117 The Battle for Gobwin Knob 105

[Winged One]

Magnificent Bastard my [heavily censored description of anatomic assorted parts]!

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.

Who the hell is going on a censorship rampage in this thread?

[Moechi_Vill]

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.

It's far superior. But then I'm not too fond of stick figure comics or the OotS in general though it has occasional moments imo. I really liked Legendary though.

Erfworld on the other hand is something new. It's weird, but not in the weird-style way. The reasons OotS is famous is because of generally good writing, sustainable plot, the forums and accessories and most of all, scheduled updates; not the stick figure format.


Winged One re: He did that himself.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

I don't think you can lie about alliences. Most Strat games I play have an annoucement whenever someone goes to war, signs a peace treaty, or allies with someone else.

[Nargrakhan]

I like Charlie now. I really like Charlie. The man is more than a mercenary: he's an opportunist. Bravo way of showing it without zero doubt.

Charlie wants Parson more than he wants the Math toy. His comment about killing Parson was a bluff; but the comment about taking him by force was obviously not. Charlie realizes that Stanley is a fool for tossing aside Parson. Under a more intelligent ruler and in command of a more powerful army, Parson becomes Erfworld's newest WMD. Charlie wants that weapon... who knows how far he'll use it (world conquest perhaps)?

Ansom has yet to realize the potential of Parson, but after a sounding destruction of his forces, I doubt he'll have the "understanding" to consider recruiting Parson on his side. Charlie is Parson's best choice between the three: Charlie did come to save Parson -- for his own selfish reasons... but we know Parson wants to stick in GK so he can at least hand Ansom some severe pain.

[Generalissimus]

I like Charlie now. I really like Charlie. The man is more than a mercenary: he's an opportunist. Bravo way of showing it without zero doubt.

Charlie´s show has another consequence: Now Wanda really can´t leave GK, dutie or not dutie. Charlescomm forces can´t let her go and continue on the Ansom´s good side...

[AngryAngel]

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.

I agree, 29 Archons minimum are present. Depending on how many, if any, Archons Charlie pulled off other jobs to boost his force level, this may represent a good chunck of his forces. But I can't quite bring myself to believe that it represents more than half, which gives us a total of 60 Archons.

Someone suggested in a previous thread that victory in war might come down to which side managed to hire Charlie. Given that Archons are staggeringly powerful and versatile units (nearly a match for a dwagon one-on-one and capable of operating independantly like leaders) I'd say that suggestion is spot on, assuming you can afford the fee.

[teratorn]

Someone suggested in a previous thread that victory in war might come down to which side managed to hire Charlie. Given that Archons are staggeringly powerful and versatile units (nearly a match for a dwagon one-on-one and capable of operating independantly like leaders) I'd say that suggestion is spot on, assuming you can afford the fee.

Well, as Parson said they are not a match for Jetstone forces, meaning they could not prevent siege from taking the walls.

Parson's computation of Charlescomm vs GK was based on the garrison's present status, Wanda's uncroaking of a few enemy forces in the upcoming battle was not factored in. Or maybe all off them, the arkenpliers could grant Wanda the power to uncroak everything on sight.

I'd rather not have Parson fighting for Charlie, in fact I'd rather have Parson conquering Charlescomm later in the series.

[Charlicat]

Parson's computation of Charlescomm vs GK was based on the garrison's present status, Wanda's uncroaking of a few enemy forces in the upcoming battle was not factored in. Or maybe all off them, the arkenpliers could grant Wanda the power to uncroak everything on sight.

The computation also does not include whatever UberSword does if it gets completed when the turn flips. Yummm...that should be in the next panel or two.

I can't wait! AWESOME WORK, GUYS! Thanks for taking the time out of your lives to give the gift of Erfworld to the rest of us.

[Ironfist Orc]

I wonder how much of CharlesComm's cash reserves were used to buy more Archon units - after all we know that (one or two turns ago) his side had approximately half the units. Getting Parson may be a huge economic goal for Charlie.

[Eugenitor]

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

^^^

THIS.

