Insanowar 10: Here We Go Again...

[Lady Serpentine]

Welcome to Insanowar

Da Rules:
1.) There are five players, each of which represent a commander of their army. (Due to a recent lack of players, this may be run with fewer. Special rules will likely be implemented if this is the case.)

2.) Each player takes turns choosing some powerful character, semi-powerful group of characters, or large mob of expendable non-characters from any sort of media. Examples: The TMNTs, a Dreadnought from 40K, a mob of kobolds.

2a.) Since this has caused confusion in the past, and it's different this time around anyway, all players pick two units on the first turn, three the second, and five for the two turns after that.

3.) When each player has 15 selections, the game begins.

4.) A map will be provided showing the layout of the battlefield. Each person will have a base of operations with which they can wage war. Note that each base is about 2 turns away from each other.

5.) A static turn order is established. In each turn, the player dictates what their troops are doing, as far as the opponent can see. Secret actions need not be reported (although it is good sportsmanship to give hints as to what your are planning).

6.) When troops engage, the person whose turn the engagement took place on decides the outcome, which will usually NOT be all one way. If there is any friendly dispute (and the dispute WILL be friendly, or else), other players/playgrounders chime in with their opinions. If no consensus is reached, it's a 50/50 slaughter.

7.) The winner is the one who wins.

Da Guidelinez:
1.) You can't choose anyone TOO powerful. No gods, demigods, anything like that. Make it something that's about the same power level as the other troops on the field. (That said, this one is a bit higher power than most. Lucy from Elfen Lied and a few other Diclonius, fifty or so Space Marines from 40K, or a lance of heavy mechs from Battletech/Mech Warrior, are all examples of the sort of things that would be allowed.)

2.) Don't be a jerk. The objective here is to have fun--frankly, who wins and who loses is pretty arbitrary anyway. This game is definitely straddling the line between Silly and Structured.

3.) Respect Awesomeness. If a player is pulling off something that's just too awesome to believe, that should aid his victory.

4.) Enjoy yourself. Seriously, guys.

We'll be using this map:

Spoiler

Show

light blue=water
green=woods
outer black lines near corners=walls
inner black lines near corners=symbolize rocky-ness
dark red=presumed-to-exist towers
As usual, things that seem to be differently sized that should be the same size are actually the same size.

[Mordokai]

Eh, sure, why not. I would like to play this.

[super dark33]

In.
The central thread was here long enough to starve my curiosity.

[Zjoot]

Still in. And with Mordokai, that makes five, right?

[Lady Serpentine]

That would appear to be the case, assuming Penguinator is still our fifth.

Picks are in posting order, so me, Mordokai, Superdark, Grimmace, and Penguinator.

As we have our people, there's no reason not to start, so...

[Penguinator]

The thread didn't show up... I don't know why.

[Lady Serpentine]

That's everybody, then!

I'll take two Hormagaunts*, four Termagants**, and two Hive Guards (one unit, construction, upgrades from kills), along with eighteen Harlequins, two Death Jesters, two Shadowseers, and a pair of Mandrakes (one unit).

(Not sure if those are balanced or not; thoughts?)

*The first has Adrenal Glands, the second Toxic Sacks.

**#1 and #4 have Fleshborers, #2 a Devourer, and #3 a Spike Rifle.

(All the special stuff was randomly selected.)

[Mordokai]

Ok, I'll take my picks of the units once I get of work. Yes, some of us have to work Saturdays. No, it doesn't really suck all that much. Only a little

Still, a little assistance would be appreciated. How excatly do I pick them? For example, twenty space marines, five leman russ tanks, two inquisors, one emperor? That is, as said, just an example.

Yeah, it's been a long time since my last Insowar and the rules seem to differ a little this time around, so I a little assistance is not just appreciated, but also required.

[Lady Serpentine]

Basically, yeah. If there might be confusion - like with both my picks, since they're single groups composed of multiple types of units - make sure you specify what's part of one unit and what's a new pick. For instance, with that example, I can't tell if that's meant to be four picks, an armored cavalry group of Space Marines, with a pair of Inquisitors along, and then the Emperor being a new pick, or one group.

Also, providing links, if possible, and if not, a little blurb for anything most people might not recognize, would be good. And be sure to specify what setting it's from, at least if there could be confusion. While I'm guessing with your other example units, you mean the Emperor of Mankind, it's possible you mean Emperor Palpatine, for instance, or the Emperor from Dune, and there's also a chance that it's a designation, not a special character.

I'm including things like the Tyranids getting new biomorphs when they kill something they can get biomass from, and the fact that they're all capable of creating new units as the game goes on, as a little snippet of pseudo-crunch after each pick, but that's not necessary, just something that would be nice if you want to do it.

[Mordokai]

Thanks, I think I get it now. But in case I don't... let me know, k?

For my first pick, I choose Commander Shepard(infiltrator FemShep), together with Normandy SR2 and it's entire crew. That includes all the NPC's(Joker, Kelly and the rest of grunts), as well as all the characters you can recruit. Shepard also caries M98 Widow.

If anybody considers that too much, let me know.

EDIT: obligatory link.

[Lady Serpentine]

I take it Shepard and the people who go out on missions count as one pick, while Normandy, Joker, and the other people necessary to run it who won't be going down on missions, count as your second, or something along those lines, then?

