Combat for 939Arstotzka is working on something secret and mysterious for their design, but it's not quite ready yet. For their revision, they make their cannons out of crystal in order to combat Moskurgs growing lightning advantage. The cannons can survive getting hit, usually, but may not hold up well to multiple strikes. More delicate crystal structures, however, are likely to suffer from the first strike. This crystal effect also applies to their steam engines, which are now made of crystal as well.
Moskurg develops (to everyones surprise) a new weather spell that affects their lightning. Named the "Wrath of Allah", the spell fails to distort the winter storms into warmer weather, but does allow lightning to be called down despite the snow. Their revision turned out to be a bit harder than they expected, and will not be making an appearance this turn.
Moskurg hits
hard this turn. The jungle is the first place to see the effects of their new spell and just how powerful a naval advantage is.
For the first time in three decades, one side has actually managed to land troops behind their enemies lines. With enough coastal ground gained, Moskurg can safely use their fast-moving Sirocco's to deploy troops far up the coast to flank Arstotzka troops. The glowing ships are very visible at night, so the crews generally paint the Adamantium black with tar. This makes many soldiers nervous that they may be blaspheming the holy metal, but our mages assure them that it's fine and there's nothing to be concerned about. The landings occur in the snow, which isn't unusual for the jungle at this point - what is unusual is the fact that when the two sides join in combat, pin-point lightning strikes down from the heavens to fry Arstotzkan troops. The Spear of Allah, which has been unusable for two decades, finally sees use in danger-close situations with enemy troops. Mages standing aboard Alsamma Safina's high above have a clear vantage point of the carnage below, and much like mighty Allah himself they are free to pick-and-chose their targets...so long as they can see them.
Arstotzka makes good use of their artillery, when they can. Landing ships are bracketed with artillery fire, but the lack of explosive ammo means they must hit the target dead on. A single HA1 shell will sink Sirocco, but the cannons rely on mass-firing solutions and flare-based spotting (which also helps defend against night landings). Their HAC-1's are good for defending at closer ranges, but the slow rate of fire means the gap can be closed before enough Moskurg soldiers can be killed to make a difference. In fact, the debilitating cold weather kills more Moskurgers than the HAC-1's (if you don't count carpet-bombers shot down by sharp-shooters).
Being able to finally use their lightning after multiple decades of absence has certainly been a boon to Moskurg, and combined with their naval advantage they manage to push Arstotzka back a section of jungle.
Moskurg gains a section of jungle.The mountains likewise see pushback.
The new crystal cannons are nice and shiny, even if they are a bit bigger. Crews quickly get used to firing them with no real penalty to the switch over. Artillery emplacements in the mountains are still subject to Moksurg carpet-bombers, but the fact that a bomber must loiter and strike an emplacement multiple times means a nearby HAC-1 gunner has plenty of time to line up a shot on the completely undefended rider. War Pegasi riders mostly give up on trying to strike down and disable the cannons, instead going for crews instead. Their airships must likewise hang back, but all they need to cast from their deck is line-of-sight with their target. They can't get close enough to the emplacements to cast the more accurate Spear of Allah, but the Hammer strikes indiscriminately around the mountain. Blasted rocks hiss as snowflakes land on their charred surface, and Arstotzkan soldiers hunker down and pray that they don't get smited by the divine will of Moskurgs God. Castles are a bit harder to displace, but non-stop lightning strikes and carpet bombers buy ground troops time to get close enough to storm the gates. Crystal Caltrops, Firewalls, PSF's, and HAC-1's do a decent job making life difficult for ground troops, but Moskurg eventually prevails secures a foothold in the Mountains once more. Their men are still dying from cold and artillery strikes, but at least they're not being struck by lightning constantly.
Moskurg has gained a foothold in the mountains. Arstotzka loses their metal bonus.Again, the plains see Arstotzka pushed back and Moskurg regain a section of the flatlands.
Moskurg lands behind Arstotzkan lines, Moskurg mages fry Arstotzkan troops, and Arstotzkan guns smash ships and men alike. Had Moskurg not been able to put out their lightning again, or gone without their naval advantage, it would have been a close match up - Arstotzka's artillery is much more powerful here, and there's no tree cover for fliers. But as it is, Arstotzka gets pushed back and loses a section of plains.
