Series of questions

[Nnelg]

Re: auto-disbanding
Well, there's a couple of places that mention disbanding without the Ruler or warlord having to give the order:
Parson's Klog #10
First Intermission 35

The Klog is only what Parson has been told, so who knows about that?
The intermission is Stanley expressing disbelief that Parson didn't automatically disband... so either Stanley's seen it happen before, or this is the first time anyone's ever disobeyed him without being able to give a good excuse for it (like Wanda).

That help any?

Ah, thank you. Right, that pretty explicitly implies some sort of auto-disband.

[effataigus]

As a many time poster and long time lurker, I found your questions to be thought-provoking and generally without answer (with the exception of the answer already given, specifically that Erfworld isn't a game... to them).

Regarding fearing thinkamancers because of their ability to link up, I'm less convinced. It would be like having a fear of nuclear physicists. Just because they have the skill set to create The Bomb doesn't mean they'll have the desire, the tools, the time, or the knowledge of how best to deploy one to really make it YOUR problem (at least before the shockamancers gun 'em down or the other mancers do their things).

Thinkamancers might still be a good choice for fearing casters, but less because of their powers. Instead, I'd say they take the cake because they're multitudinous, arrogant, and are dragging everyone into their civil war. The same can be said of predictamancers however... but at least knowing the future gives you some reason to be irrationally confident.

[No one in particular]

Something to remember about Thinkamancer link-ups: They are delicate.

Tri-links can be broken just by calling the Caster's name, leading to potentially fatal backlash that can only be avoided by directing it at the other Casters in the link. (Sizemore, panel 10)

Two-caster links are less risky and drastic, but that still doesn't mean they're safe... just that the Casters involved can break the link themselves, rather than with the help of an outside thinkamancer. (Maggie, 4th paragraph)

And finally, even if you do have a Think-Thinkamancer link, all they can do is Thinkamancy. They can't make you see things like a Foolamancer, they can't attack you like a Shockamancer, they can't turn you, they can't... well, do anything, except think more clearly. And now they can be croaked by calling their names.

[0beron]

I doubt a duo-link would deal fatal damage when you call one of the caster's names. Parson not only called Misty by her name, but actually ASKED her what it was, and even that didn't fully break a Tri-link. Then add into that the following factors:

• Duo-links are inherently safer
• They get even safer when the casters have familiarity with each other...what do you think the Great Minds spend time doing?
• The Thinkamancers in question are all presumably Master-class, and among the most powerful/experienced Thinkamancers alive.
• Links are Thinkamancy, the domain of aforementioned experts

So while I doubt any Duo-link would case fatal backlash with a simple name-call, it definitely wouldn't happen in this particular case.

[Witchalok]

Well, to be honest I considered that a tri-link will be trivial for 3 master class thinkamancers.
And usually "telepathy" attacks seem to be more powerful than anything else, unless the target has some kind of shielding.

The predictamancers might see it coming, but what can they do to prevent it? To quote Parson, it doesn't help to know the exact size and weight of a rhino charging at you. And on top of that, the predictamencers seem to be on pretty much the same side as the thinkamancers (Parson's side that is, although different goals).
Of course, without knowing the exact battle capabilities of each caster, we can only speculate.
But by seeing that a mere suggestion spell can back-lash as hard as it did on Wanda, then I presume Thinkamancy might be quite powerful indeed if used as a weapon. And two or three tri-links might lay waste to the minds of every denizen of the MK.
If I remember correctly, you need a Thinkamancer for a link, and since links are so powerful, I believe they definitely have the upper hand.

Which kind of gets me thinking that we might start to see some pretty nasty stuff from Charlescomm if Charlie decides to employ casters against Parson. And he seems to be able to link from far away as well.
Could that be the Carnymancer's ace up the sleeve?

[Nnelg]

The predictamancers might see it coming, but what can they do to prevent it?

Call the casters by name?

[Witchalok]

We know that the Misty, Jack, Maggie link could have been broken by calling out their names.

But does that still hold true if the link is initiated by a mastermind (Maggie is only Adept class)? Or it if has 2 thinkamancers in it?

What if they wear ear-plugs and blindfolds (or any magic item that would block outside distractions to the link).

Should I take your post as a joke, or are you being serious?

And a predictamancers might know that they will attack, but do they know the date, the place and the manner in which it will be done?

[0beron]

Predictamancers might know that they will attack, but do they know the date, the place and the manner in which it will be done?

It's be shown in the prequel that Predictamancers see very near future events with perfect accuracy (by which I mean, a split second or so)

[Lamech]

Predictamancers might know that they will attack, but do they know the date, the place and the manner in which it will be done?

It's be shown in the prequel that Predictamancers see very near future events with perfect accuracy (by which I mean, a split second or so)

But they can't be spending the needed juice all the time. I think if one side decides to open fire first its going to give them a pretty big advantage.

Turnamancers could enslave a bunch of other casters.
The hippiemancers can instantly keep a bunch of people from being able to fight back. Send out a cloud of poison.
Shockamancers could probably explode a bunch of casters at the same time.
Dirtamancers could launch gas and explosions.
Some casters would probably be in trouble with a first strike, (healomancers, luckamancers)

But I think in general, deciding to go rouge will help a lot. Thinkamancers are no exception, they can link up and unleash a bunch of suggestion and other mind influencing spells. Convince her to join up and serve the Empress the GMtTA have for example.

[0beron]

It's be shown in the prequel that Predictamancers see very near future events with perfect accuracy (by which I mean, a split second or so)

But they can't be spending the needed juice all the time. I think if one side decides to open fire first its going to give them a pretty big advantage.

Very true. With that many Predictamancers in one place though, I suspect one of them is keeping watch in that fashion, or they're taking turns at it.

[Saladman]

But from my knowledge there aren't any games where the "units" have greater things in mind and collaborate in secret behind the backs of the NPC leaders and Player Characters.

Tangent: wouldn't that be awesome if there was one though? Like a Civilization-level game for the player, but tracking individual leaders and heroes in a non-controlled way like Majesty? I imagine computing power could even handle it, though graphics might have to go in favor of background numbers. I'd play it, though that doesn't necessarily mean there's a wider market for it.

[Nnelg]

Tangent: wouldn't that be awesome if there was one though? Like a Civilization-level game for the player, but tracking individual leaders and heroes in a non-controlled way like Majesty? I imagine computing power could even handle it, though graphics might have to go in favor of background numbers. I'd play it, though that doesn't necessarily mean there's a wider market for it.

Try Dwarf Fortress sometime.

[Lamech]

But from my knowledge there aren't any games where the "units" have greater things in mind and collaborate in secret behind the backs of the NPC leaders and Player Characters.

Tangent: wouldn't that be awesome if there was one though? Like a Civilization-level game for the player, but tracking individual leaders and heroes in a non-controlled way like Majesty? I imagine computing power could even handle it, though graphics might have to go in favor of background numbers. I'd play it, though that doesn't necessarily mean there's a wider market for it.

Dwarf fortress. What you describe is dwarf fortress.

In addition, Gaslamp games claims there coming out with something similar, but better graphics. (They made dungeons of dredmore, their quite good.)