Darkness Rising - The New Batch

[The Colonel]

I don't mind sacrificing myself. FOR THE GREATER GOOD!

[WaterMonkey314]

Getting hit by 1 mouse is ok. We'll heal next turn.

Getting hit by 2 mice is potentially fatal, and I'd rather not be the only one out there...

Remind me of your hits again ? Oh..yeah...how about 1 mouse & 3 crossbows.

it's not safe out there unless you've over 20 hits... just look who's out there

But with 5 Def + 3 (well-Protected) + 3 (Block) + whatever I get from Dodging? That's 11 Def - better than Whump! I don't worry about arrows - just Explody Mice.

(I'm just going to point out that this scenario was originally designed with 4 expendable NPCs in mind. You might be able to pull it off without losing any units, but players who already have higher-level primary characters might want to consider sacrificing themselves for the greater good. )

Why do you think he's named Kilroy Jenkins?

[tigerusthegreat]

marbit any way we can proceed with what we have so far? I think all the enemy forces have moved, so we're just waiting on readied actions from them. If we could resolve what we've done so far, it'd help determine what we still need to do.

[MarbitChow]

Turn (*Mumble*) - Marbit Hex - Round 1 - Phase 5

Moe and Kilroy enter the hex. Wegio and Regus charge in, and together make cloth bacon, but the marbits swarm Wegio in response, and brutalize him. If it were not for Regus' leadership, Wegio would be out of the picture.

PCs have been added to the Reference section. Please double-check the stats and let me know if there are any changes that need to be made.



Rock formations are impassible and provide a +4 Cover bonus to units standing behind them. All units other than Nemo have 2 Hex Move remaining, which means you can enter the hex, and flee the hex, but cannot re-enter it once you have fled. Nemo's mount has 6 Hex Move remaining, so he can leave and re-enter up to 3 times. Both sides are assumed to be Dodging when they start.

Tenebris Units

Spoiler: show

Nemo (Nnelg) : [3 Combat / 1 Defense / 4 Hits. 8 {8} Move. 5 (of 8) Juice. Fire.] Dodging
Regus the Great (tigerusthegreat): [5 Combat / 4 Defense / 12 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Strike.]
Rudy Eye (bob the 6th) : [7 Combat / 3 Defense / 10 Hits / 8 {8} Move. Fire.] (Lesser Curse:1) Delayed-Move Delayed-Action Dodging
Whump (CroverusRaven) : [6 Combat / 7 Defense / 26 Hits / 8 {8} Move. Attack.] Dodging
Fortunes Chance (WhirdCheese): [3 Combat / 1 Defense / 4 Hits. 8 {8} Move. 6 (of 8) Juice. Fire.] (Lesser Boost:1) Dodging
Wegio Wegion (LTDave) : [8 Combat / 8 Defense / 2 (of 22) Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Beefy, Well-Armed, Well-Defended]
Zed-Too (BLANDCorporatio) : [5 Combat / 8 Defense / 22 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Well-Protected, Beefy, Guard, Interpose] Delayed-Move Delayed-Action Dodging
Kilroy Jenkins (WaterMonkey312) : [5 Combat / 5 Defense / 14 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack.] Delayed-Action Dodging
Larry "Moe" Curly (The Colonel) : [5 Combat / 5 Defense / 14 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack.] Delayed-Action Dodging
Anex (Werebiscuit) : [10 Combat / 3 Defense / 10 Hits / 8 {8} Move. Fire. Special: Well-Armed, Mighty Blow, Support] (Lesser Boost:1) Delayed-Move Delayed-Action Dodging
Naughty Kitty (Nemo's) [9 Combat / 12 Defense / 40 Hits / Attack. 10 {12} Move. Special : Beast, Mount.] Delayed-Move Delayed-Action Dodging

Enemy Stats

Spoiler: show

Marbit Archer (MA01) : [7 Combat / 3 Defense / 10 Hits / 8 {8} Move. Fire.] Delayed-Action Dodging
Marbit Archer (MA02) : [7 Combat / 3 Defense / 10 Hits / 8 {8} Move. Fire.] Delayed-Action Dodging
Marbit Archer (MA03) : [7 Combat / 3 Defense / 10 Hits / 8 {8} Move. Fire.] Delayed-Action Dodging
Marbit Spearman (MS01) : [5 Combat / 4 Defense / 20 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Strike. Special: Beefy]
Marbit Spearman (MS02) : [5 Combat / 4 Defense / 20 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Strike. Special: Beefy]
Marbit Warrior (MW01) : [5 Combat / 5 Defense / 22 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Beefy]
Marbit Warrior (MW02) : [5 Combat / 5 Defense / 22 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Beefy] Delayed-Action Dodging
Splody Mouse Lesser Cloth Golem (SM01) : [5 Combat / 5 Defense / 14 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Construct, Explody] Delayed-Move Delayed-Action Dodging
Splody Mouse Lesser Cloth Golem (SM02) : [5 Combat / 5 Defense / 14 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Construct, Explody] Delayed-Move Delayed-Action Dodging
Pig Lesser Cloth Golem (PG02) : [8 Combat / 5 Defense / 14 Hits. 8 {8} Move. Attack. Special: Construct, Well-Armed] Delayed-Action Dodging