Moskurg gains a section of the plains. Arstotzka has failed to hold it for a year and will not gain the plains bonus.With Arstotzka pushed out of the Eastern and Western Seas, most of the fighting ends up occurring in their home waters.
Their engines see a more profound effect from their new crystal structure than the cannons did. Rather than exploding in a critical, devastating ball of steam and twisted metal, the engines usually are just knocked off-line when struck. The crystal is thicker than the metal walls were, and more brittle, but it conducts electricity without melting and forming a weak spot. The worst effect is when the few remaining metal components are destroyed like the turbine fan and a few valves and gears, but those can be easily replaced. The nickel circuits don't slag and run out of the engravings like gold used to, so a Crystalclad can usually survive being struck by lightning once or twice before a crack becomes too critical for the self-administered microrepairing to fix - but the on-board apprentice can usually patch that before it's too late.
What's more devastating is the fact that the crew is forced inside by the lightning strikes, meaning they can't man the cannons without risking being struck by lightning. Without a way to fight or flee, they're easy prey for Moskurg ships. It takes a lot of work to sink the ship with the ballista, but eventually enough bolts in the same spot will start a crack that propagates throughout the hull. It's not as much of a one-sided fight as it was last year, but Moskurg manages to maintain the upper-hand on the seas and push their control further north.
Moskurg gains a section of the Northern Sea. Revision Credit!!!By the grace of god, our beloved princess has been endowed with the ability to manipulate the unseen forces of the world. It is the will of god, therefore, that she receive the appropriate education in the mystical arts. She will receive a modified version of an apprentice's usual training, overseen by al-Mutriqa himself (who is spending the year in the capital to teach her), as befits one of her exalted status.
On the first day of the week, as the light of god first caresses the land, Hayat Salbi shall awaken, and dress in humble clothing. She shall attend morning prayers, then present herself to al-Mutriqa at the Academy. He shall personally teach her the theoretical basics of magic, explaining to her the concept of the magical essence that encompasses all things (a manifestation of god, who similarly is present in all things and places), and how it may be manipulated, through the proper application of devotion.
She will then attend afternoon prayers, after which she will be shown into the Halls of Contemplation, where Sufi masters will guide her through meditative exercises designed to further attune her to magic and strengthen her mind.
After attending evening prayers, the princess may return to her quarters, to consider what she has learnt.
On the second day of the week, as the warm breeze whispers the name of god, Hayat Salbi shall awaken, and dress in practical clothing. She shall attend morning prayers, then head to the Field of Strength, where al-Mutriqa will teach her to run, lift, and stretch, for a healthy mind resides within a healthy body. She will ablute herself before attending afternoon prayers, then make her way to the Royal Stables, where she will spend several hours learning to ride one of the War Pegasi kept there, starting with the necessary incantations to calm the carpet, working her way up to flying around a foot off the ground, before eventually reaching the point where she can soar over the city without concern
*.
After attending evening prayers, the princess may return to her quarters, to rest after an exhausting day.
On the third day of the week, as Imams call the faithful, Hayat Salbi shall awaken, and dress in studious clothing. She shall attend morning prayers, then proceed to the Great Library, where al-Mutriqa will show her a hand-crafted copy of the Divination Spellbook, and show her the method required to decipher the ancient pages, helping her to understand the revelations within.
She will then attend afternoon prayers, after which she may take the rest of the day off, to enjoy life, for youth must not be constrained all day.
She will of course still attend evening prayers.
On the fourth day of the week, as the sounds of life begin to fill the streets of Moskurg, Hayat Salbi shall awaken, and dress in loose clothing. She shall attend morning prayers, then present herself at the Tower of the Winds, where she shall at last be asked to perform magic. In those airy chambers, where wide windows look out over the city, letting in the sea breeze, she shall focus her mind and close her eyes, feeling the flow of air around her. Once she understands how it moves, she will be called upon to alter its movement. Simply diverting the breeze to start with, later creating puffs, then blasts of wind.
