Difference between revisions of "Battlefields"

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== Team ready rooms ==
 
== Team ready rooms ==
  
Team rooms are used for finalizing negotations for battle and organizing your battle force for deployment stage, which is the first stage of any battle.
+
<pre>
 +
Team ready room commands:
 +
settings
 +
forcemin
 +
forcemax
 +
label
 +
pickstart
 +
tactic
 +
ready
 +
unready
 +
deploy
 +
startdeploy
 +
</pre>
 +
 
 +
Team ready rooms are used for finalizing negotations for battle and organizing your battle force for deployment, which is the first stage of any battle.
  
 
[[File:Battlefield team ready room.png|400px|frame|left|Battlefield team ready room.]]
 
[[File:Battlefield team ready room.png|400px|frame|left|Battlefield team ready room.]]
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4. Choose which tactic your team is going to employ by using the 'tactic' command. You have three tactic options available:
 
4. Choose which tactic your team is going to employ by using the 'tactic' command. You have three tactic options available:
* attack: Your force may hold up to half of its units in reserves. You can deploy your reserves at any point later in the battle (whereas in probing you must deploy reserves after first battle turn.)
+
 
* defend: Your force may deploy all of its units at once. You have the entire firepower of your force available from the beginning of the battle.
+
{| class="wikitable"
* probe: Your force may deploy up to half of its units during first battle turn AND reserves will be deployed automatically after this first battle turnm, in 2nd battle turn. this means you will have one entire battle turn for probing the battlefield before your entire force can be targeted by e.g. enemy archers.
+
|-
 +
! Tactic !! Description
 +
|-
 +
| Attack || Your force may hold up to half of its units in reserves. You can deploy your reserves at any point later in the battle (whereas in probing you must deploy reserves after first battle turn.)
 +
|-
 +
| Defend || Your force may deploy all of its units at once. You have the entire firepower of your force available from the beginning of the battle.
 +
|-
 +
| Probe || Your force may deploy up to half of its units during first battle turn AND reserves will be deployed automatically after this first battle turn, in 2nd battle turn. this means you will have one entire battle turn for probing the battlefield before your entire force can be targeted by e.g. enemy archers.
 +
|}
  
 
5. If everything in 'settings' can be agreed with the other teams, you can type 'ready' to raise a flag indicating your team is satisfied with the agreed battle parameters. However, command 'unready' will dismantle this agreement if it turns out there are still details under dispute and which prevent your team's readiness.
 
5. If everything in 'settings' can be agreed with the other teams, you can type 'ready' to raise a flag indicating your team is satisfied with the agreed battle parameters. However, command 'unready' will dismantle this agreement if it turns out there are still details under dispute and which prevent your team's readiness.
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== Creating a mercenary company ==
 
== Creating a mercenary company ==
  
Mercenary companies are easy way to start battlefields. Once you've learned the ropes of playing mercenaries, you might want to consider selecting your allegiance and start playing for some specific kingdom. However, for the purpose of this tutorial we will first create a mercenary company.
+
Mercenary companies are easy way to start battlefields. Once you've learned the ropes of playing mercenaries, you might want to consider selecting your allegiance and start playing for some specific kingdom. However, for the purpose of this tutorial we will first create a mercenary company which does not require an allegiance.
  
Note that this tutorial assumes you have not yet selected your allegiance, which the system will interpret as you will play mercenaries by default.
+
Therefore this tutorial assumes you have not yet selected your allegiance, which the system will interpret as you will play mercenaries by default.
  
 
=== Hiring your people ===
 
=== Hiring your people ===
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In the mercenaries shop, type 'list'.
 
In the mercenaries shop, type 'list'.
  
First, you need a leader. Type 'hire mercenary veteran'. My new mercenary veteran's name is Mongrel.
+
First, you need a leader. Type:
 +
<pre>
 +
hire mercenary veteran
 +
</pre>
 +
My new mercenary veteran's name is Mongrel.
  
