On Thread Etiquette:
I'm not going to weigh in on the logic of either side's arguments, but I will ask that everyone read over what they write and really consider if the words they used are polite and won't be inflammatory intentionally or not. You cant account for people's tolerances perfectly but at least try to say your piece without saying things that can be easily construed as overly dismissive of the other side of the argument, thank you.
Also narratively having Snorri not touch the construction until the literal last step feels wrong/cheap and like it will have some sort of negative to it.
Outside of the runes, Snorri is not actually especially well suited to building it though? He'd not be bad at it as he seems to have a fair amount of omnicompetence in the crafting arts, but I'd still expect actual dedicated jewelsmiths, stonecarvers, masons etc to be just as good if not better then him in their fields. He already made the plans, so his input on the design and defences and the like are already there, but most of the work can be better done by the actual specialists.
It is funny but it is also one I've never trucked with - because our lack of research turns is entirely self inflicted and self reinforcing, because I've definitely seen the through line of "since we haven't had research turns before, we won't have research turns".
The funniest part of that post is that soul cake gave out a 10-point increase to an exploration roll over it, which was just enough to push the next odd place roll over the threshold for adding a new research project. In making it, I directly contributed to making the research backlog bigger
I think we should be completing the current stage of Aonoquean next turn, as we've started it and receive the Yorri prods for it. It feels like cheating/gaming the system to get the benefit in terms of prods and not complete it ASAP.
I also think that we want to complete the current stages of at least Mind and possibly Movement of Things before we consider making a super-gronti.
Turn 48 Plan Chains
-Akazit 2
-Kradskonti or War 1
-Chain 2 + (5 brotherhood Favor) (-95 Valayan Favor) (Done)
-Bonus Research Fimir Eye 1
-Karstah Fimir Eye 1 (Done)
-Retainer Colony Support 1
-Retainer Khazagar 1 (4/24)
-Retainer Throng March 1
-Khazagar 45 Favor (7/24)
Turn 49 Plan Chains Second Step
-Akazit 3 (Done)
-Movement of Things 2 (3/11 Progress)
-Bonus Research Probably Ice Feathers?
-Karstah Something else
-Retainer Colony Support 1
-Retainer Khazagar 1 (8/24)
-Retainer Throng March Probably
-Khazagar 45 Favor (11/24)
Turn 50 Plan Chains Third Step
-Movement of Things 3 (8/11 Progress)
-Rune Metal 2 + 10 Valayan Favor (5/5 Progress, possibly 1 overflow)
-Bonus Research More Mat Sci
-Karstah More Mat Sci
-Retainer Colony Support 1
-Retainer Khazagar 1 (12/24)
-Retainer Something else
-Khazagar 45 Favor (15/24)
Turn 51 Plan Chains Fourth Step
-Movement of Things 2 (11/11 Progress)
-Master Rune of Thungni 3 (5/?? Progress) (Possibly complete)
-Bonus Research More Mat Sci
-Karstah Something else
-Retainer Colony Support 1
-Retainer Khazagar 1 (16/24)
-Retainer Something else
-Khazagar 45 Favor (19/24)
Turn 52
-Khazagar 5 actions (overflows with 9 to 14 Progress)
-Bonus Research More Mat Sci (we might be down to just the Chimera Mat Sci by this point)
-Karstah Something else
-Retainer Colony Support 1
-Retainer Khazagar 1 (20/24)
-Retainer Something else
-Khazagar 45 Favor (23/24)
Been thinking a bit about how we want to try and follow on for the next few turns and came to an idea.
Turn 48, with the exception of the Retainer vote for Colony, we could just move out and try to do glimmering steel.
Turn 49, is when things start getting different. Us switching out Colony and mustering the Throng, and instead, doing the Valayan action. Instead of us trying to do all 3 AP, into Akazit, we switch out one for a [Prod a Prod], with Yorri. And then dump all of that extra prods into Movement of Things. Or, alternatively, dump it straight into Anoqeyån part 2.
Turn 50, for this one, assuming their are other Retainer actions coming, then one of them can be spent waywarding, and the other doing something else (such as doing a request to help the war effort, if it's still ongoing.) For our AP, switch out Rune Metal with Anoqeyån Part 2, and dump 30 favoyrs into completing the part instead.
Turn 51, Something as turn 50 for our Retainers, so no change... yet. You never know what might happen. For actions, switch one AP from Movement of Things, to finishing Anoqeyån. With the other action, presumably if we aren't able to get Yorri, to finishing itself from us finishing on other stuff like Rune Metal 5, and/or 3B.
Turn 52, absolutely nothing save our Retainers, but that's a given.
