Marching Order

[FronkyDondo]

***UPDATED 9/13***
2x2:
Thule - Algrim
Mathus - Afton
Kirlander - Elias
Ian - Fiksilma
Skyzar-Dom

2x2 "Night fight" mode:
Algrim Stormsheild (Dwarf Male NG 5th level Fighter – HP 41 AC 2, THACO 16) - NPC/GreyWolfVT
Mathus Greenlok (Wood Elf Male CG 5th/4th F/MU – HP 22 AC 4, THACO 16) - shaidar
Kirlandir - (Elf Male NG 5th level Ranger – HP 40 AC 0, THACO 16) Amalric
Fiksilma Kimmontytar (Gnome Female CN 5th/5th Cleric/Illusionist – HP 22 AC 6, THACO 18) - Starbeard
Skyzar (1/2 Elf Female NG 5th/6th F/T, HP 37 AC 2, THACO 16)

[long gap to light source]

Thule the Grim (Human Male N 6th level Fighter – HP 61 AC -1, THACO 15) -
Afton Bhorr (Human Male LG 5th level Paladin – HP 44 AC 2, THACO 16) - atpollard
Elias Brim (Human Male CN 6th level Thief – HP 40 AC 4, THACO 18) - barna10
Ian the Wanderer (Human Male CN 5th level Magic-User – HP 16 AC 5, THACO 19) - GTan_Baq
Dom Odusil (Human Male NG 7th level Cleric – HP 50 AC -2, THACO 16)

3x3
Thule - Algrim - Afton
Mathus - Kirlander - Elias
Ian - Fiksilma
Skyzar - Dom


Single file
Thule
Algrim
Mathus
Afton
Kirlander
Elias
Ian
Fiksilma
Dom
Skyzar


[Previously:]
Let's decide marching order: for single-file, two by two and three abreast.
Here is a summary of who we are (those in red have infravision):

Ian the Wanderer (Human Male CN 5th level Magic-User – HP 16 AC 5, THACO 19) - GTan_Baq
Thule the Grim (Human Male N 6th level Fighter – HP 61 AC -1, THACO 15) -
Afton Bhorr (Human Male LG 5th level Paladin – HP 44 AC 2, THACO 16) - atpollard
Mathus Greenlok (Wood Elf Male CG 5th/4th F/MU – HP 22 AC 4, THACO 16) - shaidar
Kirlandir - (Elf Male NG 5th level Ranger – HP 40 AC 0, THACO 16) Amalric
Elias Brim (Human Male CN 6th level Thief – HP 40 AC 4, THACO 18) - barna10
Dom Odusil (Human Male NG 7th level Cleric – HP 50 AC -2, THACO 16)
Fiksilma Kimmontytar (Gnome Female CN 5th/5th Cleric/Illusionist – HP 22 AC 6, THACO 18) - Starbeard
Algrim Stormsheild (Dwarf Male NG 5th level Fighter – HP 41 AC 2, THACO 16) - NPC/GreyWolfVT
Skyzar (1/2 Elf Female NG 5th/6th F/T, HP 37 AC 2, THACO 16)

One option for 2x2:
Algrim | Thule
Afton | Mathus
Dom | Ian
Fiksilma | Skyzar
Kirlandir | Elias

Although, the Paladin may insist on being in front (honor, duty, yada yada). Thinking Kirlandir: rear guard? Or Dom?

If we can't reach a consensus right now, I'll decide one and we can tweak it.

[atpollard]

Shortest to tallest?

[GreyWolfVT]

hmm we I be a dwarf fighter so call me meat shield if you must and toss me in the front line

[atpollard]

Just looking at AC and HP to estimate who will shrug off the attacks and absorb the blows ...

