Darkness Rising

[Werebiscuit]

As always, let me know if you see any mistakes.

Sc-1 Elf Scout [ 3 Combat / 2 Defense / 6 Hits. Strike. Special: +4 Move; Concealment]
Sc-2 Elf Scout [ 3 Combat / 2 Defense / -0- Hits. Strike. Special: +4 Move; Concealment]
Sc-3 Elf Scout [ 3 Combat / 2 Defense / 6 Hits. Strike. Special: +4 Move; Concealment]
Sc-4 Elf Scout [ 3 Combat / 2 Defense / 6 Hits. Strike. Special: +4 Move; Concealment]

OOC It might be possible that the scout grave markers for SC-1 & SC-3 have 6 hits but then why not SC-2 ? what's he done to deserve a flimsy marker /OOC

[Werebiscuit]

On dropping the rams-

with some maneuvering it might be possible, since we have more than enough units to surround the treants, and moving through hostiles is impossible.

In order for the above plan to be safely applicable though, it should be possible for our ram carriers to *le gasp* step back one square, drop the ram, then charge again at the treants.

I mean Gumps.

Anyway, wow. 7 Archers gone, one disabled, one so wounded the fliers will knock him out soon enough ... we're in no rush to those walls now.

OOC *coughs* gumps have a reach of two and combat order higher than anyone.... be sure to drop it out of reach /OOC

[Swodaems]

Finally, Gumps look like they are large enough that they could single-handedly carry one of the rams, and may even be able to move without penalty, so dropping it within their reach could be bad if, say, they were to grab it, run to the wall, and throw it on the roof...

Yes, carrying a ram reduces movement to 2/3rds.

Considering both the rams and the gumps in question would be surrounded by units, I'm not that worried about dropping after considering the new adjacency rule that stops units in their tracks when they pass next to an enemy.

We may want to split the turn again, this time at the Combat =7 mark, after the archers fire.

Also, I forget if tis was said earlier, but do bats follow the same combat priority scheme we do or can they move earlier than their 0 combat indicates?

[Werebiscuit]

OOC Considering that we now have effectively double the amount of archers in the field compared to the elves, please tell me that the healer now becomes a priority target.... before they consider 'the better part of valour' or combat with the gumps commences/OOC

[BLANDCorporatio]

OOC: I'd think so too. But for now we've got another worry- what to do before ending turn? IS there anything left to do, as in, can anyone do anything like move and so? I don't like how Will looks all isolated there, for example.

Then, when the next turn begins, Will and the Gumps will attack. If nobody minds, I'd rather have Will attack an elven scout, which I've got a good chance to one shot, rather than a Gump- but OTOH Will's the highest damaging unit on our side so the Gump's a worthier target. Left to decide. If one of our warriors can level by croaking a scout, better have that.

Next, Archers fire. Six of them, Mighty Blow with leadership. Some bad things may happen here.

Only then do we worry about who to target next./OOC

[Werebiscuit]

OOC: I'd think so too. But for now we've got another worry- what to do before ending turn? IS there anything left to do, as in, can anyone do anything like move and so? I don't like how Will looks all isolated there, for example.
./OOC

OOC According to marbit each unit gets 1 "move action" in which it may move UP TO its full move. Once it has declared that move and is moved to a target square no further moves are possible even if it has moves left . We cannot move, wait to see what happens and then move again...till next turn.

You don't like how Will looks isolated ? You're not the one standing out in front of everyone 1 move away from 2 gumps /OOC

[MarbitChow]

Also, is there a benefit to taking the extra +1 Combat as opposed to the +1 def? (Since we don't have significant opposition with 4 Combat, would that change the priority of my orders?)

It wouldn't really change the order priority, but since you have Fire as an option if you're not healing, it may be something to consider, especially down the road (if, say, you choose to pick up Hiya).

Also do I know the name of the Healomancer or the Commander?

The Commander is Wandereus, and the Healamancer is Junetta.

We may want to split the turn again, this time at the Combat =7 mark, after the archers fire.

I'd prefer not to split the turn under ordinary circumstances. I allowed you split the first turn because of the whole 'wibbly wobbly timey wimey' nature of the hex border (and because the much larger-scale combat needed some getting used-to), but now that you're all in the hex, and orders can be conditional, I'd like to resolve them quickly.

Also, I forget if tis was said earlier, but do bats follow the same combat priority scheme we do or can they move earlier than their 0 combat indicates?

Bats move last. If you want to move with the bats in formation, all the elves get to go first.

OOC: I'd think so too. But for now we've got another worry- what to do before ending turn? IS there anything left to do, as in, can anyone do anything like move and so? I don't like how Will looks all isolated there, for example.

Sorry if I didn't make it clear: Turn has ended. Everyone who can do so has moved and acted.

