I've played many other Fire Emblem titles, but I've never gotten my ass kicked so consistently (even on hard difficulties) as I do in this game.

I feel like my units have abysmal HP and that enemies can easily overwhelm them. With only one healer, I can't attend to everyone well enough (even with vulneraries). It's ridiculously difficult. :( I've beaten about 5 missions so far and the first sidequest opened up. I tried doing the sidequest for 2 hours yesterday; restarted 5 times and i still get destroyed by unlucky percentages and crits.

This game owns me. =/

Thought about maybe trying some of the Skirmishes? Pairing up is also a good tactic I'm told.

Are crits a problem? I think I've only got crit-killed once, most my other deaths have been sloppy play - like running into high-speed enemies. Though I did "cheese" early on by leveling the crap outta my main hero, I think he was 9 by the end of the second fight.

Definitely find it hard to use healing though, at least early on. The instant I bring Lissa out, everyone in range will go at her, and if there's more than two people around, it's death. Annoying how even range damage will 2-shot (high speed range = instakill).

I'm mostly struggling trying to level everyone up evenly. Right now my hero/avatar can straight up solo the chapter fights (on ch8 right now), takes a lot longer to level the others.

How often do the random risen appear on the map?

Is there a way to make them appear? You know besides buying the thing for 400 or whatever it is. Something like saving and closing system. Appearing every 12 hours or once a day. Or something to that effect.

Not that 400 is expensive, just wondering if there is a "cheap" way to get them to pop up on map so that I can level up my characters that are lower level between chapters and so on.

Finally, getting FE today!!!!!!

F*** Yeah Mother F***ers!!! LOL, I've been waitin on this game since 1989!

It definitely gives you a run for your money, but some things I've found to be helpful in the early game are the obvious (always regroup your units, since so many maps try to split you up at the start) and the less so (pairing up is an extremely powerful tool. Also, unless necessity or the 20% HP regen skill are in play, ALWAYS keep a second unit right next to whoever is fighting. The bonuses stack up nicely, and the twin attacks/protection are devastating).

Also, when you get to the third side-mission, either make sure your pegasi units can go solo for 2-3 turns, or don't count on all the villagers surviving. Those suicidal idiots made an otherwise easy map into a minor nightmare...although the reward was nice!

Finally got the game, man I don't know if it is because I'm starting off on Hard difficulty or my skills have declined but I am finding difficulty with some of the challenge maps that pop up.

You'd better like it now!

lol, im getting it in about 2½hours!!! Cant wait!

I got the game now