Whichever game mode you’re playing, there are two main elements you’ll need to get to grips with in order to claim victory. Units and Spells govern all the offensive actions available to a faction – which means you’d better learn how to use them before your enemy makes it to your side of the map!

Units
Every army needs troops and weapons, and in Swords & Soldiers you’ll have to use yours wisely to avoid defeat. Of course, running a military campaign isn’t free, so to get started you first need to raise funds. You’ll be granted a money-spinning unit to get the gold flowing, but will have to create more to fund an army of any worth. Once there’s cash to splash, simply pointing at the icon for the type of unit you want to create and pressing the A Button on the Wii Remote will bring them into being.

Weaker units will be readily available and quick to create, but out on the frontline their life-force will soon be drained away. In certain Campaign levels or game modes, more powerful soldiers and weapons will also be at your disposal, but will naturally come at a higher price. Whatever shape your army takes, assessing the task that lies ahead and choosing the right unit at the right moment will be key in claiming victory.

Spells
If units represent your earthly power, spells are a gift from above that can turn the tide of battle and devastate invading forces. As with units, spells come at a cost. But in this case, you’ll have to spend automatically generated mana to add them to your arsenal. Spells can be offensive or defensive, which means you might point the Wii Remote at one of your own units and press the A Button to equip them with a shield, or direct your wrath on your enemies – perhaps sending a barrage of flaming arrows their way, or ripping the clouds open with a bolt of well-aimed lightning.

Ensuring that you use your spells at the right moment to protect your forces or slay your foes is the only way you’ll make it through the many challenges that lie before you on the battlefield.