Brigandine

Not to be confused with that piece of armor worn by knights or the Mecha Expansion Pack from Thunder Force V. Brigandine is a unique breed of both Turn Based and Planning Strategy Game. The story centers about the land of Forsena, which runs on Mana, and used to summon Monsters, do magic and all. It is a mostly safe region after the big war between the Almekia Kingdom and the Norgard Kingdom, won by Almekia under King Henguist, unbeknownst of the magical power at work behind the scenes. Then, suddenly, Death Knight Cador, one of Almekia's generals, persuades another general Zemeckis to eventually rebel. He did, out of fear that he would lose his purpose if there is peace (he's a Blood Knight to the max), and successfully pulled a coup, killing Henguist, but failed to kill Henguist's son Lance due to an interference of a mysterious Lady of War (later known as Halley). Soon, Zemeckis changed Almekia's name into Esgares and declared his intention to, you guessed it, Take Over Forsena.

"M. Bison: OF COURSE!!"

Of course, no kingdoms would like to stay silent on this case. They prepared to defend their home and some saw this as an opportunity to take the land for their own. These are the Kingdoms that struggles in their battle for the land of Forsena:
 * New Almekia: Formerly Padstow, located west. Prince Lance fled here and the wise old King Coel understood his plight, and instantly renamed his nation as New Almekia and vowed to fight against Esgares.
 * Norgard: Located north, covered with ice. Led by the White-Haired Pretty Boy Vaynard, White Wolf of Norgard, who once accepted a peace treaty to restore Norgard, but sees Esgares' rise as a chance to strike back, despite his sister being Zemeckis' wife. Tailing behind him is the Rebellious Tsundere Princess Brangien.
 * Caerleon: Located southwest, with lots of coasts and shores. Seems to be counted as a magical country, and led by the Silent Wise King King Cai along with his tomboyish sister Princess Merriot. Seems to be the second candidate of 'good guys' of Forsena, as it quickly forms an alliance with New Almekia.
 * Leonia: Located in the mountainous region of the east. A very religious country, most of the people here are like Technical Pacifist, but they strike back when disturbed. Led by Queen Lyonesse, a former peasant girl turned Queen due to an Oracle (Doesn't this sound familiar to Jeanne D' Arc or something?)
 * Iscalio: Located southeast. Covered with lots and lots of forest, but suffers a lot from rulers that just care about themselves and having fun. Led by Mad Monarch Dryst, the token Ax Crazy ruler, who has a face of a clown, but is a real brutal guy when he's serious.
 * Esgares: The big one in the center. Obviously led by Zemeckis. Although he put on the Take Over the World persona... it seems that he fights for the war just to cement his existence as a Blood Knight.

Brigandine was released in the US shores and gains cult status. The expansion (which gets Esgares playable WITH A STORY, anime cutscene and voice acting, also lots more extra contents) Brigandine: Grand Edition was never released outside of Japan. Definitely Needs More Love.


