124 The Battle for Gobwin Knob, Page 112

[antone]

Yay for earthamancy!

[Prowl]

"PK" was a nice touch.

[Wixit]

Brutal.

Wonder if the Tool will win as well?

[Radar]

All in all it ended really badly for Webinar. I did rooted for Sizemore, yet Webinar's and Dora's death made me sad.

[Fafnir13]

I'm thinking that he needs to seal the interior entrances (caused by various tunnel collapses) so that the invading force (once they breach the main walls) won't be able to go underground and hit the garrison without going through the secondary wall around the garrison. It may also be to mask the evidence of what happened to the Jetstone troops. Not sure at this point what intel Ansom is getting.

[TamLin]

I know that moral relativity is cool and hip in fiction works these days, but really, there comes a point where you're just being indulgent and mean-spirited. The author here has gone out of his way to create a scenario with no positive satisfying outcome, so readers may only sit back and wonder in what gruesome fashion their sensibilities will be abused next.

Now, I know what everyone is going to say: Yes, it's daring, and yes, in real life there are no clearcut good guys and bad guys and few legitimately happy endings and only simpletons expect that kind of thing anymore, etc etc, but that doesn't make reading Erfworld anymore enjoyable. You're going to give me a steady stream of graphic violence, emotional torture, mental breakdowns, and sadism and then slap a "funny" punchline panel onto the end of our increasingly annoying protagonist prattling like an eight year old? Is this supposed to be ironic and postmodern or just plain sick?

This comic has walked some very fine lines over the past few years and I recognize that that's a large part of the point, but in the process it has gradually and quite ruthlessly murdered its own appeal. Boy, can't you just wait until Sizemore flips out and reenacts that scene from "Full Metal Jacket"? Yeah, me neither. But I'm sure it will pale in comparison to the final comic, in which Wanda forces the freshly uncroaked Ansom and Jillian to copulate in unnatural ways for her amusement, or whatever the hell other horrible thing is going to happen next.

[Eugenitor]

If you were in a world where words were auto-censored, you wouldn't be able to take it seriously either.

[TamLin]

Yes, but the point of the comic seems to be that he's not taking it seriously, and yet there's a real war, in which real people are really dying going on around him, and he either doesn't realize that or is retreating from it. So that's all well and good, but what's the point? I'm guessing it's not supposed to be funny, unless you've got Charles Manson's sense of humor, so is this some kind of satirical comment? Someone's idea of deep character introspection? One of those annoying postmodern experiments in screwing with audience expectations? Why was this comic made, except to put the fresh taste of bile in my mouth?

[Eugenitor]

It was made to give me a new avatar. Duh.

[Justyn]

Yes, but the point of the comic seems to be that he's not taking it seriously, and yet there's a real war, in which real people are really dying going on around him, and he either doesn't realize that or is retreating from it. So that's all well and good, but what's the point? I'm guessing it's not supposed to be funny, unless you've got Charles Manson's sense of humor, so is this some kind of satirical comment? Someone's idea of deep character introspection? One of those annoying postmodern experiments in screwing with audience expectations? Why was this comic made, except to put the fresh taste of bile in my mouth?

I think that the statement was meant to show how disconnected Parson is from that particular battle. Physically, and emotionally.

[Yenkaz]

Why was this comic made, except to put the fresh taste of bile in my mouth?

I'm guessing the creators had a story they wanted to tell, and even sell at some point...

And who knows, maybe other people find it interesting to have a story that's not really "good vs evil" with a setting that has quite another set of morals then ours, mostly because all skills seem related to warfare in some way?

But I suppose they might've done it just to offend you.

[slurpz]

Yes, but the point of the comic seems to be that he's not taking it seriously, and yet there's a real war, in which real people are really dying going on around him, and he either doesn't realize that or is retreating from it. So that's all well and good, but what's the point? I'm guessing it's not supposed to be funny, unless you've got Charles Manson's sense of humor, so is this some kind of satirical comment? Someone's idea of deep character introspection? One of those annoying postmodern experiments in screwing with audience expectations? Why was this comic made, except to put the fresh taste of bile in my mouth?

If the comic "puts the fresh taste of bile" in your mouth, don't read it. No one is forcing you to read it.

[Miklus]

Well, at first erfworld looks like a very cute world with cute little characters running around. This is in direct contrast to what these cute little character are actually doing to each other! They are doing everything they can to kill each other in horrible ways.

But it is not just some random violence. Everybody got good motivation for what they are doing. Ansom & Co are fighting the good fight. The Tool is on a quest for the titans (Although that might be insane). The worst erf person is Wanda, who is a sadist. Or maybe Jillian, who seems to take joy in killing.

And then there is Parson. He is actually the worst by far. He will happily send any number of units to their deaths. He treats the whole thing as a game. He had a brief moment of clarity when Misty died, but that has passed. Behaps he don't have a choise in the matter? He has a "duty" to the Tool?

