Book 2 – Page 30

[balder]

New One is up.

[Joe Falco]

Interesting. As usual, Jillian does things her way and damn what others think. A true Royal, indeed.

[build6]

heh... what I really got from this page is that Duncan really likes working for his Queen. Good for 'em

[Dr Pepper]

I'm guessing that Progrock and Brookstone are former Jetstone colonies currently occupied by Gobwin Knob. "A backer who isn't Transylvitan" is pretty coy but i bet Trem figures it out.

But for now-- Exeunt Jill, Ansom, Duncan, et al-- we can concentrate on Wanda, Jack, Oss, Sylvia, and rest of the the Doomed Squadron.

[Anca]

I'm liking Duncan more all the time. Jillian-as-Queen, too.

[Nows7]

I'm unsure, where are they on their way too? GK, FAQ? Charlescom? She lists two cities on the way, but she just says "on the way there."

Cue 10,000 tin foil hat theories.

[ftl]

Well, she says she's going "home". I think that can only be FAQ.

[The Shadow]

Wait, wait, wait. When did Charlie say he'd like to take a crack at Ansom? And if he really does, why did he give Sammy the primary objective of croaking him?

And since Jillian knows the latter, why is she bringing up the former?

Confused!

[Malanthyus]

Very INteresting.

[Rosa Vernal]

Offscreen, presumably.

Also, Brookstone seems to be on the Wiki already as being captured by GK. Not sure when that happened if it did on-screen.

[elNabot]

Wait, wait, wait. When did Charlie say he'd like to take a crack at Ansom? And if he really does, why did he give Sammy the primary objective of croaking him?

And since Jillian knows the latter, why is she bringing up the former?

Confused!

Maybe someone from the Magic Kingdom is also backing her. This is something to look at in the summer update if i recall well.

[Diodri]

That is a strong possibility. However, I postulate this:

Charlie said one of the objectives was to croak Ansom, but he knew that it couldn't be done by Haggar's force. He was essentially sending Haggar on a suicide mission that couldn't be achieved. That is very much like Charlie.

[pSycHOtic chICkeN]

We have more map.

[robak]

We have more map.

People will be drooling all over this This will be one of the most-cited pages for ages to come.

Also, I am pretty sure, she's going to GK. She always said, one of her prime objectives is to croak Stanley.

[Sigma]

I think it's rather interesting that Tramennis apparently has no issue with Jillian taking (and then razing) formerly-Jetstone-held cities on her way back to FAQ. Perhaps there's a mechanic in place to allow leaders to cede one or more cities to each other bloodlessly?

I'm pretty sure Charlie's never expressed interest in turning Decrypted on-panel, and the apparent contradiction between this interest and Haggar's orders to croak sounds to me like he was fully aware that he was sending the latter on a suicide mission and/or that knew Jillian would intervene. If both, Charlie just got away with an on-the-spot Xanatos Gambit -- either Haggar cripples GK's army (net win for RCC2, Charlie gets the credit), Haggar is made unable to backstab Jetstone (again, net gain for RCC2 and Charlie gets the credit), or Jillian gives him an opportunity to explore the limits of the Arkendish's power (possibly leading to Charlie making a killing from providing his services to turn other high-level Decrypted units captured in sorties against GK). Regardless of who loses/lost in the pages after Charlie started blackmailing Haggar, Charlie wins. The bastard.

[oslecamo2]

This is so going to come back to bite Jillian.

Wanda will escape this trap. Perhaps only her and her mount, but she will escape to decrypt new armies. And she'll be able to escape because Jillian refused to kill her. But Wanda won't forget who put her on this trap.

From a story point of view it kinda makes sense, but from a strategic point of view it makes me sad to see such a blunt tactical error. Wanda will not be pleased by this new "treason". Not pleased at all. And erfworld hath no fury like a women scorned.

[pSycHOtic chICkeN]

I think it's rather interesting that Tramennis apparently has no issue with Jillian taking (and then razing) formerly-Jetstone-held cities on her way back to FAQ. Perhaps there's a mechanic in place to allow leaders to cede one or more cities to each other bloodlessly?

