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[chubby2man]

We invested two designs in combat last round and we got a standstill. Combat lane is easy come, easy go, we pushed them onto their side and gained nothing for it.

As it stands it’s a race to secure influence in the kingdoms and add their resources to our forces. Each step we gain there brings us closer to victory. We shouldn’t be abandoning an entire front of our strongest designs just to keep an eternal stalemate.

Influence gains are permanent, presumably, until a kingdom reaches 5/5. I’m willing to take a few steps back in combat (Just as the demons have had happen to them!) if it means still making progress to getting that 5/5.

[Powder Miner]

We won’t have been brought back into net zero gain for the combat lanes unless we get double pushed this turn, which I suspect to be a very distinct possibility, and which you do seem totally willing to accept. I’m not looking for an “eternal stalemate” in the combat lane, although it appears that you are — what I want to do is avoid getting rolled back to turn 1 in combat and to push back into the Light Jungle and the region beyond the Terraces in Darrin. In other words, I would like to return our progress and continue it.

The fact that influence gains don’t appear to slip without outside influence is another reason I want to do a double design in combat. Our combat designs have often been aimed at setting up influence work, and we have two potential instances of this where I think we can make real influence progress with revisions. With our enchanted gear, we can set up a procurement revision in order to make progress in at least the Fortified Frontier and Scholarly Towers and we can set up a minomonk-trained acolyte revision to make progress in the Wasted and again in the Towers — and we also HAVE been making steady progress in the influence lanes through this blending of purposes.

The fact of the matter is that the way I want to do things doesn’t ignore either aspect of the game; the designs go to combat, and the revisions go to turn previous designs for influence purposes, as well as opening up room for a more influence heavy turn after we break the stalemate. I’m planning pretty carefully for making progress in both lanes... but as you’re describing now, it seems that you want to sacrifice half of the game under the view that the influence game is going to go so lightning fast that we can afford to just ignore the rest of it.

[chubby2man]

I’m not advocating sacrificing anything at all, rather a balanced approach that dedicates equal resources to both areas in this case. Both avenues are important, and ideally we would be winning in both, but just because we fought to a stalemate in the last turn doesn’t mean we need to throw both designs AGAIN into combat, especially considering the Minos are coming into play this turn as well.

Influence takes time to set up and function. I imagine that a purposeful build up over time would be more effective than rushing influence later.  I’m advocating for a balanced approach. I’m hardly wanting a stalemate, but that is acceptable if that ensures we still make progress in the influence arena.

I don’t really see how saying “let’s maybe do an influence design” is sacrificing half the game tho

[Powder Miner]

Well, making an influence design isn't sacrificing half of the game, but arguing that a couple of turns of loss in combat is acceptable would be. I will admit though that I was somewhat jumping on what I saw as an opening there.

That said, what I'm trying to do also fits into that idea of a purposeful build up over time, actually in both combat and influence -- I have specific things I want to see dealt with in combat, and I have specific things I want to see dealt with in influence. In the former area, what I want to deal with primarily are the URUK missile shitstorm and the comparative weakness in decisive magical combat that we have, and I feel that designs are the best ways to solve these things; the URUK barrage is a bit too mighty of an obstacle to be dispelled with just a revision, and a properly decisive song also works best as a design, especially since we're trying to create our first Uncommon spellsong in order to make proper use of the Angel's Voices. I don't think we can ignore the URUKs, but I also don't want the Angel's Voices to
be the first step of a larger magical progression that then just lays unfinished for multiple turns. I feel that the only way to address both of these things is with designs.

On the other hand, in influence, we have certain things set up that we don't really need designs to prosecute, and where designs would in fact quite probably be overkill. Consider the enchanted gear -- we made those with the expectation that we could use them for influence purposes with the Hawks, and I reckon that the Green University would enjoy studying magic that stable also. A general procurement revision should allow us to use that to its best effect, and we just don't really need a design to do that. The Minomonks also give us a fun little opportunity to improve our apostles that I think should be effective in the Wartorn
Wastes, since we can use them to serve as pretty expert negotiators, as well as maybe in the Towers or one of the capitals... and that works as a revision too.

