Final Fantasy 7 Remake is not done giving fans new things to chew on. In the interim between mainline entries in the remake saga, Square Enix released a PS5 upgrade for the 2020 JRPG called Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade. In addition to intense visual and technical upgrades, the PS5 version also adds a piece of DLC starring Yuffie Kisaragi.
Called INTERmission, the main side quest involves a boardgame called Fort Condor. It is certainly recommended for anyone playing INTERmission to engage with this board game to the fullest. The following entries below not only tell you the best strategies for a surefire victory, but they also let you in on some facts you may otherwise miss.
Know The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Units
There are three types of units you can deploy. Each of them is strong against a certain other unit and weak against the second. Vanguard units, the ones with the red sword icon, are strong against the Ranged troops with the green arrow as their icon. Riot troops, the one with the blue shield, are strong against attack units but weak against long range troops.
- Vanguard > Ranged > Defense > Vanguard
Remember this order well, because it is essential to victory and standing a chance against the harder matches. Fortunately, the game tells you when a unit has an advantage or disadvantage against a certain type of unit.
The Happy Turtle Salesman Sells Extra Troops And Boards
The Happy Turtle salesman gives you the other side quest in chapter one. He also has a shop of his own which only accepts coins earned from winning Fort Condor matches. This is the main way to earn new units and boards.
Every match you win earns about three coins, which usually is enough to buy a new trooper or board from the merchant. Do not waste coins on the healing items there, since they can easily be earned elsewhere and the coins are finite in a single playthrough.
Being Aggressive Is Better Than Being Defensive
The main goal of the game is to destroy the opponent's headquarters. You lose if the enemy destroys Yuffie's headquarters first. Even with this considered, it is always better to play aggressively rather than defensively.
Especially in Normal mode, most small units are taken care of by the outposts by themselves. As long as you take out the headquarters first, there is no harm in taking some damage. All the same, there are some moments when you'll want to plant some units to defend the headquarters.
The Best Boards To Use
At the beginning, there is a pretty logical progression of boards to use as they unlock stronger magic and more ATB bars to use. However, you need to think a little more tactfully once Hard Mode comes around.
While it may not seem like it, the Grandmaster Board is the best one to use. Its features and benefits include:
- Five bars that restore quickly
- Five selectable units can be spawned over and over again
- Reduced wait time for unit cycling
You Fight Against Familiar Faces
All of the fights in Fort Condor take place in Sector 7. Even more, these are not just random NPCs you fight against. In addition to Wedge and Jessie, key members of Avalanche, you also battle against Johnny.
He has an unhealthy obsession with Tifa, and Kyrie, a conman who tries to swindle Cloud and the party in the main game. Knowing this does not really provide an advantage in the game, but it is a nice callback to the main game none the less.
The Conditions For Winning On Normal And Hard Mode
The conditions for winning on Normal and Hard differ. On Normal Mode, you simply have to have more health than the opponent. You also win if you take out one of their outposts before the time runs out.
In Hard Mode this does not suffice; you have to destroy the headquarters before the timer runs out without exception. If the sudden death countdown comes and the enemy's headquarters is still standing, you lose.
Go For Quantity, Not Quality
Some extremely powerful units cost many ATB bars. Ultimately, they are not worth it. At the end of the day, it is recommended to prioritize many weaker units rather than waiting to spawn stronger enemies.
This is mainly why the Grandmaster Board is so beneficial. As long as you pay attention to the units your opponent is spawning and react according to their strengths and weaknesses, smaller weaker troops will be more than enough to win.
It Is Based Off A Mini-game From The Original Final Fantasy 7
The Fort Condor mini-game is a callback to a side quest from the original PS1 classic. The workers on Fort Condor are protecting a giant bird who is nesting an egg. Shinra wants to remove it but Cloud helps defend it from the evil company.
Instead of a traditional fight, you participate in a tower defense mini-game where you purchase units with Gil and place them on the field to attack Shinra units. The side quest lasts throughout most of the game and you earn a special Materia for completing it. The stakes in the DLC are much lower, and the rounds go by more quickly.
You Earn AP Up For Beating It
Throughout the bouts, you earn a variety of prizes and awards. The ultimate prize for beating the final bout, is 10,000 Gil and an AP Up Materia. For trophy hunters, you also earn the Game, Set, Master trophy. Doing it on hard mode nets the Fort Condor Queen trophy.
At first, it is difficult to tell who the grandmaster is; after rising through the ranks, the master is revealed to be Chadley. He is easily the hardest bout in the game, but as long as you know the proper strategy he can be easily bested.