For Karstah in all of this. I'm of the opinion for her Research action to instead go after Frost Bird, since of how our grudge applies to our research, with turn 49 her finishing that. Before focusing on making another Dragon Blood Smelter, for the rest of the turn plans.
I'm open to a conversation about my ideas, whenever your able to express your opinions on the ideas I have, and whether or not, they could work.
There's a Years Best Cato?... I mean Congratulations!!!
In all seriousness you deserve it, this quest is great. I never thought I would get that feeling of being excited over Item creation and Architecture, but now I just can't wait to build our giant Runesmith Academy thing. I even feel the dread that war and conflict should bring because I'm terrified of dying and not building anything more amazing.
For each 60 retainer we get a retainer action in so i think after this campaigning season whether we do it in that turn or the Turn after it we expand our number of 120 to 240
We Would be getting 2 actions from that change that we can constantly use for the waystone options
That leaves the remaining 3 free to use for others plus seeing what we are building no would say a bad word about such expanding
We need to after all proberarlly guard it together with our clan
I think we should be completing the current stage of Aonoquean next turn, as we've started it and receive the Yorri prods for it. It feels like cheating/gaming the system to get the benefit in terms of prods and not complete it ASAP.
I also think that we want to complete the current stages of at least Mind and possibly Movement of Things before we consider making a super-gronti.
For each 60 retainer we get a retainer action in so i think after this campaigning season whether we do it in that turn or the Turn after it we expand our number of 120 to 240
We Would be getting 2 actions from that change that we can constantly use for the waystone options
That leaves the remaining 3 free to use for others plus seeing what we are building no would say a bad word about such expanding
We need to after all proberarlly guard it together with our clan
One of the things that recently occurred to me is that the bigger they are, the harder it may be for a Banner to touch all of them. @soulcake when we're considering making a new Banner for the Hearthguard where is the cut off point for them being too numerous for one Banner to cover them all? Is it after 300 or before 300?
[X] [Campaign] Continue the offensive. Campaign goes high level and my rolls will solely be for how things generally play out + Snorri fighting any heroes/big bads. After a city falls/you suffer a defeat, a similar vote will happen until you return home or all targetable cities are destroyed.
- [X] Against the Nurglish City
[X] [VariousBits] Keep it. Onto the pile it goes. Gain Research.
- [X] The Drinking Horn: A constantly refilling horn of liquid? Useful. Novel. Blasphemous! Clearly, it uses magic, but who in their right mind would make sweet alcohol with merely magic?
- [X] The Cauldron Fragments: They appear to be pieces of several Cauldrons in varying states of deconstruction, some of which seem to constantly drip a particularly tasty broth without end. The imagery and aesthetics on the outside is markedly different, but from what the Brana have sniffed off it, these were likely the precursor to those wretched things the Fimir used to revive the dead and dying into monstrosities.
[X] [VariousBits] Give some to Karstah.
- [X] The Needle: While the needle never seems to run out of thread, that's only the case if the sewer in question isn't speeding through things, in which case they can indeed find themselves out of material.
[X] [Hammer] Give it to Karstah: To give her such an opportunity is a sign of immense trust in her capabilities. Comparable to the Dragon corpse you gave her, likely even moreso. Reagents are used up and organs rot, but knowledge, after all, can be kept forever. Karstah will use her free time to research this. You will also get the results of her research while she gains expertise and experience. If Karstah already has a lot to research then getting research rewards will be delayed.
[X] [Helmet] Give it to Karstah: your heir may have this helmet to do with as she wishes. Gain, bonus to research time if Hammer is also given to Karstah.
High off the victory of besting yet another city, the Throng moved to their next target. Backtracking to the ruins of the first city they had erased, the army of the Dwarfs then moved southwest towards the Fimir settlement that had devoted itself to the Lord of Pestilence.
There they would find the Nurglites as legendarily tough and horrid to face as their forefathers claim to be.
A multitude of factors were at play in the Throng's stalled progress, but the most universal and all-encompassing was the very land itself. Bogs and marshes rich in life of the worst sort plagued their advance. The air choked with insects and fumes that churned the stomach, while the earth teemed with grotesque plants and pustulant geysers that spewed acidic bile. Though the Throng had not even begun to meet the enemy in open combat, they had already started taking casualties from such hostile climes. Only through the efforts of the Runelords, with their cantankerous ire and grounding effect on reality was the worst of the swamp, this Hellbog as some precocious beardlings began to call it, reduced such that the priestesses and laydwarfs of Valaya could meaningfully help. The other was partly related, as a string of poor luck that befell the column worsened by the environment. The unnatural humidity and warmth generated by the teeming masses of rot and life so common in Nurglish territory had, through means both natural and not, begun to affect the equipment. Supplies and valuable time were spent repairing machines that were worn down at far faster rates than they ever expected to be. Several key supplies had even begun to grow short, only kept fed by the wagon caravans walking in the Throng's wake. Though that too had begun to be strained, the axles of supply wagons and war machines alike having started to break; the wood warped by the moisture and weakened by the gnawing of mutant bugs, creating a situation where accidents and delays became far more common than they ought to have.