Then, hire two mercenary regulars by typing 'hire mercenary regular' twice. These two new regulars are named Edge, and the other is named Raine.
+
Then, hire two mercenary regulars.
 +
<pre>
 +
2 hire mercenary regular
 +
</pre>
  
As your new hires will be delivered to your inventory, drop them: drop all mercenary
+
These two new regulars are named Edge, and the other is named Raine.
  
Now, we can build the company by using command "trooper". Type 'trooper mongrel do squad-assign to alpha', 'trooper edge do squad-assign to alpha', 'trooper raine do squad-assign to alpha'.
+
As your new hires will be delivered to your inventory, drop them to be able to manipulate them. Make sure this is a safe spot in which you are not disturbed.
 +
<pre>
 +
drop all mercenary
 +
</pre>
  
All three have now been assigned to a squad named 'alpha'. Type 'roster' to verify.
+
Now, we can build the company by using command "trooper". Let's place them all to team called alpha. How many different teams you want is up to you.
  
Your mercenary squad is now ready. You can 'get all mercenary' and continue.
+
<pre>
 +
trooper mongrel do squad-assign to alpha
 +
trooper edge do squad-assign to alpha
 +
trooper raine do squad-assign to alpha
 +
</pre>
 +
 
 +
All three have now been assigned to a squad named 'alpha'. Try out command 'roster' to verify.
 +
 
 +
Your mercenary squad is now ready.
 +
 
 +
<pre>
 +
get all mercenary
 +
</pre>
  
 
Note: Outside of battle, all battlefield assets like these mercenaries are represented in form of tokens, which is not an unusual way for any wargame player to organize their rank and file. In this inactive form, they are almost weightless, saveable objects you can get and drop and manipulate normally. You can also save them over boot, so your company won't be lost even if you're not in battle. The only way you can lose them is in battle.
 
Note: Outside of battle, all battlefield assets like these mercenaries are represented in form of tokens, which is not an unusual way for any wargame player to organize their rank and file. In this inactive form, they are almost weightless, saveable objects you can get and drop and manipulate normally. You can also save them over boot, so your company won't be lost even if you're not in battle. The only way you can lose them is in battle.
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In the podium, the most important commands at your disposal are:
 
In the podium, the most important commands at your disposal are:
* company - this will show the status of your whole company, both those deployed and those still in reserves
+
{| class="wikitable"
* next - select next trooper of your company
+
|-
* prev - select previous trooper of your company
+
! Command !! Description
 +
|-
 +
| company || this will show the status of your whole company, both those deployed and those still in reserves
 +
|-
 +
| next || select next trooper of your company
 +
|-
 +
| prev || select previous trooper of your company
 +
|}
  
 
To see where you are, you first have to select a trooper, type 'next', then type 'tac' which is a shorthand for 'tactical'.
 
To see where you are, you first have to select a trooper, type 'next', then type 'tac' which is a shorthand for 'tactical'.
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Storm [mercenary regular]
 
Storm [mercenary regular]
 
[Battle] Surviving force of team team1 (#1): 85
 
[Battle] Surviving force of team team1 (#1): 85
Your team won the battle, so these items belong to your team now.
+
[Battle] Your team won the battle, so these items belong to your team now.
 
[Battle] The first winning team has now received the bet.
 
[Battle] The first winning team has now received the bet.
Your team has received 45 tally points. Type 'tally' to see what you can do with them.
+
[Battle] Your team has received 45 tally points. Type 'rewards' to see what you can do with them.
 
[Battle] Surviving force of team team2 (#2): 40
 
[Battle] Surviving force of team team2 (#2): 40
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
  
Tally points can be used in the shop which is available in the debriefing room.
+
You can spend your tally points in the shop which is available in the debriefing room.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Debriefing tally.png|400px|none|left|Tally shop of the debriefing room.]]
 +
 
 +
Tally points dont save, so this is your only chance to redeem your tally rewards for the battle. Note also that this tally is for your team as a whole. If your team consisted more than one player, you have to decide how to share things (but preferably before the battle).
  
[[File:Debriefing tally.png|400px|thumb|left|Tally shop of the debriefing room.]]
+
Once you are finished with your debriefing, type 'done'. As all teams are done with their debriefing, an exit will appear which will lead you out from the arena.
  
