Bethany Plays: AW:DoR Chapter 11: Putting Out The Doormat

That is a lot of water on that map. Sounds like it's time to learn about a brand new type of unit!

And also have a complete and total upheaval of our status quo.

Since last chapter, we've had a bit of a timeskip.

We're still at our usual business of looking for survivors. I feel like, after a point, most people who survived would have had to have found real resources before dying of non-meteor causes.

A year feels like it's pushing that count. Although it does explain why our search is so close to the sea. Running water is probably a necessity for life.

It took a few years at minimum for the aftermath of Chixculub to wear off.

We've also only been looking within a day's march of the shelter- perhaps a week or so. As nice as this place was, there came a day when we actually needed to start thinking about what comes after.

We've been there a year and still have months left: That's good.

We can put a number on how long until we run out of supplies: That's bad.

It seems that we've been adding people faster than we're expanding our options for supplies- although with no sun, I don't think we have much of that.

Brenner, in classic Brenner fashion, declares that the solution is not "stopping our population growth". One can only hope.

At least this lot know what's what.

...OK, that's perhaps not the best phrasing. The civilians know how to behave in a reasonable manner, and whatever they think is happening, they are content to continue developing our "society" to reach a pleasing new normal.

...Or they would if it wasn't for the fact Brenner is still letting the Mayor make everyone else's lives miserable. If the alternative for getting rid of him wasn't certain death, he'd have been gone long ago.

Given he turned on you lot for extra food? Yeah, I'm surprised he's not already doing it.

...Yes, Will. You will be the one to get that idiot to think about people other than himself for once.

Lin, I assume, has this conversation out of Will's earshot. At least someone has noticed this kid is acting as if Brenner's high standards are ones everyone can carry.

I think that might have been on you trying to dump him on someone else's lap way back. But either way, if worst comes to worst and the civilian population needs culling, Will is rightfully worried that he'll be up for the chopping block.

It'd be nice if these two remembered their role in setting that expectation, though. Ideas don't come from nowhere.

The topic of conversation changes entirely, to investigating something that has come up before, but the scope is new.

Brenner's first question, as is to be expected, is "who on earth is doing the fighting?" Wars don't just spontaneously appear, as much as Advance Wars might like that when the time comes to explain the War Room.

Someone. Any idea who that someone might have been?

Rumours can be exaggerations. I'm sure it's nothing more than one idiot trying to enforce his stupidity on other people.

But enough about the Mayor.

...Or it could show up right away.

Eeyup. Those are boats. The time has finally come for us to become acquainted with Advance Wars' third branch of the armed forces, the navy.

Also this kid. And Will thinks he's not a soldier.

No matter where in this apocalypse we go, Brenner knows everyone. In a world like this, hardly surprising, given the number of people one person can know and the number of people period are much closer than in the pre-apocalypse world, but...

Apparently Brenner and Davis knew each other before the war, back in the army.

...It says a lot about Davis that he's not still a Wolf, come to think of it.

Well, they certainly outnumber you, I'll give you that.

Brenner, instinctively, assumes that the Lazurians are the ones that desire the conflict. To be fair, it's hard to imagine Davis being particularly enthusiastic about it either.

Davis refuses to answer that question.

Brenner's "we" is doing a lot of carrying here, because our commander for this map is Lin.

Similarly to that time we bailed Waylon out of a jam, Davis will be represented by using yellow units. I feel like the fact this is the second time it's happened is almost trying to set up a correlation, but no, that's relatively coincidental.

As mentioned, we're Lin, our enemy is Tasha (again), and our ally is Davis.

Here's a look at our map, with a bunch of shiny new boats to inspect.

The most common type of boat on these waters is this one, the Gunboat. This is a new unit to DoR, and it sure is an interesting one- it has a single bullet it can fire on other boats, but is otherwise used to ferry footsoldiers across water tiles. A common complaint about navies in earlier Wars games is that they are too expensive to do anything worthwhile, and this unit seems targeted at solving a few of these problems. It remains to be seen how well it did so when we finally get a port to build from.

Tasha also has one of these. The Cruiser is one of the weirdest units in the game- in the Wars World games, it can only shoot at air units and submarines. DoR has given it the ability to shoot at other ships, but I'm still not sure it entirely saves it. It does have the ability to load Copters onto it, refuelling them, but it's always had that and it almost never comes up. Honestly, my favourite thing about it is that it makes it easier to distinguish them from other ships in Fog of War maps.

Almost missed it, but here's another new ship, one both we and Davis have. The Lander is the primary transport unit of the sea, being the one that existed in AW1 and 2, and in addition to being able to carry two units, it can carry any ground unit, not just footsoldiers. This unit is probably the best reason to engage in naval warfare, but given you only get two units per lander, establishing a beachhead is about as hard to do as it is in real warfare. Still, the lander is doing its best, it can't be blamed for the rest of the navy.

