Alexi (AC: 20, HP:34/34) Lobo (AC: 19, HP:37/37) Wednesday February 10th, 2010 10:08:17 PM
OOC: I thought the tower shields were covering just the giant lizardmen but upon re-reading the post, I picture the two giant ones with the tower shields up front and the others following behind, the two giant ones with the shields giving the others total cover.
But that still leaves the crossbow lizards as targets.
"Well said, Garth. Perhaps then we can pick a few of those crossbow wielding ones then. If not, we will return quickly here. One thing we could do is prepare some oil barrels to dump on them as they try to bash our gates. Tower shields won't stop a large pool of oil from burning their toes."
Alexi goes onward looking for the crossbow lizardmen if Garth allows it.
Keela Wednesday February 10th, 2010 11:02:25 PM
"I will come, too," Keela says. "I might be able to do something about those shields."
DM Cayzle - Just before combat Thursday February 11th, 2010 6:38:45 AM Jet thinks about using the lizards' flying magic against them. There are two broken flying machines that you might have repaired, maybe, if you had started days ago. Now, with 10 minutes before the enemy is bashing in your gate, it seems impossible to gain any advantage from them.
As for capturing an enemy flying craft, you note that they are all at least a mile away. Out of reach, especially with 35-odd lizards between you and them.
[OOC: Welcome Kent! Thanks for subbing! Sorry to rain on your ideas -- but don't let that stop you from trying other ones!]
Alexi, Keela, and eight archers, move to the wall. They watch as the enemy approaches.
You see that the 2 huge lizards and the 10 large lizards -- the ones carrying the ram -- are all of them using tower shields. Each one has a tower shield in one hand, and each one has the other hand on the ram. Six are holding the shield on the right and the ram with the left hand; the other six, on the other side of the ram, have their shield on the left and the ram on the right.
The five flanking crossbow-lizards on the north and the five on the south are keeping pace with the ram-lizards, tightening their cordon as they approach.
The remaining 10 crossbow-lizards and the sole snake-lizard keep 50 feet behind the ram-carrying ones.
Long range with a longbow is 1,000 feet -- 10 range increments at 100 ft per increment -- although shooting at that range takes a -20 on attacks. When the enemy is about 1,000 feet away, it'll take them about 5 minutes, or 50 rounds, to get here, travelling at 20 feet per round. If you choose to fire, go ahead. The archers have a base +2 to hit, and -2 for every 100 feet beyond the first 100 ft. Alexi, feel free to decide when to fire, at what range, and feel free to roll for the archers and yourself. I'm assuming that each archer has a quiver with 20 arrows. Go ahead and roll two rounds worth of shots.
Keela, you know that the tower shields provide no cover vs magical attack. But your spell ranges are far short of the 1,000-foot mark. Your choice of actions depends on the distance at which Alexi gives the order to fire.
So first, what is Jet doing while Alexi, Keela, and the eight archers get in position? Second, at what range does Alexi give the order to fire, at what targets, and with what results over two rounds of firing? Third, what are Keela and Jet doing at that moment, the moment at which battle starts?
The Enemy:
2 Huge lizards: total cover = cannot hit them. 10 Large lizards: total cover = cannot hit them. 20 Medium Lizards using crossbows = AC17. 1 Large Snake-Lizard = AC27.
DM Cayzle - Extra Post Thursday February 11th, 2010 8:53:35 AM
Oh, uh, I defaulted to assuming the archers will go into the two towers B and C. But feel free to tell them where to go. People in the towers do gain cover, though. Four people can fit on top of a tower. ALSO and IMPORTANT -- give map coordinates for your positions.
Jet Stormway (AC:22 HP:28(1)/36 ; Bantom AC:19 HP:46(1)/51) Entropic Shield, Magic Weapon Thursday February 11th, 2010 6:24:33 PM
I think I can help with the fire as well as I believe I have a bit of alchemists fire left.
Alexi (AC: 20, HP:34/34) Lobo (AC: 19, HP:37/37) Thursday February 11th, 2010 9:07:17 PM
OOC: Question: Are you familiar with the D&D book 'Heroes of Battle'? If not, then the question is mute. If so but we can't use it in the Wold, then the question is mute. If so, and you think it might be plausible to use the Volley of Arrows, Indirect Fire, or Concentrated Volley rules (these are archery rules for mass combat, or units of 5 to 10 archers in size), let me know. It may not make a difference, but it's worth a try.
