Warhammer Fantasy: Divided Loyalties - an Advisor's Quest

[Alratan]

The strongest Dawi dispelling is based at the Citadel. It will cover the Caldera well but once the fighting moves inside Karagil, Kragg and Thorek can't see any shamans. That is a damn good reason for Mathilde to be among the throngs. Also, note that these assassination missions are dangerous for Mathilde, after she hits the target she usually ends up running for her life - the Bosses will be among their followers and keyed up for fighting. Having heavily armoured Dwarves at your side is a much better long term prospect.

Max has specialised in using silver arrows for combat as his contribution throughout the expedition. He should have no problem casting reliably from Gyrocopter. He has also stood dispel duty and the Gyrocopters are a really obvious target for enemy spellcasters and might not always be where the runesmiths can protect them.

Johann is artillerytastic.

I don't think the Journeymen have the range to add much to the fire support from the citadel. Meanwhile fighting alongside Dwarves in battle is a skill in its own right distinct from tunnel patrol shenanigans. It's a skill that will be important to them if they want to find work round here. They don't have the armour to be front rankers but they're taller than Dawi, their lightsabers have decent reach and they have zap spells too. Plus they give whatever unit they're with embedded counterspelling. Being part of a well organised unit is safer than what they get up to on the excursions with us.

The K8P throng is a better choice for them than the point of the spear with Azul though.

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If Mathilde is inside the mountain, she can kill any shamans as they try to respond.

There's a military saying, 'you fight as you train'. The Journeymen haven't trained in fighting in a dwarven shieldwall, so they should be expected to be crap at it. If they want to join the shieldwall, they can ask for training and then they can do it. They shouldn't just try to ad lib it while not having the first clue about what to do.

 

[noliar]

You know, that High Elf thing of "The young recruits first serve as archers so they can get experience from a safe distance, then graduate to melee spearmen" makes so much sense to me now.

Next chance we get, we should see about getting Gretel a ranged weapon.

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Gretel should see about getting Gretel a ranged weapon. They are not our apprentices, they are independent contractors who come under our authority.

 

[In_lurk_shadow]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and rampage through enemy lines once battle begins.
[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.

[X] DUCKLINGS: Split up and placed with units going into Karagril.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
I really hope that the dorfs dont blame us if the ducklings miscast and open a warp rift.

[X] MAX: Firing from the Citadel.
I dont think that shoting from an unstable platform in a battle is a goodidea without prior practice.

[X] JOHANN: Fighting in melee in Karagril.
Jopefully he can look after the ducklings and stop the worst of the miscasts if it happens.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.
He's good at it.

[X] Leave it untouched.

 

[Asheram]

Hrm, fair point. Still, support from the Citadel isn't really good for getting them experience either, especially as only two of them can shoot from there--and not very well.

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It helps them learn to read a battle, how to understand strategy, and to get a perspective that they can apply when they are capable of fighting in the front lines.

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^ This.
A medieval battle is a cluster**** of massive proportions with the back lines forcing the front lines forward. What the Ducklings need to see right now is just how bad it can get in the fray without being in it. I.E. Casting from a distance.
Even if that leaves some unable to contribute, it's still a learning experience to just witness it all.

If we want them to be able to directly contribute then we assign them to a scout company after the battle with the request of the company to train them up to be competent scouts.

Edit: Heck, one of them just miscast in a fairly "safe" fight. They need to get accustomed to a situation where they'll be proper distracted.

 

[Alratan]

Jopefully he can look after the ducklings and stop the worst of the miscasts if it happens.

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We've just been told that Magisters are taught not to intervene when a Journeyman miscasts. Johann doesn't have Mathilde's belt, so all putting him close to a msicasting Journeyman does is endanger him.

 

[NeonLights]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.
[X] Set it to the Protector, so that all will know your exploits.

 

[veekie]

So. That's a lesson for them in itself, that teaches them that they need to get better before they can participate in battles. We've no obligation whatsoever to have them fight when they're simply unfit to do so, and they've just conclusively proved they should be nowhere near the front lines. They're simply not competent enough yet.

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And thats failing at our obligation as a member of Karak Eight Peaks, to underutilize an asset seconded to our command.
A Magister is not supposed to coddle their Journeymen like that either, Journeymen are here to gain real experiences, and war is one such experience they expressedly came here for.

They're here to get combat experience, forcing them to sit out fulfills none of our duties on top of being hypocritical. Mathilde did more when less prepared.

