Summer Updates - 009

[Spot]

Uh.

Can anyone give me any good reason why the Tool wouldn't make Parson his heir?

Stanley doesn't seem to operate on any sort of rational basis when making decisions.

[moose o death]

i love how your all assuming the tool made the decision to promote ansom based on his old thinking.
point A
maybe he did, but i'm fairly sure he's killing off his new rcc troops as expediantly as possible while giving himself time to build his own loyal force.
point B
ansom is free, parson is costing 1000 schmukers to stand around every turn. if stanley thought he was in charge and unstoppable he doesn't need such an expensive asset lying around. he could disband and probably use the assets saved on more dwagons
point c
he has alot of troops in his forecourt. large sides split into new sides. wanda was pretty exuberant with the decrypting thing and rcc had a huge side. we have no idea what numbers constitute large enough to split. but wanda's side may be large enough. all it probably needs is an overlord heir. so if another poster is correct and ansom's heir status did carry over by default. ansom MAY have been declared heir to gobwin knob without anyone realising. if so the first city the rcc decrypts capture will become a new and more powerful side.
point d
i'm positive parson ends up his tenure in erfworld defeating gobwin knob and a thoroughly entrenched force. who for is anyone's guess i'm sure book 2 will introduce many new people, we need new antagonists after all.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

Uh.

Can anyone give me any good reason why the Tool wouldn't make Parson his heir?

So nobody thinks Stanley became useless and there should be a change of leadership? Another "spontaneous" treason by the gobwins is nothing he needs.

[Spot]

i love how your all assuming the tool made the decision to promote ansom based on his old thinking.

Well, sure. I'd thought before that he might have been starting to grow a little... but, now, I don't think he has. He pretty much the same old Stanley.

point A
maybe he did, but i'm fairly sure he's killing off his new rcc troops as expediantly as possible while giving himself time to build his own loyal force.
point B
ansom is free, parson is costing 1000 schmukers to stand around every turn. if stanley thought he was in charge and unstoppable he doesn't need such an expensive asset lying around. he could disband and probably use the assets saved on more dwagons

That's an example of old Stanley thinking: Trying to save a few schmuckers when you're sitting on a mountain full of gems... by building more of the units that you LOST a battle with, instead of keeping the unit that scored your side's only victory.

point c
he has alot of troops in his forecourt. large sides split into new sides. wanda was pretty exuberant with the decrypting thing and rcc had a huge side. we have no idea what numbers constitute large enough to split. but wanda's side may be large enough. all it probably needs is an overlord heir. so if another poster is correct and ansom's heir status did carry over by default. ansom MAY have been declared heir to gobwin knob without anyone realising. if so the first city the rcc decrypts capture will become a new and more powerful side.
point d
i'm positive parson ends up his tenure in erfworld defeating gobwin knob and a thoroughly entrenched force. who for is anyone's guess i'm sure book 2 will introduce many new people, we need new antagonists after all.

Hmmm. Interesting point about the "large sides split" thing. Heh... how ironic would it be if Ansom (who used to be an heir) finds that he and the troops with him split into a new side, the moment they retake one of GK's former cities?

I mean... it could lead to the Battle for Gobwin Knob do-over, with Ansom getting a second shot.

[raphfrk]

Duty is Highest in Chief Warlords. Stanley doesn't trust Ansom. Elevating Ansom to chief warlord can be a way of wresting control away from Wanda.

I interpreted it in the opposite direction. I thought you meant that by demoting Parson, he would be less duty bound to be loyal to Stanley.

I am not sure if Stanley thinks that way. However, this could be a standard tactic when you are unsure of loyalty of powerful units.

Maybe, Stanley is planning to go with having Parson be the unofficial Chief Warlord.

They really need to get the table working again. Otherwise, it won't be possible for Parson to lead from the GK and Ansom will have to handle minute by minute tactics.

[xBekux]

Amazing update!

I think Parson is only going to benefit from this, whether or not this was Stanley's intention. Stanley is probably just feeling emasculated by his new warlord. He needs to re-assert his place as leader. I'm sure the apology was sincere, but the outburst by Maggie will probably prod Stanley toward his old, selfish ways.

[Jumpman1]

"Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer".

