Erfworld #138 - The Discussion Thread

[Trotsky]

And [the Mongols] had a LOT more siege equipment than you might think.

Like cats.

[SteveMB]

Like cats.

Cats have a lot more siege equipment than you might think?

[fendrin]

Cats have a lot more siege equipment than you might think?

Don't let those cute fuzzy faces fool you. The revolution is coming sooner than you think.

[Zolem]

As for the Dwagons, it should also be pointed out that move seems to increase as units level and the weakest Dwagons probably didn't make it.


Tunnelling. Sizemore can come up from beneath, kick boop and then head down. This is actually mentioned in the orders Parson gives him, and is likely why the Siege Units are rolling forward under the heaviest possible guard.

As far as Uncroaking goes, it would seem that either mass Uncroaking spells can only be cast on your own turn, or that Wanda just doesn't have enought juice to do that again today. Or both of course.

And if he's surrounded by units? Pull an ankle-grab into darkness manuver and seal the hole. Then let the gollem's do what they do best.

[Trotsky]

Cats have a lot more siege equipment than you might think?

No, cats are one of the many Mongol siege weapons. One of the stories is that the Mongols said they would lift the siege on a particular town if they would send out 1000 cats (and, supposedly, some number of sparrows as well) The town agreed and sent out the cats. Ghengis Kahn then tied burning cloth to the cats tails who, to get away from the fire, ran back into the city and burnt a good bit of it to the ground. The Mongols lifted their siege as it was no longer needed, and looted the city.

Obscure references for the win!

[Zolem]

No, cats are one of the many Mongol siege weapons. One of the stories is that the Mongols said they would lift the siege on a particular town if they would send out 1000 cats (and, supposedly, some number of sparrows as well) The town agreed and sent out the cats. Ghengis Kahn then tied burning cloth to the cats tails who, to get away from the fire, ran back into the city and burnt a good bit of it to the ground. The Mongols lifted their siege as it was no longer needed, and looted the city.

Obscure references for the win!

.....I don't know whether to burst out laughing or aplaud. It's like out bat-bomber idea, except it worked.

[DevilDan]

No, cats are one of the many Mongol siege weapons. One of the stories is that the Mongols said they would lift the siege on a particular town if they would send out 1000 cats (and, supposedly, some number of sparrows as well) The town agreed and sent out the cats. Ghengis Kahn then tied burning cloth to the cats tails who, to get away from the fire, ran back into the city and burnt a good bit of it to the ground. The Mongols lifted their siege as it was no longer needed, and looted the city.

Obscure references for the win!

Samson pulled a similar trick with foxes, according to the Bible.*

*Your mileage may vary.

[Zolem]

Realy? I thought Samson just destroyed an army useing the jawbone of an ass and pulled an entire arena down on a Roman legion and himself.

[The Minx]

Realy? I thought Samson just destroyed an army useing the jawbone of an ass and pulled an entire arena down on a Roman legion and himself.

He pulled a temple down on 3000 Philistines and himself.

[DevilDan]

Samson's fox trick is explained briefly here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson's_Foxes

[dr pepper]

Realy? I thought Samson just destroyed an army useing the jawbone of an ass and pulled an entire arena down on a Roman legion and himself.

Roman? Rome hadn't been invented yet.

[Jural]

He pulled a temple down on 3000 Philistines and himself.

First off, maybe they were philistines and maybe they weren't... I don't know how ill-disposed towards the artistic viewpoint those Roman soldiers were, but I don't think it matters to the plot.

Roman? Rome hadn't been invented yet.

I think Samson was the Chuck Norris of his day. Even the rules of space and time didn't apply when people told "facts" about his life.

[BurntOfferings]

If there is a fight dance bonus with undead, there is only one song that would work. Thriller

Not true! Behold.

I've been thinking about how Parson might handle the Charlie's archons, assuming he's able to drive the coalition out of the city. I suppose the most obvious tactic is to just sit in the dungeon and wait for them to come to him. Being underground should negate their flight advantage, while Sizemore and his golems will be able to move through the walls at will. But this tactic leaves the city open to (re)invasion, and there's no reason to think that Charlie would send his archons underground.

