How to win Invaders of Meridell Hints and help from a GrandMaster.

Significant Help on this page

Do not read if you want to solve the puzzle yourself!

1. Above all, plan ahead!
   Although this game was listed as an "Action Game", it is really a strategy puzzle. The movement of the Invaders is predictable. Plan your movement to ensure that you get your troops (and the Invaders) get where you want them, when you need them there.

2. Generally, let the Second Wave Invaders come to you.
   Meet them at row 5 and fill in between their front line. There are ten columns, there will usually be 2 mountains, 3 normal (first wave) Invaders, and 5 of your Defenders to fill row 5.

   The 'first wavers' will be pinned, attacking your troops, and the Buzz/Grarrl will be stuck behind them. Something like this:

    

   Generated by -invalid_word-IoMScript Copyright 2002, Jeff Peck.

3. With some boards/maps you need to be more creative, and nudge the an Invader a bit to the left or right. But in all cases but one, you should be able to complete a wall on the 5th row on your fourth move.

   For example (reference the starting board below), see what happens if:

   1. you Teleport to cell 30 (4th row down on the left, above armor).
   2. Invaders Draco_05 and Draco_00 will move down once,
   3. On move 2, Draco_05 will see your Skeith and move left (to cell 31).
      Invader Draco_00 will move down (to cell 21) behind Draco_05, with your Skeith on the lower left (still in cell 30).
   4. On move 3, Draco_00 (if a Buzz/Grarrl) will move diagonally right to cell 32.
   5. On your 4th move, move your Skeith to cell 41 !
      Draco_05 is 'pinned' and Draco_00 (the Grarrl) is locked in.
   Using only two moves of your Skeith, you have locked the left side of the board, even if there is no mountain!

4. Now Available! To help you plan or to test your knowledge, use the interactive IoM Training page ("http://home.pacbell.net/jeffpeck/iomscript.html"). You can set up a board and see how it plays. Try your movement plan before running the real game.

   Click on the Mission Planner for help/explanation of that page.

   This tool also produces the boards you see here (they are not screen dumps!)

5. Once you have the wall, you have plenty of turns to save/destroy the Invaders. Be sure to heal those that need it, attack when you can. With luck, you will be able to heal and attack faster than the Invaders can attack you.

6. It is important to rapidly save some Invaders to none of your troops are being attacked by three Invaders! Usually, save the (relatively weak) Draco_05, Draco_06, Draco_07 first. Once saved, they are usually positioned so they will not be attacked and immediately re-converted by Draco_00-Draco_04!

7. Occasionally, your Skeith may be forced to pick up a Double Ax (or whatever is on row 5). Don't worry. After the Invaders are under control, you can back up and re-acquire the Berserker Ax.

8. You get 20 moves (4 turns, 5 moves per turn) before the Buzz/Grarrl invade your side of the board. To move 2 Grundos and a Techo up to row 5 takes 15 moves (or maybe 16 if you have to dodge a mountain/village). That leaves 5 moves to get your Skeiths in position. Even if you have to Teleport and then move, or do other special moves when the mountains are badly placed, you can generally find a way to corral and hold all the Invaders.

9. If you think you understand everything, try this puzzle. Assume the Skeiths have amulets. Find a way to block the invaders! It is possible!
    

   Generated by IoMScript Copyright 2002, Jeff Peck.

Play the game.
Derangel's Invasion of Meridell Game Guide
GoldEyeGriffin's Hints and Help page.