I'll review that when I have time. If I flubbed it, then I'll give that to you. Thanks for pointing it out!
And you can recommend that Ichiro uses Rage while instructing the Steeds to specifically reserve the Flares to cover for him. Just note that he'll take double damage from all attacks that you know of, and from what else the Brute has that it hasn't shown off yet.
@Basarin I do have a question about the turn rolls. In the previous rounds when Ichiro hit he did 2+2 damage, but now it's 1+1. Is this a part of the combat system rejiggering that I missed you mentioning?
@Basarin I do have a question about the turn rolls. In the previous rounds when Ichiro hit he did 2+2 damage, but now it's 1+1. Is this a part of the combat system rejiggering that I missed you mentioning?
Ichiro got crits, which deal double damage. Also he didn't do 2+2 every round, only on round 1, when he got a crit. He also got a crit on his heavy attack on round 3, so that heavy attack did 4 damage rather than 2.
"Fire! Fire!" The pilots of Arrow 3 were desperately attempting to hose down as much fire as possible, fighting the recoil of the rotary cannons as trigger discipline all but flew off into the wind. Brass shell casings ejected in an outright stream, clattering with cheerful sounding clink noises as their older machines backpedaled away from the oncoming Centurion tank. Some rounds were scoring deep gouges into the armor plate, but for the most part, all they accomplished was to utterly destroy the landscape around the not-tank, giant plumes of dirt and earth flying into the air. All it did was to almost serve as an impromptu smokescreen for the new mechanical monstrosity that the Union had somehow cooked up.
Wallace gritted his teeth beneath his mask as the tank blithely carried on, shrugging off damage that even a solitary tank from just two years ago would have thought twice about. They were wounding it, but they were not doing enough to it. The tank - at least at that particular moment it was a tank - fired once again, but the warmachines were able to sidestep just at the right moment, the round sailing harmlessly past them-
-but clearly the warmachine learned from its experiences with the now-scrapped Tank-Mobiles. Almost a split moment later, at speeds that would be impossible for a mortal crew, another round was fired immediately. The explosive round detonated at the feet of one of Arrow 3's mechs, sending it staggering and disrupting the tight, desperate formation the pilots were attempting to maintain until Bruce could arrive. The pilot desperately fought to maintain his machine's balance, but as the sparking, shredded legs simply gave way, it toppled over to its side with a resounding crunch.
It was right about that moment that the Union decided to send motorcycles of all things.
1754, 27 July A.D. 2072
Combat
Ichiro configured back into his humanoid shape, but soon he realized he didn't need to have bothered. The Intelligence team were absolutely tearing into the last two of the Walkers, circling around them like an anachronistic biker gang. Only instead of chains, clubs or whatever weapons were at hand, they were utilizing slashing attacks via quick configurations that even Richard would have been mildly impressed with. As one motorcycle slammed into the legs of one Walker, the next was already configured into power armor, using their momentum to plow into the weakened machine or to place magnetic explosives onto them. It was a never ending, never ceasing orchestra of motion.
And as the final Walker was brought down, the Intelligence pilots immediately dispersed once again, already right back into motion as the looming giant in the distance drew closer. "Why are we always David fighting Goliath?" Ichiro grumbled to himself. "If it's not Kaiju, it's giant robots. Or a bigger Kaus at the rate I'm gonna go."
"You sure you earned the right to complain about it yet?" Anna asked.
"Give it time, I'll get there." Ichiro stood firm on that one. Shifting gears, his internal targeting system began to ping the oncoming forces. "More of those buggy things," he noted, "two squads' worth. And that...thing." In all honesty, even from where he was from, Ichiro was impressed that the Westphalians could - or would - build something that ridiculous. "How the hell do they even hide that thing?" The very earth seemed to shake every so often with each step, independent rocket pods already attempting to seek targets whilst a claw appendage on its right side was already snapping, discordant metal screeches echoing with every little bit of motion. Whoever was piloting it clearly had confidence that they could win.
Combat, Round Five
"Whatever that big thing is, let's get rid of the help first," Ichiro decided. "You guys, follow me, and let's tear these jokers apart."
"Just keep an eye out for the big one," Anna cautioned. "Feeding you what I've got, but I still don't know what else it might have brought to the party."
