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[andrea]

@chiefwaffles, add a part to your antimagic shell proposal ( the equalizer) to specify that it will not interfere with our cannons? otherwise, it is fairly useless.

[RAM]

My idea, the one in the spoiler two posts ago, uses a screw-plug on a string that is pulled out slowly as the shell flies. The plug is meant to interfere with the shell's function so the shell doesn't work until it has been flying for a bit. It is another component to go wrong, but you are free to cannibalise or repeat any of my design and revision proposals here...

[Andres]

AS-HC2-E. An evolution of the HC1-E. To maximise the chance of a successful design, it advances magical technology in only one way and introduces only one fix. The fix: The HC2-E is Expensive instead of Very Expensive. The advancement: The HC2-E uses disposable crystals infused with the modified PSF spell to fire the projectile, removing the need for apprentices. Most significantly of all, it advances Arstotzkan design names to a more modern and superior standard - something that must be done before Moskurg does the same.

Designs
2 - HA1 "Onslaught": Chiefwaffles, FallacyofUrist
2 - Heretic shell: Robson, Chiefwaffles
2 - SO1-AM "Equalizer": Chiefwaffles, Andrea
1 - FA1 "Metal Storm" : 10ebbor10
1 - Freeze Wands: RAM
1 - Flash Cast Crystals: FallacyofUrist
1 - Divination Jammer: Andrea
1 - AS-HC2-E: Andres

This design is a lot simpler than the other artillery design suggestions and is thus more likely to succeed. It fixes the cost issue and removes the apprentice bottleneck, allowing us to make them even cheaper at a later date and allows our apprentices to go back to the front lines.

Glory to Arstotzka.

[andrea]

The cost issue seems to be with complex manufacturing, not the need for wizards, and we have no shortage of apprentices, except for the fact that they die from moskurg bolts.

[10ebbor10]

It's not that much simpler. Stored magic is not that simple, after all.

No more complex than the others, in any case.

Designs
2 - HA1 "Onslaught": Chiefwaffles, FallacyofUrist
2 - Heretic shell: Robson, Chiefwaffles
2 - SO1-AM "Equalizer": Chiefwaffles, Andrea
1 - FA1 "Metal Storm" : 10ebbor10
1 - Freeze Wands: RAM
1 - Flash Cast Crystals: FallacyofUrist
1 - Divination Jammer: Andrea
1 - AS-HC2-E. Andres, 10ebbor10

[Andres]

The cost issue seems to be with complex manufacturing, not the need for wizards, and we have no shortage of apprentices, except for the fact that they die from moskurg bolts.

The fix which I made sure to include in the design solves the complex manufacturing. The reports did seem to imply that the drain on apprentices was being felt, even though it wasn't too bad.

The real reason why we want to divorce the need for apprentices from this kind of technology is to, later on, allow it to be used by our regular troops. Imagine equipping every soldier with a miniature version of these cannons. It would once more make our infantry relevant and completely obsolete theirs.

By also removing the need for apprentices, the bottleneck on rate of fire is restrained by mechanism rather than by the cooldown of the spell, allowing for greatly increased rate of fire with a sufficiently good mechanism. (And we're Arstotzkans, so of course we'll develop a sufficiently good mechanism in time.)

It's not that much simpler. Stored magic is not thst simple, after all.

We have a bonus to doing crystal research and it's PSF. PSF is our cheapest spell, it is the spell whose tech tree we have studied the most, and it's a spell we understand inside and out. The stored spell is also the only advancement we'd be making.

Glory to Arstotzka.

EDIT: The stored spell is also the key to getting explosive projectiles.

EDIT2:

Designs
2 - HA1 "Onslaught": Chiefwaffles, FallacyofUrist
2 - Heretic shell: Robson, Chiefwaffles
2 - SO1-AM "Equalizer": Chiefwaffles, Andrea
1 - FA1 "Metal Storm" : 10ebbor10
1 - Freeze Wands: RAM
1 - Flash Cast Crystals: FallacyofUrist
1 - Divination Jammer: Andrea
2 - AS-HC2-E: Andres, 10ebbor10

[stabbymcstabstab]

I say its a good idea, if we can make it so we don't need mages to fire our cannons, then they can't disable our cannons but turning our cannon mages in shish kabobs.

Designs
2 - HA1 "Onslaught": Chiefwaffles, FallacyofUrist
2 - Heretic shell: Robson, Chiefwaffles
2 - SO1-AM "Equalizer": Chiefwaffles, Andrea
1 - FA1 "Metal Storm" : 10ebbor10
1 - Freeze Wands: RAM
1 - Flash Cast Crystals: FallacyofUrist
1 - Divination Jammer: Andrea
3 - AS-HC2-E: Andres, 10ebbor10, Stabby

[Azzuro]

Thoughts on the turn:
-Moskurg is playing the range game with wind magic.
-How did the Moskurgs shoot down all our Minor Towers? So revising it did nothing to help? It was specifically stated in the revision that they act as bastions of defence.
-Although I will concede that Operation Let It Go did win us back the mountains completely, but we were winning there as of the previous turn anyway.
-I don't understand the Western Sea commander. The Fog-O-War was designed around the steam engine, otherwise we would have used a revision to retrofit it onto our existing longboats.
-Good to see that the surprise bonus works both ways. And I would recommend the Plains commander read the Charge of the Light Brigade, except it hasn't been written yet.
-How is Moskurg able to raid with only cavalry, and what damage did they do? Is this a new strategy, and why weren't we able to order raids before?
-I expected that we wouldn't get the credit, but it's still sad. Come back bro we promise there's no fine print this time!