[Werebiscuit]

OOC:Then, when the next turn begins, Will and the Gumps will attack. If nobody minds, I'd rather have Will attack an elven scout, which I've got a good chance to one shot, rather than a Gump- but OTOH Will's the highest damaging unit on our side so the Gump's a worthier target. Left to decide. If one of our warriors can level by croaking a scout, better have that.

./OOC

OOC As scouts only give 1 xp no-one can level from the one that's left except perhaps Tod - does he get a leadership bonus off his own kills as well as everyone else's ?

However I'd like to point out that Rolf is the ONLY unleveled unit so far and has taken the majority of the damage
Some levelling love would be nice (and beneficial for the team) from the team. /OOC

[BLANDCorporatio]

You Rolf that scout then buddy.

Ok but if the turn ended ... and Charlie's not in the battlespace ... new turn should start NOW!

Which means Gumps and Will get their shots! Will will move inside the infantry formation for cover, and fire at the closer of the Gumps.

(Stats for Will now are 12C 4D 14H, possibly with +1 or +2 Dancefighting bonus pending others' decisions).

[Werebiscuit]

You Rolf that scout then buddy.

OOC Sorry BLAND, you misunderstand. Rolf isn't in position to take the scout, Yuri is the one one the left. I wasn't asking for the scout only some levelling lovin in general It's probably not possible to predict (even with conditions) when the gump will go "T-I-M-B-E-R !" but I'd like to have a crack (See what I did there ?) at it. /OOC

[Werebiscuit]

OOC/ Rolf plans to step diagonally back to X6 trying to keep 2 away from the advancing gump and then use up his remaining move to circuit the trap door by moving through the Y & Z rows keeping out of the gumps 'adjacent zone' in an attempt to engage on the flank or rear squares of gump-2 which should put him in W9 or W10 depending if his last move is diagonal or straight.

....(W10)X10Y10
....(W9).......Z9
... V8..........Z8
......W7...Y7
.........X6

/OOC

[MarbitChow]

Please note that the trap doors are shallow (2') depressions in which scrawny elves were hiding. They do not impact movement at all, and are there primarily for flavor at this point.

[Werebiscuit]

Please note that the trap doors are shallow (2') depressions in which scrawny elves were hiding. They do not impact movement at all, and are there primarily for flavor at this point.

OOC Noted, however the trapdoor was only a point of reference in Rolf's 'dance-of-death-by-gump avoidance ' not a feature. I did not think it was an obstacle, nice as that might have been.
Where he attempts to end up (W9 or W10) will be determined by the actions decided on by the front ram carriers, warriors & spearmen./OOC

[MarbitChow]

Got it. I wouldn't worry about mapping out exact paths. Just give me your target and criteria ("avoid enemies", for example), and if the move you request is possible, you'll make it. If not, I'll try to position you intelligently where you get stopped.

Note to all: Please try to have your moves (including leveling instructions) submitted by 8pm CST / 7pm Server time.

During the weekend, there will be 48 hours between each move, so the next deadline after today will be Sunday @ 8pm CST / 7pm Server, and then again at Tuesday @ 8pm CST / 7pm Server.

[Exate]

There is a certain amount of ambiguity in the Dance-Fighting rules, in that the phrase "in the formation" is used, but what exactly a "formation" is never gets defined. Is it synonymous with "stack"? Does it mean "every allied unit in the hex"? Or "all allied units adjacent to one another"? Depending upon the meaning of that phrase, those of us who leveled might be able to snag a +2/+2 bonus by taking Dance-Fighting, or we might not be able to get any bonus from it at all since we're spread out all over the place, in different stacks, using different attack types and targeting different enemies. I would appreciate clarification on this.

As the new round has begun, I believe we need to declare what units are going to benefit from our leadership and what modified attacks/other abilities we'll use initially, and those declarations will hold throughout the round. Even if MarbitChow was inclined to process events piecemeal those declarations need to happen before any other actions. I would appreciate clarification if order of actions is subsequently determined based upon modified Combat score (including Leadership, Dance-Fighting, modified attacks, and similar bonuses) or if only base combat scores are used.

Reading the Brickabat description, its blocking power is phrased as "can negate a single Fire attack against any adjacent target, at the cost of 1 Hit." The use of the word "can" implies to me that the use of the ability is optional. If this is so, I would propose that the Brickabat with only 1 Hit left choose not to use its ability so that it will survive this battle and we'll have an additional full-strength Brickabat available for use in the next battle. The slightly greater casualties that we'll take from suffering 1 additional attack now are more than worth it for the ability to negate another 8 ranged attacks later.

[The Colonel]

I HAVE ANOTHER CORPSE. DO I RAISE IT?

