Contrary to previous posters, consider minigun-sentry-missile to be the optimal build. You can get 25 total sentries in the open, which is more than enough to put an effective wall around your base. Only the ultralisks and the flies can really break through - and both die to missiles quickly. I had the gall to spend the last 6-7 waves largerly repairing the spaceship, with only switching to missile for a few moments to kill the abovementioned critters.
The hard badge, "No Challenge" Badge, is ACTUALLY not-a-challenge on normal difficulty. Here's how it works - if you are using the buzzsaw (Big Kaiser), and have upgraded Dash to the max, the two middle columns are useful landmarks to position the Hero in such a way he can reach the standing positions of Agent Smiths with Big Kaiser. By shooting 3 times at one Smith position, dashing (no normal movement) to the other shooting position, then shooting 3 times at the other Smith position, you keep a minefield that works well at killing them with low effort on your part. "But there's like a hundred of them, and they're shooting at me." True enough - however if you're doing it right after LVL 25, then you have 30 levelups to replenish your health and focus. I won the battle with little effort, with LVL 52 at the end. I had health packs, fast reload and laser sight.
The 3000m run depends on a few things - a full team, a fully upgraded team (HP for them is invaluable), most other upgrades, AND a bit of luck. Enemy formations differ from run to run, you CAN run into repeated full-aerial-bombardment/car-formation situation, OR you can grind relatively simple tank-pillbox formations.
I can definitely say 3rd game was easier for me to win. And more fun. Though... Won with a pure (no books found) fire mage because lucked out and got the core after passing through the sewers.
As a mage player, I REALLY don't see why everyone is complaining about lack of food. I've literally used food in the last level as quick recovery packs, having 4 or so in inventory. Won on 5th try as a Storm Mage, he and Enchanter seem really good at crowd control, which is a must. As is Evasive talent.
I honestly don't know. In all the months we were alpha testing the game I don't think food ever came up as an issue. I know for myself I pretty much never run out and like yourself, am often using it as an emergency healing item. I'm actually very curious to see someone play that is having issues with food, since I really can't figure out what they are doing that would make it so bad.
WindowsGamer, that is a diskette. Usually it has percentage of game loading below. If nothing happens for a long time, try Ctrl+F5, or just change the browser you're playing in
Fire Column is the most OP spell I've seen for the purposes of precision bombardment. Once you figure out how to target specifically the enemy cities, and you have sufficient mana generation, it makes Fire Column utterly devastating for enemy logistics, preventing them from getting any reinforcements from the cities behind the frontline.
First mission - tutorial. Second Mission - The Apprentice... Who got stuck on the edge of the map with my team of 3 mages and an apprentice. Gratuitous abuse ensued!
Despite complaints about Pro, it took me only 36 minutes to do. The first thing is to smoothen the angles, the second is to rotate - and minor mistakes will self-fix if it's close enough.
I think this will help GREATLY for getting the HARD BADGE. In the Bonus #7 area, the exit is in the topmost corner - it's a door on a small "cubicle" just below the nerd zone. Use it, and you get your bonus level completion.
Insane Challenge 25 turns victory (with save scumming) is a go! This allowed me to know how the enemy will move, and place my armies accordingly. Also, a decisive use of two discard cards allowed me to trap and destroy two biggest enemy armies at the same turn. Tip - go through NW Africa and into Svalbard N, then go Africa S. This will usually put you in position to pillage the enemy's undefended territories and secure your victory. I lucked out in that the same enemy was distracted taking over Canada N, so didn't resist. I didn't luck out in that I mostly played tag with the weakest enemy (12 armies/turn) instead of decisively killing them, so they turned out to be the last enemy to die, in Indonesia S. And another protip - it's better to have a territory that borders A LOT of enemy territories, and gets mostly wiped out each turn. They will be deploying and sending their armies piecemeal and you can keep stalling them there... Totally unlike real life, see encirclement in warfare. :)
Protip: Buzzsaws, the first spell, is a lifesaver against 2nd and 3rd bosses. The only things it doesn't get are, in order of appearance, 1st boss who is too far, and 3rd bosses' phase of multiple stones.
Frankly, I dislike Crush the Castle specifically, because it uses a hard-to-target trebuchet instead of pinpoint targeting. I come to play for casual fun, not for amateur recreation of medieval siege engineer hardship.
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I honestly don't know. In all the months we were alpha testing the game I don't think food ever came up as an issue. I know for myself I pretty much never run out and like yourself, am often using it as an emergency healing item. I'm actually very curious to see someone play that is having issues with food, since I really can't figure out what they are doing that would make it so bad.