Erfworld 84: Parson's Klog Page 7

[Ravenlord]

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At the last possible moment, Parson attunes with the Arkendriver and summons an army of Gundams. The alliance gets the hell out of dodge.

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If this also triggers SEED Destiny type emo-cries and flashback-into-flashback-for-half-a-story-arc sequences, I'm going to stab you and harvest your brains for the Earth Alliance!

[Harmandil]

Crap golems Yuck!

[Harmandil]

"Mounted cavalry" is silly and redundant. "Mounted infantry" refers to warriors who fight on foot but ride horses to battle instead of marching across the country. In the medieval period most English knights fought this way. Only the wealthiest warriors could afford a destrier (or any charger, actually) and most thought it better to spend their gold on really good armor, instead. This (and their training) separated knights from other infantry.

Actually, knighthood equals nobility. Anyone with a noble title is a knight, regardless of equipment. Bob Geldof is a knight. Prince of Wales is a knight. This was true also in the medieval times. Only in those days one had to go and risk his life for the distinction.

[Myrdhale]

You know, I've been wondering about something. If Stanley can rebel and kill his old Lord (as Ansom and Vinnie discussed) then couldn't Parson/Sizemore/anyone else who has grown to dislike Stanley just surrender and switch sides? Swear Fielty to Ansom, then Totally destroy Stanley?

(I doubt this will happen, I would just like to know the rules on loyalty. Do you go poof if you betray, or is it a viable option for a warlord whose got left holding the bag?)

just my two copper.

Edit: Knighthood's are more positions of Honor than just nobility, since being a Knight doesn't necessarily entail power over a certain land holding. Though, it often did back in Medieval times.

[teratorn]

You know, I've been wondering about something. If Stanley can rebel and kill his old Lord (as Ansom and Vinnie discussed) then couldn't Parson/Sizemore/anyone else who has grown to dislike Stanley just surrender and switch sides? Swear Fielty to Ansom, then Totally destroy Stanley?

That would be lame. Parson needs to find a way to croak everyone in that damn alliance.

[Ozar]

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If this also triggers SEED Destiny type emo-cries and flashback-into-flashback-for-half-a-story-arc sequences, I'm going to stab you and harvest your brains for the Earth Alliance!

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What are you talking about? Gundam SEED never had a sequel.

LALALA I CAN'T HEEEEAAARR YOOOOOOOOUU

[Bilgore]

You know, I've been wondering about something. If Stanley can rebel and kill his old Lord (as Ansom and Vinnie discussed) then couldn't Parson/Sizemore/anyone else who has grown to dislike Stanley just surrender and switch sides?

It's not clear that Stanley killed his old lore, based on Vinnie's response. I wil grant you that someone killed Stanley's old lord, but you don't have to be a killer to gain from someone's killing.

Concearing the hilt, I'm guessing that(barring the possibilty of lightsabers) he's got a classic "find the missing piece" type storyline to look forward to. But then again, Stanley seems to be the one doing the questing.

Arkenruler, anyone? It would go well with his mathamancy artifact.

[Twisted Otaku]

"Mounted cavalry" is silly and redundant. "Mounted infantry" refers to warriors who fight on foot but ride horses to battle instead of marching across the country. In the medieval period most English knights fought this way. Only the wealthiest warriors could afford a destrier (or any charger, actually) and most thought it better to spend their gold on really good armor, instead. This (and their training) separated knights from other infantry.

He got it right. Knights can fight monted or dismounted. Also Cavalry doesn't mean just knights, it's kinda a two way thing, either way knights are the elite fighting force supposedly able to fight well mounted and dismounted.

[Freederick]

The sword hilt with no blade strikes me as an edged commentary on Parson's situation:
How is a bladeless hilt like an armyless warlord?

On the other hand, Sizemore's stone shaping capability could come in very handy:

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How do you get a siege train up a switchbacky road, if there is no road?
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You don't. You attack through the tunnels and from the air instead.

[Jari Kafghan]

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How do you get a siege train up a switchbacky road, if there is no road?
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You don't. You attack through the tunnels and from the air instead.

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And it wouldn't take much, just hole thats ends up being wide enough across that you can't reasonably span it quickly. Couple dozen yards should do it, and sizemore can eat up the foundations of the bridge each turn costing more and more men.

