122 The Battle for Gobwin Knob, Page 110

[RMS Oceanic]

Uh-oh, looks like Stanley's gearing for a fight!

[keeganknorr]

Awesome! kinda wished the foolamancer did something first

[FunnyMattress]

Given Jack's face in the last panel, I'd say this might be an illusion. Or perhaps partly. The enemy force might actually be there, but not as large as the Tool thinks it is.

[MattR]

The thread i made went up 2 min slower then yall :) oh well i'll repeat here since i think this was the first and will get stickied.

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Interesting, Stanley's softer side. Here we get more confirmation that nothing in Erfworld is just plain Black and White.

It looks like they've entered the pass and have forces in front of them and behind. If he can't defeat them all what would be the point in just punching through? they could follow and finish him off on the turn after.

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[RMS Oceanic]

If my Heroes of Might and Magic days are anything to go buy, being in a town/city gives you defensive bonuses. As far as Stanley knows, Jack Snipe is defective, and I don't think he wants to be out in the open where he can be picked off, even with an armada of dwagons. He probably views whatever bonuses Faq will give him to be his best bet.

Also, he's a bad tactician.

[MattR]

Fair point, i wonder if the city would insta pop with walls if it was currently ruins or not there at all.

It seems clear that the Fool is fully aware of what is going on even if he looks crazy and speaks funny, 'the medium... is the mess'. Whether he's always been this aware from the beginning or his name being used has lent him some focus though i don't know. I've always had the feeling that the terrible illusions he was using before were as much in mockery of Stanley as an inability to control his foolamancy abilities.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Short version:"They're over there!"

[kagato23]

The evil smile on Jack's face says it all.

I'd feel the same smugness except a few panels early, Stanley showed us a crack in the armor that makes him more likable. This, and the page where he sadly looks at the soldiers around the fire have been his primary redeeming factors to me sofar.

[Demented]

Jack seems pleased at Tool's order and not in a pleasant way.
That's quite the dreadful smile.

[factotum]

Hmmm...guess Jack isn't quite as out of it as we thought; looks like he deliberately ignored Parson's order in the hopes Stanley would get caught up in this fight.

Now, question is, what happens next? If Stanley croaks here then we know Parson is helpless and that the Coalition will steamroller Gobwin Knob, which would be a bit of a downer ending to say the least...

[hajo]

Looks like it is too late to cast a veil now, but maybe the foolamancer knows some other trick that might be useful in a fight ?
Perhaps phantom-dwagons that might draw away some of the attackers ?

So, we are finally going to see how the vampires are fighting
And I'm wondering, how well Jillian will be working in a team of warlords, now that is not the only commander on her side...

[Banjooie]

I have to wonder if there's actually a stack there.

Cause, you know, if Jack's mentally intact after all, well...

[Fafnir13]

Hmmm....I don't think Tool is even aware of the guys behind him. This could get bad.

[Belphegor]

It probably won't end up that bad. If Stanley dies Parsons will never get his chance for a major role in the Battle of Gobwin Knob.

Maybe Jack is fooling both Stanley and his pursuers (if those aren't illusions as well).

Also I must say Jack is more impressive with each panel. For me it is clear he has regained most of his sanity. He seems much more aware of his surrounding.
But the look on his face at last panel is just... BRILLIANT. Great work guys.

[teratorn]

See what I see! Indeed...

[Soulus101]

"The medium... is the mess"

hmm... so the mind is fine, it's just the expression, i.e. his words, that don't come out right?

I say it's a bit of tomfoolery... Jack is on Parson's side

[ReccaSquirrel]

My initial read through gave me the impression the terrain was an illusion.

My second read through did not give me that impression.

But Jack's grin at the end tells me something is up.

[ReccaSquirrel]

Something to note:

Panels 1-5, 7, 8 are side views.

Panel 6 is a front view. We see a mountain an no units besides Stanley's.

Panel 9 is a rear view. We see units BEHIND Stanley and co.

Panel 10 is a front view. We see units ahead of Stanley and co.

Panel 11 is a rear view. We see almost the same number of units (more than before) behind Stanley and co.



So were the units behind Stanley veiled and now unveiling after Stanley passed OR are we seeing Jack reflecting the images?

[Grubsnik]

4th time i've read the strip now.

Initial read was something like: Oh, at least this one isn't to ambigious...

After my fourth read. The following thoughts are on my mind.

1. Jack is back in the game, though only able to riddle-speak.
2. Jack has cast a distraction on Stanleys stack.
3. Stanley is charging away from FAQ right now.