Results

Spoiler: show

Tenebris Stacks :
Regus: Leads Nemo, Rudy, Zed-Too, Chance, Wegio, Anex, Naughty Kitty (+1 Leadership)

-- Round 1 --

Phase 5
----------
MW01: Delays Move, Action
SM01: Delays Move, Action
SM02: Delays Move, Action

Kilroy : Move to G8, Delay Action

Moe : Move to J5, Delay Action

Wegio : Move to K2, Attack @ PG02
Roll : 6. 14 Combat + 1 Leadership - (5 Defense) = 10 Hits. (PG01:5)

Regus : Move to I1, Attack @ PG02
Roll : 10. 15 Combat + 1 Leadership - (5 Defense) = 11 Hits. Target destroyed. Team earns 2 XP.

MW01 : Move to L3, Attack @ Weg
Roll : 10. 15 Combat - (8 Defense + 1 Leadership) = 6 Hits. (Weg:16)

PG02 : Attack @ Weg
Roll : 7. 15 Combat - (8 Defense + 1 Leadership) = 6 Hits. (Weg:10)

MS02 : Attack @ Weg
Roll : 8. 13 Combat - (8 Defense + 1 Leadership) = 4 Hits. (Weg:6)

MS01 : Move to M1, Attack @ Weg
Roll : 8. 13 Combat - (8 Defense + 1 Leadership) = 4 Hits. (Weg:2)

As always, let me know if you see any mistakes.

(Edit 1: Corrected PG02->PG01)

[tigerusthegreat]

Mistakes I see: MS01 and MS02 already moved and attacked whump this round, so they cannot attack Wegio as well. (all enemy units have moved this round as far as I can tell).

MW01 cannot attack Wegio, as he has moved once already, and while his destination square is in range of his initial starting square, according to the rules "Each unit in a round can Move once and Act once." Since he moved once, he cannot move again (unless I misunderstand the rule)

PG01 cannot attack Wegio without having the strike special, attack only allows adjacent attacks. He can, however, attack whump.

If I'm right about the above, Wegio will have suffered no attacks, however, PG02 could have attacked before it died, which might be the error for the above. In either case, Wegio would be in a much less dangerous situation.

[MarbitChow]

Mistakes I see: MS01 and MS02 already moved and attacked whump this round, so they cannot attack Wegio as well. (all enemy units have moved this round as far as I can tell).

With the introduction of "delaying", units can actually attack twice in the same round. Each unit gets 1 Move and 1 Action on their phase. If they delay, they can use those on any phase afterwards, up until their next phase. MS01 and MS02 moved and attacked on Phase 6, and gained another move/attack on Phase 5. They will not be able to move or attack again until Round 2, Phase 5.

PG01 cannot attack Wegio without having the strike special, attack only allows adjacent attacks.

That's a typo. It should have been PG02. Note that PG02 was not dodging when attacks resolved. (He'd probably have been in much better shape if he stayed dodging, and attacked on the following phase, but constructs aren't that bright.)

[tigerusthegreat]

I'm confused then, what are they delaying? If as the attacking side, we initiated combat, and this is the first round of combat....how are they getting two actions?

I'd understand if this were the second round of combat, and they had a delayed action from the first round, but this is just the first round...any way you can clarify this for me?


Are they delaying from before combat even started?

[MarbitChow]

I'm confused then, what are they delaying? If as the attacking side, we initiated combat, and this is the first round of combat....how are they getting two actions?
I'd understand if this were the second round of combat, and they had a delayed action from the first round, but this is just the first round...any way you can clarify this for me?

All units on the defending side start with delayed actions, and dodging. No matter what their combat score, all defenders are standing by ready to respond when the first attacker enters the hex. (They know *something* is coming thanks to the Battlespace mechanic - all sides know when an encounter CAN occur.) Because you entered the hex on 6, the pigs can't go again, because their delayed action doesn't refresh until 8, but the Combat 5 units could move on 6 and again on 5. If you'd started the round on Phase 4, none of the Combat 5 units could have moved again.

