How to Play Breaker
The defenders wait patiently, knowing the attack will come at any moment. Despite their training and valor, fear hangs in the air. This is no ordinary siege. It will not be endless waves of soldiers who try to take the citadel. It will be an elite battalion of Barrack Breakers.
Skillfully trained in the art of war, a high priced band of mercenaries take up the task of demolishing anyone they are told. The opposition is crushed and every brick is rubbled. Their wraith is without mercy, and their power lies in your hands.
A twist on the classic? castle defense game, Barrack Breaker puts you in charge of storming an enemy fort. Slay the defenders for their futile attempts of resistence. Bring down their castle walls. Choose from a wide selection of specialized warriors, each with their own strengths and weapons.
Who will lead your onslaught? The Horned Knight, wielder of the Crush Chain. The Frog Knight, master of the Dual Daggers. The Blast Knight, expert in Destructive Devices. The Mage Knight, disciple of the Elements. The Red Knight, undefeated champion of The Coliseum. The Wing Knight, warrior of the North Wind. The Plague Knight, spreader of blight and disease.
Take your path of destruction straight through several enemy territories, but do not expect things to be made simple for your conquest. The defenders have their own tricks in store for you. Barracks stocked with soldiers and weapons, hidden passages, mythical guardians, and the risen dead are just some of the challenges to be faced.
So, ready yourself. Prepare for the siege. Grip your shield. Ready your arms. Leave no body breathing. You have a reputation to maintain.
Controls
The basic play of Barrack Breaker is to lead your knight through a castle's defense and destroy it. A player uses the [Arrow] keys to move about. [Left] and [Right] move a knight side to side. [Up] executes a jump, which heightens as it is held down longer. [Down] has a variety of functions, but most commonly it is used to enter an opened doorway. It can also open up Treasure Chests and modify the attacks of certain knights in several ways.
Attack and ability actions are carried out with the use of [Control] and [Shift], or [X] and [Z]. The prior is used as the primary action button, generally a basic attack, while the latter carries a more supportive role. This can be arming a shield, changing what attack is used, or a more specialized or more powerful attack. For example, a Knight would normally strike with his weapon for [Control], but [Shift] may have a spell launched out instead. Each of the Knights is different, and understanding these attacks is your key to victory.
Playing the Game
The knights have a [Base] of operation that houses the inactive warriors. While away, your army recovers both energy and health over time. Entering the [Base] allows the knights to switch places. It is good practice to keep rotating between the different troops to keep their health from falling into dangerous levels. When turning in, a knight loses all energy and must build back up from zero, so don't have any plans to make any immediate use of them. If getting back to the [Base] is too dangerous, one can simply leave the battlefield and retreat off screen. This automatically allows a new knight to emerge from the [Base]. This method costs the fleeing soldier a small fraction of their health, but, if in an emergency situation, it is well worth the cost.
As a fearsome reputation is earned by your army, more fighters will request to serve under you. Most of these are unskilled [Soldiers]. They can be called up by pressing [Space]. While nothing compared to your deadly mercenaries, they have their uses. Equipped with an ax and shield, they can wreck a castle while more important matters are tended to by the player. Enlisting the service of troops cost some reputation, as needing help should be beneath you. This price is negligible, but it grows as more troops are called up at one point in time.
To take down a stronghold, there are a few methods available. The first is clearing out the opposing forces. By utterly annihilating the defenders, a castle is good as yours. The empty shell will fall. The forts can also be torn down piece by piece. By breaking up the walls and vulnerable parts of the castle, the foundation crumbles and the fort turns to rubble. Lastly, while not possible at all citadels, the leader of the castle can be slain. Taking out this powerful figure can be a feat, but it leads to an instant victory.
Further Playing
During a siege, the knights collect gold. They are a selfish lot and do not share it with one another, so each has their own cache. The hirelings are less greedy, however, and any gold they manage to pluck is shared with the crew. At the end of each attack, the option to purchase supplies is available to any knight who has funds to do so. Here, items both regular, rare, and unique can be found. Food staples can ready a deplinished knight for the coming fight if a night's rest will not do. Wealthier warriors can take a prized relic for their own. Most importantly, weapons and armor can be enhanced with [Forging]. If an [Eye of Wars] is held by the knight, one of their two weapons can be improved. This can increase the speed, strength, range, and other attributes of the weapon.
Navigating through the castles can be difficult, so the right knight is needed for the given situation. Impassible battlements have to shattered by a strong weapon from a heavy knight. Far leaps need to be handled by a lighter warrior. Sometimes, a lever or button can only be accessed by one type of mercenary, but the path opened requires the other. There is a fair deal of strategy involved with taking down a fort as quickly as possible.
When taking out defenders, sometimes objects are left behind. Normally, this is a purse of gold coins, but it can have more significance. Tokens affiliated with those who dropped them can be gathered. These may lend you their power, such as incredible defensive capability, or may even grant you a new recruit. Know that the more you face a foe, the more likely you can turn them into a friend.
The [Base], while a generally protected safe house, is vunerable to enemy attack. A warning will appear if the place is damaged so that a knight can defend it. The [Base] can be upgraded, over time, to allow it to take more punishment. The key to this is through your [Soldiers], who do all of the labor for your. Medial tasks are beneath warriors such as the knights.
On that note, [Soldiers] are a key part to your success. Use as many as necessary to take down a fort since their lives are more expendable than yours. As the troops get a taste of war without suffering bitter defeat, they may come back to work for you again. A veteran is more capable than a new recruit, and that knowledge helps on the battlefield. With enough practice, they can fight alongside the knights.
There are two philosopies when it comes to a siege. The first is a frenzied storm, a gnashing and crushing sweep that flies through swiftly and leaves just as quickly. The alternative manner is attrition, a slow grind that wears out enemy resources. The first tactic hits hard and fast, leaving the enemy little time to respond or summon re-enforcements. While your knights may make it out with less scars, they also may miss out on a bounty of unseen treasure. The latter path, while more costly in your time and blood, squeezes every potential coin out from the enemy, although a lot of this may go to patching up wounds earned. Whichever plan you use in siege, make sure it works for you.
Last Modified - January 12th, 2009 | Established - March 5th, 2008
