How Would You Defend A Mountain Fortress?

[mmadsen]

By the way, is the SHARK Vampire a mundane Vampire? Or does the SHARK Vampire differ from the Monster Manual entry?

 

[Maldur]

Those whispering wind spells could also be used to demoralise the val empire. CAst it on a torture victim and let his( or her) cries drift into the enemy camp.

I would say, because of the magic and numbers involved, moral would be crucial.

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

The Valloreans have developed enchanted Orbs that can be used for communication over many, many miles. Such enchanted Orbs can communicate both visually and sound. There aren't hundreds of these things, though, so it is used as a secure form of communication for large armies and bases.

In addition, however, something that is more common is the use of enchanted Tomes of Arcane Thought. These enchanted tomes allow the owner to inscribe a message--of whatever length inside one of these enchanted books--and that which is written appears on a keyed Tome, somewhere else. The Tomes can be keyed to various other Tomes, and used to communicate to one or more, as they are keyed by authorization. This magical process can then attune them to other Tomes of Arcane Thought.

Thus, besides myriad methods of mundane communication, the Valloreans have a good array of magical communication resources available to them. The Valloreans are also known to have constructed mysterious, enchanted towers that allow for an instantaneous Teleportation Gate to another, keyed location. Needless to say, these locations are heavily fortified and warded to be especially deadly to anyone who doesn't have a series of authorizations--ranging from alignment, to paperwork, to enchanted Rod-keys, as well as two authorized witnesses who verify the person who desires to have access to such magical towers. There is a fortified gauntlet-chamber that must be travelled through to gain access to these enchanted towers. Oh, and naturally, the Teleport-Gate is sure to open to the other side where there is a warm, friendly reception!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

SHARK

 

[mmadsen]

I thought I would provide a bit more background.

You must be reading our minds, SHARK!

Platoons of Witch Hunters and Inquisitors brought fire and death to the lairs of the Vampire soldiers. Wraith-knights were hunted down by savage Vallorean hunter-groups, who fearlessly charged into the ranks of the Undead, revelling in the dark energy striking them. They seemed insane, and entirely driven to annihilate the Undead.

Very cool, but...how did they do it? What would the average Galleran general know about these Witch Hunters and Inquisitors? Simply that they're insane and tough?

There are normal Witch-Hunters, and then there are the members of The Gates of Judgment--a sect of members who have foresworn all mortal life, and pledged unflinching committment and service to not only the Church, but also to crushing the forces of Undead, and Demons in particular.

I smell a Prestige Class...

These hardened members of the Witch Hunter Society have even gone to the point of embracing their own funeral, where they are buried alive in a special ceremony, and they are committed as dead to the world, and their life now only serves to hunt the monsters that plague the Vallorean Empire, and they are grimly, even cheerfully prepared to sacrifice their lives, as they view themselves as dead already.

Very cool, by the way.

In short order, the Vallorean armies crushed over twelve large Galleran cities, each city having at least 500,000 people. Millions of people were put to the sword.

Now that's Lawful Good!

The armies of Galleran continued to be relentlessly hammered, as huge columns of magically enchanted Vallorean cavalry struck deep behind Galleran lines, sowing death and confusion. Teams of elite Vallorean Rangers were airlifted behind enemy lines to build up liberation and guerrilla movements.

OK, so the cavalry are enchanted with greater speed. And the rangers arrive by air. Good to know.

The Valloreans proceeded to fortify themselves everywhere, building great fortresses, smaller castles, as well as great temples, hospitals and schools...

Magically protected?

The Vallorean war machine has proceeded to step up it's recruitment of wizards and clerics in order to fight in the war.

Damnable Vallorean Clerics...

In addition, there have been various gates to other planes that have been built and contained in a controlled environment, and totally within the secret, fortified areas specified for the purpose by the Emperor, in order to harvest and bring in other-worldly resources.

Ooh, adventure seed!

With over twelve years of fighting, the Valloreans are well-equipped and fully prepared for fighting wraiths, shadows, wights, and vampires, even down to the platoon level. Werewolves have also been fought against on a constant basis.

Well, what are they well equipped with?

In the ancient thread of over a year ago, "Going Down The Road To Hell?" with over I think 200 posts, many people at that time, were advising on all of the enchanted defenses against everything that Mallenar and the evil forces of Galleran can come up with!

Misguided fools didn't realize they were on the wrong side. Anyone save that thread?

