102 The Battle for Gobwin Knob, Page 92

[Lamech]

I think Parson might be trying to push Ansom into the tunnels with this. Parson says "you won't even make it through the outer wall". The first thing this says is "we expect a wall attack". Two, this makes it seem like Parson knows the battle plan, which Ansom or Vinny should guess after they learn about the thinkamancer. So a very easily made conclusion is the walls are heavily defended. Also since Parson was cocky, arrogent, and bad at bluffing, Ansom might decide the arrogence is semi-justified; of course, Ansom would, in that case, attack through the tunnels. He also might decide the tunnels are a good choice just so he can say "Well, I guess your wall really was unbeatable, too bad you forgot about those tunnels, moron."

Also it seemed to me like the bluff imediatly after that was designed to hide the first one. The second one was obvious and the lie is changed rather quickly (allies to "at least one". Directs Ansom's attention else where and makes him look like a bad bluffer.

[Wender]

I think Parson might be trying to push Ansom into the tunnels with this. Parson says "you won't even make it through the outer wall". The first thing this says is "we expect a wall attack". Two, this makes it seem like Parson knows the battle plan, which Ansom or Vinny should guess after they learn about the thinkamancer.

Although we have it from no less a stick-in-the-mud than Webinar that convention dictates an attack on the walls. So what I imagine Ansom concluding is that Parson is expecting Ansom to launch a by-the-book assault on Gobwin Knob, leaving Ansom to go right into the tunnels while congratulating himself on his own cleverness.

[Trotsky]

Quick, marginally off-topic question: Was Jillian ever really Suggestion-spelled by Wanda? I had never thought that until I read the forums; I always thought it looked like there was just a long history of friendship (probably more) between Wanda and Jillian, and Wanda was using that friendship to get all sorts of things out of Jillian, and when Jillian betrayed her it was more of a total shock to Wanda that she would betray her, rather than a suggestion spell being broken. Did I miss some big piece of evidence that 100% lets us know that it was a spell? All the comic chars talk like it is, but they don't know the 'special' relationship between Jillian and Wanda.

Well, Charlie's archons do seem to suggest that it is a spell. I mostly just assumed that she knew she was under a spell but never really wanted to break free because she liked it.

[Zienth]

I'm not sure if Rob and Jamie prefer to have predictions in spoiler tags like Rich does, but I'm putting this in a spoiler, just in case.

Spoiler

Show

Back on page 78, Sizemore said that collapsing enough of the tunnels would collapse the city itself. But he also said that the invading army would just claim the ruins and rebuild the city. But what if the vast majority of the invading army was in the tunnels? Along with its leaders?

I think Parson is going to wait for the attack in the tunnels, then sally forth from the city with all of his forces and collapse the tunnels on top of Ansom and company. There will be some of Ansom's troops outside the city, but hopefully few enough so that Parson will be able to handle them, given that they'll have lost their leaders under the city.

Parson doesn't give a boop about whether or not the city survives, he just wants to win the battle.

[Sancdar]

Jillian's name might also be a pun, but I can't place it, or I'm possibly misspelling it: "Jilli and the muscles."

"Jillions of muscles".

[MattR]

My money is on the Foolamancer being called William too.

[afroakuma]

Parson doesn't give a boop about whether or not the city survives, he just wants to win the battle.

If Parson's knowledge of city dynamics extends beyond that at all, he'll probably also realize that a side requires a capital city. With Gobwin Knob the only remaining city, its destruction could instantly end Stanley's side, at which point Stanley might want to instantly end Parson's life.

I'm curious to see if Parson's made Ansom enough to go for the walls in an all-out strike. The coalition leaders would likely push him to try the tunnels instead, and Ansom would end up being right, thus reinforcing his superiority complex. Oh, that would be fun.

[EmperorSarda]

Regarding Ansom detecting the bluff and Parson agreeing, it seems more that Ansom immediately suspects it as a bluff and would have continued to believe that it was a bluff had Parson denied it. But since Parson said that he is glad that Ansom thinks it is a bluff, leaves the door open for Ansom to wonder if it is or isn't.