Otherwise, you need to take a second unit.

[Mordokai]

In that case, I'll just take Shepard and the rest of the crew(Garrus, Grunt, Jack and others) for now and will choose my second unit when others decide on their first. It may be the same as now, but it may change and I don't want to hold the process of getting this game underway any longer.

Is that cool?

[Lady Serpentine]

That's fine, though you could also just keep what you have as one pick.

[Mordokai]

So what, one unit, but like... two platoons or something similar?

If that's possible, than I'll certainly do so

[Lady Serpentine]

I guess? Depends on what you mean.

In any case, you get two picks the first round, so either way, I think you'd still need a second.

[Mordokai]

Fine, then keep it the way you suggested and lets end this

I believe that makes superdark next to pick his units?

[Lady Serpentine]

Alright. Normandy is pretty tough, after all. And it's cool that we have space units this time around, too... I'll have to make sure to take some of those too, so that we can have orbital battles.

And yep, Superdark, then Grimmace, then Penguinator.

[super dark33]

So its sci fi then.
Well that changes everything.
Ill haev to think of somthing new.
itll take me a while and i have some tests going on so let me pick last so i wont delay you all.

[Lady Serpentine]

There's no restriction, actually. So far Mordokai and I have both gone with sci-fi picks, but there's no reason that fantasy things wouldn't be allowed; I'm planning on taking at least one next time my turn comes around, in fact.

That said, if you still want to delay your turn, that's fine.

[super dark33]

There's no restriction, actually. So far Mordokai and I have both gone with sci-fi picks, but there's no reason that fantasy things wouldn't be allowed; I'm planning on taking at least one next time my turn comes around, in fact.

That said, if you still want to delay your turn, that's fine.

I still want to delay.

[Lady Serpentine]

I still want to delay.

Alright.

Grimmace, your turn. If Penguinator is able to get on before tomorrow, he'll pick next, then Superdark. Otherwise... I guess we'll hold off until Superdark can pick or the 29th? I dunno.

[Penguinator]

Dang, people, I've had my picks ready for four days...

[Lady Serpentine]

Go ahead and post them, then, so that they're up before you have to go...

[Penguinator]

Very well, then. The important* members of the Black Fang (one unit) and the members of SEES (one unit).

*Based on balance; I don't have time to discuss it right now.

[Zjoot]

Can you give my spot to usourselves&we if they're still interested? I'd like to play, but being realistic I'll probably be the one person who everyone ends up waiting on if I do. I should just ease my way back into online gaming type stuff before I overcommit and start ruining games.

[Lady Serpentine]

Alright. They will be informed momentarily.

[usourselves&we]

So, looks like it will be our pick then. Likely going to need assistance in some things. . .

would Isaac with a 'level 4' meatboy, the Ankh, maybe some sort of damage upgrade and Anarchist Cookbook (and other possible items (Ctrl+f to find things stated here (wasn't able to form links directly to them)) that people might choose him to find) work as one unit? or would he be under powered?

the other unit would be a Necromancer with a bow and a few skeletons to start with. What would be an appropriate level (or variable power usage) to have him as?

[Lady Serpentine]

On the first one, I have no clue whatsoever.

The second, though, I can answer! A Necromancer was the main character I played for quite a while.

I'd suggest giving him a rogue, too, and giving her a nice bow, with some gems and/or runes in it. And he should definitely have the ability to summon Skeletons and Skeleton Mages, as well as at least a Clay Golem.

Necromancers are also not really optimized to fight with a bow. It could work, but it would probably be better to give him a nice wand, paired with a good shield or a shrunken head.

So altogether, probably around level twenty-five would be good. That way he can do decent damage with things like Bone Spear, have Bone Armor and Bone Walls/Prisons to use, etc., and a bunch of minions.

(Necros are squishy, and this is high-power. You could probably get away with taking the limits on how many skeletons they can make, too, taking all of that into account.)

[usourselves&we]

Never really played 'optimally' so don't know too much of how wands and such benefited the character. Mostly just had him as back up/starting point for the growing mass of dead, didn't do much with poison/bone (save for bone armor) or curses (wasn't very quick with the keyboard in that time frame to use many spells). Anyways bows just look better (ya got to follow the 'rule of cool'), and what would be cooler (scarier) then two archers (seeing as we can have a rogue hireling (like ice arrows on them)) in the middle of sixteen skeletons (you are saying that we can have eight of each right?) with a hunk of earth (or blood at some battles?) protecting them?

Not too sure about having Isaac now actually (still a possibility), maybe we should have a large number of enemies from the game instead? and a boss with them? what do the others think?
We will/should have that sorted in the next 24 hours depending on what any one has to say.
other edit: would you want us to lay out all of what the necro has on him, points skills and all that? or just general stuff like what kind of resistance/damage he can do?

[Lady Serpentine]

Curses didn't generally work too well. Confusion was nice, since it got a bunch of enemies fighting each other, but that was about the only one I ever messed with.

Wands tended to provide bonuses to spells and such, but it wasn't necessarily worth it. Depended on what the exact effects were.

For the skeletons, I actually left out a word there - I was saying to just have him start with three of each type, and then ignore the limits on how many you could have as long as there were bodies.