Badger
Recruit
Well, here I am at the end of my first few days spent in the company of the sword and sandals adventure which is Mount & Blade.
“Ivanhoe the Squire” is still poor as a church mouse and has yet to manage to make enough cash to bring aboard any hired help. But despite this social handicap I am still managing to make a little headway and have just graced the lofty peaks of level eight.
I’m finally starting to get into the swing of the combat and happy to report that not all encounters in the field are now forgone conclusions. I owe this higher degree of success of course to all the time I have spent practicing in the arena, where on a strict diet of blood sweat and tears I have achieved marginal expertise in a number of death dealing implements.
With a single handed sword in one hand and a shield in the other I now inspire fear in any who stand before me! Even mounted adversaries quickly fall to my flurry of blows once they have fallen into my rather un-gentlemanly “standing near a corner so they charge into it” ploy. Also I fear no archer with this set up, as long as they don’t manage to shatter my shield when I am still out of striking distance. Once within range they have no hope of standing against me.
With this in mind I was careful at the beginning to strive to protect my own archer team mates and was quick to come between them and any marauding swordsman intent on their demise. This was a tactic I quickly abandoned however, after collecting a few arrows in the back of the head, compliments of my ungrateful “friends.”
Armed with a double handed sword I fear only the cunning shafts of the enemy bowmen. (erm… if there’s any other way you were considering taking that?..... don’t!!) As yet I have not managed to find a Badger proof method of getting in close enough to make them regret their career choices.
Until I do, I suppose I must rely on the sweet embrace of lady luck in directing my horse bound chums to knock the blighters over and hope that I am close enough to get in before they regain their feet and deadly poise.
As to my own prowess with the bow? Well things are looking up in that department (Although anyone else on the field is probably best NOT looking up while I’m shooting.) and I can now stand with confidence against a mounted opponent. A combination of fancy footwork and my rapidly improving aim will usually find them ineffectively circling me while I take my time slipping arrows past their defences.
I have to be careful not to de-horse them however as conversely I don’t do anywhere near as well against the foe on foot! It’s more often than not one miss after another as they dodge their way over, followed by an early bath as they chop me to mincemeat! I do have an emergency ploy which sometimes works…. An arrow to the face when they drop their guard to hit me, will persuade many that it’s time for a little nap.
As to my good friend the lance? Ahhhh what a bitter sweet relationship we have shared. My early experiments with timing the left mouse button so that the lance thrust at just the right moment to do a little damage, left me of the opinion that this was a weapon best avoided, at least by me.
But my discovery among these very threads of the art of inflicting “Couched” (sp?) damage, has completely changed my mind! Unlike some on the boards who have a little trouble hitting the mark, I seem to have taken to it like the proverbial duck to water and finding myself thus kitted out at the start of the round is almost a guarantee of victory for Ivanhoe.
Of course the odd pesky archer can still dish out a dirt nap, but if you’re going to shoot that thing at me as I charge you?... You’d better make it count boy because you’re only getting the one chance!
So all in all then things in the arena are looking good. But while there’s no doubt that it’s made me madder, badder and more dangerous to know, I’d have to say that for some reason I still don’t seem to be able to translate this experience into reliable success on the field.
On the plus side, I finally decided to invest some of my hard earned cash (total bank 5000 “ish” so far) in an upgrade of headwear to something with a little chainmail flavour to it. This departure from the woollen hat serves a dual purpose, firstly in that it provides me with more protection to the old brainpan, and secondly (and perhaps more importantly) it saves me taking to the field looking as though I have a giant ill fitting novelty condom on my head! Though it’s true to say that pirates are still chopping me to pieces…. At least they’re not laughing quite so hard while they do it!
Being alone in the battle has seen me adopt dubious “sniping” tactics in my chosen battles against anywhere up to seven River Pirates.
From my starting position I will usually canter to the top of the nearest hill, dismount and wait in true cowardly fashion for the pirates to hove into view. Depending on how strung out their party is as it approaches, I’ll take down as many as I need to, to give myself a fair chance of encountering the others on a one “v” one basis, when I introduce them to my “Slavery Club.” (They join the slavery club see?….. I mean it’s a club, and after they meet it they end up being sold as sl…… oh never mind.)
This tactic cost me dearly on my first attempt though as I had failed to take into account the differences between bows and crossbows! Well is that my fault? There are no crossbows in the arena right? How was I to know?
My first mistake as letting the pirates get too close before starting to shoot, my forte with the bow being to utilise the “QOQ” approach.(Quantity Over Quality) and letting pure volume of delivery make up for my abysmal aim. Imagine then my surprise as after the first bolt flew past chuckling pirates to embed itself in a nearby tree, Ivanhoe proceeds to squat in a most unhurried fashion to RELOAD!! Definitely not the kind of thing you want to be doing when the first pirate reaches you, sporting a conspicuously “bolt free” jacket and poking you in the ribs with a rusty sabre!
