This game isn't what I expected. I was thinking something more along the lines of Final Fantasy Tactics. There are similarities, but the battles are much more passive.
I see what you mean, but I'm not sure I completely agree. It's true that you don't command individual units in battle, like you would in the more common SRPGs, but that's only because you're channeling all your time and attention elsewhere. Where games like Tactics Ogre have you putting most of your time into individual units' tactics (...), with only a bit of time spent in pre-battle preparation (i.e. equipment and class), this game asks that you put that same amount of time into arranging, equipping, and moving your units, with only a little time getting devoted to the battle itself. This doesn't mean OB is more passive about combat, just that it reverses where the player has input on the outcome. If it helps, think of games like Tactics Ogre as making you a military sargeant (sic), who can do a lot of micromanagement over his troops, while games like Ogre Battle treat you like a general, where preparing and moving your units is your duty, but the individual combat is left to subordinates.
I've been trying to recruit hawkmen. I have one so far. I'll get Sheen later. I'm quite alright with having an eleventh unit that's just flying. They're very useful later in the game when you need to get behind legions.
Ah
Sheen. I nearly missed him this playthrough (my Chaos Frame was a smidge too high), but after restarting and letting the enemy take a few of my cities he showed up and did his usual perv act.
I also got
Ankiseth, i.e. the best character in the game hands down. In terms of badass-oscity (...) he's basically like Orlandu was in Final Fantasy Tactics. Although because there's fifty of you fighting instead of just five, he doesn't completely unbalance the game like Orlandu did.
It's funny, after that one battle with the cockatrices I've resumed my dominance over the enemy. And I finished Chapter 2 with out issue. Then all of a sudden I have legions. No introduction or anything, the option is just there. The info in game didn't really help me understand how to use them so I went to gamefaqs. It sounds like they're basically worthless?
Yup, they suck. They make your units completely inflexible, and the core unit has to have soldiers in it. On the flipside, enemy legions are awesome: because they're in a compact space, you can just go Wrecking Ball on them and enjoy the resulting carnage. Even better, if you don't kill off the leaders, defeated enemies return to formation at super-speed, so you save a ton of time that's usually wasted on hunting them down. Best of all, they won't retreat, no matter how wounded, until the legion leader does. Convenient!