"One way to find out, I guess."
1758, 27 July A.D. 2072
"The Brute"
"Look lively, Bruce!" Bruce laughed cheerfully as he manhandled the controls - nothing more than a few levers, a steering wheel, and maybe a pedal or two. Shifting one of the levers back and letting pressure off of one of the pedals, he grinned with manic glee as he felt the Brute lumber along its left foot, stomping down almost smack dab into the middle of the swirling melee that was taking place. "We got ourselves a right scrap 'ere, Bruce! Go on, let 'im have it!"
"Who, exactly, Bruce?" Where Bruce the pilot was jovial and cheerful, Bruce the gunner was a grumpier sort. Now, granted, that was probably because Bruce kept trying to tell Bruce how to do his job, but he was just so bad at it! "I don't have a bloody shot at any of them, and you know how snippy the ponces get when we clip our own!"
But Bruce had to concede that he had a point - the fight so far was nothing but downright mixed. The uni robot (and if that wasn't one of those newfangled Super Robots, he'd eat Bruce's hat) was slamming its fists into the ground, attempting to destroy the Tank-Mobile lads that'd been assigned to come with them. A tad overkill he'd thought, but wise old Bruce up at the fancy command seat reckoned that it might actually be needed. Given that the fists were gouging small craters into the ground while the Tank-Mobiles were desperately trying to apply all of those defensive driving lessons they'd forgotten back in their drinking days, he decided that there might have been a point to it.
To say nothing of the strange motorcycles. Where the tank robot was a giant trying to slam his fists into the terrified lads down there, the fights between the motorcycles and the Tank-Mobiles looked every little bit like a dirt rally. For whatever strange reason, the boffins who designed the Tank-Mobiles could only let the bloody things change one way and not the other, but the uni bastards had clearly figured it out - one moment the bikes were bikes, and then the next they were in power armor making like really aggressive hitchhikers as they attempted to slash at, shoot at, or latch onto the Tank-Mobiles to do some damage. Aside from one unfortunate bastard who'd been blinded by one attempt and had fallen into a pothole of the big robot's making, the wheels still spinning wildly even as the power armor put the engine block out of its misery, very little happened from that one-
"Bruce!"
"Aye, Bruce?" He looked over his shoulder to look over at Bruce, the lad with his fancy gadgets in the commander seat glowing something at them.
"That bloody tank robot. You see it?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't want to. Bring us closer, would you?"
"Ah. Right then! Bruce! Ready up!"
"Readying up, aye! Charge us in, Bruce!"
As if the machine recognized what was about to happen before Bruce even punched in the controls, the engine began to growl. Already at a low thrumming before, it raised in intensity until the very frame began to shake, and Bruce was confident that had the machine been able to, it would have pawed at the ground to get at a running start. A simple green light lit up next to the engine gauges, illuminating the grime-covered face of the engineer. Bruce grinned, and pushed the lever forwards.
And rocked back in his seat as the machine charged.
1801, 27 July A.D. 2072
Combat
"Ichiro, heads up-!"
Anna's warning came slightly too late as the Tank-Mobiles split off from their recent attack. Ichiro's optics widened slightly as he realized he'd slightly been too focused on the enemies in front of him to catch the giant metal monster that was charging at him-
And in this instance, the expression humans would have used was having the wind knocked out of him. Abruptly, the giant metal claw seemed to explode in place, but that illusion was quickly dispelled as through the still expanding fireball the massive claw fired at him, sharpened edges outstretched as a rapidly extending piece of chain rattled menacingly behind it. The claw connected, and slammed Ichiro into the ground, the momentum carrying him quite a distance away. Ichiro was barely aware of the claw attempting to tighten its grip on him, feeling metal growl and buckle in some place, and he was mildly aware of how the gesture sent him sliding past a few of the melees between the Steeds and the other machines-
Yet the chain began to recede as additional rockets practically next to his face fired, sending the claw swinging wildly in a wide arc more suited for toys than for machines of war. With a dismissive gesture, the claw simply released its hold onto him, probably assuming that the impact would do him in.
Nevermind the pain and disorientation; Ichiro found himself insulted by that thought.
