Adam Drake - Blackout

I leapt from the slab and raced up the stairs. Emerging from the floor of the Keep revealed the damage which had already been done. Huge cracks webbed the walls and black smoke filled the upper ceiling.

But even through this I saw the Lookout wave down at me, then disappear.

Not wasting another moment, I raced outside.

Troll grunts lunged at footmen who parried and countered. My human archers had taken up position to one side of the archery range and fired volleys at the troll archers standing a short distance to the north.

I judged the strength of both forces to be about even. But now I joined the fray.

Striking out at the nearest troll, I dodged a spear jab by rolling to the ground. Standing, I thrust my sword up through the jaw of another troll.

A flashing icon on the map drew my eyes. It was Grax asking for new orders.

What was I doing? Other things needed my immediate attention right now. Fighting would come second. My men could handle this for a few more moments.

I ran through the fight to stand in the doorway of the Keep, mindful of arrant arrows and spears.

Grax appeared severely injured, but alive.

“I need more trolls to crush,” he told me from the chat view. His hair and eyebrows were all gone, burnt away. Wisps of smoke curled up from his blackened flesh.

With a laugh, I said, “Don’t worry, there will be more trolls. I promise.”

He peered about, somewhat disappointed. “Now what shall I do?”

Good question. Bringing him south to the base would be helpful. He could help guard while I repaired the buildings and built up another army.

But that would leave the platform undefended. Right now, with Grax there, it was in my control. Even if Amara managed to sneak down here and snatch the banner away again, she’d have a burnt, angry Grax to contend with when she reached the middle.

Also, without a scout or other unit in the vicinity, Grax could see what was coming from the north. And maybe keep them from moving further south just by his presence.

It wouldn’t last long. He was injured and alone now. But as a temporary stopgap it’d have to do.

“Guard the platform. If a solo unit is dumb enough to try to cross it take them out. But if there is more than you can handle, fall back, and come to the base.”

Grax frowned. “I can handle all units. No problem. I hope I don’t have to wait too long.”

I hoped we got to wait a long time and closed the chat. Time was needed now to get things in order.

The sound of the surrounding battle brought my thoughts back to the immediate situation. I went into the command menu and put another footmen and archer unit into training. Thankfully, my workers had been diligently mining away this entire time so gold was not an issue. But it soon would be.

With a final check of the map, I then launched into the fray, sword swinging.

In less than a minute, I helped my footmen eliminate the last of the grunts. Then we ran at the archers who managed a single volley before my forces cut into them.

One archer managed to hit me in the thigh which only ticked me off. More sword swings (and a little swearing) and the archers were decimated.

I looked around. The remaining men of my two units raised their weapons in a cheer.

“Yay for us,” I said, but didn’t feel it. There was too much to do. Right now, Amara was frantically building up an army, and I had little doubt she would make it sizable before marching south.

I assigned the footman to the banner altar. They would not move from there ever again if I had anything to say about it.

The archers, I sent north along the western curve to link up with Grax. I ordered the unit leader to assemble in a double line formation on the south edge of the platform. That way, they could support Grax when he engaged any approaching units.

It wasn’t much but still better than nothing.

Then I turned my attention to my poor beleaguered Keep, which billowed smoke from every opening.

Keep: 2,200 / 10,000 hit points.

Those enemy units had really done a number on it, but thankfully they didn’t succeed in razing it to the ground.

For this, I pulled one unit of workers off mining duty and assigned them to Keep repairs. It would be very expensive and repairing it fully would take too long and take up too many resources. So I resolved to bring it up to 5,000 hit points, at least.

With the workers on repairs I looked around. Other than waiting for units to finish training, and gold to be mined, there wasn’t much else I could do but wait.

So I did.

Once the footmen and archer units emerged I sent them both north together with orders to guard the platform.

While I controlled the middle, I didn’t have to worry about enemy units suddenly appearing at the base.

Another archer unit went into training, but instead of another footmen unit I chose a scout next, on a whim.

When he popped out, I sent him north along the east curve (just in case an rogue enemy unit was sitting there) with orders to move past the middle section and scout the enemy base, if possible.

At this point, the Keep repairs reached halfway. But instead of sending these workers back to the mine, I sent them to the neglected quarry.

My intention was to upgrade the Keep, and for that I’d need a lot more stone. Once upgraded, I’d have more worker units, and thus more resources quicker.

Unless Amara screwed things up for me, again.

Enemy Spotted!

My heart leapt in my chest. The map showed an enemy cavalry unit approaching the platform from the northeast.

Grax was already moving to intercept them.

The lone archer unit I sent earlier was now just arriving at the platform and formed a double line along its southern edge.

Freaking out a little, I commanded Grax to fall back to the platform. From there, he’d have the support of the archers. Running headlong into the cavalry in his injured state would be the end of him.

Grax grumbled in protest but did as commanded. The cavalry unit drew close but stopped just past the range of the archers.

I could sense Grax’s anticipation. He really wanted to kill someone. But he needed to wait.

We’d all have a chance to die soon enough.

The cavalry unit then turned and casually trotted back to the northeast and vanished around the bend. I thought this was a little strange. Without a unit in plain view, Amara wouldn’t be able to see the central area. Which meant she must have placed a scout nearby.

I was also convinced that the cavalry unit had meant to draw Grax away.

Soon the footman and archer unit arrived at the middle, much to my relief. I split the archer unit in two and had each half line up on either side of the platform along the river’s edge.

Then I set the footmen directly on the platform with orders not to move. They weren’t there to protect the altar, since Amara would need the banner first for it to be of any danger, but to block anyone from trying to cross. I didn’t think the river could by forded, at least not without a lot of difficulty so the platform was doubly important to control.

The next pair of archers and footmen were sent north, too. I felt confident that the only potential attack on the base now would be a solo Amara and could be dealt with. So any more units I trained were to be sent north immediately.

But not now. Instead, of building up my forces, I decided to wait and upgrade the Keep. I already had enough lumber, it was gold and stone that needed to accumulate.

This seemed to take ages, but the rate of gathering was pretty much even. By the time I had enough of everything the last two units I’d sent north were in position.

I then highlighted the Keep and purchased the upgrade option.