If you compare the last frames 2 and 3, you will note that both have a vague mountain painted between the 2 mountainsides, only mirrored.

Jack is indeed letting Stanley see what he sees, just not in the same direction.

Or it could just be Jamie recycling some background and me reading too much into it.

[Daran]

Are units actually able to betray their leaders?
Parson got a spell when summoned which is supposed to make him obey tools orders.
And neutral Partys/Allies can break alliances anytime if I remember correctly.

But what about units like Wanda, Bogroll etc.? It seems they can't or don't want to betray. What would make the Foolamancer so special allowing him to betray Stenley? Maybe because Stanley didn't "spawn" him in Gobwin Knob? Then the Foolamancer alongside Wanda would count as neutral ally.

[DariusAPB]

Speculation: Hasn't it been mentioned that in an individual battle, Stanley is a rather awesom warlord? Only in grand strategery does he suck. + Artifact bonus from the Arkenhammer. I think he'll punch through, albeit with losses.

Jack is quite clearly sane, but to be fair I kinda knew that when his eyes went from the previous O.o to 0.0.

The medium is the mess.. that was my next question what does that mean, but it's been answered above, thankyou Soulus.

Whose side is Jack on?
He did point out the enemy stack(s?) to Stanley, but then i'm not sure if he pointed out all. He may have listened to Parson, he may just be trying to screw Stanley over, but in that shot i can't see how. I don't think he is being disloyal because he is talking straight to Stanley and seemingly aiding him.

"Fools rush in where fools have been before" Translation - Hang on, slow down a bit here, don't you think this might be a trap?

Possibility: The stack behind them is the real stack, the stack ahead is an illusion. Maybe Jack is gently coaxing Stan back to base? Or just away from harms way?

Point: How did the 2nd stack even get there anyway? surely they can't move when it's not their turn, and if he moved into the valley, how did he not see them, is there a special ambush rule?

Note: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0116.html panel two indicates that this may not be an illusion... two groups.

That last smile... that's chilling.
There is going to be a lot happening in the next few strips methinks.

[reignofevil]

Jack honestly seems happy to learn they are going to Faq.

[teratorn]

So were the units behind Stanley veiled and now unveiling after Stanley passed OR are we seeing Jack reflecting the images?

We don't see Jillian and the gwiffons in panel 11...

(for the record I think it's an illusion).

[reignofevil]

Im fairly sure the gwiffon in panel 10 is jillian.
The dark splotch that doesnt seem to have many bats would be vinny.
The rest are random warlords. Maybe fancypants blond vampire is in panel 11?

[memnarch]

We don't see Jillian and the gwiffons in panel 11...

(for the record I think it's an illusion).

Yeah, the two little yellow spots are gwiffons and one of them has a figure on top of it with a sword.

[Lamech]

I'm betting translovito has units in front and behind the dwagons. I don't count enough warlords in either view. Its probably so if Stanley is leading they can hit him, and if he is in the back they can hit him. Doing so might score them a Stanley kill. Of course, the dwagons will probably return to wild, so it won't save them...
Or they are trying to keep Stanley from running, that would also make sense.

Also Stanley said punch through, he didn't say croak them all some of them might actually live.
On a final note, they failed to kill Stanley, that was shortly after the thinkagram. Gobwins have had time to walk down the stairs and attack.

[Soulus101]

Panel 9 looks like Jack is casting a spell on Stanley... "See what I see"...

[Half_Moon]

Jack fooled Stanley into heading away from the Transylvito stack.

Panel 9 shows how it is. Jack has his hand on Stanley's shoulder and points to show him enemy stacks ahead when in reality, the enemy stacks are already behind him as can be seen in the background.

Panel 11 shows the dwagons zooming away from the enemy flyers (and supposedly towards Jack's distraction).

[shamelessmerc]

Gwiffons and vamps in front of him - vamps behind him

I'm afraid I don't think Jack is casting any illusions (but he might to help tool in the battle)

I think we are going to see a demonstration of how Tool got promoted in the first place.

[Half_Moon]

Gwiffons and vamps in front of him - vamps behind him

I'm afraid I don't think Jack is casting any illusions (but he might to help tool in the battle)

I think we are going to see a demonstration of how Tool got promoted in the first place.

Well Stanley's in a mountain choke point. How did he end up with enemy stacks behind him without having gone passed them?

Its not Transylvito's turn so they couldn't have moved in behind Stanley.

Its got to a distraction cast by Jack