Special Event: Ted has been officially sanctioned by the War Council, leading to loss of supplies until those sanctions are lifted. The vote was technically unanimous, but only because Ted had already left the room as he would presumably be against crippling his own forces. Until the War Council votes to lift them his forces will be Poorly Supplied.
Battlefield 1:
Now acting as a flying fortress, Unity takes to the skies over High Rus with its attachment of wizened elf Wizards. Their concealment can not hold up indefinitely - given they are attempting to hide something so massive the window of attack is distressingly small. It is not so small that they can't take advantage of it. An ambush is launched directly on the enemy anti air that had given our soldiers so much trouble, disabling multiple closely packed units with a well timed strike and removing their protection from the nearby artillery and infantry. There are still many, many more spread out across the battle line, which the undefended soldiers scramble towards. Unity is able to further disable the nearby artillery unit while the Cuirassiers cut through the scrambling infantry. Thus far, this is the single largest casualty event for the Invaders, yet the horde remains. We return to a familiar scene of Unity being unable to safely approach the rest of the enemy line, protected by the remaining enemy anti-air units.
Following the mighty dragon is an advanced airship filled with goblins. Izag has to deal with many of the same problems as Unity while being less mobile and more vulnerable to enemy fire, leaving her unable to effectively get close to the enemy. Advanced weapons are able to make up for some of these shortcomings but while the weapons have a greater range than normal infantry rifles they're facing off against artillery. She's forced to skirt around a safe area while the infantry fires potshots toward enemy formations. They are able to take advantage of the opening Unity creates to use the weapons more effectively, but return to long distant potshots after the exposed forces are dealt with. The lonely Undead waiting for the enemy on a hill see themselves torn apart by artillery fire from outside their effective range,
General Armas has some difficulty using his favorite encircling tactic against an enemy that is vastly numerically superior, though some attempts where made to create choke points by piling up snow along forest paths. With his limited mobility units his tactics resembled that which was used before, setting up in an open area with some earthworks, firing a few vollies as the line approaches, then running for their life before the Invaders really get into range. This often manages to disrupt the local formation, but without any way to follow up without risking everything the only material result is a handful of dead bugs.
When the smoke settles the enemy has continued to advance at the pace of the anti air weapons, though they have now taken substantial casualties while doing so. We have in return taken few casualties.
Battlefield 2:
Hijack's forces Engage the Fly Riders above the thick forests. Hijack's forces are stronger and more mobile, giving them an edge against the enemy Winged Hussars. Still their advantage is not so much that they plow through the enemy without any difficulties, several Nawra find themselves crashing through the canopy from enemy fire before a firm victory is established. They are able to do little with this air superiority, as the forest itself blocks their field of view to the ground preventing effective air raids, but it does at least prevent the enemy from using the sky.
Grimtusk find that the corpses have been removed from the former battlefield. It is not clear if this was a strategic move to prevent the creation of more undead, if the Invaders had some infernal purpose for the corpses themselves, or if they had simply become a meal for one of the many great beasts that call the Elf's forest home. It is clear that the enemy has received reinforcements from the last battle, judging by the numbers of Light Infantry you find yourself facing. With the power of gliding, the enemy Light Infantry is able to come out of nowhere to ambush your forces at their weapon's optimal distance giving them the advantage over your Goblins that rely on longer ranges. Your own soldier's clairvoyance is able to give some warning, and the Fairview rider's knowledge of the terrain allows you to find the least vulnerable locations to advance, but in the end this only means you are able to respond to the Invader's assault a moment before it hits rather than allowing you to have the advantage.
As you push through the Invader harassment you find the forest has changed more and more the closer you get to Fairview. The trees are now covered in a rainbow of slime mold, similar to what you have seen on captured food. New plants are beginning to bud in all habitat zones - strange glowing mushrooms along the ground, flesh-like bulbs hanging from trees, creeping vines covered in insectoid eyes climbing up all available surfaces. The Wolf Riders report their mounts are responding to the smell similar to Invader corpses. It is entirely possible that the forest is now releasing pheromones telling the enemy of your position. If the land itself has betrayed you for the Invaders retaking Fairview will be more difficult than expected.
After more assaults it becomes clear that you will not approach the city itself. The Cuirassier are instead buffed to help deal with the Light Infantry ambushes, rather than to destroy the enemy defenses. You have pushed through roughly half of the forest, the next battle will take place where you left off.
Casualties: 0.25 Unit Winged Hussars (Unity), 0.5 Unit Light Infantry (Grimtusk)
Hijack has taken control of 1 Unit of Winged Hussars (Invader)
Grimtusk has raised 2 Units of Undead Light Infantry
Battlefield 3:
Despite being cut off from supplies, you are able to continue your invasion as planned thanks to the furry's close proximity to your homeland. Those people of Esther not in open rebellion are closer to sheep people than rabbit people in behavior, going about their day to day business as if they where zombies. Killing them in the streets elicits a response neither from them nor the surrounding rabbit people, who continue performing their tasks without commenting on their impending slaughter. You occasionally see some horrified Esther citizen run when you approach the town. These are the rebels and are picked as priority targets before they can take up arms against the glorious homeland.