Rather than just split each phase evenly, I think that we just have things to deal with in each area of the game which are better suited to particular phases. For example, though I like the idea of a HOAK-style thing, the Order of the Healing Hand just doesn't follow up on any of the loose ends that we have established from the last turns, and thusly isn't going to be as efficient a method of gaining influence as the revisions would be -- it would probably get some influence in some areas, but it would be spending a design on bumping a few zones upwards whereas we can do that with revisions currently. It'll probably be a bit different after this turn, though, if we manage good rolls on our designs and revisions, as the loose ends will be tied up and we'll be best suited creating new paths to follow.

[chubby2man]

Okay I just checked.

We haven’t had an influence design since Turn 3.


I think the Shield Minos and the Missile in Major Key are good designs, but neither is our need so urgent we should neglect the influence phase. I feel like we are starting to stretch our possibilities thin with what we can accomplish with just revisions.

OHH is meant to inject some fresh possibilities for our influence to work, as it would be a public facing part of our cult that could more openly interact with society, backed by our allies and our covert network. It’s less about bumping us up immediately, but rather setting the stage for more revisions and more possibilities down the line.

I feel like Influence is something best built up over time, and to do that we need to make investments in it to get us to the next level. Influence and Combat are equal-ish parts of the game, and I feel like we are handicapping ourselves if we relegate an entire theatre to revision only status.

[Powder Miner]

The Order of the Healing Hand sounds to me to be something that exists for the purpose of being an influence design than it does an influence action with a clear path forward. While I know what I want to accomplish with the revisions that I want to push for, the ultimate purpose of the OHH is a lot more unclear -- we've certainly done a lot of healing, but I don't really think that the OHH actually meets any of the specific needs that have been laid out for progressing with the factions, and I don't think it clearly leads to solutions for any of these groups either, but is rather sort of just pushing them forwards for the sake of having an influence design now and justifying it later. I hate to admit it since I'd been very fond of the HOAK idea, but we seem to mostly be moving beyond the healers, and I do think it shows with how the OHH is somewhat awkwardly positioned within our influence situation.

But I will present the argument that this kind of proves my point that the actions we have to take right now are mostly capitalizing on setup --which is something you do have to do with this idea of building influence up over time, it can't just be setup-- which we did during a lot of these combat designs, as many were meant to be dual-purpose between combat and influence, and as some have presented other influence opportunities. The revisions for influence this phase are a lot more obvious than the designs because the concept of an influence design as it is right now is stacking setup on top of setup without taking the actions to tie up some of the outstanding pieces of influence preparation that we've already done... there aren't any stunningly apropos influence designs out right now because the most obvious and appropriate actions to take with our influence are currently revisions.

[chubby2man]

Just because we have some clear paths for influence revisions doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start planning for the future as well.

The Order of Healing Hands is meant to be a broad base, one that we can further customize for each area with revisions. It is also an entrance into a different way of fighting the influence battle, that of public relations. Currently we are mostly relegated to the shadows and preachers in the street, but something like OHH could gain us some legitimacy.

But yeah, it doesn’t specifically target the factions where maybe it could (and I would probably support a brilliant idea that covered all of those!) but I feel like it provides a good setup for many of them. For example, if the Order of Healing Hands gets a reputation as healers for all who walk through their doors, they might make effective peace brokers in the war torn wastes.

It’s not strictly focused on healing, or on assassination, or on handing out weapons. It is meant to supplement all of our influence tracks and help spread Good. Healing is an important part of that, but I think the important part is that it does provide some organization, and something that can gain a legitimate public reputation, which is something I think we are lacking.