She will then attend afternoon prayers, then leave the city to travel to the Lightning Research Institute, where she will make her way across the charred ground, into the buildings covered in lightning rods, where senior researchers will show her the mysteries of the electric. As the year progresses, she will go from bystander to participant, at first practising with tiny Wands of Thunderbolts, whose discharge is so small it couldn't kill a mouse, gradually working her way up until she understands how to wield a full-sized wand.
After attending evening prayers, the princess may return to her quarters, to reflect on the intricate beauty of the weather that god provides.
On the fifth day of the week, as birds sing their praises to god, Hayat Salbi shall awaken, and dress in fine clothing. She shall attend morning prayers, then make her way to the Courtyard of Sight, where her arrival is anticipated to the second by al-Mutriqa and Moskurg's finest diviners, who shall teach her to open her mind's eye to that which has yet to happen, or is happening far away, or might happen if things were different. As months pass, she will learn the extent of human ignorance, when compared to the all-knowing nature of god, and appreciate that He has seen fit to grant her but a sliver of his divine sight.
She will then attend afternoon prayers, then be granted access to the Vault of Nope, to witness expert null-mages as they hone their craft. Though she will not attempt the dangerous art herself, she will see how magic truly exists only by grace of god, else how could His name so utterly dispel it? She will attempt, fruitlessly, to cast whilst under the influence of Tubikh Rrahim- thereby learning to identify the feeling of magic, for like many things, it is easier to notice its absence than its presence.
After attending evening prayers, the princess may return to her quarters, having learnt much in the way of humility.
On the sixth day of the week, as even the grass in the fields knows its blessings, Hayat Salbi shall awaken, and dress in casual clothing. She shall attend morning prayers, and then join al-Mutriqa for a stroll through the city or the surrounding countryside. He shall ask her what she has learnt that week, and call upon her to demonstrate, then gently correct her mistakes with expert guidance. He will regale her with tales from the front, show her his most potent magics, and teach her what it truly means to master magic.
She will attend afternoon prayers, then reunite with al-Mutriqa, for a lesson in poetry and spellcrafting (which are, to his mind, intrinsically linked). She will learn this highest art form, and as she does, will come to understand the poetry present in all the spells she has seen throughout the week. Under his watchful supervision, she will attempt to create new magics, for there is no better way of understanding magic than trying to create it yourself.
After attending evening prayers, the princess may return to her quarters, still mulling over the stories al-Mutriqa told her.
On the seventh day of the week, Hayat Salbi shall rest, as is only proper.
This is the basic plan for her curriculum. As her skill progresses, she may be assigned more spell-casting lessons, and granted access to more difficult (and potentially dangerous) magic- tailored to her level of skill, such that she is always challenged, yet never insurmountably so.
The Shaping of Something Greater: Bjorn's Journey
A Foreword
Arstotzka prides itself on its knowledge and mastery of the natural world. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our Mathemagicians, we know much about the reality that surrounds us.
A true education isn't achieved through pure study, though that is an important part. A true education is achieved through seeing in person how Arstotzkan knowledge shapes and exploits the world around us. This is why in order to reach his full potential, Bjorn must travel through Forenia. To see what we're fighting for. To see the people that'll be subject to his rule. To see our mastery of magic and reality at action, and to truly know the power of magic.
Bjorn won't just learn spells. He won't just learn some tricks. He will learn of Magic. Its raw power. How it can be used and exploited. He will be taught of the base our Kingdom shall rely on for the rest of its time. He will experience it practically, and won't just study the theoretical fireball at the academy. He won't just cast fireballs, but will know how they work.
By the end of the year, Bjorn will be ready to become something greater than anything Arstotzka has seen.
The Academy
His journey will start at the Academy, just like any other apprentice-in-training. It is here where Myark shall meet with Bjorn. Bjorn will study at the most intensive classes under our best teachers with the best possible resources all dedicated to him. Out of class, he will train and practice one-on-one with Myark.
