Grimlock's Escape Extra Hard Stronghold Guide

Sorry if I didn't get to post this sooner as I was out most of the day. Decided to do this in case anyone missed the previous guide or had trouble finding it (sorry, Rework!).

If this Stronghold looks familiar, its because it is! Basically a copy-paste job of the previous ones:

MAP #1
Rewards = 5,750 Event Points + 20K cyber coins + random SR bot
Recommended Abilities = Target 1, Jammer 2 (Battle #3 only)

• Battle #1 = 2 WFC Bumblebees + SR Starscream + FOC Slug
  Nothing special here... just use Target 1 to take them out one at a time or MS away.
  
• Battle #2 = FOC Slog + Alligator Megatron + SR Scourge + Spinister
  The first of 2 "Decoy Boosted" Teams where they use Decoy in the 2nd or 3rd round causing 25 damage and can kill one of your bots. Use Target 1 and either bring FS bots (Arcee is highly recommended  ) or bring your "Expendables" (bots you can afford to lose). Killing SR Scourge on or before Round 2 seems to prevent decoy from being used.
  
• Battle #3 = Defensor + WFC Megatron + Hot Spot
  Ignore FS and use Target 1 and Jammer 2 until both support bots are dead as they will use Drawfire 2 on Defensor (or whoever has the highest HP).

MAP #2
Rewards = 8,500 Event Points + 50 gold + 1 FOC Slog core
Recommended Abilities = Target 1, Jammer 1 (Battle #3 only)

• Battle #1 = FOC Slog + WFC Bee + Treadshot + Slog
  Again nothing special here... just Target 1 them one at a time. Funny they put both versions of Slog on the same team  
  
• Battle #2 = Alli Megs + WFC Megs + Spinister + G2 Megatron
  MS happy team. Use Target 1 and bring Lord StarScream   (or any bots with team evade). Recommend killing the Napalm bots first to avoid their "damage over time" which adds up.
  
• Battle #3 = WFC Megs + Hot Spot + FOC Slog + Rook
  Goes for high raw attack power and uses Target 1. Counter with Target 1 and Jammer 1.

MAP #3
Rewards = 68K Event Points + random SR bot + 20k cyber coins + 30 power tokens + 30 exclusive cores + 5 FOC Strafe cores + 50 gold
Recommended Abilities = Target 1 or 2, Jammer 1 or 2 (depending on the battle)

• Battle #1 = Slipstream + SR Scourge + Spinister + FOC Strafe
  They can use Target 1 and Jammer 1 so come prepared with Target 2 and Jammer 1.
  
• Battle #2 = FOC Slog + Alli Megs + WFC Megs + Spinister
  The second "Decoy Boosted" Team. Same strategy as Map #1, Battle #2 applies. There doesn't seem to be a specific bot to target here to prevent the decoy from being activated.
  
• Battle #3 = Defensor + Pair of FOC Slogs
  Ignore FS (remember FOC Slog's max FS = 56!) and use Target 1 and Jammer 2 until both support bots are dead as they will use Drawfire - normally on their highest HP bot.
  
• Battle #4 = Bruticus + WFC Megs + FOC Slog
  Nothing special. Kill FOC Slog first using Target 1. Bring Lord SS if you're afraid of their MS attacks.
  
• Battle #5 = Bruticus + Pair of FOC Slogs
  Uses Jammer 1 and sometimes Target 1 on the 2nd round. So ignore FS and use Target 2 and Jammer 1 until both FOC Slogs are dead.
  
• Battle #6 = Defensor + WFC Megs + FOC Slog
  Uses Target 1 so use Target 1 and Jammer 1 until both support bots are dead. This is the last battle so doesn't matter if only 1 of your bots are left. Go for broke!  

Other Observations:

• Like previous Stronghold events, if you lose a bot you can't afford to lose then exit the app and restart. You'll lose the energon and any core drops but you keep your fallen bot, no repair downtime and you can redo the battle  
  
• Like last Stronghold, you can still farm Easy for 1 energon (9 battles total but you receive 2x 5 energon as rewards) + cybercoins (just Quadra Slam your opponent; recommend using the Triple Threats line up of Blitzwing, Springer, Whirl & Astrotrain for extra coins). You can do 4 - 5 Easy runs per hour  
  
• Like last Stronghold, you can also farm Extra Hard for gold!   If you buy 25 energon (costs 125 gold if you buy the 5-energon bundle 5x) and finish Extra Hard (which rewards 100 gold per run) twice (200 gold total), then that's a 75 gold profit (200 reward - 125 energon cost). Finally DeNA did something right!  

