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  1. - Top - End - #61
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    Grey_Wolf_c's Avatar

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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by halfeye View Post
    Now today's is what I call filler.
    You call strips with character development filler? That's a weird definition of filler.

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    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
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  2. - Top - End - #62
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Agreed. I thought it was showing us that Tagon finally has the AI he needs at his side.

  3. - Top - End - #63
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by BradWhite View Post
    Agreed. I thought it was showing us that Tagon finally has the AI he needs at his side.
    I thought that it was showing us a very changed Tagon from the pre-dead one. The old Tagon didn't react to questions that annoyed him by going quiet and more than a little sad. NuTagon is developing a contemplative streak that will probably serve him better than the old "start talking back before you've completed your thoughts" version.

    We've been told he is growing into a more competent leader of a larger force, but the moment Tayler tries to show us rather than tell us, we get "filler" claims from the peanut gallery, it seems.

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
    Ceterum autem censeo Hilgya malefica est

  4. - Top - End - #64
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    There's certainly that as well. The new improved Tagon is far more thoughtful about all things, including matters of life and death. Taylor's been doing that with a lot of the characters as time goes on and the nature of the story expands.

  5. - Top - End - #65
    Ettin in the Playground
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    It took me way too long to understand what was meant in panel 2, even though it is perfectly obvious in hindsight.

  6. - Top - End - #66
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by Gnoman View Post
    It took me way too long to understand what was meant in panel 2, even though it is perfectly obvious in hindsight.
    Speaking about that panel--"I was nearly 550 years old when I met your grandparents". Did we have any inkling before that Cindy had met Tagon's grandparents?

  7. - Top - End - #67
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by factotum View Post
    Speaking about that panel--"I was nearly 550 years old when I met your grandparents". Did we have any inkling before that Cindy had met Tagon's grandparents?
    Yep. Took me a bit to find, but it's basically the first thing Tagon heard from Cindy.
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  8. - Top - End - #68
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by memnarch View Post
    Yep. Took me a bit to find, but it's basically the first thing Tagon heard from Cindy.
    From a couple strips further along we get the thread title worthy line: Crazy is for people. Robots go defective.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
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  9. - Top - End - #69
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    A tetrahedral battleplate? That's...new. I'm not sure how it would be any better than a regular square one with the annie plants at the corners, though...
    Last edited by factotum; 2018-07-08 at 12:41 AM.

  10. - Top - End - #70
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    My guess is that it is not better by design, but simply bigger.

    I don't know how big it is compared with a regular tricorn BP, but even if the edge lenghts are the same, it is four times larger - and more in case it isn't hollow.

  11. - Top - End - #71
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Bigger ships is stupid after the directionless new weapons were introduced. They should spread their resources over large area in many small ships instead of a few big new targets. Or is the giant ship a decoy and inside it's hollow with a miniature ship casting a false big illusory smokescreen?

  12. - Top - End - #72
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    NecromancerGirl

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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by guttering flame View Post
    Bigger ships is stupid after the directionless new weapons were introduced. They should spread their resources over large area in many small ships instead of a few big new targets. Or is the giant ship a decoy and inside it's hollow with a miniature ship casting a false big illusory smokescreen?
    Most factions in the galaxy don't have long guns, and most of the factions that do have long guns also have carriers and battleships of their own, which would easily deal with any swarm of corvettes.
    Last edited by lesser_minion; 2018-07-08 at 03:44 AM.

  13. - Top - End - #73
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Annie plant scaling also supports larger ships.
    I would really like to see a game made by Obryn, Kurald Galain, and Knaight from these forums.

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  14. - Top - End - #74
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by Knaight View Post
    Annie plant scaling also supports larger ships.
    I'm pretty sure the annie plants used in battleplates are already as large as they can be, which is why I don't see the advantage of this design--it still only has four of them, unless there are others hidden inside.

  15. - Top - End - #75
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    After today's strip, I really don't understand the Planet Mercenary vessel classification table. I thought a higher number meant a more powerful ship, but today's strip says that a Q7 can beat an S9. The disparity in size might seem like an explanation for this, but on the one hand if size affects power why is it not included in calculating power and on the other hand today's strip also says that an X9 can beat an S9, which indicates that size isn't a relevant part of combat power.

  16. - Top - End - #76
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by guttering flame View Post
    Bigger ships is stupid after the directionless new weapons were introduced. They should...
    Sure. As far as we know, the widespread of long guns is known for one or two years now, tops. The paradigm shift takes some time to find its way into military projects though.

    My headcanon until I learn more : this battletetraeder was designed and subsequently built when the teraport paradigm shift was acknowledged. You know, because we were told that the old flat BPs were built in times when there was only wormhole travel. And military mega projects usually take a few years to lift off.

  17. - Top - End - #77
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by InvisibleBison View Post
    After today's strip, I really don't understand the Planet Mercenary vessel classification table. I thought a higher number meant a more powerful ship, but today's strip says that a Q7 can beat an S9. The disparity in size might seem like an explanation for this, but on the one hand if size affects power why is it not included in calculating power and on the other hand today's strip also says that an X9 can beat an S9, which indicates that size isn't a relevant part of combat power.
    The X9 can beat an S9 because the S9 doesn't have an AI onboard, reducing it to an S4
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  18. - Top - End - #78
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    After today's strip, I really don't understand the Planet Mercenary vessel classification table. I thought a higher number meant a more powerful ship, but today's strip says that a Q7 can beat an S9. The disparity in size might seem like an explanation for this, but on the one hand if size affects power why is it not included in calculating power and on the other hand today's strip also says that an X9 can beat an S9, which indicates that size isn't a relevant part of combat power.
    It is a very simple system. The letter indicates the size class of the ship. And the number how effective the ship design is.
    Your likely confused because you overlooked the comment about how without a functional AI Murtagts ship is only a S4.
    thnx to Starwoof for the fine avatar

  19. - Top - End - #79
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    The X9 picket is compared to Breath Weapon as it currently is. (S4 due to no AI)
    The comparison to a Q7 battleplate is against Breath Weapon at its nominal S9 rank.
    Man this thing was full of outdated stuff.
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  20. - Top - End - #80
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Also the suggestion is the battle plate is less effective and smaller than the ship that's escorting it, right? At least, the regular q7. I'm confused.
    Last edited by Kornaki; 2018-07-08 at 12:59 PM.

