The Better Lacky

[cloudbreaker]

Before you read any further, let me make this clear. This thread topic is meant purely for unproductive speculation and opinions. Completely anti-serious.

That being said, who do you think should be Parson's new lacky? I know the comic hinted that Ansom was showing interest, but I am having a hard time visualizing Ansom doing all the things that Bogroll used to do, especially since he would probably be needed on the field. For that reason I thought he would at least have a little gopher (go-for) person to help him out.

I thought either Wilma or Nobby the gobwin spearman would be a good choice. Anyone else got other ideas? Comments? Alternative points of view?

[Kreistor]

Not Ansom. Parson needs Ansom as a teacher. Ansom can explain all of those questions he has, without the baggage. And he has the highest leadership bonus on the side now, so he needs to be in a stack. (Not CHief Warlord, so his bonus doesn't extend beyond that.)

Actually, ironically, it would be best if Ansom became Chief Warlord wiht him parroting Parson. Ansom has the bonus to give everyone. Parson only needs his ideas to be implemented.

It'll have to be someone new or decrypted. Vurp will have high station thanks to surviving the trap. Beyond that, we have few names to work with. Parson would never waste a leadership unit on this. He might not want someone that reminds him of Bogroll, either, so no twoll. Hobgobwin would be best, since they are tall enough to face him. Yeah, I'll go with "hobgobwin to be popped later".

[Pax]

Ansom will become Parson's chief of staff, if anything.

Parson will still need a separate "aide-de-camp"; someone smart enough to carry out his orders, even anticipate some of them, as well as arrange for parson's needs to be fulfilled (and LOTS of anticipating, there). BUT, not someone whose skills are otherwise so much in high demand, that they cannot be spared for relatively trivial tasks.

A smart gobwin or hobgobwin, or a very junior caster, maybe.

[raphfrk]

Actually, ironically, it would be best if Ansom became Chief Warlord wiht him parroting Parson. Ansom has the bonus to give everyone. Parson only needs his ideas to be implemented.

It depends. Units' natural thinkamancy depends on official ranks. If anything happened to Ansom and Stanley wasn't nearby, then there would be no reason for the units to obey Parson.

Ofc, Stanley could give a general "obey Parson as if he was Chief Warlord" order to all the units and tell Ansom to obey him too.

Even then, Ansom would be duty bound to disobey Parson if he thought Parson's order was wrong, and could lead Stanley to ruin. (i.e. if Parson didn't have time to explain his reasons).

However, it is unclear if the switch is even really needed. If GK is going the conqueror route, then it doesn't matter what bonus the defenders in GK get.

However, there is also a bonus for field units, Caesar as Chief warlord, gave a bonus to all units in his stack and also all bats in the hex.

I guess it is normal for Chief Warlords to lead from the front, Ansom did it in the RCC campaign and Manpower did it in the first few strips (though he may not have been Chief Warlord). Parson is likely to rarely if even leave GK, so it may not be such an issue if Ansom is made Chief Warlord and Parson is given a rank somewhere between Chief Warlord and Ruler. This might even provide the excuse for promoting Parson to Heir Designate.

I wonder if a Ruler can create new ranks. In MMORPGs, the guild leader has access to rank editing functions.

However, in Erf, ranks have specific bonuses, so maybe they are locked.

There would only be 5 potential ranks:

Ruler
Heir Designate
Chief Warlord
Commander (Warlord/Caster)
General forces (everyone else)

Also, another point is that Natural Thinkamancy is stronger on Chief Warlords than anyone else (I seem to remember a post on it somewhere, not sure).

[cloudbreaker]

There would only be 5 potential ranks:

Ruler
Heir Designate
Chief Warlord
Commander (Warlord/Caster)
General forces (everyone else)

I don't think Heir/Heir Designate is technically a rank. When I read the comic pages that talked about it, I got the impression that it was just a title given to the person who would be in charge if the ruler ever croaked. Which is why it makes sense for the Heir/Heir Designate to be the second in command (i.e. Chief Warlord). So I think someone like a random level one archer could be named the Heir Designate, but it wouldn't make much sense for that to happen, so it doesn't.

Edit: How embarrassing. I seem to have already forgotten that I said this thread was completely ant-serious. Apologies.

Also, another thought occurred to me. What if Sizemore makes Parson a new lacky? Like, a little dirt golem or something.

[Maldeus]

My guess is it's a completely new character, just because all the other named characters would be too useful on the front lines (as far as I can remember). The hobgobwin sounds like a likely idea, but a gobwin would theoretically work just as well. Maybe one of the decrypted units.

[jioan]

I would personally choose an archon as my lackey. However, I think an uncroaked marbit would make a funny lackey for Parson to have so it could provide us with comedic relief.

