History YMMV / BattleRealms

* GoodBadBugs: A bug in the original release allowed the player to destroy enemy buildings with the Demolish command, which was only supposed to work on the player's buildings. It was fixed in the expansion.

** [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil Provincial Lord Budo]] has garnered the reputation among the bandit-filled and bloodthirsty Serpent Clan as one of [[TheDreaded the most evil figures in the group]]. Always having the highest harvest among the provincial lord, Budo's methods were so inhumane that [[EvenEvilHasStandards even the leaders of the Serpent Clan]] find him despicable. Using his henchmen and his {{whip|ItGood}} to keep his slaves in check, he doesn't hesitate to execute anyone for the smallest mistake, such as not having enough rice for the quota, or even wiping sweat of their brow. Due to his fearful tactics, Budo was put in charge of the mining industry, where he [[BadBoss treated all of his workers like animals]]. His actions were so bad that they drove Grayback to form a rebellion and create the Wolf Clan in order to free his people. Even when recruited back to the Serpent Clan by Kenji in the campaign, Budo only does it for women and the fame.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Inexplicably or surprisingly quite popular in the UsefulNotes/{{Philippines}}. Following the profileration of PC network gaming shops in the early 2000s, it arose as an alternative to ''Warcraft III'' and ''Red Alert 2'' through sheer word of mouth (considering that unlike the others, which were part of popular game franchises, it was an original title). The Asian-inspired setting surely added to playerbase appeal, besides the novelty of it compared to its peers, since the Philippines is a Southeast Asian country.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Inexplicably quite popular in the Philippines.

* HilariousInHindsight: A plot about the heir to a powerful family which protected a mystical stone, journeys across a world based on a Asian culture, gathering allies and facing off against a rival faction for the fate of the land, after the return of a malevolent dark entity which has caused a continent-wide disaster, preceded WesternAnimation/RayaAndTheLastDragon by two decades. Furthering the coincidence, both protagonists wear bamboo hats, as well as meet dragons, at some point in their stories.

* HilariousInHindsight: A plot about the heir to a powerful family that protects a mystical stone, journeys across a world based on a Asian culture, gathering allies and facing off against a rival faction for the fate of the land, after the return of a malevolent dark entity which has caused a continent-wide disaster, preceded WesternAnimation/RayaAndTheLastDragon by two decades. Furthering the coincidence, both protagonists wear bamboo hats, as well as meet dragons, at some point in their stories.

** The Geisha certainly counts. In the early 1600s, geisha were mostly known in Japanese culture as prostitutes. This, combined with the Art of the "Massage" technique you can research, suggests that the geisha are having sex with your soldiers mid-battle. That isn't the squick part. The squick part is that [[spoiler:you can [[BestialityIsDepraved heal wolves and horses this way]], too.]]

*** The Staff Adept's Dark Canopy allows them and others to be unaffected by any missiles, but the Game-Breaking aspect of this Battle Gear is that most types of non-physical damage iare also nullified by this ability, and it can be learned as soon as you get a Lotus Brother, making an army supported by Adepts a force to be reckoned with.

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmuFkZgUBrc The Dragon theme, for starters]].

* BreatherLevel: For the non-Wolf campaigns, the second level after the First Battle of Serpentholm.
** Serpent Campaign: acquiring the Necromancer. The only things to fight are his Spirit Warriors and Zombies coming down from his throne, which can be rushed past anyway. Having Shinja ascend up the hill is all that's necessary. Plus, you have a few units to help out.
** Dragon Campaign: The Dragon's Spire level, to a lesser extent. While Kenji does have a few units with him, he has to off a couple of hostile Dragon units AND survive boulders getting rolled down the path up to the Dragon himself.

