My eyes scanned over each word describing these marvelous golems. How captivating, how fascinating! All with unique abilities, strengths and weaknesses. I was eager to make my first purchases but realized quickly that since the abilities referred to buildings quite a bit, I should understand how these structures work in relation to the battlefield. Perhaps my butler would know more…
Chapter 6
My eyes widened as the world around me seemed to expand. One moment I had been looking at the Fire Spice Mine, known colloquially as the Burning Barrows, the next I was floating above the actual entrance to the mine itself.
“By focusing on a territory you control, you are able to access the battlefield itself,” Sigmund explained. My eyes swept across the landscape. There was a grid of sorts below me, turning the grassy area leading to the mine into a giant translucent checkerboard. The words WARNING: NO MANA SPHERE hovered in big red letters before me, warning me of something dire.
“What does a Mana Sphere do?” I asked.
“Ah yes, that is the key to the entire battle! You understand how golems are powered by mana crystals, correct?”
“Obviously,” I said. “One does not study alchemy without attaining such knowledge.”
“But ask yourself, how do these golems take orders? Recognize friend from foe? Follow the instructions you grant them through the use of the Starmetal Signet?”
“The Mana Sphere…” I said. “It links them all together.”
“Indeed! An invading force doesn’t want to destroy each and every golem. Such a thing would be too time-consuming and exhausting. Instead, they will want to strike at the Mana Sphere, cutting off your ability to fight back at all. Once the sphere is gone…”
“The battle is over,” I said.
“Indeed. Well, I mean, you technically could refuse to surrender, but there’s not much you could do, and you’d gain a reputation for being a poor sport,” Sigmund explained. “So you’ll want to place your Mana Sphere and build your strategy around defending it. All the while trying to exhaust the enemy forces that are coming in.”
I rubbed my chin at those words, examining the battlefield. It was quite large. Large enough for me to develop some kind of defensive strategy, one that might make use of our very limited resources. “Does the enemy have a sphere of their own? One that I may counter-attack?” I asked.
“Afraid not. The rules forbid battle outside of designated battlefields, and the enemy will just place their sphere outside your territory. For defense, we must strictly destroy their incoming units.”
“That hardly seems fair,” I said.
“Well, if you win, you get to harvest the mana crystals from the fallen golems, so that’s in our favor. Plus we have the luxury of building defensive structures. It evens out, I believe. Fortune favors the prepared, so the more preparation you put into the impending attacks, the better off you’ll be.”
The Grid below us formed a kind of chess board with each square large enough to place some kind of structure or golem on it. A completely empty field, ready to be outfitted with all manner of offensive and defensive units. More importantly, the field needed buildings. I hadn’t yet looked at what was available in the building tab (partly out of fear of the prices!), but now that I understood how many golems I could purchase, it was time.
Opening up the buildings section, I was greeted by yet another catalogue full of pictures and descriptions, as well as prices. Thankfully these prices were in silver and, for the most part, seemed relatively affordable. Well, at least the License Level 0 buildings were within my means.
“What’s this business about licenses?” I asked, trying to access the Level 1 tab, only for a red message to inform me that: You are not authorized to access this part of the catalogue!
“Hmm?” Sigmund asked. “Oh right, right. If I recall correctly, every House has a rank that allows them to purchase licensing for better buildings. The Crown doesn’t wish for the market prices of lumber to skyrocket the moment someone enters the Great Game for the first time, so you have to prove yourself before you can get to the good stuff.”
“Yet it would be the good stuff that helps us survive,” I mused. “Sounds like a protectionist racket.”
“Grumble all you like, but eventually you’ll be invading enemy territory too. Then you’ll be thanking the Stars that such levels exist.”
I ignored that comment, turning my attention to the buildings that were open to me. They were moderately priced in silver, cheap enough for me to easily outfit this field will all manner of outfitting.
License Level 0 Defensive Structures
Mana Sphere
Cost: 250 Silver
Health: 1000
The Mana Sphere enables all buildings and Golems to function as well as obey your commands. When destroyed, all units in the area immediately cease working. Please enjoy a complimentary Mana Sphere, provided by Malphius Masterson as a thank you for purchasing this catalogue.
Wooden Barricade
Cost: 10 Silver
Health: 100
Range: 50 feet
Wooden Barricades prevent enemy forces from moving past them. If an opening is available, enemy units will ignore the barricades and move on to the opening. If the barricades completely seal off a path to the Core, all golems will strike random barricades until an opening is made.
Karrack Tower
Cost: 150 Silver, 1 Mana Crystal
Health: 300
Karrack Towers target nearby golems and fire upon them with high-powered energy bursts. These cause considerable damage to golems over time.
Strengths:
- Rapid Burst: Karrack Towers do not need to recharge in between shots, allowing them to strike at any passing Golem within range.
- Cumulative Strikes: For each additional Karrack Tower striking the same target, damage increases exponentially.
Weaknesses:
- Dumbfire: Karrack Towers target the closest enemy, regardless of its type, resistances or abilities. They will not cease firing until the target is dead or out of range. This can lead to problems if they target a particularly strong defensive unit.