[Strider03]

Shield Minotaurs (2): Twinwolf, C2M
Barrier Paladins (0):
Missile in Major Key (3) Powder Miner, Twinwolf, Strider
Shields of Purification (1): Powder Miner
Song of Storms (1): Strider
Water Nymphs (0):
The Order of the Healing Hand (1): C2M

[Taricus]

Shield Minotaurs (3): Twinwolf, C2M, Taricus
Barrier Paladins (0):
Missile in Major Key (4) Powder Miner, Twinwolf, Strider, Taricus
Shields of Purification (1): Powder Miner
Song of Storms (1): Strider
Water Nymphs (0):
The Order of the Healing Hand (1): C2M

[Failbird105]

Shield Minotaurs (4): Twinwolf, C2M, Taricus, Failbird
Barrier Paladins (0):
Missile in Major Key (5) Powder Miner, Twinwolf, Strider, Taricus, Failbird
Shields of Purification (1): Powder Miner
Song of Storms (1): Strider
Water Nymphs (0):
The Order of the Healing Hand (1): C2M

[ANGRY_DEMON_NOISES]

PTW

[m1895]

Shield Minotaurs (5): Twinwolf, C2M, Taricus, Failbird, m1895
Barrier Paladins (0):
Missile in Major Key (6) Powder Miner, Twinwolf, Strider, Taricus, Failbird, m1895
Shields of Purification (1): Powder Miner
Song of Storms (1): Strider
Water Nymphs (0):
The Order of the Healing Hand (1): C2M

[NUKE9.13]

Angel Team: Design Phase T6
TURNTURNTURN

Shield Minotaurs

The Monks of Minos have finally joined our cause, if in defense of our congregation rather than for the destruction of the Demon. This is quite acceptable in any case, as even holding back the Monks of Minos are more than a match for any creature fielded by the Demons at this time. But still, martial arts and strict no-killing do harm their potential effectiveness, even if their dedication to morality is admirable; soon, in amongst the blood and battle, they will see that the soldiers of Evil are no longer human and no longer worth the restraint of the Monks. While our best debators continue to argue for the monks to stop holding themselves back from their potential, we have gained some ground; some among their order seek a means to more directly protect our congregation. We, and our artificers, were quite enthused by this development, and got to work immediately.

The "Shield Minotaurs", as some of our congregation call them, are an intimidating sight on the field. Minotaurs already stand out on the field; minotaurs bearing shields nearly as large as they are even moreso. As the armies close to combat, the Shield Minotaurs march out in front with their tower shields. As the enemy ranged units come into play, especially the volleys of magic missiles from the corrupted former humans, they plant their shields into the ground, and the magic activates. The Barrier Shields, as they've been named, are already sturdy, heavy metal shields fit for use by the minotaurs. When activated, they construct a wall of magical energy in front of them, a barrier against magical assault. The nearer the shields are to each other, the wider their effect; a physical shieldwall that projects a magical one. While the Shield Minotaurs are as limited in number as their unarmed brothers, the barriers they create in tandem ought to shield significant portions of our forces from the missiles of the enemy uruks.

Shield Minotaurs: Normal: (3+2)=5: Average
Convincing the Minomonks to act as shield-bearers was not especially difficult. Indeed, they welcomed the opportunity to contribute in a non-violent manner. Developing the shields consumed the majority of the project's resources, as the enchantments featured were more advanced than those applied to the Sunbow. However, with the success of the Sunbow fresh in their minds, your recently appointed enchanters set to work with confidence.
The results, while not quite as spectacular as the Sunbow, are satisfying. The physical shields are impressive by themselves, massive curved slabs of iron, embossed with glyphs that help channel the enchantment. The enchantment draws on traditional magical wards for inspiration, although the end result bears little resemblance, having been reworked several times in order to function as a triggerable enchantment. In operation, a single Barrier Shield can draw on energy stored in the shield and project a magical barrier about four times wider than the shield itself, and twice as tall. If a barrier overlaps with another, they will merge, creating a barrier slightly larger than the sum of the two. Any number of barriers may be merged in this way. The barriers are tuned to defend against magic, and purely physical projectiles will pass right through. They can last for several minutes before needing to be recharged- a fairly simple process, but one that requires the attention of an Acolyte, and cannot be performed while the barrier is active.
Other than their shield, the Shield Minotaurs are unarmed, although their raw strength is such that with fists alone they can easily defend themselves from normal soldiers.

