159 The battle for Gobwin Knob, page 146

[Welf von Ehrwald]

Okay, the pliers get more and more powerful. Uncrypts everything, without limits.

[Vordrax]

And now Parson has some custom RCA troops at his disposal, like the wiemer-rammer.

We also get the final word on Bogroll (RIP).

[Shadow of the Lotus]

Fantastic. The arkenpliers sure do seem more and more powerful the more we know about them. My favorite part of the strip is the "super uncroak." I've been calling what Wanda does the "super uncroak" for the past couple of days and in a couple of my posts. Seems like "decrypt" is the way to go.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

Wait, Wanda said that she would attune to "an" arkentool, not specific the the pliers. Maybe she originally thought she would get Stanley's hammer.

[Mikalyaran]

We didn't even know their were limits before. A lot of good info in this page. The basic units seem just as powerful as ansom. Meaning zero upkeep, wont decay, retain their stats, are loyal to GK. This is very bad for the rest of the sides. The only advantage that I see them holding is that GK has only one low level city. This should give them some time to rebuild while Parson retakes the cities that had been lost.

I love the decrypted Archon. Shes so cute in her 50's get up. Also the fact that she is in her 50's get up suggests she was one of the ones who was killed when Jillian stopped by to say hi. Meaning she had previously been uncroaked and then killed in the attack that wounded Wanda. So these troops might even have unlimited recycling. Decrypted troop dies? bring them back again. No rest for the end when Wanda is around.

The look on wanda's face in panel 8 s interesting. Its more of a childlike joy than the wicked mad scientist looks she has been giving. She like a kid in a candy store.

[Joe Falco]

I love the decrypted Archon. Shes so cute in her 50's get up. Also the fact that she is in her 50's get up suggests she was one of the ones who was killed when Jillian stopped by to say hi. Meaning she had previously been uncroaked and then killed in the attack that wounded Wanda.

It's more likely that that particular archon was one of those that Charlie sent to Gobwin Knob instead of the Faq valley after Don King refused to pay Charlie's outrageous fee and was later killed during the uncroaked volcano's eruption. You'll notice that the archons that went to Gobwin Knob at first to offer Parson an opportunity to switch to Charlescomm were dressed in both the 50's style dress and the standard flight stewardess wardrobe. Although there's no conclusive evidence to say at this point that the arkenpliers can't decrypt uncroaked units just as croaked units, I don't think it can.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

It seems the gobwins and hobgobwins are also back. And KISS is back from hell.

But all these units seems really disoriented. Uncrypting is apparently kinda traumatic.

[Mikalyaran]

You'll notice that the archons that went to Gobwin Knob at first to offer Parson an opportunity to switch to Charlescomm were dressed in both the 50's style dress and the standard flight stewardess wardrobe.

I had only notice the stewardess uniform. Showing up in both does remove any shred of evidence for re-decrypting a unit.

[Deacon Blues]

We really haven't seen much of the power of the Arkentools. We have the Arkenhammer, which Stanley barely knows how to use... and uses it to crack walnuts. Turning every third or fourth into a pigeon, which suggests that the 'Hammer has a more life/beneficial use to it...

We have the Arkendish, which Charlie uses. Now here's an example of the kind of power an attuned user who knows how to use his tool (sorry, pun unintentional) can reach. So far we've seen Charlie do some pretty amazing things, like hacking Stanley's eyebook network. (Didn't the thinkamancer think that was impossible?)

So we're seeing what an attuned user with the knowledge and capability to use their Tool properly can do. Bend the rules of the game. Possibly by using their tool to spy on other factions' supposedly secret communications (Charlie) or by producing decrypted units out of croaked units (Wanda).

Which reinforces my belief that Parson is an Arkentool, though he doesn't know it yet (which is a reason why he's drawn and not rendered in 3D). Parson bends the rules. He comes up with strategies that the other factions believe is impossible. Ansom had Charlie's assistance (and through Charlie, the Arkendish) to counter Parson's strategies.

...which means the next Battle ought to get very interesting. Who do they go after next? FAQ? Or Charlie, considering how much of a snake-in-the-grass he's proven himself to be.

[Darkside007]

I do hope Charlie gets croaked; it's clear he's after something more than cash, and is willing to backstab every side.

[Deacon Blues]

I do hope Charlie gets croaked; it's clear he's after something more than cash, and is willing to backstab every side.

Charlie's after the other Arkentools -- he wants the whole ball of wax. I thought that was pretty clear after the way he was willing to support Parson's strategies to neutralize Ansom. Take out Ansom, the Arkenpliers are sitting pretty waiting to be picked up, and he got Parson as a bonus...

