Well, in Fire Emblem Engage's chapter 7, we saw the archers carry the team as they shot down the waves of flying enemies. However, chapter 8 isn't about to be undone. Here you are provided with a ballista that can only be helmed by an archer. This turns the seventh chapter into something that feels vaguely similar to a tower defense game.

Related: Fire Emblem Engage: Complete Combat Guide

But don't think having an archer that can fire halfway across the screen gives you the advantage. You are going to be facing a monstrously sized army filled with winged horrors that can descend on you at a moment's notice.

Updated March 12, 2023: We've updated this article to include a video walkthrough of Fire Emblem Engage's Chapter 8.

Setup Phase

The decisions just keep getting harder. You need to choose the same amount of troops as you did in the last battle, but you now have Alcrys, Citrinne, and Lapis in your pool of characters as well, so you have a lot of decisions to make. Given how many flying enemies you are contending with on this stage, we strongly recommend that you bring both Alcrys and Etie.

If you want to make a really big-brained move, we also suggest that you make sure either Alcrys or Etie have Sigurd's emblem equipped. This will allow you to take two shots with the ballista every other turn.

You will want both your damage tank and avoid tanks as well, so throw Louis and Chloe into the mix. Both are strong enough that you would want them on your team anyway, but the abundance of sword-using enemies on this stage make them even more relevant. Put them on the right side, as that is where the first waver of Sword Fighters will come from. Now there will be Lance Fighters on your left, so you will want to have some axe-wielders there to confront them.

Vander is still durable at this point, but Boucheron would probably be our top choice. Beyond them, you'll need at least one Mage and one Qi Adept (or Martial Master). Ideally, you would have two Qi Adepts, but if you put Micaiah's Emblem Ring on one of your other characters then you will be killing two birds with one stone, as Micaiah turns any unit into a healer.

One thing we would be remiss to not mention is that we turned Framme into a Martial Master, and she was a huge help as a direct result. We can't say how good the class is overall, as we don't have a fully developed sense of where the different classes sit in relation to each other, but in our experience, it did make her an incredibly versatile character. And she was super helpful in a fight like this where the main boss is a magic user.

In her Martial Master form, she is extremely evasive, hits hard, and can still heal. Master Seals are extremely precious at this point in the game, so consider this a very soft suggestion, but we can say, with confidence, that we didn't regret promoting her to that class. Though your mileage may vary.

Battle At Brodia Castle

When we say this will be a war of attrition, we mean it. Every round will see two more Pegasus Knights join the battle. If the gate you start the battle in front of falls, it is game over. So, you are going to need to shore up those defenses. As we already said in the setup section, you want your lance users on the right side, and your axe users on the left.

Your sword users should be on the same end as the axe users, as that is the side that most of the enemy axe-wielders attack from as well, but put them beside the ballista (that way they can help defend your archers). Place an archer on the ballista, and start taking out units. It will likely take a turn to get to it. The first one you should probably go for is the mage on the right. Especially if you have Louis in the mix (and he should absolutely be on the field).

From here, the strategy will be pretty simple. Hold your ground, take out the enemies as they funnel in. There are barricades on either side of the ballista, but those will only hold out for a round or two. Make sure that you have troops positioned to the side of the ballista by the time those barricades are broken down.

By the third or fourth round, your lance and axe units will have pretty much cleaned up the soldiers coming after them. You can start moving them down to help defend the ballista. If you did put Sigurd on one of those archers, then you will be running out of ballista rounds by around the fifth round. You probably want to save one or two shots for Ivy.

Units like Chloe will start being able to range out and take on straggling units. Move Louis down to the right side of the ballista. Around the fifth round, you will be attacked by the two other named generals. Zelkov will run up the right side of the map. Louis will be waiting for him, of course. Zelkov is a thief, so he is completely incapable of dealing damage to the tanky warrior. This is an easy battle for Louis to fight.

Once Louis kills Zelkov, retreat back to the ballista. Ivy will be coming around soon. She uses magic, so Louise really doesn't want to deal with her. Moreover, there will be Pegasus Knights entering along the side, so it isn't a terrible idea to have someone who can quickly dip back and defend the gate.

Accompanying Zelkov will be the Sword Master Kagetsu. He is the reason why you brought Celine down. Use her Warp Ragnarok attack to severely damage him, then finish him off with one of your nearby sword fighters who are hanging around.

If you need Celine on the front lines to provide support, then you should keep her around. But if you are able to do without her for a few turns, it isn't a bad idea to send her back to the gate and use one of those Emblem Energy Pools to fill your engage meter. Getting a second Warp Ragnarok to land on the boss isn't a terrible idea.

As you clear out waves of enemies, you can bring your troops forward a little. However, you are going to want to hang out roughly around the ballista. Don't overextend. Don't worry, Ivy will come to you during the seventh round.

When Ivy does make her way, use those final ballista shots, and unload your big Engage attacks. You should have been clearing most of the troops that she has been sending your way, so, you will probably be in pretty good shape to swarm her and hit her with everyone.

Ivy relies pretty heavily on magic (though she will also whip out her axe occasionally), so if you want to break her you are going to need a Qi Adept on hand. Otherwise, characters like Chloe, who take magical shots like a champ, will be pretty valuable here. And remember, arrow shots will do huge damage, so even if you are out of ballista shots, make sure to lay into her with your archers. She will fly right to them, too. So you will definitely have a shot at her.

Post-Battle Exploration

There are 100 Bond Fragments and 180 Iron Ingots in the top left corner of the map. There are 6 Steel Ingots beside the ballista in the southern section of the map. Beyond that, there is nothing more to do other than to talk to your compatriots. However, once you return to the Somniel, you can now play a fishing minigame at the pond!

Next: Fire Emblem Engage: Beginner Tips