Armageddon's Blade: Difference between revisions

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Only available when the official expansion, Armageddon's Blade, is installed.

From left to right: Adrienne, Catherine, Gelu, Roland, Mutare, Dracon

Armageddon's Blade is the first of two expansion packs for Heroes of Might and Magic III. It was developed by New World Computing for Microsoft Windows and released by the 3DO Company in 1999.

Synopsis

Plot

Only one of the six new campaigns available in Armageddon's Blade directly concerns the main storyline. The events of Armageddon's Blade immediately follow the events of Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor. As the kingdom of Erathia struggles to rebuild following the Restoration Wars, the Kreegans of Eeofol launch a surprise invasion. Already war-weary, the forces of Queen Catherine are no match for the formidable Kreegan army.

Following the death of the Kreegans' king, Xenofex, a usurper named Lucifer Kreegan takes control of Eeofol and, driven by a vision, begins to seek a means to fashion an ancient weapon known as Armageddon's Blade, capable of setting the world on fire. His general Xeron is tasked with locating the components for the Blade. To stop him, the armies of Erathia and AvLee launch an attack on Eeofol, receiving assistance from the very elements as they manifest in "Conflux" towns. Queen Catherine and the recently liberated King Roland are assisted by the mysterious elven warrior Gelu in the ensuing war. Xeron obtains the Blade but is defeated by Gelu on his return to Eeofol. Gelu claims the Blade, and, at the behest of Queen Catherine, uses it to slay Lucifer Kreegan. Following this event, the Ironfists return to Enroth and the Blade is passed on to Gelu. The story is continued in Heroes Chronicles: The Sword of Frost, eventually leading to a cataclysm that sets the stage for Heroes of Might and Magic IV.

Characters

In the Armageddon's Blade campaign, the player takes command of Queen Catherine Ironfist, the main character of Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia, as well as King Roland Ironfist, the protagonist of Heroes of Might and Magic II. New characters introduced include Gelu, a half-elven archer, and Xeron, leader of the Kreegan armies. The five standalone campaigns feature a multitude of previously-unseen characters. Dragon Slayer features the Bracadan wizard, Dracon, while Festival of Life introduces the barbarian Kilgor who has a prominent role at the outset of Heroes of Might and Magic IV. Dragon's Blood stars Mutare, a dungeon overlord who returns in Heroes Chronicles: Clash of the Dragons along with Adrienne, the protagonist of Playing with Fire. Finally, the unlockable Foolhardy Waywardness campaign features the Knight, Sir Christian, who also returns in Heroes of Might and Magic IV. As an aside, the epilogue of the Foolhardy Waywardness campaign explains the reason for Sir Christian's appearance as the player's starting hero in The Restoration of Erathia's first campaign, Long Live the Queen.

Gameplay changes

The most significant change in Armageddon's Blade is the addition of the Conflux, bringing the total number of alignments in Heroes III to nine. The town is themed around classical elements and includes other creatures to round out the selection. Six new campaigns were included, one acting as a continuation of the base game's storyline, with the other five revolving around adventures taking place in the same fictional world. Over 35 single scenarios were also added.

Returning as non-aligned units, several creature types from previous Heroes games make an appearance. These include Peasants, Boars, and Halflings. The expansion also introduced some new non-aligned creature types, such as the powerful Azure Dragon. Eleven new campaign heroes and two new artifacts – Armageddon's Blade and the Vial of Dragonblood – were introduced as well. Several new map objects, including special quest towers that only allow passage if the hero meets certain criteria defined by the author of the map, also appear here for the first time.

A random map generator included with the expansion allows players to create random maps using a variety of customizable parameters. Finally, a standalone campaign editor packaged with the game allows for the composition of new campaigns from individual scenario maps.