Such was the rate of technical failure that many Engineers did indeed swear Grudges, already the terrain made maintenance a grim and overly frequent duty but this? To be rendered for all appearances, as incompetent and thoughtless as beardlings? That could not stand.
This and more harried the army's approach, slowing their advance to a crawl and allowing tempers to grow short.
Despite such hardship, the Dwarfs marched on, vengeance burning in their hearts even as disease and weakness wracked their bodies.
Then came the time that the horrid host of the Plaguefather met the Dawi, and horror came to the Throng.
━<><><><==><><><>━
The Swamps were alive.
They were alive and wanted Belegost, and more importantly his King, dead.
Roaring, the Huskarl cleaves a living vine in two with his Greataxe, the Runes burning furiously as they make short work of the unnaturally tough barkflesh. Four hours now, they have been fighting for four hours and it's beginning to show. Warriors chop and strike with faltering strength, crossbows and artillery run dry, and even the occasional boom indicative of the Runesmiths' bellicose ire has slowed. They have been giving ground, slowly, grindingly, and with great reluctance yes, but undeniably so. He is not sure how many have already died, only sure that for all their suffering the Dawi have been inflicting far greater wounds.
Yet even he can admit that his enemy can endure far more than they can.
To their credit and that of the Gift Giver's craftsmanship, the Huskarls still do their duty with tireless aplomb. The Runes on their equipment ensure that only mortal error can be the cause of failure in Belegost's mind. Yet the Runes, the Storm, they cannot truly stem the tide. Not when the swamp births new horrors every minute, not when the dead are as likely to return as bloated abominations as they are to remain on the ground.
In the distance, the towering cyclone of the Gift Giver could be seen swallowing entire formations of the enemy's army.
I shame my forefathers with such a poor showing, Belegost's mind roars, the indignity of this slow, grinding death and his helplessness can scarcely be borne. Only the sanctity of his duty allows him to hold firm, to keep his mind focused.
Movement out of the corner of his eye causes him to turn just in time to intercept a sweeping blow from yet another vine that would have knocked him and two of his fellow Huskarls off their feet. Another swing of his axe splits it in twain.
"Chaos Spawn! Chaos Spawn incoming!" a voice bellows.
"Huskarl!" his liege commands, "On me! We slay the beasts before it cracks the line open."
He and five others roar in affirmation, and as one the entire formation begins moving in a counter charge. Belegost's axe sings as it cuts down everything within its reach, just one part of a Gromril wedge cutting its way towards the lumbering behemoths that were on a collision course with the Shieldwall.
They slam into the Chaos Spawn like the fist of Grimnir, King Gloin's burning aura burning away pestilence and Trollslayer's edge finding purchase in the leading beast's trunk-like legs. As the creature falls screaming, more out of surprise than pain, his Highness does not waste a moment ripping out his axe before slamming it back down onto the mass that vaguely resembles its head. The smell of cooking half-rotten meat causes Belegost to curdle his lips in disgust even as he helps bring down one of the other Spawn with his colleagues.
A sudden scream and he and several others find themselves turning to see the Chaos Spawn their King had seemingly slain rise up, its body undergoing some malefic transformation as fresh limbs erupt around cauterize stumps, weeping spines sprout from its back and another set of mouths chew themselves out into open air from the muscle of what was once a shoulder. To their horror several other Chaos Spawn undergo the same transformation, falling even deeper into the embrace of Nurgle as they are returned to a disgusting mockery of life. Several are shouting, Belegost does not know if he is one of them. Out of the corner of his eye he sees a Runesmith attempt to prevent the transformation before he is forced to defend himself against another beast that had tried to eat him.
Without a word, Belegost is running with several other Huskarls toward their increasingly surrounded King. Greataxe swinging with desperate speed, the Huskarl cuts through the mass of flesh in his way, just in time to push King Gloin out of the way of a spiked appendage that was poised to run the King through from behind.
Death before dishonour.
Even as the stabbing pain of a spike as thick as his arm goring him like a skewer floods his body with the torrent of poison it secretes he finds solace and contentment in knowing his Liege lives.
