Darkness Rising

[MarbitChow]

T. Coil is going to suggest to the king ... T. Coil is going to try an suggest this by thinking at his king really hard in hopes of the King noticing and Thinkagramming him

The King senses your desire for communication, listens to your recommendations, and lets you know that he will consider all of the options involved, but to avoid looking desperate, he must wait at least a turn or so before contacting Queen Dibs again. He urges you to focus on the conflict at hand, and assures you that he plans to take steps to address the issue.

OOC: Are we in comic-Erfworld? If so when is this in comparison to the comic?

Yes and no. I can't actually put you in Rob's Erfworld, so consider it a parallel-dimension Erfworld that contains identical elements. As to when these events are occurring, you don't currently have enough information to determine that, but you eventually will.

Edit: In the Uncroaked VS Golem debate, can Golems be warded?

Golems are constructs, and Constructs are immune to Healamancy, just as undead. Golems cannot be warded.

Also Dollamancy states that an item can be created with as many charges as the caster has levels, so could a highlevel nondollamancer create cloaks with multiple charges?

Cloaks explicitly state that they have one charge, regardless of caster level.

[MarbitChow]

Also, Bill follows Tod's orders, raising eight Skele Archers at the Requisite time.

That means that you will not also be able to prevent Normal Decay on your other uncroaked unless you also consume a potion. If you do choose to prevent Decay, you could uncroak 1 skeleton or 2 lesser uncroaked on the previous turn and include it as part of the spell to negate decay on Turn 9. Do you want to spend a potion to get 9 full-strength archer skeletons and 6 slightly-less-decayed lesser uncroaked on Turn 9?

[ETheBoyce]

The problem with saving juice for healing on combat turns is that I am uncertain if that would be an efficient use of juice in comparison to having another Golem on the field, while not as expendable as the Undead Lesser Golems aren't really worth investing XP in as they start off with an AP handicap which will always make them weaker than a normal unit so spending turns healing them instead of Firing upon the enemy may not be the best use of a Turn. Conversely Golems, Greater Golems, and Golem Mounts all start out at higher level and will likely already be as close to optimal power as we want them, unless we're in a truly desperate situation I am uncertain it will ever be a better idea to not make a Golem on any given turn

[0beron]

Ah, then you missed the key point that makes both uncroaked and golems so valuable to us. They DON'T gain XP. Which means having both of them in combat means we can take on powerful targets, yet hog all of the XP for ourselves. Anyway, we will discuss the finer points of this strategy after the impending battle.

[Lord of Monies]

Ah, Oberon, I may be confusing my games here then. Golems have upkeep in Kaed's game, which I must have been thinking of. If they don't have upkeep here then fantastic, let's spam!

[MarbitChow]

Guys, in the interest of getting the art worked out for the next fight, I still need the following information:

1) Final confirmation on Bill's uncroaked count (8 vs. 9 new archers)
2) Who is on mounts?
3) Where is everyone positioned when they start?

[The Colonel]

I choose to DRINK THE POTION!

[0beron]

Vinny will be at H21, unless he is instructed to join the stack on a tower, in which case I need a more experience player to place him, since nobody has really given me a final say on whether they want me to fire tower shockamancy at fliers.

[ETheBoyce]

Final mount question: Can a rider's action interrupt a mount's move? As in, I'm on a mount, the mount moves forward 2 squares, I Hoboken; can the mount continue to move after my action?

[MarbitChow]

Final mount question: Can a rider's action interrupt a mount's move? As in, I'm on a mount, the mount moves forward 2 squares, I Hoboken; can the mount continue to move after my action?

Excellent! That's thinking outside the box.

Yes, the way the rules are currently written, your mount can carry you forward on the tower, you can fire, and it can retreat you back to safety. Enemies who have delayed their action can still fire at you during that moment you are exposed, of course, and the mount moves based on its combat rating, not yours.

[Swodaems]

Vinny will be at H21, unless he is instructed to join the stack on a tower, in which case I need a more experience player to place him, since nobody has really given me a final say on whether they want me to fire tower shockamancy at fliers.

