The Battle for Gobwin Bump

[Ehbobo]

As soon as the scouts relayed their information, Hippotyla gave orders for all units to be on the alert and called the allied commanders of the MCC together. She started bluntly with "I will lead 4 hippipos and 3 loggators to take out the enemy stack to the southwest. Any volunteers for the others? My thoughts are that Lord Bull should probably lead his stack of gumps to take the bridge, Graf can get the ones to the north.

"Prince Chevy, if you merge your Guards with my three remaining loggators, they can back up Lord Mar on the bridge. Mar, your infantry will mount the Unipegataurs and go with Graf's stack. Commander Etna, With your units' high move we can afford to keep you in reserve this turn. Dagnabbit, you troops can go wherever you feel they would be most effective.

"Any objections?"

What an honor, to be given the first combat of such a grand campaign! Mar was originally upset that he would not be under Prince Ansom's command, but he was elated at the level of power the MCC wielded. "Jetstone will do it's job well and with honor, Princess Hippotyla."

[BLANDCorporatio]

"Then the Diwigible will go against the North stack. Lord Mar, if your infantry decides to accompany us then I suggest they wait for the Diwigible to make the first strike and soften the enemies. This will reduce casualties on your side."

"We stand a good chance of victory, so if it works well then we can see if we can gain control of the mountains and forest hexes nearby in subsequent turns. I fear that Gobwin Bump's trump card won't be far behind though, but it is better for us that we fight to that position. The forests and mountains are good cover for flying scouts and they would allow us to survey one side of the battlefield."

(EDIT:) "The other option, to leave the north stack alone, is not advisable I think. It exposes our scouts to croaking, and achieves nothing long-term. We need those high grounds and few fliers can hold them.

The downside is that the enemy has a superb flier, the Dwagon, in unknown numbers. They won't allow us to hold those mountains forever without a fight, but at least there's a lake nearby, plenty of forests, as well as another set of mountains that mean a lot of ground to retreat to, in case the situation turns dire. But to have safe retreat routes we need good scouting positions and the sooner we establish those, the better."



PS: ah, anime and anime-like. My knowledge of anime is pretty much limited to Hellsing and Ghost in the Shell, and I didn't even bother to check. The OS I do the drawing in is offline, and the one I use for browsing is ... light weight. Still all's well when it ends well.

[Crovius]

Dagnabit nodded, looking at the map before them.

"My troops will hold back for now until the bridge is cleared. We'll move up along the road after the bridge is cleared and secure a spot for the sige to be moved. My trrops can protect any siege that can keep up with us. The Egg breakers are garison forces so they will always remain here in the city, so we need not owrry about the enemy forces attacking the city without some defenses. I'll order up some schleps to enter the river as soon as they are popped, where they can use their ability to move through water to travel along the rivers."

[Doug]

"No, no- my Guards are an escort force," Prince Chevy waved his hand. "It would be waste to put them in the charge. I will stack the Loggators with NovaKing's cavalry instead and follow Jetstone's lead onto the bridge. My Ballistas and Guards will remain stacked together for the time being- though you are right sir, they would be much safer if they traveled in the same hex as Bugger'al troops. Since my own unit will hopefully have advanced onto the bridge by that point, I will leave the siege stack under your command Dagnabit."

Chevy crossed the room, pumping hands with each of his fellow commanders and giving Lord Mar a pat on the back before returning to restack his units. The plan made perfect tactical sense, and there would experience aplenty if NovaKing could finish clearing the bridge. But Bull would be leading the charge, taking the brunt of the enemy's force. Lucky sod. He might take casualties, but he would prove the courageous in the struggle and everyone would remember his kingdom's valiant opening salvos in this war. Jetstone, it seemed, remained the Titians' favorite son.

[Crovius]

Dagnabit nodded with Prince Chevy's words.

"Aye, that sounds to be the best. Bugger'al troops will remain with the siege, including the Delver that did not expend move. We will move up with the siege and stay with it. The Delver will be used to look into surrounding hexes as we go to revent enemy forces from ambushing us."

Hefting his axe onto his shoulder Dagnabit heads out to his Foddermen, who are suited up and waiting patiently. Bugger'al forces were well known for their military discipline in and out of combat. He stacks up his men and joins with Prince Chevy's siege, waiitng for the word to move up. His delver lands beside him, chittering as it looked about then began cleaning its leathery wings. The Egg breakers up on the walls cheered and shouted in encouragement to the forces that woudl move to take the bridge, raising their hammers above their heads and whirling them, the holes in the shafts making a bass whistling noise.

