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The Battle Begins

From Fire Emblem Wiki, your source on Fire Emblem information. By fans, for fans.
The Battle Begins

Cm fe09 1.png

Location

Caldea

New units

Titania, Oscar, Boyd

Boss(es)

Zawana

Previous chapter(s)

Mercenaries

Next chapter(s)

Rescue

This is the village of Caldea. The bandits are few, but we mustn’t get careless.
— Titania

The Battle Begins (Japanese: 初陣, First battle) is the first chapter of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. After officially becoming a full-fledged member of the Greil Mercenaries, Ike sets out on his first mission with Titania, Oscar and Boyd. As they rescue the bandit-ravaged Caldea, the more experienced mercenaries teach Ike some of the intricacies of battle and encourage him to rely on them for assistance.

Plot

Main article: The Battle Begins/Script

The chapter begins in the Mercenary Fort, with Ike finally getting out of bed, late on his first day as a real mercenary. Greil and Titania conference about the day’s missions, dividing up the mercenaries to properly take care of each job. Titania takes Oscar, Boyd and Ike with her to inspect Caldea, a town complaining of bandits, while Greil takes Shinon and Gatrie to work the other two jobs of the day. Boyd, for the first time, is ready to depart for their mission early, intent on being an “absolute model of perfection”, and setting the example for Ike.

When the party of four arrives in Caldea, Titania explains to Ike what the symbols on the map mean, and the importance of the Weapon Triangle in combat. She also encourages Ike to speak to the villagers, using the Visit option. She tells the party that their main mission is to remove Zawana from guarding the main building of the town.

At the end of the first Player Phase, Zawana gives his comrades a motivating speech, telling them to kill the mercenaries, or else they'll be pursued by sellswords until the ends of their days. One particular bandit takes it upon himself to burn down one of Caldea’s buildings, encouraging the rest to do the same.

Whoever visits the Southeast house will speak to a man who tells the visitor that Caldea is a town of farmers, not fighters. He will give the visitor a Steel Sword. Whoever visits the Northwest house will be greeted by a young woman who complains that the villagers haven't been able to sleep since the bandits moved in. She gives the visitor a Seraph Robe, asking the visitor to rid their village of the Bandit's tyranny.

The party regroups at the end of the battle, checking in on each other and making sure everyone made it safely through the battle. They each commend Ike for a job well done during his first mission, and then head back to the mercenary fort in hopes of a good meal cooked by Mist.

Chapter data

Easy Normal Difficult Maniac

Chapter Data
Conditions
Unit Data
Victory: Seize Player Partner Other Enemy
Defeat: Ike dies 4 {{{partner}}} {{{other}}} 7
Cm fe09 1.png
Map dimensions:
12 columns by 16 rows
Bonus EXP
Requirement Easy Normal/Difficult Maniac
Clear the chapter in 4 turns or less
(-penalty per # of turns after)
300 (-15) 200 (-10) 100 (-5)

Character data

Characters
New units
Titania
Medium portrait titania fe09.png
Paladin
HP
33
Inventory
Steel Axe
Iron Axe
Vulnerary
Level
1
Automatically from the start
Oscar
Medium portrait oscar fe09.png
Lance Knight
HP
26
Inventory
Iron Lance
Vulnerary
Paladin Band*
Level
3
Automatically from the start
Boyd
Medium portrait boyd fe09.png
Fighter
HP
30
Inventory
Iron Axe
Vulnerary
Fighter Band*
Level
2
Automatically from the start
Required characters
Ike ​
Available characters
None

Item data

Items
Name Obtainment Method
Is gcn iron sword.png Iron Sword Automatically in Ike's inventory (replaces the Trainer)
Is gcn iron sword.png Iron Sword Automatically in Ike's inventory if the Visit tutorial is skipped
Is gcn iron sword.png Iron Sword Automatically in Ike's inventory if the Visit tutorial is skipped
Is gcn iron sword.png Iron Sword Automatically in Ike's inventory if the Visit tutorial is skipped
Is gcn iron sword.png Iron Sword Dropped by enemy Myrmidon
Is gcn iron axe.png Iron Axe Dropped by Zawana
Is gcn steel sword.png Steel Sword Visit southeastern village
Is gcn seraph robe.png Seraph Robe Visit northwestern village

Enemy data

Stats with two figures separated by a ~ are presented as a range, representing stats that vary due to random growths. The figures to the left and right of the ~ are the stat's minimum and maximum possible values respectively.