To support naval warfare, here are the two terrain types necessary. Landers and Gunboats are considered transports, so they are allowed to cross beaches (as part of the "unit is able to walk onto the square the transport is on", they must be on beaches to load and unload ground units). All other types of boat, such as the Cruiser, are restricted to the sea.

Also, shoutouts to DoR for finally adding a movement penalty to tired units on beaches. They were indistinguishable from roads in the Wars World games.

Davis isn't going to be a major character, so this map is also going to be his opportunity to participate in the Tactics briefing. Also, as a matter of the loose grasp on reality Tactics have, Davis is going to mention his boss's name like they're not going to drop it as a reveal afterwards. Not that we know who Admiral Greyfield is, but...

Lin promptly loses interest in her guest when he starts trying to share his life story.

Lin is here to help you stop getting shot at. What you do with yourself after the fact is not her problem.

And she is determined to make sure it stays that way.

If Lin was any good at that, she wouldn't be the advisor.

Lin shutting Davis up before we get a proper impression on what Greyfield is like, but I think we get the gist of it.

I'll.. try? Good luck getting the cruiser in range of the rockets. Navy gets weird with this sort of thing.

Having to go back to land to resupply your one bullet is a pain in the rear. Unlike Dual Strike's Black Boats, DoR does not have a unit that can take the extra supplies to the gunboats. Make your shots count.

This was actually where I noticed I had landers. In retrospect, I'm not sure what I was accomplishing without them. I don't have any boats that can shoot at ground units.

She expects us to have a solution for the ground war by now. I mean, fair, but beachheads are hard, I would have liked a pointer.

Brenner and Will might actually care. I'm not sure about Will, but it can't hurt to try.

What gave you that impression?

Lin just decides to utterly devastate him on the way out. I'm sure burning bridges will go well later.

Here's a demonstration about the differences between beaches and sea tiles for gunboats vs cruisers. We'll have to consider how we're approaching it, but it's worth noticing where it can and cannot shoot from.

"I noticed it wasn't really in the tactics room."

Lin just not even humouring either of the boys on her side.

Lin strikes me as the kind of woman who would say this and then stop talking.

At... some point over the timeskip, Lin warmed up to Isabella, and decided to let her get on with her infodumping about military information.

If nothing else, offloading the tutorialisation of basic functionality lets Lin get along with more important stuff.

This lander needs to move up and allow itself to be loaded.

...You know, in hindsight, this was a waste of a lander. You know what I should've done if I really wanted those properties? Load the infantry into that gunboat on a beach right next to it.

This does give me the opportunity to move this APC somewhere more useful, though. Not that it was terrible where it was, but I saw a better place for it.

The other lander gets its first loading. I would have also loaded the rockets, but it can't reach with the tires.

This Mech notices that it can be loaded onto a gunboat.

And we can even use that gunboat for shooting!

Lin pauses for a moment, realising exactly what she's done.

Making herself redundant.

Hey, why not pick up knitting? There are worse pasttimes.

...Depends on where the wool comes from, I guess.

Fired our first shot. I'm not sure what the game is calling that a yellow combat for, doing 8 damage for one in return is a pretty good exchange in my eyes.

And getting rid of it with the one with the Mech.

Davis uses the same insignia Waylon used back in Chapter 7. For... reasons, his theme is Wasteland Scourge. Mechanically, I can sorta see the reason for it, but it does kind of downplay The Beast as an opponent to find out he's so generic that his theme can be shared. I would've just given Davis the No CO theme.

Davis takes some time to acknowledge he's accomplishing bugger and all with an infantry, tank, and lander. I do wonder how he got in this position when Tasha has no naval units that can shoot at ground units.

I notice that the AI of Advance Wars only kinda understands landers, and as such Davis isn't doing anything unless the fight is brought to him. He'll be capturing these properties and then nothing else.

Anyway, onto Tasha.

...Honestly, this one's much closer to The Beast than Davis.

There is a general moving in my direction for Tasha to be getting on with.

Also this. Rigs can build Temp. Ports as well as Temp. Airports. This requires them to be on a beach when they start building, and does in fact turn it into a tile that other boats can pass freely. This is part of the reason I selected a specific site for my Temp. Port.

In hindsight, no idea why, I don't own any boats that can't use beaches.

Rockets had the time to make it in the next day, and the time has come to unload them.

The way Days of Ruin doesn't actually do any movements until your entire move has been selected, I wasn't entirely sure what was going on here from the perspective of actually inputting what I wanted the lander to do. It takes some getting used to, but it's fine.

I send my APC down onto this peninsula, and while doing so, I spot the opportunity to do something really funny.