You should probably be prepared to be part of the force downing fliers. You and Junetta share the trait of having a combat score of 3. Since MarbitChow has confirmed that, as a defender, you will be able to have a delayed action prepared for the faeries' entrance, you may be able to fire off two spells in one round against them. The soonest they can move in is Com =4 and Bill, Triage, and T. Coil will have had to use or lose their round 0 delayed actions by then. (Those 3 can still use their round 1 delayed actions to target faeries if they enter at com =4, but if Vinny and Junetta use delayed actions to do the same at Com =4, they will get a second shot at Com=3.) If possible you may want to be waiting out of Rlos near a tower's ladder, ready to climb it at Com 6 or 5. (After the enemy Archers have had a chance to enter the hex and fire on other targets.)

(By the way, when examining the problem of how to place our NPC melee units, I noticed that the inside structure of the garrison has alot of inconveniently placed walls that will restrict the access of units inside the garrison to the doors. There are 6 spots with 1 square access to the door squares, 4 with 2 move access, 3 move access: 8, 4 move: 8, 5 move: 10, 6 move: 14, 7 move: 4, and 4 for the next several catagories after that.)

As far as Tod's position for the first round goes: If we're going to stick with the plan of having our melee stay indoors for the start of the fight, I want to start this battle on the wall, right above the middle of the gate. Before the enemy has the chance to enter the hex I will run to the ladder screaming "The only reason to name a mount is if you're particularly fond of it", climb down and get on a waiting mount. (Like I'll have anything better to do. At least this way, I can insult the enemy Warlord and hopefully boost our troops' morale. (If you don't get why this is an insult, don't ask.))

[ETheBoyce]

Okay I lied another question/scenario: I start mounted in RLOS when the elves first enter the field; I have a preset order to cast when archers or the warlord come on the field, my mount has a preset order to move out of RLOS once I cast/when enemy archery units enter the field, the eenemy archery has orders to move onto the field and shoot me, what is the order of events?

[MarbitChow]

(By the way, when examining the problem of how to place our NPC melee units, I noticed that the inside structure of the garrison has alot of inconveniently placed walls that will restrict the access of units inside the garrison to the doors. There are 6 spots with 1 square access to the door squares, 4 with 2 move access, 3 move access: 8, 4 move: 8, 5 move: 10, 6 move: 14, 7 move: 4, and 4 for the next several catagories after that.)

The placement of the interior walls was designed to allow 2 stacks to defend at rows 22 and 23 (assuming 1st row warriors and 2nd row spearmen) while only allowing at most a single stack within melee range. It's normally assumed that if you really wanted to have all of your units get access to the field in front of the wall, you'd just start them there to begin with. However, since you have battering rams and heavies, if you want to, you can knock out any walls in the interior on Turn 9. Assuming that the walls survive, they'll be automatically repaired on Turn 10.

Okay I lied another question/scenario: I start mounted in RLOS when the elves first enter the field; I have a preset order to cast when archers or the warlord come on the field, my mount has a preset order to move out of RLOS once I cast/when enemy archery units enter the field, the eenemy archery has orders to move onto the field and shoot me, what is the order of events?

Mounts don't technically get preset orders of their own. You have to give commands to your mounts; they're not that bright. Since you can't do 2 things at once, you can either fire or give your mount the command to move. You can cast and immediately give your mount instructions to move, but that still resolves after you cast. Attacks resolve before moves.

The resolution sequence:

Warlord enters.
You cast, and give the order to move. (These occur almost simultaneously, but the mount needs a moment to respond.)
Warlord Fires at the same time your mount begins to move. Warlord's fire is resolved first.
Finally, your mount moves, retreating you out of RLOS.

[Swodaems]

(By the way, when examining the problem of how to place our NPC melee units, I noticed that the inside structure of the garrison has alot of inconveniently placed walls that will restrict the access of units inside the garrison to the doors. There are 6 spots with 1 square access to the door squares, 4 with 2 move access, 3 move access: 8, 4 move: 8, 5 move: 10, 6 move: 14, 7 move: 4, and 4 for the next several catagories after that.)

The placement of the interior walls was designed to allow 2 stacks to defend at rows 22 and 23 (assuming 1st row warriors and 2nd row spearmen) while only allowing at most a single stack within melee range. It's normally assumed that if you really wanted to have all of your units get access to the field in front of the wall, you'd just start them there to begin with. However, since you have battering rams and heavies, if you want to, you can knock out any walls in the interior on Turn 9. Assuming that the walls survive, they'll be automatically repaired on Turn 10.

Ohh, we can target our own garrison with seige? Can we use this to open the gate more rapidly with no need for a 1 round delay where the gate will only provide cover? (And if we can open the gate by having the heavies seige it on phase com=11, can we have units go thru it on phase com=11 or will they need to wait until com=10?)