 
= Miscellaneous tips (unofficial) =
 
= Miscellaneous tips (unofficial) =

Latest revision as of 18:13, 27 March 2020

Battlefields.

Features

  • Line of sight, direct and indirect fire, terrain height differences. (in above screenshot the enemy is in the north, but it is not seen by selected friendly force)
  • Also other units visible on battlefields (not just the lonely @).
  • The whole battlefield is shown at once in a tabletop manner so you won't miss any action.
  • Turn based, squad and platoon level (somewhat X-com like) gameplay.
  • Tournament ladder based campaign play: skirmishes (squad level), minor victories (platoon level), major victories (company level).
  • Skirmish level matches are newbie (budget) friendly and possible without provinces. It is possible to advance from skirmishes to minor victories, from minor victories to major victories (may mean seizing provinces to yourself).
  • Supports different mainguilds and kingdoms/allegiances.
  • Your units save from battle to another, enabling tuning, improving and maybe trading of your forces outside of battle.

Campaign Plans

Campaign plans contain various scenarios and ladders for achieving different game goals through battlefields.

Province acquisition

This campaign plan will start with 8 team skirmishes, which will lead into 4 minor battles, which will lead into 2 major battles, which will lead into 1 epic battle. The winner of the epic battle is usually given a province.

A campaign plan for acquiring provinces.

The "pts" means the maximum allowed battle value of a team for the said battle.

Instructions

This section will contain instructions on how to prepare and conduct battles.

Anatomy of battle

Anatomy of battle.

The anatomy of battle follows a certain procedure which is common to all battlefields. See picture "Anatomy of a Battle", which illustrates a default setting for a battle for two teams. See the red numbers in the picture. The subchapters will describe each step one at a time.

Entrance to the battlefield

Entrance is meant for battle audience - which means players who simply wish to observe battles without partaking in them.

Entrance to battlefield of Wyvern Gulch.

This room is used to follow on-going battles as most of battlefield informs will be relayed into this room during active battles. To follow an on-going battle, no specific commands are needed as the information will be relayed automatically as the battle proceeds.


Betting and negotation room

This is the room where teams may negotiate, draw some initial boundaries and ultimately set the winner's prize for the forthcoming battle.

Battlefield betting room.

What you need to do here, step by step:

1. Gather two teams: Invite at least two players to form two opposing teams and get all members of both teams here. Each team can have more than one member. Each member of the team is expected to stay throughout the duration of the battle. It is possible to have one-player teams, so two players is the minimum to fight.

2. Negotiation and betting: Once all members are here, negotiate with the other team what is going to be the bet of this battle. The winning team will always have full rights and ownership to whatever the bet was placed. You can simply drop the items, or money that you want to place into the bet, on the floor.

3. Lock bets: Once both teams are in agreement about the bet which is placed on the floor of this room, type 'bet'. This command will lock the bet for the battle. Note that you can always use 'unbet' if you decide the bet is after all not satisfactory and dismantle the deal.

Team ready rooms

Team ready room commands:
settings
forcemin
forcemax
label
pickstart
tactic
ready
unready
deploy
startdeploy

Team ready rooms are used for finalizing negotations for battle and organizing your battle force for deployment, which is the first stage of any battle.

Battlefield team ready room.

What you need to do here, step by step.

1. Negotiate the remaining battle details with the other team: a. what is the minimum battle force both teams will deploy in battle (can be different between teams) b. what is the maximum battle force both teams will deploy in battle (can be different between teams)

First, look at 'settings'. The 'battle force limits' indicates which is the so called hard floor and ceiling of battle value that is possible to deploy into this battle. With these hard limits in mind, you can use commands 'forcemin' and 'forcemax' to adjust limits that you are willing to impose on your team. The opposing teams can naturally do the same, until you reach an agreement of what kind of force all teams are going to deploy.

2. Label your team. Give your team a name by using command 'label'.

3. Choose whether you want to pick starting locations your force in the battlefield manually, or do you want starting locations be picked randomly. Use command 'pickstart' to do this.