I suspect Stanley adheres to this concept. Parson won Stanley an impossible victory which I suspect puts him on the hit list. At first Parson will be sidelined, but the second Stanley sees him as even more of a threat he will try to croak him. If my guess is right, Parson is kidding himself that by stepping down he's getting off the bulls-eye. For self preservation alone, Parson may find himself once again fighting against impossible odds.

This is a great comic, keep up the good work!

[lostknight]

Making Parson a heir is the number one way to make himself irrelevant, and hasten his own croaking. He is already pretty alarmed that Wanda has the pliers (as well he should be). He is not going to give any more control to anyone else if he can possibly avoid it.

That being said, Wanda has already proven that she can manipulate Stanley (in more ways the one) when she needs too. I suspect that if a heir is chosen, some how it ends up being Wanda, not Parson.

[Carlan]

I don't think Stanley would ever promote an heir, or have one pop if that's even possible for him. He's been out for himself since he got to sit in the big chair. At best, he's shown little to no consideration for his people. At worst, contempt. He'd sacrifice every single one of them twice to get his hands on another Tool. Wanda too, even before he became afraid of her.

[Spot]

That being said, Wanda has already proven that she can manipulate Stanley (in more ways the one) when she needs too. I suspect that if a heir is chosen, some how it ends up being Wanda, not Parson.

I suspect that too.

[teratorn]

That being said, Wanda has already proven that she can manipulate Stanley (in more ways the one) when she needs too. I suspect that if a heir is chosen, some how it ends up being Wanda, not Parson.

My pet theory is that Wanda is already an heir, but not to the plaids, to the croatons. That would make it very easy for her to kill Stanley and claim the city. But that would be going against fate and the titans: Stanley attuned to the hammer.

[Lukmar]

"Keep your friends close, your enemies even closer".

I suspect Stanley adheres to this concept. Parson won Stanley an impossible victory which I suspect puts him on the hit list. At first Parson will be sidelined, but the second Stanley sees him as even more of a threat he will try to croak him. If my guess is right, Parson is kidding himself that by stepping down he's getting off the bulls-eye. For self preservation alone, Parson may find himself once again fighting against impossible odds.

Well, keeping Parson away from the frontline could be deliberate to prevent him from gaining XP and thus becoming more of a possible threat. I wonder if calling the shots and setting strategy from the capital city would allow still Parson to level up.

[YojimboUsaka]

Hello all,

The final scene has a lot packed into it. Parson 'resigns'. Since when do pieces resign? A rook does not suddenly tell you that it is demoting itself to a pawn on its own. Maggie stands up to Stanley and Parson tells here to stop...and she does. Stanley seems surprised and bewildered, not upset or angry, when Parson tells him what he is going to do. Parson then dismisses himself to his quarters.

I dont think Parson is a piece of any sort now and I dont think Stanley is in charge of much of anything.

Stanley somehow feels that his authority is gone or greatly dimished and is very worried about it. He is now trying to be nice out of fear what will happen if he tries to push his authority to far. Everyone seems to just assume Stanley is in charge. I am not so sure.
For now Parson is tired and will go along until Stanley does something very stupid. Stanley will be nervous about doing anything that might fit that bill and play cautious for a while.

My 2 cents.

Excellent story and nice intelligent discussion going on. Hopefully I dont bring down the average

Yoj

[Spot]

The final scene has a lot packed into it. Parson 'resigns'. Since when do pieces resign? A rook does not suddenly tell you that it is demoting itself to a pawn on its own. Maggie stands up to Stanley and Parson tells here to stop...and she does. Stanley seems surprised and bewildered, not upset or angry, when Parson tells him what he is going to do. Parson then dismisses himself to his quarters.

I dont think Parson is a piece of any sort now and I dont think Stanley is in charge of much of anything.

Hmmm... it does make you wonder how Stanley *thought* that the conversation was going to go. It almost looked like Stanley had expected more resistance or disagreement from Parson, and was shocked by Parson's having taken it so well. I think that's why he seemed bewildered: He'd expected a showdown and big yelling match with Parson... probably culminating in the disbanding of Parson for disobedience... but Maggie's intervention, and Parson's calmness was totally not what Stanley had been anticipating.

I think you may be right, and the only thing Stanley actually commands right now are his six or seven dwagons, his hammer, and possibly Jack (the foolamancer)... with Parson just sort-of kind-of going along with things through inertia.

This update is the best one so far... and they keep getting better.

