Waypoints

Added here:  31 May 2014

Original post on Deso Forum

 

Sunday, 25 May 2014, Deso Borderlands

 

"...so this time, we decided to go for waypoints first, to maximize our mobility on the maps. We can then respond faster to enemy movements."

-- Deso BL soldier explaining why a mortarr build is in progress in Garrison and Hills before walls and doors are reinforced.


The Ranger blinks, shocked disbelief on his face. He glances over at the Head Badger, sees the Boss wearing a similar expression. Three other Badgers stand behind, silent. Tension -- cut-able with a knife.

Perhaps in a vain attempt to defuse the volatile mood in the air, the Ranger dares to break the silence. He swallows, clears his throat, and offers, "Well, uhm ... could work, eh? I mean ... cannons are up at least and ... uh ... maybe the friendly zerg can waypoint in and stop the..."

He shuts up as the Head Badger fixes him with a baleful gaze. Uh oh.

The Boss stares at him for an entire second -- it feels much longer -- and then, in a tone one might use with someone who just told you that grass grows red instead of green, demands, "Do you know what's going to happen here?"

The Boss shifts his gaze toward the south side of Deso Garrison and his eyes take on a far-away look.

"Baruch has Bay," he says, waving toward the west, then points toward Garri. "They'll hit the southwest gate. Or water gate. Doesn't matter which, really."

His tone changes as he continues to speak, as one who describes the events of a film that only he can see.

"Three omegas." He blows breath through slightly-parted lips, his face a mask of helplessness. "That's all they need -- to get in and out faster than we can react."

He walks several paces west and the four Badgers follow. He stops, points at the path leading to Garri's southwest gate.

"They'll run the golems up that slope. Mesmers will take turns. Maybe our scout will see them and send a warning." He pauses a moment. "But that scout has the whole keep to watch -- if he's even awake. So more likely is: those golems are melting the gate for 20 seconds before it even registers that Garri is under attack. 10 seconds after that, someone notices swords on the map. Takes him another five seconds to key the comms channel and send an alert."

Another pause. "Now the scout is running around Garri, frantically trying to figure out what's being hit. Maybe we're lucky, maybe the southwest gate is the first stop on his patrol. By the time he hits the comms to say, 'three omegas sw gate!', we're at ... what? ... 45 seconds?"

The Head Badger sighs, then continues in the same tone. "The omegas already have the gate at 50% by the time the waypoint is disrupted for 180 seconds. So no teleporting -- any Deso Defenders who can respond at all will have to leg it into the keep. By the time they get there, the golems are through the gate -- it's paper -- and portaling to the inner."

He takes a few steps forward, eyes never leaving Garrison, expression of inevitable hopelessness still written on his face, as he continues to speak.

"Now a few friendlies -- first responders, whoever was near enough to run inside -- are hitting the golems, but they're nott doing much good. No siege up worth mentioning." He shrugs. "Arrow Carts won't do much against omegas anyway. And Baruch is shielding and time-warping and..."

He pauses, closes his eyes a moment. Opens them again, continues. "By now, maybe our friendly zerg is on the field, portalled in from wherever they were. But that shiny waypoint is still contested, so they're hoofing it from Citadel. By the time they reach the keep, that inner gate -- paper, too -- is long broken, the fight is in the Lord's Room and it's ... well ... by that time, it's just mathematical."

He's silent for a few seconds, stares at Deso Garrison. Then he sighs, removes his helmet, bows his head, runs a hand through his hair, looks back at the Ranger.

"Liv, I've been a soldier all my life. I've never seen anything clearer than this." His tone takes on an earnest quality as he continues to speak. "It's as if ... as if it's already happened ... already just a memory. I can see those golems going up that slope to that outer gate ... breaking the inner ... Baruch, running their flags up. It's all right there, in front of my waking eyes."

He shifts his worried gaze back to the Garrison, silently regards it for a minute. No one moves.

"Alright, then," as he puts his helmet back on, turns to face the four in his team. "There's nothing we can do here. Waypoint to Seafarers."