I do a good bit of damage with this gunboat, and block the cruiser with my lander. To be fair, that's a beach anyway, but it's nice to try and pen this unit where I want it.

The real question is why I'm even bothering with capturing property. What am I spending money on? Port repairs, I guess...

I join the unloaded Gunboat, to make sure I won't lose the other one.

This is where I'm putting my Mech. Make it fairly clear this is where I want the enemy to go.

Right, so what are your real moves?

The bait is going well.

Well, except for this guy. At least Davis has something to think about, although I only have one unit over there. I think it'll be enough.

Well, we got that cruiser in range of our rockets after all. Time to get rid of it. All that's left is those gunboats.

Excellent. I can set up shop on that property.

We'll see if I can make it mine before the enemy arrives.

This is where I want my port. Feels like a safer place to keep my boats when they're nursing their wounds than the other shore.

And while the port is being built, the APC can still resupply the gunboats.

A damaged lander is still able to ferry units just fine.

And if this infantry is expected to fight, a place to retreat to is warranted.

Although it is going for Davis first.

Davis takes a shot with his infantry. Smart choice.

He does not shoot with his tank. A less smart choice, but damaged as it is, it's not really handling the return fire.

Still, finishing it off is why I am here.

Already that Middie is getting a face full of rocket salvos. That artillery is basically the only real threat left.

Particularly since my Middie took out the other half.

And that's my resupply bases set up.

Annoyingly, that Gunboat is perfectly sheltered by the artillery. Won't be shooting it this turn.

...Not sure what this tank is doing, honestly. We don't have the room for it.

Hm... If I'm looking accurately, I spy with my little eye something beginning with "b".

Blind spot!

No blind spot for this guy, though, he'll have to retreat.

He's trying so hard.

Odd strategy, charging the recon in.

Ah. I see. Now I have to pull back to dodge that arty there.

Rockets doing their business with this unit.

I notice that putting my Gunboat on this beach right next to my infantry has given me a golden opportunity- what, exactly, is Tasha's counter-strategy to this infantry marching on her HQ?

I think I'd like to be putting more pressure on her this side, but I know full well what my plan is next turn. Although there is one thing...

One Gunboat alone isn't going to do much to two, so it's going to wait for its reinforcements.

Davis is technically doing something.

Anyone else notice me leaving that Mech in arty range? I didn't!

Next move, I can begin the capture. A terrifying prospect for Tasha, given her only unit with any ability to move in is that arty.

Time to get started on making it think twice. Can't do it this turn, though.

I do move my Mech out of the way, though.

Davis is done with his capturing! Try not to feel too proud of him.

Tasha's artillery moves up in my face. For... some reason.

I win next turn. Tasha can do nothing to stop it.

So it's time to hoist my Power score up some.

And some more ammo for the rockets.

Yes, Tasha. The Rig will save you.

One last attack for the Power score. Although honestly, this might have lowered my score rather than raise it.

In victory, we are introduced to another member of the Lazurian Army, Gage. For now, his job seems to be "make sure Tasha doesn't kill herself".

Which appears to be a full-time job.

Wait, they're led by a General, but Davis's commander is an Admiral? I guess we can hardly be picky about the chain of command here.

"I could totally take them with a Rig and a Gunboat! The Rig can resupply it, right?"

A commander that cares about your well-being. Treasure that, they don't come by too often.

Gage, for his part, demonstrates that, for his sense, he may not necessarily have a more healthy approach to being a CO. He listens to orders, which makes him a better asset for Lazuria, but Tasha strikes me as being more capable of handling the aftermath.

You know, once we actually get to an aftermath.

A nice, comfortably padded S Rank. I'm very happy with that infantry's HQ cap, although I'm sure it could be done faster.

Lin sure agrees with that assessment.

The stats. Not that there's anything worth noting in these. Davis is the only person who spent any money.

Anyway, now that that's done, we need to check in on that life we saved.

Anyway, now it's time to talk about Admiral Greyfield some. Well, not a lot, we'll save that for when we meet the man himself.

And Davis is keen to introduce us to the man himself!

Brenner is far less keen. The fields of war are not a place to do the heroism Brenner prefers.

Somehow, I am getting the impression that this is not the order in which it occurred.

Brenner asks if Davis has a good answer to the most important question here.

Davis, like the literal child he is, does not have an answer to that question. Not a promising sign when you have people recruiting who lack this answer.

So OK, the other guy is good. I'd like to know more about why we should be stopping this guy. What does he want?

And from a player perspective, Forsythe's reservations about throwing Tasha and Gage to the Wolves suggest he's probably a commander worth following.

Brenner thinks he might be getting somewhere with that line of questioning.

Davis drops that line of questioning like a lump of coal and tries a different temptation. Yeah, your boss has shot you up the creek without a paddle on this job.