In what he knows is his last act, Belegost raises his Greataxe, forged by Lord Klausson all those centuries ago, and brings its wailing edge down onto the closest thing the Kruti has to a head.
━<><><><==><><><>━
For six hours the Dwarfs pushed against the Fimir and their Plague-Ridden allies. For six hours Brana duelled flying formations of Plague Drones above the horrific grind of shieldwall slamming against the dark iron of Fimir and the diseased flesh of Plaguebearers, Beasts of Nurgle and skittering Nurglings. Only by the might of the Runelords and daring attacks by the likes of King Dorr and Prince Gimli was any progress made at all. Yet as the day ground on, casualties mounted and the Dwarf lines began to waver. Slowly, the Dwarfs were forced to give up the ground they had paid so dearly to take. For six hours more they continued to struggle before the bitter call to fall back was sounded.
Thanks again in part to the combined efforts of the Runelords among the Dwarfs, especially a fine showing from the individual efforts of Lord Klausson and Lord Hoggrisson, the retreat was conducted in good order and without persecution by their enemies. The former's Ash Storm and the latter's artillery had largely kept the Nurglites from capitalizing on their success and making the already costly battle a massacre. With bodies and pride wounded, the Throng was pushed back to the lighter parts of Nurglish territory where a proper tally was conducted.
━<><><><==><><><>━
"One in three are wounded or worse," the Valayan informs the assembled leadership grimly, "While we are glad to say that a large portion of that number is ultimately recoverable, it will not be for months, likely years for the worst afflicted, to come. At least for this campaign, they are no longer able to contribute."
"Thank you Priestess," King Gloin says, passing her a tankard.
"Things have gone to shite then," King Dorr grimaces," What would calling in the reserves bring us back up to?"
"Incorporating the reserves would return the Throng to a little more than nine-tenths of the number we entered the swamps with, but would tap them completely. Any more and we'd be stripping the supply caravans dangerously bare," King Villi answers.
"Total losses?" a Thane questions.
"From the beginning of this campaign till now? If we stopped here then the final tally has between one in eight or three in twenty of the Throng dead, maimed or too wounded to continue. The greatest concentration of losses were during that blasted ambush and here if you care to know," Villi tells him.
Several in the tent begin mumbling, such numbers are not unexpected, not insurmountable.
"So we could push on?" Dorr asks.
"As Ravenhaired said, we'd be tapping the keg dry to do it. We can, but any losses after this point are ones we won't be able to recover. Not without ordering our Holds to send more Dawi, or stranding us logistically," King Svarti remarks.
"Even if we did, they wouldn't arrive before Winter sets in, especially the easternmost Holds. If we do continue the offensive, there will effectively be no replacing any losses we take," Gloin adds on, getting nods from many in the room.
Your customary silence is unremarked upon of course, everyone is both used to and too busy laying out their arguments. While you do listen to what is being said, most of your mind is preoccupied with other business that came from that battle.
Ten more Hearthwardens have died, giving their lives as part of a rearguard action. A flight of Plague Drones ridden by Fimir and Plaguebearers managed to evade your storm and Sven's artillery, and several of your retainers made the decision to draw the daemons' attention to them and away from the train of wounded they guarded. The battle was stacked against them having been outnumbered two and a half to one, but your retainers were no easy prey to be run down as they fled. The battle was short, and in the end, the Nurglites all lay dead, but not without cost. You would not besmirch their memory by claiming they did anything less than what was expected of them, for they had done their part in ensuring that the losses your people suffered had not grown worse at the cost of their own lives.
Sighing internally, you slide those thoughts away for later. The ear you've kept on the conversation tells you that things seem to be solidifying now.
One camp argues to push on, that they've inflicted far more damage to the Fimir than they have to your people. Retreating would only mean they also recover, most likely at a far faster rate than the Dwarfs, and perhaps even strike an accord with the other cities. Poor luck and poor knowledge had stymied them before, but now they were aware and could reorganize to compensate. If they could take this city, it would make future struggles far less difficult, as the enemy would only take this time to make the swamps all the more ruinous to traverse. Losing the initiative any further could not be done. While there was a logic to it, you privately believe that just as much of the force behind this argument was the distasteful thought of leaving unfinished business behind, of ending an otherwise wildly successful campaign on such a dour note. Something a few more belligerent souls are willing to mention more openly.
