Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena is a classic turn-based strategy game released for the PlayStation console in 1998. This game depicts the conflict between six nations in Forsena, each with a unique motivation to seize power. In my opinion, this game is packed with features. Players can choose one of six nations to expand territory, recruit knights and monsters, and undertake quests to gain additional items and status points. Quests can also trigger side stories involving knights on missions, which is pretty fun! This game offers multiple branching storylines based on your chosen nation, giving it a high replayability value.

Initial Plot: Rebellion in Almekia

The plot begins with Zemeckis, a war commander of Almekia, being provoked by Cador, a "Death Knight," to rebel against King Henguist. Zemeckis's rebellion, supported by his allies, succeeds; King Henguist is killed by Cador, and Zemeckis seizes control of Almekia, transforming it into the Kingdom of Esgares. This event triggers chaos and sets off a conflict between the six nations.

I find myself replaying this game frequently, not because of the initial plot (which I find somewhat shallow), but due to the unique motivations and character specialties of the six national leaders. Here’s a rundown of each nation:

1. New Almekia
   After Zemeckis’s successful rebellion, Prince Lance flees to the Kingdom of Padstow with loyal knights. As Padstow is an ally of Almekia, King Coel relinquishes the throne, allowing Lance to establish New Almekia. Lance’s motivation is clear: avenge King Henguist’s death and reclaim his kingdom. New Almekia boasts 12 knights and 31 monsters, with a balanced mix of melee and magic users. Choosing this nation grants you an alliance with Caerleon, providing added strength.

2. Norgard
   Led by Lord Vaynard, Norgard is a snowy kingdom once weakened by past wars with Almekia. Amid the chaos, Vaynard sees an opportunity to restore Norgard’s glory and unify Forsena. Norgard has 13 knights and 44 monsters, with a well-balanced composition of melee and magic users. This kingdom is notably strong in the early game.

3. Leonia
   Leonia is a peaceful and religious nation led by Queen Lyonesse. Little information is provided other than its strong defenses. Leonia has 11 knights and 26 monsters, mostly magic users with healing abilities. If you prioritize defense as a combat strategy, Leonia is an excellent choice.

4. Iscalio
   Iscalio is a chaotic kingdom whose people suffer under the rule of Dryst, “The Mad Monarch.” Dryst’s motivations are unusual—he wages war purely for his amusement. Iscalio has 12 knights and 33 monsters, mainly melee users with significant power from the start. If you enjoy playing the villain, Iscalio is a fitting choice.

5. Caerleon
   Caerleon is a small nation rich in magical power, led by King Cai, a warlock known as the "Silent Wise King." Although Caerleon is a smaller kingdom, its knights possess formidable magical strength that shouldn't be underestimated. King Cai joins the war not out of ambition for power or territory, but to ensure the safety and well-being of his people amidst the continent-wide conflict. His primary motivation is to maintain peace and stability within Caerleon, protecting it from the aggression of neighboring nations. Choosing Caerleon also provides a strategic advantage, as it allows for an alliance with New Almekia, which can strengthen your position in the war.

6. Esgares
   Formerly Almekia, this nation became Esgares when Zemeckis, the “Emperor,” seized control. Zemeckis has no specific motivation in this war; he simply craves power and battle. Esgares has 18 knights and 58 monsters with a balanced and formidable composition. However, its central location surrounded by five other nations can be a disadvantage. Esgares isn’t available by default and requires a cheat to unlock, which can be activated by pressing L2 + R1 + Start at the kingdom selection menu.

If you’re interested in playing this game, here are some practical tips to help you more effectively dominate the continent of Forsena.

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Tips for Playing Brigandine

Balanced Team

Determine three knights per team with an ideal composition: one melee, one mage, and one healer. Adjust this based on the characters’ specializations, such as the King/Leader. This composition is perfect for both defense and offense. If you’re short on mages/healers, other knights can temporarily fill in. Reserve a few knights for quests, which are crucial for gathering additional resources.

Best Monster

The monsters I consistently use from start to finish are Unicorn, Dragon, and Roc, as their performance is top-notch. If a knight has extra slots, I usually fill them with pixies, centaurs, or any monster to max out the team. Sometimes, quantity beats quality. Unicorns provide healing, dragons serve as tanks with high HP and damage, and rocs can petrify enemies. Pixies offer defense buffs, while centaurs provide long-range attacks. Flying monsters are crucial since they can navigate forests, mountains, and water. Early on, I recommend buying unicorns—they’re affordable, so you can buy many at once. Ideally, each knight should have at least one Unicorn for backup healing, meaning each team should have three Unicorns. If a team lacks a healer, consider adding two more, totaling five Unicorns per team.

Defend is the Best Offense

When attacking an enemy’s domain, be mindful of each knight’s and monster’s position. Place melee knights, Dragons, and Rocs in the front, ranged or magic knights in the middle, and Unicorns in the back. Arrange Unicorns to ensure healing is evenly distributed. When a Unicorn’s MP runs out, retreat it to reduce the risk of death. Note the turn rotation based on knight levels (highest to lowest), including both your team and the enemy’s. Strategize carefully if you need to retreat; one knight retreating or dying can throw your formation off balance.

Draw the Enemy to Attack First

When attacking an enemy’s domain at Medium or Hard difficulty, the enemy’s troops usually remain defensive. Position your troops four blocks from the enemy’s area, then advance one more block to lure them to attack first. This tactic is essential because, in one turn, no unit can both move and use an MP-based skill. This is a drawback for magic-based knights/monsters. By making the enemy strike first, you can use your skills in the next turn.

Hit and Run is the Best Strategy

I think one of the biggest challenges in this game is leveling up due to limited domains and the many knights and monsters that need strengthening, especially in the early game. To tackle this, a hit-and-run strategy works best. Every victory rewards each participant with a 200 exp bonus, so use this for grinding. After capturing an enemy domain, immediately retreat to your previous domain, allowing the enemy to reclaim it. Repeat until your forces are strong enough. If you play as Norgard or Iscalio, I recommend grinding in Leonia’s domain, as it has a strong defensive base, allowing battles to last longer and yielding more exp.

Focus on Killing High-Level Monsters First

From the start of the game, prioritize killing the enemy’s high-level monsters, as defeated monsters cannot be revived. Besides the significant exp gained, weakening the enemy’s strength is a solid strategy. Although killing enemy knights provides a chance to acquire their monsters, focusing on defeating monsters offers more benefits.

Find Speed Boots ASAP

Obtain the Speed Boots equipment from quests and equip them on high-mobility knights, like grapples or champions. Sometimes, you may lack a team to guard a controlled domain. With Speed Boots, a single grapple or champion without any troops is enough to defend a base. The trick is to run to a corner of the map and survive for 12 turns. In this game, if the enemy attacking your base can’t capture it within 12 turns, they are considered defeated, and you earn a 200 exp bonus!

These are all the tips I can share for this game. If you have suggestions, feel free to write them in the comments. Happy conquering!

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All images used in this blog are screenshots from the game Brigandine: The Legend of Forsena, developed by Hearty Robin and published by Atlus. Images are used for educational and review purposes under fair use.