Combat for 946Moskurg makes the first fumbling steps towards modernizing their antique ballista artillery to something that can compete with Arstotzka's magically powered cannons. Named the "Thundergun" after the thunderous *crack*-ing noise it makes when fired, this new artillery piece is essentially an over-sized coilgun. Firing round iron slugs out of a greased Adamantium barrel, it uses three dozen sequenced copper coils along the twelve foot muzzle for propulsion via a phenomenon known as the "Hayat Effect". The cannon uses thirty-six Wands of Thunderbolt packed into a single cartridge and an open-latch loading breech, and the timing mechanism is controlled via vacuum tubes (also invented by Hayat). The gun can reach out to BLOS+1, but is inaccurate (even with Lucky Strike) beyond Extreme Range - likely due to the unaerodynamic ammo and smooth-bore barrel. Both their design phases were spent getting a working prototype and a functional unit they can put out on the field, and the revision was spent making sure it wouldn't break every time it fired. It doesn't quit obsolete ballistas just yet, as it can't fire unique ammo, hit accurately, or be moved easily, but it has plenty of promise.
Arstotzka similarly spends this year trying to match their opponents area of expertise. Their Avenger has been given plenty of care and attention this year, with a brand-new design known as the Lightning. Fast, stable(-ish), and cheaper than its predecessor, it uses a brand-new magical energy generator known as the Aether Reactor. Unlike the previous generation Reactor, it doesn't explode quite as violently, and manages to output more energy for the same volume via an ingenious radial-battery design. The turret has been upgraded from 14 mm's to 20, giving it considerably more punch. It's still single-fire and unpowered, but it does draw energy from the reactor so that a mage isn't required to operate it. In fact, it can be operated entirely by non-mages! The first design was spent making the generator, the second was spent making the Lightning, and the revision was spent upgrading the propulsion system to improve acceleration. They once again elect to not spend their expense credit.
The border between the Taiga and the Jungle sees the most pitched fighting this year, and most of it occurs above the tree tops.
Moskurgs new cannons are...difficult to place. More inaccurate than ballistas but with more range, it is used primarily on the ground to do the exact same thing Arstotzka has done to Moskurg for the past few decades; barrage enemy lines from an untouchable distance. The round iron spheres don't really do much damage, though - they're too inaccurate to reliably hit enemies (even with Lucky Strike) and near-misses are non-fatal since the ammo doesn't explode. The miserable range on teletalk wands means it can be difficult to get real-time feedback on barrage accuracy, which surprisingly makes Arstotzkas flare system more useful in this case. Even worse, each cannon goes through a heavy 36-pack of Thunderbolt Wands in addition to every cannonball fired, and much in the same way Arstotzka suffered from supply issues when their HA1 went to the field Moskurg is unable to barrage non-stop. Still, it's a longer stick than anything Arstotzka has, and even if they can't fire it all the time, or accurately, they can at least fire it without mages - something Arstotzka has been struggling with for
decades and Moskurg figured out in a year. Compared strictly to the HA1-b "Mundane", it's a little better since it can fire more often (provided it has available ammunition) and can hit further.
Arstotzkas new Lightning has made the Phoenix impossible to use at all. The 20 mm gun can knock out engines pretty easily, and it has enough handling that it can get into position for the gunner to fire off multiple rounds. There's even enough of them that they can do more than single strike missions, but Moskurgs Skyskiffs still outnumber them. Sadly, the Lightning doesn't fulfill the "dogfighter" role as envisioned, as the turret doesn't track targets fast enough nor even fire more than once every six seconds. Skyskiffs (or even lone "carpet" riders) can reliably knock out a Lightning if they can get close enough. The Lightning has better range and better speed, but can't hit the small Skyskiffs. The Skyskiffs have better killing capabilities, but their primary offensive ranged armament is the short-ranged Thunderbolt Wands and the pilots can't operate at the high speeds the device is capable of due to the open-cockpit design (and utter lack of seatbelts). Moskurg can usually drive off Lightnings, since the Lightning can't operate in groups thanks to Moskurgs weather control and they're still outnumbered by the Skyskiff. The Skyhawk must operate in tandem with numerous defensive fighters, but it can at least take a couple hits before going down and still operates in a slightly reduced capability.
