Umm...not a very threatening army?

[Vaarsuvius4181]

Before i get to the main topic, i just want to say that i have absolutely ZERO eperience in D and D, and i just read the comic based solely on a literature basis (with whatever neverwinter nights experience i have)

Well, to the point, is this the whole army? Would it not be wise to have a variety of different enemies? Im not one of those nitpickers, i merely am wondering what kind of army only has 1 type of enemy, when in almost every other shot of an army there are zombies, dragons, ETC.

[Kish]

We haven't seen an army recently. Redcloak is declaring, to the hobgoblins (and apparently a few goblins now) who follow him as their Supreme Leader, that the city is now named Gobbotopia and its Prime Minister is Jirix. Tsukiko's wights aren't invited because they have nothing to do with Redcloak, and Xykon's singular zombie dragon was destroyed by Xykon.

[Vaarsuvius4181]

That is the army occupying azure city, is it not?

[ClockShock]

These hobgoblins are here to listen to their supreme leader.
Zombies tend not to care about such things.

[Vaarsuvius4181]

wow...im an idiot for not thinking of that.

now i feel like an idiot.

[drengnikrafe]

Don't feel like an idiot. You didn't think upon specific lines of thought that would bring you to a conclusion. Is that such a bad thing? Of course not. There used to be a thread somewhere for jokes people didn't get. At one point or another, pretty much every joke was in that thing.

[Branco]

{Scrubbed}

[GenPol]

{Scrubbed}

Harsh much?

Oh, and don't feel bad OP. :smalltongue:

[SaintRidley]

They're not really occupying Azure City any more, since there's no Azure City. There is only Gobbotopia.

[factotum]

An army consisting entirely of 20,000 hobgoblins would still be a bit of a problem for even high level characters in D&D--see O-Chul's speech to Haley in strip #417.

[Ancalagon]

An army consisting entirely of 20,000 hobgoblins would still be a bit of a problem for even high level characters in D&D--see O-Chul's speech to Haley in strip #417.

... in addition to the rules not being made for "1 vs. 100"... and thus possibly/probably not applying at all.

[Inhuman Bot]

An army consisting entirely of 20,000 hobgoblins would still be a bit of a problem for even high level characters in D&D--see O-Chul's speech to Haley in strip #417.

I dunno, that's debateable.

However, for the 1 type of enemy thing. I'm pretty sure real world armies consist of "One type of enemy." :smalltongue:

It's more their training and such then their species, I'd imagine.

[Boci]

I dunno, that's debateable.

Horde template?

[Gandariel]

if we say that both the 10 000 dead hobgoblins and the 10 000 dead azurites were turned to undeads...
20 000 hobgoblins
20 000 zombies
Tsukiko's wights
are not soo bad, y'think?

[Inhuman Bot]

Horde template?

Touche. :smalltongue:

[Dr.Epic]

Before i get to the main topic, i just want to say that i have absolutely ZERO eperience in D and D, and i just read the comic based solely on a literature basis (with whatever neverwinter nights experience i have)

Well, to the point, is this the whole army? Would it not be wise to have a variety of different enemies? Im not one of those nitpickers, i merely am wondering what kind of army only has 1 type of enemy, when in almost every other shot of an army there are zombies, dragons, ETC.

First I don't see you main point about variety. There are 20,000 soldiers the hobgoblin army. Screw the lack of diverse monsters. I mean in RL there are nothing but humans and if I saw an army of people or anything else coming to attack mjy home land I would need to make a will save to keep my pants clean. There are plenty of soldiers to raid and conquer most medieval nations.

[Acero]

First I don't see you main point about variety. There are 20,000 soldiers the hobgoblin army. Screw the lack of diverse monsters. I mean in RL there are nothing but humans and if I saw an army of people or anything else coming to attack mjy home land I would need to make a will save to keep my pants clean. There are plenty of soldiers to raid and conquer most medieval nations.

i think what he's trying to say is that they almost all of them are sword-and-board fighters. Armies need to be balanced.
If an modern army of just infantry attacked, i would be scared, but the same tactic can work on all of them. If they came with Hummers and artillery and what not, the army would be much more powerful and efficient

[Daefos]

i think what he's trying to say is that they almost all of them are sword-and-board fighters. Armies need to be balanced.
If an modern army of just infantry attacked, i would be scared, but the same tactic can work on all of them. If they came with Hummers and artillery and what not, the army would be much more powerful and efficient

How about 20,000 sword and board warriors with Xykon and Redcloak? I'd say an epic level sorcerer and a level 15+ cleric would more than make up for any lack of firepower the hobgoblins possess. Heck, the odds are pretty good that the hobgoblins are just there as distractions.