And it's not a pretty tall conclusion for Ansom. If I was him I would simply, Occam's-razor style, assume that Parson had hired Charlie.

[AngryAngel]

Well, as Parson said they are not a match for Jetstone forces, meaning they could not prevent siege from taking the walls.

By 'they' I assume you mean Charlescomm? Perhaps so, if we are talking about the unspecified-number-greater-than-fourteen Archons needed to capture GK.

Parson's computation of Charlescomm vs GK was based on the garrison's present status, Wanda's uncroaking of a few enemy forces in the upcoming battle was not factored in. Or maybe all off them, the arkenpliers could grant Wanda the power to uncroak everything on sight.

It was also based on how many Archons Charlie was willing to use to do it. We don't know what that number was. Nor do we know if that number included all of Charlie's Archons.

[OverWilliam]

Well, as Parson said they are not a match for Jetstone forces, meaning they could not prevent siege from taking the walls.

Could this have something to do with their being solely air units? Maybe to take or hold a city you need units on the ground, meaning the Archons are great for softening up the GK forces (or even completely wiping them out) but to actually hold the city you need ground units.

[Roldolfo1]

........ Nor do we know if that number included all of Charlie's Archons.

Good question. Maybe the cloaking of the Tool's force was intended for Charlie and with a slew of Archons far away from home there might be some trouble brewing there. In fact, Charlie may have no idea that Stanley is out and about.

Interesting,
R1

[Eugenitor]

In fact, Charlie may have no idea that Stanley is out and about.

Wrong; Ansom told him. "Charlie has been apprised of this plan."

And... wait... what? Parson talked him out of it just two strips ago.

Are you reading the same comic we are?

(Note to self: When I have a continually-updating form of fiction, I WON'T have forums for it. Watching people completely misinterpret- or completely miss- what's going on must be painful.)

[Faustling]

Before this comic, I don't think I realized the complete awesomeness of both Parson and Charlie. Now I really, really do.

Also, if they do end up on the same side, I pity the fool who goes up against them.

[Caledonian]

I suspect that Parson is hoping to resurrect the forces beneath the city. Destroying them, rather than killing them, is not an especially desirable outcome.

[Nargrakhan]

I wonder how much of CharlesComm's cash reserves were used to buy more Archon units - after all we know that (one or two turns ago) his side had approximately half the units. Getting Parson may be a huge economic goal for Charlie.

Why would he have needed to suddenly buy them? For all we know, Charlie may very well have an ARMY of them in reserve. Charlie is a mercenary, so he might have a huge number of Archon units across the continent: some being contracted out, a garrison at his own fortress, etc.

Question: has it been confirmed or denied, if the Dish provides control over Archons, as the Hammer provides control over Dragons?

I believe the earlier listed number (15 was it?), represented the number of Archon Ansom hired - not the total number of Archon in Charlie's personal control.

[SteveMB]

In fact, Charlie may have no idea that Stanley is out and about.

"Charlie's intel had [Stanley] flyin' west a turn ago."

Charlie knows that he's out and about, and at least approximately where he is. (That would seem to rule out any suggestion that he's headed somewhere other than where the Coalition expects -- if anything, he's headed away from Charlie, who refers to this war as "the great western conflict", implying that he's off to the east.)

[raphfrk]

Question: has it been confirmed or denied, if the Dish provides control over Archons, as the Hammer provides control over Dragons?

If that is true, I wonder what the pliers gives. Assuming it becomes attuned to someone from GK mid battle, would they get a big boost?

Also, would it be Wanda who gets the pliers ... or maybe Bogroll ?

Since it is apparently good against undead, maybe Wanda would be the most appropriate.

[Laurentio II]

Who the hell is going on a censorship rampage in this thread?

Now man, no crap. It's just a crap and crappish little of humor, the crap thing you crap with people you like, or the crap people that crapply share you crap crap crappity hobby. We crappily just crap want to crap some crap fun together, no crap against you.
No offense intended.