Ballista Tower
Cost: 50 Silver
Health: 150
Range: 300 feet
Ballista Towers utilize the patented Malphius Rapid Reload system to automatically reload their payload after firing. With penetrative bolts and pinpoint accuracy, the Ballista Tower is an effective long-range tower that can break down even the heartiest Golem.
Strengths:
- Piercing Shots: Ballista Towers fire powerful bolts that break through most defenses easily enough, bypass all active physical damage resistance.
- Fire-and-Forget: Ballista Towers fire at a single target, then immediately move on to the next, allowing a high level of damage distribution throughout the battlefield.
Weaknesses:
- Exaggerated Marketing Claims: While it’s labeled to have a “Rapid Reload” system, the mechanism still takes some time. Each shot requires 15 seconds of active reload time before it is able to shoot again.
- Physical Shots: Ballista Towers cannot bypass other buildings, meaning they must have a clear view of the battlefield to be able to fire. Note: This does not include barricades.
Phlogiston Cannon
Cost: 250 Silver
Hit Points: 300
Range: Melee
Master of the fourth classical element, Fire, the Phlogiston Cannon releases a burst of flames, overheating enemy golem crystals and dealing tremendous damage to their immediate vicinity. The flames will hit all targets within the area, no direct targeting necessary!
Strengths:
- Component Melting: The high heat of the Phlogiston melts down important alchemical components in a golem, slowing their movement down by 30% while being hit.
- Ever-Burning: The Phlogiston Cannon has no recharge times, nor need to cool down, so run it to your
heart’s content!
Weaknesses:
- Frontline Unit: The short range of the cannon means it must be placed in a square directly next to the enemy pathway. This means the unit is highly vulnerable to attacks.
- Explosive Ending: When a Phlogiston Cannon is destroyed, a chain reaction occurs causing the cannon to detonate, damaging all structures (and units) around it. Great for taking down your enemies, but bad for keeping your barricades and towers alive.
Miniature Trebuchet
Cost: 500 Silver
Hit Points: 100
Range: 300 Feet
Blast Radius: 4 Squares
The Superior Siege Weapon is now yours to own in a much smaller form! This modified trebuchet releases a payload of high-yield explosives that strike an area, damaging all Golems within range of the radius.
Strengths:
- Directed Targeting: You may, at any time, change the area of impact of the Miniature Trebuchet to any four squares within range.
- Friendly Fire: Using the Masterson Aura Recognition Enchantments, explosions will only deal damage to enemy golems. Friendly units and structures will be insulated from the blast, which will harmlessly dissipate before it can destroy them.
Weaknesses:
- Long-Shot: The payload of the Miniature Trebuchet takes time to reach its targeted area. A shot takes 10 seconds to land, so fast units will most likely be clear of the area before it hits.
As I read these descriptions, rudimentary strategies began to form in my head. Barricades were weaker than Shield Golems, but could be purchased in larger amounts, allowing me to give shape to the battlefield. And if I knew the goal of my attackers—destroy the Mana Sphere—then I could predict their route. Any enemy would most certainly take the shortest path to reach the Sphere. Could I then build a maze with these barricades? One that would slow the enemy down quite a bit, while also allowing me to create trapped areas for these attack towers to hit?
Instinctively, I focused on the free Mana Sphere, provided to me at no cost by Malphius’ company. At once, an outline of a large wooden building appeared upon the battlefield. The building was big, six squares wide and two squares long. I could place it anywhere on the field of my choosing. But seeing how the enemy would be coming in from the roadside entrance connecting to the mines, I saw it prudent to choose the left-hand corner of the map.
As soon as I willed it, the building appeared as if by magic, sounds of saws cutting and hammers tinking echoed in my ears as the Mana Sphere unfolded. The building itself was a long wooden platform with a massive crystal circle atop it. Blue shimmering energy appeared in the center of the sphere, radiating mystic power that would connect all of my units together. Above the Sphere, I could see a green bar, indicating how much health the unit had. This was the enemy’s objective, their target. The whole reason for showing up. When the Sphere was destroyed, I’d be forced to surrender not only the mine, but also my family title to the Lady Efera.
I wasn’t about to let that happen. I might be new to all these rules and regulations, but I had somewhat of a strategic mind. My colleagues back at school had enjoyed playing many a game involving reenacting historical battles, pretending to be generals and moving troops around on a large map. While I wasn’t nearly as dedicated as some of the lads there, I had played enough of their war reenactments to pick up a thing or two about military strategy. At least I had that experience to draw back on.
Looking at the large, empty map, I tried to develop a proper strategy. My resources were limited here. 1,500 silver and 200 mana crystals. And I couldn’t just spend all of our money here. After all, I had two other territories to protect. Silver would be easier to come by than Mana, so I could afford to spend at least a thousand. As for the crystals? Spending half would be appropriate, I think. The only question was what I would be spending my resources on?
Chapter 7
Time was my biggest ally in an enemy invasion. The longer the enemy golems were inside the battlefield, the more damage they would take from the towers. Therefore, it would be most prudent for me to develop some kind of maze that caused the enemy to take the longest route to reach the Mana Sphere. The terrain was clear here and I had no limitations when it came to placing down barricades (other than the cost, that is!) So my first step would be to create a functional labyrinth that properly delayed the enemy’s movements.