The other largest group counter by pointing out that reentering the marshes as they are has proven, if not unsuccessful, then exceptionally unlikely to overcome by simply going back in without anyone to reinforce should the worst come to worst. The assemblage of assets they represent is too important to risk. Better to fall back to the nearest fortress, refortify, recuperate and come back with a response better tailored to counter the potential threats both the Nurglites and the city after it can bring to bear now that they have the enemy's measure. Calls for petitioning Lady Valma and Igna to the front are made as well. The former, you imagine for her Gronti and the latter for the Gromriltrommi who follow her. Indeed many among Kraka Drakk speak of bringing the Silver Wyrm Banner to the front come next campaign season, an act the Hold is miserly in doling out partly because of the cultural significance appended to it, and the resulting defference they show it, and also due to its position as a major part of the Karak's defences.
Privately, despite your preening at how the Hold cherishes your creation, you disagree with that particular point of the argument. The circumstances that led to the Banner's efficacy were unique and unlikely to occur again barring everything going to hell in a similar fashion. While you are personally doubtful of the tactical effect it can bring to bear, only being able to protect a Clan company at a minimum, more if the amount of energy it absorbs is potent enough, its symbolic value is undoubtedly unquestionable. Fighting under a golden dome of energy bearing the marks of the Ancestors themselves against neverending hordes from the darkest pits of horror for years has an effect.
You aren't sure what you will decide to do frankly, but something else has been nagging at you.
Perhaps, you should consider working alongside the Throng. While your storm has undoubtedly proved its mettle in battle, the fact that you are so far removed from the Throng to properly unleash it means you cannot meaningfully assist it besides diverting away what you hope is the worst the enemy can bring to bear. The logic and efficacy behind your choice aren't what's in question though, merely whether it's the correct response in this particular circumstance. You can't say for certain if you being within the Throng would have changed the outcome, hubris in such a thought aside, but it's a point to consider. Ultimately it comes down to deciding which benefit is better.
━<><><><==><><><>━
Casualties:
You lost around 14% of the Throng in the initial Ambush, replenished.
You lost around 18% of the Throng in the First Siege, replenished (this includes wounded from first battle recovering)
You lost around 2% of the Throng in the Second Siege, replenished (this includes wounded from previous battles recovering)
You lost around 30% of the Throng in this battle, reserves emptied and are back up to 90-92% capacity. No loss in combat efficacy.
After a final accounting, roughly 12-15% casualties. Any discrepancy between this number and the actual math is because of natural Dwarf resiliency being enough to get back up and be fighting fit.
- 4-5% of this total are actual deaths
- the remainder are those crippled or incredibly horribly injured/take too long to heal before campaign ends. Both are largely recoverable thanks to your prosthetics, Valayan medicine and Stubbornness.
[ ] [Campaign] Push on: Strike once more, attack, hopefully break through and destroy the next Fimir City. Campaign continues. Losses from this point will not be replaced before the campaign season ends. The Fimir do not have a chance to prepare, but neither do you.
[ ] [Campaign] Retreat: Fall back, rest, recuperate and prepare for the foe. Return to normal turns, go through the Rune Trades. Both sides are able to prepare for the next round of conflict, and efforts to bring in Valma and Igna will be made by the Dwarfs.
[ ] [Snorri] Continue Storm. Don't stop doing what's been working so far. Of all that could change for the next time, whenever it happens, your part is not one such thing. Snorri continues to fight away from the Throng.
[ ] [Snorri] Keep with Throng. Aiding the Throng more directly. Snorri confers a +35 bonus to Throng Rolls, enemy bonus increases by ??? now that it isn't being used against Snorri.
━<><><><Collated Gains so Far ><><><>━
Snorri:
- +2 Standing with the Cult of Valaya, new totals: Standing 10, Favours 200
-- Standing Bonus received! Standing 10, Krad Skonti: Peace Bringer, the axe of the Ancestor.
--- Action unlocked! Examine Krad Skonti: [Cost: 75 Favour with the Cult of Valaya] Gain ???. The Axe of Valaya, held in trust by her Cult until such a time that a worthy Dwarf shall take it up one day. Until then, you have the option of examining the mighty Runes used on it.
--- Can substitute Favour cost from any Dwarf Hold or Institution with Favour held with the Cult of Valaya.
--- retainers now have access and training to safely administer advanced Valayan Medical procedures, and treatments. Things only trusted to senior priestesses whom the Cult can be sure won't cock it up. A sign of great trust indeed, ++ Medical Aid and Endurance, new totals: Medical Aid > Medical Expertise, Supreme Endurance
- A meeting with Ogra Wardmaker after the Campaign.
- A Rune Trade with Brynna Gilded eyes after the campaign is completed.
- Options Unlocked! Hearthguard Training.