** Dragon Clan

*** The Samurai's passive ability, Seppuku, is pretty devastating. The catch? You will become wary of them quickly when they come ''en masse'' and devastate your army with their passive ability. The only way to prevent any damage from their passive ability is to use the Staff Adept's Dark Canopy.
*** Otomo's passive ability is Battle Leader. As long as he is attacking enemies, allied units will be filled with stamina, allowing them to use Battle Gear. It can be ''synergized'' with Issyl's Battle Gear, Haste, to make him become a nigh-endless stamina filler! Also works with the three brother from Lotus Clan.
** Serpent Clan
*** The Swordsman's Mugging is a pain in the ass. It ''permanently erases'' any enemy Battle Gear and also has an AOE effect. It is '''more painful''' against Wolf units with Shale Armor or Lotus units. [[spoiler:It doesn't works on Zen Master, though.]] The drawback is you must command your swordsman, use its Battle Gear, and attack any enemy in order to activate it.

** Don't forget the unlimited Yin cheat.

* {{Squick}}: The entire second tier of Lotus units.
** To wit, they are the Diseased One, who has knowingly infected himself with plague and coughs it onto enemies with the help of a respirator, the Unclean One, whose body produces toxic mucus that he flings with a lacrosse stick, and the Infested One, who attacks by throwing fistfuls of maggots that he pulls from his bloated, rotting body.
** The Geisha certainly counts. In the early 1600s, geisha were mostly known in japanese culture as prostitutes. This, combined with the Art of the "Massage" technique you can research, suggests that the geisha are having sex with your soldiers mid-battle. That isn't the squick part. The squick part is that [[spoiler:you can [[BestialityIsDepraved heal wolves and horses this way]], too.]]

** To be fair, it's quite easy to set up a base at the central rice field and peasants gathering water from the river can be easily defended. Plus, The Lotus and Wolf clans are also against each other.
*** That said, positioning oneself in the middle carries extreme risk from being surrounded by both enemy clans who, depending on the circumstance, may decide to launch an attack immediately after you've fended off the other and leaving you no chance to brace for the assault.

** At least Serpentholm allows you to construct a base, the [[BaselessMission defense of The Swan's Pool]], on the other hand...
* TropeCodifier: Battle Realms is critically acclaimed (but poorly purchased) games. Even it isn't popular, but due to its complexity and variety of units, making this game Main/RealTimeStrategy co-codifier with ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}''.

* TropeCodifier: Battle Realms is critically acclaimed (but poorly purchased) games. Even it isn't popular, but due to its complexibility and variety of units, making this game Main/RealTimeStrategy co-codifier with ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}''.

* TropeCodifier: Battle Realms is critically acclaimed (but poorly purchased) games. Even it isn't popular, but due to its complexibility and variety of units, making this game Main/RealTimeStrategy co-codifier with {{VideoGame/Warcraft}}.

* TropeCodifier: Battle Realms is critically acclaimed (but poorly purchased) games. Even it isn't popular, but due to its complexibility and variety of units, making this game RTS co-codifier with {{VideoGame/Warcraft}}.

* TropeCodifier: Battle Realms is critically acclaimed (but poorly purchased) games. Even it isn't popular, but due to its complexibility and variety of units, making this game co-codifier with {{VideoGame/Warcraft}}.

* TropeCodifier: Battle Realms is critically acclaimed (but poorly purchased) games. Even it isn't popular, but due to its complexibility and variety of units, making this game co-codifier with VideoGame/Warcraft.

** At least Serpentholm allows you to construct a base, the [[BaselessMission defense of The Swan's Pool]], on the other hand...

** The second Serpentholm stage is even more notable for being frustratingly NintendoHard. For starters, your starting place in inconveniently placed between flanks of 2 enemy bases on both sides, and the water source is far from your base. As you fend off the oncoming enemies, chances are you are still recovering your troops when the other clan's allied troops come charging in to raze your camp.

* NeedsMoreLove: Outshadowed to obscurity by its popular rival {{Warcraft}} 3 in its time.
* ReplacementScrappy: Kazan,[[spoiler:When Otomo is killed in the Dragon route.]]

** The Geisha certainly counts. In the early 1600s, geisha were mostly known in japanese culture as prostitutes. This, combined with the Art of the "Massage" technique you can research, suggests that the geisha are having sex with your soldiers mid-battle. That isn't the squick part. The squick part is that [?] you can [[BestialityIsDepraved heal wolves and horses this way]], too.[/?]