The Battle for Gobwin Bump: Book Two

[Twoy]

I think the best scouting option with the new rules would be, NE, 3N, SW.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Hey you're right, I didn't read that paragraph.

Okay then, making Twoy's orders official.

Battle Hawk from B10: Inspect NE->N->N->N along the road, then from the reached road position SW.

Tewescope: inspect Gobwin Bump.

Meh Spoilers at I10: one of you check the two open spaces this side of the river, the other one check across the river and help the other with a double check to the north western hex.* (Suggest that a clarification is maybe in order? What is double check? Which northwestern hex (relative to what))

If nobody has any more scouts to order around we can declare End Scout Phase.

PS: kriss,

to make orders easily visible, please bold them.

PPS:

Incidentally, LtDave,

I've got a question. Bridges provide defense bonuses, however they are not themselves hexes (they are hex edges). So, how do they apply? If Stack A defends in a hex (one edge of which is a bridge), does it always get the bridge defense bonus, regardless of the hex it is attacked from?

[The Black Hand]

====

LtDave, I am disappoint. No Spidews?!

But in any case, that is a nice well-rounded troop collection. Golems will be tough nuts to crack, and the Great Dwagon will sure be a pain to work against. This has all the signs of becoming something Epic!!!!111oneonetwothreefive.
====

. . . Do I spy the Fibonacci sequence there?!

[Twoy]

BTW, Nether-Erf said to start without him. He will catch up when he can.

[kriss]

NW relative to i10. Having both of them check it means that if it's possible for scouts to miss stuff, it's less likely to happen there.

P.S. still waiting on my warlords level.

[Twoy]

Level 4. It was on the previous page under the alliance unit spoiler thingie.

Meh Points Unspent: 6
Stack: B 1 [i10]
Bob the Guy Level 4
2 Spoilers
4 Mehian Spearmen
2 Mehian Crossbowers
2 Nerb Rangers

[Sihoiba]

It's not possible to miss stuff, no need to double check.

[BLANDCorporatio]

. . . Do I spy the Fibonacci sequence there?!

Indeed you do.

It's not possible to miss stuff, no need to double check.

Precisely my thoughts. No need to waste scout move by double checking.

[Twoy]

With 1 movement point, can my units move from B10 to C8 in one turn?

[LTDave]

Scouting results map

Spoiler: show

Contacts List

Spoiler: show

Stack A b3
8 Garrison Twoll
Stack B b3
8 Garrison Twoll
1 Commandew, "Wobin", Level 1
Stack C c9
1 Gowem
2 Field Twoll

Stack D c9
1 Gowem
2 Field Twoll
1 Commandew, "Twevow", Chief Warlord, Level 2
Stack H
8 Gobwins
Stack E c7
1 Gowem
8 Gobwins
1 Commandew, "Wussel", Level 2
Stack F c7
5 Fire Dwagon
3 Gobwin Archers
1 Commandew, "Wayne", Level 2
Stack G c7
6 Gobwin Archers
Stack I
2 Gobwins

Alliance Units and Locations

Spoiler: show

Kanite Legion Points Unspent: 10
Stack: A 1 [b10]
Confessor Delacroix Level 2*
1x Copperhead ACU
10x Kanite Militants




Dwacon Points Unspent: 0
Stack: A 2 [b10]
Lord Dwakvir Level 3
5 Dwaconknights
2 Dwaconians






Meh Points Unspent: 6
Stack: B 1 [i10]
Bob the Guy Level 4
4 Mehian Spearmen
Stack: B 2 [i10]
2 Mehian Crossbowers
Stack: B 3 [i10]
2 Nerb Rangers
Stack: B 4 [i10]
2 Spoilers



Bugger'al Points Unspent: 0
Stack: A 3 [b10]
General Dagnabit Level 2**
2 Champions
Stack: A 4 [b10]
1 Siege Tank
7 Axe Dwarves



The Steam Gentlemen Points Unspent: 8
Stack: A 5 [b10]
Graf Zeppellin Level 3*** Chief Warlord, Tewescope
1 Steam Fly
1 Twain




Weather Toffs Points Unspent: 66
Stack: A 6 [b10]
Duke Kettwey Level 3**
1 Huwwicane







Golmon Barbarians Points Unspent: 3
Stack: A 7 [b10]
Prince Lokarat Level 5***
3 Golman Knights
1 Battle Hawk







Kingdom of Narnia Points Unspent: 0
Stack: A 8 [b10]
High King Peter Level 3
King Edmund Level 3
1 Elephant
5 Minotaurs

[LTDave]

And some questions:

Q: Can Scouts miss stuff in a hex?
A: Only when Fool-A-Mancy is involved, and it isn't yet.