Hard:
Thule the Grim (Human Male N 6th level Fighter – HP 61 AC -1, THACO 15) -
Dom Odusil (Human Male NG 7th level Cleric – HP 50 AC -2, THACO 16)

Medium:
Kirlandir - (Elf Male NG 5th level Ranger – HP 40 AC 0, THACO 16) Amalric
Afton Bhorr (Human Male LG 5th level Paladin – HP 44 AC 2, THACO 16) - atpollard
Algrim Stormsheild (Dwarf Male NG 5th level Fighter – HP 41 AC 2, THACO 16) - NPC/GreyWolfVT
Skyzar (1/2 Elf Female NG 5th/6th F/T, HP 37 AC 2, THACO 16)

Soft:
Elias Brim (Human Male CN 6th level Thief – HP 40 AC 4, THACO 18) - barna10
Mathus Greenlok (Wood Elf Male CG 5th/4th F/MU – HP 22 AC 4, THACO 16) - shaidar
Fiksilma Kimmontytar (Gnome Female CN 5th/5th Cleric/Illusionist – HP 22 AC 6, THACO 18) - Starbeard
Ian the Wanderer (Human Male CN 5th level Magic-User – HP 16 AC 5, THACO 19) - GTan_Baq

Need input on order from someone more experienced ...

[FronkyDondo]

Something someone pointed out in another game I'm playing: often, there is a shift from 2x2 to 3x3 - like if you enter a large room. So the 3rd person would be a good person to bring to bear in terms of attack. Likewise, if the person 3rd is short, characters behind him/her could fire over his/her head.

[barna10]

Elias would stay near the back and come forward if needed for traps, locks, etc.

[atpollard]

Suggestions for input:

Single file night-fighter mode

(hard to front)
Kirlandir - (Elf Male NG 5th level Ranger – HP 40 AC 0, THACO 16) Amalric
Algrim Stormsheild (Dwarf Male NG 5th level Fighter – HP 41 AC 2, THACO 16) - NPC/GreyWolfVT
(soft to middle)
Mathus Greenlok (Wood Elf Male CG 5th/4th F/MU – HP 22 AC 4, THACO 16) - shaidar
Fiksilma Kimmontytar (Gnome Female CN 5th/5th Cleric/Illusionist – HP 22 AC 6, THACO 18) - Starbeard
(hard in reserve)
Skyzar (1/2 Elf Female NG 5th/6th F/T, HP 37 AC 2, THACO 16)

[long gap to light source]

Thule the Grim (Human Male N 6th level Fighter – HP 61 AC -1, THACO 15) -
Dom Odusil (Human Male NG 7th level Cleric – HP 50 AC -2, THACO 16)
(soft to middle)
Elias Brim (Human Male CN 6th level Thief – HP 40 AC 4, THACO 18) - barna10
Ian the Wanderer (Human Male CN 5th level Magic-User – HP 16 AC 5, THACO 19) - GTan_Baq
(medium in reserve)
Afton Bhorr (Human Male LG 5th level Paladin – HP 44 AC 2, THACO 16) - atpollard

[GreyWolfVT]

Well even though I'm listed as medium I think we cannot put all of the hard tough guys in front so in a 3x3 fashion you could go both toughest on the front left and right and throw a medium short guy like myself in the middle. As for the 2x2 or even in tight spots like single file shorter in the front makes sense unless he is easily a soft or quick kill for the enemy. Sorry odd logic but it works.

[atpollard]

Personally, Afton Bhorr has no problem taking position near the front ... there are just so many people with better AC or more HP.

A quick note that Afton is AC 0 vs evil (protection from evil).

[FronkyDondo]

atpollard is right - let's come up with contingency order as well (trying to be quiet mode, regular mode)

[shaidar]

Mathus is pretty good at dealing out damage, it is his AC and HP that leave him exposed. This can be partly offset by his use of Mirror Image.

[Amalric]

Kirlandir isn't exactly a front-line warrior. He has a decent AC and a high HP total, but he doesn't dish out a lot of damage (STR 13) and is probably best firing arrows. Also, as a ranger he is only surprised on a 1, so might make a good lookout at the rear of the party.

OTOH, who is going to do the scouting up front?

[Dram]

So Marching order would look like this?