- +1 [Ingredientl] Meargh's Eye
-- A little bit charred, but its cosmetic damage at most. Just scrape off that char beardling, dont go wasting a perfectly good ingredient now.
- +3 [???] Shardwyrm Eggs
-- You know not what the Fimir planned to do with these, only that it would be ruinous. What you will do with them remains to be seen.
- +1 [Ingredient]Griffon brain
- One whole Mysterious Mystery Sword, and the fragments of two others
-- composed of some mysterious black alloy and filigreed in gold, the weapon is far too long for any Dwarf to wield. Through unknown magic it has the ability to cut through even Gromril with ease. The Fimir likely derived their Gromril cutting weaponry from these blades, but were not successful in matching them.
- One Mysterious Mystery Drinking Horn and Barrel
-- Both refill themselves either with pure water, mead or a form of ale not made by Dwarfs every hour.
- Various shattered Cauldrons, some still generating broth.
-- The Fimir from the Slaaneshi city likely reverse-engineered these to create their own twisted reflections.
Karstah:
- 1 Shard Wyrm Corpse.
- One Mysterious needle
-- that never runs out of fabric and is engraved with images of a maiden that is depicted either healing the wounded or at the forge.
- A [T4] Dwarf Greathammer, [Master Rune of Everfrost, Rune of Petrification, Rune of Paralysis]. Maker unknown.
- A [T2] Gromril helmet [Rune of Ironskin, Rune of Frost]. Maker unknown.
Retainers:
From Pt. 7
- -6 Hearthwardens, new total: 114/120
-- -2 Longbeard Miners, new total: 10 > 8
-- -2 Longbeard Warriors, new total: 5 > 3
-- -1 Priest of Grimnir, new total: 3 > 2
-- -1 Former Valkyrie Guard, new total: 15 > 14
From Pt. 8
- -2 Hearthwardens, new total: 112/120
-- -2 Longbeard Warriors, new total: 3 > 1
From Pt. 9
-10 Hearthwardens, new total: 102/120
-- 4 Former Valkyrie Guard, new total: 14 > 10
-- -1 Longbeard Warrior, new total: 1 > 0
-- -3 Longbeard Rangers, new total: 20 > 17
-- -2 Monster Wardens, new total: 15 > 13
Total:
-18 Hearthwardens, new total: 102/120
-- -2 Longbeard Miners, new total: 10 > 8
-- -5 Longbeard Warriors, new total: 5 > 0
-- -1 Priest of Grimnir, new total: 3 > 2
-- -5 Former Valkyrie Guard, new total: 15 > 10
-- -3 Longbeard Rangers, new total: 20 > 17
-- -2 Monster Wardens, new total: 15 > 13
━<><><><==><><><>━ There will be a two-hour moratorium for discussion.
AN: Happy New Year! God I hate combat rolls. Hope you enjoy, and don't forget to C&C. :^)
TLDR:
Ground Down by Hellswamp thanks to a very poor set of dice luck. Decision time.
Combined Throng
Combined Throng: 20 +25 Storm and Grudge and Average Equipment Bonus +20 Vragni +15 Brynna +25 Sven = +105
- Conditional: -5 or -10 from Plague and Pestillence
- Runes/Magic: Sven: 30 +5 +5 +5=+45, Brynna: 40 +5 +5 +5 =+55, Vragni: 40 +5 +5 +5 =+55, Snorri: +45 +5 Sven +5 Brynna +5 Vragni =+60
- Enemy Magic: -35 to all
Fimir
Fimir: 20 +15 Equipment +30 Defenses + 20 Foetid Swamp +15 Daemons =+100
- Conditional: +10 a Round till +20 due to Growth from Death.
- Runes/Magic: 35 +15 Heralds of Nurgle +15 Enslaved Bray Shamans -35 Snorri =+30
Combat Round 1
51,9,7,16 vs 23,8,19,32
2 Wins, 2 Losses.
Magic Round 1
62,75,70,93 vs 75,36,38,74
3 Wins, 1 Loss. 1 Loss Cancelled, Debuff only -5 next round.
New Totals
Throng: 100
Fimir: 110
Combat Round 2
27,22,13,3 vs 55,43,12,41
1 Win, 3 Losses.
Magic Round 2 95,104,60,104 vs 39,64,55,56
4 Wins, 1 Crit Win. 1 Loss Cancelled, Debuff negated due to crit.
New Totals:
Throng: 105
Fimir: 120
Combat Round 3
22,34,16,10 vs 64,66,52,49
4 Losses.
Magic Round 3
61,64,58,81 vs 75,36,69,36
2 Wins, 2 Losses.
One of the things that recently occurred to me is that the bigger they are, the harder it may be for a Banner to touch all of them. @soulcake when we're considering making a new Banner for the Hearthguard where is the cut off point for them being too numerous for one Banner to cover them all? Is it after 300 or before 300?