EDIT: Also, the hobgoblin army is hardly as homogeneous as it's being made out to be. We know that they have archers, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0455.html) seige weaponry, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0423.html) and enough clerics (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0433.html) to make mass-animation of the dead a viable strategy. That's hardly a one-trick pony.

[Red XIV]

That is the army occupying azure city, is it not?
Haven't you been reading the latest strips? There is no Azure City.

[Dr.Epic]

i think what he's trying to say is that they almost all of them are sword-and-board fighters. Armies need to be balanced.
If an modern army of just infantry attacked, i would be scared, but the same tactic can work on all of them. If they came with Hummers and artillery and what not, the army would be much more powerful and efficient

It's not just hobgoblin warriors. Red Cloak mentioned clerics. Not to mention Red Cloak someone who can summon titanium elements, cast other high level cleric spells, and is like a master strategic mind. Then there's Xykon: epic lich sorcerer who killed nearly the entire Sapphire Guard with a bouncy ball. There's also the fact that when that battle started there were 30,000 hobgoblins (that's 3 for every human). Plus there didn't need to be scary. They only needed to seize the gate and any decent number of soldiers would be a good enough distraction for Xykon to do this.

[frogspawner]

However, for the 1 type of enemy thing. I'm pretty sure real world armies consist of "One type of enemy." :smalltongue:

It's more their training and such then their species, I'd imagine.
Yeah, this.

Pike, skirmishers, roman-style legionaries, berserkers and who knows what? They seem to lack cavalry though.

[Sahaar]

I actually have to say....he brings up a good point.

I mean, aren't Hobbos' CR 1/2? That's really low. That is a REALLY LOW-LEVEL ENCOUNTER

[Asta Kask]

But most humans will be CR 1/2 too.


Rant:
This is why I prefer GURPS - even if the characters are experienced and mighty heroes, they can still be killed by an Orc who gets in a lucky shot (unless you play an over-the-top game, of course). Nothing like that in D&D.

[Forbiddenwar]

I actually have to say....he brings up a good point.

I mean, aren't Hobbos' CR 1/2? That's really low. That is a REALLY LOW-LEVEL ENCOUNTER

No. They start are 1/2 CR, untrained, just like humans. Once they learn a thing or two, that goes up. We do know for sure that there were high CR undead and High CR/level Hobbo clerics in the army.

Additionally, what is the CR of an ant? what is the CR of a huge fire Ant swarm?

[Shale]

Also recall the Azure City general's (O-Chul's?) discussion on how much high AC means against a thousand enemies.

[factotum]

I mean, aren't Hobbos' CR 1/2? That's really low. That is a REALLY LOW-LEVEL ENCOUNTER

ONE hobgoblin who doesn't have any class levels is CR 1/2. Now go and work out what the CR for 20,000 hobgoblins would be. Take your time, we'll wait. :smallsmile:

[Raging Gene Ray]

This is why I prefer GURPS - even if the characters are experienced and mighty heroes, they can still be killed by an Orc who gets in a lucky shot (unless you play an over-the-top game, of course). Nothing like that in D&D.

I had a 9th level bard once that got one-shotted by a CR 1 Gnoll. There's a little empirical evidence for ya. You're still vulnerable to lucky shots in D and D.

Also, if a few hundred CR 1/2 hobgoblin archers all fire arrows at a PC, even a high level one, there would be enough lucky shots (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0059.html) to take them down.

[Vaarsuvius4181]

Still, couldnt they get some higher level monsters? Say, titanium elementals?

[SPoD]

Every hobgoblin in that army survived the Battle of Azure City. Every single one of them has additional XP, therefore, possibly enough to be 2nd or 3rd level.

[Vaarsuvius4181]

I dont really know why im arguing, i know nothing about d and d.

[Kish]

Still, couldnt they get some higher level monsters? Say, titanium elementals?
The purpose of the scene is not to show "the army occupying Azure City," it is to give speeches to "the citizens of Gobbotopia."

Could Redcloak summon elementals? Certainly. Why would he? They're not citizens of Gobbotopia.