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Author Topic: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr  (Read 150754 times)

Kashyyk

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #825 on: August 16, 2017, 03:07:40 pm »

Quote from: Votes
[1] Right Hook : Kashyyk
[] Counterattack Mk3 :

I believe these are our two main strategies.

Personally, I'd prefer to safely recover our Vipers and put some pressure on the right flank with our skyskiffs, rather than risk a damaged and outdated viper (albeit with support) against their fleet.
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NAV

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #826 on: August 16, 2017, 03:14:08 pm »

Ways the Serpentis needs repair or upgrading:
-All it's webbing is destroyed. It's a slow crippled sitting suck unable to effectively maneuver or power its core crystal until that's replaced.
-It doesn't have any core crystal monitoring and resynchronizing tools. Last turn it was mentioned that we were extremely lucky it didn't desynch in combat and it would have been disastrous if it did.
-It's kettleguns aren't refillable yet. This is relatively minor, but it's still lacking a significant sustained damage upgrade.
-It doesn't have armour in front, making it vulnerable to the exact same catastrophic damage that happened to the Anguis.

Sending the Serpentis into battle this turn instead of bringing it home for repairs and upgrades is a very bad idea. So I'm voting for Right Hook.

Quote from: Votes
[2] Right Hook : Kashyyk, NAV
[] Counterattack Mk3 :
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helmacon

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #827 on: August 16, 2017, 03:37:26 pm »


Quote from: Votes
[3] Right Hook : Kashyyk, NAV, helmacon
[] Counterattack Mk3 :
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Draignean

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #828 on: August 16, 2017, 06:48:42 pm »

Three Captains

The Serpentis and the Anguis are able to limp away from the Three Captains without incident.

Inside the Spire

Battle does not go well for the marines within the Three Captains. It's readily apparent that Wreth was able to not only reinforce their men, but also to update the equipment for the existing soldiers.

Combat has become something of a grueling affair, and we're losing ground steadily. Their portable cannon means that we cannot stop them in a frontal press- not without throwing away more lives than we have on hand. Our tactic of trying to outflank them has, rather rapidly, been adapted to. At least one of their new squads carries with them a surprising amount of construction supplies, with which they rapidly construct mobile barricades to guard soft-flanks and block the larger spider-tunnels. The strength of these fortifications is limited, but it's sufficient to protect a man from a gauntlet blast once, and Witch-Hunter bolts only penetrate halfway. The former is capable of rapidly disassembling a fortification, and the later has stapled a Wreth soldier to a barricade on more than one occasion, but it's not enough.

The Wreth have brought in a second portable cannon, which is used primarily to guard their flanks. Like the first, it's a monstrosity that can turn aside a promising assault with a single shot. Worse than that cannon, however, is the vileness they've stooped to with their crossbowmen. The all-wood Wreth Crossbow is an inferior thing, with its range, accuracy, and power surpassed by the Witch-Hunter, and only its ridiculous ability to quickly fire multiple inaccurate and low velocity bolts preventing us from completely rolling over it. They've corrected for their deficient engineering ability with a cowards tactic: venom. Even a small scratch from a Wreth bolt now results in intense pain within seconds, and local muscle spasms within a few seconds more. It isn't lethal, and the afflicted recover after about an hour, but even a graze in an extremity is now capable of crippling. Our officers, previously bulwarks capable of shrugging off any wreth attack except a cannon blast, are now rendered low by nicks to their legs and arms.

We inflict casualties here and there, but far too few. Our flanking presses our now met with men behind mobile barricades, holding cheap crossbows and delivering a hail of venom smeared bolts- and that's when our men are fortunate enough to not encounter their second cannon.

Even if he still has men to fight with, the ranking officer notes that he will be forced to fall back imminently unless something is done.

Confirmed Kills: Around a half-squad of men
Confirmed Losses: Unit 4

Kasgyre has neither gained nor lost ground



Rightmost Wreth Spire

The skiff detachment arrives at the Wreth demi-spire without incident. The scouting vessel reveals no enemy vessels in the region, whether as pickets to guard against intrusion or as build-up forces for a push into Kasgyre's territories.

The Demi-Spire itself is verdantly green, and it's not hard to spot the occasional civilian transport moving in and out. The captains aren't enthusiastic about engaging these vessels, but they do it.

It doesn't go terribly well. The skiffs manage to destroy three transports, but they get a hair two close to the docks and a salvo of cannon shots blows apart two of the skiffs. Worse, only one of the transports appeared to be carrying wood, the other two appeared to be fully loaded with... paperwork?

Confirmed Kills: One transport carrying approximately 5 wood.
Confirmed Losses:Two Skyskiffs



Blackstone

The two skiffs assigned to work as border scouts arrive, assuming positions where the can see one another and have a good view of the spire, but where it would be incredibly difficult to spot both of them at once.

