Admiral vs. Colonel (Battle of the ranks!)

[Life]

I'll open it. Should be fun, even if I get my ass kicked.

[Life]

Before I start the actual meat of my argument, I want to mention the availability boost that Marcia has over Astrid. Marcia is fighting a full 4 chapters before Astrid even exists. This is pretty significant because Marcia is there for Prisoner Release, a chapter based on pure stealth. With Marcia's 8 move and 22 Wt, Marcia can easily rescue Brom and Nephenee so that the pair can escape. Assuming that Marcia rescues one of them, she accounts for 20 BExp by herself as well as contributing towards the 700 BExp for leaving undetected. Assuming that you want either Brom or Nephenee (2 pretty good units), I'd say that Marcia is pretty invaluable here. Feel free to disagree but how else are you going to recruit those two and make it to the exit safely? Kieran joins automatically but the other two don't.

Combat-wise, Marcia does pretty well. She obviously fails in her joining chapter from being underleveled but can still double almost anything not a Myrmidon. To be exact, we're talking about 23/27 of the non-Myrmidon enemies. And this is base level Marcia we're talking about. Her Att is pretty atrocious here too but then again, she's holding a Slim Lance. If she were holding an Iron Lance (no AS loss), Marcia will be one-rounding the mages while only taking chip damage thanks to her 6 Res. She's also facing ~65 displayed Hit from most enemies (pretty much all lances and axes while swords are closer to ~70). Once again, this is just base level.

Anyway, let's jump to A Guiding Wind, Astrid's join chapter. Marcia's gotten about 5 levels from BExp (completely fair when you consider that she's partially responsible for the 700 BExp in Prisoner Release plus more in the subsequent chapters) and 4 levels of fighting (1 in 9, 1.5 in 11 and 1.5 in 12) so she's sitting comfortably at level 14.

Marcia - Level 14 Pegasus Knight - C Lance
12 Atk, 16 AS, 30 Hit, 5 Crit, 40 Avo, 8 CEva, 25 HP, 10 Def, 9 Res

Steel Lance: 22 Atk, 14 AS, 100 Hit, 5 Crit, 36 Avo
Javelin:     18 Atk, 16 AS, 100 Hit, 5 Crit, 40 Avo (1~2 Range)

Marcia's on easy street here. She doubles everything but the fast Myrmidons, Halberdiers, Ravens and Chuck Norris, and that's when she's holding the Steel Lance. Javelin cuts it down to 2 Myrmidons, all the Ravens and Norris. She's almost one-rounding the soldiers (she kills a couple and leaves the rest with like 4 HP) and 2 archers, leaves the Fighters with 1/3 of their HP and kills everyone else. That means that Marcia is killing over half of the enemies that she doubles. And she's not doing chip damage, unlike...

Astrid - Level 1 Bow Knight - D Bows
6 Atk, 7 AS, 15 Hit, 3 Crit, 17 Avo, 3 CEva, 20 HP, 5 Def, 4 Res

Iron Bow: 12 Atk, 7 AS, 100 Hit, 3 Crit, 17 Avo

To put it lightly, Astrid is pathetic at base level. I don't give a fuck how much Exp she gets per hit, I'm more worried about how much damage Astrid is doing. Which is a measly 3 damage per arrow on average. I call that absolutely disgraceful.

10 years later AKA 3 months later without exaggerating:

Marcia plays a huge role in the following chapters while Astrid can basically be considered a footnote.

Training: Marcia recruits Makalov but can also use her flying advantage to sit in places where she can't get hit. If she does that, she can use a torch and light up a portion of the map that not even Mist (Torch staff) or Volke (increased vision) can see. Astrid is stuck to being a regular combat unit here as her movement means nothing with the fog.

The Feral Frontier: Really? I mean really? One word: Desert. Marcia can move, Astrid can't. Utterly pathetic on Astrid's part.

The Atonement: Marcia's actually a proper combat unit. Assuming that Astrid has been given BExp and babying, she'll be at around level 11 or 12 (nothing from the desert) at the highest. Marcia's going to be at least level 17 by now if not higher. She can clear the way for others. Astrid still can't.