Kirlandir--Algrim Stormsheild--Mathus Greenlok

Fiksilma Kimmontytar --Skyzar--Thule the Grim

Dom Odusil--Elias Brim---Afton Bhorr

[atpollard]

Given this some thought and study ... suggestion:

Fighting in Open Space:

(front row = sword damage)
Thule - Algrim - Afton

(second row = archers)
Skyzar - Mathus - Kirlander - Elias

(third row = spell casters)
Ian - Dom - Fiksilma

My thinking is as follows,
Algrim (DwFtr) and Thule (Ftr) do great damage with swords, and Afton (Pal) has no ranged damage available. All 3 have good AC and HP. So the front row is strong and the dwarf makes the center of the front a little easier to shoot over than the ends ... like a battlement.

Mathus (ElfMU), Elias (Thf), Kirlander (ElfRngr) and Skyzar (E/2-F/T) all have effective ranged attacks and placing 4 across the second row places the archers firing between the front row of fighters.

Ian (MU) and Fiksilma (GnI/Cl) are the more fragile spell casters, but Dom (Cl) has a great AC and can shield the other spell casters if hard pressed.

So some shuffling within each row may be in order, but this should give a fair start for creating a marching order.

Any comments/suggestions?

[FronkyDondo]

That seems very sound. Can you come up with a 2x2 version of that?

[Dram]

That sounds good, but put Skyzar to rear also to protect the Spellcasters from a rear attack.

[atpollard]

That seems very sound. Can you come up with a 2x2 version of that?

Marching 2 x 2:

Thule - Algrim
Mathus - Afton
Kirlander - Elias
Ian - Fiksilma
Skyzar-Dom

2 x 2 night-fighter mode

Algrim Stormsheild - Mathus Greenlok
Kirlandir - Fiksilma Kimmontytar
Skyzar

[long gap to light source]

Thule the Grim - Afton Bhorr
Elias Brim - Ian the Wanderer
Dom Odusil

Marching 3 x 3:

Thule - Algrim - Afton
Mathus - Kirlander - Elias
Ian - Fiksilma
Skyzar - Dom

Marching Single file:

Thule
Algrim
Mathus
Afton
Kirlander
Elias
Ian
Fiksilma
Dom
Skyzar

Single file night-fighter mode (revised)

Algrim Stormsheild (Dwarf Male NG 5th level Fighter – HP 41 AC 2, THACO 16) - NPC/GreyWolfVT
Mathus Greenlok (Wood Elf Male CG 5th/4th F/MU – HP 22 AC 4, THACO 16) - shaidar
Kirlandir - (Elf Male NG 5th level Ranger – HP 40 AC 0, THACO 16) Amalric
Fiksilma Kimmontytar (Gnome Female CN 5th/5th Cleric/Illusionist – HP 22 AC 6, THACO 18) - Starbeard
Skyzar (1/2 Elf Female NG 5th/6th F/T, HP 37 AC 2, THACO 16)

[long gap to light source]

Thule the Grim (Human Male N 6th level Fighter – HP 61 AC -1, THACO 15) -
Afton Bhorr (Human Male LG 5th level Paladin – HP 44 AC 2, THACO 16) - atpollard
Elias Brim (Human Male CN 6th level Thief – HP 40 AC 4, THACO 18) - barna10
Ian the Wanderer (Human Male CN 5th level Magic-User – HP 16 AC 5, THACO 19) - GTan_Baq
Dom Odusil (Human Male NG 7th level Cleric – HP 50 AC -2, THACO 16)

That sounds good, but put Skyzar to rear also to protect the Spellcasters from a rear attack.

For traveling through corridors, that makes sense.
For assaulting a room, a rear attack seems unlikely and an extra bow could keep them safer from whatever is in front.

So do you want Skyzar moved to the rear for 'Fighting in open spaces'?

[shaidar]

I'm very happy with the suggestions. Mathus is effective with a bow (he has a bow that gives him strength bonus), and in the second rank can swap out with somebody in the front row if needed.

[Starbeard]

I like atpollard's proposed orders. Fiksilma's position looks ideal in all of them, since it puts her toward the rear in the thinner formations and to one side in the wider formations (giving her the possibility of helping combat with her sling).

[GTan_Baq]

i like atpollard's line up as well.