ZHANG FEI / CHOU-HI STRATEGY GUIDE ver 1.3

Basics

Useful Attacks

Tactics Against the AI

• Zhao Yun:
  Learn to recognize the three combos that go high-low-high. ( DF(hold)+T,S,S,T and derivatives). Even if you're hit by the first attacks you won't sustain much damage if you block the low attack in the middle. Failure to do so, however, will allow you to get hit by the overhead hit and final stab, both of which do a lot of damage (as well as throwing you to the ground making you vulnerable to a pouncing!)
  Attack with quadruple spin from far distance; compared to most of Zhao Yun's attacks, this has a far longer reach. If he gets close do shoulder charges repeatedly to knock him over and pounce.
  
  
• Guan Yu:
  This guy is slow but powerful. Don't think of playing long range against this guy, since he has more range than Zhang Fei with all of his attacks; but because he is so slow, he's very vulnerable to shoulder charges. I usually start the match with a shoulder charge; he just doesn't have the speed to counter such an attack.
  Beware of his rage special, however, since it is probably the most powerful attack in the game. It is again possible to do the quadruple spin, but do it from close range!
  Take care so you don't get hit by Guan Yu's combos. It is easy to get a bit careless because he's so slow, but once he begins to hit he can cause lots of damage!
  
  
• Zhang Fei:
  Go middle or short range, use the quadruple spin and the shoulder charge at appropriate ranges. If he tries the ground shaker there are two options (three options if you're close enough): jump or crouch. Good thing about jumping is that you can do a jump attack and hit him to punish him for doing such a move, while crouching is quicker, though it stuns you for a moment. If you're close, simply do a quick attack to interrupt it.
  
  
• Xiahou Dun:
  This guy is EXTREMELY dangerous at medium range! Stay outside of his range and keep doing the quadruple spin. If you get close, again do shoulder charges just like with Zhao Yun. DON'T (and I mean it) stand at medium range. Medium range is Xiahou Dun's specialty. He can hit you with devastating combos as well as surprising low attacks. The best defense against him is staying out of his range!
  
  
• Dian Wei:
  Another guy one has to be careful with. Dian Wei has combos that go high-low-high like Zhao Yun, only they're harder to block. I prefer to just stay out of their range, which not only helps against this combo, but also his low-mid combos and most of his attacks.
  You can keep outside of his range attacking with your long range attacks as usual.
  The only attack one should be careful to block is his double head charge. Always keep on blocking even though it looks like he's just doing one. After the second, punish him with a shoulder charge or something similarly appropriate. Even better is to sidestep immediately after the first head charge. When he runs past you with the head charge (the timing for sidestep here is very easy), just start whatever combo you like.
  
  Warning! Do not fool around with this guy, his rage special is not pleasant to get hit by. Keep your head cool and hit him when he can't hit back. And block when you can.
  
  
• Xu Zhu:
  Xu Zhu is a bit predictable. His stab combos will go high-mid- low or mid-low. Knowing this you can easily block those combos. His swings are a little more tricky, however. Also note that his longest combos have the shortest range. Stay outside of that range and you don't have to worry so much. Not much more to say than that. If you get close to him, show him your nice shoulder charge, otherwise your quadruple spin ought to do the trick.
  
  
• Zhou Yu:
  Now this is a tricky one. At first he seems to be a simple match. His attacks aren't overly powerful, his range is short... But looks are deceiving. His advancing slash is a surprising and powerful move which the AI likes to use to interrupt slower attacks. He recovers incredibly quick too.
  It's dangerous to attack this guy - he has such fast counterattacks. The good thing is he doesn't do much damage, but get hit often enough...
  From his swordstance he can do very unpleasant things. As soon as you see he goes to sword stance, don't waste a moment. Either attack with some really fast attack, or retreat out of range.
  Besides his advancing slash, look out for the hurricane slashes. Stabbing used to be the safest attack in the world until guys like Zhou Yu started to jump OVER the attack to do attacks like this. I can't really give you a good way to defend against this, just pay attention to what you're doing (alright?).
  Zhou Yu also has another irritating habit - he recovers from getting hit to the ground much too quickly. For all other characters you're given a fair chance to pounce, but Zhou Yu? - he usually rolls away. Very irritating. So to punish him, do the ground shaker and laugh as he tries to roll away from that attack!
  
  
• Lu Xun:
  Lu Xun can be dangerous, but only if you let him. He's a short range guy, so keep him at distance with your quadruple spin and take care not to get into his range.
  
  
• Taishi Ci:
  Taishi Ci's attacks are usually easy to block, but if you fail to do so, you'll realize you made a fatal mistake. His combos are ranged from damaging to Guan Yu power.
  Just stay out of his range and don't try any funny stuff and you'll be okay, but get too close or fail to block one of his 100+ damage combos and you're going down.
  
  
• Diao Chan:
  This pretty girl is more dangerous than she appears. She has this incredibly irritating habit to block the quadruple slash and jump over the final stab with a jumping hit.
  Don't rely on the quadruple slash here - it can get you into trouble. Like Zhou Yu she jumps over attacks to hit with her jumping hit.
  Either you stick with the quadruple slash and hope for the best, or you decide that now is the time to try out some other of Zhang Fei's moves. The double over head chop is nice, and the normal S,S,S combo still works. The shoulder charge is still okay, but remember to punce afterwards. She's quick on her legs, but not as fast as Zhou Yu, so you'll get your pounce if you don't mess up.
  If you have problems, try "death from above" - that is, jump attacks/pounces repeatedly!
  
  
• Zhuge Liang:
  This is one mean mother. If you do the quadruple stab he'll probably block it and teleport behind you - not nice. Shoulder charge works like a charm though. Do it repeatedly - hey, it's his fault he doesn't block!
  Against his magic rays, jump over the low attacks and duck under the high attacks. Don't get hit to the ground, he knows very well how to use that advantage to put you down!
  
  
• Cao Cao:
  Cao Cao is poweful and has deceptive strikes. Better stay clear and try to do the quadruple spins from far. Don't get stuck close - this guy is like Zhou Yu, only with a little less speed but a lot more power. It's just fortunate he doesn't have a mid- air hit like Zhou Yu and Diao Chan. Work on this guy carefully and at long range. He will attack you constantly so stay defensive and block him - the alternative is far worse.
  
  
• Lu Bu:
  There is one combo you have to learn to block, and that's the double/triple spin combo. It's simple, really; just duck after the first spin. A little like Zhao Yun, BUT this guy has TWO endings to his combo - either a mid stab or a final low spin; you have to bet on one of them. I usually keep blocking low, because when you get hit by that mid attack, at least you fly away from your opponent; that helps.
  Lu Bu is susceptible to shoulder charges and quadruple spins just like most other characters, but the problem isn't the attacking strategy, but the defensive one. You DON'T want to get hit by the kebab move, since it deals a lot of damage, and his blocking stab is also something you want to avoid if you're interested in winning.
  Fighting Lu Bu is a matter of skill - if you're good enough at blocking you'll win, and if you're not good enough, you'll lose. As simple (difficult) as that. No tricks to help here.