Demon Team: Revision Phase T5TURNTURNTURNCoordination Drills
Our forces are somewhat lacking in their cohesiveness. Luckily for us we have Warcasters and Uruk Commanders to take the lead in training and drilling their troops. Uruks and acolytes are trained to fight as organized units under their individual Commanders/Warcasters, with the Commanders and Warcasters being more thoroughly trained on reading the battlefield and how to appropriately react to friendly and hostile activities. Casters and soldiers receive instruction on how to work as a force of combined arms, while retaining a level of mobility from the old horde-structure of the army - especially as our slightly reduced numbers could see a straight-up line battle tilting in Angel favor. On an individual level, Uruks are trained to always fight in pairs, sticking close to their partner until one falls and they need to find a new battle buddy.
Coordination Drills: Easy: (1+2)+1=4: Below Average
You might think that Uruks, being created for war, would be naturally talented at it, but that was never actually addressed in their creation. They prove no more competent at things like marching and assuming formations than their unaugmented forebears. Officers from the Wartorn Wastes are able to help establish drills to hone their coordination, but even so the results are not inspiring.
Your soldiers have been brought to a point where 'assuming basic formations' and 'not getting in each other's way all the time' are reasonably well understood. Unfortunately, their individual training is still somewhat lacking- they still wield their equipment with more passion than skill-, but working together they could be mistaken for actual soldiers. In terms of skill, you still expect your rival's soldiers to outclass them, but not as significantly as before- and hopefully their increased strength and resilience will make up for it.
Coordination Drills improve the performance of all units slightly, and provide commanders with more tactical options.
Keepers of Desire
Keepers are Acolytes trained to use a club and small blade (to a lesser degree than Warcasters) and assigned to provide escorts for our Consorts of Desire. Keepers are dressed in fine clothes and perfumed to a standard befitting a Consort's companion. Their face is always covered by a near-featureless white mask, with the only stand-out detail being the slit cut nearly all the way across it to resemble a thin face-wide grin. They act as personal bodyguards for Consorts and double as extra protection for parties, events, "parties", and "events".
Keepers of Desire: Normal: (1+3)=4: Below Average
Creepy mask, check. Nice clothes, check. Sensual perfume, check. Club & dagger, check. Proper training in melee combat... not check.
Keepers of Desire look good, and isn't that the most important thing? No, it isn't. Don't be silly. At least their equipment is unlikely to arouse suspicion, letting them operate in the human kingdoms fairly freely- but when it comes to actually fighting off trained assassins, the Keepers will be most useful as a delaying tactic for a Consort to reach safety, rather than actually defeating their opponent. Their activities have been codified as 'Mediocre Guarding', which technically any old cultist can perform, although Keepers- with their modicum of training and magical abilities- will be slightly more effective.
Keepers of Desire are really just acolytes with a club and a fancy outfit- their actual close-combat ability is amateurish. They are still
Uncommon. The
Mediocre Guarding technique suffers from poor planning and insufficient training, but should still improve the survival odds of key figures. The technique is
Common, as there's nothing really special about it.
It is now the Strategy Phase. Choose where to deploy Magoc. Choose which faction to side with in the Scholarly Towers and Wartorn Wastes.
Magoc: The diabolical leader of your faction, a being of immense power. There is very little they cannot do. Needless to say, they are Unique.
Mundane Units:
Acolytes: Cultists who have begun their exploration of the magical arts, studying under the Demon. 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- and further enhanced by studies in the Warcaster's Keep. Their tabard matches those of the Armed Cultists. There are not many Acolytes in a unit. Uncommon
Teachers of Magoc: Acolytes who specialise in the use of the Language of Inception. They primarily accompany missionaries and aid in late-stage conversion with their scrolls of dark scripture. Uncommon
Keepers of Desire: Acolytes given a creepy white mask, nice clothes, and a club & dagger, and told to protect the cult's infiltration assets. They are not especially well trained, however. Uncommon
Warcasters: Graduated Acolytes, with a greater aptitude for the magical arts, who have undertaken intense study in the Warcaster's Keep. They can cast any Common or Uncommon spells (unless noted otherwise), and more effectively than regular Acolytes. In addition to their magical training, they have found time to practice the arts of command and close combat as well, making them effective leaders and passable fighters. Provide improved leadership to Acolytes (one per unit). Wear a black leather coat/cloak & stupid felt hat, and carry a sword.
Summoned/Mutated Units:
URUK: A cultist who has undergone Cultist Baptismal Indoctrination. Submerged in a muddy pool of mutagenic muck for an hour, they emerge with a strikingly distinct appearance, improved strength and toughness, and most importantly, the ability to cast a pre-programmed spell two or three times an hour. Their spellcasting strength is lower than acolytes, but they can in principle cast any Common spell. They do not modify rarity, although unit sizes are slightly reduced.