[Xenon]

hmm, i see 33 archons in panel 7. 31 blue dots, which includes the trio on the net, and i assume the text will cover a few, considering the formation.

so charlies turn ends, parson begins, and we see the next sword-piece pop, along with the stupid meal. i kind of expect parson to do very well, and stanley to boop things up somehow despite everything. my vote is for stale marbit zombies, and parson eating their brains :D nom nom nom

good comic as always, and love the new blinding speed updates.

[SteveMB]

I don't think you can lie about alliances. Most Strat games I play have an annoucement whenever someone goes to war, signs a peace treaty, or allies with someone else.

True, Parson probably can't credibly claim to be allied with Charlie. (For one thing, it appears that allied units take their turn with the alliance leader, and Charlie clearly took his turn independently.)

However, even as a neutral party, Charlie is greatly complicating Ansom's situation. From Ansom's viewpoint, the obvious interpretation is that Charlie has decided to make his own play for GK, and with his air units gone, he has little ability to fight the Archons if it comes to that.

[fendrin]

I think we should all contemplate the fact that Parson has manged to take a nigh hopeless situation and, despite having his strongest units taken away by His Moronic Toolship, has turned it into a 58.9% chance of not losing GK this turn. That is why Charlie said what he said in panel 9.

Also,Ansom most likely has no clue that those Archons are the ones that were supposed to be with Jillian. Jillian's group no longer has any direct means of communication (though I suppose Don King could have relayed the message, if he even knows).

[Winged One]

Pity that this isn't the D&D forum, or I could get XP for killing the joke.

As for it being obvious that Gobwin Knob and Charlescomm aren't allied, remember who has been exploiting the alliance rules by temporarily breaking their alliance.

[The Boyce]

Pity that this isn't the D&D forum, or I could get XP for killing the joke.

As for it being obvious that Gobwin Knob and Charlescomm aren't allied, remember who has been exploiting the alliance rules by temporarily breaking their alliance.

To be fair you could still level up for winning that battle

[factotum]

I suspect that Parson is hoping to resurrect the forces beneath the city. Destroying them, rather than killing them, is not an especially desirable outcome.

Why? The forces under the city are primarily Jetstone's own. If they get destroyed, Ansom doesn't personally have an army, and the other members of the coalition are already beginning to question some of his decisions...

[The Boyce]

Why? The forces under the city are primarily Jetstone's own. If they get destroyed, Ansom doesn't personally have an army, and the other members of the coalition are already beginning to question some of his decisions...

More troops are always better than less troops in this sort of situation, and fighting his own units would likely anger Ansom even more

[SteveMB]

Why? The forces under the city are primarily Jetstone's own. If they get destroyed, Ansom doesn't personally have an army, and the other members of the coalition are already beginning to question some of his decisions...

And if he reacts with another angry accusation that questioning his judgment is tantamount to taking Stanley's side, the situation could get really ugly, really fast.

Losing the battle after going in with such an overwhelming advantage would look pretty bad for obvious reasons. Also, there's the not-so-obvious reason -- on some level, I think Ansom harbors a gnawing suspicion that the apparent verdict of the Arkentools means exactly what Parson said it meant. Wanting to exorcise that notion once and for all, I think, is his real motivation for wanting to annihilate Stanley. Losing the battle would tend to confirm those suspicions, and I can easily see him project that onto anyone who raises doubts about his leadership or about the mission generally (come to think of it, I think that's what was behind his snap at Vinny).

[Zolem]

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..

Archery Units. Charlies retaliation could realy dent the enemy and boost Parson's own forces chances.

Parson: *caling Ansom* HAve fun attacking. Oh, and in case you were wondering, I do have air-defence left (not a lie, he really does have some left, just not a lot). CAre to guess wh I'm not useing it?

Also, Charlie is playing it prety cool. a 58.9% in that situation, I'd want to see it too, just to see how valuable he really is.

[multilis]

IMO Parson now has more scheming to do. Not only does he need to defeat the main attackers, he now needs to do it in such a way that he can also repell Charlie after. Which may mean cutting a deal with Ansom, if he can't uncroak enough of Ansom's forces to stop Charlie after.