He will learn the fundamentals behind magic - how it works. He will dive into the guts of the mechanics of Mathemagics. He will earn the process through which Crystal is summoned from the aether, and how we have refined on that process. He will learn how magic is channeled through a wizard. He will learn how circuitry operates, and how magic interacts on tiny scales. It will be through his studying at the Academy that Bjorn will truly learn how magic works. This knowledge shall form the base of the rest of his education. With a comprehensive knowledge of how magic works, Bjorn will know how to exploit it. He will be able to make informed decisions regarding any element of magic. He will be able to make the best use of his spells instead of mindlessly parroting the motions and phrases taught by teachers. If he comes across some magical phenomenon he hasn't seen before, he will be able to learn about it and easily determine what it is using his fundamental knowledge, instead of being stumped at the unknown.
Bjorn shall even visit the labs where our esteemed top Mathemagicians convene every day to come up with new types of cannons amazing and groundbreaking designs; Bjorn shall learn of the process behind our designs and how we use magic to dominate in the battlefield and to innovate everywhere else.
Throughout all this process, Myark will be there for him. He may not enjoy it, but Myark shall guide Bjorn through his time at the academy. He shall ensure that Bjorn fully understands what he learns. He will grant Bjorn supplementary knowledge that is only acquired through decades of combat experience. He will practice and train with Bjorn whenever Bjorn isn't studying under our best teachers.
Eventually, Bjorn's relatively short time at the academy will be over. Thanks to his natural intellect, the dedication of the Academy's resources and Myark to him, he will know far more about how magic works than any other apprentice.
The Falcon
It is at this point that Bjorn, accompanied by Myark, shall make his way to the battlefield. And throughout this entire time, Myark will always be helping and teaching Bjorn as well as protecting him.
But first, Bjorn is given his first Falcon. Over the course of a few days, Bjorn will be introduced and familiarized with the best available Falcon. Myark shall teach him how to command and control it. Over the course of his journey, Bjorn's falcon will always be at his side. The two will grow attuned to one another; familiar to one another.
The Falcon will truly become Bjorn's familiar by the end of the year. Bjorn will continue using this falcon for the rest of its life, and will gain valuable experience with his first familiar.
The Journey
Bjorn and Myark shall board a Crystalclad bound to a port next to the mountains. Over the course of Bjorn's trip on the seas, Myark shall teach him the most important spell known to Arstotzka: The Fireball.
Bjorn will practice with the use of the Fireball and its variants with Myark. He will observe the operations of the steam cannons and steam engines aboard the Crystalclad. He will become familiar with the importance of the Fireball to Arstotzkan society. By the time they arrive at the Mountains, Bjorn will become familiar with the Fireball. His time at the academy taught him how it works, but his practice here will allow him to truly hone his skills.
In addition to studying the Fireball, Bjorn will spend some amounts of time each day studying the crystal structure of the ships. He may have learned of Crystal at the Academy, but here is where he will see it in action. He will watch as the crystalline steam engine bearings repair themselves from the routine damage, and more.
The Mountains
The Mountains is where Bjorn will begin maturing into a fine wizard.
Bjorn and Myark shall accompany the local Mage Hunters as they eliminate the remaining opposition from the mountain. Bjorn will see his first combat use of the Fireball and his Falcon. He will meet with the occupants of the sparse villages located in the Mountains, and he will visit the metal mines. Bjorn shall learn things here which the Academy could never hope to teach him.
Bjorn shall learn of our fierce weaponry here at the mountains. A future king must know what his soldiers fight with. He shall start with the AS-HAC-1, under the guidance of Myark. Bjorn will learn how to operate the already-easy-to-use weapon, but with Myark teaching him and his knowledge from the academy, he will know how it works.
With this knowledge, Bjorn won't just be taught to use the AS-HAC-1. He will be able to exploit it to its fullest potential. He will know of every part in it and how it works to create the bigger picture. A future king doesn't need to know how to use his kingdom's weaponry. He needs to know where to use it; why to use it; how it works. It is with this knowledge that a kingdom can be properly ran.
Bjorn shall also be taught the use of the HA1 and the HC1-E. This teaching should only take a few days at most, as they largely share the same parts and training of the AS-HAC-1; just at a larger scale.