[J.Gellert]

Huh.

This isn't Happy Tree Friends. Webinar falls down and goes "PK!". It's funny. Did it offend you when Manpower thought he smelled pie?

No one is forcing you to read it. Unless you are simply rooting for Jetstone.

[VariaVespasa]

If the comic "puts the fresh taste of bile" in your mouth, don't read it. No one is forcing you to read it.

Can we force him NOT to read it? :P

[Moechi_Vill]

Parson was ordering Sizemore to collapse the entrance to the tunnels at the base of the mountains (which is what is happening in panel 10), and to start cleaning up the city, which has been damaged, presumptively by tunnel collapses (take a look at panel 9, what does that look like to you?).

Also, I think that this this cements Dora and Webinar as Mauve Shirts.

Added by Toteone to Mauve Shirts on TVTropes. ^^

[Half_Moon]

I know that moral relativity is cool and hip in fiction works these days, but really, there comes a point where you're just being indulgent and mean-spirited. The author here has gone out of his way to create a scenario with no positive satisfying outcome, so readers may only sit back and wonder in what gruesome fashion their sensibilities will be abused next.

There are plenty of violent cartoons out there like "happy tree friends", "south park" and even "itchy and scratchy".

Erfworld isn't about senseless violence. It's just telling a story which happens to have a war in it. Many stories involve wars.

The only difference between Erfworld and other such pieces of fiction is that Erfworld is an online comic with illustrated characters that seem amusingly innocent. This may be at odds with the content, but that is what makes it unique.

Conflicts and battle occur all the time, its a part of human nature. Erfworld just happens to portray some of the realities of it with humorous illustrations.

If the whole concept of battle and conflict disagree with you, or the juxtaposition of the illustrations with the themes are too jarring, i suggest you just don't read Erfworld.

[Moechi_Vill]

RIP Webinar and Dora.

You're kidding, right?

On another note, I feel a little sorry for Webinar as he emotes to his presumably dead girlfriend, but I'm sure it will pass.

A little grim for certain..

Is Wanda going to uncroak a whole new army for Parson now?
With a couple of warlords even.....

... There's a difference between a single Croackamancer and one of those wretched undead factories in HoMM.

[Arkenputtyknife]

I know that moral relativity is cool and hip in fiction works these days, but really, there comes a point where you're just being indulgent and mean-spirited. The author here has gone out of his way to create a scenario with no positive satisfying outcome, so readers may only sit back and wonder in what gruesome fashion their sensibilities will be abused next.
<snip…>

To be blunt, I really don't think you have the slightest clue what you're talking about. You certainly are not speaking for me, and probably not for the majority of readers here, even though the post is phrased as if it were.

[Oslecamo]

I pitcure something like this at Ansom's encampment:

Ansom:Webinar come in what's your status?
Webinar: Bzzt..Whole place traped..Bzzt..Heavy losses..Bzzt...Hell down here!
Ansom: What of the enemy, have you engaged?
Webinar:It's a booping dirtmancer ...Bzzt... Boop the rearguard got crushed!
Ansom:Webinar, take down that dirtmancer at all costs!
Webinar: Bzzt...What you think I'm trying to do? He has rock golems all..Bzzt!
Ansom:Webinar, I'm having trouble hearing you!
Webinar:OMG the rock golems! They don't stay down! Johnny! Hang in there!
Ansom:As your superior, I order you to take down the dirtmancer at all costs!
Webinar:Arghh CROACK CROACK....bzttttt....Worm!...bzztt...
Ansom:Webinar? Webinar? ANSWER WEBINAR!
Webinar:My lord, I've done my duty...EYAGHHH!
Ansom:WEBINAR!!!
Webinar:............
Servant:Lord Ansom, no signal left from Webinar, or of any of our forces.
Coalition: So the enemy had no forces left you said? Capture it with just Jetstone forces you said? You've got much explanations to do lord Ansom.


If Ansom doesn't get kicked out from the post of supreme comander, I don't know what will. He just lost all his own forces due to his own arrogance, including his most trusted warlord.

However, the rest of the coalition won't give up. They still have plenty of forces left, and where arrogance failed, brute overwhelming force will do the trick.

Sizemore proved to be very good at killing, and he doesn't like it. Those golems are indeed fearsome oponents, specially when they've got a top quality dirtmancer to keep bringing them back to life.

[Moechi_Vill]

They got pwned. Now I wonder why Ansom wanted only Jetstone units in the tunnels. If his angry allies go "You lost your war, we're out" on him, he's hosed.

Sizemore's badass.

Preliminary scouting indicated a concentration of enemy forces on the walls. Ansom wishes to avoid an enemy surrender to a coalition partner ready to take the capital city.
Ansom did not take mobility of enemy forces into account. Add a large teaspoon of misdirected paranoia.

[SnowballMan]

Wanda now has warlords to uncroak.

