OOC Table Talk

[KingOfCowards]

I just wanted to talk tactics outside the main adventure thread. I understand the desire to back up and let more of our group attack at once. But at the same time, it may open us up to many more attacks from the goblins behind the front line. It seems a tough call either way. Right now we get two attacks to every three of theirs. Let's say we open things up and get five us attacking, I am finding it difficult to believe that they would get a better ratio of attacks than they currently have (it would take five missile weapon attacks from the goblins to accomplish this).
Unless the goblins end up failing a morale check, I don't see us losing the attack ratio battle as a sustainable plan of action for long, so I would be leaning towards a tactical withdrawal as badams had suggested.

Spartakos: How defensible would a withdrawal position be? If we find our way back to a room, I would think it would be hard to put together a formation that allows for 5+ missile weapons attacks into a room.
Others: What do you think? This could be a make or break plan here.

[Gelatinous Q]

Don't overlook Saeros's sleep spell — it could be a great equalizer.

Otherwise, I agree, this isn't sustainable. We have oil and torches. We could set up a fire trap and fall back behind it.

[Zhym]

I've been trying to think of an illusion that might save our bacon, but I haven't been able to come up with something that's likely to work.

[Bloodaxe]

Don't overlook Saeros's sleep spell — it could be a great equalizer.

Otherwise, I agree, this isn't sustainable. We have oil and torches. We could set up a fire trap and fall back behind it.

I only rolled a 3.
Hopefully all three drop.

Saeros is a decent fighter (HP6 AC4) and Goblins arent that brave (i hope) - how many are there?

Sorry for the extra action, I wasnt sure how soon Id be able to post again. I'll be on vacation til Monday night.

[Spartakos]

If you fall back and array a semicircle around the hall entry, I'd allow 5 melee fighters to attack goblins who were actively trying to enter the room. If the goblins try to hold right at the doorway, only 4. In both cases, your folks can shoot into melee.

The goblins can get 3 abreast melee against either of those formations. How many missile attacks they could get depends on their weapons and tactics. So far you've seen only throwing weapons (axes and javelins); that would only give them 1 rank (3 missiles), unless they were able to have a 2nd rank stand on something so as to shoot over their heads (2nd rank would give 3 more, 6 missiles).
If any goblins show up with bows/crossbows, they could kneel and shoot, allowing 1 more rank in front (6, or 9 if also using a raised back rank).
In all cases, those missile attacks would risk friendly fire (and the goblins are not well armored).

[KingOfCowards]

There is a third option. Spartakos' rules on friendly fire are more generous than most that I have seen, so we may have the option of intentionally firing missile weapons into melee combat.
1) A miss isn't all that bad, it still has a chance of missing the intended target but still hitting the enemy.
2) We have a better AC, so less likely to be struck.

Right now, we have them at a corner where they cannot use missile weapons. If we get an extra two missile weapon attacks, we should be able to hold them at the corner, with only a low chance of being struck by friendly fire (Approximately 65% chance of a miss X roughly 50% chance of being targeted X 30% of hitting through front rank's armor = 9.75%??)

[Bloodaxe]

It looks like not all the Goblins are combatants. Some are females with daggers and smocks. If we drop a few more of their fighters maybe their morale will break. But we better do something before reinforcements arrive.

Anyway - HELLO ALL! Thanks for letting me join. I recognize a few of you.

[GreyWolfVT]

Hi Bloodaxe

[Bloodaxe]

Hi Bloodaxe

Hey there!

[Bloodaxe]

Should we rush on and try to finish the Goblins? Maybe take a prisoner to get info out of?

[GreyWolfVT]

Not sure Goblins would really be a good prisoner though.

[Bloodaxe]

Not sure Goblins would really be a good prisoner though.

He will when I can cast Charm Person.
I just need one and some time to memorize another spell. A day or so.

[GreyWolfVT]

aww but they smell so bad.

[Bloodaxe]

aww but they smell so bad.

I'm not sure if Charm Person is powerful enough to make a Goblin take a bath........but maybe to tell us what he knows about the area or some hidden treasure.

[GreyWolfVT]

very well point is yours I'll make sure to stand downwind of the smelly thing.

[Zhym]

This is going to be an insanely busy week for me. I may not have time to post. Please NPC my character as needed.

[Bloodaxe]

Should we advance and finish them before reinforcement come ? Or retreat, regroup, heal up?

[Spartakos]

I held off the interrogation of the goblin for 2 reasons:

1.) I wanted to know where you would be, so I could assess what would happen while you were doing it.

2.) Saeros mentioned charming the goblin, once he is able to memorize his Charm spell. Keep in mind a Charm spell is not total mind control, nor does it erase memories. And it only affects his attitude toward Saeros, not all of you. While a charmed subject will believe any plausible story the caster tells him, it would take a good story indeed to explain why the caster allowed his other friends to torture him.

[Bloodaxe]

Go ahead and question/interrogate the Goblin, there will be plenty more.

Charm Person would still have him regard me as a friend and ally , even if we dont share a language. Many humanoids speak a few words of Common, or we could use a character that speaks Goblin as translator. Just a thought.

[Gelatinous Q]

I'm not sure we have time to wait for Saeros to regain his spell. These questions are for helping us out of our immediate jam.

To be clear, I wasn't advocating physical torture, just intimidation tactics.