A Journey into War

A Journey into War

Following your dramatic encounter with Nikolaos, the self-proclaimed "Wolf of Sparta," your journey as a misthios takes a pivotal turn, thrusting you directly into the heart of the escalating Peloponnesian War. This sprawling questline, aptly named "A Journey into War," serves as your formal introduction to the large-scale conflict between Athens and Sparta, offering invaluable opportunities to hone your combat, naval, and strategic skills across the diverse landscapes of Ancient Greece.

This section will guide you through the initial stages of "A Journey into War," detailing specific objectives, enemy encounters, and strategic advice to ensure your success and maximize your rewards.

Quest Overview & Initial Objectives

Upon completing the main quest "The Wolf of Sparta," you will automatically receive "A Journey into War." Your immediate objective is to rendezvous with Stentor, Nikolaos's adopted son, who is leading Spartan forces in the Megaris region. This quest acts as a tutorial for Conquest Battles and introduces you to the concept of weakening a region to initiate these large-scale engagements.

1. Travel to Megaris: Your first task is to sail or fast travel to the region of Megaris. The fastest way is often to fast travel to the nearest synchronization point if you've already discovered it, or sail your ship, the Adrestia, to the Megaris coastline.
2. Locate Stentor: Stentor will be marked on your map with a main quest icon. He is typically found at the Spartan War Camp in the northern part of Megaris, near the city of Megara.
3. Speak with Stentor: Engage in dialogue with Stentor. He will express his discontent with Nikolaos's actions and task you with weakening Athenian influence in Megaris to prepare for a major Spartan assault.

Weakening Athenian Control in Megaris

To initiate the Conquest Battle, you must reduce the "Nation Power" of Athens in Megaris. This is represented by a bar at the top right of your screen when in the region. There are several ways to achieve this, and it's recommended to combine these activities for efficiency and maximum XP gain:

• Eliminate Athenian Leaders: Each region has a Nation Leader whose death significantly reduces Nation Power. The Athenian Leader in Megaris is usually found in the main city of Megara or a nearby fort. They are heavily guarded, so plan your approach carefully.
• Destroy Athenian War Supplies: Look for large red pots or weapon racks in Athenian camps and forts. Destroying these (often by igniting them with a torch or flaming arrows) reduces Nation Power. Each camp usually has 2-4 supply caches.
• Kill Athenian Soldiers: Simply engaging and defeating Athenian soldiers in camps, forts, or patrols contributes to weakening their control. Focus on elite soldiers for greater impact.
• Pillage Athenian Forts and Camps: Clearing out Athenian strongholds, including looting treasure chests and completing objectives within them, also helps.
• Complete Side Quests: Many side quests in Megaris will involve fighting Athenians or undermining their operations, indirectly contributing to Nation Power reduction.

Recommended Strategy for Megaris:

1. Prioritize Forts: Start by infiltrating the Athenian military strongholds like the Fort Geraneia in the northern part of Megaris. These locations are rich in War Supplies and high-ranking Athenian soldiers. Use stealth to take out archers and sentries, then systematically destroy supplies and eliminate key targets.
2. Hunt the Leader: Once Fort Geraneia is weakened, locate and assassinate the Athenian Leader. They often have a small retinue of bodyguards. A well-placed critical assassination or a stealthy approach can make this easy.
3. Naval Skirmishes (Optional but Rewarding): While not strictly required for Nation Power, engaging Athenian ships off the coast of Megaris can provide valuable resources and XP. Look for Athenian triremes marked with a red icon.

The Conquest Battle: Megaris

Once Athenian Nation Power is sufficiently weakened (the bar will turn red and prompt you), return to Stentor. He will now offer you the choice to participate in a Conquest Battle. You can choose to fight for Athens or Sparta. For the purpose of "A Journey into War," you are expected to fight for Sparta.

Conquest Battle Mechanics:

• Objective: Deplete the enemy army's morale bar (at the top of the screen) before your own morale bar is depleted.
• Key Targets: Focus on eliminating enemy Captains and Mercenaries. These high-value targets significantly reduce the enemy's morale. They are marked with a gold icon above their heads.
• Environmental Hazards: Be aware of environmental elements like flaming arrows raining down or explosive pots. Use these to your advantage against groups of enemies.
• Adrenaline Management: Use your Adrenaline abilities strategically. Overpower Attacks are excellent for quickly dispatching Captains, while healing abilities can keep you in the fight.
• Stay Mobile: Do not get surrounded. Use your dodge and parry effectively.

Recommended Loadout & Strategy for Conquest Battles:

• Weapons: A fast weapon (sword, dagger) for quick attacks and parries, and a heavy weapon (axe, mace) for area-of-effect damage against groups.
• Bow: A Hunter bow for headshots on archers or a Warrior bow for close-range damage.
• Abilities:
  • Second Wind: Essential for healing in the thick of battle.
  • Hero Strike: Deals massive damage to single targets, perfect for Captains.
  • Ring of Chaos: Excellent for crowd control and creating space.
  • Overpower Attack: Devastating against Captains and Mercenaries.
• Armor: Prioritize armor that boosts Warrior damage and provides defensive stats.
• Engravings: Engrave your gear with perks like "Warrior Damage," "Crit Chance," and "Health on Hit" for sustained combat.
• Strategy: Immediately target enemy Captains. Use your Hero Strike or Overpower Attack to eliminate them quickly. If you get overwhelmed, use Ring of Chaos to push enemies back and create an opening for Second Wind. Keep an eye on your morale bar and the enemy's.

Rewards for "A Journey into War" (Megaris)

Successfully completing the Conquest Battle for Sparta in Megaris will yield significant rewards:

Common Pitfalls & Tips

• Don't Rush the Conquest Battle: Ensure you've adequately weakened the region. If you attempt the battle too early, you'll face a much tougher fight.
• Manage Your Bounty: Engaging in too many illegal activities (killing civilians, stealing) can lead to a high bounty, attracting powerful Mercenaries who might interfere with your objectives. Pay off your bounty or eliminate the sponsor if it becomes too problematic.
• Explore Thoroughly: While weakening Megaris, take the opportunity to discover synchronization points, complete side quests, and uncover hidden locations. This provides additional XP, resources, and valuable lore.
• Upgrade Your Gear: Before the Conquest Battle, ensure your primary weapons and armor are upgraded to your current level. This makes a significant difference in your combat effectiveness.
• Naval Combat Practice: The waters around Megaris are a great place to practice naval combat. Sink Athenian ships for resources and XP, and to get a feel for the Adrestia's controls.

Upon completing the Megaris Conquest Battle, you will continue your journey, facing new challenges and making difficult choices that will shape the fate of Ancient Greece. "A Journey into War" is just beginning, and your actions will have lasting consequences.