Book 2 – Page 59

[balder]

New One is up.

[gameboy1234]

Holy boop. King Don really gets me in that last panel.

[Rakeesh]

Man. Looks like someone is being moved briskly up the To-Do list in the Don's estimation. I wonder if Caesar appreciates that and doesn't care, doing this out of duty to the side? Sees that and doesn't care, out of bravado? Or sees that and thinks he can weather the retaliation? The latter two seem fitting of his character to me, what we've seen of it.

I do wonder what this will mean for Tramennis. Because, well...Wanda isn't actually bound to Parson or Stanley. If she doesn't like the orders he gives her, orders like 'don't kill the King of Jetstone or his heir' (not that I expect that order to be given), will she actually follow them? I'm not sure the situation has ever come up before between the two of them.

[GaryThunder]

Oh, Don...

You're breaking my heart, Rob. Here I was all set to see a bunch of obstinate, hidebound ideologues destroy themselves and each other over petty differences. Instead, the situation is resolved cleanly, but...poignantly. You are so elegantly cruel to your characters, Rob, it's just brilliant.

[Beeskee]

Simply amazing.

This was worth waiting for, and worth waiting a bit longer to see the Parson/MK thing for this rare glimpse into inter-side conflict.


Don handles it all with true dignity and nobility. I'd bet both Stanley and Slately would have disbanded someone.

Edit: Also include here everything everyone else has said about Don. The last two panels... The words, the expressions. Death has been dealt with before in this and other comics and graphic novels, but rarely ever, anywhere, we see someone have to tell their friend "I'm sorry, I can't save your life." (Or side, as the case may be.)


I really hope Jillian can come out of left field with the funds to help save Jetstone.

[GaryThunder]

Look at the bald warlord. He's torn up about this, it seems almost as much as Don is. He probably has friends in Jetstone, and he's just put his signature on their death warrant.

[╒╦╧╬╩╦╦╛]

I can't help but feel bad for Don... he is slowly losing all his friends to this stupid war(at least he may think so until the next plot twist), Bea and now Slately...

[clik]

I guess that went... smoothly.

It seems like a horribly bad tactical decision to let Jetstone fall. Won't that leave many neutral cities, full of easy-to-decrypt troops? It basically lets GK absorb all the other cities with minimal losses (actually, with great gains in troops and cities).

Obviously it won't happen like that, but it really does make me question Caesar's ability to grasp the big picture as a warlord. That is something even conventional thinking warlords should understand. They have got to be incredibly close to GK since FAQ is right nearby to both of them. I don't see Caesar as the diplomatic sort so I really don't understand how he thinks they are better off in this scenario where they are the next in line for a curb-stomping when they are at their weakest and GK is at its strongest.

[Nebulious]

Reading those last two panels out loud makes me choke up...

[Saracenus]

And now the only thing that will save Jetstone is the Magic Kingdom interfering with Parsons sojourn through their portals... for whatever that is worth.

R.I.P. Jetstone, only a miracle will save your lands.

[mp122984]

I guess that went... smoothly.

It seems like a horribly bad tactical decision to let Jetstone fall. Won't that leave many neutral cities, full of easy-to-decrypt troops? It basically lets GK absorb all the other cities with minimal losses (actually, with great gains in troops and cities).

Obviously it won't happen like that, but it really does make me question Caesar's ability to grasp the big picture as a warlord. That is something even conventional thinking warlords should understand. They have got to be incredibly close to GK since FAQ is right nearby to both of them. I don't see Caesar as the diplomatic sort so I really don't understand how he thinks they are better off in this scenario where they are the next in line for a curb-stomping when they are at their weakest and GK is at its strongest.

The sad thing is that Ceasar probably sees this as the better choice to seeing Jetstone fall anyways and take their kingdom down with them via bankruptcy.

[ftl]

I guess that went... smoothly.

It seems like a horribly bad tactical decision to let Jetstone fall. Won't that leave many neutral cities, full of easy-to-decrypt troops? It basically lets GK absorb all the other cities with minimal losses (actually, with great gains in troops and cities).

Obviously it won't happen like that, but it really does make me question Caesar's ability to grasp the big picture as a warlord. That is something even conventional thinking warlords should understand. They have got to be incredibly close to GK since FAQ is right nearby to both of them. I don't see Caesar as the diplomatic sort so I really don't understand how he thinks they are better off in this scenario where they are the next in line for a curb-stomping when they are at their weakest and GK is at its strongest.

The sad thing is that Ceasar probably sees this as the better choice to seeing Jetstone fall anyways and take their kingdom down with them via bankruptcy.

Yeah. As Caesar sees it, Jetstone is booped either way, it's a question of does Jestone take down Transylvito's remaining treasury with them or not.

[mblackadder]

I guess that went... smoothly.

It seems like a horribly bad tactical decision to let Jetstone fall. Won't that leave many neutral cities, full of easy-to-decrypt troops? It basically lets GK absorb all the other cities with minimal losses (actually, with great gains in troops and cities).