If Ansom thinks that Parson said he was glad that Ansom thinks it is a bluff, then Ansom is left to ponder if Parson is bluffing more, or if by thinking it is a bluff, that it makes Parson's job easier, by Ansom not looking into matter.

So it is a hugely complicated issue now, especially with Parson mimicking Charlie.

[SteveMB]

So it is a hugely complicated issue now, especially with Parson mimicking Charlie.

Hmmm... if he recognizes the turn of phrase, Ansom might interpret that as a careless (or deliberately arrogant) reveal of who he's been talking to....

[Vreejack]

Hmmm... I see three possible ways for Ansom to respond to this gambit:

3. Air it openly: Obviously, everybody else will deny being in communication with the enemy, but they'd say that in any case.

If everyone denies it then it didn't happen. Surely at least ONE of his allies would admit having been contacted by Hamster.

[SteveMB]

If everyone denies it then it didn't happen. Surely at least ONE of his allies would admit having been contacted by Hamster.

The fact is that it didn't happen -- Parson wanted to talk to the Coalition leaders, but Maggie's abilities were too spent for more than one more Thinkagram.

[afroakuma]

I'm not so certain... it's quite clear that Ansom utterly despises Stanley and anyone who works under him. "Conspiring with the enemy" in any way, shape or form, is only likely to rile him more. I'd say Ansom's probably too proud to even ask. Witch-hunt, yes. Conference and discussion, absolutely not. Random ostracisms and paranoia? Well... Parson's already wound him up that route.

[Caledonian]

Thought: is Parson's "reference" to Charlie just his adoption of a very effective rhetorical technique?

Or has Charlie done something to his mind?

Is Ansom intended to be wondering the same thing?

[slayerx]

If everyone denies it then it didn't happen. Surely at least ONE of his allies would admit having been contacted by Hamster.

Problem is, Ansom doesn't know who to trust...
He doesn't know if Parson contacted ALL, SOME or NONE of the enemies... even if he trusts vinnie and Vinnie says "no" then all that means for certain is that Vinnie wasn't on Parson's calling list... Parson never say he contacted ALL the members, but mentions he has been in contact with "others"

Even if Parson didn't finish his message, this can still play into his favor... right now, Ansom will probably call Parson's bluff... however, due to Ansom's little outburst, other members of the coalition may be more critical of him; questioning his orders, pushing to have things their way, and going against Ansom's plans... this newly found backbone amognst the warlords will get Ansom thinking that Parson may not have been bluffing, and that their really is a traitor in his midst... Problem is, if Ansom moves to wild accusations that will only lead to making the already irritable and innocent warlords angery and down right insulted

[Aquillion]

1: Plot. If he could just look at him and see his name, what would be the point of even mentioning all this?

A simpler explaination: Given names aren't part of a unit's stats, or even anything "official". They're just things people happen to call them... most units in wargames don't really get names, after all.

[Prowl]

Thought: is Parson's "reference" to Charlie just his adoption of a very effective rhetorical technique?

Or has Charlie done something to his mind?

Is Ansom intended to be wondering the same thing?

I think it's intended to sever trust between Ansom and Charlie. If Ansom lets Charlie go, then Charlie is free to make a deal with Parson.

[Aquillion]

I think it's intended to sever trust between Ansom and Charlie. If Ansom lets Charlie go, then Charlie is free to make a deal with Parson.

Also, Ansom could easily feel that he doesn't need Charlie now. He can't send Charlie after Stanley, the Archons probably wouldn't be as useful in a tunnel fight where they can't fly, and he must feel the city is going to be a push-over anyway. Why keep paying Charlie's fees if he doesn't have to?

[kilmor]

A simpler explaination: Given names aren't part of a unit's stats, or even anything "official". They're just things people happen to call them... most units in wargames don't really get names, after all.

klog 4 shows bogroll's stats, with his name. This could arguably be because hamster *knows* his name though, and why tool can't see the foolamancer's name.

[TheWombat]

klog 4 shows bogroll's stats, with his name. This could arguably be because hamster *knows* his name though, and why tool can't see the foolamancer's name.