There is the question of IF you can uncroak a warlord from another side and have them still BE a warlord. Remember, Misty would have only been infantry had she been uncroaked.

[Eugenitor]

You can uncroak your own side's warlords and they're still warlords; there doesn't seem to be a good reason why a unit would lose its warlord-ness just because it came from another side.

Apparently it requires intelligence to cast, but not to lead... :D

[VariaVespasa]

You can uncroak your own warlords and theyre still warlords. I dont see any reason why you couldnt uncroak an enemy warlord and have it remain a warlord, since the warlord ability clearly survives uncroaking, even if at least some other abilities, like casting, dont. Presumeably its the casting ability that lets casters command units, so without it Misty would have just been infantry, rather than a basic 0 level warlord.

[SteveMB]

There is the question of IF you can uncroak a warlord from another side and have them still BE a warlord. Remember, Misty would have only been infantry had she been uncroaked.

The only possible question is the "from another side" part -- it's been repeatedly established that an uncroaked warlord functions as a warlord (though we don't know whether or not it retains the same Leadership level). The description of uncroaked as "...her creatures. Without will. Controlled by the Croakamancer.", strongly implies that it doesn't matter which side they were on originally.

Apparently it requires intelligence to cast, but not to lead... :D

""A commanding officer doesn't need brains, just a good loud voice."
-- Dr. Morbius, Forbidden Planet

[Lamech]

If Ansom doesn't get kicked out from the post of supreme comander, I don't know what will. He just lost all his own forces due to his own arrogance, including his most trusted warlord.

However, the rest of the coalition won't give up. They still have plenty of forces left, and where arrogance failed, brute overwhelming force will do the trick.

I would like to point out this is what the coalition has seen happen. The air-force gets wiped out by magic traps that defend the airspace. Then 60% of their forces go into the tunnels, and get wiped out by traps and magic. What will they say? "Wait, the air is magically defended enough to stop our air-force, the tunnels have defenses that wipe out 60% of our forces. I bet the walls don't have magic defenses, and the garrison probably doesn't either. Attacking the walls, and the garrison will be easy because its not like anyone would ever want to stick defenses on those."
I just don't see a wall attack by most of the coalition. Maybe a few extremely vengeful groups or groups that really like Jetstone, but it will be a joke. Free xp's for Parson.

[Radar]

(...)
""A commanding officer doesn't need brains, just a good loud voice."
-- Dr. Morbius, Forbidden Planet

With no lungs?

Now, that i think about it, we haven't seen uncroaked warlords acctually giving orders. The only word said by one of them was as i recall "pie" from the late Lord Manpower the Temporary.

[xopher.tm]

Did it offend you when Manpower thought he smelled pie?

Manpower smelling key lime pie remains a shining point of awesome amongst a myriad shining points of awesome in this comic.

[Oslecamo]

I would like to point out this is what the coalition has seen happen. The air-force gets wiped out by magic traps that defend the airspace. Then 60% of their forces go into the tunnels, and get wiped out by traps and magic. What will they say? "Wait, the air is magically defended enough to stop our air-force, the tunnels have defenses that wipe out 60% of our forces. I bet the walls don't have magic defenses, and the garrison probably doesn't either. Attacking the walls, and the garrison will be easy because its not like anyone would ever want to stick defenses on those."
I just don't see a wall attack by most of the coalition. Maybe a few extremely vengeful groups or groups that really like Jetstone, but it will be a joke. Free xp's for Parson.

There's a couple important points you're forgeting there.
1-Most magic traps in Efworld are single use. You can't just go spamming them every turn. It seems it either takes several turns to prepare them again, or limited resources to build them, plus mancers that aren't busy doing other stuff. That's why hamster told Sizemore to close the tunnels. They don't have any traps left there.

2-Jillian's air strike was a relatively small group. Hamster even coments that no way it could be the main air attack. Plus, even tough they took losses, they could still have croacked Wanda.

Altough with Wanda, it indeed seems like what doesn't kill her makes her stronger. More uncroacked troops for Lord Hamster!

[Lamech]

There's a couple important points you're forgeting there.
1-Most magic traps in Efworld are single use. You can't just go spamming them every turn. It seems it either takes several turns to prepare them again, or limited resources to build them, plus mancers that aren't busy doing other stuff. That's why hamster told Sizemore to close the tunnels. They don't have any traps left there.

2-Jillian's air strike was a relatively small group. Hamster even coments that no way it could be the main air attack. Plus, even tough they took losses, they could still have croacked Wanda.

1- Yup, they've used up the tunnel and anti-air traps, so this effects any wall or garrison traps how? So unless they are planning on sending troops to dig through the tunnels it doesn't matter. Also, I was under the impression the sealing off the tunnels as to kill the routing units, actually.
2- Jillian's air strike was large enough to stop the dwagons and it got flattened, in fact they think it was totally wiped out.
Finally, the coalition doesn't know if the traps are completely used up, or half way gone. They do know the traps were sufficent to kill their units.