In fact, with all of the Daylight, wards, Holy Ground, Consecrate, and on and on, it could certainly be said that the cities that the Valloreans have occupied are largely hostile and potentially very dangerous for undead forces to enter.

Good details.

 

[Agback]

Re: Re: Re: How Would You Defend A Mountain Fortress?

First of all, the quote says 100, not 10. Or hadn't you read it?

Decimate 100 men = kill 10 men.

The dictionaries after a time admit common misuses, but there is no reason why you should. In a language with a range of meaning from 'scotch' to 'annihilate', there is no good reason to say 'decimate' when you mean 'kill'.

Regards,


Agback

 

[Agback]

Re: Re: Re: How Would You Defend A Mountain Fortress?

This one is so nice that I wish I thought of it! The Valloreans wouldn't believe that their own troops were treated nicely and released unharmed!

<snip>

My hat is off to you, sir!

Spare my blushes! This is the standard tactic for guerrilla forces to deal with captured regulars. Compliments are due to Mao Zedong, not me.

Regards,


Agback

 

[Leopold]

i think hannibal did this rather well when he marched down from gaul to attack rome from the north while going over the mountains. The key for the fortress troops will be to strike when they cross the mountain, if they do, send avalanches, send snow storms, do anything and everything to waste the resources that the valoreans are bringing so when they finally arrive they have neither the stomach nor the resources for an all out siege.

Also if you were a smart commander and the valoreans left a trail of bodies behind them, the easiest solution for this is to start raising the dead secretly and then harry the rear with troops as you come from the castle in a strategic strike to surround and envelop the enemy.

 

[smetzger]

1) Don't worry about the enemy mooks. If all the mooks are killed they could still win with the higher level dudes.

2) Since the Valorians are so dependant on magic maybe they have a weakness to mundane infiltration. Disguised assassins. Try just sneaking in disguised.

3) Target the enemy Clerics. You must destroy their healers and those who can cast Raise Dead and Ressurection.

4) Target the other high level powerful creatures. Come up with a way to kill them so that they cannot be raised and hopefully not be ressurected.

5) Try to capture and reuse as much of the Valorian magic items as possible.

6) Use hit and run tactics, but make sure you destroy the bodies or take them with you of the higher level opponents. Leave the bodies of the mooks behind, the good clerics will use up many a spell on a mook. But take a body part of a mook with you that you killed. That way both Raise Dead and Regeneration will need to be cast on the person.

7) Magically secure your fortress from teleport. But leave some holes in the defense with some nasty traps.

8) Mix up your forces. A well balanced strike team will do alot better than one of all vampires.

 

[Crowe9107]

7) Magically secure your fortress from teleport. But leave some holes in the defense with some nasty traps.

I agree completely.

The Chinese have a proverb that is something to the effect that a man with one illness is in better health than a man in perfect health. What it means is that a man with minor health problems is more health conscious, and takes better care of himself than a man who thinks everything is fine.

Defense can be thought of in the same way. Thinking "Aha, I am invulnerable, nothing can touch me!" is dangerous, and will lead to lax security. Having a couple of semi-obvious chinks in the armor will keep awareness up and prevent the opposition from thinking of something REALLY devious. The best security device is always a human/humanoid one, everything else is just simply tools to help with that.

Re,

Carl Rowe

 

[mmadsen]

The Valloreans have developed enchanted Orbs that can be used for communication over many, many miles. Such enchanted Orbs can communicate both visually and sound.

How very First Age Middle Earth!

These enchanted tomes allow the owner to inscribe a message--of whatever length inside one of these enchanted books--and that which is written appears on a keyed Tome, somewhere else.

I like!

Thus, besides myriad methods of mundane communication, the Valloreans have a good array of magical communication resources available to them.

And tactically, don't the Vallorean Centurions have magical radio-headset helmets?

The Valloreans are also known to have constructed mysterious, enchanted towers that allow for an instantaneous Teleportation Gate to another, keyed location. Needless to say, these locations are heavily fortified and warded to be especially deadly to anyone who doesn't have a series of authorizations--ranging from alignment, to paperwork, to enchanted Rod-keys, as well as two authorized witnesses who verify the person who desires to have access to such magical towers. There is a fortified gauntlet-chamber that must be travelled through to gain access to these enchanted towers. Oh, and naturally, the Teleport-Gate is sure to open to the other side where there is a warm, friendly reception!

Seems like quite a hassle to use. And to misuse, of course.