Eventually, Bjorn will be brought to Myark to one of the Mountains' Towers of Frost. Bjorn will be shown circuits at action here, and with his knowledge from the Academy, Bjorn will easily learn the application of circuits and how they interact to shape reality. His time at this tower will be short, but it will teach him much.
Finally, his time at the Mountains will eventually end, and Bjorn will have to leave in order to make it back to Arstotzka by the end of the year.
The Trip Home
Bjorn and Myark shall embark home on a AS-STV-1 Restless. Except Bjorn won't just be a passenger, here. By now, Bjorn will have learned much of the fireball and how to use it and will have had practical experience using it both in practice and combat.
Bjorn will power the train. He will run the steam engine through the trip home. This shall teach him resilience and determination as he builds on his experience with the steam engine from his time on a Crystalclad. He will be pushed to the limit of his abilities as he strains to continue powering it. Myark will push him to keep on going even when he feels he may break.
By the time they arrive at Arstotzka, Bjorn will be experienced with magical endurance, resilience, and most importantly, determination. With his experience both with the steam engine and the cannons back at the Mountains, Bjorn will know truly how magic is used in Arstotzka's machines and technology.
The Crystalworks
Finally, Bjorn and Myark shall make one last stop before arriving at the Palace. They shall meet the Foreman of the Crystalworks. Bjorn will be guided painstakingly through the course of a day into the process in which modern machine crystal is created. He will build on his knowledge of circuits from the Academy and Frost Tower. He will build on his experience with Crystal from the Academy and the Crystalclad.
Bjorn will see how circuits summon in Crystal. He will learn how the Crystal is shaped. He will see the process in which new crystal formats are created. By the end of the day, Bjorn will know how Crystal is created, and how exactly it works. He will have extensive knowledge of a material essential to our kingdom.
A Conclusion
Ultimately, Arstotzkan society is not a society of spells. It is a society of knowledge and machinery. In Bjorn's time as king, he will not need to know a few party tricks. He will need to know of Magic - the one thing his kingdom is built upon.
A future king must know how magic works. He must know how the weapons his soldiers use work. He must be aware, knowledgeable and skilled with the practice integral to all of Arstotzkan society and the continuing war with Moskurg. In the end, it's not memorizing spells that matters, but rather knowledge of how it works. With this knowledge of magic and the technology used in Arstotzka, Bjorn will be able to make informed decisions. He will be able to easily further his knowledge of magic in the future. He will know how magic can be exploited and used to further Arstotzkan dominance.
Bjorn will be something greater.
Bjorn shall become the first Wizard-King of Arstotzka.
Both sides call their Master Wizard from the front-lines to train their heir.
Hayat Salbi, daughter of the late Queen Sofia and Sultan Salbi, is trained personally by al-Mutriqa. Her education delves mostly into the theory behind magic, building the foundation for future growth. She is trained in meditation, physical strength, Divination theory, the effects of the Tubikh Rrahim, and
lots of prayer. For actual spells she is educated in how to use Gust of Wind and the Wand of Thunderbolts, which her teachers insist on limiting her progress on - she quickly grasps the knowledge of how to fire off lightning bolts and fry targets with surprising accuracy for an Apprentice-level mage. She takes to flying on the War Pegasi easily, and to no-ones surprise becomes one of the best riders in the kingdom. She names her personal War Pegasi "Queens Will" to match her eventual ascension to queendom. Much harder to learn is the Gust of Wind and Mind-Reading spells, which due to their expensive nature are difficult to grasp. She makes surprising progress though, and at the end of the year can - with great difficulty - cast both spells. Because her training includes physical training, she also grows to be quite the warrior. Acrobatic and fast, she periodically performs daring stunts on her War Pegasi over the city, such as balancing on one-hand on the very end of the rolled-up carpet. Despite scaring her handlers, she lands safely and with a round of applause from al-Mutriqa.