Aside from spotting the Anguis and the Serpentis limping back to Kasgyre, it's a quiet watch.



Spire Kasgyre

Two additional squads of marines have been trained and stand ready for action, and two additional skyskiffs have been constructed.

The Serpentis has been fully repaired and fitted with frontal armor and rear ballast.

The Anguis hull has been mothballed, and her equipment transferred to the new (and also up-armored) Pythonidae.



Event: Star-Crossed Lovers

A tactician of Kasgyre, well liked and known to be a man of honor and good standing, has recently tendered his resignation to the crown. He has admitted, of his own free will, that he had met and fallen in love with a woman of Wreth years before the beginning of the war. Even after the events of the war, they've kept up a relationship via letter, both hoping for a resolution to the war that will let them be together once more. However, he recently learned that (by strange and twisted fate) she too is a tactician, on the side of Wreth.  He speaks highly of her as a woman of decency and integrity, and they've both agreed that the only honorable thing to do is to resign their posts and sail off to a quiet horizon. He has enough money to purchase a small vessel for himself, and requires no aid from the crown, but as a man of honor he asks for the blessing of the crown to leave Spire Kasgyre, as he no longer believes himself able to perform his role.

What do you do?
A. Give him your blessing.
B  Imprison him.
C. Arrange a rendezvous in order to capture the Wreth tactician and gain their knowledge.

Now, Wreth has the female version of this challenge, and the results of your actions are dependent on both of your actions.

AA: Both empires gain the Lines We Do Not Cross modifier for three years, granting an extra die every year.
AB: The empire who chose B gains nothing, but the empire that chose A gets the Lines We Do Not Cross modifier for five years.
AC: The empire that chose A gains nothing, but the empire that chose C gets complete knowledge of the enemy's current fleet composition and position, and knowledge of all designs and revisions made in the years 358 and 359.
BB: Neither empire gains anything.
BC: The empire that chose C gains nothing, but the empire the chose B gains the Justified modifier for five years, which improves all resource generation by 5.
CC: Both empires gain the Justified modifier for three years.



It is the beginning of the year 359 AR.

Spire Kasgyre's production stands at,
13/y Crystal, 34/65 Banked
17/y Ore, 17/85 banked
19/y Wood, 35/95 banked
10/y Silk, 42/50 banked

It is now the Design and Project Maintenance Phase. You have 5 dice to spend.


Spoiler: Projects (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Ships (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Goods Stockpile (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Infantry (click to show/hide)



Current Technology

Spoiler: Tech (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: Tactics (click to show/hide)

« Last Edit: August 16, 2017, 07:20:42 pm by Draignean »
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Draignean

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #829 on: August 16, 2017, 07:34:48 pm »

Ah, and one thing to aid my mind. Please hold off on voting on the event until the production, deployment, and tactics phase.
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NAV

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #830 on: August 16, 2017, 07:41:54 pm »

We have two major problems with wreth's marines.
1. Cannons
2. Poison darts

I can think of a few potential strategies to take:
1. Design and give the squad leader a personal shroud backpack to protect the squad from at least one cannon shot or a lot of gauntlet blasts. Give some soldiers at the front of the squad simple wooden shields to protect from the poison darts. Charge into melee range and win the melee, probably with heavy losses.

2. Design explosive charges and mining tools. Go above or below the wreths, set off the explosives. Cause the tunnels to collapse on them. Sapping and guerrilla warfare. Maybe also set up booby traps.

3. Give our cannons wheels and copy the wreths. Maybe also give the cannon cart a shroud crystal to create a pseudo-tank. Meet them head on, try to stay at longer range to avoid their poison, relatively conventional warfare.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2017, 07:48:48 pm by NAV »
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crazyabe

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #831 on: August 16, 2017, 07:48:59 pm »

My thought: Why not try to make a set of mini crystals which could be affixed to someone like a suit of armor... and used like a jetpack AND Energy shield.
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NAV

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #832 on: August 16, 2017, 07:52:32 pm »

For now, I think the energy shield is much higher priority and simpler. But maybe we can try to lay the foundation for a crystal jetpack if we do the energy shield design.
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Highmax…dead, flesh torn from him, though his skill with the sword was unmatched…military…Nearly destroyed .. Rhunorah... dead... Mastahcheese returns...dead. Gaul...alive, still locked in combat. NAV...Alive, drinking booze....
The face on the toaster does not look like one of mercy.

Kashyyk

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #833 on: August 17, 2017, 01:22:41 am »

I think the easiest solution to an entrenched position is grenades. Three Captains is described as tunnels and caverns, so most fighting is presumably quite close, and thus at viable throwing distance.