New features

Towns:

Conflux

Campaigns

Restoration of Erathia

⏵ Long Live the Queen

⏷ Long Live the Queen

1. Homecoming

2. Guardian Angels

3. Griffin Cliff

⏵ Dungeons and Devils

⏷ Dungeons and Devils

1. A Devilish Plan

2. Groundbreaking

3. Steadwick's Fall

⏵ Spoils of War

⏷ Spoils of War

1. Borderlands

2. Gold Rush

3. Greed

⏵ Liberation

⏷ Liberation

1. Steadwick's Liberation

2. Deal With the Devil

3. Neutral Affairs

4. Tunnels and Troglodytes

⏵ Long Live the King

⏷ Long Live the King

1. A Gryphon's Heart

2. Season of Harvest

3. Corporeal Punishment

4. From Day to Night

⏵ Song for the Father

⏷ Song for the Father

1. Safe Passage

2. United Front

3. For King and Country

⏵ Seeds of Discontent

⏷ Seeds of Discontent

1. The Grail

2. The Road Home

3. Independence

Armageddon's Blade

⏷ Armageddon's Blade

⏵ Armageddon's Blade

1. Catherine's Charge

2. Shadows of the Forest

3. Seeking Armageddon

4. Maker of Sorrows

5. Return of the King

6. A Blade in the Back

7. To Kill A Hero

8. Oblivion's Edge

⏷ Dragon's Blood

⏵ Dragon's Blood

1. Culling the Weak

2. Savaging the Scavengers

3. Blood of the Dragon Father

4. Blood Thirsty

⏷ Dragon Slayer

⏵ Dragon Slayer

1. Crystal Dragons

2. Rust Dragons

3. Faerie Dragons

4. Azure Dragons

⏷ Festival of Life

⏵ Festival of Life

1. Razor Claw

2. Taming of the Wild

3. Clan War

4. For the Throne

⏷ Playing with Fire

⏵ Playing with Fire

1. Farming Towns

2. March of the Undead

3. Burning of Tatalia

⏷ Foolhardy Waywardness

⏵ Foolhardy Waywardness

1. Lost at Sea

2. Their End of the Bargain

3. Here There Be Pirates

4. Hurry Up and Wait

Shadow of Death

⏵ New Beginning

⏷ New Beginning

1. Clearing the Border

2. After the Amulet

3. Retrieving the Cowl

4. Driving for the Boots

⏵ Elixir of Life

⏷ Elixir of Life

1. Graduation Exercise

2. Cutthroats

3. Valley of the Dragon Lords

4. A Thief in the Night

⏵ Hack and Slash

⏷ Hack and Slash

1. Bashing Skulls

2. Black Sheep

3. A Cage in the Hand

4. Grave Robber

⏵ Birth of a Barbarian

⏷ Birth of a Barbarian

1. On the Run

2. The Meeting

3. A Tough Start

4. Falor and Terwen

5. Returning to Bracada

⏵ Rise of the Necromancer

⏷ Rise of the Necromancer

1. Target

2. Master

3. Finneas Vilmar

4. Duke Alarice

⏵ Unholy Alliance

⏷ Unholy Alliance

1. Harvest

2. Gathering the Legion

3. Search for a Killer

4. Final Peace

5. Secrets Revealed

6. Agents of Vengeance

7. Wrath of Sandro

8. Invasion

9. To Strive, To Seek

10. Barbarian Brothers

11. Union

12. Fall of Sandro

⏵ Specter of Power

⏷ Specter of Power

1. Poison Fit for a King