Arstotzka still controls the ground thanks to their superior infantry. Their Protector is still garbage and useless in the uneven and densely-forested terrain, so troops can't use it as cover during melee advances. The Zephyr helps make up the difference in infantry combat, and as always is extra effective thanks to the heavily forested area with plenty of debris to throw around. Without the ability to land troops behind enemy lines and with al-Mutriqa leading the charge against them, Arstotzka is once again forced to cede ground to the southern invaders. Their Lightning gives them a foothold in the air, but until their ability to actually dogfight is addressed they'll continue to be beaten back at every turn. Similarly, Moskurgs artillery will need to address supply issues and lack of ammo types before it can be a major player on the ground, and more importantly it'll need to be miniaturized and made more accurate before it can be used by the troops on the ground or by the skiffs in the air.
Moskurg regains a foothold in the Taiga.Air power and artillery render infantry less useful in the plains.
Moskurgs artillery can hit the furthest, dictating the distance between trench lines. It's not accurate enough to hit anything
in the trenches, but it can keep Arstotzka's artillery at bay which is a prize all on its own. The Skyhawk still rules the roost when it comes to picking and chipping away at enemy lines, and Moskurg can more reliably bomb enemy emplacements from the air. Arstotzka returns the favor as best they can, but the Lightning doesn't have bomb mountings and the more primitive Avenger must be used, when they can even reach enemy lines. The Zephyr doesn't do much, nor does the Phoenix, but the HAC-1 likewise has little use here. Moskurg ultimately has the advantage with their air and artillery advantage, and the fact that they control the coastlines means they push Arstotzka back another section and continue their creep north.
Moskurg gains a section of the Plains.The Thundergun is hard to use in the mountains, much like the HA1 was. Too large and heavy to move easily, it's regulated primarily to airships and the ballista is used on the ground. Stone fortresses are little more than piles of gravel from the constant bombardment, and rain makes everyone miserable this high up. Life is lightning blasts, bombing runs, artillery barrages, and scrambling from one wet rock to another. The Lightning, frustratingly enough, can't aim downward, so its ground support role is non-existent. Moskurg's Skyskiffs are better suited for supporting infantry advancements up rockey trails, though the fact that Arstotzka has had time to dig in does not bode well for the tired troopers. HA1's hit pre-designated choke-points and slaughter dozens, only to be hit immediately after by Moskurg air forces. Skyhawks move carefully between mountain peaks, only to be ambushed by Lightnings that are then immediately driven off by Moskurg Skyskiffs. Melees on the ground usually go to Arstotzkans, who favor ambushes with their single-shot R1's. Arstotzka knows these mountains far better than their southern neighbors, and it shows. The fighting is brutal, grueling, and non-stop.
Arstotzkas pushes don't go so well, either. Without Close Air Support they can only fight (and lose) short battles with Moskurg air forces, and most of their Mages go back to standing in with troops to throw fireballs at Moskurgers when battles do happen. When Skyskiffs appear over head, however, all they can do is hide and hope they run out of ammo soon. Their crystal armor does a fair job at protecting them against most forms of injury, making it require multiple Thunderbolt strikes or firestorm grenades to knock them out of the fight. Myark fights hard, and is really the only one who can knock enemy pilots out of the sky by hitting them with an R1 during a banking maneuver. It's not much, but every little bit helps.
Ultimately, though the two sides are roughly even. After a year of combat, however, [heads=Moskurg, tails=Arstotzka: tails] Arstotzka manages to bleed Moskurg dry enough that they push the invaders back down the slopes. It was a close fight, and though they won Arstotzka only managed to do so by the skin of their teeth.
Arstotzka has regained the Mountains. If they hold it for a year, they may exploit it for resources.In the frozen northern seas, battles are fought and won in the air.
With ships regulated to mostly support, Arstotzka and Moskurg air forces slug it out in viscous dogfights. If Arstotzka can take out airships, then Moskurg Skyskiffs have nowhere to land and will eventually go into the water (and quickly freeze to death). If Moskurg can knock out enough Lightnings, then Arstotzka will have no way to defend themselves against the airships overhead. Arstotzkas Lightnings are faster, so they can more reliably penetrate Moskurg perimeters. Killing the airships takes time, however, so Moskurg can often catch up and start blasting the Lightnings out of the sky. It's fairly even, but eventually [heads=Moskurg, tails=Arstotzka: heads] Moskurg shows their superiority on the high
seas air and pushes Arstotzka back another section of coastline. It's a close fight, and Moskurg airships are pretty ragged by the time the fighting is over.
