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Completed [LP] Bleed for your Kingdom, officer! Codex plays Guns of Infinity

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
With our stats, there's no choice, so 1
 
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I'll help fight off the Antari horsemen personally, before their infantry arrive.

You spur your horse into the hardest of the fighting, your sabre flashing high as you drive towards the exposed back of the closest Antari.

The enemy horseman turns in time to see the curved blade of your sabre slash downward towards him. With an agile twist of his body, he sends his quickfooted mount dancing backwards.

The tip of your sabre misses the Antari's head by a hair, but before the enemy can counter your blow, you lunge forward with both feet still in the stirrups, turning your slash into a thrust and putting a handwidth of steel into your unprepared opponent's ribs.

You look for your next opponent as another one of your dragoons moves in to finish off your stricken foe. You've no time to lose. A second enemy horseman strays within range of your blade, pressed by two more of your men. A whip-like cut of your blade tears the Antari's sword arm open, sending him reeling long enough for his two original opponents to hack him down.

The second man is barely a half-second dead before a loud bellow brings your attention to a third, waving his sword in the air and trying to rally his fellows. He is at least twenty paces away, far out of sabre range, but that hardly renders him safe from you. With the reins in your teeth, your off hand darts to your belt, cocking, drawing, and emptying your pistol into the distant Antari's head with a fluid, practiced motion.

Within moments, the Antari cavalry are breaking off, even fleeing. As few as they were, the skills with which you've worked your sabre and pistol have made them even fewer. Savaged, demoralised, and leaderless, the enemy horsemen ride back down the road, past their own infantry, leaving the poorly trained Antari foot exposed…

-

You could end this battle now. A renewed charge could rout the entire Antari force, but your men don't have the stomach for more fighting. Already, many of them are falling back without orders, retreating in the face of an enemy which is barely half a fingerwidth from defeat.

Soon, your squadron is in the beginnings of a shameful rout, and you've no choice but to follow them. Formidable a fighter as you are, you've no chance against little less than three hundred Antari alone.

Behind you, the ragged voices of the Antari cheer their victory as your squadron slinks away.

-

On the long ride back south to the safety of the main army's camp in Noringia, your Staff-sergeant rides up to your position at the front of the column, his mood no doubt as foul as his expression.

"I-it seems to me, sir, that t-today has proved it," he proclaims. "These m-men are not fit for combat, n-not at all! The enemy would have b-b-been beaten had it not been for their l-lack of soldierly virtues."

1) "I'm sure these men will sort themselves out eventually."
2) "You're right, Staff-sergeant. Changes need to be made."
3) "Perhaps I should make some examples, then; punish a few to encourage the others."

As of the Summer of the 607th year of the Old Imperial Era

Sir Alaric d'al Ortiga
Age: 19
Rank: Captain
Wealth: 550
Income: 30

Soldiering: 74%

Charisma: 40%

Intellect: 1%

Reputation: 25%

Health: 65%

Idealism: 84% Cynicism: 16%

Ruthlessness: 31% Mercy: 69%

You are a Knight of the Red, having the right to wear bane-hardened armour and wield a bane-runed sword.

You have no decorations as of yet.

Sixth Squadron, Royal Dragoons
Senior NCO: Staff-sergeant Hernandes

Discipline: 25%

Morale: 25%

Loyalty: 25%

Strength: 96%
 

Kipeci

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Vicksburg
2

Where did we go so wrong in developing our men that they’ve been this consistently bad at doing their jobs?
 
Joined
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2

Where did we go so wrong in developing our men that they’ve been this consistently bad at doing their jobs?

These are literally fresh recruits seeing as how almost everyone in our troop died at Blogia. We've trained them for less than 4 months.
 

Kipeci

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May 22, 2012
Messages
3,027
Location
Vicksburg
2

Where did we go so wrong in developing our men that they’ve been this consistently bad at doing their jobs?

These are literally fresh recruits seeing as how almost everyone in our troop died at Blogia. We've trained them for less than 4 months.
The thing is, our hardened veterans were almost this incompetent in episodes like riding into their own ambush. We never get anywhere because just as our men start to get marginally less awful they’re all killed off and then replaced with garbage convicts or conscripts. How did we miss the boat on having halfway decent subordinates like the ones you’ve described having in other playthroughs?
 
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The thing is, our hardened veterans were almost this incompetent in episodes like riding into their own ambush. We never get anywhere because just as our men start to get marginally less awful they’re all killed off and then replaced with garbage convicts or conscripts. How did we miss the boat on having halfway decent subordinates like the ones you’ve described having in other playthroughs?