 * The Ace: Knight Master Dinadan, also 'Mr. Perfect' Asmit of Leonia.
 * An Ice Person: Most female spellcaster, also Vaynard, who came from an icy region and all.
 * Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: Or Arrogant Samurai Guy. Exemplified in Gereint's master Esclados.
 * Ax Crazy: Dryst, Dryst, Dryst.
 * Badass Bookworm: Cai.
 * Black Knight: Cador fits this trope to a tee.
 * Blood Knight: Zemeckis.
 * Bodyguard Crush: Cierra of Caerleon certainly feels this way towards Cai.
 * Boisterous Bruiser: Bagdemagus of Iscalio, maybe Dryst too.
 * Brainwashed and Crazy:
 * Butt Monkey: Ulster of Iscalio.
 * Captain Ersatz: Retroactive. Looking back at Brangien right now, you can't help but be reminded of Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca Landvaldear, a fellow Archer Princess who can get haughty, blonde and voiced by Michiko Neya. Except Brangien came first.
 * Card-Carrying Villain: Bulnoil.
 * Chewing the Scenery: Vaynard is usually cold and aloof, but there is a reason why some people call him 'A man who loves his own voice very much'. See, if you beat him for the first time, he goes on a RANT on how he'll prepare himself for the next one. He drops it if you beat him the second time and further.
 * Chivalrous Pervert: Gilsus of New Almekia.
 * Cool Big Sis: Carlota of New Almekia acts like this to Lance.
 * Crutch Character: Halley looks like a lifesaver for the weak Almekia. However, you need to be careful not to overuse her since she leaves after a year. Also Cador of Esgares is only one level away from maximum level, but eventually leaves.
 * Emotionless Girl: Iria, Dryst's right-hand woman.
 * The Empire: Esgares.
 * Evil Mentor: Esclados of Esgares is this to Gereint.
 * Face Heel Turn: Morholt, if you see New Almekia as the 'hero' country, joins Norgard. And of course, Zemeckis pulls a big one at the beginning of the game.
 * In Grand Edition Multi-player, if you choose the second and third scenario, Carlota is implied to pull one whereas rather than following Lance to Caerleon, she ends up in Norgard.
 * Five-Man Band: Norgard's main 5 (or 6).
 * The Hero: Vaynard
 * The Lancer: Guinglain
 * The Big Guy: Palomides
 * The Smart Guy: Yvain
 * The Chick: Brangien
 * The Sixth Ranger: Morholt
 * For the Evulz: Bulnoil really has no discernible reason to summon Ouroboros other than HE'S EVIL.
 * Four Is Death: The Four Almekian generals: Esclados, Gish, Shred and Cador.
 * Gameplay and Story Segregation: Noie is inflicted with fatal sickness, but she won't die EVER until you finished the game as Norgard (or being in the 3rd scenario for Multi-player, where she'd be nonexistent from get-go).
 * Genki Girl: Merriot.
 * Ill Girl, Incurable Cough of Death: Noie of Norgard.
 * Lady of War: Most Lancer girls, but Halley is a prime example.
 * The Lancer: Kiloph, Lyonesse's Victorious Childhood Friend.
 * Let's Get Dangerous: Dryst upon promotion to Super Tyrant.
 * Loads and Loads of Characters: Five countries, each about nearly twenty characters with their own history and personality quirks. Not to mention Quest Knights.
 * Magikarp Power: Lance may be a Level 1 Prince, but when he becomes Level 30 King, he's one of the most powerful units in the game. In regards, this can also apply with low-level Rune Knights with high Rune Power (200+). Also Ghouls look REALLY WEAK, but it levels up easy and can be upgraded into Vampire Lord.
 * Man Behind the Man: Bulnoil.
 * Mask Power: Cador.
 * Morality Pet: Esmeree, Vaynard's sister, for Zemeckis.
 * Ninja: Shiraha and Kazan.
 * Not Blood Siblings:.
 * Pet the Dog: Zemeckis treatment to Esmeree. Also, Vaynard does what an aloof pragmatic ruler does with war, but he held a soft spot on Noie and lamented on her death, thinking he didn't unify Forsena faster.
 * Rebellious Princess: Merriot, and Brangien. The latter's very bitter on the apparent rule of...
 * Stay in the Kitchen: Apparently this is why Vaynard succeeds the throne of Norgard, not Brangien.
 * Red Baron: 'Mad Monarch' for Dryst, 'White Wolf of Norgard' for Vaynard, also 'Silent Wise King' for Cai.
 * Red Oni, Blue Oni: The friendship between Palomides (Red Oni) and Yvain (Blue Oni).
 * Samurai: Most classes.
 * Sealed Evil in a Can: The Snake of Chaos Ouroboros.
 * Sibling Yin-Yang: The Belferes twins Mira and Millet.
 * Sinister Scythe: Dryst.
 * Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism: Mostly averted with who you control in Story Mode, but the game seems to treat New Almekia as the eventual victor what with the extended endings in Grand Edition. In Multi-player Mode, however, it goes for Cynicism mostly, as in the second scenario, both New Almekia and Leonia start out beaten (by Esgares and Norgard respectively), leaving only Caerleon as the 'good' country.
 * Small Name, Big Ego: Langueborg of Leonia. Oh God, Langueborg.
 * Smug Snake: Camden of Iscalio, subverted that despite being a brown-nosing guy, he's actually COMPETENT enough when time calls.
 * Technical Pacifist: Lyonesse.
 * The Three Faces of Eve: Almekia's three beauties: Adilicia as Seductress, Aphelia as Mother, Carlota as Child.
 * Throw the Book At Them: How the Silent Wise King managed to have a weaker physical attack than the White Magician Girl.
 * Took a Level in Badass: Promote Lance into King and see for yourself.
 * Tsundere: Brangien.
 * Meleagant of New Almekia is a male example. He's not very welcoming and accepting to Lance, until you conquer 20 castles and he mellows down.
 * Two Guys and a Girl: Caerleon's Wild Knights (Eloute-Gush-Lecarra), and the Rand family team (Miguel-Castor-Liguel).
 * White-Haired Pretty Boy: Vaynard.
 * The White Prince: Lance.
 * Wise Beyond Their Years: Elaine of Norgard. Girl's only Level 1 Enchantress and one of the most novice and youngest Norgard knights, but managed to sucker her father Roadbull into more accepting with Vaynard's policies.
 * With Us or Against Us: Vaynard pulls this off to Lyonesse. She chose the latter.
 * You Killed My Father: Both Lance and Brangien get to say this to Zemeckis.
 * You Killed My Father: Both Lance and Brangien get to say this to Zemeckis.