diff --git a/data/campaigns/Northern_Rebirth/scenarios/13a_Showdown.cfg b/data/campaigns/Northern_Rebirth/scenarios/13a_Showdown.cfg
index 22a85f5b396b..da98f56ac44d 100644
--- a/data/campaigns/Northern_Rebirth/scenarios/13a_Showdown.cfg
+++ b/data/campaigns/Northern_Rebirth/scenarios/13a_Showdown.cfg
@@ -386,10 +386,6 @@
         # Check if Krash is alive, if yes place him at helm of side 7,
         # otherwise it's taken over by older lich.
         {RECALL_KRASH 7}
-        [store_starting_location]
-            side=7
-            variable=side_seven_starts_at
-        [/store_starting_location]
         [if]
             [not]
                 [have_unit]
@@ -397,20 +393,13 @@
                 [/have_unit]
             [/not]
             [then]
-                [store_unit]
-                    [filter]
-                        id="Ro'Arthian"
-                    [/filter]
-                    variable=place_lich_at
-                    kill=yes
-                [/store_unit]
-                {VARIABLE place_lich_at.side 7}
-                {VARIABLE place_lich_at.canrecruit yes}
-                [unstore_unit]
-                    variable=place_lich_at
-                    x,y=$side_seven_starts_at.x,$side_seven_starts_at.y
-                [/unstore_unit]
-                {UNMAKE_HERO "Ro'Arthian"}
+                {MAKE_LOYAL_LEADER "Ro'Arthian"}
+                {MODIFY_UNIT id="Ro'Arthian" side 7}
+                [recall]
+                    id="Ro'Arthian"
+                    location_id=7
+                    show=no
+                [/recall]
                 [kill]
                     side=7
                     race=drake
@@ -444,33 +433,18 @@
             defeat_condition=no_leader_left
         [/modify_side]
 
-        # Hide unit for spectacular entrance
-        [hide_unit]
-            x=$side_seven_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_seven_starts_at.y
-        [/hide_unit]
-
         # Check if Eryssa is alive. If yes place her at the helm of side 9;
         # Alternatively, let Sisal take her place, and if that's not possible
         # either, younger lich assumes command and elves are scrubbed from
         # the side’s recall list.
-        [store_starting_location]
-            side=9
-            variable=side_nine_starts_at
-        [/store_starting_location]
         [if]
             [have_unit]
                 id=Eryssa
                 search_recall_list=yes
             [/have_unit]
             [then]
-                [modify_unit]
-                    [filter]
-                        id=Eryssa
-                    [/filter]
-                    side=9
-                    canrecruit=yes
-                [/modify_unit]
+                {MAKE_LOYAL_LEADER Eryssa}
+                {MODIFY_UNIT id=Eryssa side 9}
                 [recall]
                     id=Eryssa
                     location_id=9
@@ -487,13 +461,8 @@
                     search_recall_list=yes
                 [/have_unit]
                 [then]
-                    [modify_unit]
-                        [filter]
-                            id=Sisal
-                        [/filter]
-                        side=9
-                        canrecruit=yes
-                    [/modify_unit]
+                    {MAKE_LOYAL_LEADER Sisal}
+                    {MODIFY_UNIT id=Sisal side 9}
                     [recall]
                         id=Sisal
                         location_id=9
@@ -506,20 +475,13 @@
                 [/then]
             [/elseif]
             [else]
-                [store_unit]
-                    [filter]
-                        id="Ro'Sothian"
-                    [/filter]
-                    variable=place_second_lich_at
-                    kill=yes
-                [/store_unit]
-                {VARIABLE place_second_lich_at.side 9}
-                {VARIABLE place_second_lich_at.canrecruit yes}
-                [unstore_unit]
-                    variable=place_second_lich_at
-                    x,y=$side_nine_starts_at.x,$side_nine_starts_at.y
-                [/unstore_unit]
-                {UNMAKE_HERO "Ro'Sothian"}
+                {MAKE_LOYAL_LEADER "Ro'Sothian"}
+                {MODIFY_UNIT id="Ro'Sothian" side 9}
+                [recall]
+                    id="Ro'Sothian"
+                    location_id=9
+                    show=no
+                [/recall]
                 [kill]
                     side=9
                     race=elf
@@ -552,26 +514,11 @@
             defeat_condition=no_leader_left
         [/modify_side]
 
-        # Hide leader of side 9, Hamel and Tallin for great entrance
+        # Hide leaders of side 7,9, Hamel and Tallin for great entrance
         [hide_unit]
-            x=$side_nine_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_nine_starts_at.y
-        [/hide_unit]
-        [store_starting_location]
-            side=1
-            variable=side_one_starts_at
-        [/store_starting_location]
-        [hide_unit]
-            x=$side_one_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_one_starts_at.y
-        [/hide_unit]
-        [store_starting_location]
-            side=8
-            variable=side_eight_starts_at
-        [/store_starting_location]
-        [hide_unit]
-            x=$side_eight_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_eight_starts_at.y
+            [filter_location]
+                location_id=1,7,8,9
+            [/filter_location]
         [/hide_unit]
 
         # Place bad guys
@@ -732,10 +679,17 @@
                 {CLEAR_VARIABLE ro_arthian_store}
             [/else]
         [/if]
-        {MODIFY_UNIT (x,y=$side_seven_starts_at.x,$side_seven_starts_at.y) facing se}
+        [modify_unit]
+            [filter]
+                side=7
+                canrecruit=yes
+            [/filter]
+            facing=se
+        [/modify_unit]
         [unhide_unit]
-            x=$side_seven_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_seven_starts_at.y
+            [filter_location]
+                location_id=7
+            [/filter_location]
         [/unhide_unit]
 
         [if]
@@ -821,10 +775,17 @@
                 {CLEAR_VARIABLE ro_sothian_store}
             [/else]
         [/if]
-        {MODIFY_UNIT (x,y=$side_nine_starts_at.x,$side_nine_starts_at.y) facing nw}
+        [modify_unit]
+            [filter]
+                side=9
+                canrecruit=yes
+            [/filter]
+            facing=nw
+        [/modify_unit]
         [unhide_unit]
-            x=$side_nine_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_nine_starts_at.y
+            [filter_location]
+                location_id=9
+            [/filter_location]
         [/unhide_unit]
         [store_unit]
             [filter]
@@ -839,10 +800,11 @@
             y=30,30,30,30,30
         [/move_unit_fake]
         {CLEAR_VARIABLE tallin_store}
-        {MODIFY_UNIT (x,y=$side_one_starts_at.x,$side_one_starts_at.y) facing sw}
+        {MODIFY_UNIT id=Tallin facing sw}
         [unhide_unit]
-            x=$side_one_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_one_starts_at.y
+            [filter_location]
+                location_id=1
+            [/filter_location]
         [/unhide_unit]
         [message]
             speaker=narrator
@@ -946,10 +908,11 @@
             y=31,31,31,31,31,31,31,31,32,32,32
         [/move_unit_fake]
         {CLEAR_VARIABLE hamel_store}
-        {MODIFY_UNIT (x,y=$side_eight_starts_at.x,$side_eight_starts_at.y) facing ne}
+        {MODIFY_UNIT id=Hammel facing ne}
         [unhide_unit]
-            x=$side_eight_starts_at.x
-            y=$side_eight_starts_at.y
+            [filter_location]
+                location_id=8
+            [/filter_location]
         [/unhide_unit]
         [move_unit_fake]
             type=Dwarvish Steelclad