...until Parson 'bent the rules' and TPK'd the whole Coalition.

[Goshen]

...which means the next Battle ought to get very interesting. Who do they go after next? FAQ? Or Charlie, considering how much of a snake-in-the-grass he's proven himself to be.

Stanley is after the arkentools, so that makes Charlie the logical first target of a resurgent GK. Stanley hates Charlie, anyway. I doubt Charlie has any friends, but other sides might intervene just to keep GK from getting yet another arkentool.

[Mikalyaran]

I think most sides are going to be too busy licking their woulds to bother with helping out Charlie. Though to be fair someone in the west had to have stayed out of it. I mean transylvito didn't commit much. They should be int pretty good shape.

[Jonathan]

Is that a dragon approaching in Panel 2? Also a couple more archons coming in too.

I think its interesting that Wanda is happily sharing Ansom with Parson. Technically he's bound to her, but she doesn't seem to be having a Gollem moment. Similarly, Ansom is expressing loyalty to Parson, not to Stanley. Further, when she uncroaked the troops in the tunnels they came back wearing Parson's colors. Right now they're all wearing Wanda's symbol. I just find it all a fun ambiguous mess. Then again the nature of loyalty in the game is still ambiguous in terms of how and when people can break it.

Also the issue with the Pliers versus the other items is that the pliers likely don't make a strong unit on their own. They just allow you to take over slain enemy units. (I suppose they also allow you to reduce your upkeep costs on your current units if you want to kill them right after popping.) The Hammer and Dish on the other hand seem to allow you to pop a new troop each turn without risk of conflict. They are also attuned I'm guessing by non-mages. Who knows what they'd do if attuned to an appropriate caster where they could amplify their spells. (EDIT: Actually if it is an issue of a caster vs non-caster attuned, then likely the Pliers do let you pop a single power unit a turn, but only if attuned by a non-caster)

All that said, RIP Bogroll.

[cloudbreaker]

I was hoping for an uncroaked wienerrammer, but didn't think it was possible. Woohoo! That being said, I wonder if the healers will still be able to heal. Also, I wonder if she can decrypt Sizemore's golems, or the cloth golems. Decrypted spidews ought to be cool though.

Edit: Just think of all their new warlords though.

[kreszantas]

We really haven't seen much of the power of the Arkentools. We have the Arkenhammer, which Stanley barely knows how to use... and uses it to crack walnuts. Turning every third or fourth into a pigeon, which suggests that the 'Hammer has a more life/beneficial use to it...

We have the Arkendish, which Charlie uses. Now here's an example of the kind of power an attuned user who knows how to use his tool (sorry, pun unintentional) can reach. So far we've seen Charlie do some pretty amazing things, like hacking Stanley's eyebook network. (Didn't the thinkamancer think that was impossible?)

So we're seeing what an attuned user with the knowledge and capability to use their Tool properly can do. Bend the rules of the game. Possibly by using their tool to spy on other factions' supposedly secret communications (Charlie) or by producing decrypted units out of croaked units (Wanda).

{snip}

What Are you forgetting about the Van de Gaffe that sent Cesar on his keister along with a stack of heavies? The hammer ONE SHOT them right out of action if that is not a formidible single stack attack I am not sure what one is.

It was also strange to see Wanda stop long enough in the last 2 panels to actually thank Parson, so unlike her when she is busy decrypting or uncroaking in earlier strips.

Also was glad of the finallity of Bogroll to put that one thread to rest. Ansom being the Captain would be a smart choice but who know what Parson will do, he is beginning to act just like one of the decrypted, Dazed and confused.

[warriortribble]

Wanda is treating these decrypted units like they're mindless uncroaked, ignoring their confused expressions and simply continuing her mass revival. I wonder if her apathy will hurt Gobwin Knob later on.

[kreszantas]

I think by the way this page started, continuing from the last that Ansom is picking up that slack for Wanda as she has limited time to run around the hex to get all she can decrypted. Not sure if this statement is completely true but I would hedge a 2 to 1 bet on it.

[zeekgenateer]

Charlie might be the "bad guy", but I find myself liking what we've seen of him.

[Darkside007]

I do hope Charlie gets croaked; it's clear he's after something more than cash, and is willing to backstab every side.

Charlie's after the other Arkentools -- he wants the whole ball of wax. I thought that was pretty clear after the way he was willing to support Parson's strategies to neutralize Ansom. Take out Ansom, the Arkenpliers are sitting pretty waiting to be picked up, and he got Parson as a bonus...

...until Parson 'bent the rules' and TPK'd the whole Coalition.

I don't think he's on the same quest as Stanley, I think he's just after power. He'll the Arkentools, sure, but he's after anything.