Adopting a defensive formation, the party ready their weapons and enter guarding stances, ready to evade or block the onslaught of their foes. By attacking, those constructs would leave themselves open for retaliation, it is simply a matter of surviving long enough to do so.
The Sniper unit aims for Andon, the Wanderer was more exposed unlike Eina and Cheru who remained safely behind Graham's armored figure and a larger target compared to Ellen, furthermore, he was less armored than either the Knight or the Count. Thus, for a construct designed to kill with efficiency, he was deemed the optimum target. It raises what appears to be a mere portion of a rifle yet within the following seconds, angular forms crystallize into existence, forming the railcannon. The circular three-round magazine would, upon the pull of the trigger, be emptied in a calamitous blast, propelled with such recoil that the Border of Life, the dichotomy between life and what lies beyond, was required to help brace against its sheer force.
[DEX:
1+30] [PAT:
26+40] [PAT:
44+40] [PAT:
25+40]
Theory however, can vary wildly from reality. Perhaps due to the damage it had sustained in its transition to this strange world, it instead targets the Countermeasure unit. Knowing precisely where it was (after all, it is logical for constructs in the same squad to know each other's location without the interference of the systems that hid them), it ignores all defenses as it nails its comrade in the back, dealing 215 damage in total.
The Pointman on the other hand, had other priorities, with Eina and Cheru conventionally behind Graham, they placed themselves right into the path a dissolution spear shot. Considering their lack of armor, the ethereal rift would pierce Graham and hit the pair as well, forcibly imposing itself unto reality. From within, a deluge empty souls would erupt, their sheer quantity perturbing reality, causing further damage before their cataclysmic snap-back to their proper realm, in conjunction with the rift's violent closure then catch the trio in a devastating blast. All this could be ensured by simply aiming at them and pulling the trigger of its bullpup rifle.
[DEX:
1+25] [SAT:
6!+25] [SAT:
11+25] [SAT:
24+25]
So of course, it decides that it would rather be helping its comrade with its team killing exercise, succeeding in critical-hitting the Countermeasures unit, ripping it apart and scattering what remains of its broken form, dealing a grand total of over 116 damage.
The CQB unit was thankfully not programmed with loyalty cascade as a function, so rather than deciding to partake in the desecration of the Countermeasures unit's scattered remains or attacking one of its alleged squadmates, it charges at Graham.
[DEX:
8+25] vs. [DEX:
17+20]
Thrusting its sword mid-lunge, the corona of magic shining brilliantly. Graham however, remained unscathed, not too keen on receiving a magical shiv to the sternum, he deftly swung his entire body to the side and with a hard jerk, convinced Destrier to swiftly turn away approximately 90 degrees pivoting on hind legs to help evade the blade before gracefully returning to their initial posture, no worse for wear.
The Support unit begins to suppress Gaston, firing twin two-round bursts from its assault rifle.
[DEX:
21+20] vs. [DEX:
33+20]
Gaston anticipates the attack, reading his mechanical foe's movements and quickly estimating its trajectory. As an experienced duelist, he knew that to overreact to an attack would leave one open for a second and undermine one's own position. Therefore, to minimize movements whilst retaining an advantageous position was crucial. Normally, he would close in on the opponent, maneuvering into a position where he could limit his adversary's options and harass them with conservative strikes of his blade. Though in all fairness, normally he would be fighting he would be fighting at close range, normally his opponent wouldn't have a gun and normally it would be one on one. But this was not normally and without any way to approach his foe safely, he settled for moving as little as possible. With a slight tilt of his head, the two rounds destined for his skull raced past him before harmlessly impacting a nearby tree.
[DEX:
1+20]
It seems that Count Pierrot's French accent is apparently capable of also inciting the imposition of something else the French are heuristically associated with: revolution. Either that, or the Support construct came with causality cascade routines as it proceeds to swing its arm and discharge the second burst straight into the Sniper.
[PAT:
1+20] [PAT:
6!+20]
The first shot glowed with brilliant luminescence yet did little. The second shot, with its offensive systems sequestrated more appropriately did not shine. To shine was to release energy. To release energy to the environment was inefficient. This final bullet of its brief barrage was far from inefficient, scoring a critical hit on its questionably chosen target. Altogether, dealing a bit over 47 damage.
All in all, though the party has yet to make a single attack and no one at all has harmed a single enemy, the hostiles are already down by one and another one of their units has been damaged.
Dalo: 180
Pierrot: 180
Weiss: 150
Sigmus: 215
Farbridge: 205
Callahan: 150
Pointman: 225
Sniper: 134?
Support: 250
Countermeasures: COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY FUCKED
CQB: 225
Physical Attack: 0
Physical Defense: 25
Special Attack: 25
Special Defense: 25
Agility/Dexterity: 25
Dissolution Spear: 3-hit mid-close special attack, first is a -5 to dodge light hit, second is a low-mid hit, third is a +5 to dodge heavy hit.
Pulse Blade: Heavy special melee attack. Either -5 to dodge or ±0 to dodge. If ±0, the unit is propelled out of melee range by recoil.
Physical Attack: 40
Physical Defense: 16
Special Attack: 0
Special Defense: 16
Agility/Dexterity: 28
Dragon Slayer: 3-hit heavy ranged physical attack, -5 to dodge, only one dodge roll is made. Halves all defenses and prevents dodging when used. 5-turn cooldown.
Bow and Arrow: Mid physical attack, ranged.
Physical Attack: 20
Physical Defense: 30
Special Attack: 0
Special Defense: 30
Agility/Dexterity: 20
Assault Rifle: Light ranged physical attack, -5 to dodge, 2 dodge rolls, each one for 2 hits.
Rapier: Mid melee physical attack. Increases all defenses when used.
Physical Attack: 25
Physical Defense: 25
Special Attack: 0
Special Defense: 25
Agility/Dexterity: 25
Blade: Melee physical attack.
Dagger Throw: Ranged physical attack.
((Huh, turns out Dragonslayer is still OP as fuck, thankfully, it hit the wrong target (I used hidden rolls to find out which teammate the Sniper and Pointman hit and they both turned up as the Countermeasures unit). I'm not sure how to handle critical hits, so the Sniper's HP is probably lower than what my post says it is. Sorry but I have to sleep now and I'll probably be online later than usual tomorrow, feel free to have the constructs spontaneously break down from their damaged components if that holds up the game.))