You don't know. Your support is just getting the Kings to Agree that they should let it happen, opening the door so to speak. Whether forts become colonies depends on Clans making the move or not. Which isn't likely to happen till after the War and the forts have no active purpose.
the fact that you are so far removed from the Throng to properly unleash it means you cannot meaningfully assist it besides diverting away what you hope is the worst the enemy can bring to bear.
I say retreat. This was a failure and another like it will make the Holds have an overall loss this campaign.
It's best we head back. We already taken out a few cities. We can always come back again for another and be better prepared for Nurgle's swamp warfare.
Been thinking a bit about how we want to try and follow on for the next few turns and came to an idea.
Turn 48, with the exception of the Retainer vote for Colony, we could just move out and try to do glimmering steel.
Turn 49, is when things start getting different. Us switching out Colony and mustering the Throng, and instead, doing the Valayan action. Instead of us trying to do all 3 AP, into Akazit, we switch out one for a [Prod a Prod], with Yorri. And then dump all of that extra prods into Movement of Things. Or, alternatively, dump it straight into Anoqeyån part 2.
Turn 50, for this one, assuming their are other Retainer actions coming, then one of them can be spent waywarding, and the other doing something else (such as doing a request to help the war effort, if it's still ongoing.) For our AP, switch out Rune Metal with Anoqeyån Part 2, and dump 30 favoyrs into completing the part instead.
Turn 51, Something as turn 50 for our Retainers, so no change... yet. You never know what might happen. For actions, switch one AP from Movement of Things, to finishing Anoqeyån. With the other action, presumably if we aren't able to get Yorri, to finishing itself from us finishing on other stuff like Rune Metal 5, and/or 3B.
Turn 52, absolutely nothing save our Retainers, but that's a given.
For Karstah in all of this. I'm of the opinion for her Research action to instead go after Frost Bird, since of how our grudge applies to our research, with turn 49 her finishing that. Before focusing on making another Dragon Blood Smelter, for the rest of the turn plans.
I'm open to a conversation about my ideas, whenever your able to express your opinions on the ideas I have, and whether or not, they could work.
So one of the big things is that this suggested path doesn't finish Akazit, need a third action somewhere across turns 48 or 49. This is something I promised the thread I was going to do eight or so months ago, and so I decided I'm not going to go for plans that don't finish it. That context aside.
I had to go back and check because I wasn't sure, but we can't spend Prods or Favor on Anoqeyan unfortunately. Be hella nice if we could.
Oh an update! I'll get back to you @rokafella in a sec.
Genuinely, we could try this again, without committing Snorri and better luck might save us. Out of 12 combat rolls on our side, we rolled three that were anything above average, and most of the rest were baaaaaaad. I worked this out while the rolls were being made but if we had had *one* extra loss cancel we could have potentially made this battle a wash for both sides.
This is what we had.
Round 1: 2 Wins, 1 Loss
Round 2: 2 Losses, 1 Win
Round 3: 3 Losses, 0 Wins
If we had had one (1) loss cancellation stored from Round 1, we could have made Round 2 a Tie. This would make the round pattern a Win, Tie, Loss. And all it would take would be winning Round 1.
Committing Snorri, I'm uncertain if its a good idea. The bonus they gain would have to equal the bonus we gain for it to start being a bad idea. Hypothetically they could get to +40 or more from it due to a combination of lingering dead from winning the prior battle and formations freed up.
Welp that was rough. The throng lost to bad luck rather than being significantly weaker. I say go for it one more time especially if the grudge goes up a level.
Pushing into the Nurgle-Cuty won't become any easier the deeper we go there and especially when we near the city itself. Might be good to do some prep and recover the losses both for the hearthguard and the throng. Unless this battle and the crit win vs their army really depleted them we don't have much of an advantage to press. Though all the same there is good reason to push on and hope for better rolls, but another battle like this one and things start getting precarious.
Master Rune of Traversal: Necessary Ingredients: [T3] Pegasus' Heart: Forces with this Rune travel over rough terrain with incredible ease, and at speeds that dwarfs don't often manage.
Rune of Perseverance (Increases resolve and endurance of allies while working towards a common goal)
Rune of Brotherhood (Lets a dwarf assimilate skills used by close comrades)
Might be time to cash in our chips. We can always regroup and make some more specific preparations for the rematch. Including a way to be able to coordinate our Storm with the Throng better.