The super AI's frame bounced once, then twice onto the ground, before righting himself, forcing his hands and one knee to dig into the ground. His limbs practically dug a small irrigation trench into the ground - gah, I hope this wasn't anyone's farm - but his momentum didn't slow for a good three seconds. One, two, three seconds passed before Ichiro exhaled sharply - he didn't need air, but it felt appropriate anyhow. "Okay," he grumbled to himself as he slowly stood up to his feet, dirt freely falling from his form as he rose. "Okay." More dents, more than a few cuts that probably would lead into something a bit more important - but he still had Shards to help temporarily fix that problem.
"Let's try this again."
1805, 27 July A.D. 2072 <ERROR: LOCALE UNKNOWN>
Combat, Round Six
"They're going to be bloody insufferable after this," Wallace grumbled to himself. But despite that, this was why he kept Bruce around. The sight of seeing the Union's machine (a Super Robot? He would have to ask around) get slammed into the ground by the Brute, and then simply flung around the countryside like a ragdoll, was deeply satisfying. It also was something of a cause for relief - at least the heavier machinery of Westphalia, even the older ones, still held bite to them. But as the tank mech simply got up to its feet again, there was a growing sense of dread as well. Not necessarily for this fight - they'd proven they could pose a threat to it repeatedly - but for the wider war. They'd clearly been complacent.
He watched as the Tank-Mobiles once again attempted to dodge once again - and this time, fail. The pilots' nerves were clearly getting to them, as the full destructive power of the mech was displayed in all its gruesome glory. He watched more of the prototype machines simply shatter from each blow, all but coming apart at the seams like a cheap model kit. Circuitry, wires, and more than a few shifted limbs laid scattered around the site of the massacre - and those damned motorcycles swooped in like so much vultures. The remaining two pilots were desperately attempting to hold on for dear life, but the situation as it was, even with Bruce, was already looking bad enough-
An alarm blared from one of his aides' consoles.
That alarm.
"Sir..."
"Damnation." It had arrived. Their chances for defeating the Earth Union machine and capturing the Intelligence team had just plummeted.
1804, 27 July A.D. 2072
Combat
The last few pilots must not have even seen what did in their machines. At high speeds, what looked like a giant boomerang slammed into them, the abused frames finally unable to take any more punishment. Almost as if guided by some form of targeting, the boomerang - and whatever it was made of Ichiro could not get a close enough look at - bounced off of one of the buggy machines, though doing no damage. And as for the giant metal monster...Some parts of the machine simply fell off of the frame where it landed, but it seemed no worse for the wear.
Before Ichiro could raise any form of incredulity at what was happening, his optics picked up what a human's might have missed - sparks of energy going back in one direction, as if it were pulling the metal back towards it. And at no slower speed than its arrival-
The metals broke apart, revealing arms of all thing, latching onto a smaller frame. Electric arcs, now more visible in the spectrum, violently latched between both masses of metal before firmly slamming the distance shut between them - but Ichiro could see the raw amounts of electric energy coursing in that small frame. It looked every little bit like a knight, with a few concessions for its nature as what must have been a Super Robot. Green-tinted visor, angled metal construction, and a blockier torso that had to be the cockpit module meshed with a sized sword and shield to match, along with what looked like a personalized heraldry emblazoned on the corner of the cockpit.
Ichiro just shook his head. "Valiant, huh?"
"In the flesh." A new video link opened right below Anna's, and a cheerful young woman simply waved at him sardonically. Two control sticks were visible in front of her, along with other machine interface controls that he wasn't able to fully parse out at a glance. "Sorry for the delay, I had a bit of a discussion with my superiors on when I could launch. Erika Drake, charmed to meet you all."
"Happy to have you here with us." Ahh - Anna had linked her into the communications node. That was how she patched in. "Now, how about-?"
Whatever else was about to be said was cut off as the remaining Tank-Mobile machines seemed to do...something. It took Ichiro a moment to recall that this was technically Valiant's turf - and that reasonably the Westphalians might be a bit terrified of it. Just like the earlier machines, they had attempted to configure, their armor plating and wheels popping off as before - and just like that, the entire squad's configuration messed up. It then came as no surprise that whatever rockets they still had to hand all went flying wildly around Valiant, none of them even coming close to hitting her.