Aether Grenade - essentially two tiny crystals strapped together, one a pre-charged core crystal and the other a weapons crystal. After a  mechanical timer is triggered the core crystal starts discharging its contents into the weapons crystal, which in turn generates as much hard Aether as possible. As there is no need to protect this Aether anywhere, we should be able to get slightly more bang for our buck, and if the are any known ways to violently overload either crystal, all the better.
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blueturtle1134

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #834 on: August 17, 2017, 07:23:46 am »

He has admitted, of his own free will, that he had met and fallen in love with a woman of Wreth years before the beginning of the war.

West Spire Story.

In all seriousness, however, I will be unreachable for the next week, so please allow me to give my assessment of this situation right now. The main benefit of action A is the extra dice if they behave somewhat decently; the danger is that it gives them the opportunity to get all intelligence on us if they choose C. In turn, C has the disadvantage of giving them the extra resources if they pick B. Finally, B gets nothing if they pick A.

It's rock paper scissors - each has strengths and weaknesses. I would say, however, that the die is more valuable than the Intel or resources. Regardless, I am not in the business of crossing lines. I hope the rest of you will not become what you fight, and join me in voting A.
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NAV

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #835 on: August 17, 2017, 12:14:45 pm »

I think the easiest solution to an entrenched position is grenades. Three Captains is described as tunnels and caverns, so most fighting is presumably quite close, and thus at viable throwing distance.

Aether Grenade - essentially two tiny crystals strapped together, one a pre-charged core crystal and the other a weapons crystal. After a  mechanical timer is triggered the core crystal starts discharging its contents into the weapons crystal, which in turn generates as much hard Aether as possible. As there is no need to protect this Aether anywhere, we should be able to get slightly more bang for our buck, and if the are any known ways to violently overload either crystal, all the better.
If aether grenades can throw shrapnel as effectively as a conventional nade, then I think we should go for aether. Otherwose conventional explosive. Because shrapnel is the main important part of grenades, not the explosion itself. We shpuld also consider what rescources it uses. Do we wantnthe nades to use up crystal, or ore/wood?

We should also consider experience. Do we want larger aether explosives in the future, or larger conventional explosives?
« Last Edit: August 17, 2017, 12:16:28 pm by NAV »
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Highmax…dead, flesh torn from him, though his skill with the sword was unmatched…military…Nearly destroyed .. Rhunorah... dead... Mastahcheese returns...dead. Gaul...alive, still locked in combat. NAV...Alive, drinking booze....
The face on the toaster does not look like one of mercy.

Kashyyk

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #836 on: August 17, 2017, 01:06:12 pm »

I'd specifically like to limit ore costs, so as not to impede on our other designs, and I imagine shards of crystal would be about as deadly as shards of metal when exploded everywhere.
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Jerick

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #837 on: August 17, 2017, 01:26:20 pm »

With them using poisoned arrows how do people feel about going full warcrimes?;
Poison Steamer
The poison steamer is a small throw able device with a small crystal, a water reservoir and a release valve. The crystal is a tiny and weak weapon crystal that is used purely to boil the water. The water contains chemicals and plant extracts that are toxic and poisonous when inhaled. The steam is used to distribute the poision rapidly into the air and down the tunnels. Also the fact that it's releasing steam should make it difficult to deal with it once it's been thrown. The Poison steamer should in theory be able to produce deadly vapor for several minutes, which in poorly ventilated tunnels should hang around for some time.
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Kashyyk

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #838 on: August 17, 2017, 01:39:57 pm »

That would work, but would also prevent our own forces from going anywhere near a territory. Until we have gas masks, it would only be useful as part of a fighting retreat.

Speaking of, how does this sound as a tactic?

Fighting Retreat
Spires are permanent. Men are not. Land can be retaken. Kasgyrite dead can not be resurrected. All battle is a trade, lives for lives, until the ground is taken. Instead, this tactic involves selling the ground as dearly as possible, and forcing the enemy to pay with their lives instead of ours. Implementations include: Nailing the first few enemies out of a tunnel with crossbow bolts, then retreating under cover fire from aether gauntlets. Clearing the larger caverns and forcing the unarmoured enemy to advance across them whilst being fired on, in order to take ground. They will take a section of spire, but they will pay for it dearly. Forcing them to advance this way also means their new fortifications and cannons will be of no use to them, turning the fight into our favour.
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helmacon

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Re: Arms Race: War of the Cinder Spires | Spire Kasgyr
« Reply #839 on: August 17, 2017, 01:46:48 pm »

Sounds very effective, but we are slowly but surely building ourselves out to be the good guys here. They refused an offer of armistice in the discord in favor of war. Our captains are refusing to attack civilian vessels while they are using poison bolts.

If we do A on the event and they do anything else, that's another point in our favour.

Also, poison bolts should already be a war crime, shouldn't it?

We could do a flash bang from an over charged lumen Crystal though.

+1 to fighting retreat. (Let's call it a tactical withdraw)
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