Armed Uruks: Being equipped with only a rusty dagger, a spear, and a wooden shield, combined with limited training, mean these are not elite warriors- they'd lose a one-on-one fight with a real soldier-, but they're cheap and plentiful. Plus, they are stronger and tougher than most humans. Their shield and tabard are emblazoned with demonic runes that assault the mind with dark temptations and demands to worship Magoc. Like regular cultists, their dedication makes them more resilient mentally than civilians. Common
Uruk Archers: Uruks who have some experience with a bow are valuable assets in combat, harassing the enemy from a distance. They aren't sharpshooters, and their bows are designed for hunting, not piercing armour, but they're better than nothing. Their increased strength slightly improves their archery as well. Their tabard matches those of the Armed Uruks. Like regular cultists, their dedication makes them more resilient mentally than civilians. Uncommon
Mutamist Sprayers: Uruks carrying a tank of mutagenic liquid on their backs, connected by hose to a pump-and-nozzle contraption that sprays the substance over the battlefield, creating clouds of mist that induce random mutations in those exposed to it, as well as vastly boosting aggression. The range is short, and the effects are temporary. Their tabard matches those of the Armed Uruks. Uncommon
Mutamist Globadiers: Globadiers carry a satchel of glass flasks filled with the same mutagenic compound as the Sprayers, which they can sling (using a sling) at the enemy, where they shatter and unleash large clouds of the mist. Carry less of the compound than Sprayers, but have much greater range.
Uruk Commanders: Mean, tough, with a basic understanding of tactics, Uruk Commanders instil a modicum of order and discipline, while also being capable combatants themselves with their exclusive sword and fancy red beret. They are distributed amongst all Uruk units. The use of basic Coordination Drills gives them more options for commanding their underlings.
Misfits: A small band of mutants. What kind of mutants? Who knows! Cultists who consumed CMD and spun the wheel, ending up with some sort of beneficial mutation. Not much stronger than regular cultists, but kinda freaky, so that's fun. Rare
Devil-Crows: Crows infused with a small amount of Evil, increasing their natural intelligence slightly, and making them subservient to Magoc and his followers. They are larger than an average crow and have an unnatural red glint in their eyes, but are otherwise hard to distinguish. They are capable scouts and spies, having sufficient vocabulary to convey at least a decent summary of what they have seen. Murders of Devil-Crows may be deployed in battle to harass the enemy, in limited numbers. Common
CHADCrows: Larger, meaner, enhanced Devil-Crows. Their sharpened talons and beaks make them a deadly threat, especially when working together. Typically operate in small murders. Uncommon
Pale Crows: Albino crows, with increased intelligence enabling them to perform more complex tasks, and lead the other crow types. They are also capable of seeing invisible magical beings, and damaging/destroying intangible magical beings. Uncommon
CHADS: Tall, intimidating mutants, suffused with Evil and Alchemy. They are stronger, tougher, and faster than even a well-trained regular human. Their every waking moment is consumed with thoughts of violence, at which they excel, although they are less well suited to intellectual pursuits. To make matters worse, they are better equipped than regular cultists; in their arms they wield either a sturdy two-handed hammer or a one-handed axe and a massive tower shield, while their bodies are clad in mismatched iron plates strapped over vulnerable areas. Operate in small units. Uncommon
Consorts of Desire: Beautiful, enticing mutants, imbued with Evil and Alchemy. Aside from being breathtakingly attractive, these men and women have the ability to share their own enhanced hedonistic senses with those around them, making all of life's guilty pleasures seem that much more enjoyable, and making life seem grey and meaningless when they depart. Unrepentant hedonists, they insist on a high standard of living. 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
Magical Equipment:
Chaotic Mutagenic Draught: A random assortment of alchemical ingredients, infused with Evil, chucked together and processed into bottles of unusual liquids (usually brown, though). Consumption can have one of a wide range of effects, from nothing at all, to death, to moderately serious mutations. Used by infiltrators to cause havoc. Uncommon
Bootlegger's Bounty: An Evil-infused liquor produced by Magoc's followers. The taste is said to be sublime, to the point where many become addicted after a single shot. Comes in a trademark black bottle with red label, very classy. Sales are used to fund the cult's projects. Common
Bootlegger Barrel Bombs: Kegs of Bootlegger's that explode when struck by magic of sufficient force. Somewhat unreliable. Uncommon
Infiltration Techniques:
Proselytise: Cultists go forth and spread the Evil 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
Bootlegger Club: A recruitment method specifically aimed at addicts of Bootlegger's Bounty, promising a stable supply of the liquor to reel in new members. Very effective. Uncommon
Language of Inception Graffiti: Demonic runes, drawn in blood, subconsciously impart their message onto those who view them. Painted on the walls of human settlements, they subtly steer the population towards evil. Common
Temptation: Consorts of Desire ply important figures with luxurious pleasures, enticing them into a frenzy of indulgence. Once enthralled, the target is recruited into the cult, or otherwise persuaded to cooperate with the demonic cause. Rare
Mediocre Guarding: A not-especially effective attempt at protecting infiltration assets, hampered by slapdash planning and a lack of training. Nevertheless, any guards is a lot better than no guards, and the efforts are not inherently suspicious. Common
Infrastructure:
Draughtsmith: An eclectic laboratory where a handful of fledgling alchemists develop a variety of potions to augment and stabilise demonic mutations.
Warcaster's Keep: A facility for magical education, including a large library of forbidden knowledge that entices reckless scholars to visit.
DARRIN (Combat)Dry Plains:
4/4 |
0/4Mountain Passes:
3/4 |
1/4Rice Terraces:
0/4 |
4/4LESIMOR (Influence)Fortified Frontier:
3+/5 |
1/5Lawless Capital:
3/5 |
2/5Scholarly Towers:
2/5 |
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 |
2/5Ostentatious Capital:
2/5 |
2/5Wartorn Wastes:
2/5 |
3/5
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Topic: Demon Team - Chiaroscuro Arms Race: Strategy Phase 10 (Read 42854 times)