So, session coming up on Friday sure does involve the group planning to fight unknown numbers on unknown terrain without any plan that I've heard beyond "... and then we grab 'em!"
So do you guys have a plan that I haven't heard?
Plans for the Trap?
Moderators: Zelknolf, FoamBats4All
Re: Plans for the Trap?
So... no...?
I don't want to be too heavyhanded with my intervention, on account of my DMing philosophy...
For the moment, though, it might be worth constructing a "Hey what if they actually have two boats and bring them both with their whole crews armed to the beach?" plan.
I don't want to be too heavyhanded with my intervention, on account of my DMing philosophy...
But I also know that such a stand is a bit unusual (your level 12s finding goblins would tend to find the mighty goblin king and his elite guard, and your level 2s would tend to find a giant's lowly thralls while the giant is out of town). So I'm giving a little flagging down here that y'all might be en route to a TPK (or at least massive losses and a route). There were some signs, but I guess folk missed it. If someone knows, XP cookie; if not, I can explain after the session. I don't want to be mysterious for its own sake, but I also don't want to rob someone clever of figuring it out.Zelknolf wrote:Your level 12s can smoosh goblins all day, and I'll give you your 5 xp for it; your level 2s can challenge fire giants, and I'll be excited about your next characters. I'll find it fascinating in either case, and if players are also having fun with it, mission accomplished I say.
For the moment, though, it might be worth constructing a "Hey what if they actually have two boats and bring them both with their whole crews armed to the beach?" plan.
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Seeing as our face is missing this seems an unlikely course of action. He set up the deal. "Hey Barney couldn't be here, he sent us instead?" I cant see that going so well.
Perhaps a recap of what information we have dug up (kids, around town, etc)?
I think attempting to tackle one ship/crew at a time might be a safer plan.
Perhaps a recap of what information we have dug up (kids, around town, etc)?
I think attempting to tackle one ship/crew at a time might be a safer plan.
PC
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Clearly there will be an ambush, one way or another. You guys just have to make sure you're on the right side of it. Practice those ballistae shots, and sail circles round the baddies.
12.August.2015: Never forget.
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Or... If one was really clever they would rally the other smugglers against the people traffickers.
12.August.2015: Never forget.
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oldgrayrogue
- Retired
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Re: Plans for the Trap?
Shane would propose the following plan:
1. We show up and make the exchange on the beach just like the last time.
2. We get the kids to safety (maybe one man rows them out to our ship?)
3. We then go back and attack the kidnappers on the beach.
4. We should get some ammo for our ballistae from the Queen if possible. If we do, then we use it to try to sink their boat at the same time as we kill them on the beach. We need a signal -- likely from the beach -- that will signal to our crew on ship IT's ON!
5. If during the exchange we are clearly outnumbered we can always just save the kids and offer to make another exchange and try to get reinforcements or better planning etc. So no signal, no ambush.
As far as the hints, we have been told there are 2 boats: A caravel similar to ours (The Witch's Tit I think) and a smaller Sloop, the Blue Gull. If both boats show up on crab beach then I would assume the Gull would come in close to shore to make the exchange and the Tit would hang back for back up if there is trouble. So we should target the caravel with our ballistae and handle the crew of the Gull on shore in the ambush. We just need to decide who stays on the Robyn with the Captain to work the ballistae.
As far as a TPK, if that is how it ends up I am totally fine with that. For me, one of the nice things about playing in a low level campaign is that if you die you can very easily reroll and rejoin which I would fully intend to do. I'm sure the word would get out that the "new crew" of the Robyn was pwnd on crab beach and other scallywags would rush in to take their place. I know that if Shane should die I will promptly reroll a new PC for the campaign.
As for Barney, his absence might actually be able to be used for our benefit if our ambush succeeds. I doubt we will kill them all in one fell swoop. Maybe barney could go in as a double agent or something and have plausible deniability about the first ambush.
Anyway, just my 2 cents.
1. We show up and make the exchange on the beach just like the last time.
2. We get the kids to safety (maybe one man rows them out to our ship?)
3. We then go back and attack the kidnappers on the beach.
4. We should get some ammo for our ballistae from the Queen if possible. If we do, then we use it to try to sink their boat at the same time as we kill them on the beach. We need a signal -- likely from the beach -- that will signal to our crew on ship IT's ON!
