@Questor I also made an Omake a while back: Battle Engineers
Who Needs Harmony?: An MLP Empire Quest
- Thread starter Questor
- Start date
- Location
- Maryland
+10 to a roll.
- Location
- Hell
I think a lot of people are also forgetting magic and the fact that we have not even seen what Questor deems as magic here, the rules of it, or how to even counteract it.
Above and beyond numbers and tech, this is a field we have no idea about and it is arrogant to make any plans now when we do not even have a firm grasp of what the situation actually is like.
Above and beyond numbers and tech, this is a field we have no idea about and it is arrogant to make any plans now when we do not even have a firm grasp of what the situation actually is like.
- Location
- Back in Cali
We have been told what is magic and our people are aware of magic and how to deal with it. We just do not have the ability to use magic ourselves. So no it is not arrogant to make plans on in game knowledge. What is arrogance is the way you are talking about the players.
- Location
- Existence
- Location
- Italy
WE don't have magic (unless the Yaks have some suited for war, and if they do they'll probably tell us in the next post), and we have at least an idea of SOME of Sombra's abilities: mind control (with helmets at least, possibly without on a smaller scale), shadow/gas form, crystal manipulation, frankenponies creation, maybe some kind of dark magic hallucination/illusion, probably generic unicorn powers up to 11 like tk and basic laser/magic beams (though without the spell variety of, say, Starlight or Twilight).
We'll have to learn more by fighting him, and to fight him we need to start making plans. We can always adapt to new info later.
actually... @Questor, did the Yaks say anything about their magic? They HAVE to have some to have known about Sombra's threat after all, and it's something we need to know for the coming battle. Are they strong enough to carry cannons and ballistas like we were discussing before?
on a secondary note, i just rewatched this
the ponies don't even use weapons! they just..kind of slap each other!
Mlp is VERY good at making a terrifying scenario look VERY silly.
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- Location
- Back in Cali
You have the one in the bottom right laughing as well.the ponies don't even use weapons! they just..kind of slap each other!
Mlp is VERY good at making a terrifying scenario look VERY silly.
- Location
- Back in Cali
In the show it is a city. Things in this world are much different. They are larger and so are we.
- Location
- Maryland
WE don't have magic (unless the Yaks have some suited for war, and if they do they'll probably tell us in the next post), and we have at least an idea of SOME of Sombra's abilities: mind control (with helmets at least, possibly without on a smaller scale), shadow/gas form, crystal manipulation, frankenponies creation, maybe some kind of dark magic hallucination/illusion, probably generic unicorn powers up to 11 like tk and basic laser/magic beams (though without the spell variety of, say, Starlight or Twilight).
We'll have to learn more by fighting him, and to fight him we need to start making plans. We can always adapt to new info later.
actually... @Questor, did the Yaks say anything about their magic? They HAVE to have some to have known about Sombra's threat after all, and it's something we need to know for the coming battle. Are they strong enough to carry cannons and ballistas like we were discussing before?
on a secondary note, i just rewatched this
the ponies don't even use weapons! they just..kind of slap each other!
Mlp is VERY good at making a terrifying scenario look VERY silly.
The Yaks have magic, but most of it isn't very obvious. Most of their magical ability manifests in their being stronger and more durable than biology alone would seem to indicate. And while they're plenty strong enough to pull a cannon, they're not capable of carrying it for any appreciable distance.
The one exception to the general rule of magic in Yak society are their shamans possessing a sort of precognition or clairvoyance that allows them to predict weather patterns, food yields, and attacks on their territory, among other things. However, this ability only manifests in a select few, and their predictions, while accurate, cannot be made on command.
- Location
- Existence
Well still it's more then we have.
Will one of our Diplomatic Actions be to keep recordings of Yak Shaman Prophecies, just in case they mention something international and looking for emerging patterns for weather and migrations etc?
that seems like it would be really smart.
- Location
- Italy
well, we do have flight. That's at least partly magical, unless gryphons actually have hollow bones like our birds (though i don't think they should be able to fly with weapons and armor in that case).
And i always forget if they can actually walk on clouds or not here.
- Location
- SF Bay Area
Personally I always thought Crystal Empire had to be a vestigial name from Sombra's first rule. By all description the Crystal Empire is really only the city, and Princess Cadence ruled over just that city.