⏵ Under the Jolly Roger

⏷ Under the Jolly Roger

1. Pirates and Palms

2. Master of the Island

3. Devil Sunrise

⏵ Terror of the Seas

⏷ Terror of the Seas

1. Prisoner of Doom

2. Evenmorn

3. The Shores of Hell

4. The Freedom of the Nix

5. In Search of the Horn

6. Treachery

⏵ Horn of the Abyss

⏷ Horn of the Abyss

1. Frontier

2. Heart of Water

3. Horn of the Abyss

4. All Hands on Board!

⏵ Forged in Fire

⏷ Forged in Fire

1. World on Fire

2. Beyond the Horizon

3. Dead or Alive

4. Tomb Raiders

5. Deus Ex Machina

6. Tarred and Feathered

7. New Order

8. Homecoming

Heroes Chronicles

⏵ Warlords of the Wasteland

⏷ Warlords of the Wasteland

1. A Barbarian King

2. The Criminal King

3. Ultimatum

4. The War for the Mudlands

5. Siege of the Wallpeaks

6. Trapped!

7. Slash and Burn

8. Steelhorn

⏵ Conquest of the Underworld

⏷ Conquest of the Underworld

1. Cerberus Gate

2. The Boatman

3. Truth Within Nightmares

4. Twisted Tunnels

5. Jorm's Ambush

6. Old Wounds

7. The Queen's Command

8. Never Deal with a Demon

⏵ Masters of the Elements

⏷ Masters of the Elements

1. The Trouble with Magic

2. Walking on Clouds

3. Don't Drink the Water

4. Hard Place

5. The Secret in the Flames

6. The Magic that Binds

7. Birds of Fire

8. Masters of the Elements

⏵ Clash of the Dragons

⏷ Clash of the Dragons

1. The Dragontalker

2. Dragon's Blood

3. The Dragon Mothers

4. Dragons of Rust

5. Distrust

6. Dragons of Gossamer Wings

7. Dragons of Deepest Blue

8. Clash of the Dragons

⏵ The World Tree

⏷ The World Tree

1. A Distant Cry

2. Senseless Destruction

3. The World Within

4. The Roots of Life

5. Rebirth

⏵ The Fiery Moon

⏷ The Fiery Moon

1. The Endless Sands

2. The Nameless Land

3. The Sparkling Bridge

4. The Fiery Moon

5. Vorr, the Insane

⏵ Revolt of the Beastmasters

⏷ Revolt of the Beastmasters

1. Hopewielder

2. The First Law

3. By Royal Decree

4. The King's Son

5. The Ransom

6. Beyond the Borders

7. Naming a Nation

8. The First Tatalian War

⏵ The Sword of Frost

⏷ The Sword of Frost

1. Tarnum the Overlord

2. The Land of the Vori

3. A New Enemy

4. A New Ally

5. The Capture

6. Tunnels of Ice

7. The Barbarian's Wife

8. The Protectors of the Sword

Campaigns:

Artifacts:

Creatures:

Heroes:

Differences between versions

From Restoration of Erathia to Armageddon's Blade

It is possible to choose between a basic unit and an upgraded unit in a town's upgraded dwelling.
It is possible to garrison creature stacks in mines.
Conflux town added.
Air Elemental, Earth Elemental, Fire Elemental and Water Elemental changed from neutral to Conflux.