Let me know as soon as you can. Thanks.
Alexi (AC: 20, HP:34/34) Lobo (AC: 19, HP:37/37) Thursday February 11th, 2010 11:34:12 PM
OOC: the flying maching crashed, and no one really knows how it works, just that it has magic to help, and then, who'd be able to pilot it?
Alexi will set 4 archers and Keela in the south tower to watch the enemy's progress and keep Alexi up to date on their approach. Alexi and the other 4 will overturn the wagon and place them against the gates, taking planks from the downed flying machine to further brace the gates, wedging them ( ) against the gates and against the wagons to prevent slipping.
Alexi calls out to Jet, "Bring a barrel of oil, and while you annoint them, kella can light it!"
OOC: this should take up the 5 minutes until they get to 1,000 feet.
IC: Then the other four archers will be positioned in the north tower, and Alexi will join Keela on the wall at (AL42) He will wait until they are within 500 feet before starting to shoot.
OOC: ok, if we can use Concentrated Volley of Arrows: Volley of Arrows is an indirect attack where the arrows arch high and then come down on a chosen square. They Volley of Arrows ignores Total Cover because it archs over the cover. The specifics are on page 68-69 of Heroes of Battle.
If we can't use this, then Alexi will have all the archers fire at an exposed Lizardmen first. There are 20 of them and we will start picking them off one by one. All attacks go against the closest one (i don't care which one), until it's down, then target the next, starting at 300' and -6 to hit (anything further away and we are wasting arrows unless we roll 20s, and even here it's a long shot).
Keela Friday February 12th, 2010 12:19:18 AM
Keela is prepared to empty her Wand of Magic Missiles, if necessary, as the force gets within 100 feet of her location. She will concentrate on picking off targets initially wounded by the archers.
Once one of the larger lizards gets within 35 feet, Keela will fire a Scorching Ray at its tower shield. If possible, she would like to use the spell to Sunder the shield.
If there is time, she will use a second Scorching Ray to sunder another shield.
DM Cayzle - Attack and Counterattack d20-2=0 ; d20-2=11 ; d20-2=18 ; d20-2=14 ; d20-2=18 ; d20-2=18 ; d20-2=10 ; d20-2=17 ; d20-2=1 ; d20-2=2 ; d8=2 ; 3d8=23 ; d8=7 ; d20=17 ; d20=13 ; d20=15 ; d20=14 ; d20=10 ; d20=7 ; d20=16 ; d20=8 ; d8=5 ; d20+27=43 ; d12=12 ; d12=3 ; 2d4=4 ; Saturday February 13th, 2010 7:54:11 AM
OOC: Regarding "Heroes of Battle" -- No, I have not ever heard of that. Sorry.
Alexi and four archers spend a few minutes reinforcing the gate.
Jet brings a small barrel of lamp oil (not alchemical fire) up to the tower.
Keela prepares to use her wand.
The heroes wait in the towers with the archers. When the advancing column of lizards is 300 feet away, Alexi gives the order to shoot at an exposed crossbow-lizard.
AT 300 FEET
Eight archers fire at the same lizard. Normally they attack at +2. From 100-200 ft they have a -2 range mod. At 200-300 feet they have a -4 range mod. So they are firing now at a net -2 in order to hit AC17.
The eight attacks hit AC0, AC11, AC18 (a natural 20, but the follow is not a crit), AC18 (a nat 20, followed by another nat 20, a confirmed crit), AC10, AC17 (a hit), AC1, and AC2.
So of the eight arrows, three arrows hit, and one of those is a critical! It takes all three, but the total damage to a lizard is 32 hp, and it goes down!
I need actions for PCs for this round. Are you firing?
The ten lizards around the snake-lizard stop -- they are actually 350 feet away. The snake-lizard waves a rod or a wand (hard to tell at this distance). The other nine lizards take a run action to get 120 feet closer. The big lizards with tower shields and the ram march 20 feet closer.