Q:Bridges provide defense bonuses, however they are not themselves hexes (they are hex edges). So, how do they apply? If Stack A defends in a hex (one edge of which is a bridge), does it always get the bridge defense bonus, regardless of the hex it is attacked from?
A: Yes, a change from the last version. Rivers and Bridges only protect Ground Forces if they are attacked from that edge of the Hex. So in the contact list above, Stacks in C9 get +2 Terrain Bonus if attacked from B10. Stacks in C9 attacked from B9 get +0 terrain bonus. {Remember that only Ground Forces get terrain bonuses, and only on the Defensive}
Astute Players will notice a brown line in hex C6. This represents field works, protecting that hex from the south. A single line will mean +1 Terrain Bonus, a double line will mean +2 Terrain Bonus.

Q: With 1 movement point, can my units move from B10 to C8 in one turn?
A: Yes, if they move on road hexes. Ground units beginning and ending move on a road get +1 movement.

Q: But, aren't we oposite sides on a massive war of devescating scale?
A: Yes, but we can still be friends. Can't we? Please?

The Alliance Move and Combat Phase has now begun.

[Sihoiba]

"Those blaggards and standing right in front of us, eh wot! Well I rather think we ought to teach them a lesson a quick ranged assault will make them think twice, about getting jolly close without a single ranged unit of their own."

Duke Kettwey suggests the following stacks:
Stack1: Ranged Heavy Hitter
3 Golman Knights
1 Dwarven Siege Tank
1 Huwwicane
1 Copperhead ACU (mounted on the Huwwicane)
Duke Kettwey (riding the siege tank)
Graf Zepplin (riding the siege tank)

Stats 129 Attack, 94 Hits Av Defence 4.375
However with the defence bonus from the bridge that will only deal 15-31 damage.

Stack 2: Battle Hawk

"I'm afraid I've not suggested any of you other commanders, but only myself and Graf Zepplin can attack from range eh wot! The plan would be we cross the bridge engage stack D, kill Gobwin Bumps' Chief Warlord and hammer the Gowem with whatever we have left, then retreat back across the bridge. Graf would level from that assault. The Battle Hawk hits Stack C, freeing up the next stack of ground forces to crush the Gobwins (though I'd rather think I leave that stack composition to the rest of you), then finally whatever units left attempt to kill the Gowems in stack C and D. Once all that is done we restack and hope to not lose too much to the Fire Dwagon counterattack, though the two ranged stacks would be unharmed, and only the force that we engage the gobwins with would take full retaliatory damage."

----

Question as we're attacking on a road, does that allow ranged units with a move of 1 to retreat using their road bonus move?
Second question does being attacked by a range unit when you can't retaliate impose the multiple defensive fight penalty?

[kriss]

"ALright men, through h10 into h 9 I guess. Sucks to be them and all huh? Ok course Bumpbs going to attack the main forces. This is why I am so damn clever." Bob says smugly, leading his forces forward, his personal stack followed closely by the ragers, the bowmen and spoilers tagging allong in the back.

[The Black Hand]

Eh, the Copperhead's a flying unit to begin with. Not exactly sure how you'd get one flying unit to ride on another

[BLANDCorporatio]

Buran-like, on the Antonov's that the Steam Flies are. A Stem Fly I think is big enough to carry one Warlord and one Copperhead actually, and we could do some flier relays of our own if needed at some point.

Anyways,

=====

"Titan's Jewels, that pass will be a big fight. Who can spare some units for a hit and run attack? The scouted mountain hex provides a good retreat for fliers".

"Myself, I could hop in the Steam Fly along with two other ranged units."

=====

Some more Mathmancy, when time allows.

[Sihoiba]

Eh, the Copperhead's a flying unit to begin with. Not exactly sure how you'd get one flying unit to ride on another

The huwwicane isn't a flier, but should be big enough that you could park the copperhead on it.

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"Gwaf once I've popped my flying units I could help with the hit and run attacks, eh wot, still shouldn't we be concerned about jolly well dealing with those units on the other side of the bridge first? Get the Chief Warlord while we can. The problem with hit and run attacks hiding in the mountains is Gobwin knobs dwagons would be able to toast them without problem."

-----

I think we need Graf's attack skill to be able to guarantee kill the Chief Warlord thanks to the defence bonus the bridge gives those units, plus Gwaf would level!

[Twoy]

Chief Warlord, Here's my proposal, though having just arrived from Narnia after the Last Battle, I'm still a bit unclear on exactly how battles work here in Erfworld.

Stack 1 hits Stack D targetting and killing the chief warlord with the remainder of the damage going to whichever unit is in front of the stack.
Duke Kettwey's stack mentioned above +
Add Prince Lokarat so he will get an xp and do another point or two of damage.

Stack 2 hits Stack C to allow us to target other stacks.
Battle Hawk attacks and withdraws.

Stack 3 hits Stack H destroying the 8 Gobwins. One of the Dwaconians can absorb all the damage from the Gobwins.
Kanite (minus the Copperhead), Dwacon and Bugger'Al forces in one big stack.

Stack 4 hits Stack D killing the Gowem and perhaps if we are very, very lucky one of the field twolls. One of the Minotaurs can absorb all the damage unless we get very unlucky, then he dies.
Narnia stack.