For her part, Erika just raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Well. They're normally better shots than that-" Her communication video cut short as the giant monstrosity's weapons pods erupted, and contrails of what looked like a rocket storm rained down onto Valiant's position. Almost as if the pilot aboard was insulted at the terrible display shown by the Tank-Mobiles and wanted to show them how it was done.
But for all its efforts, even through the dust storm, the Valiant remained untouched. "Well, that was just rude," Erika huffed again - her arm appeared to be missing, until it simply flew right back to her again, reattaching it without any loss of motion or function. "Right then. Let's show them what for, shall we?"
"Any advice for the big one?" Ichiro asked. His HUD flashed before his eyes for a moment as he slotted another Shard into his internals - he had one last one after that, but at least more of the display was showing a healthier green as opposed to concerned amber. "I didn't think they made them like that."
"Not the first time they brought the Brute out," Erika replied. "That lot stomped through Berlin the other year, and they bring it out to play every so often. Didn't have rockets last time, though, and I've no bloody clue what else they might have given it - surprised they still keep finding idiots stupid enough to pilot it. Keep hacking away at it, but I'd rather we got rid of its helpers first - by itself the Brute is more manageable."
"Fair enough," Anna replied cheerfully. "Alright, let's bring this thing down!"
"Don't make it sound too easy or anything," Ichiro grumbled.
Erika Drake and the Valiant arrive as full combatants! Stats are listed below.
Ichiro uses the next charge of Shards, bringing HP back to 12/16. One charge remains.
No reinforcements are inbound - the Brute and one squad
Arm Cannon: Has an arm cannon as part of his chassis. Can make a Heavy Weapon Strike as a free action at Advantage (3d6, Threshold of 5-6, deals 2 HP) every three rounds - Available. Strikes:
Counts as One Action (Notable Bonus may apply).
Roll 2d6, Threshold of 5-6, inflicts 1+1 HP on success.
Zirvitium-Plated Gauntlets: Adds +1HP damage to Strikes. Equipment will last for this battle only. Shard Kit: Consumable. Restores +3HP per use as a Free Action. One Charge remaining. Relentless: If about to take a mortal strike, roll 1d6. A 4-6 will negate that damage. Upgrade Slots: 1 (Unslotted at this time) SAI-01 Ichiro Banner
Actions per Turn:
- 1
Notable Character:
- Can Strike twice per turn at 2d6 for 1 HP each. Counts as a single Action.
Hot Headed:
- Major Devin's calm nature is normally the personality that's reflected. However, this AI understands rage, and tends to bottle it up until he's had enough. Once every three turns, he may activate "Rage." For one turn, the AI will inflict twice as much damage, but also take twice as much incoming damage.
Valiant
Piloted by Erika Drake
HP: 12 (4/4 Limb HP) Agile: May roll to avoid a successful enemy attack at 2d6, Threshold of 4-6. Diminishing Returns: After two successful agile rolls, Threshold increases to 5-6 and then 6 for subsequent rolls that round. Dynim-powered Limbs:
- Valiant's limbs will take damage first. If limbs are destroyed, Valiant loses currently assigned weapon and cannot attack; must replace limbs as a full Action before attacking again.
Equipment:
- Can equip different limbs and weapons mid-battle. Can have two equipped at any time. Replacing Limbs takes a Full Action.
- Blade:
- Enables Strike. Notable bonus applies.
- Enables 'Parry'
- Flak Cannon: Heavy Weapons Strike. Rolls at Advantage (3d6) to inflict 2 HP. Does not refresh - must spend an Action to reload.
- Shield: Reduces 1 HP of incoming damage. Can absorb 5 HP of damage before failing.
- Boomerang Limbs: May sacrifice 2 HP from Limbs to attack up to three separate groups for 1 HP each. On a successful roll (Threshold of 4-6 at 2d6), the limbs and HP return. A failed roll allows the attack, but you lose the HP.
Erika Drake
Actions per Turn:
- 1
Notable Character:
- Can Strike twice per turn at 2d6 for 1 HP each. Counts as a single Action.
Excellent Help:
- Can call on Patrick to ready extra limbs on a moment's notice. The next limb replacement takes no Action. Refreshes after Nine Rounds.