AT 280 FEET (Nine lizards at 180 feet)
The archers fire again, at a lizard 180 feet away. Now the range penalty is only -2. The attacks hit ACs 17 (a hit), 13, 15, 14, 10, 7, 16, and 8. One lizard is hit for 5 damage.
I need actions for PCs for this round. I also need a map position for Jet, and where he has placed the barrel of oil.
The nine lizards (or howsoever are left) run another 120 feet forward. They end the second round only 60 feet from the towers.
The snake lizard casts Acid Arrow. The long range spell hits a touch AC43. It hits (rolling randomly) an archer and inflicts 4 damage to her. The acid will likely continue to do damage in future rounds.
The big ram-carrying lizards move another 20 feet closer.
The Enemy:
2 Huge lizards: total cover = cannot hit them. Distance 260 ft 10 Large lizards: total cover = cannot hit them. Distance 260 ft 9 Medium Lizards using crossbows = AC17. Distance 60 ft - Lizard 5 is down 5 hp 9 Medium Lizards using crossbows = AC17. Distance 350 ft 1 Large Snake-Lizard = AC27. Distance 350 ft - has used wand and cast acid arrow
OOC: The new Uncharted Heroes game begins Monday, but the transition for Alexi, Jet, and Keela will be seamless.
Jet Stormway (AC:22 HP:28(1)/36 ; Bantom AC:19 HP:46(1)/51) Entropic Shield, Magic Weapon Saturday February 13th, 2010 12:30:45 PM
Jet is around AL 38 on the tower near the wagons and prepares to dump and ignite when it is the most feasible.
Alexi (AC: 20, HP:34/34) Lobo (AC: 19, HP:37/37) d20-1=15 ; d6+3=7 ; d20+5=25 ; d20+5=23 ; 3d6+9=24 ; Saturday February 13th, 2010 11:48:17 PM
OOC: Heroes of Battle is published by WoC and seems like it's first publishing was in 2005. If you like armies and such, I highly recomend it.
Oh, sorry for not posting Friday. Due to Snowmaggedon in Dallas, we were without power until late.
IC: 280ft away (his Comp short bow range is 70ft), after the archers fire, Alexi surveys the damage (holds his action) and sees some of the lizards run forward. OOC: they should now loose any Dex bonus to AC, so please check again for the rolls of 15 and 16 for the archers that shot at the 280ft move turn.
Smiling that they are now in range of his short bow, he aims at a lizardman 180 feet away (hmm... let's see, oh, i guess Lizard5). shoots his bow, at Liz5. D20+5-6 = 15 a miss, barely. (this was rolled when I thought they were 280 ft away and forgot some had run to 180 distance. so adjusting.
D20+5-4= (using roll from above of 16) 17! dmg d6+3=7
So, Liz5 starts at 180 feet away with 7hps damage and takes another 5. Check their AC after they run (if they have any AC bonus for Dex, they loose it) and see if rolls 15 and 16 hit also.
Alxexi, holding is action until after the archers fire to see the damage, sees the lizardmen running again (Dex bonus to AC gone again) and shoots again, at 60 ft range. If Liz5 is still standing, he shoots him, if not, he aims at another, targeting an injured one first. If there aren't any inujured ones, then Liz6.
D20+5=25! rolling for Crit, 23! Critical confirmed. 3d6+9=24 pts damage! heck of an arrow!
"Boy," Alexi comments to Keela, "we sure could use the Ahote at this point. If they came from the grasslands, that would put this lot wedged between us and them and under a hail of arrows."
DM Cayzle - Extra Post 2d8=11 ; Sunday February 14th, 2010 11:39:51 AM
Regarding potential archers hits on 15 and 16 ... you are right! That's another 11 damage to Lizard 5, 16 total to him by archers.
So after two rounds of shooting -- during which time the ram-hauling lizards move from 300 ft to 280 ft to 260 ft -- Alexi hits Lizard 5, but not quite putting it down, and then critting it and killing it with an arrow in the eye.
Lizard 5 is dead.
At the end of the second round, 8 crossbow-lizards are in magic missile range. Keela, you can use your readied action to fire off a magic missile spell at the end of the second round. Please roll damage.
Jet is ready with oil.
Reminder: We are in combat. Please put hp, AC, active spells, etc in your post header or body. Thanks!
LOG ON