Critical reception

Armageddon's Blade was hailed with strongly positive reviews upon release, from critics and users alike. IGN's reviewer noted improvements made to the map editor and praised the amount of new content, while GameSpot focused on the addition of the Conflux alignment and subtle tweaks to the gameplay. Game Revolution's reviewer was mildly disappointed with the Conflux town and its use of neutral creatures already included in the base game but praised the campaign storyline and gameplay along with the addition of new features. Some reviews were critical of the lack of drastic changes to the base game while pointing out that the core mechanics were in no need of major improvements.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[Image:Homm ab.jpg|frame|{{ab}}|]]
+{{inab}}
-{{About|is about the expansion. Armageddon's Blade can also mean [[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|the artifact]] or the [[Armageddon's Blade (campaign)|the campaign]].}}
+[[Image:Homm ab.jpg|frame|{{ab}}|From left to right: [[Adrienne]], [[Catherine]], [[Gelu]], [[Roland]], [[Mutare]], [[Dracon]] ]]
-'''Armageddon's Blade''' is the first of two [[Expansions|expansion packs]] for {{homm3}}. It was developed by [[New World Computing]] for Microsoft Windows and released by [[the 3DO Company]] in 1999.
+'''Armageddon's Blade''' is the first of two [[Expansions|expansion packs]] for {{homm3}}. It was developed by New World Computing for Microsoft Windows and released by the 3DO Company in 1999.
 == Synopsis ==
@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 Only one of the six new campaigns available in ''Armageddon's Blade'' directly concerns the main storyline. The events of ''Armageddon's Blade'' immediately follow the events of ''Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor''. As the kingdom of [[Erathia]] struggles to rebuild following the [[Restoration Wars]], the [[Kreegan]]s of [[Eeofol]] launch a surprise invasion. Already war-weary, the forces of [[Catherine|Queen Catherine]] are no match for the formidable Kreegan army.
-Following the death of the Kreegans' king, [[Xenofex]], a usurper named Lucifer Kreegan takes control of Eeofol and, driven by a vision, begins to seek a means to fashion an ancient weapon known as [[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|Armageddon's Blade]], capable of setting the world on fire. His general [[Xeron]] is tasked with locating the components for the Blade. To stop him, the armies of Erathia and [[AvLee]] launch an attack on Eeofol, receiving assistance from the very elements as they manifest in "[[Conflux]]" towns. Queen Catherine and the recently liberated [[Roland|King Roland]] are assisted by the mysterious elven warrior [[Gelu]] in the ensuing war.  Xeron obtains the Blade, but is defeated by Gelu on his return to Eeofol. Gelu claims the Blade, and, at the behest of Queen Catherine, uses it to slay Lucifer Kreegan. Following this event, the Ironfists return to Enroth and the Blade is passed on to Gelu. The story is continued in ''[[Heroes Chronicles|Heroes Chronicles: The Sword of Frost]]'', eventually leading to a cataclysm that sets the stage for ''[[Heroes of Might and Magic IV]]''.
+Following the death of the Kreegans' king, Xenofex, a usurper named Lucifer Kreegan takes control of Eeofol and, driven by a vision, begins to seek a means to fashion an ancient weapon known as [[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|Armageddon's Blade]], capable of setting the world on fire. His general [[Xeron]] is tasked with locating the components for the Blade. To stop him, the armies of Erathia and [[AvLee]] launch an attack on Eeofol, receiving assistance from the very elements as they manifest in "[[Conflux]]" towns. Queen Catherine and the recently liberated [[Roland|King Roland]] are assisted by the mysterious elven warrior [[Gelu]] in the ensuing war.  Xeron obtains the Blade but is defeated by Gelu on his return to Eeofol. Gelu claims the Blade, and, at the behest of Queen Catherine, uses it to slay Lucifer Kreegan. Following this event, the Ironfists return to Enroth and the Blade is passed on to Gelu. The story is continued in ''[[Heroes Chronicles|Heroes Chronicles: The Sword of Frost]]'', eventually leading to a cataclysm that sets the stage for ''Heroes of Might and Magic IV''.
 === Characters ===