Or it could be that Bogroll know's his own name. The foolamancer lost his sense of identity during the link-up, so that's why he needs to hear his name again. Thus if a unit can't remember it's name, maybe it isn't displayed.

My thought though is that the Glasses give the unit name, which is not normally seen by leading erfworlders. Jillian call's Weibnar's ally "your girlfriend" not by her name. Though that could just be to add an additional dig at Weibnar's expense.

[hajo]

most units in wargames don't really get names

True - but they mostly have only a few rulers, leaders, heros, wizards etc., and those are the ones that usually get names.
And our poor foolamencer belongs to this group.

[hajo]

the Archons probably wouldn't be as useful in a tunnel fight where they can't fly,

The archons would do better by supporting the attack on the walls

Why keep paying Charlie's fees if he doesn't have to?

That would depend on the contract, i.e. if mercs are hired day-to-day, per week, per month etc.
Also, perhaps they have a one-time setup-fee in addition to the daily/monthly charge, or the first week was already paid in advance

[slayerx]

Also, Ansom could easily feel that he doesn't need Charlie now. He can't send Charlie after Stanley... Why keep paying Charlie's fees if he doesn't have to?

Wait, why can't Ansom send the Archons after Stanely?

[Quaalsten]

My money is on the Foolamancer being called William too.

If folks are right about him being a Royal, then the name is obvious: it's Edgar.

Edgar was the legitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester in King Lear, who played the part of "Tom o'Bedlam" in order to help the King.

[Twisted Otaku]

He does look like the guy close to Wanda in FAQ.

Hmm didn't notice that before, also the foolamancer has this weird, cracked-out look to him. Was this crazy bulging eye of his acquired because of the split with the thinkamancer? Or just having to serve under stanley for so long : p

Jillian specifically says 'they had a good Foolamancer' in her FAQ flashback. So probably Wanda and Jillian are the only two that know his name. Fun times ahead!

Another good point. If Stanley was there to take wanda, why not take the foolamancer to.

[Twisted Otaku]

He does look like the guy close to Wanda in FAQ.

Hmm didn't notice that before, also the foolamancer has this weird, cracked-out look to him. Was this crazy bulging eye of his acquired because of the split with the thinkamancer? Or just having to serve under stanley for so long : p

Jillian specifically says 'they had a good Foolamancer' in her FAQ flashback. So probably Wanda and Jillian are the only two that know his name. Fun times ahead!

Another good point. If Stanley was there to take wanda, why not take the foolamancer to.

[ElvenDeathMetal]

For the first thing I'm ever going to say here, I'm going to go with the Foolamancer's name being William or Willy.

For one thing, his lines all seem to be excerpts of The Fool's lines from King Lear exclusively. Since that character didn't really have a name and his purpose was to relay Shakespeare's opinions about the situation at hand, it could be said that the character was William Shakespeare himself.

Also, albeit much less supportable, it kinda goes with a half-there theme with the casters' names, if we assume the Foolamancer is from FAQ. So, we would have:

Wanda the Croakamancer and Willy the Foolamancer from FAQ
Misty the Lookamancer and Maggie the Thinkamancer from GK


Regardless, this comic just keeps getting better.

[Kish]

For one thing, his lines all seem to be excerpts of The Fool's lines from King Lear exclusively.

Except the ones that are Caliban in The Tempest.

[ElvenDeathMetal]

Except the ones that are Caliban in The Tempest.

Well crap. There goes my theory.

At least I can come out of this knowing what my foot tastes like, since it's now crammed in my mouth.

[afroakuma]

And also the one line from Pennywise of It fame, namely "We all float down here" in response to Stanley referring to him as "this clown."

[charles]

I'm betting the foolamancer's name is something that would match up with Misty and Maggie's names.

Every name has been funny in one sense or another. But Misty and Maggie don't fit in with that (well Misty as a lookamancer maybe). I'm betting that a joke will be evident when you put all three names together.

Although I'm also betting that Parson is about to figure it out and tell Stanley. This will hopefully impress Stanley and he'll decide to double back with the dragons and save the day.

(silly thought, I know, but It's just the kind of unexpected thing that would really turn the battle).