Easy Normal Difficult Maniac

Enemy Units
Name Class Lv # HP Str Mag Skill Spd Lck Prf Def Res Cha Lck Con Mov Inventory and Skills
Small portrait zawana fe09.png Zawana Bandit 5 1 29 6 0 5 6 0 5 0 5 Iron AxeThis item is dropped upon this unit's defeat.
Does not move; stands on an objective, the chapter's seize point.
Small portrait bandits 01 fe09.png Bandit Myrmidon 2 1 18 5~6 0 6 6 0 4 0 6 Iron Sword
--
Small portrait bandits 01 fe09.png Bandit Fighter 1 2 24 4 0 3 3 0 4 0 6 Iron Axe
Immediately begins moving unprovoked.
Small portrait bandits 01 fe09.png Bandit Myrmidon 2 1 18 5~6 0 6 6 0 4 0 6 Iron SwordThis item is dropped upon this unit's defeat.
--
Small portrait bandits 01 fe09.png Bandit Bandit 1 1 25 5 0 2 4 0 2 0 5 Iron Axe
• Prioritizes destroying villages.
• Destroys the northeastern village in a scripted event on turn 1.
Small portrait bandits 01 fe09.png Bandit Bandit 2 1 26 5 0 2 4~5 0 3 0 5 Iron Axe
Prioritizes destroying villages.

Boss data

Main article: Zawana
Medium portrait zawana fe09.png
Bandit
Level 5
Attribute Is gcn earthaffin.png
Build 10
Stats
Max HP 29 Speed 6
Strength 6 Luck 0
Magic 0 Defense 5
Skill 5 Resistance 0
Movement 5 Weight 11
Inventory Skills
Iron AxeThis item is dropped upon this unit's defeat. --
Weapon Levels
Swords -- Lances -- Axes D Bows --
Fire magic -- Thunder magic -- Wind magic -- Staves --

Strategy

This section details unofficial strategies that may help with completion of the chapter. This may not work for everybody.

This level serves as the first real test for any new player. Only four units are available to command, none of whom are healers. As such, they will have to make careful use of vulneraries when they get hurt, or otherwise avoid getting hit. On most difficulties, the Paladin, Titania, is effectively invincible in this chapter, due to her relatively high HP and defense. As such, the level could be cleared effortlessly by just having her mow through the bandits by herself. However, doing that robs the other fighters of valuable experience that they could gain here, especially Ike and Boyd.

There are two houses that can be visited in this chapter, one near the starting point, and one to the far left. Technically there is a third visitable house, but it is destroyed before the mercenaries have anything to say about it. The other houses can also be destroyed if a Bandit visits them, but they can be easily saved. The first house, near the start, gives whoever visits a Steel Sword. The second house to the left offers a Seraph Robe, which will permanently increase the HP of whoever uses it by 7 points (but will not heal them unless it's done at Base Camp). It is advisable to give this robe to Ike, since he will arguably make the most use of its bonus.

The boss Bandit, Zawana, holds position at the upper middle, guarding the seize square. He must be defeated in order for Ike to take control of that area and complete the level. Your other units may be able to handle Zawana at this stage, but Titania is capable of bringing him down in one match, and earning a fair amount of experience in the process.

Playing on Difficult Mode adds three more enemies to the battlefield, including another Bandit, who could threaten the house to the left. Apart from dealing with them, the strategy is the same as it would be otherwise.

Maniac Mode adds further enemies, and all but the boss have higher stats. One reliable strategy is to have Boyd blockade the two southern units, Titania attack the bandit within her range, Ike attack the nearby fighter, and Oscar visit the house before repositioning left of Ike. On subsequent turns, Titania can save the western house, Boyd can finish the southern enemies, and the army can push towards the boss relatively easily.