Bjorn Lodbrok, son of King Lodbrok, is likewise trained personally by Myark. His education is one part formal and two parts informal; he begins at the Arstotzkan Academy of Adequate Apprenticeship and goes through the same rough, rudimentary training that all apprentices go through. From there, he's taken up by Myark for a more hands-on training. His education largely consists of the fundamentals of magic - how it works, what's known, unknown, and how to manipulate it. He gains the rank of Mathemagician by the end of the year, having barely managed to gain the necessary knowledge to earn the title in time. Unlike his father, Bjorn is smaller, skinnier, and grasps magical concepts much more quickly. He takes up the Fireball spell easily, as it's in his blood as an Arstotzkan. He also learns the rudimentaries of crystal-casting and falconry, and gains a pet falcon that he promptly names "Reckless Effect". Everyone agrees that it is a cool name, and is very fitting. His training extends into the Tower of Frost, but unfortunately not enough time is spent there to learn how to power it himself. He does get plenty of training using the cannons and trains, and by the end of it all he's quite tired of being used as a living battery, but at least understands the use and tactical effect of the equipment the side uses.
Hayat is ultimately frustrated, feeling like she wasn't being taught enough and that she was being coddled. She performs her daily prayers in the morning, noon, and evening, but does so with little apparent enthusiasm. Her tutelage under al-Mutriqa sees her begin to adopt his rather unhinged love of chaos, if not his fervent religious faith. Towards the end of the year of her training she is absent several times from her prayer and training sessions; each time Queens Will is missing from the stables.
Bjorn ends up being frustrated as well, feeling as though the many mages in Arstotzka are being underutilized as batteries. He is interested in magegems, but they ultimately are not included in his training. The train ride proves to be his greatest test, powering a steam engine for long periods of time without getting bored. The trip to the mountains proves to be disastrous, as Moskurg makes an unexpected incursion up the slopes. He is nearly
killed by a Moskurg carpet-bomber, but Myark manages to save the young princes life before pulling him further north to safety. Myark seems to have rubbed off onto Bjorn, as the berserker periodically flies into a blind rage for one reason or another. Myark adopts his own brand of fury, but a different one - cold and deadly.
Ultimately, both sides train their heirs rather equally. Bjorn ultimately learns more, but most of the training involves powering devices rather than the fantastical feats of magic mages are known for. Hayat learns a little less, but her training proves to be a bit more practical and useful on the battlefield.
Both sides gain a
Second Revision this turn.
It is 940, the Design Phase.Northern Taiga: 4/4 Arstotzka, 0/4 Moskurg
Central Mountains: 3/4 Arstotzka, 1/4 Moskurg
Western Jungle: 2/4 Arstotzka, 2/4 Moskurg
Eastern Plains: 3/4 Arstotzka, 1/4 Moskurg
Southern Desert: 0/4 Arstotzka, 4/4 Moskurg
Northern Sea: 3/4 Arstotzka, 1/4 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.
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.
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 gold etchings to manage heat. Expensive.
SPB "Fog-O-War": Boat using two steam engines for power. Slightly faster than Moskurg ships. Tends to sink after the first hit. Very 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. 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. A is the largest, and could possibly power a couple flare spells. AAA is the smallest, and could maybe power some sort of time-keeping device. Cheap-Very Expensive.
HA1: Arstotzkan heavy artillery. Fires at beyond line-of-sight range. Requires three apprentices to operate, plus loading and water crew. Uses nickel circuitry to cool the cannon. Breech-loaded. Made mostly of crystal. Expensive. Obsolete.
HC1: AKA the "Extreme-Range Hybrid Cannon". Arstotzka's first cannon. Uses a fireball and steam 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. Expensive.
AS-R1 Hybrid Rifle: A cannon you can hold! Made out of crystal, circuit-cooled, breech-loaded, bolt-action. Two A-level Magegems allow non-magic users to use it for +1 expense level. Uses just the fireblast for propulsion rather than steam, and suffers for it. Reaches only to short-range. Obsoleted by the longbow. Expensive. Obsolete.
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: A workshop that produces crystal items cheaply, permanently, and with a mild brittle factor. Crystals can repair microfractures, eliminating the need for maintenance. 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 longbows, 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.
Streamlined Fireball: Hurls small balls of fire that explode on impact. Devastating against massed troops. Cheap.
Flare: A small, harmless fireball. Comes in many different colors. 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. Normal Cost.
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 386976 times)