The battle ends up costing GK about 150 points, and we lose maybe one minotaur at a cost of 20 points. The one thing I'm not clear about is where our forces will be at the end of the battle. I think we will be standing on our side of the bridge and the surviving 4 or 5 units from GK will be on their side of the bridge.

[Sihoiba]

As Lokarat isn't ranged his attack doesn't count in a ranged assault. While his better commander bonus would help, the 4 points of attack he can bring to a stack might be more useful in one of the ground assaults. Remember only the first 8 units attack counts.

----

"So Graf seems like Nawnia mostly agrees with me, what do you say about we launching first ranged assault against their chief warlord?"

[Twoy]

As Lokarat isn't ranged his attack doesn't count in a ranged assault. While his better commander bonus would help, the 4 points of attack he can bring to a stack might be more useful in one of the ground assaults. Remember only the first 8 units attack counts.

Lokarat is ranged. See bottom of page 1.

If only the first 8 units' attacks count, then my recommendation of stacking 29 units from Kanite, Dwacon and Bugger'al to hit the 8 gobwins won't work as planned. Let me think about it for a bit.

This 8-unit stack could hit the 8 gobwins and probably kill them all. 1 gobwin might survive. All three warlords would probably gain an xp (about 90-95% chance). The first Dwaconian might be seriously injured, but he would survive.
Dwaconian x 2
Champion x 2
Dwagoknight x 1
Kanite Warlord
Dwacon Warlord
Bugger'al Warlord

Last night around the fires I was listening to the account of the fall of Bugger'al's 8 Foddermen in the first engagement of the first Battle for Gobwin Bump, and I got a lump in my throat; however, I think we don't need to suffer that cost again when 1 Dwaconian can take all the damage from this engagement and limp away safely back to the camp.

[Sihoiba]

As Lokarat isn't ranged his attack doesn't count in a ranged assault. While his better commander bonus would help, the 4 points of attack he can bring to a stack might be more useful in one of the ground assaults. Remember only the first 8 units attack counts.

Lokarat is ranged. See bottom of page 1.

If only the first 8 units' attacks count, then my recommendation of stacking 29 units from Kanite, Dwacon and Bugger'al to hit the 8 gobwins won't work as planned. Let me think about it for a bit.

Duke Kettwey will step aside from my suggested first Stack and let Lokarat lead the way instead.

So stack 1:
3 Golman Knights
1 Dwarven Siege Tank
1 Huwwicane
1 Copperhead ACU (mounted on the Huwwicane)
Prince Lokarat (riding the siege tank)
Graf Zepplin (riding the siege tank)

Stats 130 Attack, 92 Hits Av Defence 4.5
However with the defence bonus from the bridge that will only deal 18-36 damage.
Launch a hit and run attack on Stack D targeting the Chief Warlord, and then dealing the remaining 6-24 damage to the other units as normal. Graf Zepplin levels.

Stack 2
Golman Battle Hawk
Duke Kettwey
Stats 7 Attack, 8 Hits, Av Defence 0.5
After bridge defence bonus
Launches hit and run attack on Stack C dealing 0-1 damage, 27% chance of dealing 1 damage... (and Duke Kettwey gaining 1XP)
Alternatively launches a hit and run attack on Stack H dealing 1-3 damage.

Other stack options

Full Nawnia stack, as it could only be more offensive with 1 of the dwaconians in place of a Warlord and I think the Dwaconians are better used as meat shields when hitting the other two stacks (and their 0.5 return damage)
Ewephant
5 Minatour
High King Peter
King Edmund
Stats Attack 163 Hits 117 Av Defence 5
Deals 39-79 to the Gobwins overkill of 15-55 points hmmm. Takes 6-12 damage in return.*
Deals 13-26 against either of the other 2 stacks, so might not even kill the Gowem... Takes 7-15* damage in return (before penalties from being hit multiple times so it could be 50% of that)

2 Dwaconians
2 Dwarven Champions
2 Dwacoknights
Lord Dwakvir
Delacroix
Stats Attack 72 Hits 89 Av Defence 3.125
Deals 17 - 35 to the Gobwins, 63.6% chance of wiping them out, takes 9-19* in return
Deals 5-11 damage to either of the other stacks, takes 12-24 damage in return (before penalties from being hit multiple times so it could be 50% of that)

4 Axe Dwarf
3 Dwacoknights
Dagnabbit
Stats Attack 36 Hits 35 Av Defence 1.625
Deals 8-16 Damage to the gobwins, takes 12-25 damage in return.
Deals 2-5 damage to Stacks C or D, takes 15-31 damage in return (before penalties from being hit multiple times so it could be 50% of that)

This leaves the following units unspent to form unlead stacks:
10 Kanite Militants
3 Axe Dwarfs
1 Steam Fly
1 Twain

*This would be more if the Chief Warlord wasn't dead.

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"So considering the mathamancy are rather think we should hit their chief warlord hard first, and see how much collateral damage we do from there, and see on a stack by stack basis where to spend our forces."