4. Choose which tactic your team is going to employ by using the 'tactic' command. You have three tactic options available:

Tactic Description
Attack Your force may hold up to half of its units in reserves. You can deploy your reserves at any point later in the battle (whereas in probing you must deploy reserves after first battle turn.)
Defend Your force may deploy all of its units at once. You have the entire firepower of your force available from the beginning of the battle.
Probe Your force may deploy up to half of its units during first battle turn AND reserves will be deployed automatically after this first battle turn, in 2nd battle turn. this means you will have one entire battle turn for probing the battlefield before your entire force can be targeted by e.g. enemy archers.

5. If everything in 'settings' can be agreed with the other teams, you can type 'ready' to raise a flag indicating your team is satisfied with the agreed battle parameters. However, command 'unready' will dismantle this agreement if it turns out there are still details under dispute and which prevent your team's readiness.

6. Depending on your tactic, place your deployment forces on the floor of the deployment room to the north. Then, place your reserve forces on the floor of the reserve room to the south. You can use command 'settings' at all times to see how much force you are about to deploy, how much you keep in reserve, and how much your team has in total.

7. Once you are done with placing your deployment and reserves, all members of your team need to return to the team's ready room. Then, type 'deploy' and your tactic, deployment and reserves plan will be inspected. If you need to correct something, you will be told what. If all is good, 'deploy' command will set your team ready and locked.

Note: All players must clear the deploy and reserve rooms and proceed to the team ready room before deployment stage of battle can begin.

8. Deployment into battle starts automatically once the last team to participate is ready and locked. Who deploys first will be determined randomly. You will be informed when it is your team's turn to deploy. When this moment comes, type 'startdeploy' to deploy your forces. At this point you and your team will be transferred to your team's podium in the battlefield, from which you will find more instructions on how to deploy your forces.

Podium

Podium is another name for the seating box by the side of the battlefield. From here you can effectively guide your troops in battle without needing to leave anywhere.

A battlefield podium.

Your team will stay in the podium for the duration of the battle. A battle ends when victory conditions are met (default: all enemy forces are killed), or the other team surrenders and there is only one active team left.

Debriefing room

Once a battle comes to an end, all teams with their surviving and wounded forces will be lead into their respective debriefing rooms. Each team will have their debriefing in their own dedicated debriefing room.

Battlefield debriefing room.

Each team will now be able to share their loot, surviving forces and in addition they will also receive the prize which was agreed to be passed to the winning team of the battle. In the end of an epic battle, this reward can also be external, e.g. a province.

Once all teams mark debriefing as done (by typing 'done' in the debriefing room), an exit will open which will allow members of both teams return back to the arena entrance.

At this point, you have witnessed the horrors of battlefield and you will bear the mental scars caused by it for the remainder of your life. Until the next inevitable battle.

Tutorial

Creating a mercenary company

Mercenary companies are easy way to start battlefields. Once you've learned the ropes of playing mercenaries, you might want to consider selecting your allegiance and start playing for some specific kingdom. However, for the purpose of this tutorial we will first create a mercenary company which does not require an allegiance.

Therefore this tutorial assumes you have not yet selected your allegiance, which the system will interpret as you will play mercenaries by default.

Hiring your people

To hire mercenaries, you need to go to the Mercenaries battlefields shop which is located in Vaerlon, 8 rooms east from the Double Dragon inn.

Hiring costs some of your experience and silver, so you will need to have a total of 100k experience and also 100k of silver on you to complete this tutorial.

In the mercenaries shop, type 'list'.

First, you need a leader. Type:

hire mercenary veteran

My new mercenary veteran's name is Mongrel.

Then, hire two mercenary regulars.

2 hire mercenary regular

These two new regulars are named Edge, and the other is named Raine.

As your new hires will be delivered to your inventory, drop them to be able to manipulate them. Make sure this is a safe spot in which you are not disturbed.

drop all mercenary

Now, we can build the company by using command "trooper". Let's place them all to team called alpha. How many different teams you want is up to you.

trooper mongrel do squad-assign to alpha
trooper edge do squad-assign to alpha
trooper raine do squad-assign to alpha

All three have now been assigned to a squad named 'alpha'. Try out command 'roster' to verify.

