Angel Team: Battle Phase T6TURNTURNTURNLink to Battle Report
Lesimor Infiltration ReportAs expected, our contacts in the Fortified Frontier were very pleased with the new Sunbows. As a result, several higher-ranking officers expressed their interest in closer ties- although the negotiations for how and where they would side with the cult proved tricky, and efforts to win them over are ongoing. It seems likely that another month of quiet negotiation will secure their support ((Read: if nothing changes)), but more enchanted equipment or some other way of elevating our position could help cement the agreement.
Now that Magoc's goons can summon weapons (more or less) at will, our efforts to take out their key agents has stumbled somewhat- Shadow Walkers do fine versus unarmed or lightly armed targets, but are not equipped (or trained) for an actual fight. Fortunately, the demons were not able to take advantage of this in the province, as they did not have enough resources.
3/5The Apostles of the Minotaurs find little success in the Lawless Capital, as they are not versed in the political manoeuvring needed to survive at court, and those they can contact outside are rarely interested in abstract philosophy, having enough things here and now to worry about- and that's before adding the worries of the King's recent blunder on top.
As in the Frontier, our Shadow Walkers often found they had brought a knife to a swordfight, making their jobs a lot harder. They attempted surprise attacks, where the demonic Keepers would have no time to materialise their blades, but the demonic ability to briefly detangibilise made even this unreliable. In one particularly frustrating case, a group of Shadow Walkers cornered a demonic Consort and his bodyguards in an alleyway, only to have them escape by walking through a brick wall. As a result, the demons have made contact with a number of important figures- including members of the Republican faction, whose ability to rile up a crowd may now be exploited by Magoc.
3/5The Apostles of the Minotaurs (Minopostles?) found success in the Scholarly Towers. Their deep conversation intrigued members of the Green University, drawing them in to further discussion, which eventually lead to their conversion. Now that we have a foothold in the halls of GU, we can call on their assistance when refining magic, or improving the quality of our mages- though less adventurous than the radicals in Orange University, the mages of GU are undeniably more skilled.
The mountain mystery of the misplaced Magoc was solved when a Bright Shadow spy tracking a demonic operative caught a glimpse of them transforming, going from a handsome young man to a beautiful young woman. The burst of Evil that accompanied this transformation confirms that the figure was Magoc himself. His presence might go some way to explaining the high casualty rate amongst Shadow Walkers operating in the region.
2/5-->3/5
Dolgoth Infiltration ReportThe Interventionists were a bit disappointed that there were no Sunbows that could be sold for a profit. The Good cause is great and all, but you can't do anything without money.
Meanwhile, Magoc has won friends amongst the Deregulators by cutting them in to the Bootlegger's trade, a profitable venture of the sort our own allies are jealous of. The Deregulators will no doubt be available to finance any other business plans the Demon comes up with.
3/5Naturally we must strive to restore the Local Dynasty. The Foreign Dynasty and its supporters are unrepentant in their oppression of locals; their entire society is built on violence and cruelty. Those who support the Local Dynasty- mainly prominent non-noble locals and nobles of mixed descent who feel a connection to their adoptive homeland- seek to end the cruel regime, and restore a society based on honesty and justice. They have confirmed to us that the rumoured claimant is real, although for security reasons they will not share his exact identity or location with us yet. Indeed, many of them do not know themselves, as the Local Dynasty supporters are- by necessity- experts at maintaining their cover and hiding their true motives. Now that we have offered our support, they are willing to share some of those techniques with us, should we feel the need.
Naturally, to restore the Local Dynasty will take a lot of work. Most of the populace is already on board, but more support is needed in the halls of power- bringing nobles on the fence into the Local camp, securing positions of power for pro-Local nobles, and destabilising the Foreign Dynasty so that they cannot resist the impending uprising. Artful persuasion (check), careful political manoeuvring, and subtle acts of sabotage are called for.
Speaking of artful persuasion, the Minopostles found some success in the Ostentatious Capital as well, as many nobles are receptive to their philosophical ramblings. This was not enough to win over the more important nobles, however, as they are more mindful of their position, and are very hesitant to throw in with political amateurs; fearing, perhaps justifiably, that we would blow their cover.
Of course, the supporters of the Foreign Dynasty and Magoc's followers have made contact, the former undoubtedly seeking the latter's aid in weeding out Local Dynasty supporters and keeping the people "loyal". Unfortunately, keeping people loyal is somewhat of a speciality of the Foreign Dynasty, using a combination of fear and greed. The Demon's followers may soon be employing such techniques themselves.
3/5Unfortunately, while the Minopostles' message of peace and harmony sounds nice in theory, the Peace faction is still primarily made up of military officers, and other such practical-minded people. They are not displeased, however, as Chosen Apostles are already quite effective at negotiation, and one is employed as a mediator in a secret meeting with a member of a similarly pro-peace faction in the Southern Realm. The King's arrival puts a stop to these secret negotiations, however, as nobody wants to be caught engaging in diplomacy behind the King's back.
At least the demonic operatives will have had an equally hard time operating under the King's watchful gaze.
3/5
It is now the Design Phase. You have two designs.
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).
Apostles of the Minotaurs: Students of moral philosophy and appreciators of the world. Their grasp of deeper concepts has the potential to win over those who appreciate a more intellectual approach. Rare
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.
Export Workshops: A section of workshop space set aside for producing goods for export, especially enchanted items.
DARRIN (Combat)Dry Plains:
4/4 |
0/4Mountain Passes:
3/4 |
1/4Rice Terraces:
0/4 |
4/4LESIMOR (Influence)Fortified Frontier:
3/5 |
2/5Lawless Capital:
3/5 |
3/5Scholarly Towers:
3/5 |
3?/5XA-NAM (Combat)River Delta:
4/4 |
0/4River Crossings:
3/4 |
1/4Light Jungle:
0/4 |
4/4DOLGOTH (Influence)Trade City:
3/5 |
3/5Ostentatious Capital:
3/5 |
3?/5Wartorn Wastes:
3/5 |
3?/5
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Topic: Angel Team - Chiaroscuro Arms Race: Strategy Phase 10 (Read 31779 times)