[Maldeus]

Jioan's approach brings up a good question. If it was you picking out a lackey, which one would you want and why? An Archon would actually make a good lackey/bodyguard, but I'm not sure they'd like some of the tasks expected of a lackey, and a disgruntled lackey could have all kinds of bad results. I'd go with the tallest variety of decrypted elf available.

[Ragn Charran]

Vurp will have high station thanks to surviving the trap.

Let's not forget, not only did he survive, he likely killed a Transylvito warlord in the process, which could be a pretty significant move. He was seen going mano-a-mano with Dark Mario before the escape, and we know Vurp lived while Dark Mario was never seen after.

Maybe Dark Mario was only level 1, but for a standard unit that's probably a good thing for the resume.

[Cmdr I. Heartly Noah]

That brings up another question: Vurp is not only the lasy KISS member, but the last hobgobwin or gobwin to survive. Sure there are plenty of decrypted ones, but how do gobwins/hobgobwins stand as a side, now? Are the gobwins extinct? Is Vurp now in control of all Hobgobwindom? Does he make the decisions with the money now? (Is there any money?) Is there a remaining element, outside of Gobwin Knob, of gobwins?

[Kreistor]

If Stanley had made the Hobgobwins and gobwins part of his side, instead of being just natural allies, I expect he can pop them. If not, then I'm sure more will pop naturally, and gravitate to him as natural allies.

[raphfrk]

Does he make the decisions with the money now? (Is there any money?) Is there a remaining element, outside of Gobwin Knob, of gobwins?

According to the wiki, Natural Allies use moneymancy to make more units, as they have no cities to pop more. If Stanley gives him enough schmuckers, then he can probably pop an unlimited number of additional units. OTOH, it is possible that Hobgobwins and gobwins are not technically the same side.

Also, if he is independent, then he might decide to leave, since GK did just destroy all the other units in his side.

[Kreistor]

Vurp would have to advance to Warlord to handle Shmuckers. How does that work for Natural Allies with no city?

[Maldeus]

Does he advance automatically if there's no one else to lead the Hobgobwins? I doubt it, but it's possible.

[Cmdr I. Heartly Noah]

If Stanley had made the Hobgobwins and gobwins part of his side, instead of being just natural allies...

What makes you think this is possible?

[Maldeus]

Play nicely, folks.
--Erk

[Cmdr I. Heartly Noah]

-- I just haven't seen anything to indicate Natural Allies could join sides beyond their standard alliances. I wanted to know if he had a reason to think it was possible, or if he was just throwing that out there.

[Kreistor]

--I just haven't seen anything to indicate Natural Allies could join sides beyond their standard alliances. I wanted to know if he had a reason to think it was possible, or if he was just throwing that out there.

Covering my bases. It's possible, at least theoretically. Well, look at it like this: would Stanley trust a Natural Ally as much as he does KISS? They could be convinced to drop his predecessor, so would paranoid Stanley trust them that much?

They're obviously very loyal. There are other explanations, but wouldn't it make sense that they owe him loyalty to the death because he advanced them to Capital Side status by bringing them right into the Side instead of allying? It would be a rare event, and so it would garner him massive loyalty. The stability of permanent occupancy of a City? Equal status to Men in a Capital Side? Elite status in an army, instead of beside it as mercs? It would be a shrewd move, if it was allowed.

None of that's evidence, just opinion and spec, so I'm not putting it on the Wiki, but I think the option can't be ignored. If he can, Stanley is going to pop his KISS fast. If not, they'll take time filing in from popping in the wild. We'll get an answer soon, I expect.

[Cmdr I. Heartly Noah]

But they don't need time, just money. Assuming there is still a Natural Allies Hobgobwin/Gobwin side, and they still have an alliance with GK. With all the money GK can produce atm, they could pay all that to the Hobgobwins, who could pop a whole bunch of guys right away. Although, I imagine the KISSifying process to be a little longer.

Anyway: it would be a smooth move, but I dunno how it would work, considering how differently the two kinds of sides operate. Even if it could work, it would eliminate the flexibility of having both. It would sure put the traditionalists off.

As far as gobwin loyalty... either Stanley did conspire with them to bump off Saline, and afterward raised the hobbos in his army to a position higher than the Plaid troops under him, or he subjugated them on his return, or someone else is pulling the strings and ensuring their obedience and loyalty. Who knows? Maybe the Arkenhammer has an effect on them.

[CecilThoreau]

I wonder if Ansom will still treat Parson as respectively as he has now that Parson will be his subordinate. Obviously, Ansom can no longer be his lackey with this setup, but he may still obey Parson due to personal respect. Parson will probably get some as-of-yet unintroduced unit as his new lackey, or none at all.