Your mercenary squad is now ready.

get all mercenary

Note: Outside of battle, all battlefield assets like these mercenaries are represented in form of tokens, which is not an unusual way for any wargame player to organize their rank and file. In this inactive form, they are almost weightless, saveable objects you can get and drop and manipulate normally. You can also save them over boot, so your company won't be lost even if you're not in battle. The only way you can lose them is in battle.

Finding an opponent

Battlefields is designed for minimum of two players. So to try out your mercenary force in battle, ask another player to join your battle and ask him to do the steps you just did above. Once you and your friend have a mercenary company ready and with their squads assigned, you are ready for battle.

Go to battlefield of Wyvern Gulch

By using command 'roster' you will find out that the total battle value of your mercenary force is a total of 85 points.

There are a total of five battlefields in Silverspire.

Each of them has a specific lower and higher battle value limits specified and battle value of your company and your friend's company must be within these limits.

The Wyvern Gulch, located right in the center of Silverspire, has a minimum battle value of 50 and maximum of 250. So it will do perfectly fine for testing of our mercenary power.

So go to the entrance of Wyvern Gulch with your friend with each carrying your company in your inventory. See picture below, this is the correct place.

At the entrance of Wyvern Gulch.

Place your bets

From the battlefield entrance, both players go 1 north.

Negotiation and betting stage of battle.

Type 'drop 1 mithril' (have 1 with you!) This will be our battle bet. Regardless of the bet, if there are sufficient victories in the battle, there will also be additional automated rewards.

Type 'bet'

Now, the other player goes 1 west, to team #1 ready room. The other player goes 1 east, to team #2 ready room.

Readying your team

Once in the ready room, both players type: 'forcemin 50'

After that type: 'ready'.

Now, both players go 1 north and drop all your mercenaries on the floor of this room. So I will drop my mercenaries in the floor of deployment room of team #1 while Doromo will drop his mercenaries on the floor of deployment room of team #2.

Both players go 1 south, back to team ready room.

Now, both players type 'deploy' to lock both teams.

Deploying your team to the battlefield

Deployment stage begins.

This indicates that the deployment stage has begun. The battlefield daemon determines the order of initiative. This order will last until the end of battle. Now, order of deployment was decided so that team1 will always go first, then team2. So also deployment to battle will follow this order.

So, whichever team in your setup is chosen to go first, that team member should now type 'startdeploy' to start his deployment of squad. The team that won the initiative will deploy first, and in the meanwhile the other team has to wait until they are ready. Once the first team is deployed, a signal is given for the second team to start deployment by typing 'startdeploy' on their team's behalf.

Once 'startdeploy' is typed, the team player will be moved to the podium and he can guide the deployment stage of his force from there.

Battlefield deployment

It is assumed by default that players will want to select their deployment positions in the battlefield manually.

However, in the team ready room, you can use command 'pickstart' to toggle automatic deployment of force. Automatic deployment means computer will deploy your force randomly in your team's deployment area. In this tutorial, we will not change the default setting so that we learn to deploy our forces manually.

In the podium, the most important commands at your disposal are:

Command Description
company this will show the status of your whole company, both those deployed and those still in reserves
next select next trooper of your company
prev select previous trooper of your company

To see where you are, you first have to select a trooper, type 'next', then type 'tac' which is a shorthand for 'tactical'.

Tactical view of the battlefield.

Also, once you have selected a trooper, you can use command 'squad' to see status of squad this trooper belongs to. Remember, we assigned them to squad 'alpha' earlier, so they all are in that squad now.

You can try 'next' and 'prev' commands, followed by 'tac' to see how things work. In the tactical, your currently selected trooper is marked as white @, while other troopers of your company are marked as white *.

Now that we are in the deployment stage of battle, you can use this opportunity to position your company the way you want at no movement cost. This comes with the restriction: Each team has their designated deployment area, and no trooper can go past these boundaries during the deployment stage.

To deploy your force, choose your troopers one at a time using 'next' and 'prev'. Once you have selected a trooper, use command 'deploy <direction>' to move him. You can try e.g. 'deploy s', 'deploy w', etc.