5. If during the exchange we are clearly outnumbered we can always just save the kids and offer to make another exchange and try to get reinforcements or better planning etc. So no signal, no ambush.
As far as the hints, we have been told there are 2 boats: A caravel similar to ours (The Witch's Tit I think) and a smaller Sloop, the Blue Gull. If both boats show up on crab beach then I would assume the Gull would come in close to shore to make the exchange and the Tit would hang back for back up if there is trouble. So we should target the caravel with our ballistae and handle the crew of the Gull on shore in the ambush. We just need to decide who stays on the Robyn with the Captain to work the ballistae.
As far as a TPK, if that is how it ends up I am totally fine with that. For me, one of the nice things about playing in a low level campaign is that if you die you can very easily reroll and rejoin which I would fully intend to do. I'm sure the word would get out that the "new crew" of the Robyn was pwnd on crab beach and other scallywags would rush in to take their place. I know that if Shane should die I will promptly reroll a new PC for the campaign.
As for Barney, his absence might actually be able to be used for our benefit if our ambush succeeds. I doubt we will kill them all in one fell swoop. Maybe barney could go in as a double agent or something and have plausible deniability about the first ambush.
Anyway, just my 2 cents.
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Well, I mostly warn about the TPK because it just looked like a learning curve thing. Maybe an "Oh, the plot is progressing; we must be doing something right!" And some of it is that I'm just not hardcore enough to wipe out a party without warning on the first fight, but I'd rather warn than fudge the fight.
I do generally expect that folk wouldn't have joined a privateer campaign if they weren't OK with the possibility of character death (I know that there aren't really nonviolent campaigns out there, but I also know that it's easier to lose a character when you've made it explicitly for an obviously-violent campaign), and folk can expect to join one of my campaigns and catch up-- I'll totally keep my promise to give more XP to lower-level characters, due to the extra risk they endure.
I do generally expect that folk wouldn't have joined a privateer campaign if they weren't OK with the possibility of character death (I know that there aren't really nonviolent campaigns out there, but I also know that it's easier to lose a character when you've made it explicitly for an obviously-violent campaign), and folk can expect to join one of my campaigns and catch up-- I'll totally keep my promise to give more XP to lower-level characters, due to the extra risk they endure.
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Witchdoctor
- Gelatinous Cube
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- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:44 pm
Re: Plans for the Trap?
I would support a plan to involve the other smugglers not allied with the kidnappers joining us to erase the threat of them and drawing attention to the smugglers they do not want.
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Can the Capt. requisition some ammo for the ballista? Seems the sort of thing the crown would want us supplied with.
PC
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Yes. Ship should regard the ballistae as loadable now, and be able to be fired on other ships and horrifying sea monsters alike. We'll test before the session to make sure.kiyoti wrote:Can the Capt. requisition some ammo for the ballista? Seems the sort of thing the crown would want us supplied with.
Re: Plans for the Trap?
able to be fired on other ships and horrifying sea monsters alike
no we be talking PC
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Re: Plans for the Trap?
Ballistae tested. They work. Some poor test rat has met its fate of excessive firepower.
The current ballistae work on 3.5 rules (not pathfinder rules, wherein all weights of ballistae are siege engines), so the little ones like the Queen Robyn currently has count as "huge heavy crossbows" (you'll need to upgrade to the boxy ones to have them count as siege engines-- you get to apply your dex bonus to hit, but medium creatures are -4 to hit and halflings are -6). Though of course the ship can be upgraded, once you all are wealthy and famous privateers with the curious state of being knighted for military service while the government insists it's just an honorary title.
The current ballistae work on 3.5 rules (not pathfinder rules, wherein all weights of ballistae are siege engines), so the little ones like the Queen Robyn currently has count as "huge heavy crossbows" (you'll need to upgrade to the boxy ones to have them count as siege engines-- you get to apply your dex bonus to hit, but medium creatures are -4 to hit and halflings are -6). Though of course the ship can be upgraded, once you all are wealthy and famous privateers with the curious state of being knighted for military service while the government insists it's just an honorary title.