Book 2 - Text Updates 046

[udat]

I think that's the best Wanda has looked in Book 2!

It's interesting that Jack is only learning about Parson's imminent arrival now.Do you think he thought they were bailing out through the MK until now?

[DevilDan]

Fun, fun, fun!

I like the exchange between Foolamancer and Croakamancer, of course.

On a somewhat related matter: maybe GK should be putting more resources to popping commanders so that a few casters come their way, seeing as they're not likely to be able to get new ones. And we've recently seen what dollmancers, turnamancers, and dittomancers are capable of.

[ZevGun]

I think that's the best Wanda has looked in Book 2!

It's interesting that Jack is only learning about Parson's imminent arrival now.Do you think he thought they were bailing out through the MK until now?

I think Jack knew. His comment was either him saying lets cut the chitchat, or Parson showing up explains how this battle is over

[MarbitChow]

Also, seeing as how Rulers and, i assume, chief warlords have some natural thinkamancy concerning the state of their troops, they should know that Wanda's not with the Dwagon group now... and could wipe them out, without fearing of getting their fallen decrypted.

They know some units are getting killed. They don't know where Wanda is, since once the unit dies, they have no more knowledge of it, and Wanda isn't doing the killing directly.
Knowing that a foolamancer is in the group, they could rightly assume that it some sort of trick was involved.

[drachefly]

I'm not sure how much information they have, but it's not enough to justify the insults just heaped on them. Sure, Stanley noticed an upkeep changes through the treasury, but that could have been a special 'You upgraded!' notification, as if the order had to pass through him anyway.

Having immediate innate knowledge of your side's losses is inconsistent with the Ewok party RCC1 held after they saw they 'won' all those engagements. Ansom needed to look at the reports before he knew. And of course Stanley had to be told that they held the city.

[GKBeetle]

Wanda looks super cute in that art. Almost makes me forget that she's pretty much super-evil and kind of crazy.

So happy that Lacrosse is still around. He's the kind of annoying dip, that, as long as you don't have to talk to him directly and can just watch from afar, is really entertaining. I know he won't make a difference in the battle, probably, but I'm still looking forward to seeing more of him.

[badninja]

Wow so Wanda is admitting that she has no clue on what she should be doing. Jack has spent some time with Parson and I bet could come up with a half decent plan Parson would like. Why do I think that Wanda's inability to lead will become a major point in the comic. Plus I wonder how her new toys would react if they found out she actually betrayed her side not switched when it became convenient for her survival? All I will say about the art work is bow-chick-a-wow-wow.

[Channel Lock]

Nom,Nom,Nom... this update has me chomping at the bit for some action! I'm on my couch chanting "PARSON! PARSON!..."

[Codex]

Wow so Wanda is admitting that she has no clue on what she should be doing. Jack has spent some time with Parson and I bet could come up with a half decent plan Parson would like. Why do I think that Wanda's inability to lead will become a major point in the comic.

I think of it not as an inability to lead, but , if you'll excuse the expression, parsimony of effort. She knows that, no matter how much skull-sweat she expends on a tactical plan, Parson is going to come swooping in out of left field with something unconventional, brilliant, and (most especially relevant) effective, that will look nothing like whatever she had in mind. So why waste the skull sweat? This is consistent with her rather fatalistic attitude; she's playing out the Will of the Titans, and is willing to be passive and let others fulfill their respective roles in that same plan.

[the_tick_rules]

I'm not sure Parson has a great idea either.

[kagato23]

I wouldn't describe wanda as passive: her own philosophy is that if you help yourself along the path of your fate it goes better for you in terms of how easy the journey is. I imagine however there's an element of pride involved now for the same reason Jack thinks she went off the path.

She wanted to solve the dilemma of survival without parson. Probably cause Jillian got her into that situation, (it's more complicated obviously, but as far as she's concerned). Jillian once again clouded her otherwise quite capable judgement. She's her primary weakness, really. Looking back, every bad decision wanda's made except for not telling parson about her scrolls seems to be directly or indirectly related to Faq's queen. And since Jillian's survived this round and Wanda is likely too as well, that's gonna more than likely come up again.

For now though, Parson gave her a plan. One that actually involved winning instead of surviving. The plan has gone splendedly sofar. Other than the dragons attacking the Tower, (which couldn't come down to the tunnels anyway), her fatalism is now probably directed toward the idea that Parson is supposed to win this fight, so she should be helping him do that.

She won't stop expending effort though. She just feels she messed up recently (and doesn't really want to hear about why)

I'm not sure Parson has a great idea either.

His meager bonus aside though, you can bet he's got at least some new suggestions, or will once he's appraised of the situation.

[No one in particular]

Wow so Wanda is admitting that she has no clue on what she should be doing. Jack has spent some time with Parson and I bet could come up with a half decent plan Parson would like. Why do I think that Wanda's inability to lead will become a major point in the comic. Plus I wonder how her new toys would react if they found out she actually betrayed her side not switched when it became convenient for her survival? All I will say about the art work is bow-chick-a-wow-wow.