Battle deployment in progress.

NOTE: Because your selected trooper is a leader (as it is a mercenary boon: all mercenaries can lead a squad), the rest of the same squad will follow. If you wish to make a trooper stay, use 'next' to select that trooper and type 'stay' so he will not follow squad leader anymore. Type 'follow' to make that trooper follow the leader again.

Once you have deployed all your troopers, type 'enddeploy'. Now, the other team may follow suit and type 'startdeploy' and go through the same stage. Note however that they will be in the opposite end of the battlefield and because there is no line of sight, the activity of other will be hidden from the other. Once the opposing team is ready with deployment, again, 'enddeploy'. Once the last team to deploy ends the deployment stage, the first battle turn will start automatically.

enddeploy
[Battle] Your team's deployment is now done.
[Battle] Team team1 (#1) finishes deployment.
[Battle] 1 teams out of 2 are now deployed.
[Battle] team2 (#2) turn begins.
icesus64 >Team team2 (#2) begins deployment.
[Battle] Team team2 (#2) finishes deployment.
[Battle] All 2 teams have now been deployed. Battle begins.
[Battle] Battle turn 0 over.
[Battle] Team team1 (#1) force: 85.
[Battle] Team team2 (#2) force: 85.
[Battle] Battle turn 1 begins.
[Battle] team1 (#1) turn begins.

First battle turn, my turn

Type 'next' to select a trooper.

Type 'action' to select an action. Remember, each of your troopers may perform two actions on your team's turn. In-game helps will describe each available action. Type 'battlefields actions' to read about them.

I will choose 'action move'. Note that because in mercenary squad everyone can be a squad leader, all members of the squad will follow and choose the same action.

Use this command to choose action for Raine.
Usage: action <move|shoot|charge|ready>
action move
Mongrel [lp4] has selected action Moving (4/4).
Edge [zw1] has selected action Moving (4/4).
Raine [bbn] has selected action Moving (4/4).

I will move my mercenaries 1 se, 1 s.

move se
Mongrel [lp4] moves to southeast (3/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to southeast (3/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to southeast (3/4).
icesus64 >
move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (2/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to south (2/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to south (2/4).

Then, end the action.

end
Mongrel [lp4] ends current action.
Edge [zw1] ends current action.
Raine [bbn] ends current action.

I have still second action left. I will move more towards south.

move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (3/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to south (3/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to south (3/4).
move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (2/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to south (2/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to south (2/4).
icesus64 >
move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (1/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to south (1/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to south (1/4).
icesus64 >
move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (0/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to south (0/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to south (0/4).
icesus64 >
end
Mongrel [lp4] ends current action.
Edge [zw1] ends current action.
Raine [bbn] ends current action.

NOTE! If you use 'next' or 'prev' in midst of your action, your action with your currently selected trooper will end. Note that if you end an action, your enemy can react. Read on-line help 'battlefields reactions'.

While we're at it, we're going to choose 'shoot' as our squad's default reaction.

Legend: Bearing (B)
reaction shoot
Mongrel [lp4] alert reaction is now shoot.
Edge [zw1] alert reaction is now shoot.
Raine [bbn] alert reaction is now shoot.
icesus64 >
squad
=========================================================================================
MERCENARY SQUAD: alpha
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ID         Re Name           |Type        Rank   X   Y   Z   R   B    Lock
 [lp4]L2    Sh Mongrel        |mercenary   Cpl    23  14  0   0   270          
 [zw1]L2    Sh Edge           |mercenary   Tpr    23  14  0   0   270          
*[bbn]L2    Sh Raine          |mercenary   Tpr    23  14  0   0   270          
=========================================================================================

The "Re" column in squad contains the shorthand for which reaction is chosen. 'Sh' is for shoot.

Since my team has only one squad, and all of them have done their two actions following per their leader, my team turn is over. Type 'endturn' to end your turn. Your opponent will be notified of this and his turn will start automatically.