Moskurg gains a section of shoreline in the Northern SeasREVISION CREDIT!!!As both sides advance their knowledge in the magical (or non-magical) arts, their ability to produce wondrous works that bend nature to their will has grown. From now on, both sides will gain a
permanent additional revision credit each year. This credit can not be saved and is subject to the same bonuses and maluses as a normal revision.
ESPIONAGE CREDIT!!!The years of war have begun taking its toll on Arstotzka. Cracks in the design team have become very noticable, and after plenty of forewarning infighting has occurred. A defector has come to the Moskurg design team, seething with anger. The growing factions in Arstotzka threaten the Kingdoms very existence, and this individual sees Bjorn as too weak of a leader to continue on after the King has passed. He comes to Moskurg asking only that once the war is over and Bjorn lies dead they will remember his Clan as one of those who sided with Moskurg, once it comes time to divide up the conquered kingdom. Moskurg gains an
Espionage Credit this year.
It is 947, the Design Phase.Northern Taiga: 3/4 Arstotzka, 1/4 Moskurg
Central Mountains: 4/4 Arstotzka, 0/4 Moskurg
Western Jungle: [color=red0/4 Arstotzka[/color], 4/4 Moskurg
Eastern Plains: 2/4 Arstotzka, 2/4 Moskurg
Southern Desert: 0/4 Arstotzka, 4/4 Moskurg
Northern Sea: 2/4 Arstotzka, 2/4 Moskurg
Western Sea: 0/4 Arstotzka, 4/4 Moskurg
Eastern Sea: 0/4 Arstotzka, 4/4 Moskurg
Southern Sea: 0/4 Arstotzka, 4/4 Moskurg
Broadsword: An iron age classic. A double-edged blade designed for speed, flexibility and force. Requires training to wield, can be used one or two handed. Removable pommel for throwing.Cheap.
War Axe: Can be used as a tool in a pinch, this is a single-handed weapon that does well against heavily armoured foes. Can be used with minimal training. Cheap.
Wooden Shield: General infantry equipment. Couples well with an axe, cheap, easy to replace. Works best in heavy melee. Can be used with minimal training. Cheap.
Hide Armour: General infantry armour. Cheap, thanks to the plentiful sheep in the taiga. Turns aside weak blows. Cheap. Obsolete.
Gambeson: A leather armoring doublet designed to go with plate armor. Helps protect against arrows.
Chain Mail: Officer armour. Expensive, due to the steel required. Very effective against most weapons. Expensive. Obsolete.
Plate Mail: General infantry and officer armour. So well designed it costs surprisingly little to make. Normal cost. Obsolete.
Combat Armor: Crystal battle armor. Features a clear visor with no easy way for arrows to penetrate. Lightning rod allows user to survive a single blast of lightning. Cheap.
Longbow: General infantry weapon. Difficult to find wood and requires a lot of training, but long ranged and powerful. Cheap.
Shire Horse: A heavy riding horse. Survives and rides well in cold weather. Powerful charge. Normal Cost.
Longship: Oar-rowed wooden ship. Slow, but sturdy, and can carry large numbers of landing troops. Very Expensive. Obsolete.
Steam Engine: A highly expensive and enormously heavy steam engine. Uses a steam turbine to generate power. Uses PSF's and a steam recycler with enchanted nickel etchings to manage heat. Cheap.
Internal Detonation Engine: An experimental new engine that uses two cylinders and timed PSF-C guided by a complicated circuit and cooling system. A little bit smaller than the Steam Engine, but with a higher output. Expensive.
SPB "Fog-O-War": Boat using two steam engines for power. Slightly faster than Moskurg ships. Tends to sink after the first hit. Expensive. Obsolete.
AS-SPB2-Crystalclad: Boat using a crystal hull, two steam engines, and three HC1-E's. More resilient, higher firepower, and just as fast as the Fog-O-War. Deck tends to be slippery. Equipped with a single HAC-1 for point-defense. Can be out-fitted with HA1's. Cheap.
Protector: The worlds first APC/tank. Rolls around on wooden wagon wheels, powered by an IDE, made mostly out of crystal. Equipped with an HAC-1 and HC1-E. Can carry a few soldiers. Expensive
ASAF-F43 Interceptor: 1,200 AAAethergems strapped to a blastball producing pad. Features an enclosed cockpit and ball gunner made of crystal glass. Incredibly unstable, heavy, slow, and explosive. Expensive. Obsolete.