[Werebiscuit]

(By the way, when examining the problem of how to place our NPC melee units, I noticed that the inside structure of the garrison has alot of inconveniently placed walls that will restrict the access of units inside the garrison to the doors. There are 6 spots with 1 square access to the door squares, 4 with 2 move access, 3 move access: 8, 4 move: 8, 5 move: 10, 6 move: 14, 7 move: 4, and 4 for the next several catagories after that.)

The placement of the interior walls was designed to allow 2 stacks to defend at rows 22 and 23 (assuming 1st row warriors and 2nd row spearmen) while only allowing at most a single stack within melee range. It's normally assumed that if you really wanted to have all of your units get access to the field in front of the wall, you'd just start them there to begin with. However, since you have battering rams and heavies, if you want to, you can knock out any walls in the interior on Turn 9. Assuming that the walls survive, they'll be automatically repaired on Turn 10.

Ohh, we can target our own garrison with seige? Can we use this to open the gate more rapidly with no need for a 1 round delay where the gate will only provide cover? (And if we can open the gate by having the heavies seige it on phase com=11, can we have units go thru it on phase com=11 or will they need to wait until com=10?)

OOC Can't believe we're talking about knocking our own gates down in a potential siege situation /OOC

If Rolf hears of this plan he'll start looking worringly at Tod trying to determine any signs of Foolamancy

I expect Rolf to be sited at either of the Ballistae probably I18

[Lord of Monies]

I'll be next to where ever T.Coil is placed. I'm gonna be pretty busy over the next couple of days, so if there are any decisions that might/will affect me, I trust others to make them on my behalf.

[0beron]

NO NO NO NO Tod! We are not breaking down any walls or gates. I am currently of the opinion that while an idiot at diplomacy, you are still a genius at combat strategy. Don't crush that belief too.
Our ideal plan is to have them break down the gate and force them into a bottleneck so we can fight them with 2:1 odds, replacing our own units as they're croaked.

Marbit, on the topic of my placement and action, do I understand correctly that I could wait at the base of the tower (H21), then climb it and fire a spell in Com4 after the fairies enter, then fire again in Com3?

[MarbitChow]

Ohh, we can target our own garrison with seige? Can we use this to open the gate more rapidly with no need for a 1 round delay where the gate will only provide cover? (And if we can open the gate by having the heavies seige it on phase com=11, can we have units go thru it on phase com=11 or will they need to wait until com=10?)

... er, you could, yes. You'd have to do 50 damage to it first, so you'd have to spend time pre-weakening it if you want it to drop in one shot, though, and that damage will be visible to the Elves. If the gate drops on Com 11, units can move through it on Com 10.

There is no bonus for convincing the Elves that you are insane, by the way.

Marbit, on the topic of my placement and action, do I understand correctly that I could wait at the base of the tower (H21), then climb it and fire a spell in Com4 after the fairies enter, then fire again in Com3?

Assuming that the Faeries enter before Com 4, yes.

[0beron]

Marbit, on the topic of my placement and action, do I understand correctly that I could wait at the base of the tower (H21), then climb it and fire a spell in Com4 after the fairies enter, then fire again in Com3?

Assuming that the Faeries enter before Com 4, yes.

I mean if they enter ON Com 4, would I react after them as part of Com 4? And if not, would I then lose my normal Com 3 action, thus only having 1 action in this first round?

[Werebiscuit]

Marbit, on the topic of my placement and action, do I understand correctly that I could wait at the base of the tower (H21), then climb it and fire a spell in Com4 after the fairies enter, then fire again in Com3?

Assuming that the Faeries enter before Com 4, yes.

I mean if they enter ON Com 4, would I react after them as part of Com 4? And if not, would I then lose my normal Com 3 action, thus only having 1 action in this first round?

OOC The faeries can only enter on com 4 as they cannot move before that unless they have spent a turn delaying. In which case they can enter on or before com 5 and fire and then fire again on com 4. Their fire would be simulatneously resolved with yours on com 4 (I believe) so you could not react after them on com 4. I believe since they are considered the attackers and moved into position on tthe previous turn they cannot be considered to be delaying. Thus they can only enter on a maximum of combat phase 4.

So in essence you cannot hide on Com 4 and fire and then fire again on com 3. You can hide till combat phase 3 then move and fire but will only have your normal com 3 turn and must then hope they haven't delayed. As far as I understand it. /OOC