied Forces penetrated Si Shui Gate, and after effectively foiling Lu Bu's attacks at Hu Lao Gate, Cao Cao and the others succeeded in thwarting Dong Zhuo's evil ambition.
 * Cao Cao gained tremendous power after becoming the Protectorate of the Han Emperor. However, formidable enemies such as Yuan Shao still loomed heavily over him.
 * Cao Cao first secured his rear guard, then faced off against Yuan Shao at Guan Du. Though heavily outnumbered, Cao Cao used his cunning to defeat his long-time rival, and at last became the greatest power in the Central Plains.
 * With many talented officers under his command, Cao Cao was now at the peak of his power. Seeking even further expansion, he began his campaign to the south.
 * Cao Cao decimated Liu Bei's forces and advanced his massive fleet down the Chang Jiang. The Kingdom of Wu, together with Liu Bei, put up a bold resistance, but were easily overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Wei Forces.
 * With the victory at Chi Bi, Wei's dominance was now unquestionable. But Wu had not given up. Sun Jian led a large force up the Chang Jiang for a showdown at He Fei.
 * The Wu Forces surrounded He Fei Castle, but thanks to the efforts of the defending force and Cao Cao's reinforcements, the enemy was routed. The end had arrived for the Sun Family.
 * With Wu gone, only Liu Bei's Shu stood in the way of Cao Cao's absolute conquest. Zhuge Liang led the Shu Forces north for a final showdown.
 * Cao Cao sent Sima Yi to intercept the Shu Forces, and after a grueling strategic battle, Wei emerged victorious. Cao Cao then marched on Cheng Du, and crushed Liu Bei's dreams to dust.
 * So it was that Cao Cao unified the land with the help of his brave officers. Their tales of valor would later come to be known as "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Ideal Speedrun

 * Zhang Jiao, the founder of the Way of Peace, led his Yellow Turbans in an armed rebellion against the Han Dynasty that would spread across the land.
 * The ambitious Cao Cao joined the task force against the Yellow Turbans, and by defeating the leader Zhang Jiao, he was quickly revered as a hero.
 * In the wake of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the heinous Dong Zhuo seized power over the weakened Imperial Court. Soon thereafter, Cao Cao joined an allied force to depose this villain.
 * The Allied Forces outmaneuvered the enemy, and after effectively foiling Lu Bu's attacks at Hu Lao Gate, Cao Cao and the others succeeded in thwarting Dong Zhuo's evil ambition.
 * Cao Cao gained tremendous power after becoming the Protectorate of the Han Emperor. However, formidable enemies such as Yuan Shao still loomed heavily over him.
 * Cao Cao focused all of his attention on Yuan Shao and met his forces at Guan Du. Though heavily outnumbered, Cao Cao used his cunning to defeat his long-time rival, and at last became the greatest power in the Central Plains.
 * With many talented officers under his command, Cao Cao was now at the peak of his power. Seeking even further expansion, he began his campaign to the south.
 * Cao Cao ignored Liu Bei's forces and advanced his massive fleet down the Chang Jiang. The Kingdom of Wu, together with Liu Bei, put up a bold resistance, but were easily overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Wei Forces.
 * With the victory at Chi Bi, Wei's dominance was now unquestionable. But Wu had not given up. Sun Jian led a large force up the Chang Jiang for a showdown at He Fei.
 * The Wu Forces surrounded He Fei Castle, but thanks to the efforts of the defending force and Cao Cao's reinforcements, the enemy was routed. The end had arrived for the Sun Family.
 * With Wu gone, only Liu Bei's Shu stood in the way of Cao Cao's absolute conquest. Zhuge Liang led the Shu Forces north for a final showdown.
 * Cao Cao sent Sima Yi to intercept the Shu Forces, and after a grueling strategic battle, Wei emerged victorious. Cao Cao then marched on Cheng Du, and crushed Liu Bei's dreams to dust.
 * So it was that Cao Cao unified the land with the help of his brave officers. Their tales of valor would later come to be known as "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Full Default Run

