The Sapphire Archipelago - walkthrough | The Elven Court Campaign AoW III Guide

The place where you make the choice that defines further game.

Conditions of victory:

1. Reskar must survive

2. Nomlik must survive

3. Groshak must survive

4. Aid the High Elf Colonists

a) Find the High Elf Colonists

b) Free the Occupied High Elf City

Start the game by unloading your armies to the mainland. Then, go South, along the path, collect treasures and defeat the parties of Independents along your way. After moment, you will run into a Dwelling, which will task you with a mission You need to capture the nearby keep and the Dwelling will join your Empire, which may prove an important advantage in the future. To ensure it with peace, it is a good idea to deal with the parties of the Independent around, and destroy the Monster Den, close to the Dwelling, i.e. to the East of it. As you proceed, you will run into an elven village which will join you without any problems. Also, you will learn about the city that was captured by Isabella. Go towards that city and capture it. At this point, you will have to make a choice, which will influence future events, in this scenario and in the following two missions, as well as the ending to the campaign.

Stop the war

The place where Bormac is being held. Next to it, a teleport that will transfer you to the entrance of Isabell's Throne City.

Conditions of victory:

1. Let the Humans live

2. Find and Eliminate Isabella

3. Free Bormac

4. Bormac must survive

After you make your choice, Groshak will leave your part and your primary objective will become to kill Isabell. Go East, where you will run into more elven villages, where one of them is bordering Isabell's city. Of course, you should capture that cities. Around, there are several more cities and it is a good idea to capture them also, although that is not necessary. What is necessary, though, is go to the South-East of the map, where there is a Dungeon, in the island next to the city that belongs to Isabell, which it is necessary for you to visit, because after you defeat the units that guard it, you will free Bormac. Now you can decide whether you want to capture more cities or do your job quickly.

Isabell's Throne City.

Once you are ready, enter the teleport, located at the other side of the city. This will take you to the South-Western side of the map, where you will encounter Isabell with an army that guards the Throne City. Lead your armies to the battle, thanks to which you will successfully end this mission.

This choice leads to the Underground Eruption mission.

Destroy the Humans

One of the cities which you need to raze to the ground, or change the race that inhabits it.

Conditions of victory:

1. Eliminate all Humans

2. Find and Eliminate Isabella

Your choice will not approved of by Nomlik who will leave your party. Apart from defeating Isabell, will be to capture all of the cities that belong to humans and to either destroy them or use the Migrate option. There are 5 cities that are inhabited by humans, and the sixth one is Isabella's Throne City, where you will also find her. You need to capture all of the human cities quickly, and even the ones that belong to the Independents. Capturing the cities and defeating Isabella results in a positive ending to the scenario. TO gain access to her Throne City you need to go to the South-most island, where you will find a teleport, right next to Isabell's city. It will take you to the other end of the map, to her Throne City.

This choice leads to the Wild Magic mission.

Hints

Giants will provide invaluable support.

1. Remember that after you recapture the city determined by the Elven village, from Isabella you will have to make a choice, which determines the following 2 missions, and the end of the campaign, at the same time. If you want to complete in the two possible ways, it is a good idea to save the game before you capture the city.

2. Along your path to the Elven villages (to the East of the starting point), you will be passing by a Dwelling, which you will receive a quest from. It is a good idea to complete it, because it will then join your empire with 2 Fire Giants. Take them along because they provide an excellent support to your army.

3. Be careful while crossing water fields, because the enemy has quite a few combat boats. Therefore, it is a good idea to invest in researching Advanced Seafaring, thanks to which your units will board ships of a better type.

4. It is not necessary to capture the cities to the east of the map (unless you have chosen the Destroy the Humans option, at which point you need to capture most of them). It is a good idea, though, to withhold with your attack, for a moment, ad capture, at least, some of them. Especially, capturing the city right next to the teleport is going to be instrumental, because you will then be able to summon your units quickly, for the attack on Isabell's Throne City.

5. Wtch out for Succubus units and their skill to Seduce. Once they succeed at using it on your leaders that you cannot lose, the battle will end automatically and the scenario stopped.

5. If you have selected the Destroy the Humans option, remember that you do not need to destroy the cities that belong to them. It is a way better idea to change the race that inhabits them (Migrate).