Mt. Dingjun

The Battle of Mt. Dingjun (定軍山の戦い, rōmaji: Teigunzan no Tatakai), literally "Battle of Fixed Army Mountain" was a battle between the forces of Liu Bei and Cao Cao. Liu Bei was seeking to control the culturally vital Hanzhong region, as well as open a path into Wei, while Cao Cao was trying to stop him. The two archers Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan developed a rivalry here, ending with Huang Zhong and his forces slaying Xiahou Yuan, and driving out Wei.

Role in Games

Dynasty Warriors

The series highlights the efforts of the generals Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan, with an initial incentive revolving around Mt. Tiandang (天蕩山, Tentōzan, lit. "Heaven Melt Mountain") to be able to then pave way for aiming straight towards Mt. Dingjun. In all games in which the battle appears, a small rivalry takes place over the battle between the two. Some installments have them exchange insults during the battle, while others have a cutscene prior to the battle, and when the two generals meet. In the end the player has the power to decide the ultimate victor, although normally their duel is left alone, the opposing general to the player's force will claim victory.

The third installment is rather infamous for not only having a very long vertically designed map, but the steeper hills are laced with spiked barricades that both inflict hazard damage to anyone in contact with them, as well as forcing anyone off of their horse should they approach any of them (ESPECIALLY on the steepest mountain where travel speeds upwards are slowed while travel speeds downwards are increased).

In the sixth installment, a new mountain was added named Mt. Cha Qi (挿旗山, Sōkizan, lit. "Graft Banner Mountain"), located northwest of the map apart from Mt. Ding Jun in the southwest, and Mt. Tian Dang in the northeast. If using either Shu or Wei, Xiahou Yuan or Huang Zhong will capture Mt. Cha Qi depending who is your ally. If Mt. Cha Qi is captured, the rival general will attack Mt. Cha Qi and the ally general will defend the mountain starting the famous one-on-one battle of Xiahou Yuan and Huang Zhong.

In Dynasty Warriors 7, Wei’s side of the battle starts from Xiahou Yuan’s perspective as he, Zhang He, and Guo Huai defend the area. Zhang He moves south to protect Mt. Dingjun, while the other two advance on Huang Zhong’s camp on Mt Chaqi. Once they reach the summit, the elderly Shu general charges downhill to the center and leaves Yan Yan to ambush the Wei troops. Guo Huai will stay at Mt. Chaqi so Yuan can stop Huang Zhong, however the latter manages to escape and kills Xiahou Yuan. The conflict resumes through Zhang He’s eyes as Cao Cao orders a retreat by taking Mt. Tiandang, with the former and Sima Yi leading the way.

In Dynasty Warriors 8, the area appears as the northern portion of the Hanzhong map. In Wei's story, the stage acts as the penultimate stage in the historical route. During the stage, if Huang Zhong is successful in his attack on Mt. Tiandang, Xiahou Yuan will be killed in the end of the conflict, but defeating either Huang Zhong or Zhuge Liang before the ambush can be carried out will guarantee Xiahou Yuan's survival. In Shu's story, Cao Xiu will arrive to charge the Shu camp. If he is taken out before the stage is complete, then Zhuge Liang will detect the additional danger lying at Fan Castle, and reinforcements will be sent to aid Guan Yu; This helps open the hypothetical route.

During the Xtreme Legends expansion, Shu still only uses the Mt. Dingjun area in their revised battle. With Fa Zheng taking command, he orders Xingcai and Zhao Yun to claim the garrisons at the foot of the mountain while the strategist moves to rescue Liu Bei. Once Liu Bei is rescued, he is asked to use himself as bait to lure out the Wei forces. If the plan is successful, Liu Bei will be able to leave to the camp with minimal problems, and Fa Zheng attacks the Wei forces with ballistae. Defeating Xiahou Yuan will end the stage, but keeping Liu Bei unharmed throughout the stage unlocks "Revenge at Yiling".

In Wei's revised scenario, Cao Cao's reinforcements, accompanied by Guo Jia and Dian Wei, start at the north eastern corner of the map, and they move to rescue the surrounded officers of Xiahou Yuan at Mt. Dingjun. Once the officers are rescued, the Shu forces begin retreating back to their camp, causing Guo Jia to become suspicious of an ambush. Advising the Wei forces to take a byroad to get to the enemy camp as opposed to taking the direct route, the Wei forces are able to spot the defensive siege weapons of Zhang Bao, and they are able to take the youth by surprise. Zhao Yun appears as the final obstacle within the Shu camp, and once he is defeated, the southern portion of Hanzhong becomes accessible. Yueying will attempt to stop the Wei advance with her juggernauts and must be defeated. Fa Zheng later appears with boulder throwers, and Ma Chao and Ma Dai appear with their cavalry and charge the Wei forces. Once all three are defeated, the Wei forces will finally reach Zhuge Liang. Defeating Zhuge Liang will end the stage in a Wei victory.

Warriors Orochi

Orochi sends Sun Ce, Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hanzō Hattori, and Sun Quan, to subdue the resistance with Ma Chao and Ranmaru Mori as leaders. Ranmaru fought against Sun Ce and after losing he vowed to fight alongside him. Good on the word, Zhou Yu is released.

Warriors Orochi 3, gives parts of Dingjun a French-style design. While Ma Chao and his party chase after Kiyomori, Zhou Tai, Toshiie Maeda, and Zuo Ci rescue Joan of Arc who left Magoichi Saika to hold back Sun Wukong. The French army troopers are saved from the mind control, but at the cost of Magoichi's life. The party also save Xiahou Ba, Sun Quan, Guan Yu, and Cao Ren from Kiyomori's influence, though Kotarō Fūma may hinder their progress if he is not dealt with. After changing the past at Komaki-Nagakute, Joan returns to Dingjun with Cai Wenji and Kanetsugu Naoe to save Magoichi.

Ultimate allows players to re-enact this battle as part of the Saika forces looking to infiltrate Mt. Dingjun. Following the additional battle at Chibi, Xiahou Ba and Cao Ren avoid being mind-controlled by the demon forces.