Quote Originally Posted by CaptC View Post
Charlie saw it coming. Why did he let it happen?

If the RCC wins, Charlie has everything he wants. (Parson and the device.) But now Parson has a chance to win, and in that case Charlie gets paid but doesn't get his ultimate warlord or artifact.

I'm nonplussed. Bad strategy on Charlie's part.
Charlie still knows that he has enough archons in the air to take the garrison, and Parson knows that Charlie knows that Parson knows that, ad infinitum. Charlie can thus make any terms he wants with Parson - including "I take you prisoner alive, along with your artifact. You get to fight my archons."

Parson, in fact, delayed Charlie by a similar tactic already "Let me play for another turn, and not only will I survive, but I'll have the 'Pliers as well." Charlie still gets what he wants, unless Parson can pull another reason out of his [thin air] to delay Charlie (Like, "The Tool just wiped out your archons with his dwagons. :O ,|,,")

Oh, and Mercenaries get paid according to the terms of their agreement. Normally that means that you pay them win or lose- I can't imagine a deal made under severe duress would be better for Ansom than the standard.