Although this goes into my theory that Equestria isn't really a diarchy but an elective diarchy, where the various "nations" are really just members of the Electoral College that "elects" the diarchs. Of course since Celestia is functionally immortal as is Luna the "Electoral College" or "House of Princesses" doesn't do much of anything except be a club for princes and princesses. This is how it's not really a big deal with Twilight or Cadence becoming Princess as functionally they can only elect the diarchs, which happens... never. It also explains "Prince" Blueblood. He could very well be the Prince Elector of Trottingham, but have no relation to Celestia whatsoever. It also kind of explains why Celestia isn't a Queen... to show that she is no better than those who elect her, even if functionally she is. The actual governance of Equestria is probably handled by an off screen Civil Service with a House of Commonponies somewhere too, just... no one wants to fight royal privilege when the royal is an immortal all powerful alicorn.
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- Location
- Back in Cali
Again in the Show not in this quest. In this Quest the Crystal Empire is going to be an Empire or else they would be a minor threat that can be broken in this war.
- Location
- Italy
i don't know if it's ever explicitely stated, but i always assumed Blueblood was a descendant of princess platinum and the unicorn royalty from before Equestria.
I don't think Celestia and Luna were really elected. It's honestly simple to explain: after Discord's defeat there was no government, and everyone looked at them for instructions. It helps that they raised the sun and the moon, and if they really wanted to they could LITERALLY keep the world hostage. This makes them nearly unattackable by any sane person/nation, as killing them would literally doom the world (unless unicorns started moving the sun and moon again if they even remember how to, or someone else could gain a similar ability.)
If they ruled even BEFORE Discord, then they were probably chosen as a compromise between the tribes.
As for the "queen" thing... again, i'm not sure if it was ever said in canon, or maybe in one of the comics, but the common explanation is "there can't be two or more queens. So princesses instead"
it's still an army of a hundred thousands unfeeling, unshakeable minions led by a dark lord, plus a few eldritch abominations. To win you have to defeat their leader or go through EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. You can't have them surrender. You can't force them to run. They STILL outnumber us even after we expanded the army, called the militia and joined with the yaks! It's a threat EVEN if this is all he has.
Now it might be a real empire or just a city, we really have no way to tell yet, but i wouldn't call it a minor threat in either case.
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- Location
- Back in Cali
I didn't say they were not a threat. I said if it was only a single city then this is literally all he has and beating this army makes Sombra and his Empire a minor threat overall. We are in a bad way because we are outnumbered right now, but if this is all Sombra can raise at all then we beat him due to just having so many more people we can take the losses he can not. That makes this a less exciting and less enjoyable threat. So like I keep saying he has more than a single city and a lot more people behind that can be used to rebuild his army.
The Winter War: Part 2
- Location
- Maryland
You, your commanders, and the Yaks are all in agreement. Redstone Pass shall be your battleground. The Army packs up and marches as quickly as it can through the driving snow, the column stretching for miles as every soldier mentally braces themselves for the coming battle. After nearly two days of uneventful but tense marching, the allied force finally arrives at the pass. A camp is hastily erected, and work on the defenses begins in earnest.
Segments of palisade are built along the flanks, further narrowing the chokepoint. Trenches are dug and filled with liquid fire, to be ignited when the enemy arrives. Stakes are planted along the front to discourage charges, and artificial hills are erected behind the intended frontline to give the cannons and ballistae a clear line of sight. A network of tunnels is burrowed beneath the pass, to be collapsed when the enemy army passes overhead.
But the most attention is paid to the explosive charges of black powder and liquid flame, which are buried by teams of Diamond Dogs, both on the "killing field" as well as on the slopes of the mountains to the West and East of the pass. Some of these charges are linked to trip-wire devices, others to fuses buried beneath the earth, to be lit at the proper time from the safety of friendly lines. The bombs buried along the floor of the pass are containers of gunpowder filled with shards of iron soaked in Archimedes' flammable concoction, intended to shred through the enemy and combust anything it impacts. The charges on the slopes of the mountains are far larger and simpler, intended to cause an artificial avalanche or rockslide, either to cut a portion of the enemy force off from the main body...or to buy time for a retreat, should it prove necessary.
The remainder of the liquid fire is allotted to the flamethrowers, or used to make "fire cocktails", glass containers filled with flammable liquid, a length of fuse or cloth tied to them to ignite the payload when shattered. More than a few archers have also dipped their arrowheads in the stuff, or wrapped dry tinder around the shafts of their projectiles. You're not sure how effective they'll be, but it's worth a try. Anything to get even the slightest advantage over this foe.
Throughout it all you and Gabriella dart back and forth across the soon-to-be battlefield, organizing the fortifications, maintaining morale, and smoothing over any disagreements between the militia, regular army, and Yak warriors. Thankfully, the latter task is something you need to do very little of. You suppose it's true what they say: nothing brings people together like an existential threat. Gryphons and Dogs huddle around bonfires and share meals with Yaks, overcoming the language barrier through simple acts of solidarity and common courtesy. In only a day or two they will all be fighting for their lives alongside each other, and everyone knows that they, or the people alongside them, may die.
