The Battle for Mine Island (Turn 7, I.A.R.)

[BLANDCorporatio]

Ferr-derrp, turn 4 has ended. While I.A.R. has discovered some of the Scots' units, there is yet to be a full scale battle between the two sides.

Despite the lack of the inter-side battle, this has been one epic turn. I sure wish I were able to share what's been going on, but suffice to say that I'm very, very pleased with the way my unit algebra (a pun for you mathematician gamers out there) is holding up to managing the situations.

There is however one thing that I'd like to change, and because I'm not too keen on rules-changing in the middle of the game, I'm placing this as something you the players will voice an opinion on, yay or nay. I'd like consensus for approval, which given that there's only 5 or so of you active, means one nay will prevent this change.

Said change is limit the number of traps in a hex to 20 (apart from "special" hexes which are left at the GM's discretion to designate). No, there's no hex with this number of traps- not placed by any of you anyway- yet, but if turn number keeps racking up, there well may be.

(What happens when laying a trap would bring the number over 20? My idea is, "better" as in more damaging traps replace weaker ones.)

Anyway, it is now Turn 5 for the Generic Scots!

[Sihoiba]

What's the motivation for this change?
What sort of hexes would count as special?

[BLANDCorporatio]

"Special" is critter-owned, because the AI is a cheating bastard. However, there's a limit, previously stated, to how many traps critters will place (for "important" hexes, and you'll know them when you see them, the critters will try to keep trap numbers at twice the number of living critter sappers).

The motivation for this is that, in principle, there's no stopping to putting traps in a hex by a player faction. So as the game wears on, it becomes possible to lay so many traps that advancement becomes nigh impossible and/or tedious.

[Sihoiba]

I think I have to agree to anything that stops the game getting bogged down.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Generican Scots set eyes on one spooky sight at I8:

I.A.R. stack
5x Ghost L1.0

[LTDave]

Oh no we did-ent! {snap snap}


Also, I'm happy with the 20 limit, though I think it should be universal, not altered for "special" hexes.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Ok then, universal it shall be, though looking on the map ... what I'm saying is, it wouldn't have made a difference actually. So yeah, 20 traps is the max any hex may have.

Also,

Ferrr-derrrp! The Generic Scots have ended turn.

Hm. Despite repeated sightings by one side of the other's units, we have yet to see a true battle between them. Perhaps I should reiterate, your objectives are to croak the others

[LTDave]

I thought the objective was to conquer the Island?

Never mind. We shall turn our attention to the problem of Imaginary Acid Rain shortly. Very shortly.

[Sihoiba]

I thought the objective was to conquer the Island?

Never mind. We shall turn our attention to the problem of Imaginary Acid Rain shortly. Very shortly.

The objective is to wipe out the other player side.

Also Bland what scouts did we notice finding our troops, you didn't specify

[BLANDCorporatio]

The Generican Scout unit.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Ghostly eyes peer on J12, where they find

5x Scout L1.0 InFort, Commander A "Genericus" L1.0 InFort

[LTDave]

Drat! We've been spotted!
And our brilliant plan of not moving at all has come to naught!

But where are our heavily armed escorts, you ask? Ha ha! You'll never know until you fall into our dastardly trap!

[LTDave]

I'm really starting to enjoy this game, and so this post is intended to elicit action from our opponents:

Ya! Boo! Sucks!

Your mothers have the distinctive odour of elderberries!

[Sihoiba]

Do not concern yourself LTDave there is plenty of action on our side of things, if anything for now I'd feel sorry for poor Bland having to process all our action.

Might as well get in practise as you'll be feeling sorry for yourself as well before too long.

[LTDave]

Ho ho!
We scoff at your attempts at intimidation. Scoff scoff.
Just wait till we start inconweniencing you!

[Sihoiba]

Ho ho!
We scoff at your attempts at intimidation. Scoff scoff.
Just wait till we start inconweniencing you!

It's going to be very interesting when the positioning is over and the engagements begin.
I have my theories about what your side is doing, but from my experience run Two Cities, the conclusion a side reaches about the units it can't see, and the actions of the enemy hidden in the fog of war rarely match reality.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Ferrr-derrrp, I.A.R. have ended turn.

Turn 6 for the Generic Scots.

The two sides have spotted each other in the past couple of turns and are cautiously maneuvering. Are we to see the big battles erupt? Stay tuned!

[LTDave]

Popping and scouting done. D. O. N. E. Done.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Generic Scots, through their Scout units, lay eyes on a plethora of I.A.R. troops:

at G5:
{Storm Trooper L1.1 InFort}

at H6:
{3x Christmas Critter L2.1, 4x Storm Trooper L2.0, 2x Storm Trooper L2.1, Acid Legionnaire L2.0, Nacl Aq L2.0, Nacl Aq Commander "Ethanoic" L2.1}
{9x Warm Front L2.0, Warm Front L1.1, Cold Front L2.0}
{Cold Front, L1.1, Cold Front L2.0}
There is an (unclaimed) item here.

at I1:
{5x Ghost L1.0}

at I8:
{5x Ghost L1.0}

at J6:
{6x Ghost L1.0, Ghost Commander "Shallott" L5.0}

(Rest of scout report, and unit descriptions, in a nearby future PM).

[Sihoiba]

I knew you would be there on the East side of the map. Of that I had absolutely no doubt.