IC II

[The_Wanderer]

Goshawk, Raiding Tombs

Goshawk leans back and looks up at the carving. When he sees it is some kind of gibberish, he slowly opens the door.

[thirdkingdom]

Start of Orc Battle

I'd like to try something. I've been thinking about how to do this, but I'm not sure the Google Doc has the granularity that will make it work. I've generated a basic hex map below. What I'd like is for each player to announce actions for their player/henchmen (and someone needs to control the mercenaries, as well; I'll run Valru and the ironskins based on your commands). Each hex is equal to 30 feet. Five troops/individuals can fit into a single hex. I've added the huts and the *visible* orcs on the map. Assume each "orc" icon is actually five orcs. Remember the following:

*If you cast a spell you can't move in the same round.
*You can move your movement rate or run at 3 times your movement rate.
*When you announce your move give me the hex number you're in right now and the hex you're looking to move to.
*The players and their allied forced are starting in Hex 17.27
*I'll update the map at the end of each round.

Orc Battle Start.png (258.03 KiB) Viewed 2436 times

[PresGas]

As above, Sumer will haste the archers and whatever is left to the infantry.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus
Feargus stands on the right flank of the light infantry. Their opposite flank is held by the river. He dismounts and loosens his shield and sword and begins to walk forward.

Mardan Cy is about 30' behind him, mounted on his horse Dappleganger.

[shaidar]

Newton

For now Newton, Toma and Wilter stay with the archers and employ their bows.

[beniliusbob]

Zellar moves to the centre of the line and casts bless.

Sigmari An lurks near the back on the eastern (non-riverine) flank, ready to loose an arrow when the orcs come within range.

[VonAlric]

Gardo

Seeing the field before him, he nods. "Finally, something to do. Let's not let the orcs move to the east too much. We shouldn't let them pin us with the river at our back. Notai and Wulfka! Let's move to the right and keep these chaos lovers from running into the woods! Valru! Maybe you should flank and hit a vulnerable side?"

Gardo and ladies moves off towards Hex 20.26

[thirdkingdom]

Round One

The orcs that are visible begin to run forward, waving weapons, while one group advances more slowly, loosing a flight of arrows that falls short. Zellar and Sumer cast their spells upon the mercenaries, who then begin to advance more slowly forward, flanking eastward. Gardo and his retainers sweep wide to the west, flanked by Valru and her riders.

Where possible I noted the PCs or units with letters. "I" is infantry, "A" is archers, "F" Feargus, etc. I used the name of primary PCs, even when they are in larger groups with their retainers. Spellcasters who have cast spells are still in their starting spot. The lines for the orcish side indicated movement. They started in the empty hex and end up in the one with the icon.

Orc Fight End of Round One.png (75.42 KiB) Viewed 2394 times

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus looks down the line of infantry and shrugs, thinking It looked like we had more when we were in camp. He begins pushing forward nonetheless.

So...do we have about as many infantry as they have orcs in one hex?...so they have 7 times as many orcs as we have infantry?

[VonAlric]

Gardo and group will move towards Hex 24.23

[shaidar]

Newton moves to 15.26, to help form a line with Feargus and the infantry. He'll use his long bow as soon as he gets in range.

sorry, I don't think I explicitly said that Newton would dismount, but he would have left his horse with the others. His long bow range is 210 yards (max), so he should be in range already if each square if 30' (10 yards) I think he would be medium range, and short bows would be coming into long range

Wilter and Toma stay with the archers, again using their bows as soon as they come within range.

[beniliusbob]

Zellar, still mounted, leads the infantry to form a defensive line in front of the archers (i.e. to hex 19.25). Sigmari, also on her horse, joins the archers.

[PresGas]

Sumer joins the archers, getting out her bow to loose at least a volley when they are in range of short bows.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus looks down the line of infantry and shrugs, thinking It looked like we had more when we were in camp. He begins pushing forward nonetheless.

Moving to 17.23

[thirdkingdom]

Feargus

Feargus looks down the line of infantry and shrugs, thinking It looked like we had more when we were in camp. He begins pushing forward nonetheless.

So...do we have about as many infantry as they have orcs in one hex?...so they have 7 times as many orcs as we have infantry?

Sorry I didn't get to this sooner. No, I'm going to break the infantry/horse archers into smaller groups, but for purposes of being targeted by haste they needed to be bunched together. Assume you can break them down into groups of 5.

[thirdkingdom]

Round Two

Newton dismounts, limbering his long bow, and places four perfect shots, each one slaying an orc. The other adventurers begin to disperse, forming a line anchored with the mercenaries. Valur looks sidelong at Feargus and Gardo and thunders forward with her riders, keeping pace with the two warriors. The orcs charge forward as well, some loosing arrows, but all fall short. From the huts further away the adventurers note several more bands of orcs emerge from within, as well as what looks like two groups of boar riders and, more ominously, two gangs of large, angry looking ogres!

Infantry is divided into three divisions, archers into two. Let me know if this is wrong; the only place I could find with the infantry total was from last summer.
Initiative, PCs first:: 2#1d6 5 4
Newton: https://orokos.com/roll/819591: 4#1d20+7 25 17 14 21 4#1d6+2 4 7 5 6 All shots hit and kill an orc.
https://orokos.com/roll/819591: 4#1d20+7 25 17 14 21 4#1d6+2 4 7 5 6

Orc Fight End of Round Two.png (169.68 KiB) Viewed 2319 times

[VonAlric]

Gardo

Eyeing the distance, Gardo slows down a little. "Father always said that the first ones to fall are the ones who rush in. Patience Valru, Notai, Wulfka! The fight will not be over after a single swing of the blade. Valru! Mark those riders, we don't want them to sneak up on us."

Gardo will move to 24.21

[beniliusbob]

Zellar maintains her position guarding the archers, while Sigmari continues to fire her shortbow at the charging orcs.

[The_Wanderer]

Feargus

Feargus turns partway, holding his shield up and beckons for the now spread out infantry to close with him. "GET UP HERE!" He then slowly moves up (to 18.23), trying to keep ahead of the center of the merc line.

Mardan Cy

Mardan Cy is muttering to himself, nerves clearly getting to him. "That's a lot of orcs. This can't be what Feargus meant when he told me to play unfair when it comes to fighting. Still mounted, he does his best to stay out of bowshot and in turn, will fire his shortbow mounted as targets close.

[shaidar]

Newton will encourage the infantry to move up with him to join Feargus. He will continue to use his bow on the orcs.

he will move to 15.23, if he can and still shoot, otherwise 15.24.

Wilter and Toma stick with the archers, ready to use their shortbows when the orcs come into range.