Erfworld 157 - tBfGK 144

[Lolindir]

Epic page,

is Ansom looking over Wanda in the last panel, and avoiding eye-contact? His stare looks blank, compared to a few panels before that.

It seems to me he has memory loss. The amount is uncertain...

Since not everyone seems to know how everything works (Sizemore knows about all kinds of Magic, but is uncommon, warlords know about units and troops but not all), Ansom might be Hamster's new source of information; for citybuilding.
somehow, I doubt Stanley is going to take the time to go over every option of building, what they do, what they unlock etc.

[tomaO2]

Again, I am impressed by the speed of updates. He's been matching the Giant one per one the last few weeks. When we see one update we know the other person will update as well within a few days.

I was kind of hoping the conversation would continue with Parson asking what she meant by what she just said last update. I'm not especilly interested with the new uncroaked units.

The battle space comment is important. That implies that everyone's turn starts at dawn as long as they are not at war or, at least, not in the range of anyone that can attack them if they are at war. I find it incredible that even with a volcano blowing up the city, it still stands. What is the exact mechanism to make a city fall then?

What's with dwagons popping? It said that dwagons were "tamed" by the hammer. Also, is that a gloating smile Parson has? Maybe a nervous smile instead. I don't think he'd be inclined to gloat at the moment.

Since Transilveto isn't going after Stanley, I can only assume they are going to resurrect FAQ. I can't see how that's a good idea though. Way too close to GK. Not defendable without any nearby allies to help.

Now, while I said I'm not interested in de-cryped units, there are still some interesting things going on that I'd like to comment on. Ansom seems to be way more himself then I thought he would be. I figured he would immediately know what he was and have the subservient attitude. Like a newly popped unit does.

In addition, it looks like Wanda is not going to split off into her own side (for the moment anyway). She said "we" and "our" after all. That doesn't seem to jive with her using everything and everyone to get what she wants though... Staying Stanley's slave doesn't make any more sense in my mind, now that she has the pliers.

[Killer Angel]

Killer Angel, can I steal your signature?

Absolutely yes, my dear.
If you like, make eventually some little change, to not be exactly equal... I promise I will not accuse you of plagiarism!

...and no, you're not the only one noticing Parson's expression. I still don't know how to "read" it.

[Natio]

I think I'm in love!

I'd say Wanda can choose what little themes are on the clothes of her uncroaked/decrypted units. I'd suggest the hamster insignia was a psycological ploy against ansom.

[Natio]

...and no, you're not the only one noticing Parson's expression. I still don't know how to "read" it.

Combine his response with his smile and the hand on the hilt of his sword. Parson's recently defeated enemy looks completely alive and ready to go, wouldn't you be wary too?

[Brewdude]

Parson's expression? Bah. It's all about Wanda's glorious smile. We haven't seen enough of it. I want more.

[tyckspoon]

And yeah... a dwagon just popped over GK. I wonder why it's called Taming, then.

War-game wise, 'taming' tends to be the fluff justification for why your side can now create dragons/gryphons/hellbeasts/whatever- "Oh lord, the research of our animal handlers with our mages has born fruit! We can now bend the mighty dragons to our will!" You typically still have to devote resources to actually making the things (although in the specific case of the Arkenhammer, it may also cause any wild Dwagon units you meet to offer to join you/automatically join you. Could be a handy way to rapidly rebuild a force for Gobwin Knob if they know the locations of any unclaimed Dwagon nests. Assuming wild Dwagons exist.)

What is the exact mechanism to make a city fall then?

Standard method? Be the only person with troops in it. The city stands as long as members of Stanley's side can still fight for it. It would be very easy to take over at this point, with no built defenses and only three characters+1 dwagon to fight for it, but there's nobody left to make the attempt.

[Whispri]

And yeah... a dwagon just popped over GK. I wonder why it's called Taming, then.

Maybe they only respond to orders after they've been clouted? Or maybe Taming is a different way of acquiring Dwagons, the could be Wild Dwagons about, doing the whole Smaug thing.

[Welf]

Dwagons pop! True Resurrection! So many questions answered! More exclamation marks:!!!!

(And I knew I shouldn't have gone to that course. I missed 63 minutes of commenting on this threat )

[blueblade]

Am I the only one that thinks that what Wanda now has is an uber unit (and possibly his dwagon mount) capable of defeating Stanley and effectively running Gobwin Knob in her name?

I know the Tool doesn't have an heir, and if he does it isn't any of the three shown there. But maybe this resurrected, but controlled Prince is just the kind of thing she needs to bend the rules.

I may be off here, but surely the return of Stanley will lead to confrontation with Wanda and this new Ansom?