First battle turn, my opponent's turn

Your opponent will now do his team's turn. Remember, because we chose 'shoot' as a default reaction for our team, whenever the enemy comes in los and ends an action <10 rooms away, our troopers will react by shooting arrows.

Once the opponent is ready with his turn, he will type 'endturn'. If his team's turn was the last of the battle turn, a new battle turn will start.

First contact

Eventually, teams will make contact. Since line-of-sight is personal to each trooper, and troopers of a squad can be different positions, each trooper will confirm the contact from his behalf:

move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (2/4).
Edge [zw1] moves to south (2/4).
Raine [bbn] moves to south (2/4).
icesus64 >
move s
Mongrel [lp4] moves to south (1/4).
Mongrel [lp4] reports new contact Mercenary [46a] to the southeast.
Mongrel [lp4] reports new contact Mercenary [d12] to the southeast.
Mongrel [lp4] reports new contact Mercenary [aqn] to the southeast.
Edge [zw1] moves to south (1/4).
Edge [zw1] reports new contact Mercenary [46a] to the southeast.
Edge [zw1] reports new contact Mercenary [d12] to the southeast.
Edge [zw1] reports new contact Mercenary [aqn] to the southeast.
Raine [bbn] moves to south (1/4).
Raine [bbn] reports new contact Mercenary [46a] to the southeast.
Raine [bbn] reports new contact Mercenary [d12] to the southeast.
Raine [bbn] reports new contact Mercenary [aqn] to the southeast.

Note that only the squad type is revealed from the enemy. This is mainly to keep the position of the squad leader hidden from the other team. And besides, most of the time you don't know your enemy troopers by the name.

To know more about the enemy, we will stop and study the situation a little bit. Remember that this is a turn-based mode of playing and speed doesn't solve anything.

contacts
================================================================
   TEAM CONTACTS
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 ID           Type           X   Y   Z   R   B    Weapon
 [46a]        mercenary      28  31  0   12  145  short bow
 [d12]        mercenary      28  31  0   12  145  short bow
 [aqn]        mercenary      28  31  0   12  145  short bow
================================================================

Ah ha. These bastards are armed with short bows. Each contact has an individual ID using which I can e.g. lock them. The R column shows me the range, which is currently 12 rooms. This also explains why they did not react and shoot at my troopers; they are more than 10 rooms away. Reactions will happen only at <10 rooms. I will lock to one of them to see my odds of hitting them from here.

Enemy contact - target locked. The tac display will show enemy contacts as yellow, locked contact as red.
lock 46a
Mongrel [lp4] has locked Mercenary [46a].
Edge [zw1] has locked Mercenary [46a].
Raine [bbn] has locked Mercenary [46a].
icesus64 >
aim
Mercenary [lp4] aims short bow at Dragon [46a] - BTH: 3.
Mercenary [zw1] aims short bow at Dragon [46a] - BTH: 3.
Mercenary [bbn] aims short bow at Dragon [46a] - BTH: 3.

This is actually looking good. The range of short bow is 15. The damage of my short bow is 1D6.

They are inside all of my troopers' range, and their Base-To-Hit (BTH) is 3. This means is my mercenaries have to roll 3 or more with a D6 to hit them. I am willing to take the chance and seize the initiative.

Let's shoot some arrows at them. Shoot to kill!

Shoot to kill!

What happened here is:

  • Short bow has 2 hits. It means it will shoot 'twice' per each shoot action because it is fast to use and reload. So my mercenary Mongrel [lp4] (name and rank hidden from enemy) fired the first arrow, it hit enemy mercenary named "Dragon" [46a], who failed his defence with a natural 1. As a result, he will fall to the ground and is now dying. Troopers who are dying will die exactly one battle turn later, unless a trooper with medical skills (air priest) will use their healing powers and revive him before this eventuality.
  • Since the first mercenary is down, Mongrel does not waste any more arrows on him, but instead automatically shifts target to mercenary [d12]. He hits this new target as well, but the enemy mercenary (Veil) succeeded in his defence. However, the force of the blow hit him 2 rooms backward, which actually took him out from the line-of-sight. This is very fortunate for him.
  • With Mongrel having shot both his arrows, it is now time for Edge to shoot. Edge can't see mercenary [d12] because he was knocked off LoS, so he targets the remaining enemy mercenary [aqn]. Again, the mercenary succeeds in his defence and is hit back by the blow. Also he disappears from the line of sight.
  • Since Dragon [46a] is down and dying and other two mercenaries were hit back and out of LoS, Edge realizes there are no more targets in the danger zone and ends his shoot action. Our third mercenary, Raine, realizes the same, and ends her shoot action as well.