[Sinrus]

I plan to use the fliers for a pincer movement, to go around the mountain and take the third bridge. If they move three hexes per turn and the ground units go along the main road at one hex per turn, then they will both reach the second bridge after 5 turns. At that point we will have secured roughly half the road to Gobwin Bump, and can march on at full speed, as there will be only one more significant defensive position between us and the city.

[turbler]

I swore I posted!
"Look, I want to level, y'know? Me and my troops have enough move to hit any one of the stacks and make it back this turn. C'mon chief, don't count out the Nether-Erf, we'll never level that way!" Etna Explains, trying to look as capable as possible. Then, remembering something, she continues with "My Imps should still have the move to get back to town, with their exploration stopped half way. I want them back by turns end so they can scout next turn."

[BLANDCorporatio]

"That seems like a good plan, Princess Hippotyla, we will need that road to bring reinforcements to bear on the natural defenses around Gobwin Bump. With haste, and a little luck, we might take the mountains near us to the north, but the next mountain hexes are guaranteed to be filled by Dwagons."

"And it is better if either a stack fliers from Jetstone or Nether-Erf accompany the Diwigible. I doubt we can finish off the stack at the rivers alone, and we should make sure we croak or capture them all so as to prevent reports."*

"After that, Princess Etna, you might re-gather scouts, and if you think it convenient to reach the Gyroscopes as well, then do so."

PS:

*: of course, Gobwin Bump is using Eyemancy. But what does Zep know?

[Ehbobo]

Jetstone's infantry and Unipegataurs will go with the diwigible. It is not up to me to decide, but might not Etna lead her Manticowes in that group as well?

[turbler]

"It'll be a Hell of a fight... Sure, I'm in! Of course the Pwinnies are coming, too." With that, Etna walked off to get the Pwinnies mounted.
EDIT: remember that time there were canonically two guys on a Dwagon (Snipe and his Toolship). that's what I was going for, dood...

[Sinrus]

Hold on, Etna. I only want fliers in that group. You only have two Manticowes, so you and one Pwinny can mount them and go. The rest of the Pwinnies and the Shadows can go onto the bridge with Chevy.

[turbler]

wow... sure is quiet, in here...

[LTDave]

Ok, so you've made your plans, now you just need to execute them.

Form your stacks, and give them their orders. Please write orders to units in bold.

If you are attacking, you can post your attack, and then use the time of the post in minutes and seconds to calculate the outcome of the battle. Unlike the Scout phase, you can see the results of other players efforts before you post your own.

Just a reminder on some movement issues:

"River Hex – Cost 1 Movement for Flyers. It takes all Movement for all other units."
A reminder that units with move of 1 or 2 are Infantry or Siege, movement 3 are Cavalry, and 4 or 5 are flyers.
So for Inf, Siege, Cav to enter a river hex takes their entire move (not just the remainder of the move, but the whole thing).

It's going to be impossible for Infantry, Cavalry or Siege to hit the stack of Gobwins and Twolls north of Alliance Town on turn 1.

"Woods Hex – Cost 1 Movement for Flyers, and 2 Movement for all other units."
In a similar way, it is going to be impossible for Infantry, Siege, Cavalry to reach the Gobwins South West of Alliance Town on turn 1 as well.

[LTDave]

Oh, and a slight rules change - Flyers DO NOT get defensive terrain bonuses - they are in the air, after all.
Flyers that are stacked with Ground units DO get the defensive terrain bonuses.

[turbler]

so since they have 5 move, Pwinnies can fly? ok then... So are they? just making sure before I give orders...

[LTDave]

Yes, they fly.

[Ehbobo]

A reminder that units with move of 1 or 2 are Infantry or Siege, movement 3 are Cavalry, and 4 or 5 are flyers.

Wait, so I can't have fliers with less move than that?

[Sinrus]

so since they have 5 move, Pwinnies can fly? ok then... So are they? just making sure before I give orders...

Sorry, didn't realize that. So you can feel free to take them and the manticowes with Graf and his stack.

[BLANDCorporatio]

"My orders: make a stack of {Diwigible, 6 Air Guns, and myself} and go attack the enemy stack to the North, at the rivers merging."

"If some of you wish to come along they are welcome, but should probably wait for the Diwigible stack to strike first, so as to reduce casualties on our side."

[Crovius]

Form a stack of 8 Fodderman. Create a second stack of 4 Imperial Guardsmen and 4 Foe-Hammer Ballistas. I will stack up with one of the Delvers and lead both stacks to the bridge once it has been cleared.

"Evening Guardsmen. The Prince has asked me to escort yourselves and the siege. Me and my Foddermen will be going with you. Hope ye don't mind. We're moving out as soon as the bridge is cleared. Any questions?"