I thought that sounded strange too. I think Jetstone can claim and then pop new buildings and walls in one turn. So razing and moving on comes close.

This is so going to come back to bite Jillian.

Wanda will escape this trap. Perhaps only her and her mount, but she will escape to decrypt new armies. And she'll be able to escape because Jillian refused to kill her. But Wanda won't forget who put her on this trap.

I suspect Jillian will not mind the punishment. The biting threat would just motivate her.

[Django]

So Jilian is taking Charlies betrayal in stride, as predicted... however the unfinished sentence in the last panel second row worries me. "But I don't...

a) ...trust him any more?

Na she never trusted him, hes Charlie...

b) ...want to work with him anymore.

If he can turn Ansom via Link, I don't know, perhaps...

c) ...want to risk it. I will do it myself.

because I dont trust Charlie... Winner for me.

After all she is counting him in the present tense as backer.

[Dancing Cthulhu]

Heh, oh Jillian. I'm liking this page, and seeing Duncan in action a bit as well. And I guess that answer the question about Jillian in the coming battle. Looks like she is heading back to Faq to work on Ansom. Though I wonder if she thinks Wanda has a chance. She wont fight, but she thinks Trem has the tools needed to, what, kill her? Or just drive her off?

So Charlie thinks it is possible to turn Ansom - I guess they'll give it a shot with full juice Vanna, and if that doesn't work maybe try another link up... the way Trem words it though, about being spawned by an Akentool. Well, I guess another arkentool might have a shot if used right.

And while it would probably be better for the RCCII if Jillian stayed and fought what she will do is useful as well. Further isolate the decrypted army there, sow some confusion, eliminate potential near by reinforcements.

And now to wait and see Vinnie's response. And Don King's of course.

Wait, wait, wait. When did Charlie say he'd like to take a crack at Ansom? And if he really does, why did he give Sammy the primary objective of croaking him?

Well, Jillian has only just caught him and Charlie didn't know that would happen. My guess is Charlie has contacted her since the capture and told her he thinks it is possible. Maybe he'd just like to experiment on a captured decrypted.

Charlie said one of the objectives was to croak Ansom, but he knew that it couldn't be done by Haggar's force. He was essentially sending Haggar on a suicide mission that couldn't be achieved. That is very much like Charlie.

I don't know if it sounds that much like Charlie - especially since he usually plays at taking orders, not giving them. Strong arming a side into helping him and then sending then sending them off to die pointlessly...

Although I guess now at least he has made sure they wouldn't mess up the battle to much by betraying Jetstone at the wrong moment.

Also, I am pretty sure, she's going to GK. She always said, one of her prime objectives is to croak Stanley.

If she is then she is far, far, far crazier then even Caesar would have imagined. She doesn't have the forces to beat Wanda there by herself, unless Charlie has some awesome big surprise waiting she'd have no chance to crack the nut Stanley's is currently safe in.

I think it's rather interesting that Tramennis apparently has no issue with Jillian taking (and then razing) formerly-Jetstone-held cities on her way back to FAQ. Perhaps there's a mechanic in place to allow leaders to cede one or more cities to each other bloodlessly?

Well they are currently held by, and are supporting, GK. I imagine it will be easier for Jetstone to retake either the ruins or whatever GK refounds there if they have recently been razed (if some GK units are in the area to retake the ruins).

[Dancing Cthulhu]

Heh, and it looks like Trem is growing on everyone. Even Jillian is starting to like him.

So Jilian is taking Charlies betrayal in stride, as predicted... however the unfinished sentence in the last panel second row worries me. "But I don't...

a) ...trust him any more?

Na she never trusted him, hes Charlie...

b) ...want to work with him anymore.

If he can turn Ansom via Link, I don't know, perhaps...

c) ...want to risk it. I will do it myself.

because I dont trust Charlie... Winner for me.

After all she is counting him in the present tense as backer.

That is interesting. I think it is more C.

And Jillian would be being a bit harsh on Charlie to accuse him of betraying her. She did change their battle plan pretty much right after the last moment, and she never told him she was after Ansom (or I don't think she did, I'd have to recheck), so sending Haggar to kill him would have made sense, I imagine, since with the high level chief warlord down Jillian would have been in much less danger.