[Oslecamo]

I think that that sword, whatever it does, it's a VERY powerfull tool. All the other stupid stuff were.

But I think this is Stanely's last gamble. He will use his own city as bait. As the coalition forces overrun the defences he will appear out of nowhere thanks to the foolamancer and directly engage Parson and the archons with his KISS "honor guard".

Then, after an epic battle(in wich I bet our beloved hamster will come with another masterplan to save the day) Stanley croacks Parson and the archons, takes the Arkenpliers and the coalition retreats in panic. From then on a new chapter in Efworld starts:the seek of the titan tools.

I know some people say this comic is about the battle for the Gobwin Knob, but think this way: the coalition is at the doorsteps, hamster is awfully outnumbered, outgunned and doesn't know half the rules of the game so he really can't do much but one last desesperate plan. The decisive battle will come soon, but the comic can't end there.

I guess the author is using this situation as an introduction to the world of Efworld, just as in OOTS the first chapters were spent in the lich's dungeon, just for the story to expand greatly once that part was over.

EDIT:Just reread the first comic. It says part1:the battle for Gobwin Knob.
Wohooo! This means the story will expand!

[Lord Iames Osari]

I think that that sword, whatever it does, it's a VERY powerfull tool. All the other stupid stuff were.

But I think this is Stanely's last gamble. He will use his own city as bait. As the coalition forces overrun the defences he will appear out of nowhere thanks to the foolamancer and directly engage Parson and the archons with his KISS "honor guard".

Then, after an epic battle(in wich I bet our beloved hamster will come with another masterplan to save the day) Stanley croacks Parson and the archons, takes the Arkenpliers and the coalition retreats in panic. From then on a new chapter in Efworld starts:the seek of the titan tools.

I know some people say this comic is about the battle for the Gobwin Knob, but think this way: the coalition is at the doorsteps, hamster is awfully outnumbered, outgunned and doesn't know half the rules of the game so he really can't do much but one last desesperate plan. The decisive battle will come soon, but the comic can't end there.

I guess the author is using this situation as an introduction to the world of Efworld, just as in OOTS the first chapters were spent in the lich's dungeon, just for the story to expand greatly once that part was over.

EDIT:Just reread the first comic. It says part1:the battle for Gobwin Knob.
Wohooo! This means the story will expand!

I think you meant Ansom, not Parson, there.

[fendrin]

The sword hilt with no blade strikes me as an edged commentary on Parson's situation:
How is a bladeless hilt like an armyless warlord?

I like it. Good analogy. Of course, with a bladeless sword you can still hit somebody with the pommel, and Parson has a fragment of an army...

On the other hand, Sizemore's stone shaping capability could come in very handy:

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How do you get a siege train up a switchbacky road, if there is no road?
Answer:

Spoiler

Show

You don't. You attack through the tunnels and from the air instead.

Glad to see I'm not the only one thinking this way. Of course, I don't see why Sizemore (especially if he gets linked to Wanda to tap into her sheer magical might) couldn't 'grow' the caldera into a dome (like the closing of a sports arena), preventing aerial assault (not that such an assault would do much, as the coalition aerial forces (other than Jillian herself) aren't all that powerful, and thus would probably be able to be taken out through attrition (especially with a well placed debilitating attack against Jillian... like say a punch from a metal golem). Sure, she could try to pull a hit-and-run like Parson did with the dwagons, but it's not really her style. Also, she would still be getting hit, and her aerial companions just aren't as durable as the dwagons.

Similarly, Sizemore could probably close off tunnel entrances, allowing for some excellent hit-and-run or insurgent tactics. Seriously, even at Ravenlords' 40:1 ratio, Parson can win this with ease, unless there is a hither-to unseen limitation on how much casting a caster can do in a day. Heck, just lead enemy troops down a long tunnel (till they run out of move) then close off the entrances. There go a whole bunch of units with no losses. It's even effective against uber-powerful warlords. Then just wait... I doubt that upkeep includes popping air. Really, the possibilities are endless.

I can see the conversation now...
Ansom: Jillian! Send in an extraction team!
Jillian: Where are you?
Ansom: Underground... somewhere. The tunnel closed on us.
Jillian: I can't get to you. There's no way in.
Ansom: Well, at least we <censored>.