Aspiring Swordswoman:
- When Blade is equipped, can use 'Parry'
- Parry:
- Once per turn, you may attempt to Parry an incoming attack at Disadvantage (1d6). A success at 4-6 will negate damage.
- Counts as One Action. Roll to Strike at an enemy at Disadvantage for 1d6 Three Times, Threshold of 4-6. Can inflict 1 HP per Strike. Can target multiple enemies if desired.
Flares:
- Counts as One Action.
- Can launch distracting flares to divert enemy attention. Will force the enemy to re-roll any Action of the Steed's choice. If available, can launch as a Defensive Action off-round (but gives up Action for upcoming round).
- Guarantees the targeted enemy will dedicate next attack or Action towards the Steed.
- Can be used once every three combat turns.
Super Agile: May roll to avoid a successful enemy attack at 2d6, Threshold of 4-6. Diminishing Returns do not apply. Support: Has no HP value. However, if Super Agile roll is failed, Steeds withdraw for two Combat Rounds before returning. Anna Smith
Intelligence
Call Out: Can reduce an enemy's attack rolls by 1d6. Effect lasts for three rounds of combat. Refreshes after six rounds of combat - refreshes at Round Eleven. Linked Telemetry: Can allow Banner to completely re-roll one failed roll (players indicate what type of re-roll this would be applied to). Can also force a re-roll Off-Round of an enemy roll. Refreshes after nine rounds of combat. Banner must keep the new result. Tactical Analysis: Will reveal additional details of enemy forces over time. Passive skill.
- May re-roll a successful enemy attack at 2d6 (Threshold of at least 5-6).
Configuration-capable
Malfunction
- The machines are not fully ready, seem to suffer in transition from vehicle to mecha. They lose 1d6 on their next attack.
Disposable Rocket Tubes:
- Can strike at advantage (3d6), Inflicts 3 HP.
"The Brute" Rocket Claw:
- Strikes at Advantage (3d6) for 2 HP. Immediately follow up at Disadvantage (1d6) to inflict 1 HP more. Rocket Pods:
- Heavy Weapons Strike. Fires two salvos at 2d6 each, can inflict 2 HP per success. Scrap Armor:
- Reduce incoming damage by 1 HP. Limits unknown.
Further Capabilities not yet observed.
This would make for quite the episode, the opening tension as a group of spooks investigate, followed by the Westphalians attempting to capture them, only to run into a very capable psudo-transformer whom held them off with the aid of those bikes, and the re-appearance of the Bruce around the same time Valiant arrived...
Woohoo! Team-up episode! Here's hoping for unintentional flirting between Ichiro and Erika. Also, go Intel team!
Finishing off the mooks before focusing on the boss seems like a good idea. If possible, time the Intel team's Flare action to divert attacks from a Raging Ichiro.
I am gonna laugh if Erika hops out after the battle to meet her fellow Pilot in person and Ichiro just has an awkward moment figuring out how to explain.
Alright, so my plan is to use Rage and Flares at the same time, so that Ichiro won't get hit by the Brute while Rage is active. Aside from that the plan is the same.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[x] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[x] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[x] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[x] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[x] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[x] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[x] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[x] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[x] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[x] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[x] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[x] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
This would make for quite the episode, the opening tension as a group of spooks investigate, followed by the Westphalians attempting to capture them, only to run into a very capable psudo-transformer whom held them off with the aid of those bikes, and the re-appearance of the Bruce around the same time Valiant arrived...
I use the dice rolls primarily as script shells and outlines - the story will go one particular way, but I can flesh out how it does so as I like. Some scenes just end up writing themselves that way, which helps me quite a bit.
I agree, though, it is pretty nifty to see how this could have slotted into a crossover episode of Valiant.
I am gonna laugh if Erika hops out after the battle to meet her fellow Pilot in person and Ichiro just has an awkward moment figuring out how to explain.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[x] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[x] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[x] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
[X] Targeting priority remains unchanged: take down the tank mobiles first, but use heavy weapons against the brute.
[X] Ichiro should use rage at the same time as the Steeds use flares to distract the Brute, so that the Brute does not target Ichiro while rage is active
[X] Anna's orders remain unchanged.