Bonus experience can be earned in this chapter, based on how quickly the level is completed. However, this experience is not spendable until Chapter 8.

Trivia

  • As Ike leaves the mercenary fort on the way to Caldea, Rolf can be seen talking to Mist in the courtyard and Shinon and Gatrie can be seen standing guard at the doors to the fort.
  • In the NTSC-U version of Path of Radiance, a glitch exists where, if the player does not view the "Visit" tutorial, Ike's starting inventory contains four Iron Swords instead of only one. This was fixed in the PAL version.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language Name Definition, etymology, and notes
English

The Battle Begins

--

Japanese

初陣

First battle

Spanish

Comienza la batalla

The battle begins

French

Premières armes

First arms

German

Die 1. Schlacht

The 1st Battle

Italian

Prima battaglia

First Battle

Gallery

← Mercenaries • The Battle Begins • Rescue →
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Playable characters AstridBastianBoydBromCalillDevdanElinciaEnaGatrieGiffcaGeoffreyHaarIkeIlyanaJanaffJillKieranLargoLetheLuciaMakalovMarciaMiaMistMordecaiMuarimNaesalaNasirNepheneeOscarRanulfReysonRhysRolfShinonSorenSotheStefanTanithTauroneoTibarnTitaniaTormodUlkiVolkeZihark
Trial Map characters AshnardBryceOliverPetrineShiharam
Non-playable characters AimeeCaineghisDanielDeghinseaGarethGreilHetzelIzukaJorgeKurthnagaLeanneLekainLotzMustonNealuchiRajaionSanakiSephiranSigrunZelgius
Bosses AshnardBalmerBertramBlack KnightBoydBryceDakovaDanomillEmilEnaGashilamaGreilGromellHafeddHavettiHeddwynHomasaIkanauKamuraKasataiKayacheyKimaarsiKotaffMackoyaMaijinMuarimNaesalaNedataNorrisOliverPetrineRikardSchaefferSeekerShiharamTomenamiZawana
Background characters AltinaAsheraElenaLilliaLoraziehRamonRenning
Regalia and personal weapons AlonditeAmitiAshera StaffDouble BowGurgurantRagnellRegal SwordRexauraRexboltRexcaliburRexflameRolf's BowUrvanVague KattiWishblade
Chapters P: Mercenaries • 1: The Battle Begins • 2: Rescue • 3: Pirates Aground • 4: Roadside Battle • 5: Flight! • 6: A Brief Diversion • 7: Shades of Evil • 8: Despair and Hope • 9: Gallia • 10: Prisoner Release • 11: Blood Runs Red • 12: A Strange Land • 13: A Guiding Wind • 14: Training • 15: The Feral Frontier • 16: The Atonement • 17: Day Breaks (stage 1stage 2stage 3stage 4) • 18: Crimea Marches • 19: Entrusted • 20: Defending Talrega • 21: Without a King • 22: Solo • 23: The Great Bridge • 24: Battle Reunion • 25: Strange Lands • 26: Clash! • 27: Moment of Fate (stage 1stage 2) • 28: Twisted TowerE: Repatriation
Trial Maps Hillside BattleLonely IsleStrange TurnDesperationEscapeTrapped
Locations TelliusBegnion (SienneTower of Guidance) • CrimeaDaein (NevassaTalrega) • GalliaGoldoaGrann DesertGritnea TowerKilvasPhoenicisSerenes Forest
Groups, objects and events Ancient languageGreat FloodGreil MercenariesLehran's MedallionMad King's War • Races (BeorcBrandedLaguz) • Serenes MassacreWarp Powder
Lists Base conversationsChaptersCharactersClasses (Class change) • Hidden treasureItemsScriptsSkillsSupportsWeapons
Related topics Data transferList of version differences (Name chart) • Other games (Radiant Dawn) • Pre-release information (Unused content) • Sound RoomTimeline