[nerf-dweller]

he doesn't follow move rules, he follows "i'm exhausted, slow down guys" rules. but apart from the magic kingdom, which may have still counted as garrisoned, he's never been a field unit to need move. i'd love to see the dialogue as parson got stuck at the end of his move and was left standing around waiting for the end of turn.

What if we take that to another level. Parson can move whenever he wants to. Day, night, after his side's turn has ended.In a turn based world, that is game breakingly power. Now consider the Decrypted troops. They require no upkeep. That they require no money from the treasury to be expended every turn.They aren't tied into the world's upkeep "machinery". And in being partially separated from the "rules" of the world, perhaps they even futher removed from rules. Perhaps they could move like Parson possible can. A real-time force in a turn based game. How world breaking would that be?

[Pax]

"Are you barking mad?"

Best. Line. EVAR.

Parson has inspired Loyalty the old-fashioned way: by EARNING it. Maggie knows that Parson is a good and loyal leader - and come on, she's a Thinkamancer. Do you think she DOESN'T know how much Parson DISLIKED throwing people's lives away? Do you think she DOESN'T know how quickly Parson owuld have leaped at ANY opportunity to gain victory with LESS loss of life? Do you somehow think she doesn't realise that Parson actually CARES about the people he leads?

[BarGamer]

"Are you barking mad?"

Best. Line. EVAR.
Parson has inspired Loyalty the old-fashioned way: by EARNING it. Maggie knows that Parson is a good and loyal leader - and come on, she's a Thinkamancer. Do you think she DOESN'T know how much Parson DISLIKED throwing people's lives away? Do you think she DOESN'T know how quickly Parson owuld have leaped at ANY opportunity to gain victory with LESS loss of life? Do you somehow think she doesn't realise that Parson actually CARES about the people he leads?

Thus, why she lashes out at Stanley. My guess is, Stanley is gonna rush to put her into another Mind Meld link-thingy, to get rid of the possibility of Maggie rebeling on him. Probably with Wanda too, however a Croakamancy/Foolamancy/Thinkamancy Link would work like. Illusionary zombies? XD

Epileptic tree planting, grabbed from the Facebook group:
Steven Sintermann Just read the complete online content from first to last again.
Awesome!
What I wondered about is though: characters in Erfworld get more ... hmmm, angular, over time. Especially Wanda. Is that on purpose or is it just shifting perception of Parson?
Still Awesome!
Erfworld at 3:11pm June 30
That's a question that comes up fairly frequently. We're not prepared to answer that at this time.

My guess? Parson is Neo, and can change Erfworld as he likes. Bending some rules, breaking others.

[Goshen]

Thus, why she lashes out at Stanley. My guess is, Stanley is gonna rush to put her into another Mind Meld link-thingy, to get rid of the possibility of Maggie rebeling on him. Probably with Wanda too, however a Croakamancy/Foolamancy/Thinkamancy Link would work like. Illusionary zombies? XD

Heh. I like the way you think. Of course, Stanley might then have a rebellious trimancer on his hands!

Hmm. If underlings are allowed to tell their superiors that they are wrong, for their own good, what else can the underling do "for the greater good"? Could Maggie start influencing Stanley in some way? Risky indeed, and it would cost her juice, but it might be "the only way".

My last thought on thinkamancy and loyalty is this: The original summoning spell would end Parson's existence if he disobeyed an order from Stanley. Is that strictly the only way Parson is bound? Could Parson just one day haul off and flatten Stanley with his bare hands? That would reduce GK to barbarism, but it would be funny.

[SteveMB]

Another thought that occurs to me -- Stanley started out as a regular infantryman, and then a warlord, fighting in the field according to the usual ways of war on Erfworld. Stanley won some battles... perhaps accepting enemies' surrenders on some occasions. He may at least somewhat agree with Ansom's complaint about the dishonorable I Surrender Suckers ploy, and if so that might contribute to his unease about Parson.

[raphfrk]

My guess is, Stanley is gonna rush to put her into another Mind Meld link-thingy, to get rid of the possibility of Maggie rebeling on him. Probably with Wanda too, however a Croakamancy/Foolamancy/Thinkamancy Link would work like. Illusionary zombies? XD

C&C like the previous table, but it only works on her decrypted units, i.e. allows command but only shows what the decrypted can see?

However, the pliers complicate things. She is not a "mere" croakamancer. Either they lose the pliers' abilities or she would unbalance the link.