Really suboptimal choices, TBQH. Its possible to achieve much higher stats for your troop. I can go into further detail if you want though it will take me a lil' bit of time and might spoil things for people who want to play Sabres for themselves.
 
Last edited:

Kipeci

Arcane
Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
3,027
Location
Vicksburg
The thing is, our hardened veterans were almost this incompetent in episodes like riding into their own ambush. We never get anywhere because just as our men start to get marginally less awful they’re all killed off and then replaced with garbage convicts or conscripts. How did we miss the boat on having halfway decent subordinates like the ones you’ve described having in other playthroughs?

Really suboptimal choices, TBQH. Its possible to achieve much higher stats for your troop. I can go into further detail if you want though it will take me a lil' bit of time and might spoil things for people who want to play Sabres for themselves.
I’d appreciate seeing that, you could hide it in a spoiler tag or something.
 

baud

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RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
2

I guess if we had more survivors from our unit in the last battle, for example if we had defended the tower from the start, we might had better stats for our current troops.
 
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Your Staff-sergeant smiles and nods. Hernandes purses his lips.

"These m-men l-lack nothing m-more than discipline. Just g-give the order, and I'll see that these m-men are drilled for l-long enough every d-day to turn them into p-proper soldiers."

1) "No, Staff-sergeant, I'm sure the men will sort themselves out in time."
2) "Very good, Staff-sergeant, see that it is done."
3) "No, Staff-sergeant. I command, and I shall make a decision.
 
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Your senior NCO flashes you a bare-teethed smile. "I'll start as soon as we get back, sir."

He snaps a quick salute at you as he orders his horse to fall back in line behind yours.

You lean back in your saddle and squint into the setting sun as you are once again left alone at the front of the column. Despite your losses today, you are glad that you are at least still alive, and that the majority of your men live as well.

It is a thought that will have to do the job of cheering you as you and your squadron make the three-day ride back to the army headquarters at Noringia.

CHAPTER II
Wherein the CAVALRY OFFICER trains his squadron of ROYAL DRAGOONS.

"I see. A most unfortunate outcome, Sir Alaric."

His Grace, the Duke of Cunaris, a general-of-brigade in the army of His Tierran Majesty Miguel d'al Rendower, turns himself toward the light filtering through the open window to his side, arm muscles bulging with exertion as his hands clumsily manoeuvre his wheelchair around the massive oaken desk.

Cunaris had been a colonel and in command of your regiment at Blogia when an Antari lancepoint severed his spine. Now his body is dead below the waist, and you doubt that even his appointment to brigade command could sweeten that bitter news.

He is in command of all the King's cavalry, as well as being Colonel of the Royal Dragoons, which explains exactly why you are standing before him, giving your account of your ill-fated clash with the Antari not three days ago.

"You were hard pressed. I suppose this sort of thing was to be expected," he remarks as he stares out the window, the sunlight catching on the sparse grey hairs in his unfashionably full beard. "Indeed, I would think that it was your quick thinking that kept your losses as low as they were."

Cunaris favours you with a gentle smile, the sort which you might even consider fatherly. "Surely, you cannot shoulder all the blame."

1) "I was in command. The fault is mine, sir."
2) "We've already identified the root causes, and my Staff-sergeant is already working on it."
3) "I am already planning to see that my men shall not fail you again, sir."
4) "My bloody men were to blame, the useless scum."
5) "We'll not fail you next time, sir."
6) "We were sent into battle unprepared! The blame is not mine!"

As of the Summer of the 607th year of the Old Imperial Era

Sir Alaric d'al Ortiga
Age: 19
Rank: Captain
Wealth: 550
Income: 30

Soldiering: 74%

Charisma: 40%

Intellect: 1%

Reputation: 25%

Health: 65%

Idealism: 84% Cynicism: 16%

Ruthlessness: 31% Mercy: 69%

You are a Knight of the Red, having the right to wear bane-hardened armour and wield a bane-runed sword.

You have no decorations as of yet.

Sixth Squadron, Royal Dragoons
Senior NCO: Staff-sergeant Hernandes

Discipline: 25%

Morale: 25%

Loyalty: 25%

Strength: 96%

LOUIS D'AL ENGLESSEY, EARL OF CASTERMAINE
(Born 558 OIE) General-of-brigade in the Tierran army. Commands an infantry brigade in the King's Army. Baneblood.