We've already kind of been over this. Back in Text 20, Wanda angsted about how she'd strayed from Fate's path, and then demonstrated that she's been retaining some of the things that Parson's taught her. Specifically:

"The principal strategic objective here is escape," she began. Sylvia and Ossomer made faces, but Jack suddenly looked attentive, concentrating on her words. "Following that is preserving me, then preserving you, then the preservation of all our other units in the battlespace. We cannot move, and we may be attacked at any moment."
She looked each of them in the eye, a little afraid of what she was about to say. She cleared her throat again. "Let's hear some ideas."

And of course, the very next text update following that, we DID see some brilliance from Jack with his idea of "catching us as we fall"... which was then blown out of the sky with Parson's plan saying "No, you're wrong, the principal objective is still to WIN. Like this."

The real problem isn't that Wanda doesn't know how to lead, it's that she doesn't know how to get there. She's becoming Stanley.

The odds don't matter. Strategy doesn't matter. Those are details. That's your job.
But we will win this battle, Lord Hamster.

Rule the world, gather all the 'Tools, either way, both Wanda and Stanley are absolutely certain that Fate or the Titans are looking out for them and will work things out. They're so caught up in the big picture that they're losing sight of the details.

[the_tick_rules]

He might. I'm guessing he doesn't have any now though, this seems like an impulsive "it's not a game anymore" decision.

[thaco4]

Awesome text update.
These things make me hunger for the next one.
Arg!! I want more NOW!! lol
Seriously, though Jack is by far my favorite caster.

[atalex]

Pfff. Jetstone seriously lacks strategy. What the hell were all those troops and warlords doing walking around the dungeon area? Tramennis should have seen to it that they would not lose any more warlords before their charge on GK's army... they would need them, badly.

He ordered an immediate evacuation of the atrium. It's not his fault that the unit with the highest leadership bonus defied his orders to attack Wanda. Not that I'd really even blame Antium -- another foot and he'd have ended this war with a single thrust.

Also, seeing as how Rulers and, i assume, chief warlords have some natural thinkamancy concerning the state of their troops, they should know that Wanda's not with the Dwagon group now... and could wipe them out, without fearing of getting their fallen decrypted.

Ah well. Down with the brainded monarchy!

Are you suggesting that Trem should have some insight into the status of his fallen troops now that they are decrypted?

[gameboy1234]

Nom,Nom,Nom... this update has me chomping at the bit for some action! I'm on my couch chanting "PARSON! PARSON!..."

Yeah, this. We're having lots of set-up and exposition just to get to the (to my mind) interesting bits. I'd guess we have at least three strips to go before anything happens however.

1. At least two strips in the MK. Parson will be attacked and defended, then need to finish his escape. I predict he'll have time for some quick words with Janis and Marie, but no more. They might agree to meet later.

2. At least one strip of reunion in the portal room. The story demands at least that much before they all rush off to battle. There may be more while Parson assess the situation and waits for an opportune moment to strike. I'd bet at least a couple of shots of Lady Sylvia attacking the tower and King Slately trying to off himself (possibly by standing still and talking about monies) before the action really gets joined in earnest.

Some maybe three more pages here before Parson really swings into action.

I'm hoping not but the battle itself may be disappointingly brief. Tram is promoted, tower falls, Slately croaks, Tram must retreat, GK may get as much as four new decrypted casters. I have a feeling Rob is trying to concentrate on the characters themselves. The fight is just the background vehicle for moving those character relationships forward.

Oh, totally forgot about Transylvito. Yeah, at least half a page of them saying "n0 monies 4 u" and Slately will probably have to call Charlie about a loan.

[the_tick_rules]

hey on a side note did anyone else have weirdness when they tried to view this text update? I got the previous comic shown as the newest on the erfworld.com then I saw the link to a new page but still the old comic in that latest comic section window on the wiki page and when I read it the page had tons of links to erf wiki articles.

[No one in particular]

I'd guess we have at least three strips to go before anything happens however.

No way, man. You know what's going to happen? Parson is going to come barreling out of the portal, first frame of the next comic...with only the vaguest recollection of the run.

That's right. Missing time. That we won't get to see, until hundreds of strips later, in flashback, induced by Charlie.

It will be the perfect conspiracy fuel. Augh. I'm drooling just thinking about it already.

[atalex]

Oh, totally forgot about Transylvito. Yeah, at least half a page of them saying "n0 monies 4 u" and Slately will probably have to call Charlie about a loan.

One thing that has not happened yet but which might be a game changer is a communication between Jillian and Don King. She expected a thinkagram from him after leaving JS's airspace but he's been too preoccupied to call her. If he were to do so, and furthermore explain what Stanley wants, I think it's possible that she might loan him the money. She can easily afford it (what was it 16K shmuckers?) and it would probably be delicious for her to have Slately in her debt. It might also be what gets her back into the JS/GK fight, assuming she has enough move to do so (and assuming she can get over her Wanda issues enough to come back and reengage).

[konmanrocks]

We are getting closer and closer to fan service