[DoctorJest]

It would be very easy to take over at this point, with no built defenses and only three characters+1 dwagon

Actually, 1 chief warlord, 1 master-class croakamancer, 1 master-class dirtamancer, 1 master-class thinkamaster, 2 rock golems, 1 blue dwagon, 1 whatever Ansom is now, and a handful of uncroaked.

But yeah, if there were any opposition in the area, they'd be in trouble.

[rosebud]

So... what, if anything, did Parson get in his Stupid Meal today?

[fractal]

This was actually the best time for the Dwagon to pop. Two turns ago, Stanley would have taken it with him, and probably lost it to Transylvito. One turn ago, it would have immediately auto-attacked a few dozen Archons in the airspace, and presumably been mauled, without making any appreciable change in their strength.

Wanda at least is still talking fairly to Parson, with comments like, "We should do this." That's a good sign, but I don't trust her.

Can she uncroak the other units nearby? There seem to be a lot of corpses in panel 5. If so, she could have her own army and her own (probably) powerful Warlord, meaning she might not need Parson and Stanley, if Duty does not actually bind her.

What is she doing in panel 7?

[~Corvus~]

Well, Lotsa people were right about Ansom being Resurrected.... =)

[milamber]

wanda going to fail again if she try to ansom vs jillian thing.
love>all spells :P at least i hope so... shes going to play a dangereus game if leave stanley. but i think she will stay with team. she have great power but after she reached that power shes little different...

[SteveMB]

Is that a dwagon that just popped with the new turn?

I think the dwagons were unveiling (they'd been veiled to look like a patch of trees).

EDIT: Oh, you mean panel 4. Well, I guess now we know what was in the production queue.

"What am I?"... that is the 64,000 shmucker question....

[Alces]

Fantastic stuff.
Wanda's becoming ever more evil while Stanley is turning less callous - and Parson is increasingly conflicted.

The next chapter will be very interesting. I've got my theories, but won't mess around with predictions.

[Kilkrazy]

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][COLOR="Indigo"]
...

...

The battle space comment is important. That implies that everyone's turn starts at dawn as long as they are not at war or, at least, not in the range of anyone that can attack them if they are at war. I find it incredible that even with a volcano blowing up the city, it still stands. What is the exact mechanism to make a city fall then?

... ... ...

The concept of "battlespace" hasn't been defined. In a turn based game, each
side has a phase sequentially (the player turn) within the course of the whole game turn. The non-phasing players cannot move or do certain actions in another player's phase (or turn.) One part of Erfworld strategy is to split and reform alliances to get an advantage from the order of the sides' phases within the game tuirn. Transylvito was split from the RCC in order to get its turn before Stanley.

The rules that determine the order of player phases are not clear.

One thing is certain, in a normal game a side is either in the game and moving, or out of the game altogether. Since Erfworld is the game, a side can't be out of it.

Parson's comment implies that Erfworld has some strategic level of game above the tactical level of troop movement and combat. Possibly, a side with no troops within any feasible move distance of an enemy, performs all its actions instantaneously and there is no appreciable time-lag for the other sides.

[Lukmar]

So... what, if anything, did Parson get in his Stupid Meal today?

Panel 5, between Parson and the boulder on his left. Is that a takeaway bag with the Stupid Meal?

[Lunaya]

Hm...

A dragon popping over Gobwin Knob tells me that Wanda's Arkenpliers are multi-talented.

[Decius]

Arkenpliers are croakamancy-based: CONFIRMED.

Qualities of decrypted units: UNKNOWN

And Parson is in a situation he hasn't planned for yet. Of course, all of his projected outcomes ended either with him dead, or with the city intact and mop-up work to be done.

So, is "Ansom on a Dwagon!"
(a) An exclamation used to indicate surprise
(b) A descriptive phrase for a page or panel that comes before the completion of the current story arc
(c) A direct quote from a character, before the end of the current arc
(d) All of the above

I reckon that Ansom's last memories are of trying to remove Bogroll from his neck and tell the Archons that he'll pay whatever they want to cast feather fall on him RIGHT NOW. He knows that uncroaked are mindless, and he knows that he is not mindless. Therefore, Ansom knows that he is not uncroaked.

Since he isn't alive, isn't dead, and isn't uncroaked, Ansom doesn't know what he is. "What am I?" then becomes one of the most pressing questions to him. (Along with "How did we lose?", "How strong is my duty and loyalty, and to whom?", and "Am I gonna decay away in a few turns?")

I see decrypted Ansom recruiting Jillian, then Jillian betraying the deal she made with Stanley/Parson/Wanda's puppet. Then I see decrypted Jillian retaking Faq from the vampires.