Shield Minotaurs will march ahead of our forces in battle, or stand on the walls during a siege, providing decent defence against magic for large sections of our army (although their numbers are such that not everyone will be able to take advantage of their protection, unless the battlefield is rather narrow). Due to the cost of enchantments, and the scarcity of minotaurs, they operate in small squads of 8, and are Rare.

Missile in Major Key

As recent battles have made shockingly, bloodily clear, the Demons strongly outdo us on the front of battle through magic -- even despite the work that was done on the Major Missile. It has become clear that a more effective weapon is needed to maintain parity or better with our foes, and for that purpose comes Missile in Major Key.

As the name implies, Missile in Major Key is a Spellsong... specifically, it is a Spellsong designed with the intent of being Uncommon, and with the intent of using our Angels' Voices to their maximum potential. Missile in Major Key takes the approach of firing force at our enemies and adjusts it to the inherently collective nature of Spellsongs as they have mostly been used thus far, as it is a spell that is sung by several Angels' Voices at the same time. Each Angels' Voice offers a portion of their magical energy to the song, which creates a large and shapeless well of force collected equally and shared between the Angels' Voices. Once the well of force is deemed large enough, it is split up and fired out as several moderately wide waves of force, each one consisting of the power given by multiple Angels' Voices -- often 3 to 5 waves. These waves of force are ideally strong enough to slay powerful foes such as CHADs and Warcasters and have enough width and carrying power to slay many of the URUKs around them, hopefully punching multiple different holes into a Demon charge or formation. Additionally, as the Angels' Voices were created through singing Good into their spells, and given the demonic mutations the Demons have now given to all of their soldiers, an extra amount of Good is pumped into this spell, ideally doing extra damage to their many mutated soldiers.

There are certainly limits to this approach -- the collective nature of this spell, and the swathes of damage that it deals, mean that it is far more suited for the formation and charge portions of battle rather than the melee battles often devolve into, and it perhaps doesn't achieve quite the area of damage that the URUK barrages do... but through devastating several of their high-value soldiers and punching large holes into the Demonic charges and the new Demonic formations, it is hoped that the damage the Missile in Major Key could deal could give our forces a strong advantage in the melee afterwards.

Missile in Major Key: Easy: (1+2)+1=4: Below Average
There are two compounding problems with Missile in Major Key. The first is that several developmental hurdles resulted in a spell that was notably inefficient, bleeding off a lot of magical energy into the environment. The second is that Magic Missile is maybe not the best base to build large-scaled magic off of, as while very simple for new mages to cast, it is inherently inefficient to throw around raw, unformed magic- not so much of a problem when dealing with small, relatively-short ranged missiles, or even the slightly larger Major Missiles, but very noticeable in this case. As a result, MMK, while functional, does not do nearly as much damage as more competently designed and focused spell.
The spell requires a trio of Angel's Voices to cast (~one unit). Casting takes about 30 seconds of singing, and generates a cloud of Magic and Good that is visible to the naked eye- unfortunately, this is due to the aforementioned inefficiency, as the raw magic interacts with the air, creating a very pretty but entirely pointless vortex of glowing lights. Subsequently, the trio unleashes all of the energy as a single wave of force. The wave is wide enough to hit eight men at once, although the damage is concentrated in the centre, going from 'Magic Missile strength' at the edge to 'OHKO a CHAD' in the middle. The range is somewhat better than Magic Missile- archer range, but not Sunbow range. Casting MMK is quite draining, requiring a 30-second recovery period.

Missile in Major Key is a more effective spell for Angel's Voices to cast than Magic/Major Missile, letting them deal more 'damage per second', but suffers from inefficiency. It is an Uncommon spellsong.


It is now the Revision Phase. You have two revisions.

Spoiler: Equipment (click to show/hide)

Heliel: The benevolent leader of your faction, a being of immense power. There is very little they cannot do. Needless to say, they are Unique. 