But:

Spoiler

Show

It also seems that he should be able to arm his zombie horde with bows, march them out into the main city area, and launch volley after volley at a single archon until it falls. Rinse and repeat. The archons won't be able to counter-attack (judging by the fact that they left Wanda, Sizemore, and the golems alone), nor will they be able to flee (it's not their turn).

There are a few assumptions here. For example, maybe the archons could have attacked Wanda, but only if she attacked them first while on the ground. In this case, the targeted archon could retaliate against the zombies. But I don't think so. I'm guessing that this will be one of those exploitable mechanics that are often overlooked because they are so rarely applicable. There are no zones in normal hexes, so this situation can only happen in a city, where a hostile air force is left without ground support.

I wonder if Gobwin Knob will auto-repair at the beginning of the turn. The damage to the city floor was caused after their turn started, so the fact that it's still there doesn't mean anything.

[DevilDan]

Given Erf is a game-like world, we don't know whether infantry can ever be re-purposed or rearmed as archery or ranged units.

I'm also not clear on whether arrows would be able to hit archons in the airspace area of GK.

[teratorn]

Given Erf is a game-like world, we don't know whether infantry can ever be re-purposed or rearmed as archery or ranged units.

I agree, you want archer units, you buy archer units. But uncroaked archers may still work as archers.

[MadMaw]

Not true! Behold.

It could work I guess, Parson actually is listening to that song in his car here: Page 14, 4th Panel. So you could argue its use is foreshadowed. Might be considered pushing the FILK wagon too hard though.

I prefer Skullcrusher Mountain by the same artist, Jonathan Coulton (you can listen to it at that link).

Also lettering has commenced!

[Tubercular Ox]

I agree, you want archer units, you buy archer units. But uncroaked archers may still work as archers.

I feel like I'm just being paranoid for asking this, but have we seen any non-human uncroaked? No gobwins, no marbits. You'd think we'd have some.

Of course, we uncroaked the Archon, and there's those toys Wanda called up. I guess I have to read the story again and see if there were any opportunities to uncroak other stuff.

[Aquillion]

I feel like I'm just being paranoid for asking this, but have we seen any non-human uncroaked? No gobwins, no marbits. You'd think we'd have some.

Of course, we uncroaked the Archon, and there's those toys Wanda called up. I guess I have to read the story again and see if there were any opportunities to uncroak other stuff.

The Unipegataur.

[Lamech]

It also seems that he should be able to arm his zombie horde with bows, march them out into the main city area, and launch volley after volley at a single archon until it falls. Rinse and repeat. The archons won't be able to counter-attack (judging by the fact that they left Wanda, Sizemore, and the golems alone), nor will they be able to flee (it's not their turn).

I think there is a differance between attack and engage... I think you engage or get engagged, and THEN both sides can attack freely. Since Parson has 32+ archers he could probably kill all the Archons in the airspace if they had no means of counter-attack. And I don't think Charlie is that stuipid; more importantly, I think Parson would have killed them already, if they couldn't fight back...

[shadowdemon_lord]

I think it would be pretty lame and anticlimatic if all of the archons were killed by uncroaked archers...

[Tubercular Ox]

The Unipegataur.

That name's a little anticlimactic. If I were playing Erf and I had to slam those figures onto the tabletop and say "My unipegataurs attack!" I'd be giggled off the stage. I could pull off "Dwagon riding Gobwins" with more flair than "Unipegataur." Except now that I practice it... it keeps coming off as "Dwagon widing Gobwins." At least the dwagons and gobwins look cute, though. That thing is the most menacing figure we've seen... and it's the Unipegataur?

[teratorn]

I think it would be pretty lame and anticlimatic if all of the archons were killed by uncroaked archers...

Unless Parson regains control of the outer walls, they're probably at a safe distance. It's more the question of Parson being able to inflict damage when they decide to attack.

[BRC]

Ah, Shock-links..NOW I see why it's called Shockamancy.

[Ravens_cry]

On todays strip, the acronym on the last panel with the very. . .wet, mushroom cloud, what the heckles cakes is it? I can't even read it, let alone know what it means.

[DevilDan]

On todays strip, the acronym on the last panel with the very. . .wet, mushroom cloud, what the heckles cakes is it? I can't even read it, let alone know what it means.

Why, that's 4chan, of course.