As a Fire Emblem veteran whose been battling since the Gameboy Advance era, I‘ve sliced and diced my way through countless weapon triangle matchups across the years. Engage adds some juicy new dimensions to these classic rock-paper-scissors counters – let me guide you through mastering this integral combat dynamic.
A Time-Tested Tradition with New Tricks
Weapon triangles have been central to Fire Emblem‘s chess-like battle strategy since 1996‘s Genealogy of Holy War introduced simple sword/lance/axe relations. Over the years, tweaks like bonus damage and hit percentage boosts granted units an edge when properly aligned against a foe‘s gear.
Engage adds the powerful "break" penalty, preventing a countered unit from retaliating until their next turn. Land an axe hit on a lance wielder or sword blow against an axeman to cripple them with this brutal denial of a second attack. It‘s less about small stat bonuses now and more about properly staggering your strikes for maximum damage.
Let‘s crunch numbers – if Edelgard wields her mighty axe Aymr (Mt 12) against Dimitri‘s Silver Lance (Mt 8), her attacks deal:
- Regular Attack – 12 damage
- Break Attack – 12 (hit 1) + 12 (no counter hit 2) = 24 damage!
Exploiting the break status prompts serious momentum shifts reminiscent of actual weapon triangles giving one fighter a temporary advantage until disarmed.
Mastering the Triangle‘s Tactical and Strategic Elements
While the core concept remains simple sword/axe/lance counters, integrating Engage‘s supercharged triangles into your strategies requires a bit more thought:
- Scout enemy forces – Weigh weapon types at play instead of raw stats when surveying the battlefield
- Dispatch units accordingly – Direct sword users at axemen rather than arbitrarily strongest foe
- Combine with combat arts – Triangle attacks set up devastating combat art chains by denying counters
- Go for broke – Unlike previous games, might as well attempt triangles for possible break punishes
- Stay adaptable – Keep flexible to handle armored units and magic unaffected by triangles
Battalion coordination also gains new significance – stagger teammates with different weapons to lock down foes:
- Edelgard charges with Aymr, breaking lance cavalry
- Lysithea follows up with Luna magic vs their disabled counters
- They surround and eliminate locked-down horsemen with ease
Internalizing these dynamics is crucial for battlefield dominance.
Beginner Tips for Wielding Weapons Triangles
If you‘re struggling to leverage weapon advantages effectively, here‘s a quickfire list of tips for newer Engage players:
- Equip weapons with innate advantage against troublesome enemies
- Break prevents many dangerous counterattacks – use it!
- Slow advance allowing multiple triangle punishes per turn
- Combat arts smash through non-physical weapons unaffected by triangles
- Armored foes require adaptability – don‘t solely rely on triangles
With practice, you‘ll turn the eternal rock-paper-scissors struggle into a source of decisive strategic leverage.
| Weapons | Strong Against | Weak Against |
| ------------- |:-------------:|-------------:|
| Sword | Axe | Lance |
| Lance | Sword | Axe |
| Axe | Lance | Sword |Now go forth and cleave, stab or smash your way through those weapon wheel matchups!
In Conclusion: A Classic Enhanced Through New Tricks
Fire Emblem Engage supercharges a classic combat dynamic by introducing impactful new punishment mechanics. But while weapon triangles form the battlefield‘s foundation, true mastery requires finesse and flexibility when unable to trigger powerful break bonuses. Learn your matchups, coordinate units and sequence charges to inflict maximum damage. Now grab your blades, axes and lances then master the art of war – turn based tactics style!