Champions:
The Silver Markswoman: A female archer who was accidentally imbued with the power of light, causing her to glow, granting her improved vision, and increasing her stamina when exposed to sunlight. Wears a hooded cloak when not fighting to conceal her glowing skin & hair. An expert archer, she harmonises with her Sunbow, giving it even greater range and power. Not particularly skilled at close combat, or provided with any special equipment. Unique


Mundane Units:
Armed Cultists: Equipped with fairly respectable equipment- a well-made gambeson, padded iron cap, sturdy spear, shiny dagger, and a solid shield-, combined with rudimentary training, mean that while these are not elite warriors, they would stand a chance against a real soldier. More importantly, they're cheap and plentiful. Like regular cultists, their dedication (and communal singing) makes them more resilient mentally than civilians.  Common

Cultist Archers: Cultists who have some experience and training with a bow are valuable assets in combat, harassing the enemy from a distance. Their bows are not high-draw war-bows, but they've received training from experts that renders them better and faster shots- the equal of the average archer in a human army. Also provided with gambeson and iron cap. Like regular cultists, their dedication (and communal singing) makes them more resilient mentally than civilians. Extended training programmes also increase the number of archers available, doubling the size of each unit.Uncommon

Sunbow Skirmishers: Archers provided with Sunbows- recurve shortbows enchanted to double the force imparted on arrows, and cause said arrows to glow like the sun in flight and cause burning on impact-, and rigorous training in mobility, allowing them to move around the battlefield extremely rapidly- all but regardless of terrain. Are otherwise similar to regular archers in terms of equipment. Significantly smaller units than regular archers. Uncommon

Acolytes: Cultists who have begun their exploration of the magical arts, studying under the Angel. They can cast any Common spells (unless noted otherwise). Their physical strength leaves something to be desired, but their mental fortitude is even greater than regular cultists. Wear a gambeson, but forgo iron cap. There are not many Acolytes in a unit. Uncommon

Angel's Voices: Acolytes who have discovered a song that resonates with their own 'Soul Song', granting them greatly improved magical ability, especially with regard to Spellsongs. They can sing any Uncommon Spellsongs, and cast most other Uncommon spells. No more physically adept than regular Acolytes. Wear white robes sown with golden thread, and wear little white masks over their eyes. 3-4 per unit. Uncommon

Cultist Officers: Featuring a whole two tiers of military hierarchy, the sergeants and captains impart a modicum of organisation upon their fellow cultists. While not massively better than self-organised troops, it's still noticeable. They are distributed amongst all cultist units (eg Armed Cultists, Cultist Archers, Acolytes).


Summoned/Mutated Units:
Bright Shadows: Souls of fallen cultists (or other Good people), empowered with Good such that they may continue to serve in death as they did in life. Invisible and incorporeal, with an uncanny ability to find whatever they are looking for, they make for excellent spies and capable scouts. Immune to physical attack (but not magical attack). Not useful in actual combat. Uncommon
    Bright Shadow Acolytes: Bright Shadows with magical potential, who have been further empowered to enable them to utilise such. Their spellcasting ability is rather weak, and they are easier to detect. Nevertheless, invisible spellcasters are nothing to sneer at. Rare

Shadow Walkers: Former criminal types, who found redemption under Heliel, and now serve her cause fanatically. They have been augmented with minor mutations that improve their stealth ability, and are skilled in all manner of underhanded activities. Uncommon

Chosen Apostles: Acolytes with a companion Orator Cherub bound to their souls. The Orator Cherub is a very minor angelic being with mastery of rhetoric, which both provides the Apostle with a script and augments their voice with angelic energy. Rare


Monsters:
Wyvern Harriers: Large (horse+ size) reptiles, their front limbs are powerful wings that (combined with inherent magic) enable them to fly. They can augment their breath into gale-force winds, though only once every few minutes. Scales provide moderate natural armour, though their wing membranes are vulnerable. Not particularly intelligent. Each 'unit' consists of a single Wyvern. Uncommon
   Wyvern Riders: An uncomfortable saddle (for both rider and ride) with simply awful safety, combined with a wyvern's unease at having a rider, render these unlikely to see much use.
   Wailing Wyvern: Wyverns are taught to 'sing' a modified version of Refrain of Regret using their air-blast magic. This can be used to demoralise dozens of enemy soldiers at once, but the feedback will also cause the Wyvern itself to flee. Wyverns will only use this ability when directly ordered to.
   
