Not gonna lie, all this discussion of plans and writing them again makes me kinda want to update my
history of plans in MfD. The formatting there could stand to be improved, and it'd be enjoyable to track the changes in plans since last January too, especially now that we could analyze pre and post-interlude plans and their structures.
Then I remember that to do that I'd need to go and read all the plans.
Maybe later.
The main points I think are relevant from there are that at the beginning of the quest, there were small hooks which players could vote on. One way to modify that a bit might be to have a "strategy" and "tactics" phase to voting? Like, first ~24 hours after an update drops are for strategy, and next ~24 hours are for tactics?
For instance, to start, votes are for a paragraph high level summary, and then after that, the motive is locked, and all the min-maxers can go to town to optimize the specifics of how Hazou will achieve that? As an example, I used to write plans with a summary paragraph at the start, then tactics below. The summary would effectively be voted for in the first 24 hours, and the tactics below would be voted in for the second 24 hours?
That'd let people who want to have a general say in what Hazou does but not engage in tactical planning have input (and post in thread), and not remove the value of detailed tactics. It'd also potentially allow QMs an earlier idea of the sorts of things Hazou will be doing in the update? Main issues are probably that it'll be hard to enforce, difficult to reference back to a summary for the tactics section, and mean players can't swing on a dime at the last moment. Maybe use stickied posts to make whatever the passing summary was at the top of the thread (SV claims to have added that functionality), and just have an XP and/or Fate Point reward/penalty (balanced so we get the same average XP and FP as we currently get) for succeeding or failing to stick to the strategy?
As an example, for one of the "recent" plans I wrote, this would be the "strategy" vote:
We want to make an impression. This means winning handily, and demonstrating a different way of doing things - i.e. collaboration instead of raw fighting. We also want to be known as non-aggressors, but powerful enough to destroy anyone who attacks us. That said, we don't want too be too cheeky. We'll help those who help us, not be aggressors, and use a three-pronged plan to gain points (Party Seals, Pangolins, Proctors). We will only engage other genin in combat if 1) They attack us, or 2) For some reason our methods of procuring seals fail. Why Trade in the chunnin exams?
Here's why.
And this would be the "tactics" vote:
Part 1) Before Proctors separate the genin
- Discuss our strategy with Keiko and Noburi via PC, adjust as necessary, especially adapting the plan as new information is available (e.g. "there are five ninja planning an attack on our fortress")
- Tell to Leaf nin that we may know a way to recharge the seals after they run out of charge (correct it to replace once in the swamp)
- Coordinate with Leaf-nin on a method to meet up in the swamp - likely use Shino's bugs and a passphrase (e.g. "Hope the bugs Leaf us alone" "They'll only do that if we make like a Tree") - we have a strategy which could help everyone
- Have Infiltration Pangolin wait to follow proctors when they go to restock on seals
- Mention casually that we look forward to examining the seals and seeing if we can modify them / extend their longevity
- This is to seed the idea of us being a better sealmaster than we are (to anyone spying on us), and to give any groups spying on us reason to believe future claims of modification of proctor seals and bartering
Part 2) Securing a Fortress
- Reunite with our Team and some Leaf nin, especially a Hyuga and Akane
- Go to one of the proctors, and build a fortress around them (or near them if they object)
- Use MEW & an engineering pangolin to construct a defensible location
- Use non-lethal explosives to make defenses (use 20 LBFs max)
- Construct a hidden room/area where Hazou can churn out party seals
- Have Hazou begin party seal production
- Have Akane ready to put party seals in the casings of the official proctor seals
- Have several Leaf genin on guard, especially at least one Hyuga to prevent unconventional infiltration methods (e.g. underground tunneling) Offer to split our profits evenly with Leaf-nin who help us, but encourage them to roam if it doesn't look like there's much to do at the fort. Offer to act as a base of operations.
- Consider building a waiting area for customers?
- Provides some mild comforts in the swam (MEW furniture) and concentrates potential enemy presence
- Consider asking the proctor about points usage (e.g. will the team or individual with the most points at the end win? Can points be used or redeemed for anything? Can we spend points for information?)
