Missing Warlords?

[mirrorshades]

In Strip 27, we meet Parson's warlords, and there are 5. However, in the latest klog, he only lists 3. Do we assume this is because the OOB he presents is only for the detachment to be used in this attack, or did something happen to the remaining warlords? (In the above strip, Stanley states they deteriorate over time.)

Just idle speculation.

[Runolfr]

In Strip 27, we meet Parson's warlords, and there are 5. However, in the latest klog, he only lists 3. Do we assume this is because the OOB he presents is only for the detachment to be used in this attack, or did something happen to the remaining warlords? (In the above strip, Stanley states they deteriorate over time.)

Just idle speculation.

I'm guessing that he only intends to commit three of his five uncroaked warlords to the attack.

[TiamatRoar]

Yea, he probably didn't bring along all 5. Might have been too risky to commit ALL his commanders to the task. Alternatively, perhaps he needed the other 2 for other things.

[One Skunk Todd]

Or perhaps the oldest 2 have deteriorated to the point of uselessness.

[Ultimatum479]

I doubt it. It hasn't been that long. They don't decay _that_ quickly.

If Ansom decides to go full offensive after seeing this attack, he can order the flying group to attack Gobwin Knob immediately if the Knob has no warlords. Every pathetically weak Uncroaked stack will be forced to attack the uber Archons and die without inflicting significant, or even any, damage. He needs some Warlords on defense in case Ansom decides to take advantage of the fact that most of the Dragons aren't in Gobwin Knob at the moment. The fliers can probably reach GK from there in a turn.

[Runolfr]

The fliers can probably reach GK from there in a turn.

I dunno. Orlies only have 44 move, and bats (if there are any in that group) only have 22 move.

[TiamatRoar]

The bats are probably back with their master (Vinnie) and thus with Ansom in the "mostly NOT fliers" part of the column. Course, Jillian infers that the bats are mostly good for short-range recon, only ("crap for combat"). Come to think about it, that probably explains why Vinnie is so sensible. His preferred unit type focuses on recon instead of either fast movement or combat.

[Demonicbunny]

I'd say that he commited 3 warlords because probably 5 Dwagons and 3 Warlords provides ideal balance of Buffs and Power. That is, the ultimate Stack-of-Doom.

[Solarious]

I'd say that he commited 3 warlords because probably 5 Dwagons and 3 Warlords provides ideal balance of Buffs and Power. That is, the ultimate Stack-of-Doom.

3 Warlords + 5 Dwagons = 8 units total: the maximum for a stack bonus. 5 Dwagons for the muscle, 3 Warlords for bonuses and the Great Thinkamancer Relay. Bringing all 5 Warlords is probably overkill, overcommiting his forces, and therefore can't maintain maximum efficiency out of the system. And inefficiency is the one thing Parson can't afford at this point, with the 25-1 ratio. As mentioned, Parson's intent is to fly around with the Ultimate Stack of DoomTM and croak all the seige units, thereby swinging the inevitable siege situation to his favour.

[Flakey]

1 warlord and 7 dragons should be the best mix for the offensive punch.

1 warlord to run the defensive wall, to make sure they dont auto attack, thereby ruining one of the exploits, of having a flying wall of dragons that does not attack the main army, and flying in woods denighs the majority of Ansom's army of attacking it back.

1 to ferry the wounded dragons back to safety, and bring in fresh ones to the attack force.

[Ultimatum479]

1 warlord and 7 dragons should be the best mix for the offensive punch.

Indeed, but defensively more are necessary. Once the series of attacks are over and they end the turn, the 3 warlords will need to be positioned defensively:

1 warlord to run the defensive wall, to make sure they dont auto attack, thereby ruining one of the exploits, of having a flying wall of dragons that does not attack the main army, and flying in woods denighs the majority of Ansom's army of attacking it back.

Not quite. Parson's probably looked at the terrain and seen that his attacking group will be vulnerable to attack by the Forest Gumps and Woodsy Elves through 3 hexes, hence his chosen number. He needs one Warlord on each for the defensive Warlord bonus; Warlords can't move around between stacks so easily when it's not their turn.

[Demonicbunny]

1 warlord and 7 dragons should be the best mix for the offensive punch.

I'm not so certain about that.

Despite being attacked by 5 dwagons Jillian managed to strike one down, with only one gwiffon and a bunch of Orlys (fodder).
Now Stanleys uncroaked warlords are probably not even half as powerful, but they should be powerful in their own right.
Often in wargames the melee power of Heroes/warlords (plus their leadership bonuses) is sufficent that a stack with 2+ warlords plus the heaviest Elite units often has more total attack/defense than 1 Warlord + full stack of heaviest Elite units.

It's also possible in an Overkill scenario that your attackpower is so high that you can croak all enemies in one round of battle, then you need to increase your defense as much as possible (with leadership bonuses) to conserve your units hitpoints if you're units are making multiple strikes (or if the game doesn't feature autohealing between turns).

[Flakey]

Indeed, but defensively more are necessary. Once the series of attacks are over and they end the turn, the 3 warlords will need to be positioned defensively:


Not quite. Parson's probably looked at the terrain and seen that his attacking group will be vulnerable to attack by the Forest Gumps and Woodsy Elves through 3 hexes, hence his chosen number. He needs one Warlord on each for the defensive Warlord bonus; Warlords can't move around between stacks so easily when it's not their turn.

I was just limiting myself to Stanleys turn, but you are correct in taking it further, that during Ansom's turn they will all go to the defensive wall. :)

I'm not so certain about that.

Often in wargames the melee power of Heroes/warlords (plus their leadership bonuses) is sufficent that a stack with 2+ warlords plus the heaviest Elite units often has more total attack/defense than 1 Warlord + full stack of heaviest Elite units.

Admitted you are right in this part, but that presumes that you have 2 warlords to put in the stack. I may be wrong, but I see all three warlords busy on seperate, but linked tasks. Making it impossible for them to stack together, except briefly as thier tasks overlap.

[Ultimatum479]

The melee power of these warlords is pretty wimpy, so if leadership bonuses aren't cumulative, it definitely won't be a good idea to have more than one Warlord in a stack.

[Solarious]

The melee power of these warlords is pretty wimpy, so if leadership bonuses aren't cumulative, it definitely won't be a good idea to have more than one Warlord in a stack.

Warlord melee power is wimpy? Did you see Jillian croaking a Dwagon with her big 'honkin sword? Warlord melee power can be plenty lethal. Of course, these Warlords' effectiveness could be reduced because of their uncroakedness, and because Jillian really is that lethal, but don't discount them.

[SteveMB]

The melee power of these warlords is pretty wimpy

We don't know one way or the other, having never seen any of Stanley's warlords in melee.

[Ultimatum479]

Of course, these Warlords' effectiveness could be reduced because of their uncroakedness...

Exactly my point. Being uncroaked apparently makes a unit far, far weaker than it was in life. Exhibit A: Wanda's worried observation to Stanley that they have fewer than 200 living men left in Gobwin Knob implies that their fighting potential is far greater than that of the more numerous uncroaked. Exhibit B: Stanley's displeasure at Parson's crappy leadership bonus, yet refusal to make him a normal Warlord and make one of the Uncroaked into his Chief Warlord instead, suggests that the Uncroaked Warlords have even worse leadership bonuses, and if they do despite Stanley probably using them as a point of reference to say Parson's sucks, that means their leadership bonuses have also gone way down in undeath.

[Irbis]

Well, if they kill that one warlord entire stack is lost. He needs backup.