-In the ''Armageddon's Blade'' campaign, the player takes command of Queen Catherine Ironfist, the main character of ''[[Restoration of Erathia|Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia]]'', as well as King Roland Ironfist, the protagonist of ''[[Heroes of Might and Magic II]]''. New characters introduced include Gelu, a half-elven archer, and Xeron, leader of the Kreegan armies. The five standalone campaigns feature a multitude of previously-unseen characters. ''[[Dragon Slayer]]'' features the Bracadan wizard, [[Dracon]], while ''[[Festival of Life]]'' introduces the barbarian [[Kilgor]] who has a prominent role at the outset of ''Heroes of Might and Magic IV''. ''[[Dragon's Blood]]'' stars [[Mutare]], a dungeon overlord who returns in ''Heroes Chronicles: Clash of the Dragons'' along with [[Adrienne]], the protagonist of ''[[Playing with Fire]]''. Finally, the unlockable ''Foolhardy Waywardness'' campaign features the Knight, Sir [[Christian]], who also returns in ''Heroes of Might and Magic IV''. As an aside, the epilogue of the ''[[Foolhardy Waywardness]]'' campaign explains the reason for Sir Christian's appearance as the player's starting hero in ''The Restoration of Erathia'''s first campaign, ''[[Long Live the Queen]]''.
+In the ''Armageddon's Blade'' campaign, the player takes command of Queen Catherine Ironfist, the main character of ''[[Restoration of Erathia|Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia]]'', as well as King Roland Ironfist, the protagonist of ''Heroes of Might and Magic II''. New characters introduced include Gelu, a half-elven archer, and Xeron, leader of the Kreegan armies. The five standalone campaigns feature a multitude of previously-unseen characters. ''[[Dragon Slayer]]'' features the Bracadan wizard, [[Dracon]], while ''[[Festival of Life]]'' introduces the barbarian [[Kilgor]] who has a prominent role at the outset of ''Heroes of Might and Magic IV''. ''[[Dragon's Blood]]'' stars [[Mutare]], a [[dungeon overlord]] who returns in ''Heroes Chronicles: Clash of the Dragons'' along with [[Adrienne]], the protagonist of ''[[Playing with Fire]]''. Finally, the unlockable ''Foolhardy Waywardness'' campaign features the Knight, Sir [[Christian]], who also returns in ''Heroes of Might and Magic IV''. As an aside, the epilogue of the ''[[Foolhardy Waywardness]]'' campaign explains the reason for Sir Christian's appearance as the player's starting hero in ''The Restoration of Erathia'''s first campaign, ''[[Long Live the Queen]]''.
-== Development ==
-Work on the ''Armageddon's Blade'' expansion began in early 1999. The developers originally intended to focus the storyline around a new, futuristic faction, the "[[Forge]]" alignment, allowing the game to act as a continuation to the "evil" ending of ''Might and Magic VII'' while showcasing the science fantasy aspect of the core ''Might and Magic'' series, which had never been evident in the ''Heroes of Might and Magic'' games. Although the Forge faction was almost completed and functional, fans reacted negatively to its inclusion, believing that the inclusion of science-fiction destroyed the Heroes series' fantasy-based atmosphere.
-Midway through the expansion's development, New World Computing decided to scrap the Forge faction and removed all references to its existence from the game's storyline, instead building upon ''Might and Magic VII'''s "good" ending. To replace the Forge, they invented an elemental-based faction named the "Conflux". Due to the scrapping of the Forge halfway through the project, the developers and design artists suffered from a lack of time when completing the Conflux faction, and were forced to implement elemental creatures from the base game. This is evident if one takes a good look at the dwellings of the original 4 elementals within the Conflux town: they all use the same graphics as on the world map.
 == Gameplay changes ==
-The most significant change in ''Armageddon's Blade'' is the addition of the Conflux, bringing the total number of alignments in ''Heroes III'' to nine. The town is themed around classical elements, and includes other creatures to round out the selection. Six new campaigns were included, one acting as a continuation of the base game's storyline, with the other five revolving around adventures taking place in the same fictional world. Over 35 single scenarios were also added.
+The most significant change in ''Armageddon's Blade'' is the addition of the Conflux, bringing the total number of alignments in ''Heroes III'' to nine. The town is themed around classical elements and includes other creatures to round out the selection. Six new campaigns were included, one acting as a continuation of the base game's storyline, with the other five revolving around adventures taking place in the same fictional world. Over 35 single scenarios were also added.