[Bongos]

Gobwin Knob = 785 units total

so Ansom & Co. at 25:1 = 19, 625 units total?

Somewhere around there, I was too lazy to estimate the cwoaked Clothe Golems or modify for casualties. At this ratio probably would'nt make much difference.

Of course the outnumber could also be a unit point total thing kind of like Warhammer where one unit can be 1,000 points and ten units can be like 580 points or whatever...

So the whole math thing was probably pretty pointless (pun!)

[fendrin]

Gobwin Knob = 785 units total

so Ansom & Co. at 25:1 = 19, 625 units total?

Somewhere around there, I was too lazy to estimate the cwoaked Clothe Golems or modify for casualties. At this ratio probably would'nt make much difference.

Of course the outnumber could also be a unit point total thing kind of like Warhammer where one unit can be 1,000 points and ten units can be like 580 points or whatever...

So the whole math thing was probably pretty pointless (pun!)

Good point about the points thing . Of course, the 25:1 was Wanda's (pessimistic?) evaluation, at the time of Parson's summoning. We don't know just how many kills there were when Parson croaked the siege, so that would also affect the ratio...

[teratorn]

Heck, just lead enemy troops down a long tunnel (till they run out of move) then close off the entrances.

They won't run out of move inside a given hex (they can wander around), and Marbits can dig. Sizemore can dig through rock, but he can't create rock, he would need the crap golems or other heavies to close the entrance. He also would need to use warlords, to only attack when enemy is bottled up.

It seems this turn will involve Sizemore digging traps, and crap, hard rock, acid and metal golems. Probably some spidews also. Parson lost the dwagons, he needs to use his other heavies.

[fendrin]

They won't run out of move inside a given hex (they can wander around), and Marbits can dig. Sizemore can dig through rock, but he can't create rock, he would need the crap golems or other heavies to close the entrance. He also would need to use warlords, to only attack when enemy is bottled up.

You are assuming the tunnels are encapsulated in one hex. There is no reason to believe this. If the tunnel goes back and forth between two hexes a few dozen times, it would eat up move like crazy.

Also, the marbits can dig, but how fast? And can they all dig, or just miner-units (as opposed to their squads of Axemen). Also, Sizemore doesn't need to create rock, just draw it from the tunnel walls... the tunnel gets bigger, but plugged. alternatively, he could just collapse the ceiling above their heads. The few who survived would be fairly well trapped. (gives new meaning to having the weight of the world on your shoulders)

It seems this turn will involve Sizemore digging, and crap, hard rock, acid and metal golems. Probably some spidews also. Parson lost the dwagons, he needs to use his other heavies.

Needs to? No. Probably will? Yes.

[MedPig]

I wonder what Gobwin Knob's producing right now?

If he gets what he needs, probably "Depends", for when he sees the 20,000+ enemy he gets to deal with, with no air superiority, maybe 1% of that amount of troops, and terrain he hasn't had time to examine...

I'd be putting on my brown trousers, if I were him...

[SteveMB]

Good point about the points thing . Of course, the 25:1 was Wanda's (pessimistic?) evaluation, at the time of Parson's summoning.

You mean back when they had all their dwagons (and the three best Knights, and Stanley... OK, maybe that last should be on the other side of the ledger ). The odds are almost certainly worse now, even accounting for Ansom's loss of about half his siege train.

[teratorn]

Even if Sizemore could dig enough for Parson to cut the road, forest units could reach and circle GK. Siege would be left behind but marbits and other infantry could likely cross. And without the dwagons I'm not sure Ansom needs siege. Given the low numbers in GK, a party of warlords riding on gwiffons would be enough to take the outer walls if Ansom can get enough marbits on the tunnels to draw significant GK gobwin numbers down there.

You are assuming the tunnels are encapsulated in one hex. There is no reason to believe this. If the tunnel goes back and forth between two hexes a few dozen times, it would eat up move like crazy.

But if marbits can dig enough to join adjacent tunnels, that would not waste much move. Ansom sends one stack as scouts, secures the ends of the tunnel in that hex, enters the next one and if tunnels run paralel use marbits to dig so other stacks can save move.

It's likely marbits won't be able to dig easily through rock, but I don't think Sizemore can dig through enough rock in one turn to make a very big maze.