One by one the villages are easily dealt with. You are left fighting the armed rebels in the rural areas. Their weaponry is mainly stolen from shipments meant for the Grand Army, but rather than properly equipping themselves with rifles they take arms meant for any soldier leaving many with pistols, muskets, carbines, or even improvised weaponry such as slings. They do have the advantage of knowing the area and having greater mobility than your forces. Their first attempts where to fight your men head on, but even lacking supplies your well trained Light Infantry where able to screen their attempts and send them running toward the hills. After this they instead chose to prey on your vulnerable supply lines, hiding in rabbit holes until the time is right to strike before attacking your caravans and liberating its contents. This sees some success, your men are able to raid supplies from the villages you have liberated but this does not include ball and powder necessary to engage in protracted firefights. Some more bold guerillas attempt to assassinate you or your sister to a predictable end.
With your supplies limited by council and enemy action, you have a difficult time finishing off the remaining guerillas while defending your remaining supply lines. You are able to take every town and village on the map with no difficulty but are faced with enemy harassment everywhere in between. Their hit and run attacks are able to do little to either your accurate men or their unbreakable moral, but you are in return unable to effectively stomp them out.
You do find some evidence that the rebels may actually be working with the Invaders. A handful of letters in rural villages are made of a strange material covered in coded messages. The material is something like a paper made of wax, that only shows its message when the proper amount of heat is brought before it. You happily learned this in the burned out remains of one such hut. It is unlikely that the rebels would be capable of making something like this on their own, but without knowing what the messages say you have no hard evidence that may sway the council.
Battlefield 4:
With no buildings to worry about, the Invaders touch down on the far side of Nomad territory - likely to box the Nomads in between the river and the sea. Their forces are a balanced army, Line Infantry supported by Field Artillery, Light Infantry, Fly Riders, Dragoons, Lancers, and some anti-air guns. They approach the river skirmishing with your hussars in the air and light infantry on the ground. However before they reach artillery distance, they begin a sudden fighting retreat toward Nawra territory away from the river. Their vanguard transforms into a rearguard continuing to fight your mobile forces attempting to take advantage of this maneuver.
It is likely that they had spotted your substantial forces along the river bank from the air and decided to attack a softer target...or they want you to think this is their plan and they are baiting you with a fake retreat. This will no doubt cause problems in the future, but it is technically an easy win for the Grand Army.
War Council
Tension fills the air given how the last Council meeting went - compounded by how the last round of battles went. Can the Grand Army remain intact?
Event 1:
The War Council holds the world's information network in its hands. This means you get to decide how to explain the massacre of Esther to the world. Depending on how you spin the story this can offer many advantages and disadvantages. For example, if it was to be blamed on the old leaders of Esther, you could claim the wealth they had escaped the country with as punishment, or if you had claimed it was necessary to stop the Invaders the world's population may be understanding. Honesty is often the first casualty of war - though you may explain it as factually as you would like.
Event 2 (Veikka Puomi Only):
In related news the reporters report to Veikka Puomi. They want to know how they should spin the story - mostly what their goal should be. Should they write a story about how you heroically fought off the legion of evil without any difficulty to raise moral? Should they write a call to action about the future threat the Invader army still represents in the hope of gaining more materiel? Should they stay with your men and wait for a new story to break? It is ultimately up to you what their goals are.
Event 3:
It is once again time to pick equipment to upgrade! As before, you may choose two pieces of equipment/similar upgrade (such as say, a new type of mount) or create a single new unit.
Event 4:
Gobbleshire's performance has already increased the standing of Goblins in many of the Grand Army's member nations. To that effect many of the local goblin tribes have joined their host nation's military forces, either as conscripts earning citizenship, as volunteers hoping to cement the gains Grimtusk has paved for them, or simply to do violence with fun toys without facing any consequence. They are, after all, the less civilized cousins of Gobbleshire.
Everyone may choose 1 Goblin Unit OR 2 Goblin Line/Light Infantry, the unit can't be Heavy Winged Hussars. This unit will have Gobbleshire's Nation Bonus. For Gobbleshire it is effectively a normal unit, but is technically made out of foreign goblins who have used their newfound freedom of movement to immigrate to the 'goblin homeland'. This unit may be the new unit made in Event 3, if any unit is chosen in Event 3.
Event 5:
Research! What will it be this turn?
Special Event:
Will Ted's Forces be freed from their current sanctions this turn? This event will continue until the answer is "Yes". Ted will continue to have Poorly Supplied forces until then, with a risk of worse supply issues and penalties if he faces something that would lower his supplies further.
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Topic: Generals of the Grand Army (Napoleonic Fantasy RPG) (Read 9380 times)