Monks of Minos: Half man, half bull, all pacifist. Strong, tough, and capable of channelling small amounts of Good into their strikes, these monks are built for war- but their minds have, over many generations, been honed for peace. Very effective warriors, despite their reluctance to cause unnecessary suffering and their rigid adherence to their brand of martial arts. Fight in tiny squads of 3-4 minotaurs. Uncommon

Shield Minotaurs: Monks of Minos, equipped with large iron 'Barrier Shields'. The shields are embossed with glyphs, and when planted in the ground project a magical barrier above and to the sides, which blocks/diminishes magical attacks. The barriers last for several minutes before needing to be recharged. Operate in squads of 8. Rare
   

Spells/Rituals:
Magic Missile: Known by many names, the simple technique of blasting your opponent with raw Magic/Good/Evil is a tried and true method of making things go away. Efficacy increases with caster's mental might, and decreases with the target's. Common
    Major Missile: A more powerful, but also more draining version of Magic Missile. Produces a stronger blast than the standard Magic Missile, but can only be cast a few times (depending on strength) before the user is drained of their spellcasting reserves. The user has a limited ability to direct the missile in flight. Common

Heliel's Love: A very efficient basic healing spell. A slight touch and channelling of angelic love initiates a self-sustaining healing process that can heal up to moderately serious injuries and diseases fairly rapidly. The magic has lingering effects even after healing is complete, leaving the subject healthier and more resilient for a few hours afterwards. Heliel casts this magic automatically on all in her vicinity (unless specifically choosing not to). Common
    Mass Heliel's Love: A markedly less efficient variant of Heliel's Love, that affects all targets in a small area (~15 at a time). The healing effect is reduced, to the point where even stabilising moderately serious injuries is a gamble- sometimes doing enough for the patient to survive until more personalised healing can be applied, other times only giving the appearance thereof. It cannot be cast as often as Heliel's Love, but is still Common
   Heliel's True Gift: A modified version of Heliel's Love that can reverse ageing by 15-20 years. Heliel herself can reverse ageing almost indefinitely. Uncommon
   Heliel's False Gift: A modified version of Heliel's True Gift that reverses ageing by 5-10 years for up to a week, after which the magic abruptly ends- very painfully. Uncommon

Song of Soothing: A spellsong developed to heal and fortify the mind. The song must be initiated by a magic user, but once sufficient numbers are singing along it becomes self-sustaining. Cannot be used by or affect the undead. Common
   Refrain of Regret: An inverted version of Song of Soothing. Listeners are compelled to sing along, thereby weakening their minds. This includes friendly targets. It is also not self-sustaining, as continued exposure renders one incapable of lending energy to the music. Common
   
Missile in Major Key: An offensive spellsong that unleashes a wave of magical energy at the foe. Cast by three mages singing together. Inefficient, but deadly to those caught by the wave. Uncommon


Infiltration Techniques:
Proselytise: Cultists go forth and spread the Good word, finding those sympathetic to their cause and slowly winning them over. Not the fastest way of gaining converts, as baseline cultists are not expert missionaries, but it keeps the cult growing. Common
    Travelling Medics: Acolytes/Angel's Voices accompany proselytising missions, curing the sick and injured in order to win over the local population. Uncommon
   
Spy: Agents of Heliel travel the land, seeking secrets, while going unnoticed themselves. Does not directly increase influence, but aids in most other infiltration endeavours. Bright Shadows are most suitable for this role (Shadow Walkers can also help). Common