[Justyn]

Gobwin Knob = 785 units total

so Ansom & Co. at 25:1 = 19, 625 units total?

Somewhere around there, I was too lazy to estimate the cwoaked Clothe Golems or modify for casualties. At this ratio probably would'nt make much difference.

Of course the outnumber could also be a unit point total thing kind of like Warhammer where one unit can be 1,000 points and ten units can be like 580 points or whatever...

So the whole math thing was probably pretty pointless (pun!)

Well, you didn't take the reduction of 52 (or more) dwagons, Stanley, three warlords, Misty and the Foolamancer, and nine other units. This would bring the total to around 852, multiplying that by 25 yields a result of 21,300.

And just to point it out to anyone thinking over my last post, this stuff hit close to home for me, so I guess I reacted... oddly.

[EvilDoom]

Seems like Parson's got several options including using the thinkamancer to contact Ansom and offer up Stanley's castle with no resistance in trade for capture.

Stanley seems pretty clear on his only mission now is related to the Titans and hence obtaining Ansom's pliers which Stanley said are the whole reason the Titans are having the war. With the foolamancer Stanley can perhaps veil himself and his small group and perhaps *whack* Ansom and take the pliers.

[Bongos]

Well, you didn't take the reduction of 52 (or more) dwagons, Stanley, three warlords, Misty and the Foolamancer, and nine other units. This would bring the total to around 852, multiplying that by 25 yields a result of 21,300.

And just to point it out to anyone thinking over my last post, this stuff hit close to home for me, so I guess I reacted... oddly.

I know, I said I did'nt, nor did I estimate the Ansom dead, it was mostly to put things into a rough perspective.......but if you want to take the time and be super precise go ahead, factor in all the lost units throughtout the comic, estimate some Ansom losses, factor in what may have popped in Gobwin Knob over the turns, allow for those new golems Sizemore created, include the addition of the Archons, etc, etc.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Even if Sizemore could dig enough for Parson to cut the road, forest units could reach and circle GK. Siege would be left behind but marbits and other infantry could likely cross. And without the dwagons I'm not sure Ansom needs siege. Given the low numbers in GK, a party of warlords riding on gwiffons would be enough to take the outer walls if Ansom can get enough marbits on the tunnels to draw significant GK gobwin numbers down there.


But if marbits can dig enough to join adjacent tunnels, that would not waste much move. Ansom sends one stack as scouts, secures the ends of the tunnel in that hex, enters the next one and if tunnels run paralel use marbits to dig so other stacks can save move.

It's likely marbits won't be able to dig through rock, but I don't think Sizemore can dig through enough rock in one turn to make a very big maze.

That depends on when Sizemore started digging tunnels. He seems low-middle aged, say 35 or so. But if he discovered his "power" at a young age, he could have been digging tunnels for years.

I'm more worried about how Parson is going to keep Jillian and the rest from raining death down on him. He doesn't have much in the way of surface to air defenses, and turtling up under a bunch of shields only works as long as you're standing still.

Gwiffins, the carpet, orlys, bats. Plus Ansom battering down the walls with the siege engines.

Undermining the road might slow down the siege engines, but no tunnel will stop a flying unit. And even if my theory that Gobwin Knob is where dwagons "pop," one dwagon may or may not be able to swing the tide of battle.

[fendrin]

Even if Sizemore could dig enough for Parson to cut the road, forest units could reach and circle GK.Siege would be left behind but marbits and other infantry could likely cross. And without the dwagons I'm not sure Ansom needs siege. Given the low numbers in GK, a party of warlords riding on gwiffons would be enough to take the outer walls if Ansom can get enough marbits on the tunnels to draw significant GK gobwin numbers down there.

Gobwin Knob the city is not in the forest; it is at the top of a mountain. Gobwin Knob the mountain is surrounded by forest, but the forest units would still need to take the road up to the top. Take out the road and only flying units or units that can climb the mountain can make it to the caldera, they have to make it past that to get to the city walls. Climbers will have to deal with artificial rockslides and boulders hurtling down from above. GK is known as 'the toughest defensive position in the known world' for a reason.

But if marbits can dig enough to join adjacent tunnels, that would not waste much move. Ansom sends one stack as scouts, secures the ends of the tunnel in that hex, enters the next one and if tunnels run paralel use marbits to dig so other stacks can save move.