[tigerusthegreat]

Okay, I understand now....seems that the defender has some significant advantages.

[0beron]

Okay, I understand now....seems that the defender has some significant advantages.

When you're defending a city from an invading Elven army, you'll thank that mechanic when you're blasting them out of the sky as the enter the hex :p

[tigerusthegreat]

If I'd have realized that, though, I'd have recommended waiting until phase 1 to send in additional units.

[0beron]

Then they'd still have a readied action waiting, allowing them to attack you twice. Not necessarily twice in a row, but they'd get 2 attacks compared to your one.

[BLANDCorporatio]

As always, let me know if you see any mistakes.

This comes to mind. Zed-too should be guarding Wegio. And presumably in an adjacent square.

PS: or, did the 8 Combat of Wegio result in him going in quicker than Zed-too's 5?

[bob the 6th]

still... seems we should have delayed till combat 4, to get under them all.

well... weg looks pretty dead at the moment, though I must ask why NONE OF THE ARCHERS HAVE FIRED!

a caster, 2 archers, and a unit with 2 hits are standing there. why on earth would they still delay? This is verging on the GM being a dick territory... as it seems they are using ooc knowledge to know that we have veils up, or that we have yet to send in the casters. Do you have a good reason marbit?

edit: hell, kilroy is standing there, as an archer, WITHOUT A ROCK! really, the hell?

[BLANDCorporatio]

I blame Charlie.

Always blame Charlie.

[MarbitChow]

If I'd have realized that, though, I'd have recommended waiting until phase 1 to send in additional units.

Yup. The 1st scenario is a learning exercise. That's why you've got disposable units. (And, since they're being run by experienced players, in theory they should also have been able to catch that. ) Losing a few level 1 melee units isn't a big deal - PCs that die here could claim a Level 2 NPC from Dis City (if any survive) or roll up another level 1 without any trouble. Losing casters is a bigger deal, though.

PS: or, did the 8 Combat of Wegio result in him going in quicker than Zed-too's 5?

Nope. I just missed it. That would have given him significantly better defense; I'll retcon it in. I assume you'll be standing in J1?

[BLANDCorporatio]

That would fit with the cowardly motif. If be a bit awkward with the guarding.

[MarbitChow]

This is verging on the GM being a dick territory... edit: hell, kilroy is standing there, as an archer, WITHOUT A ROCK! really, the hell?

You can absolutely count on me being a dick. That's kinda my job, in fact. (For reference: see Archons shooting Altruistic Elves) But I do try to avoid using OOC knowledge.

You guys sent in a CASTER, UNPROTECTED as your first unit. For pete's sake, if I did that to you, you'd be screaming "it's bait" immediately. Because you confused the marbits, they're erring on the side of caution. They don't know what's up yet, so they're not wasting their shots. Normally, you can see what's going on in the other hex. For veils to work properly, you should either have distractions in place so that they can't see what's going on (ex. 'Flash Mob'), or have the veils set before you get near the hex. I'm already cutting you a significant amount of slack by allowing veils to be decided right before you enter. Foolamancy isn't mind-control. You've got to make an effort to make it believable, or at least not post huge clues that something is up.

The marbits aren't GREAT archers, so they're not going to target units that are still actively dodging, and waste their shots. -6 is a pretty stiff penalty, after all - it's actually better than cover (which proves that I might need to rethink cover vs. dodging; this is an evolving rules set, after all). Since the archers go on 7, and you entered on 6, they know they've got an entire round to wait before they get another shot. Now that there are wounded, non-dodging units, they may rethink their strategy, but a bunch of units, including the Kitty, haven't even entered the hex yet; it's not a stretch for them to guess that the worst is yet to come.

That would fit with the cowardly motif. If be a bit awkward with the guarding.

Rules say you only need to be adjacent. I make the changes tonight.

[tigerusthegreat]

Why do I feel like Parson when he arrived on erf? Only knowing half the rules of the place.

At least wegio will be at 14 hits now, with the added defense from guard.

[0beron]

Why do I feel like Parson when he arrived on erf? Only knowing half the rules of the place.

On the one hand, this is true, no offense Marbit but you do kinda have a tendency to not document actual "mechanics" rules. It seems that about half of how combat actually works isn't written in the Rules Post.
On the other hand, the newbies are making some mistakes that ARE covered in those rules. So you guys just need to read carefully. It's a learning experience, that's what your first combat is for.