- Consider brainstorming these sorts of things with thinkers like Keiko, Shikamaru, and Shino
Part 3) Seeding additional seal-gains
- Ask the proctor under what circumstances they will move from their location - we want to prevent that from happening if possible (e.g. prevent people from asking the proctor for any seals if that will prompt them to move to a different location)
- Have our Infiltration Pangolin follow a proctor after someone takes all their stock of seals
- Follow them to wherever they restock on seals (if they restock)
- Grab as many of the seals as they can and either:
- Ferry them back to us repeatedly (if possible), or
- Unsummon if they can take them to the Pangolin-Path that way (and can't reliable avoid detection sneaking back to us)
- Do not engage in combat with anyone. If spotted, either retreat or unsummon (retreat preferred as unsummoning without the seals is mission failure)
- Send out Leaf teams to get seals from proctors aside from the one we've set up camp near, include a modified proctor seal (i.e. proctor seal casing with a Party Seal inside) if possible
- Provide fake paper slips for them by writing random words on papers and tearing the paper in half (so they can pass inspection if a proctor asks for their half, but won't lose it if they are defeated by another team)
- When interacting with other ninja teams, show the modified proctor seal and spread the rumor that their seals can be modified at our base to last longer than proctors set them. Our base is the one that, when the proctors throw up marks, has an explosive follow it.
Part 4) Doing business
- Keep the fortress defended. If the proctor leaves, continue regularly throwing explosives above our fort to announce our presence.
- When other genin approach, offer a trade deal: Two lit proctor seals for one "modified proctor seal which can be turned on and off" or Three dead proctor seals for one "modified proctor seal which can be turned on and off."
- If they accept the trade, take their seals into our fortress, explain that it'll be a moment as we modify the seals, and sealing is dangerous, so we've got to do it inside, undisturbed unless they feel like having their innards for outers as mystic beasts from other dimensions eat their eyes. The process will take 10 minutes per pair of live seals or 15 minutes per trio ofdead seals.
- Inside the fortress, simply put the provided proctor seals into an input pile and grab some from an output pile
- While the genin wait for the seals to be modified, chat and try to extract information from them. Reitterate the deal of storage seals for information we started mentioning earlier, give out storage seals if good information is provided
- After the described amount of time, give the genin the casing of one of their proctor seals with a party seal inside, explain how to turn it off and on, suggest they turn it off to save power and wish them a good day.
- Explain that the proctor with us is off limits for providing seals, but we're happy to enact trade, including extending the life of proctor seals or recharging and extending the life of dead proctor seals. Prevent them from asking the proctor for seals, use force if necessary (have either large amounts of manpower via Leaf-nin or summon Pangolin armies)
- If attacked:
- Fight back with the attempt to incapacitate, exact tactics dependent on whom attacked us. Likely, have Noburi cast Syrup Trap and Keiko throw B-class Explosives. Exact strategies depend on how many attackers there are, where they are, and what defenders are available (e.g. different strategies if it's Noburi, Keiko, and 4 Pangolins vs. Noburi, Keiko, Akane, Sakura, and five other Leaf teams)
- Feel free to use lots of Chakra - we'll drain it back from them once we're victorious
- Have Banshee Slayers preped and on to protect us from Banshee seals @150 dB
- Feel free to use plenty of seals - we've got enough for this portion of the exam and we can make more. Just don't kill or maim our opponents.
- Once victorious, take all the stuff of whomever attacked us, especially any unique equipment they have and their paper code halves to turn into proctors at a later time. Place them in a prison section of our fortress where Noburi will keep them drained to unconsciousness until the end of this portion of the exam.
- Store acquired party seals and proctor seals in the Pangolin realm.
- Have Keiko begin a list of observed genin capabilities (would have Hazou do it, but he'll be busy sealing)
Part 5) Winning
- If, after ~30 hours the proctor is still there, ask the proctor with us for all their seals and store them in the fortress
- If, after ~30 hours the proctor is not there, begin to tear down camp so we can sprint to where a proctor next appears.
- After ~40 hours, if Infiltration Pangolin has not given us any seals yet, attempt to summon them to receive whatever seals they brought with them when they unsummoned
- Split supplies from Hazou's strategy (Party Seals, lights from the proctor near us, lights from groups that attacked us) fairly evenly between whatever Leaf-nin helped us (expected number of seals ~300-400) keep a couple more for Hazou's team if the Pangolin strategy didn't work
- Split supplies from Keiko's pangolin among Keiko, Noburi, and Hazou.
- Let teams which got seals from other methods while helping us (e.g. going out and advertising) keep the seals they made on the side.
- If strategies succeeded, return to the designated location with stupid numbers of both seals acquired from proctors, seals stolen from wherever the proctors are getting them, raw party seals, and party seals inside proctor casings.
- If strategies did not succeed, prepare to fight random genin to steal their seals
