117 The Battle for Gobwin Knob 105

[Justyn]

That's... a LOT of Archons... I counted around thirty, but I counted the ones over the walls as different from the onces over the garrison.

[Faithless]

Knew it was about the artifact. One of the few moves I actually called, this comic has a lot of twists. Looks like Charlie is the deciding factor in this battle.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I found the bravado in this strip a lot more humerous than the lame internet culture jokes in many of the previous ones.

[Half_Moon]

Panel 3 shows archons over the walls and the Last panel shows them all withing the city so its a bit hard to get accurate numbers.

Panel 4 has the most in one panel with a count of 29 if the blue glowing dot behind the TA DA is an archon

[Stormthorn]

Knew it was about the artifact. One of the few moves I actually called, this comic has a lot of twists. Looks like Charlie is the deciding factor in this battle.

The only thing i tend to keep a step ahead of in the comic is Wanda. Nothing she does seems unexpected but its not a bad thing.

I have been pleasantly suprised by the fairly steady updates recently. Sormthorn aproves.

[Ganurath]

"The fact that I know you aren't lying actually makes it even more imperative that I get you working for me."

I love it.

[mroozee]

The last panel looks like 4 groups of 8 archons each. The second from the left may be missing one (Jaclyn?) so around 30.

It looks like we are missing book tones in panels 3, 7, 9, and 12.

Spoiler

Show

Panels 7 and 8 make it sound like losing the city is irrelevant to Parson's plan. This makes me think that we might see a volcanic eruption on Parson's turn. It fits Parson's "getting crushed" and "city falls" comments. Also fits with Sizemore's consideration that he is going to croak a lot of people.

[Winged One]

I like those odds. High enough to make it clear he has a good chance, but low enough to make it in doubt. Not to mention the Exact Words potential of them being his odds of "not losing". And, of course, I've had a suspicion that Charlie was trying to capture and/or recruit Parson for a while.

[Charmy]

Hmm... more frequent updates, good writing and plot advancement...

my interest in the comic is being rekindled!

[MuseUnchained]

I think that a telling factor in this battle will be that Parson knows his victory isn't one hundred percent guaranteed. Ansom believes that his is.

The classic axiom is to know your enemy and to know yourself. The fact that Parson has been able to play Ansom so thouroughly probably put the odds up in his favour. Also, the real factor in the know your enemy line is humility, you cannot know your enemy if you refuse to rate their chances, if you underestimate them, you also can't find their weakness if you do not consider their strengths. You cannot know yourself if you refuse to believe that there is a chance that you may lose, as you may overestimate yourself, you cannot compensate for your weaknesses if you think you don't have them or they do not matter. Whatever his quote on the cast page says about planning for problems, he can never see the entire situation.

It's set as one of his weaknesses, humility, and that is going to be what loses it for Ansom if Charlie does not interfere, I think.

[Fafnir13]

I knew Charlie wasn't there on a strictly friendly basis. Glad to have that confirmed.

[Laurentio II]

And, of course, I've had a suspicion that Charlie was trying to capture and/or recruit Parson for a while.

Argh. Now I've to hate Charlie. Come on, this is not a "I want to capture you" or a "You are worth to be one of mine". He literally told him "Hey b***h, get on you knees and come crawling to my feet. And don't forget to bring that artifact of your - I means, of mine". Why doesn't he ask Parson to clean the balcony with the tongue, when he is there?

Magnificent Bastard my [heavily censored description of anatomic assorted parts]! This comics is full of people I'd like to kill, or get laid, or both.

[Quimper]

Wouldn't it be fun if Parson actually managed to get the alliance to think Charlie switched sides? If they attacked him (don't know how, since the units are flying), it could change all the odds..

[Justyn]

Magnificent Bastard my [heavily censored description of anatomic assorted parts]! This comics is full of people I'd like to kill, or get laid, or both.

I'm starting to see why Stanley didn't like Charlie. You know, aside from having an Arkentool. I do think that Charlie is definately a Magnificent Bastard.

Wouldn't it be fun if Parson actually managed to get the alliance to think Charlie switched sides? If they attacked him (don't know how, since the units are flying), it could change all the odds..

And it would fully cement Parson as a Magnificent Bastard.

[MuseUnchained]

Why exactly are we surprised? Charlie is a mercenary, the reason that he pulled out of the Transylvito contract is because the mathamancy was worth more to him than the money. He doesn't get to the position that he is in by being nice.

Ansom already doesn't like Charlie, I think he might just be ready to jump to a pretty tall conclusion if given the right prodding.

[ishnar]

Thanks to the artists for more frequent updates. It is very appreciated and makes it feel worth the wait. The last few pages have been full of pure awesomeness.

[Etheric]

I knew Charlie wasn't there on a strictly friendly basis. Glad to have that confirmed.

Yeah it was pretty obvious it was a surrender or I will capture you thing going on there. Even if some people had trouble with the concept :D.

I do hope we dont have a duex et machina thing for the next fight though. The Marbits getting pwned in the tunnels I have no problem with.

The Arkenpliars capture I am less sure about. The only way really would be Wanda's Air force and that would involve Ansom leaving his forces in a dumb position. Unless Parson manages to talk Stanley into coming back. Actually Stanley should be too far away anyway as he has been travelling for 2 turns, unless the fastest dwagons ahve more than twice the move of the slowest ones then he is not coming back this turn either.

I hope we don't have a repeat of the dragon donut/dragon stack thing. The position of the dragon stack was based on the requirement that Ansom not have enough move to escape and have enough move to rescue Jillian rather than Parson being smart.