I wonder if the vampires can also be decrypted? Perhaps it is limited to royal units, or noble units, or warlords.

Also remember, Parson still owes Charlie those calculations. He might weasel out of that for a while if he convinces Charlie that he's dead. He also might weasel out of the rest if he does something to Charlie to make sure that he's dead.

[Cracklord]

Ansom, Croaknight.

Fear him, for he shall have his revenge.

I shall enjoy it.

[Kasavin]

Well that was inconclusive.

First off, love the veil imagery.

Beyond that, this strip manages to avoid confirmation about what exactly the pliers have done to Ansom. Is he some kind of strange uncroaked? Maybe. Is he ressurrected with some Amnesia? Possible. Memory? Will? Loyalty? Not to be a anti-papist, but we know nothing. All the Speculation from 156 continues.

Also, I think I liked Wanda a lot better when she didn't have the pliers.

I secretly hope Ansom grabs the pliers back (technically fulfilling some prediction) leaving her even more bitter and resigned to only getting pleasure in life out of the little things (like uncroaking and sleeping with plush skulls) Thats her dynamic with the group.

[Ovaltine Patrol]

Sure Wanda's smile is scary, but Wanda is scary in general. I find Parson's smirk in the same panel to be way creepier. Also, it's nice to have Stanley back, I usually enjoy his antics.

[Oslecamo]

BRILLIANT comic! So many questions answered...

EDIT: Oh, you mean panel 4. Well, I guess now we know what was in the production queue.

That proves the theory that new units literally pop out of thin air. Dwagons seem to take several turns to produce. I guess you need to have an atunned arkenhammer to start training them in the first place

It also proves that GK is still able to produce units! Weee!

"What am I?"... that is the 64,000 shmucker question....

Who cares what it is? What matters is that it looks exactly like Arsom!

Hamster really couldn't ask for a better warlord. What is unaroyals gonna say when Efworld sees their favorite pretty boy leading forth Stanley's forces? Rumors will start spreading over. There will be blames thrown around, nobody will be able to provide a united front against Stnaley the tool!

Also, Tranylvito and Charlie seem to have given up. Smart guys.

Hamster seems to be geting the hang of fighting on the evil side, with that evil smirck of his right next to Wanda.

Stanley seems to finally start recovering his self sense. Will we finally see him become a true competent overlord?

[Ovaltine Patrol]

And yeah... a dwagon just popped over GK. I wonder why it's called Taming, then.

My theory is that if he encountered barbarian or otherwise unaligned dwagons while wielding the Arkenhammer, they would join his side. It might work on enemy dwagons too, which would explain why no member of the RCC fielded any.

[Decius]

Also, Tranylvito and Charlie seem to have given up. Smart guys.

TV is taking Jillian and conquering FAQ. Charlie realizes that his win-win-lose situation just turned into a lose-lose-lose situation. He's not one to throw good units in after bad.

Only Parson and company know the status of Gobwin Knob and the nature of the trap. Only his enemies knew that that trap wiped out all of the units within the space. What Parson DOES know, is that there are no RCC, TV, or barbarian troops in his zone. He DOESN'T -know- that there are no witnesses who saw the devastation and left before the end of their turn. (For that matter, if such a thing happened, and their thinkamancer lied to Bunny, we wouldn't know either.)

[Killer Angel]

So... what, if anything, did Parson get in his Stupid Meal today?

Well, probably he will get his SM, but without "bonus gadgets". After all, the stages to reach his status as Perfect Warlord, have been succesfully completed (comic n. 118, aka page 106).

[Frogpop]

Cool motif on the last panel, the turnips are now skulls. Hmmmm, no Hamstar markings...

And the cut of his cape is now in Wanda-mode too. Bitchin'!

Panel 5, between Parson and the boulder on his left. Is that a takeaway bag with the Stupid Meal?

Great catch, I missed that.

[zz_tophat]

Yay, Uncroaked Ansome, dwagon popping, creepy smiles what is not to like about this comic?

Does "Decrypt" as a word mean anything important in regards to the function of the pliers? Were the uncraoked before somehow confused or obfuscated in their function or creation? Or is it just a joke along the same lines as saying "disinter" as the spell word.

Also remember, Parson still owes Charlie those calculations. He might weasel out of that for a while if he convinces Charlie that he's dead. He also might weasel out of the rest if he does something to Charlie to make sure that he's dead.

My guess is that Charlie knows Parson is not dead, remember that Maggie could tell how many units were left after parson destroyed the city the first time. If her thinkamancy can tell that, then who knows how much Charlie knows with his "unmatched" thinkamancy.