Whew! There you go... happy for anyone to add / correct this as needed!

 

A couple things I'd suggest (assuming you're coming over and getting a gold/combiner starter pack):

1. Get started on the Daily Campaigns right away, making sure you get as many of the Lio Convoy cores as you can (at the minimum, do the easy and medium runs if you're able to). Those only show up one day a week, and are the bottleneck. The Alpha, Beta, and Gamma cores carry over from month to month, so if you don't get them this month, you can collect them into the next month and build Lio Convoy then. He'll be a crucial boost to your team in the early going if you can get him.

2. Find and join a league. It may be difficult if you're starting out as many of them have specific rank requirements. However, once you're in, then you'll get resource drops from your teammates which will help you out. Plus the camaraderie (if you're a part of a good league) makes the game much more fun than just going it alone!

3. Avoid the Space Bridge. You can toss a ton of gold into it and not come out with much to show for the trouble. Gold is best spent on Energon drops (either the 5 or 25 packs).

This game isn't perfect either. It can be buggy at times - some folk have had it worse than others. But it can be a fun diversion. Best of luck!  

 

Thanks!

 

As an alternative to using Lord Starscream on Extra Hard Map 2 Battle 2, bots with team armor buff work well. I've breezed through there with WFC Prime, Slug, Spinister and Hotspot.

I'm really hoping they'll add another epic team evade bot soon. Still smarting from not being able to win Lord Starscream three events ago. Wouldn't even have to power creep it, just throw some new artwork and keep the same stats for another bot.

 

This stronghold is indeed very manageable. Our league is top 200 needing more players, msg for details.

 

thx for reposting lol I found it this am... didn't have a chance to repost the walkthrough... it's crazy how much having some fodder bots helps lol as well as having 4 epic.... I've been able to run through eh twice now.. and only lost a brainstorm and vortex both times....

 

What is the last battle for the hard daily campaign today?

 

Four epics probably would help get through EH, just having two seems to not be much help on EH.

And I think my league is just burnt out on playing, understandably. We're down to rank 540ish now and only a couple guys seem to be playing. Thinking this event is basically over for us already and its just day two...uuuugh! Just going to consider strafe my event prize and get my daily done.

 

now got enough cores for two strafes   hoping to get a Slog... just for being able to say I have one lol

anyone have any idea when we sposed to be getting our TFL loyalty stuff??? Could really come in handy!

 

Dinobot contest:

https://m.facebook.com/TransformersBT/posts/514348108731480:0

Doesn't really seem like that great to me, but I guess people are pretty desperate for these dinobots.

 

Its a chance at all 5 of the dinobots... to like their page and list ur gamername... no biggie.. with a chance to win

 

I asked support and they told me the bonus was sent only to TFL players who had not played other DeNA games. Which I do not think is true, but whatever.

 

Anyone have a fair-to-good league in need of a member? I'd really like to snag the FoC Dinobots, but usually only play casually.

 

Thanks so much for this.

 

Just completed my first ever totally sussessful extra hard run! Thanks to that guide and some good luck I only had to force quit once, and only lost three bots over the course of the maps. EH is totally nerve wracking though omg.

Made a successful second EH run, though this time it took about six force closes, still very happy I can do it!

 

Has anyone sent in for the Menasor thing and not recieved their bonus yet? I entered my info last week and I am still waiting. I know it says you would get it by the 24th, I just wanted to see if anyone else is waiting a while.

 

I am still waiting as well. I submitted the email and started playing the same day the news was posted on the front page. I ignored the original email i received but I do qualify from playing TFL before.

 

I played Legends too. So I would think I qualify.

 

Wow, EH 3-3 is totally raping me tonight. Spent 50 gold, all ten cubes used and had to force close ten times on it. Every single time I've gotten the worst rolls you can get and lost one bot right off the bat, this is just terrible.

 

Try changing your strategy. I used to be furious when I played map 3 battle 3, as the one attack that could only kill one guy always. Hit.  

But I realized my options weren't limited to using jam 2 and target 1 every turn, so I started using df2, and now my hardest battles are the decoy ones.