ASAF-F44 "Avenger": Improved version of the Interceptor. Uses an expensive, dangerous Aether Reactor and a KPD Mk.2 engine for lift. Features an enclosed cockpit and ball gunner made of crystal glass. Unstable, heavy, and slow acceleration. Very Expensive.
ASAF-F45 Lightning: Improved version of the Avenger. Uses a stable Aether Reactor and a KPD Mk.3 engine for lift. Features an enclosed cockpit and a ball gunner made of glass. Reasonable acceleration, high top speed, reasonably stable. Cannot drop bombs. Expensive.
Wand of True Light: Seeds doubt in enemy minds. Theatre-wide effect. Moral penalty. National Effort.
AS-STV-1 "Restless": Steam train. Crystal structure. Can carry troops and supplies to the front line. Little power, but can pick up to the speed of a horse in gallop. Very Expensive.
Magegems: Magical batteries. Comes in A, AA, and AAA forms. The AAA battery should be able to power a couple flares. An AA battery should be able to power a SPSF-C all by itself, and an A battery should be able to power a regular PSF-C. Three A batteries can power a single PSF in all its glory. Made of a special crystal-glass with nickel banding. Does not lose charge. New D-level gem equal to two A-level gems can be recharged in 5 minutes. Cheap-Very Expensive.
Aethergems: Essentially a circuitry, anti-magegem, and wire setup that attaches to a magegem. Replenishes a magegem automatically at 3 minutes for A gems, 2 minutes for AA gems, and 30 seconds for AAA gems. Can "double up" on gems for +1 expense and reduced lifespan. Cheap.
HA1: Arstotzkan heavy artillery. Fires at beyond line-of-sight range. Requires three apprentices to operate, plus loading crew. Uses nickel circuitry to cool the cannon. Breech-loaded. Made mostly of crystal. Cheap.
Blastshells+R: A hollow shell, in which a circuit-gem core can be inserted into before firing. Provides extended (albeit less accurate) range, out to BLOS+1. Cheap.
Blastshells+E: A hollow shell, in which a circuit-gem core can be inserted into before firing. Provides explosive capabilities to the shell upon landing thanks to a fragile limiting AAA gem in the tip. Cheap.
Blastshells+R/E: A hollow shell, in which a circuit-gem core can be inserted into before firing. Provides both extended range and explosive capabilities, albeit less accurately. Cheap.
HA1-b "Mundane": A variant of the HA1 for mundane use. Features 3 A-level Aethergems that can be slotted in and out and specialized firechamber to produce PSF-C's on command. 1 round per 3 minutes. Expensive.
HC1: AKA the "Extreme-Range Hybrid Cannon". Arstotzka's first cannon. Uses a fireball to propel a fist-sized iron ball Long-Range. Inaccurate, but can be loaded quickly. Has a tendency to crack. Cheap. Obsolete.
HC1-E: The Elite version of the HC1. Fires at Extreme-Range. Uses rifling, ballistics, and an overall better and more consistent design. Utilizes enchanted nickel etching for barrel cooling. Made mostly of crystal. Breech-loaded.Cheap.
Equalizer: Anti-magic shell. Dispells all magic around it. Difficult to produce and fire, dangerous to use. Expensive.
HC2: A failed attempt to upgrade the HC1 with auto-cooling barrel and ambitious steam recycler. Explodes or breaks after every shot. Very Expensive. Obsolete.
AS-HAC-1: An all-crystal small-caliber cannon. Swivel-mounted. Breech-loaded. Aimed through horse-hair crosshairs. Relatively short reload time. Uses a "bolt action" for loading. Circuit-cooled. Cheap.
AS-R1 Hybrid Rifle: A cannon you can hold! Made out of crystal, circuit-cooled, breech-loaded, bolt-action. A single AA-level Aethergem allow non-magic users to use it, provided they replace it with each shot. Uses just the fireblast for propulsion rather than steam. Reaches Extreme Range, but inaccurate past Medium Range. Cheap.
Arzotskan Academy for Adequate Apprenticeship: Basic magic training for apprentices. Allows them to be more useful on the offensive. Very prestigious. Actively recruits new apprentices.Expensive.
Crystalworks Mk2: A workshop that produces crystal items cheaply, permanently, and with a mild brittle factor. Crystals can repair microfractures, eliminating the need for maintenance. Larger facility allows Expensive.
Wand of Fireballs: Hurls fireballs at a distance, able to destroy whole squads at a time. A National Effort. Obsolete.