Day Breaks: Swamp? Check. Mages? Check. Both things that Marcia is fantastic at dealing with while Astrid's 4 +.25 Res can suck it, especially after Marcia equips the Full Guard. Oh and Marcia is great for taking out that annoying Meteor mage in 17-4 by turn 2. Astrid could... If she weren't so weak.

And then the CLA (Crimea Liberation Army) starts going. Marcia's just promoted while Astrid's still lagging behind a bit from losing out in the desert.

Marcia - Level 1 Falcon Knight - B Lance, E Sword - B Keiran - Full Guard
17 Atk, 20 AS, 49 Hit, 8 Crit, 58 Avo, 10 CEva, 32 HP, 14 Def, 13 Res

Steel Lance:         27 Atk, 20 AS, 119 Hit,  8 Crit, 58 Avo
Killer Lance:        27 Atk, 20 AS, 119 Hit, 38 Crit, 58 Avo
Javelin:             23 Atk, 20 AS, 109 Hit,  8 Crit, 58 Avo (1~2 Range)
Iron Sword (forged): 27 Atk, 20 AS, 139 Hit, 17 Crit, 58 Avo

Astrid - Level 19 Bow Knight - C Bow - C Sothe
13 Atk, 16 AS, 47 Hit, 8 Crit, 47 Avo, 10 CEva, 28 HP, 11 Def, 9 Res

Steel Bow:  22 Atk, 16 AS, 117 Hit,  8 Crit, 47 Avo
Killer Bow: 22 Atk, 16 AS, 122 Hit, 38 Crit, 47 Avo

This is kinda pathetic. Astrid's like a weaker Marcia who can't fly and can't double as well. Let's look at specific stuff, shall we?

AS: The only thing that Marcia cannot double are the Ravens (5 of them). Astrid w/o the Knight Ward cannot double the archer (who counters her), the Sword Knights, Kayachey (counters her), a Lance Knight (1/3), the Paladin (counters her) and the Ravens. That's 11/36 enemies, with 3 of those countering her. That's not that good. Sure you can put forth the argument that giving her the Knight Ward will help take away some of the problems but the thing is that her levels come more from her doubled CExp at this point. Which means that she needs it during the chapter. Aside from babying and BExp, how many more resources do I need to pour down her throat in order to make her as decent as Marcia?

Atk and weapons: Marcia has 1~2 range with a Javelin. She beats Astrid's Atk when she holds it. Not to mention that up close, she destroys Astrid with any of her weapons. Pathetic.

As for forges, Astrid doesn't get one yet as she's going to want a forged Iron Axe as soon as she promotes to gain as much Atk out of it as possible. But since Marcia's just promoted and she's probably going to want a Steel Sword soon, why would would I force her to use a 5 Mt Iron Sword when I can forge a 10 Mt and 9 Crit IS for just under 7k? Any sane person would easily give her the forge.

Durability: Marcia destroys Astrid. 4+ HP, 3+ Def, 4+ Res and 11+ Avo. It's not even a contest.

Supports: Marcia still has Tanith to come who sports Earth affinity. Astrid's stuck with Sothe and Makalov as Gatrie's not a proper support for her thanks to his wonderful 5 move. And Kieran's not even a bad support as he gives Marcia Avo while she tacks on Atk from her Fire affinity.

And just so you know, Marcia never loses her flying utility. She can bait Naesala in Entrusted so that one of the hawks can talk to him without dying, she can fly over the giant cliff in the middle of Defending Talrega, the narrow paths in Without A King are nothing to her since she can sit on top of the water if she pleases... Must I keep going? All Astrid has is a bit more more on the rest of the army and canto. Aside from that, she's a plain Jane. An ordinary knight.

Skipping ahead to Clash!, we now observe Marcia and Astrid getting it on in their later levels. Astrid's caught up completely and ditched Paragon now. I think that 20/11 seems like a reasonable level.