But you hear no complaints. No one grumbles about working long hours building defenses in temperatures well below freezing, or the fact that they're forced to fight so far from home. Not a single soldier tries to desert, or raises the possibility of surrender. They know what is at stake. They fight to defend their families, to ensure that this foul presence never sets foot upon their soil. There is no running from this threat, no way to surrender to this enemy. They will fight, and if they must die...then so be it.
Finally, lookouts and forward observers report what all have feared and anticipated. The army of darkness comes. Soldiers share a final meal, are given servings of alcohol to harden their nerves, and assume their formations. In the privacy of your own tent, you hold your wife for what may be the final time. After what feels like both an instant and an eternity, you reluctantly step outside, no longer a husband, but an Emperor.
Fortifications have been constructed and explosive charges planted. How shall you organize your lines?
[ ] Militia to the Front: The militia, while spirited and numerous, are not as well-trained or well-equipped as your professional soldiers. Professional soldiers that you must husband as a precious resource. Placing the militia at the front of your lines will doubtless result in significant casualties among them, but it will mean less of your veteran soldiers will be placed in harms way, conserving your strength.
[ ] Veterans to the Front: The militia are here to supplement your already existing forces, not take their place on the battlefield. You must project a strong front, and to that end the veterans of the regular army will be placed as the first line of defense, with the militia in reserve to reinforce any areas in trouble.
[ ] Write-In
The Knights are your Elite force, the best-trained and best-equipped warriors on the field of battle this day. How shall you deploy them?
[ ] The Bulwark: Place them at the very front of the formation, ensuring that they will be the first to engage with the enemy.
[ ] Rapid Response: Hold them back, keeping them in reserve to plug gaps in the line and respond to changing circumstances.
[ ] Links in a Chain: Scatter them individually throughout the frontline units, bolstering morale and ensuring discipline amongst the rank and file.
[ ] Write-In
Then there's the Yaks. You technically can't order them around like your regular troops, but they're more than willing to listen to your suggestions and go along with your battle plan.
[ ] The Wall: The average Yak Warrior is basically a fur-covered boulder on legs. They shall join the defensive lines, forming an immovable object for the enemy to throw themselves against.
[ ] Surprise Charge: The Yaks shall hide behind the palisades or the artificial hills, revealing themselves and bursting out to charge the enemy when the time is right.
[ ] Relief Charge: The Yaks shall be held in reserve, ready to reinforce a battered unit, shore up a flank, or cover a retreat or reorganization of the line.
[ ] Write-In
There will be a two hour moratorium on voting to allow for the discussion and formulation of plans and ideas.
Segments of palisade are built along the flanks, further narrowing the chokepoint. Trenches are dug and filled with liquid fire, to be ignited when the enemy arrives. Stakes are planted along the front to discourage charges, and artificial hills are erected behind the intended frontline to give the cannons and ballistae a clear line of sight. A network of tunnels is burrowed beneath the pass, to be collapsed when the enemy army passes overhead.
But the most attention is paid to the explosive charges of black powder and liquid flame, which are buried by teams of Diamond Dogs, both on the "killing field" as well as on the slopes of the mountains to the West and East of the pass. Some of these charges are linked to trip-wire devices, others to fuses buried beneath the earth, to be lit at the proper time from the safety of friendly lines. The bombs buried along the floor of the pass are containers of gunpowder filled with shards of iron soaked in Archimedes' flammable concoction, intended to shred through the enemy and combust anything it impacts. The charges on the slopes of the mountains are far larger and simpler, intended to cause an artificial avalanche or rockslide, either to cut a portion of the enemy force off from the main body...or to buy time for a retreat, should it prove necessary.
The remainder of the liquid fire is allotted to the flamethrowers, or used to make "fire cocktails", glass containers filled with flammable liquid, a length of fuse or cloth tied to them to ignite the payload when shattered. More than a few archers have also dipped their arrowheads in the stuff, or wrapped dry tinder around the shafts of their projectiles. You're not sure how effective they'll be, but it's worth a try. Anything to get even the slightest advantage over this foe.
Throughout it all you and Gabriella dart back and forth across the soon-to-be battlefield, organizing the fortifications, maintaining morale, and smoothing over any disagreements between the militia, regular army, and Yak warriors. Thankfully, the latter task is something you need to do very little of. You suppose it's true what they say: nothing brings people together like an existential threat. Gryphons and Dogs huddle around bonfires and share meals with Yaks, overcoming the language barrier through simple acts of solidarity and common courtesy. In only a day or two they will all be fighting for their lives alongside each other, and everyone knows that they, or the people alongside them, may die.