That assumes that the tunnels run parallel to each other. Parson describes them as 'a maze of twisty little passages', which sounds a bit more complex than that. Besides, if Ansom sends in one stack to map the tunnels, they will have to fight past numerous gobwin tunnel-fighters, crap golems, pitfalls, and so on. They wouldn't make it very far... no, it will take a significant investment of resources to even map the tunnels enough to have marbits dig shortcuts.

It's likely marbits won't be able to dig easily through rock, but I don't think Sizemore can dig through enough rock in one turn to make a very big maze.

We don't know Sizemore's limits, or the marbit's digging ability. However, the maze already exists, so all Sizemore has to do is keep up with the marbits.

[Cybaster]

I certainly hope it turns out that Parson had saved himself by staying in Gobwin Knob, but Stanley's escape was in turn anticipated and he gets ambushed, captured by Jillian, and executed by Ansom.

...Then again, that would mean Ansom gets the Arkenhammer and control over Dwagons, so...maybe not. -.-;;;

[Eisen]

Lightsaber? Wiimote? Ha.

All Hamster needs to do is twist his wrist in the right way, and the Sun Sword will manifest!

Ookla, Ariel -- WE RIDE!

You must be, like, the second human being I've ever met that remembers that show. Mad cool points to you.

Listen gang, Parson gets winded sitting up. Let's be honest; he's a fatass.I don't see him going Jedi on us anytime soon. I suspect the sword hilt is more a tactical device..perhaps a way of controlling troops from a distance? The Wiimote analogy is a good one there. Ah well. Time will tell.

[Vreejack]

Actually, knighthood equals nobility. Anyone with a noble title is a knight, regardless of equipment. Bob Geldof is a knight. Prince of Wales is a knight. This was true also in the medieval times. Only in those days one had to go and risk his life for the distinction.

Yes and no. What made a knight in the chivalric age was the wealth to afford the arms and armor and the lifetime of training in their use. The armor alone could only be purchased by major land owners, which essentially meant that they were members of the nobility, but the title "Knight" was actually just a prop, received at a quasi-religious ceremony and used to trick the commoners into believing that the warrior class had some sort of divine mandate.

Technically anyone could be a knight who could provide the necessary horses (it took a few) armor, weapons and servants to maintain the whole mess, but since this required a lot of money it basically meant at least a minor lord, though some bannerets were wealthy enough to maintain a company of such knights on their own nickel, and some knights became dispossessed of their property or support and resorted to sleeping under hedges. Many of these "hedge knights", being unable to afford the cost of a squire, tarred their armor to prevent it from rusting, thus becoming the infamous "black knights" of legend.

[teratorn]

We don't know Sizemore's limits, or the marbit's digging ability. However, the maze already exists, so all Sizemore has to do is keep up with the marbits.

I thought you were talking about turning the road and the city (not the underground) into a huge set of trenches and pits.

That depends on when Sizemore started digging tunnels. He seems low-middle aged, say 35 or so. But if he discovered his "power" at a young age, he could have been digging tunnels for years.

It looked like the only thing Sizemore did in GK was to take crap.

I'm more worried about how Parson is going to keep Jillian and the rest from raining death down on him.

They can also do hit and run tactics inside the walls. Parson has shown the way.

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Send Ansom, Vinny, Jillian, Webinar Dora and Tarfu on gwiffons +archons. Drop the warlords and archons near regular infantry, except Dora which stays with gwiffons, and waste units until warlords are heavily wounded, then ride again on gwiffons back into security. If it's too expensive to keep the archons, Ansom has other warlords. Even with Wanda uncroaking the dead, regular units in the outer walls could be gone in a couple of turns.

I feel cheated, I had expectations for a mighty battle in the outer walls. With these numbers Ansom will reach the inner citadel very fast. Ok, I know, there will be something awesome, but...

[Vreejack]

We don't know Sizemore's limits, or the marbit's digging ability. However, the maze already exists, so all Sizemore has to do is keep up with the marbits.

As I've been saying, all Sizemore has to do is find some way to trap them long enough to fill the chamber with water or something. One hopes that he's already planned just such a thing.

The Marbits might be good at digging, but I doubt they can dig faster than a collapsing tunnel.