Triangle Strategy is a fantastic RPG but the difficulty really notches up in later chapters.

Succeeding and progressing is as much about levelling up as it is tactical positioning and making the best use of your characters and classes.

This is by no means a definitive guide but a few hints and tips here may help you when the going gets a bit tougher.

Positioning is everything

Probably the most important lesson you’ll need to learn. Before you dive straight in, always try to get a good understanding of the battlefield you’re about to step into.

Take the time to observe the surroundings, get a feel for every inch of it and make some careful selections. It can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Sometimes all of your units will be clustered up together, sometimes they’ll be split apart. Depending on the circumstance, it’s always good to have a balance of units in any designated area.

You should also be mindful of who you put on the frontlines. It should go without saying, but your healer is probably better suited at the back in a supporting role, and a knight or swordsperson should be at the front.

Observe the Battlefield

Beyond that, you should also keep a close eye on where reinforcements can spawn from so you don’t get ambushed.

In some cases, there’ll also be an objective you need to reach, or a time limit you need to hit. Try to think about the amount of moves you’re using and the quickest way to dispatch the enemies you see.

Likewise, what is the fastest route to an objective and how you can get there with the least amount of attention.

Monitor your objectives carefully, both ones you need to succeed and ones that can cause you to fail.

Keep an eye out for Recommendations

Before each battle, the game will make a series of recommendations to you of characters that you should consider involving.

In certain cases, there are characters that must be selected as they are crucial to the designated battle but you can alternate with others within your roster if, for instance, an alternative character is a higher level or you want to try a different strategy.

For the most part, the recommendations are sound and it’s probably a good idea to follow them, but also bare in mind that a change of tact could make a significant difference.

Watch attack patterns

This goes two ways. Basically, get accustomed to each character’s abilities, but also be mindful of how opposing units attack.

For instance, Frederica’s Scorch Spell works in an almost + shape, so, in theory, you could actually attack three enemies at once if they’re closing in on you if you position the spell correctly.

You should also make use of Backstab, approaching enemies from the rear. Characters like Anna, for instance, can deliver much more potent critical attacks with their daggers when they’re targetting an unsuspecting enemy.

Also in Anna’s case, she can actually perform two attacks in one turn, so she could be waiting in the wings while Serenoa is tanking and finish the job before that enemy even gets to retaliate.

It’s also good to acknowledge enemy attacks, so keep an eye out for archers attacking from high ground or knights who use shield attacks that push you back multiple squares.

Do your training

The game tends to pit you at a bit of a disadvantage through the main story quest and often missions require a slightly higher than one you’re already at.

It’s very important to keep up with the game as you move from chapter to chapter and that includes taking on the game’s practice battles via the inkeeper in the Encampment.

After chatting with her, you’re placed into various types of scenarios to test your mettle. It’s a good way to test your skills but also you can earn experience from every victory.

Speaking of…

Do something with each turn.

This is a great, quick and easy way of building up XP. If you can’t reach an enemy, cast a buff.

If you’re suffering from a poison effect or your health is a bit low, use a potion.

If there’s a relevant action you can use, like cloaking yourself in shadow, do that.

Every time you perform an action, that character earns XP. They could even level up during a battle, giving them access to a new ability they didn’t already have that could make life even easier for you.

It might seem wasteful initially, but in the long run, it could be massively beneficial.

Build up your abilities

Try to gather as much money and resources as you can, even if that means purchasing some from a vendor, as you can then visit the smithy at the encampment to further develop your characters.

Focus on ones you use regularly, like Serenoa and Frederica, and you can build up their health, the effect of their weapons, as well as stats like luck and critical strikes.

Again, this is a really good way of keeping your characters sharp, building them up quickly and keeping them one step ahead of the competition.

Just keep an eye on what you need and purchase it from the nearby vendor or keep an eye out during investigation sections/side-stories to find hidden items.

Finally…

Rank up your troops

Eventually, when your character reaches a certain level from their prowess on the battlefield, you can rank them up at the Encampment.

This is usually the next evolution of their class and unlocks further abilities for them, as well as improves their base stats which makes them even harder to beat.

Whenever the opportunity arises, we’d strongly recommend jumping on it, especially for characters you regularly go back to and essentially cannot be dropped from your team.