 * Zhang Jiao, the founder of the Way of Peace, led his Yellow Turbans in an armed rebellion against the Han Dynasty that would spread across the land.
 * The ambitious Cao Cao joined the task force against the Yellow Turbans, and by quelling numerous uprisings throughout the land, he was quickly revered as a hero.
 * In the wake of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the heinous Dong Zhuo seized power over the weakened Imperial Court. Soon thereafter, Cao Cao joined an allied force to depose this villain.
 * The Allied Forces penetrated Si Shui Gate, and after effectively foiling Lu Bu's attacks at Hu Lao Gate, Cao Cao and the others succeeded in thwarting Dong Zhuo's evil ambition.
 * Cao Cao gained tremendous power after becoming the Protectorate of the Han Emperor. However, formidable enemies such as Yuan Shao still loomed heavily over him.
 * Cao Cao first secured his rear guard, then faced off against Yuan Shao at Guan Du. Though heavily outnumbered, Cao Cao used his cunning to defeat his long-time rival, and at last became the greatest power in the Central Plains.
 * With many talented officers under his command, Cao Cao was now at the peak of his power. Seeking even further expansion, he began his campaign to the south.
 * Cao Cao decimated Liu Bei's forces and advanced his massive fleet down the Chang Jiang. The Kingdom of Wu, together with Liu Bei, put up a bold resistance, but were easily overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Wei Forces.
 * With the victory at Chi Bi, Wei's dominance was now unquestionable. But Liu Bei had not given up. The Shu Army led by Zhuge Liang was fast approaching Han Zhong and Chang An.
 * Wei sent Sima Yi to intercept the Shu Army, and the two forces faced off at Wu Zhang Plains. After a furoius battle, Wei emerged victorious, and Liu Bei's dreams crumbled to dust.
 * With Liu Bei gone, only Wu stood in the way of Cao Cao's absolute conquest. Sun Jian led a large force up the Chang Jiang for a showdown at He Fei.
 * Both sides fought bravely, but Wei had the advantage of personnel, and prevailed. Cao Cao then marched on Jian Ye, and sealed the fate of the Sun Family.
 * So it was that Cao Cao unified the land with the help of his brave officers. Their tales of valor would later come to be known as "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".

Default Speedrun

 * Zhang Jiao, the founder of the Way of Peace, led his Yellow Turbans in an armed rebellion against the Han Dynasty that would spread across the land.
 * The ambitious Cao Cao joined the task force against the Yellow Turbans, and by defeating the leader Zhang Jiao, he was quickly revered as a hero.
 * In the wake of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the heinous Dong Zhuo seized power over the weakened Imperial Court. Soon thereafter, Cao Cao joined an allied force to depose this villain.
 * The Allied Forces outmaneuvered the enemy, and after effectively foiling Lu Bu's attacks at Hu Lao Gate, Cao Cao and the others succeeded in thwarting Dong Zhuo's evil ambition.
 * Cao Cao gained tremendous power after becoming the Protectorate of the Han Emperor. However, formidable enemies such as Yuan Shao still loomed heavily over him.
 * Cao Cao focused all of his attention on Yuan Shao and met his forces at Guan Du. Though heavily outnumbered, Cao Cao used his cunning to defeat his long-time rival, and at last became the greatest power in the Central Plains.
 * With many talented officers under his command, Cao Cao was now at the peak of his power. Seeking even further expansion, he began his campaign to the south.
 * Cao Cao ignored Liu Bei's forces and advanced his massive fleet down the Chang Jiang. The Kingdom of Wu, together with Liu Bei, put up a bold resistance, but were easily overwhelmed by the superior numbers of the Wei Forces.
 * With the victory at Chi Bi, Wei's dominance was now unquestionable. But Liu Bei had not given up. The Shu Army led by Zhuge Liang was fast approaching Han Zhong and Chang An.
 * Wei sent Sima Yi to intercept the Shu Army, and the two forces faced off at Wu Zhang Plains. After a furoius battle, Wei emerged victorious, and Liu Bei's dreams crumbled to dust.
 * With Liu Bei gone, only Wu stood in the way of Cao Cao's absolute conquest. Sun Jian led a large force up the Chang Jiang for a showdown at He Fei.
 * Both sides fought bravely, but Wei had the advantage of personnel, and prevailed. Cao Cao then marched on Jian Ye, and sealed the fate of the Sun Family.
 * So it was that Cao Cao unified the land with the help of his brave officers. Their tales of valor would later come to be known as "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".