Ok, so the main issue this turn is Moskurg's new extreme-range ballistae. And the Moskurgtov Cocktails, but that's only for ambush phase. Now a lot of artillery designs to match them have been proposed, so I'm not going to make another. Instead,

Design: Nature's Eye
In the course of their duties, some Dogwood Mages have reported a sense of being at one with nature. The Nature's Eye charm, also carved from dogwood, is our way of harnessing these otherwise-useless sentiments, turning it toward Arstotzka's first foray into what could be called scrying. Rather than growing plants, nature magic is instead used to sense through them, whether it's a Moskurg infantryman blundering through the undergrowth when creeping up on us or a Moskurg ballista crew trampling the grass when setting up their weapon. A team of scouts bearing these charms will have greatly enhanced situational awareness and sneakiness, allowing them to better scout out Moskurg artillery emplacements and report their locations back to our cannons hidden in the fog.

So this design works off our existing nature magic, thus it's not a completely new field, and it'll allow us to approach the range race from a different direction, also countering Lucky Strike because they can't see us if we're using sniper-spotter tactics. While I like the artillery designs, I feel that we'll be much better off making them next turn, when we have the mountains mineral bonus back.

Designs
2 - HA1 "Onslaught": Chiefwaffles, FallacyofUrist
2 - Heretic shell: Robson, Chiefwaffles
2 - SO1-AM "Equalizer": Chiefwaffles, Andrea
1 - FA1 "Metal Storm" : 10ebbor10
1 - Freeze Wands: RAM
1 - Flash Cast Crystals: FallacyofUrist
1 - Divination Jammer: Andrea
3 - AS-HC2-E: Andres, 10ebbor10, Stabby
1 - Nature's Eye: Azzuro

[Andres]

-How did the Moskurgs shoot down all our Minor Towers? So revising it did nothing to help? It was specifically stated in the revision that they act as bastions of defence.
-Although I will concede that Operation Let It Go did win us back the mountains completely, but we were winning there as of the previous turn anyway.

-They shot them down by advancing until they reached them. Revising them made it take longer than it would have and allowed us to always have the frost effects in play as we just kept building them (further and further back in our lines) as they destroyed them.
-We had a small advantage, but it probably would've been several turns before we took the Mountains at the pace we were going.

Glory to Arstotzka.

[10ebbor10]

also countering Lucky Strike because they can't see us if we're using sniper-spotter tactics

Lucky Strike does not require vision to work, it happily cut even through magical fog.

That said, improved ambush tactics could work enormously well against the Moskurgians. Their artillery weak to sabotage. If you attack an Arztotskan cannon, the worst you can do is dent the barrel. Attack a Moskurgian ballista, and their oil reserve will set their entire camp ablaze.

[10ebbor10]

On a side note, I judt realized we could  do this idea.

Solitude class Battleship

A cooperation of mages working on the naval frost tower project, and mages working on dealing with the Moskurgian flame attacks. The Solitude class battleship dwarfs our current ships, even the steam vessels. At it's heart is a frost tower, emanating a powerfull field of cold. It's hull is several meters thick, made of a mixture of solid ice and wooddust. A moskurgian fire projectile can happily crash into it without penetration. For propulsion it relies on several steam engines, which also power it's offensive armamdnt.

Probsbly too expensive for now.

[Chiefwaffles]

Andrea: I'd recommend voting for Heretic shells. Though when I have time I'll re-submit the anti-magic shells as they needed a priming mechanism anyways.

[Andres]

Solitude class Battleship

Crystal plating, as the theatre commander suggested, is probably a better idea. Provides more protection and is physically feasible. Crystalclads are the future.

Glory to Arstotzka.

[andrea]

ice and wood dust... nice idea. was experimented with in real world, we can maintain it with frost spells and if they dispel it, still takes a while to melt.

@waffles: why the heretic shells? as described, they seem to have the same performance as antimagic shells, except they are restricted to only one of the spells they can cast.

[Azzuro]

also countering Lucky Strike because they can't see us if we're using sniper-spotter tactics

Lucky Strike does not require vision to work, it happily cut even through magical fog.

Is this stated anywhere? I can't find it.

Solitude class Battleship

Crystal plating, as the theatre commander suggested, is probably a better idea. Provides more protection and is physically feasible. Crystalclads are the future.

Glory to Arstotzka.

Yeah, I like crystalclads too, as we're out of range of antimagic on the seas anyway. Maybe next turn's revision?