  21. - Top - End - #81
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by Kornaki View Post
    Also the suggestion is the battle plate is less effective and smaller than the ship that's escorting it, right? At least, the regular q7. I'm confused.
    The Q7 is for a 'modest' tricorn-class battleplate. This new arrival is significantly beefier, what with the suggested Q9+ rating once the PM folks get a look at it to rate it.
    Man this thing was full of outdated stuff.
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  22. - Top - End - #82
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Also the suggestion is the battle plate is less effective and smaller than the ship that's escorting it, right? At least, the regular q7. I'm confused.
    After looking though all the strips again.. then it seems clear that the size order goes Q>S>X
    thnx to Starwoof for the fine avatar

  23. - Top - End - #83
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    NecromancerGirl

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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by InvisibleBison View Post
    After today's strip, I really don't understand the Planet Mercenary vessel classification table. I thought a higher number meant a more powerful ship, but today's strip says that a Q7 can beat an S9. The disparity in size might seem like an explanation for this, but on the one hand if size affects power why is it not included in calculating power and on the other hand today's strip also says that an X9 can beat an S9, which indicates that size isn't a relevant part of combat power.
    This strip is saying that the Breath Weapon couldn't defeat the UNS picket if it fought it now, and that's specifically because Breath Weapon has been lobotomised. Per book 2, you cannot use weapons and shields together effectively unless you have a tactical AI to co-ordinate them. It's also unclear how many guns they can man, and it's possible that some weapon systems simply cannot be manually operated at all under these circumstances.

    As for the fight between Breath Weapon "even at its fiercest" and a tricorn battleplate, traditional battleplates are really a strategic asset rather than a pure warship, with their ability to serve as full-fledged mobile shipyards and bases of operations. That's why they're only a 7 rather than a 9: you could easily fit more firepower on a ship that size. But a tricorn-class is more than ten times the size of Breath Weapon, and still has enough weapons and countermeasures to cover all of the bases -- otherwise, the tricorn would be a Q6 or a Q5.
    Last edited by lesser_minion; 2018-07-08 at 06:17 PM.

  24. - Top - End - #84
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by lesser_minion View Post
    As for the fight between Breath Weapon "even at its fiercest" and a tricorn battleplate, traditional battleplates are really a strategic asset rather than a pure warship, with their ability to serve as full-fledged mobile shipyards and bases of operations. That's why they're only a 7 rather than a 9: you could easily fit more firepower on a ship that size. But a tricorn-class is more than ten times the size of Breath Weapon, and still has enough weapons and countermeasures to cover all of the bases -- otherwise, the tricorn would be a Q6 or a Q5.
    I would expect a fight between an unaccompanied battleplate and Breath Weapon to be about even, depending on the objectives of the two parties. However, I would not expect a battleplate to ever be unaccompanied. When Chu was setting himself up as the next swearword on Earth, his plan was to break the city's shields with the battleplate and then allow parasitic craft to go the rest of the way.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
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  25. - Top - End - #85
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Kaff might not have made the direct decisions, but he did bring his force together, and build it, serving as example and trainer even when he wasn't directly involved.

    He should be proud of what he built.
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  26. - Top - End - #86
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    I think a US Marine officer once said something like "The measure of a good leader is what happens when they are not around to give orders."
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  27. - Top - End - #87
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by HandofShadows View Post
    I think a US Marine officer once said something like "The measure of a good leader is what happens when they are not around to give orders."
    Yeah, that's kinda what I was going for.
    It is one thing to suspend your disbelief. It is another thing entirely to hang it by the neck until dead.

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  28. - Top - End - #88
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by HandofShadows View Post
    I think a US Marine officer once said something like "The measure of a good leader is what happens when they are not around to give orders."
    That is quite the paradigm. I completely agree with it, but I find it surprising nonetheless.

    I wonder how much Kaff has been keeping up with the media campaign. Gugro mentioned that they have "Kaff Tagon, Killer of Battleplates" defending them. Shortly thereafter a ship blew up as a message to the rest of the UPA, which might have been attributed to Kaff.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
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  29. - Top - End - #89
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Stupid question: This strip says there are hundreds of Upplechan slaves in the mines, but all we've seen are F'bottr slaves. Am I missing something obvious?
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  30. - Top - End - #90
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    Default Re: Schlock Mercenary VIII: insAIne in the mAInfrAIme

    Quote Originally Posted by PhantomFox View Post
    Stupid question: This strip says there are hundreds of Upplechan slaves in the mines, but all we've seen are F'bottr slaves. Am I missing something obvious?
    Uuplechs are significantly shorter than F'bottr. We would mostly see the taller species. Alternatively, whoever is running the media campaign decided to include footage of the Toughs freeing people from their wrappings as they spontaneously awoke and said it was the toughs freeing slaves on Schlemiel 5.

    Edit: new comic is up. Question that arises (though not related to the plot): when did Elf cut her hair? I remember her having long, flowing locks. Also, I thought she was blonde (though I am probably confusing her with Kathryn).
    Last edited by Rockphed; 2018-07-14 at 09:08 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wardog View Post
    Rockphed said it well.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sam Starfall
    When your pants are full of crickets, you don't need mnemonics.
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