Then to further compound this error, I decided that the best way out of the situation would be to launch myself back into the saddle and ride in amongst the swashbuckling scum, raining crossbowed death all about me from the advantaged position of height!
A deep frown crossed my forehead as I was blessed with the following message. “You cannot reload a crossbow on horseback” ……………… erm… Ah! This left me in the middle of a crowd of blade wielding buccaneers, armed with only my good looks and a smart line in witty banter! (oh how well art imitates life.) It’s surprising how derisive pirates can be toward phrases like, “maybe we can talk about this.. I could introduce you to my sister”, and far from “talking like civilised men” they seem far more inclined to jump straight into full “Hack n Slash” mode.
While sure that my combat will eventually improve, I decided in the interim to try a little trading, but my merchant career was ill fated and I found myself catching the attention of 17 “Vaegir Deserters” on my first trip out.
I’d just made a little money selling tools and had decided to pay a visit to the Salt Mines to stock up and make a little more on the return journey. So packed to the gills with salt I had begun the trip home, when the deserters gave chase.
Looking at the rate they were travelling at, a measly six point something, I knew they could never catch me with my sizzling speed of…… no, wait a minute, that’s not right. That’s not the pace I set on the way over here, THIS IS TOTAL BS! THIS IS……. Oh right… the salt!
As the Sneering Seventeen slowly gained on my fat badger behind I realised that this situation was going nowhere good. I had pumped virtually all the cash I had into buying the salt and now these yahoos were going to steal it! oh the pain..the pain!
Inevitably they caught me and politely requested I deliver unto them etc….. I tried my Jedi mind tricks, “This is not the salt you are looking for.” But it wasn’t to be and I had almost given up hope when I noticed another option. There was no need for violence when I could simply pay my way out of trouble!
Ivanhoe: “How much to look the other way and let me move along good sir?”
Deserters: “We’re not unreasonable men, we’ll let you go for 200.”
Ivanhoe: <Forces a nervous smile> I..erm.. don’t have 200 on me. (Pesky salt buying budget drinking trading malarkey!) Do you take plastic?”
Deserters: “Fraid not, but that’s ok since selling you as a slave will do nicely! Have at thee!”
Well I think I’ve monopolised enough of your time already, but I’d like to finish on two very quick questions.
1/ Is there a “bank” and I’m missing it? It seems highly unlikely that I would take to the field carrying my entire fortune in a money belt around my tubby waist. Particularly as at the moment even a passing squirrel stands a fairly good chance of taking it off me.
2/ I’m not artistically gifted enough to make this work, not to mention not knowing how to paste images on the net… But has anyone considered using the appearance morphing character creation tools in the game, to create the changing faces of Michael Jackson and post the results in the forum?
All the best
Badger
“Ivanhoe the Squire” is still poor as a church mouse and has yet to manage to make enough cash to bring aboard any hired help. But despite this social handicap I am still managing to make a little headway and have just graced the lofty peaks of level eight.
I’m finally starting to get into the swing of the combat and happy to report that not all encounters in the field are now forgone conclusions. I owe this higher degree of success of course to all the time I have spent practicing in the arena, where on a strict diet of blood sweat and tears I have achieved marginal expertise in a number of death dealing implements.
With a single handed sword in one hand and a shield in the other I now inspire fear in any who stand before me! Even mounted adversaries quickly fall to my flurry of blows once they have fallen into my rather un-gentlemanly “standing near a corner so they charge into it” ploy. Also I fear no archer with this set up, as long as they don’t manage to shatter my shield when I am still out of striking distance. Once within range they have no hope of standing against me.
With this in mind I was careful at the beginning to strive to protect my own archer team mates and was quick to come between them and any marauding swordsman intent on their demise. This was a tactic I quickly abandoned however, after collecting a few arrows in the back of the head, compliments of my ungrateful “friends.”
Armed with a double handed sword I fear only the cunning shafts of the enemy bowmen. (erm… if there’s any other way you were considering taking that?..... don’t!!) As yet I have not managed to find a Badger proof method of getting in close enough to make them regret their career choices.
Until I do, I suppose I must rely on the sweet embrace of lady luck in directing my horse bound chums to knock the blighters over and hope that I am close enough to get in before they regain their feet and deadly poise.
As to my own prowess with the bow? Well things are looking up in that department (Although anyone else on the field is probably best NOT looking up while I’m shooting.) and I can now stand with confidence against a mounted opponent. A combination of fancy footwork and my rapidly improving aim will usually find them ineffectively circling me while I take my time slipping arrows past their defences.