Starting at the opening of the road, I put two anchor barricades on opposite sides. These would form the basic wall to the maze. Then, I began placing wooden barricades, which seemed to mostly be large blocks, to the right, creating a corner that would force the enemy to go all the way to the eastern end of the map, going down a bit, then back up only to head all the way west. With my funds, I was able to create a traditional labyrinth design for about 250 silver. The enemy would be forced to travel across almost every inch of the map before they were finally able to reach the opening to the labyrinth, which then led to a large empty section that was four squares wide, large enough to let the Miniature Trebuchet deal bulk damage at the end.
Once the maze opened up, here they would have to make the trek to the northwest corner of the map to reach the Mana Sphere. I had opted to make this route open, for the area was so tight that I couldn’t really create an effective maze that would be anything other than a waste of silver. Spending the 250 on the backbone of the maze would be enough for now.
Certain sections of my timewaster were left hollow, with four blocks surrounding an empty square. This would be where I would place my defensive towers, letting them deal as much damage as possible while the enemy moved through this maze. The most logical tower choices for these were Karrack, for they were cheap, and they inflicted a great deal of damage when stacked together. Four Karrack Towers were set near the entrance, where they would have the most reach. I worked to place them strategically, so that they would cover multiple parts of the maze at once.
So, a golem entering the maze would get hit by all four towers at once, until it was out of range, heading along the path. However, the first loop would bring the golem right back into range of the towers, creating potential for it to be struck again! This discovery was accidental, but I quickly realized the brilliance of the design. By creating mazes that looped back, I could essentially double my tower coverage without having to pay more! That was 600 silver down the drain as well as 4 mana crystals, but with these four towers covering the entire bottom half of the map multiple times, it was well worth the expense!
I placed four ballista towers in the center of the maze, encircled by four barricades to ensure that they would not be struck by any enemy force. These towers had enough coverage to hit anything moving in the maze and their fire-and-forget ability meant that they’d be softening up all targets that were on the move. 200 silver gone, but certainly a valuable purchase.
These costs were adding up. I hadn’t even added a Miniature Trebuchet yet, and already I was over my budget by 50 silver. Gritting my teeth, I realized that my grand ambitions were cut short. We simply didn’t have the budget to add any heavy hitters here. Would eight towers be enough? Well, I guess it had to be for now. I would have to supplement my defenses with the various Golems for purchase.
The last section of the maze, the open area, would be where I would position my Golems. With only 100 crystals I was willing to spend (I’ll just ignore the 4 I spent earlier), I had to make a choice. Quantity or quality? Four Karrack Golems would be heavy hitters, able to fire on enemy forces as they exited the maze, striking all the way up to the Sphere and able to target enemies that I designated a high threat, such as maybe a Siege Golem. But there would only be four golems of mine on the field.
I could put a mix of Shield Golems and Stone Golems down instead. Maybe two shield and six stone? That was a cheap mix. The shield golems could form a defensive line blocking off exit to the maze, one after another, and I could place the stone golems inside the maze as the last line of defense. Not only would tho
se golems be able to fight the enemy as they advanced, but they would also stop the enemy movement long enough for the ballista to keep firing.
I had put a lot of stock in the Karrack Towers. I’d rather have a large mass of soldiers fighting for me right now than only four. So, I made my first golem purchase, watching as my crystals deducted themselves from the total. Only 96 left.
On the battlefield, I watched as the mighty golems formed from the ground up, emerging from the land as if they had always been a part of it. The Shield Golems looked exactly as advertised, great stone bodies in the shape of a shield. They staggered towards their position, struggling to move their enormous bodies to seal off the exit to the maze. Meanwhile the six golems appeared within the end of the maze, each large stone creature standing side by side. I noticed that though the maze was just one square wide, the actual dimensions were so that all six of the golems could fit in one square at once. These buildings must be much bigger than I thought. Having a bird’s-eye view sort of changed my perspective of what was big and small.
“You do need to eat, at some point,” came a voice, interrupting my thoughts. It was the soft, careful spoken words of Lily, the head maid of the house. I blinked, releasing my vision from the Grid, knowing that I had done all that I could with the resources I had.
A dinner table appeared before me, as did my concerned maid and a host of meat, vegetables and bread rolls. I had been so busy musing over the construction of my maze that I had almost entirely forgotten about the world around me. I had just finished breakfast in my mind but judging from the darkness outside and the fact that the full kitchen staff was cleaning up the rest of the dining table, I had just missed dinner.
Lily frowned at me and gently ran her fingers through my hair, moving a stray strand out of my eye. She was a kind girl, quiet and gentle, focused on maintaining the staff and ensuring everything ran on time. The other maids spoke of her as if she were some sort of primal terror, who would whip any misbehaving maidservant into shape, but I had never seen that side of her. Any time she was around me or my uncle, she was thoughtful, sweet and overly attentive.
Gentleman's Wars: The Rules of Engagement: A Tower Defense LitRPG Series (The Great Game Book 1) Page 4