 

[JackOfAll]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.

[X] Leave it untouched.

 

[Angelform]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.
[X] Leave it untouched.

Reasoning:
Best use of our abilities.
They actively want to be in combat. We should allow them, but in as safe as way as possible.
Max can have some fun and it sets a very useful precedent.
Best use of his abilities.
I do not want to waste the coin on a Favour buff. I really don't want to waste actions next turn trying to find something the Protector will actually help with rather than doing research. Particularly as there are a bunch of voters who refuse to do important research without the Gambler on it.

 

[Codex]

Gretel should see about Gretel a ranged weapon. They are not our apprentices, they are independent contractors who come under our authority.

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To be fair, we're essentially their teacher at this point. Pretty unconventional, but Mathilde certainly revels in it. She can't teach them how to use their wind, but there's plenty she can teach them besides that.

 

[Varano]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.
[X] Set it to the Protector, so that all will know your exploits.

 

[Businessmanga]

Honestly Wizard Bootcamp is probably worth doing, haha.

Johann has bullshit tricks that make him a good punch wizard. Given his whole style is like functionally suicide charging at people, we should try and hook him up with a Slayer for training. Bump the theoretical punch knowledge up to match the practical.

We advised Panoramia to get halfling bow training, and she may well have started that way, but we know Max just kind of carries a bow around as decoration. May as well direct them both toward a Fieldwarden patrol!

Adela has her whole Engineering bent, so convincing her to pick up a gun or six probably wouldn't be hard. Trying to get her to third wheel on Hubert's date knights to try and hone her lightsaber combat into a much better martial score wouldn't hurt.

Gretel I could see being plonked down into either of the two groups above, just having a backup ranged option is important.

Hubert is a weird one. The whole aversion to ranged options for an Ulrican thing is averted by him having picked up lightning bolt as like his first proper spell. He's well on his way to becoming a melee murder blender with Soizic coaching him. He's certainly leaning into the Wizard Chic despite his Magic score being about him not really accepting being a wizard, but it wouldn't hurt to try and get him to pick up First Portent of Amul and eventually the Second. If being indecisive is his problem, then glimpsing the future should help out.

 

[HavocKeeper]

[X] Leave it untouched.
[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and rampage through enemy lines once battle begins.
[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from the Citadel.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.

 

[Vocalend]

...well, I know what's I'm going to vote.

[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter

I ain't no Thane's son, no~

Next chance we get, we should see about getting Gretel a ranged weapon.

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Hum, a thought comes to mind. @BoneyM, would a suitable task on our capacity as Court Wizard include providing an armoury of Dwarven-forged weaponry to be used by the Journeymanlings and other Magisters under our command? A shared armoury where visiting Mages could be loaned good-quality weapons under the understanding that it's to make the Dwarves more comfortable around the WMDs who would use Dawi made weapons.

 

[Abhorsen]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and rampage through enemy lines once battle begins.
[X] Leave it untouched.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.

 

[Walliseatscheese]

Most magic wouldn't be enough, and nearly no skaven bullshit would be either. There's also skaven bullshit or magic that could hit him wherever he is, so it basically evens out.

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The difference is that the madman shooting magic down from a gyrocopter is a much more visible target than the madman shooting magic down from a fortified position.

 

[Chimeraguard]

Hubert is a weird one. The whole aversion to ranged options for an Ulrican thing is averted by him having picked up lightning bolt as like his first proper spell. He's well on his way to becoming a melee murder blender with Soizic coaching him. He's certainly leaning into the Wizard Chic, but it wouldn't hurt to try and get him to pick up First Portent of Amul and eventually the Second. If being indecisive is his problem, then glimpsing the future should help out.

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It's specifically blackpowder weapons and crossbows that Ulric shuns rather than ranged weapons in general. Bows should be fine, though the question is if he's willing to learn and if it's a good use of his time and carrying capacity.

 

[Alratan]

And thats failing at our obligation as a member of Karak Eight Peaks, to underutilize an asset seconded to our command.
A Magister is not supposed to coddle their Journeymen like that either, Journeymen are here to gain real experiences, and war is one such experience they expressedly came here for.

They're here to get combat experience, forcing them to sit out fulfills none of our duties on top of being hypocritical. Mathilde did more when less prepared.

