The Battle for {Insert Name Here}

[Twoy]

It makes sense to do it that way, but it is not very helpful, since most of our stacks cannot survive an ambush by 4 Sourmanders and 4 Archers.

Since this is only a test, I'm not sure that it matters, but we do need to ask the question "Is this scenario (perpetual scout shortages) likely to come up in the real game?" If the answer is yes, then we need to develop a solution. If the answer is no, then we probably don't need to do anything.

[Siralus]

A glorious day for my people. Yes, let us rest.

[Twoy]

END TURN

[Nihila]

Alright. Time to attack, once more. From the South, a lone Decrypted Archer enters C5 and engages the lone Ewinyes.

COMBAT!
Battle is joined in hex: C5
TIME OF POST (in minutes and seconds): 0537
Attacker:
Total Attack Value: 6
Level of Highest Commander: 0
Number of Units: 1
Stacking Bonus: 1.0
Average Defence: 0.0
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 85%
Total Damage: 5

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 4

Defender
Total Attack Value: 6
Level of Highest Commander: 0
Number of Units: 1
Stacking Bonus: 1.0
Average Defence: 2.0
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Ambush Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 80%
Total Damage: 5

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 5

Both the Ewinyes and Decrypted Archer destroyed.

[Nihila]

6 Archers, 1 Sourmander, and a Decrypted Archery Warlord ("Salve", Lv. 1) enter G8 from the SE. They engage the Thunder Bats, and the attacker has first strike.

Spoiler: show

COMBAT!
Battle is joined in hex: G8
TIME OF POST (in minutes and seconds): 919
Attacker:
Total Attack Value: 50
Level of Highest Commander: 1
Number of Units: 8
Stacking Bonus: 1.8
Average Defence: 0.6
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 70%
Total Damage: 69

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 43

Which destroys the Thunder Bats.

[Nihila]

4 Sourmanders, 3 Archers, and Nonmine (Lv. 1) enter G8 from the SE, engaging Vis and the Dwakes. Nonmine has first strike.

Spoiler: show

COMBAT!
Battle is joined in hex: G8
TIME OF POST (in minutes and seconds): 1138
Attacker:
Total Attack Value: 56
Level of Highest Commander: 1
Number of Units: 8
Stacking Bonus: 1.8
Average Defence: 2.5
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 70%
Total Damage: 78

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 39

6 Dwakes croaked, 1 @ 3 Hits, 1 alive, Vis alive. Nonmine does not leave the hex.

Spoiler: show

Defender
Total Attack Value: 27
Level of Highest Commander: 3
Number of Units: 3
Stacking Bonus: 1.3
Average Defence: 4.0
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Ambush Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 95%
Total Damage: 43

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 30

So, 3 Sourmanders dusted, 1 @ 2 Hits.
Or, Nonmine dusted, 1 Sourmander dusted, 1 Sourmander @ 2 Hits.

Take your pick, zilfallon.

[Nihila]

And, finally, 4 Sourmanders and 4 Archers enter G8 from the SE, engaging Genericus. Attacker has first strike.

Spoiler: show

COMBAT!
Battle is joined in hex: G8
TIME OF POST (in minutes and seconds): 1628
Attacker:
Total Attack Value: 56
Level of Highest Commander: 0
Number of Units: 8
Stacking Bonus: 1.8
Average Defence: 2.5
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 70%
Total Damage: 71

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 35

1 Ogre croaked, 1 Guardsman croaked in a targeted attack. 1 Ogre @ 17 Hits.

And, the defenders retaliate:

Spoiler: show

Defender
Total Attack Value: 84
Level of Highest Commander: 2
Number of Units: 7
Stacking Bonus: 1.7
Average Defence: 5.0
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Ambush Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 75%
Total Damage: 129

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 88

Which dusts the entire Gobwin Knob stack.

The remaining Gobwin Knob units (e.g., Salve's stack and the-now-probably-dusted Nonmine's stack) retreat to the Southeast.

Turn summary: Archers and Ewinyes demonstrate marksmanship, Archers shoot down Bats, Sourmanders duel Dwakes, and the Genericans prove their worth against even more Sourmanders.

Alliance Scout/Pop begins now. 200 pop points.

[Twoy]

We'll take the three Sourmanders. Let Nonmine live just a bit longer.

CPT-GEN Genericus raises to level 3.

Pop Points:
Nawnia 50+7
Thundermen 50+4
Avewnus 50+0
Generica 50+3

[zilfallon]

-Chief, Avewnus asks for 2 more points so we can pop 2 dwakes.

Also wow, 6 dwakes croaked? Didn't know they suck so much even with a level 3 warlord...must really have learned the exact mechanics before making my side

[Siralus]

The Thundermen will gladly sacrifice all of its points to enable the construction of four dwakes instead. Our strength is not in the bats.