Minor Towers of Forever Frost: Small, complicated towers that have to be assembled in place and requires the skill of several wizards to operate. Creates a very powerful cold evocation and then channels it directly into the air, consistently lowering temperatures within a radius of about fifty miles. Can induce snow in the jungle during the winter, freezing rain in the summer. Now made with pre-inscribed marble blocks.Expensive.
Anti-Magic Charm: A magically enchanted quartz crystal. Hums loudly in the presence of magic, and prevents magic from being conjured inside the very limited range. Expensive.
Anti-Magic Bomb Arrows: Arrows that explode on contact with magic into red-hot, razor-sharp crystal shards.
Magic Lance: Conjures a set of lances for a cavalry squad. Thick enough not to break on use. Cheap.
Magic Axe: Conjures a set of long axes for officers. Cheap.
Dogwood Wand: Wand that allows the user to accelerate the growth of a patch of plants to an area and height equal to their own height. Wands are cheap to make, but don't last very long. Cheap.
Anti-Mages: Mage hunters equipped with R1's, anti-magic charms, anti-magic arrows, falcons, and the best armor we can give them. Excel at sniping enemy mages.
Obscuring Mist: Cloaks a squad in a fog cloud, hiding their numbers and equipment, and making them harder to hit at range.
Variant (Channeled Fog): A denser form of Obscuring mist, continuously generated.
Summon Swarm: Conjures a swarm of stinging wasps to harass foes. Expensive.
Variant (Fire Wasps): Conjures stinging wasps that can start small fires. Expensive.
Webs: Conjures a sticky web, immobilizing an entire squad and preventing them from moving. Very Expensive.
Fireball: Hurls fireballs at a distance, able to destroy whole squads at a time. Damaging side effects harm morale. Very Expensive. Obsolete.
Minor Fireball: Smaller version of fireball. Doesn't cause collateral damage, but doesn't explode on impact. Expensive. Obsolete.
Powerful Streamlined Fireball: Hurls small balls of fire that explode on impact. Devastating against massed troops. Cheap.
Small Powerful Streamlined Fireball: Smaller fireballs, for firing cannons and guns without water. Cheap.
Flare: A small, harmless fireball. Comes in many different colors. Cheap.
Blind-Flare: Very bright variant used to blind enemies. Cheap.
Blastball: Referred to with a "-C" appending, allows a regular fireball to exert mainly expansive force. Good for explosions, but not terribly lethal on its own. Cheap.
Firewall: Creates static walls of fire. Long casting time, concentration sustain. Very Expensive.
Crystal Caltrops: Jagged crystals designed to lay in the grass and catch enemy troops unaware. Good for defense. Cheap.
As inspired by the "Behavior Rule" attached to Sensei's new Arms Race thread, I've decided to adapt them to Wand Race. Most of these are blatantly copied from his thread, and I expect them to be followed. After running this game for a few weeks now and following the last Arms Race, I'm aware that they're prone to attracting bad attitudes. Keeping the game smooth, on schedule, and argument free is probably a greater concern of mine than whatever you are arguing about: I expect you to be mature and adopt the same attitude.
1. Don't be salty! If at any time you find yourself having an urge to mouth off at another player, step away from the keyboard, go outside, and take a breath. Seriously. Players who repeatedly get angry or passive aggressive will be asked to leave. If you have an issue with the way the game is being run, DO NOT expect a tantrum to get you what you want.
2. Keep in mind that I am not a historian, so there will sometimes be mistakes and inaccuracies. Even in the best of circumstances, minor inconsistencies are a common occurrence. If some piece of equipment is imbalanced/unrealistic, I might consider changing it if you bring it up once -AND ONLY ONCE- and politely state your argument. However, I will err on the side of consistency with my own game, I do not like to go back and change things. Sometimes it is more important to simply keep the game running smoothly than other concerns.
3. Do not accuse me of being biased. Do not accuse me of being biased. I put a lot of effort into being objective and fair and being accused otherwise is pretty fucking irritating. On multiple occasions this has nearly derailed the game and made me want to abandon it all together. I have absolutely no more patience for this, and if you do it YOU WILL BE BANNED.
4. Do not spy on the other team's private thread. Trust me, playing fair is more fun for everyone! If you suffer from a lack of self-control and cannot stop yourself from spying, keep it to yourself. Do not use it to metagame. And do not post what you saw in the central thread. This has happened multiple times now, and if you do it you will be banned with no warning.
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Topic: Wands Race - [Arstotzka] {COMPLETED} (Read 392832 times)