SIR CAIUS D'AL CAZAROSTA
(Born 585 OIE) Lieutenant in the King's Army. Commander of Third Squadron, Royal Dragoons. Knight-Companion of the Order of Saint Joshua. Illegitimate son of the Countess of Leoniscourt. Deathborn.

SIR JOHANNES D'AL FINDLAY, DUKE OF CUNARIS
(Born 556 OIE) Colonel-in-chief of the Royal Dragoon regiment. Knight-Grandmaster of the Order of Saint Jerome. A sitting member of the Cortes and head of the noble house of Findlay.Commander of the cavalry brigade in the King's Army. Lost the use of his legs at Blogia. Married with three children. Banecaster of the eighth calibre.

ULRIKE ECKHARTS
(Born 458 OIE) An Intendant of the Takaran Empire, assigned as an observer to the Duke of Wulfram's army prior to the Battle of Blogia.

LORD DAVIS D'AL ELSON
(584-607? OIE) Captain of the Royal Dragoon regiment, eldest son of the Baron of Hawthorne, a poor but politically influential Cortes noble. Former commanding officer of Third Squadron, Royal Dragoons. Missing and presumed dead after the Battle of Blogia. Banecaster of the third calibre.

WINTHROP D'AL HARTIGAN, VISCOUNT OF HUGH
(Born 580 OIE) Lieutenant-colonel of the 5th Regiment of Foot. Related by marriage to the Elsons of Hawthorne. Banecaster of the second calibre.

ARTHUR D'AL HAVENPORT, DUKE OF HAVENPORT
(Born 573 OIE) Lieutenant-general of the Tierran army. Succeeded the Duke of Wulfram as Councilor-Militant and Lieutenant-general. Baneblood.

LORD ROLAND D'AL KEANE
(Born 571 OIE) Lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Dragoon regiment. Baneblood.

PRINCE MIKHAIL OF KHOROBIRIT
(Born 573 OIE) A powerful Antari nobleman and the League of Antar's greatest general. Defeated the Tierran army decisively at Blogia in 607 OIE. Baneblood.

LORD KAROL OF LOCH
(Born 569 OIE) An Antari Church Hussar sworn to the service of Prince Mikhail of Khorobirit. Baneblood.

HARLANDO D'AL MARRAS, BARON OF MARRAS
(576-607? OIE) Lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Dragoons, formerly second in command of the Regiment. Missing and presumed dead after the Battle of Blogia. Baneblood.

HIS TIERRAN MAJESTY, KING MIGUEL OF HOUSE RENDOWER
(Born 586 OIE) Reigning monarch of the Unified Kingdom of Tierra, as well as Duke of Aetoria. Young and impetuous, but capable. Baneblood.

HELENA VIZTELAS
(Born 471 OIE) Captain of the Takaran Imperial Guard. Military attache to Intendant Eckharts.

SIR ENRIQUE D'AL HUNTER, VISCOUNT OF WOLFSWOOD
(577-607 OIE) Lieutenant-colonel of the Grenadiers. Knight-Captain of the Order of Saint Jerome. Former commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards. Killed at the Battle of Blogia. Banecaster of the ninth calibre.

HECTOR D'AL CANDLESS, DUKE OF WULFRAM
(542-607 OIE) Formerly commanding officer of the King's Army in Antar and Duke of the northern duchy of Wulfram. Killed at the Battle of Blogia. Banecaster of the sixth calibre.

map1_sow.jpg


LATE SPRING, 607:

Leading the bulk of Tierran forces in Antar, the Duke of Wulfram fights a larger Antari army led by Prince Mikhail of Khorobirit in a set-piece battle north of the town of Blogia. The Antari score a decisive victory, killing the Duke of Wulfram, many of his senior staff, and nearly three thousand Tierran soldiers.

The battered remnants of the Duke of Wulfram's army retreats to Noringia. King Miguel of Tierra arrives in Antar to take personal command, leaving the Earl of Weathern to lead the government in his stead.

Starved of supplies and reinforcements by the machinations of his rivals within the League Congress, Prince Khorobirit is forced to halt his advance on Noringia.

For the purposes of replacing the men lost at Blogia, the King orders the beginning of limited conscription. Vagabonds, debtors, and the unemployed are now liable to be forced into the army by recruiting agents in Tierra, to be sent to Antar.
 

baud

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
3,992
Location
Septentrion
RPG Wokedex Strap Yourselves In Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag. Pathfinder: Wrath I helped put crap in Monomyth
We're not cynical enough for the management-speak of 2, so 1! Let's take it like a man!
 

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