Since I have used my two actions for each of my troopers again (move and shoot), I will end my turn by 'endturn'.

Surrender

Staggered by the defeat and not willing to lose any more, the opponent team decides to surrender. Both teams, with their troopers, will be moved to (separate) debriefing rooms.

This is how the debriefing room looks like to the losing team.

surrender yes
[Battle] Team team2 (#2) surrenders!
[Battle] No active enemy teams present.
[Battle] The battle is over. Starting debriefing.
[Battle] Battle tally: 45 points.
[Battle] Surviving force of team team1 (#1): 85
[Battle] The first winning team has now received the bet.
You have been moved to the debriefing room.
You are in a chamber that smells of blood and grime. The battlefield: The
Wyvern Gulch team #2 survivors and also the wounded will be brought here
after the battle. Also, if you belong to the winning team, your prize will
be delivered here. You can then share the remaining forces and the prize
among the team as you wish. Once you have shared, and taken what you are
going to take, and your debriefing is finished, type 'done'. Once all teams
finish their debriefing, an entrance will open that will lead you back to
the entrance of the arena. If your team received any tally points during
battle, type 'rewards' to see what you can redeem with them.
It is well lit here.

        There are no obvious exits.
Blitz [mercenary regular]
Seraph [mercenary regular]
[Battle] Surviving force of team team2 (#2): 40

All survivors of the battle will accompany your team here. You can pick them up and make them see another battle in the future.

This is how the debriefing room looks like to the winning team. This team won the battle, so they receive tally points.

[Battle] Team team2 (#2) surrenders!
[Battle] No active enemy teams present.
[Battle] The battle is over. Starting debriefing.
[Battle] Battle tally: 45 points.
You have been moved to the debriefing room.
You are in a chamber that smells of blood and grime. The battlefield: The
Wyvern Gulch team #1 survivors and also the wounded will be brought here
after the battle. Also, if you belong to the winning team, your prize will
be delivered here. You can then share the remaining forces and the prize
among the team as you wish. Once you have shared, and taken what you are
going to take, and your debriefing is finished, type 'done'. Once all teams
finish their debriefing, an entrance will open that will lead you back to
the entrance of the arena. If your team received any tally points during
battle, type 'rewards' to see what you can redeem with them.
It is well lit here.

        There are no obvious exits.
Feather [mercenary veteran]
Snake [mercenary regular]
Storm [mercenary regular]
[Battle] Surviving force of team team1 (#1): 85
[Battle] Your team won the battle, so these items belong to your team now.
[Battle] The first winning team has now received the bet.
[Battle] Your team has received 45 tally points. Type 'rewards' to see what you can do with them.
[Battle] Surviving force of team team2 (#2): 40

You can spend your tally points in the shop which is available in the debriefing room.

Tally shop of the debriefing room.

Tally points dont save, so this is your only chance to redeem your tally rewards for the battle. Note also that this tally is for your team as a whole. If your team consisted more than one player, you have to decide how to share things (but preferably before the battle).

Once you are finished with your debriefing, type 'done'. As all teams are done with their debriefing, an exit will appear which will lead you out from the arena.

Miscellaneous tips (unofficial)

  • If you use commands 'next', 'prev', 'nextlead' or 'prevlead', it means 'you are letting go of your current token.' Therefore, any unfinished actions with your current token will be ended.
  • Do not travel in tight packs near the enemy. Break into formations because indirect long bow arrow volleys are brutal reality and WILL be employed by any commander worth his paycheck. It is a good practice to have a point leading the rest of the team. Do not make your unit leader be this point. Take a tip from Antti Rokka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbcVa3Q16Y0