 Returning as non-aligned units, several creature types from previous ''Heroes'' games make an appearance. These include Peasants, Boars, and Halflings. The expansion also introduced some new non-aligned creature types, such as the powerful Azure Dragon. Eleven new campaign heroes and two new artifacts – Armageddon's Blade and the Vial of Dragonblood – were introduced as well. Several new map objects, including special quest towers that only allow passage if the hero meets certain criteria defined by the author of the map, also appear here for the first time.
@@ Line 28: / Line 23: @@
 '''Towns:'''
 * [[Conflux]]
+{{campaign navigational box|ab=expanded|armageddonsblade=expanded|dragonsblood=expanded|dragonslayer=expanded|festivaloflife=expanded|playingwithfire=expanded|foolhardywaywardness=expanded}}
+'''Campaigns:'''
+* [[Armageddon's Blade (campaign)|Armageddon's Blade]]
+* [[Dragon's Blood]]
+* [[Dragon Slayer]]
+* [[Festival of Life]]
+* [[Playing with Fire]]
+* [[Foolhardy Waywardness]]
 '''Artifacts:'''
-* [[Armageddon's Blade (Artifact)|Armageddon's Blade]]
+* [[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)|Armageddon's Blade]]
 * [[Vial of Dragon Blood]]
@@ Line 49: / Line 52: @@
 '''Heroes:'''
-* {{Hn|Sir Mullich}}
+* {{Hn|Sir Mullich|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Catherine}}
+* {{Hn|Catherine|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Roland}}
+* {{Hn|Roland|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Xeron}}
+* {{Hn|Xeron|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Kilgor}}
+* {{Hn|Kilgor|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Mutare}}
+* {{Hn|Mutare|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Gelu}}
+* {{Hn|Gelu|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Dracon}}
+* {{Hn|Dracon|0=}}
-* {{Hn|Adrienne}}
+* {{Hn|Adrienne|0=}}
+* {{Hn|Haart Lich|0=}}
-'''Campaigns:'''
+===Differences between versions===
-* [[Armageddon's Blade (Campaign)]]
+====From [[Restoration of Erathia]] to [[Armageddon's Blade]]====
-* [[Dragon's Blood]]
+* It is possible to choose between a basic unit and an upgraded unit in a town's upgraded dwelling.
-* [[Dragon Slayer]]
+* It is possible to [[garrison]] creature stacks in [[mine]]s.
-* [[Festival of Life]]
+* [[Conflux]] town added.
-* [[Playing with Fire]]
+* [[Air Elemental]], [[Earth Elemental]], [[Fire Elemental]] and [[Water Elemental]] changed from [[neutral]] to [[Conflux]].
-* [[Foolhardy Waywardness]]
 == Critical reception ==
-Armageddon's Blade was hailed with strongly positive reviews upon release, from critics and users alike. IGN's reviewer noted improvements made to the map editor and praised the amount of new content, while GameSpot focused on the addition of the Conflux alignment and subtle tweaks to the gameplay. Game Revolution]s reviewer was mildly disappointed with the Conflux town and its use of neutral creatures already included in the base game, but praised the campaign storyline and gameplay along with the addition of new features. Some reviews were critical of the lack of drastic changes to the base game, while pointing out that the core mechanics were in no need of major improvements.
+Armageddon's Blade was hailed with strongly positive reviews upon release, from critics and users alike. IGN's reviewer noted improvements made to the map editor and praised the amount of new content, while GameSpot focused on the addition of the Conflux alignment and subtle tweaks to the gameplay. Game Revolution's reviewer was mildly disappointed with the Conflux town and its use of neutral creatures already included in the base game but praised the campaign storyline and gameplay along with the addition of new features. Some reviews were critical of the lack of drastic changes to the base game while pointing out that the core mechanics were in no need of major improvements.
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+== Gallery ==
+<gallery mode="packed-hover">
+File:Armageddon's blade menu.png
+File:Armageddon's blade cover full.png
+File:Armageddon's blade menu no buttons.png
+File:AB Mutare.png
+File:AB Loading Screen.png
+File:AB Phoenix.png
+</gallery>
+== See also ==
+[[Armageddon's Blade (artifact)]]
-[[Category: Heroes of Might and Magic III]]
+[[Category:Armageddon's Blade]][[Category:Expansions]][[Category:Terms]]
-[[Category: Terms]]