[MarbitChow]

As the new round has begun, I believe we need to declare what units are going to benefit from our leadership and what modified attacks/other abilities we'll use initially, and those declarations will hold throughout the round.

This is correct.

I would appreciate clarification if order of actions is subsequently determined based upon modified Combat score (including Leadership, Dance-Fighting, modified attacks, and similar bonuses) or if only base combat scores are used.

Base combat scores only.

Reading the Brickabat description, its blocking power is phrased as "can negate a single Fire attack against any adjacent target, at the cost of 1 Hit." The use of the word "can" implies to me that the use of the ability is optional.

This is correct. A brickabat can be ordered not to defend anyone at all, in which case only an Attack or AoE shock could harm it. And, as irrational as it may seem, a 1 Hit Brickabat Swarm that is not blocking anything can still provide cover to a unit directly behind it. Brickabats, while not strictly sentient, do possess a limited form of predictamancy that can also be used to disrupt aim. Magic is weird.

There is a certain amount of ambiguity in the Dance-Fighting rules, in that the phrase "in the formation" is used, but what exactly a "formation" is never gets defined. Is it synonymous with "stack"? Does it mean "every allied unit in the hex"? Or "all allied units adjacent to one another"? Depending upon the meaning of that phrase, those of us who leveled might be able to snag a +2/+2 bonus by taking Dance-Fighting, or we might not be able to get any bonus from it at all since we're spread out all over the place, in different stacks, using different attack types and targeting different enemies. I would appreciate clarification on this.

I'd actually been dwelling on this for a day or so. My inclination is that, like a dance number, the units' layout should form a simple symmetrical pattern of some sort. I won't require the units to be adjacent, but I'd like the ability to have a bit more flavor than just "we all get +3 / +3 for 1 AP"... Thoughts?

[Werebiscuit]

Reading the Brickabat description, its blocking power is phrased as "can negate a single Fire attack against any adjacent target, at the cost of 1 Hit." The use of the word "can" implies to me that the use of the ability is optional. If this is so, I would propose that the Brickabat with only 1 Hit left choose not to use its ability so that it will survive this battle and we'll have an additional full-strength Brickabat available for use in the next battle.

OOC Seconded...all in favour raise a hand /OOC

[Exate]

Requiring symmetry for Dance-Fighting sounds fine to me. Potentially highly exploitable with archer formations, which the enemy can't force into an asymmetrical arrangement with clever troop deployment, but archers are extremely deadly anyway.

Given that, Yuri will hold his AP. He's increasing Combat with his level, for overall stats 10/10/24/Heavy.

As it's been made clear that only base stats count for initiative, quickly recapping initiative order for reference in planning:
12: Gumps, William Showend Tell (he leveled Combat)
11:
10: Yuri (he leveled Combat)
9: RAM Warriors
8: Wandereus, Tod (assuming he levels Defense), Rolf
7: B Elf Archers
6: Junetta, SK Skeleton Archers, Cupid (assuming he levels Combat)
5: DW Dark Warriors, DS Dark Spearmen, SK Skeleton Warrior, T. Coil, Bill
4: DF Dark Fliers, SC Elf Scout, Triage (assuming he levels Defense)
3:
2:
1:
0: BS Brickabats

It's apparent from the above that the plan to swarm the Gumps has one significant problem: Our infantry's moves are split, with the enemy Healmancer going in the middle of them. It's highly unlikely that our RAM Warriors will be able to bring down a Gump on their own, even if we shift leadership to them, and as soon as we hit initiative 6 then they'll be able to trigger conditional orders to Renew one of them for an additional 16 hits, which by my math virtually guarantees that both Gumps live through the round.

Because of this, perhaps our RAM Warriors, DW Dark Warriors, and DS Dark Spearmen should all delay their moves until after the Dark Fliers have had a chance to fire upon and hopefully eliminate the Healmancer. There is the risk that the enemy archers will do enough damage to our Dark Fliers that they can't successfully eliminate the Healamancer, but even in that case we're at least no worse off than we were before. We can also use our other ranged combatants to supplement their firepower- the skeleton archers, casters, even Will unless we have some tactical reason to use his firepower extremely early in the round.

The Healmancer fleeing into cover is also a concern, but I'm not sure how to prevent that. Provoke her into expending her healing so she can't move this round, kill B-3, Bone Puppeteer them, and run around behind the stairs to block off access, perhaps? With Beefy and Block we could be fairly certain the skeleton would survive at least through next round. This plan is slightly contrary to the "how to kill enemy units without letting them get healed" scheme, though.

[Werebiscuit]

OOC Rolf Actually intends to delay his strike till last in the round. I doubt we'll kill a gump this round but even if we do it more than likely wont be in the initial phases where he usually strikes /OOC