Darkness Rising v2.0 - 'Tenebris Unleashed' Campaign

[WhirdCheese]

Let's just take this one turn at a time.

Next turn what is everyone doing?

Fortune is getting Balruged to Dis City and Blackbeard will be moving torward DisCity.

[Nnelg]

Let's just take this one turn at a time.

Let's not, please. That's a recipe for disaster.


I think what we really need is for Swodaems to come along and arbitrate a bit.

At least that would get things moving again.

[Swodaems]

I'm in agreement with Bland that it is too soon to talk about squads for Logan's run. We don't know how the enemy is going to array themselves or what their composition is. What we need to be talking about is what to pop in Dis City for turns 10-13 and in Tenebris for turns 12 and 13. These are units that could possibly join us during the attack on Logan's Run, so we should keep that in mind.

I think the question is one between fun and practicality.

The siege engines were just buffed so that they won't slow down our army. It would be fun to test them out.

I think popping troops is the practical thing to do. We don't really need anything more than T. Coil and mining picks to bust thru the door. Siege engines don't level. This should be an early game, easyish, fight that gives a decent amount of experience to units fighting in it. We should be creating a core of higher level units that are meant to lead lower level ones into battle during the late game.

As for the escort mission, I'm going to dedicate 8 of the 16 imps that Tenebris popped on turn 11 to it and order the other eight to Dis. The imps have 16 move and can therefore reach and cover the area the Ixians are in faster and better than any of our other units. They are the best units suited for guiding the Ixians around any enemy forces they may encounter due to their natural crypsis. They're also cheaper to replace than fliers if things go south. I'll leave the departure time of any other force sent to meet them up to the discretion of any PCs that wish to be part of that mission*.

(*My suggested departure time: turn 17. The Ixians mission appears to last until about turn 22. The battle for Logan's run occurs on turn 17. The force attacking Logan's run only has to use 4 move on turn 17. If the Balrug is with the force at the start of turn 17, we can leave it behind and have 4 PCs come back for it after the battle. It can take them back to Dis City, where they join up with any popped NPCs going on the mission. They then ride the Balrug 8 more hexes toward the envoys, with the NPCs walking along. If they do 8 move turns after that, they should meetup with the Ixians around turn 19. They then walk back with the Ixians for turns 20, 21, and 22. Queen Maude Dibs has told us she is a practical person, so she won't mind if we find a practical solution to the escort problem instead of keeping fighting units away from a battle.)

The eight imps going to Dis will start scouting for forage once they arrive. If Marbit is willing to allow it to be practical, they'll also follow the army and do the same along the trail. (The naughty kitties will have 4 move left each turn. Cupid and Comet will have extra move too if they come along. I'm thinking they could use it for hunting.)

[Nnelg]

I'm in agreement with Bland that it is too soon to talk about squads for Logan's run. We don't know how the enemy is going to array themselves or what their composition is. What we need to be talking about is what to pop in Dis City for turns 10-13 and in Tenebris for turns 12 and 13. These are units that could possibly join us during the attack on Logan's Run, so we should keep that in mind.

As long as we start to work on some more permanent squad assignments. That will not only make it easier to sort out squads, but also to pop new units. Instead of just popping random units, we'd be popping entire new squads (or replacement units for old squads). Overall, it should be a lot faster.

Also, the point of using a Covered Ram would be to deny the enemy 5 or more rounds of Archery. Even with zed archers, that's no unworthy endeavor.

I guess Nemo can just Baffle the area in front of the gate instead.

[ETheBoyce]

Permanent Squads are unneeded and an all around Bad Idea, Squads should be built based on what we need for the current mission

[Lord of Monies]

Yeah, agreed with Coil there. We start doing fixed squads and suddenly the enemy might suss us out and attack our weak spot. Switching it up keeps us fresh with surprise.

[Werebiscuit]

Permanent Squads are unneeded and an all around Bad Idea, Squads should be built based on what we need for the current mission

Yeah otherwise the elves will start bringing all the rocks for our scissors.... or are we rock and them paper ? I forget.

[Nnelg]

Permanent Squads are unneeded and an all around Bad Idea, Squads should be built based on what we need for the current mission

Yeah otherwise the elves will start bringing all the rocks for our scissors.... or are we rock and them paper ? I forget.

I said semi-permanent. (At least, I did when I first suggested it.)

We'd switch things up whenever it's needed for the mission. They'd just be a tool to make the administration and logistics easier.


EDIT:
Fine. You know what, I give up. Do whatever you guys want, I'm not going to care any more.

But whatever you do, just DO it. Nemo will be there to provide smoke cover for your retreat.

[MarbitChow]

What we need to be talking about is what to pop in Dis City for turns 10-13 and in Tenebris for turns 12 and 13.

Once this information is determined, I can process turn 13+. You'll be able to decide what to pop on 14+ based on the results of the scouting report, but you won't be able to retcon what was already popped.

So, keep discussion and suggestions to what gets popped on these turns in each city, keeping in mind that these NPC units popped in Dis City can be sent on either the Logan Run assault or the Charlie Mercenary mission (which could increase your income by sending more units away - Charlie missions are not limited to PC participation).