But you hear no complaints. No one grumbles about working long hours building defenses in temperatures well below freezing, or the fact that they're forced to fight so far from home. Not a single soldier tries to desert, or raises the possibility of surrender. They know what is at stake. They fight to defend their families, to ensure that this foul presence never sets foot upon their soil. There is no running from this threat, no way to surrender to this enemy. They will fight, and if they must die...then so be it.
Finally, lookouts and forward observers report what all have feared and anticipated. The army of darkness comes. Soldiers share a final meal, are given servings of alcohol to harden their nerves, and assume their formations. In the privacy of your own tent, you hold your wife for what may be the final time. After what feels like both an instant and an eternity, you reluctantly step outside, no longer a husband, but an Emperor.
Fortifications have been constructed and explosive charges planted. How shall you organize your lines?
[ ] Militia to the Front: The militia, while spirited and numerous, are not as well-trained or well-equipped as your professional soldiers. Professional soldiers that you must husband as a precious resource. Placing the militia at the front of your lines will doubtless result in significant casualties among them, but it will mean less of your veteran soldiers will be placed in harms way, conserving your strength.
[ ] Veterans to the Front: The militia are here to supplement your already existing forces, not take their place on the battlefield. You must project a strong front, and to that end the veterans of the regular army will be placed as the first line of defense, with the militia in reserve to reinforce any areas in trouble.
[ ] Write-In
The Knights are your Elite force, the best-trained and best-equipped warriors on the field of battle this day. How shall you deploy them?
[ ] The Bulwark: Place them at the very front of the formation, ensuring that they will be the first to engage with the enemy.
[ ] Rapid Response: Hold them back, keeping them in reserve to plug gaps in the line and respond to changing circumstances.
[ ] Links in a Chain: Scatter them individually throughout the frontline units, bolstering morale and ensuring discipline amongst the rank and file.
[ ] Write-In
Then there's the Yaks. You technically can't order them around like your regular troops, but they're more than willing to listen to your suggestions and go along with your battle plan.
[ ] The Wall: The average Yak Warrior is basically a fur-covered boulder on legs. They shall join the defensive lines, forming an immovable object for the enemy to throw themselves against.
[ ] Surprise Charge: The Yaks shall hide behind the palisades or the artificial hills, revealing themselves and bursting out to charge the enemy when the time is right.
[ ] Relief Charge: The Yaks shall be held in reserve, ready to reinforce a battered unit, shore up a flank, or cover a retreat or reorganization of the line.
[ ] Write-In
There will be a two hour moratorium on voting to allow for the discussion and formulation of plans and ideas.
Asmodemus
Subversive Element
Oh no!
Going by that video Sombra knows our ultimate technique of dropping a rock on the enemy!
- Location
- Canada
We should do something like a pincer attack.
The enemy shall be entering threw the pass, we have the yaks attack from two areas to do a sweeping attacks from both sides. Of course we have to wait for the bulk of the enemy to be in the pass, so the units in the front would open a salvo of arrows or what have you down range at the enemy, get them to charge the front when they commit to the attack is when the yaks with their strength sweep in.
The enemy shall be entering threw the pass, we have the yaks attack from two areas to do a sweeping attacks from both sides. Of course we have to wait for the bulk of the enemy to be in the pass, so the units in the front would open a salvo of arrows or what have you down range at the enemy, get them to charge the front when they commit to the attack is when the yaks with their strength sweep in.
So I'm thinking we should have the militia to the front, with the Knights as a Bulwark, and the Yaks ready to do a relief charge where necessary.
The Militia to the front will keep the Veterans safe to counter enemy threats and go after the bigger stuff, while the Bulwark will be there to ensure casualties of the militia are reduced, and keep our front from failing. The relief charge should let the Yaks do their thing against monsters and the like that go after us, especially since they are magically strong.
The Militia to the front will keep the Veterans safe to counter enemy threats and go after the bigger stuff, while the Bulwark will be there to ensure casualties of the militia are reduced, and keep our front from failing. The relief charge should let the Yaks do their thing against monsters and the like that go after us, especially since they are magically strong.
Alright, think: are we going to be using our knights against the abominations, or are we going to bank on our artillery and flamethrowers being capable of stopping them as they move to the front?
Probably artillery/flamethrowers and yaks. Our knights don't have magic, so I don't see them being able to do too much against them. The yaks are at least Magically strong, so I'm hoping their strength will be effective against the abominations coming at us.