Marcia - Level 11 Falcon Knight - A Lances, D Swords - B Keiran, B Tanith - Full Guard
22 Atk, 26 AS, 73 Hit, 11 Crit, 81 Avo, 14 CEva, 38 HP, 16 Def, 16 Res

Silver Lance  37 Atk, 26 AS, 143 Hit, 11 Crit, 81 Avo
Killer Lance: 32 Atk, 26 AS, 148 Hit, 41 Crit, 81 Avo
Spear:        34 Atk, 26 AS, 143 Hit, 16 Crit, 81 Avo (1~2 Range)
Iron Blade:   31 Atk, 26 AS, 143 Hit, 11 Crit, 81 Avo

Astrid - Level 11 Paladin - A Bows, D Axes - A Makalov, B Sothe
20 Atk, 23 AS, 78 Hit, 12 Crit, 86 Avo, 15 CEva, 38 HP, 17 Def, 14 Res

Silver Bow:         33 Atk, 23 AS, 153 Hit, 12 Crit, 86 Avo
Killer Bow:         29 Atk, 23 AS, 153 Hit, 42 Crit, 86 Avo
Steel Axe (forged): 36 Atk, 23 AS, 143 Hit, 21 Crit, 86 Avo
Hand Axe:           27 Atk, 23 AS, 133 Hit, 12 Crit, 86 Avo (1~2 Range)

And lookie here! Astrid has FINALLY caught up... And yet Marcia's had a lot less blood, sweat and tears pumped into her. Mar's 2 range with the Spear is better than Astrid's with a Silver Bow, Astrid's best ranged weapon even though it's a +1 Att win. Marcia also wins in the close-up category even though it's by a small margin. Defensively, they're virtually identical. Astrid has 5+ Avo and +1 Def vs. Marcia's +2 Res while they both sport 38 HP.

Neither of them have doubling woes as Marcia only beats Astrid at doubling Swordmasters (Marcia ORKOs all of them but the Brave Sword guy). However, the question of one-rounding now comes into play.

Warriors: Exact same case for both. Both women must use their best weapons to barely ORKO the weakest Warriors on the map. The rest get left with 4> HP.

Snipers: Easy kills for both of them. Marcia can even one round them with her Iron Blade.

Magic Users: Again, very easy kills. Even Astrid's Hand Axe one rounds them.

Paladins: Here's where the differences show. Marcia can one round the level 7-8 Paladin with the Steel Sword from 2 range if the guy holds the sword. Aside from that, no dice for either Marcia or Astrid killing from 2 range. But when we switch to 1 range, Marcia one rounds every one of them except for the level 12 Paladin. Astrid can't say the same. She actually leaves the level 12 Paladin still alive along with 4 others who all hold swords (Marcia had WTA on them). Sucks to leave them at 1 HP, right Astrid?

Laguz: Marcia won't one round the Tiger while Astrid also can't kill the level 10 Cat that Marcia can.

Swordmasters: Marcia doubles the majority, Astrid doesn't. Enough said.

Generals: Neither of them one round these guys.

Halberdiers: Both of them one round.

Wyvern Lord: The one enemy type that Astrid gets the drop on Marcia for. There's 3 of them that Astrid can knock out with her bow that Marcia can't kill.

To save space, I actually spoilered the enemy stuff. But the fact remains that Marcia one rounds 4 extra Paladins and a Cat while Astrid is better at tackling the three Wyvern Lords that crash the party. 5 - 3 = 2 extra kills for Marcia. Marcia is still better at combat than Astrid at this point.

Overall, Marcia is a much better unit than Astrid. She's useful right off the bat and if she's given some early BExp (2+ levels before Blood Runs Red), she can easily become a great combat unit with flying mobility. Astrid gets stuck with shitty weapons before promotion, comes way too underleveled and only catches up to Marcia in combat ability right at the end of the game. But if Marcia >>>>>>>>> Astrid in Chapter 13 and Marcia = Astrid thirteen chapters later with only three more left in the game, Marcia must be better than Astrid.

And I'm DONE.

Edited April 15, 2010 by King Russell

[Life]

Colonel, your turn. I started it in mid December and only finished it in mid March. Sorry about that.