Exploit Intelligence: Using information gathered by other infiltrators, agents go forth to advance the Good cause while hindering Evil. Covers all manner of activity; theft, sabotage, blackmail, intimidation, even murder- all at the expense of the unrighteous, of course. Not extremely effective due to lack of specialisation, but not bad either. Shadow Walkers are most effective at this. Uncommon
   Inquisition: More specialised towards the uncovering and elimination of demonic agents, especially high-value targets. Does little to actively advance the Good cause, but can throw Evil operations into disarray. Rare


Infrastructure:
Basic Training Camps: Rudimentary facilities, where cultists learn the basics of combat and warfare. Singing is integrated into the training programme, serving to boost morale.
    Basic Officer Training: A stumbling, amateurish step towards proper military organisation, the officers trained thus are still better than leaders chosen in the moment.
   
Military Workshops: A series of mines, smelters, forges and workshops that provide the forces of Good with arms and armour.

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

DARRIN (Combat)
Dry Plains: 4/4 | 0/4
Mountain Passes: 3/4 | 1/4
Rice Terraces: 0/4 | 4/4

LESIMOR (Influence)
Fortified Frontier: 3/5 | 2/5
Lawless Capital: 3/5 | 2/5
Scholarly Towers: 2/5 | 3?/5

XA-NAM (Combat)
River Delta: 4/4 | 0/4
River Crossings: 3/4 | 1/4
Light Jungle: 0/4 | 4/4

DOLGOTH (Influence)
Trade City: 3/5 | 2/5
Ostentatious Capital: 3/5 | 3/5
Wartorn Wastes: 3/5 | 3?/5

[chubby2man]

Okay had this idea for a Song of Soothing type, but with a martial bent.

The Paean of Battle
 
With a song of glory on their lips, our soldiers will charge into melee. Thought the foes they face are terrible indeed, they are embolden by their comrades and the Paean of Battle on their lips.
 
The Paean of Battle is a song that enhances the emotions and intensity of the singers, bringing them into a “flow state” where they let their training and instincts take control. Fear and hesitation is gone, and only the desire to triumph remains. It does not make them stronger, per say, but rather lets them get out of their own way and improve their performance on the battlefield. They are more likely to make “right decisions”, like where to position their bodies or which way to duck and dive. They acquire an instinct for battle while singing together, unconsciously supporting and assisting each other.
 
The cultists begin to sing this bold song before a charge, steeling their nerves and making them eager for battle. They do not enter a frenzied state where they lose control, but rather an intense hyperfocus and a calm confidence in what they are doing.

[m1895]

Improved Officer Training

We now have bloodied veterans of 2 wars and 3 fronts at our disposal, as well as professional soldiers. It's time we improved upon the stumbling, amateurish attempt at making an officers corp.
First we must improve upon the basic training we currently have. This is not particularly difficult, seeing as our current training regimen was devised fro. what some old soldiers of long forgotten campaigns half remembered, but the battlefield effect of having proper training from bloodied veterans should not be underestimated. Secondly, we've taken two ranks straight from our allies, majors and corporals. majors have command over multiple captains, preferably of different unit types for tactical flexibility, allowing a more decisive assault and more cohesive rearguard action on the retreat. Corporals on the other hand assist sergeants, helping disseminate orders, rallying troops, and taking their place should they fall. They also keep an eye out for rookies doing stupid crap (derisively referred to as "adultsitting") hopefully lowering our completely preventable casualty rate.
Finally, we solidified the rank of general (previously generals were elected) giving us an admittedly small edge, but it allows us to properly utilize advisors, whether they be military observers from our allies, specialists who know how to make best use of our more... unique units, bright shadows who happened to be remarkably skilled Tacticians/Strategists/Logisticians while they were alive, or simply officers expressing their confidence in their troops.

While some want to do two influence revisions, with the mediocrity of our designs it'd be a waste of the potential hammerblow that getting out the minos this turn allows, as some people planned to do two combat revs next turn, I propose we swap a combat rev for an influence rev, keeping them off balance for this turn and the next.