[LTDave]

And the Genericans return their points. We need flyers, not infantry. I suggest Gwiffons.

[Twoy]

Alliance Pop
Gwiffon Riders x 2=126
Hellflame Dwakes x 2=52
Sparrowhawk x 2=30
126+52+30=208 With 3 points left unspent

[Twoy]

Turn 6 Scout:
A1:
Sparrohawk 1: A2-3, B4-6.
Sparrohawk 2: B2, C2, D3-5.

C5:
Sparrohawk 1: D6, E6, F7, G7, H8.
Sparrohawk 2: C6, D7, E7, F8, G8.
Sparrohawk 3: C6-7, D8, E8, F9.

END SCOUT PHASE AFTER REPORT

[Nihila]

You find an eerie lack of units. Move/Combat starts now.

[Twoy]

All right fellow warlords. It's tough decision time. Do we want to wait for the scouts to get closer and hope and pray that they don't get cwoaked, or do we want to send in our leading stacks to try and take H9 and I9 with th risk of taking ambush damage? Remember that ambush damage is doubled. A stack of 4 sourmander and 4 archers would do an average of 57 hits before our ogre stack would be able to retaliate. The only survivor from the ogre stack would be CPT-GEN Genericus, who at least would be able to report the existence of the forces in the hex, negating ambushes in that hex for the rest of the turn.

If we decide to attack, this is the order I would recommend.
Guardsmen x 5, Bezekiwa x 1, Ogre x 1 (-3 Hits), Captain General Genericus, (Att-92, Def-5).
Bezekiwa x 7, CDR Agrach (Att-72, Def-5).
Thunder Infantry x 3, Thunder Cats x 4, CDR Lightning (Att-59, Def-4.625).
Thunder Infantry x 7, CDR Thunder (Att-51, Def-4.125).

[LTDave]

Push on to Victory!

Also, remember that units heal at the start of the turn. My Ogre is back to full health.

[Twoy]

An alternative to sending stacks of 8 into an ambush would be to send in a stack of around 16 units. After the first half die in an ambush, the remaining 8 or so units would be able to do a significant amount of damage. Additionally, sending in a stack of 16 or so units would almost certainly ensure that some of the stack would survive to send a report on enemy units in the hex.

Thoughts?

[zilfallon]

-Vis, you were pitiful, but i cannot blame you and your little dwakes for being weak. Chief, our situation looks bad. Our best option is to advance directly into their base without tripping major ambushes. 16 unit stacks seem good for this purpose.

(Vis interferes)

-How strange, Agrach. We are not weak. Remember, it was YOU who prevented me from giving any opinions. And you're right, it is not my fault that you and the others put us in this situation. None can know what my dwakes can do, other than me. But there is no point arguing about it now. 16 unit stack advance seems good, but let's remember that we lack units to do it efficiently.

[Twoy]

Advance from G8 to H9.
Thunder Infantry x 10, Thunder Cats x 4, CDR Lightning (Att-48, Def-4.33)

Attack value is only the first eight units in the stack.

[Nihila]

Okay, Twoy, it's nice of you to post the attack, but please remember that 1) We removed the Attack cap, and 2) Most of the first 8 units will die in an ambush anyways. It would be more helpful to tell me the Attack score of each individual unit, as well as CDR Lightning's level (Lv. 3).
Thunder Infantry Attack: 6; Hits: 5
Thunder Cat Attack: 8; Hits: 5
Lightning Attack: 9; Hits: 6
Ambushers have first strike.
Using the time of Twoy's post as the random seed...

Spoiler: show

COMBAT!
Battle is joined in hex: H9
TIME OF POST (in minutes and seconds): 3543
Defender
Total Attack Value: 95
Level of Highest Commander: 0
Number of Units: 0
Stacking Bonus: 1.0
Average Defence: 0.6
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Ambush Bonus: 2.0
Random Percentage: 55%
Total Damage: 105

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 48

That makes 9 Thunder Infantry croaked, 1@2 Hits. And the attacker:

Spoiler: show

Attacker:
Total Attack Value: 39
Level of Highest Commander: 3
Number of Units: 6
Stacking Bonus: 1.6
Average Defence: 4.3
Terrain Bonus of Hex: 0.0
Special Bonus: 1.0
Random Percentage: 80%
Total Damage: 65

Hits Inflicted on the Enemy: 60

Which dusts the entire stack before the Thundermen can actually see them.

H9:
a. 3 Decrypted Archers, 1 Decrypted Sourmander@6 Hits, 1 Decrypted Archery Warlord Nonmine, Lv. 1.1, Attack=32, Defense=1

Edited multiple times, to fix the hits on the remaining Infantryman, as well as to give my stack an Attack/Defense score.