[ETheBoyce]

Well I'm wondering which would be more useful, a larger number of level 1 units or a smaller number of level 2s; because we could try to Zed rush up a batch of level 1s for 1/2 the time cost

[BLANDCorporatio]

I think popping troops is the practical thing to do.

Agreed. Trying to level is best.

(As a side note, I remember that there was talk of a Paragon build, and it's really worth pursuing. All units in a stack receiving a +8 Inspiration bonus isn't something to toss away.)

We obviously need someone to wield the picks, so more warriors and/or gobwins would be nice. I'd suggest we pop some archers in one of the turns however. I'm thinking that we'd like to leave some ranged units in Dis City too, maybe.

[Exate]

I am inclined to lean our popping toward spearmen and archers, avoiding warriors. Archers have obvious potency, and spearmen are only ever so slightly weaker than warriors (and are equally able to equip Mining Picks unless I very much misread the rules) while having the massive advantage that we have a Trainer for their job class, so they can level 0->1->2 very easily. Ideally we'd ensure that there are enough spearmen around Tod that they can soak up some casualties and still leave him teaching the maximum possible number.

When deciding on what to pop, I would bring everyone's attention to upkeep costs. I know it's not exactly a prime concern right now, but every time we get a unit to level 2 its upkeep outright doubles. Once we get to higher levels that slows down for obvious reasons of proportional increase, but units are expensive- a level 4 infantry unit costs us 80/turn, a naughty kitty or warlord 160/turn, and our three level 4 casters are clocking in at a cool 320/turn each. That's not to say that we shouldn't level units, but it's worth considering that an army of level 2 units can only be half the size of an army of level 1 units- and there's just no way it's fully twice as powerful. I suspect that the ideal from an upkeep-oriented perspective would be to keep everyone at level 1 except for the units that we have a specific need to be at a higher level.

In the long term I'd say we should strongly consider the strategic value of a second Balrug, but for the moment there's just no way in hell that it would be worth the pop time or upkeep. We'll want one once we have another two or three cities, though- the ability to ferry around unique characters and leveled infantry half-squads extremely quickly is, so far as I can tell, unique to our side and likely something we'll have to exploit in order to win this war.

[Nnelg]

Now that the discussion is back up and running, I have two things to say:


1.) Don't forget about the Gobwins. We can pop twice as much infantry on these turns if we're willing to spend the schmuckers.

2.) If we pop Naughty Kitties in Tenebris on Turns 12-13, Regus, Anex, and Zed2 (plus two gobwins) would be able to make it to Logan's Run in time for the battle. If we do not pop at least one Kitty on those turns, then Anex and Zed2 won't both be able to make it unless we used the Balrug.


PS:
At least one character that's in Tenebris now will have to ride Melissa to Logan's Run.

[MarbitChow]

While we're on the subject of units & beasts, remember that the units listed in the Reference section have a lot of AP & combat stats to spend.

[Exate]

2.) If we pop Naughty Kitties in Tenebris on Turns 12-13, Regus, Anex, and Zed2 (plus two gobwins) would be able to make it to Logan's Run in time for the battle. If we do not pop at least one Kitty on those turns, then Anex and Zed2 won't both be able to make it unless we used the Balrug.

Is there something in particular that makes it important to bring Anex and Zed-Too to the battle? They're only level 1; it doesn't seem important to have them there. We can assign them to one of the other missions easily enough.

[Nnelg]

Is there something in particular that makes it important to bring Anex and Zed-Too to the battle? They're only level 1; it doesn't seem important to have them there. We can assign them to one of the other missions easily enough.

Well, Swodaems said the point of this battle would be gaining Exp, and if anyone needs it it's them. Really though, I think it'll be up to their players what they want to do.

(Also, at least one of the three New Batch members still in Tenebris needs to bring Mellisa to the battle.)


PS:
Marbit, I think I've decided that Melissa will be taking Imprinted(Nemo), putting 2 stats into Defense, and 1 into Hits.

[MarbitChow]

Well, Swodaems said the point of this battle would be gaining Exp, and if anyone needs it it's them. Really though, I think it'll be up to their players what they want to do.

The point of the battle is to take a new city. The less units you take it with, the more XP each unit potentially gets. For example, if it's guarded by Zed Garrison units (2xp each), and you outnumber them 2-to-1, each participant will earn 1 XP from the encounter.

(Also, at least one of the three New Batch members still in Tenebris needs to bring Mellisa to the battle.)

Mounts do not require riders in order to move. Melissa is still a regular unit in addition to being a mount, and can be sent to any location you wish.

Marbit, I think I've decided that Melissa will be taking Imprinted(Nemo), putting 2 stats into Defense, and 1 into Hits.

Reference section has been updated.

[Nnelg]

Marbit, I think I've decided that Melissa will be taking Imprinted(Nemo), putting 2 stats into Defense, and 1 into Hits.

Reference section has been updated.

Err, actually Matbit, it looks like you put that one into Combat instead of Hits.

[MarbitChow]

Fixed. Also, rules for Foolamancy has been updated. See thread for details.

[MarbitChow]

In an attempt to start moving things forward, if popping orders for Tenebris and Dis City are not established for turns 10-12 within 48 hours, I'll pop

1 zed archer, 1 zed spearman, and 1 zed warrior

for every 4 UP the city produces each turn, and continue the turn results up to Turn 16.