Anyway we will see, I still see the end result being Parson working for Charlie, we just have him winning the battle of GK first.

[OnDroid]

Makes me wonder WHOM will Charlie "assist if necessary".

[VariaVespasa]

29 archons in-panel, if anyone cares, with obviously more offscreen to complete the circle around GK. Guessing that runs more like 40+ all told.

[Yodimus]

Things that are awesome = This comic.
Seriously, this is why I read Erfworld.

OnDroid - this is me being an ass, but it's "FOR WHOM."

[Douglas]

I count 31 archons in panel 7, and I'm fairly sure that's all of them unless Charlie's speech rectangle is covering up another one or two. Quite an impressive force, and I agree with Charlie's sentiments in panel 10. It's shaping up to be quite a show.

[The Old Hack]

Oooooohhh yeah, that's telling Charlie off, Parson. And I personally suspect I know what Parson has in mind. What are the Arkenpliers good for? Bashing Uncroaked. How do you make Ansom move? By setting up a situation that will make him get a chance of being a Heroic Rescuer. What would lure him into this? A lot of fresh Uncroaked, such as Uncroaked Marbits rolling out of the tunnels in a floodwave. Bait, hook, fish...

[DCR]

Ok. Previously read comment in some thread, somewhere, has turned my tired brain on.

Spoiler.
I'm not kidding. Giant Elvis has said the goal is story, not surprise, and much of the fun of presents is the anticipation and the guessing before opening. But the greatest is when guesses/hopes are exceeded by what you get. So, spoiler warning. Don't let your anticipation be ruined if you're that type, by reading the spoiler. I hope that my guess and expectations are exceeded (again), but just in case, spoiler warning.

Spoiler

Show

City on old volcano. Lava tubes under city currently FULL of burnable things like, say, marbits for example. Well, everything burns if the fire's hot enough. ANYway. Lackey that can move dirt better then a bad dog.
Gobwin Knob turn. Sizemore *jazz hands*. FUEGO.
Still leaves the walls and air and still arriving units undealt with, but this is about the tunnels.

I'm tired, rambling and all that may be obvious or obviously wrong, but I feel that this is a very very plausible senario.

[Moechi_Vill]

That spoiler seems to be on the dime for what I'm expecting. Kudos.
It leaves the hatchet fight on the walls as 58,9%. Ansom's going to be ENRAGED.

Which leaves an important question. When and if Ansom loses personally during the wall fight, since Parson wouldn't consider capturing him, is it possible for him to lose his Arkentool without being croaked or similarly falling? Both options, a vengeful Ansom, and a dead Ansom could make for good story. I want and believe in the latter. He's too flat of a character. What's he going to do in the future? Be grumpy, grow in wisdom, and make love with Jillian?

[Generalissimus]

Charlie´s faction is neutral now. He is not allied with Transylvitto, neither with Jetstone.

What if Ansom comes to think that he has been betrayed by Charlie and attacks him and calls back the Air Force?

[Mustiado]

I just wanted to come in and say that if Jamie and Rob are reading the comment threads still, that this is compelling action and drama. I've always appreciated Erfworld, and didn't have any qualms about the earlier pace, but I feel like this was amazingly well set up. This comic is an excellent companion to OOTS, in both graphic style and storyline.

Two big thumbs up.

[Laurentio II]

Why exactly are we surprised? Charlie is a mercenary, the reason that he pulled olut of the Transylvito contract is because the mathamancy was worth more to him than the money. He doesn't get to the position that he is in by being nice.

No, it's not necessary. But you would be surprised to find the advantages of NOT treating people like walking crap just because you can. Or the next time you will be on a dragon neck trying to figure the name of a wizard that is working for you by years.
There is a deep line between "Parson, I decided to take you on my side. Please, don't have me attack, neither of us would enjoy it. Do you really want to die for Stanley?" and "Bark dog, the master is in the house!".

Oh, and now we know that Charlie can't read Parson's notes. Otherwise, he would know what is going to happen.

[SteveMB]

Wouldn't it be fun if Parson actually managed to get the alliance to think Charlie switched sides? If they attacked him (don't know how, since the units are flying), it could change all the odds..

Ansom isn't going to be terribly impressed with Charlie bringing his units to GK "to assist if necessary". He isn't primarily after the city per se; he's primarily after Stanley's little square head on a platter, and from Ansom's perspective Charlie got greedy and risked letting Stanley get away.

This will be all the worse if Stanley does, in fact, get away as a result of Chalie pulling out of the battle at the choke point.

[teratorn]

Charlie is really freaky and Ansom must be wondering what all these archons mean.

So Parson's only chance is to beat Ansom and then to wait for someone on his team to atune to the arkenpliers...

[ThreeEyedOni]

Charlie is apparently almost as big of a [THIS WORD HAS BEEN REMOVED BY ERFWORLD STANDARDS OF DECENCY AND MORALITY. PLEASE REPLACE WITH "BOOP" IN FUTURE VERSIONS.] as Stanley is. I don't see how either one of them could be happy around anyone they can not willingly squash.

Speaking of squashing... there are 30 Archons in just that one frame. Considering that it only covers one side of GK but keeping in the mind they just arrived from that direction... It's not unreasonable to expect there to actually be 35-40 Archons there. More than enough than to at the very least make a stach-and-grab on Parson, with or without him surviving.

Charlie may have also given up his most powerful boon to Parson right here, whether he knows it or not. If Charlie does give Ansom a full explanation (something he may not even feel inclined to do without a contract in place) then Ansom is going to assume that the two are now allied. This would give Parson one hell of a bluff.