Master Rune of Poison: The weapon bearing this rune (or its ammunition) is saturated with a virulent poison, though at least it will fade with time unlike the Rune of Toxins and its results. Created as its master experimented with ways of protecting against toxins and poisons. She does not foresee a use for it but has recorded the rune, for the sake of the knowledge and to keep other Runesmiths from wasting their time.
"You foresaw no honorable use of this thing, Great-Grandmother; and now I must beg that you shall regard Orcs from the plain, Skaven from the dark, and fire from the earth as sufficient cause to turn to it."
Master Rune of Asepsis: A simple but effective banner rune, created for spiteful work against the Plague-Lord: it cures diseases, both defensively of course but also offensively as well, the tumors, buboes, and parasites that offer so much protection for the forces of Nurgle by and large healed, leaving them much more vulnerable to a good ax to the head.
Created by a veteran of the Battle of the Hellbog out of raw, sheer spite. Though originally created against the forces of Nurgle it has also proven effective against Clan Pestilens.
#Rune-Ideas I hope it's alright that I'm reposting the Master Rune of Poison, just didn't recall ever seeing a yes or no.
I think we should continue the assault, reasoning, nurgle can replenish its losses faster, and spreads its plague everywhere, and assaulting it later will be a lot harder as the land gets more and more diseased and boggy. even if we had more forces it might not offset the growing nurgle influence that will bog them down as well.
it will be a high cost, but better the high cost paid now, than a even higher cost later.
Been thinking a bit about how we want to try and follow on for the next few turns and came to an idea.
Turn 48, with the exception of the Retainer vote for Colony, we could just move out and try to do glimmering steel.
Turn 49, is when things start getting different. Us switching out Colony and mustering the Throng, and instead, doing the Valayan action. Instead of us trying to do all 3 AP, into Akazit, we switch out one for a [Prod a Prod], with Yorri. And then dump all of that extra prods into Movement of Things. Or, alternatively, dump it straight into Anoqeyån part 2.
Turn 50, for this one, assuming their are other Retainer actions coming, then one of them can be spent waywarding, and the other doing something else (such as doing a request to help the war effort, if it's still ongoing.) For our AP, switch out Rune Metal with Anoqeyån Part 2, and dump 30 favoyrs into completing the part instead.
Turn 51, Something as turn 50 for our Retainers, so no change... yet. You never know what might happen. For actions, switch one AP from Movement of Things, to finishing Anoqeyån. With the other action, presumably if we aren't able to get Yorri, to finishing itself from us finishing on other stuff like Rune Metal 5, and/or 3B.
Turn 52, absolutely nothing save our Retainers, but that's a given.
For Karstah in all of this. I'm of the opinion for her Research action to instead go after Frost Bird, since of how our grudge applies to our research, with turn 49 her finishing that. Before focusing on making another Dragon Blood Smelter, for the rest of the turn plans.
I'm open to a conversation about my ideas, whenever your able to express your opinions on the ideas I have, and whether or not, they could work.
Anyway going back to things, it looks like Colony Support from the Retainers won't be needed for a while. That frees up a lot of their activities and makes it easier to distribute them to other priorities, a lot.
You're suggestion to do Movement of Things with Yorri around is a good idea though and does stand as a very valid alternative to doing chains on 48. Could just swap chains from 48 to 49.
Maybe this is OOC but I would rather risk it and finish the two remaining cities, if we retreat now we would need to return to this grinding again in one or two turns, and that would affect the flow of the quest significantly...
And next turn we should finally increase the numbers of the Hertguard to 300, we have been unnecessarily relating that for far too long...
Question is, is the immediate cost of pushing on now likely to be greater or lesser than the eventual cost of leaving and then returning? Both sides will have had the chance to refresh and rearm if we leave and return, so we can probably discount that side of things, but there are other benefits to each side that make it not a straight do-over.
The Fimir will be able to reinforce and make their swamp even nastier.
The Fimir may be able to unleash plagues and recruit zombie hordes.
The Fimir will have more time to demon-bind and summon.
The Dawi will be able to tailor their approach and forces to dealing with Nurgle, rather than using a generic force.
The Dawi won't be suffering from campaign exhaustion during the return.
I'm certain there are others too; it strikes me that it might be a good idea to collate everything together into a list for better cost-benefit analysis.
Might be time to cash in our chips. We can always regroup and make some more specific preparations for the rematch. Including a way to be able to coordinate our Storm with the Throng better.
There are two ways you know of, lowering the output of your storm or by equipping your allies to survive it. Latter is understandably more expensive than the former. #Theory #Magic #Combat