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I suspect that sending the Journeymen to take up the place of an experienced dwarven warrior is likely to overall weaken the assault, not strengthen it. By sending them, Mathilde would arguably be failing in her duties by sending wizards into an inappropriate situation.

They're here to get combat experience, but the way to do that isn't to dive into storming a fortified position. That's something to incrementally work up to. You're sending them to do the hardest and most dangerous thing in pre-modern warfare. There's a reason that the name for units that did so was the 'Forlorn Hope', and it's because it was incredibly dangerous and people who tried weren't expected to come back.

 

[Mopman43]

[X] Leave it untouched.
[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.

 

[veekie]

Why would be being with the dwarves who are doing something incredibly dangerous (storming a fortified position) be a safety net. It should be the most dangerous place they can be. They're incredibly squishy compared to the dwarves who would be around them, so would be priority targets or could just get randomly taken out by an arrow or a thrown spear that would bounce off a dwarf. They're also not deadly enough to make a good offence a form of defence.

Even worse, it's a stressful environment where miscasting is more likely, and they're probably less useful in combat than the dwarf warrior whose place they'd literally be filling. Having them there may actually be a hindrance, not a help.

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Because the mercenaries are in the first line of battle, the dwarves are the mopup/backbone.
Noting that Adele aside, they're as killy as a Knight each, trading off heavy armor for modest armor and higher offense.

If you want to be able to completely guarantee the safety of your underlings, stop working in an active warzone. Every one of the wizards at Karak Eight Peaks accepted the risks and chose to come here. Denying them the chance to earn glory and favour in battle is a really fast way to foster resentment.

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Basically this in essence. They came here accepting the risks. Journeymen are supposed to be independent learners, not coddled.

We've shown them enough that their significant intelligence knows what risks they can or cannot take with orcs.

 

[Alectai]

Hmm.

Yeah, looking at our OOB as well, it looks like we're sending in our mercenary force in first, and the Dwarfs are the second wave, the most dangerous part of the fighting will have largely passed, and our Journeymanlings can get a chance to get practical experience in the second or third ranks of a dwarfen shieldwall, that seems a pretty good hybrid of safety and practical experience to me.

Hey, @BoneyM . Is Mathilde's strategy if she decides to wreak havoc being "She sneaks in, and then she suddenly shows up behind the enemy force and shock-charges their rear ranks while they're engaged with our own front line?"

 

[In_lurk_shadow]

We've just been told that Magisters are taught not to intervene when a Journeyman miscasts. Johann doesn't have Mathilde's belt, so all putting him close to a msicasting Journeyman does is endanger him.

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I forgot about that. Still I like the thought of him punching orcs rather than help aim the artillery like he was doing previously. So I wont change my vote. Sorry.

 

[Boney]

Hum, a thought comes to mind. @BoneyM, would a suitable task on our capacity as Court Wizard include providing an armoury of Dwarven-forged weaponry to be used by the Journeymanlings and other Magisters under our command? A shared armoury where visiting Mages could be loaned good-quality weapons under the understanding that it's to make the Dwarves more comfortable around the WMDs who would use Dawi made weapons.

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A borrowed weapon you're not familiar with is often more of a hindrance than a help, and it'd be pushing the limits of Mathilde's authority to try to get them to train with a weapon they don't own.

Hey, @BoneyM . Is Mathilde's strategy if she decides to wreak havoc being "She sneaks in, and then she suddenly shows up behind the enemy force and shock-charges their rear ranks while they're engaged with our own front line?"

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That'd be the dream scenario, but she'd wing it in response to whatever she encounters.

 

[HeWhoAdds]

[X] MATHILDE: Infiltrate Karagril early, and pick off any competent leaders.
[X] DUCKLINGS: Kept together and going into Karagril with the Dwarves.
[X] MAX: Firing from a gyrocopter.
[X] JOHANN: Joining the siege weapon teams.

[X] Leave it untouched.

 

[Asheram]

Hubert is a weird one. The whole aversion to ranged options for an Ulrican thing is averted by him having picked up lightning bolt as like his first proper spell. He's well on his way to becoming a melee murder blender with Soizic coaching him. He's certainly leaning into the Wizard Chic despite his Magic score being about him not really accepting being a wizard, but it wouldn't hurt to try and get him to pick up First Portent of Amul and eventually the Second. If being indecisive is his problem, then glimpsing the future should help out.

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We know he's decent with a sword so we should definitely assign him to keep training with it.
It's a darn shame we don't have any cavalry because he could use the mobility.