Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Battle Journal of Kain Gaa'zaith - Tactical Field Test

Since my last entry the cadre has had two opportunities to enter battle. While neither battle was exactly the kind of encounter for which the battle plan was developed, it proved invaluable for allowing a quick and orderly response to these similar attacks.

Tactical Analysis - Kobolds Attack the Town of Risus

Differences
Instead of a medium range engagement in the open, a squad of kobolds invaded the town we stopped in as we were preparing to depart. We were left alone in the streets as the townspeople fled indoors. The kobolds came at us from two directions around a large building.

Outcome
The two fronts made it impossible for Marun and V to use the blast and withdraw maneuver, as they spent most of the battle at opposite ends of the street. The careful usage of clever maneuvers and dazing spells, however, was hugely successful in providing a vulnerable target for the rogue every time he threw his dagger. The warlock got up on a roof and concentrated his fire on a slinger no one else could reach, quickly bringing it down.

Tactical Analysis - Kobold/Gnome Ambush

The kobolds, who seem somehow able to stay two steps ahead of us at all times, laid an ambush along our route using a disabled wagon and disguised gnome spellcaster as bait.

Differences
This engagement was closer to the sort for which the battle plan was drawn, though the nature of the ambush (with the kobold melee fighters hidden in the wagon) meant that we started at close range instead of medium.

Outcome
Again, the cadre was successful in providing Hobb with suitable targets and less so at forming a coherent front line. The battle shifted around somewhat chaotically due to the interference of the spellcaster and the late discovery of her crossbow-wielding ally hiding in the trees. The warlock was again effective at targeting a ranged attacker no one else could reach. That could easily become his standard role.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did the warlock find that the limit on his range prevented him from keeping up with a weapon-ranged monster? In a few of our battles, the warlock has been unable to reach them due to the increased reach of bows vs. range 10 of most magic spells.

Gregor LeBlaque said...

The ranged monsters we've fought have mostly been kobold slingers that preferred to close to within 10 to avoid the range penalty. If it comes up I figure have Kain's Telekinetic Leap and Knight's Move to get him where he needs to be.