Obviously it won't happen like that, but it really does make me question Caesar's ability to grasp the big picture as a warlord. That is something even conventional thinking warlords should understand. They have got to be incredibly close to GK since FAQ is right nearby to both of them. I don't see Caesar as the diplomatic sort so I really don't understand how he thinks they are better off in this scenario where they are the next in line for a curb-stomping when they are at their weakest and GK is at its strongest.

The sad thing is that Ceasar probably sees this as the better choice to seeing Jetstone fall anyways and take their kingdom down with them via bankruptcy.

Yeah. As Caesar sees it, Jetstone is booped either way, it's a question of does Jestone take down Transylvito's remaining treasury with them or not.

Here's an idea when Jetsone falls you will convert a rather largish allied force into a rather large enemy force that has nothing better to do then go pillaging neighboring kingdoms and what are you?
Why your a neighboring Kingdom! How about that!

This is self booping on a massive scale, Caesar should know there is more than just two choices give the loan and wait around for bankruptcy or don't give the loan and watch Jetsone fall.

One-Finance
Going bankrupt will only happen if no preventive measures are taken (IE no mass disbands of units or conversion to food), nothing says you can ensure no collapse via temporarily cooking the books to get you through the storm

Two-Strategic VS Tactical
Turning Jetsone allied troops into enemy troops is a serious strategic mistake as will happen if Jetsone falls Tool forces are well on their way to massively increasing as is their war chest and city count

Three -The Charlie option
Does Charlie give loans? could he ask Charlie to intercede on Jetsone behalf? After all if the terms are VERY generous Charlie might want to take a quick bet that Jetsone will survive to pay it, after all he has some markers on the board and he's used none of them

[cdrcjsn]

Three -The Charlie option
Does Charlie give loans? could he ask Charlie to intercede on Jetsone behalf? After all if the terms are VERY generous Charlie might want to take a quick bet that Jetsone will survive to pay it, after all he has some markers on the board and he's used none of them

Does the king know about Charlie's bounty? If so, then he might order all the casters to blast as many Archons in the air space and that might be enough to promote Tram.

But yeah, he's in a pickle right now. If a loan from a friend had fairly harsh terms, I can't imagine what a loan from a shark like Charlie would be like...

[TheTuna]

While I think Caesar is probably wrong, you have to understand his position.

He's watched GK just turn what looked like a completely unwinnable battle into a near-total rout. If the amassed forces of Jetstone and its allies couldn't crush Gobwin Knob with the odds stacked completely in their favor, why throw good money after bad?

Especially considering I sincerely doubt Jetstone, with its capital gone, would be in any condition to repay the loan.

[No one in particular]

From Caesar's perspective, it doesn't matter what Transylvito does. Jetstone is going to fall. Not if. Barely even when. After today, Jetstone will be nothing but a memory. Making the loan will not stop this.

As he sees it, the choices aren't "make the loan, save Jetstone and go bankrupt" and "keep the money and watch Jetstone fall"... they're "watch Jetstone fall" and "watch Jetstone fall, with a bunch of our money."

To Caesar, it's sad, but they're already dead.

[kreszantas]

The statements given both by Caesar and Benny were needed to bring Don back "home" what they were saying is, if you do this, GK gets two sides not just one this turn. Their own problems and self-survival won out here. As they state they are extremely loyal to Don, they are just not liking the series of decisions since tBfGK and this was needed to jolt their side back into "the routine". The welfare had to end, and with Benny it does, not necessarly Caesar, but Benny could have easily broke the ranks of "rebellion" and fulfilled the order, he respectfully refused.

[Sygerrik]

Remember, even if the loan gets made, Jetstone is in horrible shape. They just lost a HUGE number of troops, including the cream of their leadership crop (warlords like Antium, Lacrosse, and probably more) as well as their capital. They're so broke that they can't afford to reinforce their army. Meanwhile, GK (whose turn is coming up again) has suffered almost nothing. A loan would push Jetstone's fall back by one turn and then when GK sets its eyes on Transylvito, TV won't even be able to fight back without money.

Financing Jetstone would be a sentimental but very, very dumb decision. Also, not sure what's the deal with Don getting all choked up over Slately, since Slately was planning to die this turn ANYWAYS, even if he DID get the loan.

Having Jetstone fall and Tramennis croak/decrypt would restore my faith in Rob's ability to plot the story and avoid cliches and predictable twists.

[No one in particular]

Also, anyone else notice Bunny's choker there?

Any bets that she's asking the GMtTA for a quick loan?

[ColdFury]

Too much character development has gone into Tramennis for him to fall in this story arc. I believe that we're going to see a save from Charlie, here, that will give Slately the loan he needs, in order for Slately to go out like he wants and to save Tramennis.

As far as Don... even if he knew his friend was going to go off to be killed, this is the *last* time he'll talk to him. And he can't fufill his last request. Of course he's upset and choking up.