I have to be careful not to de-horse them however as conversely I don’t do anywhere near as well against the foe on foot! It’s more often than not one miss after another as they dodge their way over, followed by an early bath as they chop me to mincemeat! I do have an emergency ploy which sometimes works…. An arrow to the face when they drop their guard to hit me, will persuade many that it’s time for a little nap.
As to my good friend the lance? Ahhhh what a bitter sweet relationship we have shared. My early experiments with timing the left mouse button so that the lance thrust at just the right moment to do a little damage, left me of the opinion that this was a weapon best avoided, at least by me.
But my discovery among these very threads of the art of inflicting “Couched” (sp?) damage, has completely changed my mind! Unlike some on the boards who have a little trouble hitting the mark, I seem to have taken to it like the proverbial duck to water and finding myself thus kitted out at the start of the round is almost a guarantee of victory for Ivanhoe.
Of course the odd pesky archer can still dish out a dirt nap, but if you’re going to shoot that thing at me as I charge you?... You’d better make it count boy because you’re only getting the one chance!
So all in all then things in the arena are looking good. But while there’s no doubt that it’s made me madder, badder and more dangerous to know, I’d have to say that for some reason I still don’t seem to be able to translate this experience into reliable success on the field.
On the plus side, I finally decided to invest some of my hard earned cash (total bank 5000 “ish” so far) in an upgrade of headwear to something with a little chainmail flavour to it. This departure from the woollen hat serves a dual purpose, firstly in that it provides me with more protection to the old brainpan, and secondly (and perhaps more importantly) it saves me taking to the field looking as though I have a giant ill fitting novelty condom on my head! Though it’s true to say that pirates are still chopping me to pieces…. At least they’re not laughing quite so hard while they do it!
Being alone in the battle has seen me adopt dubious “sniping” tactics in my chosen battles against anywhere up to seven River Pirates.
From my starting position I will usually canter to the top of the nearest hill, dismount and wait in true cowardly fashion for the pirates to hove into view. Depending on how strung out their party is as it approaches, I’ll take down as many as I need to, to give myself a fair chance of encountering the others on a one “v” one basis, when I introduce them to my “Slavery Club.” (They join the slavery club see?….. I mean it’s a club, and after they meet it they end up being sold as sl…… oh never mind.)
This tactic cost me dearly on my first attempt though as I had failed to take into account the differences between bows and crossbows! Well is that my fault? There are no crossbows in the arena right? How was I to know?
My first mistake as letting the pirates get too close before starting to shoot, my forte with the bow being to utilise the “QOQ” approach.(Quantity Over Quality) and letting pure volume of delivery make up for my abysmal aim. Imagine then my surprise as after the first bolt flew past chuckling pirates to embed itself in a nearby tree, Ivanhoe proceeds to squat in a most unhurried fashion to RELOAD!! Definitely not the kind of thing you want to be doing when the first pirate reaches you, sporting a conspicuously “bolt free” jacket and poking you in the ribs with a rusty sabre!
Then to further compound this error, I decided that the best way out of the situation would be to launch myself back into the saddle and ride in amongst the swashbuckling scum, raining crossbowed death all about me from the advantaged position of height!
A deep frown crossed my forehead as I was blessed with the following message. “You cannot reload a crossbow on horseback” ……………… erm… Ah! This left me in the middle of a crowd of blade wielding buccaneers, armed with only my good looks and a smart line in witty banter! (oh how well art imitates life.) It’s surprising how derisive pirates can be toward phrases like, “maybe we can talk about this.. I could introduce you to my sister”, and far from “talking like civilised men” they seem far more inclined to jump straight into full “Hack n Slash” mode.
While sure that my combat will eventually improve, I decided in the interim to try a little trading, but my merchant career was ill fated and I found myself catching the attention of 17 “Vaegir Deserters” on my first trip out.
I’d just made a little money selling tools and had decided to pay a visit to the Salt Mines to stock up and make a little more on the return journey. So packed to the gills with salt I had begun the trip home, when the deserters gave chase.
Looking at the rate they were travelling at, a measly six point something, I knew they could never catch me with my sizzling speed of…… no, wait a minute, that’s not right. That’s not the pace I set on the way over here, THIS IS TOTAL BS! THIS IS……. Oh right… the salt!
As the Sneering Seventeen slowly gained on my fat badger behind I realised that this situation was going nowhere good. I had pumped virtually all the cash I had into buying the salt and now these yahoos were going to steal it! oh the pain..the pain!
Inevitably they caught me and politely requested I deliver unto them etc….. I tried my Jedi mind tricks, “This is not the salt you are looking for.” But it wasn’t to be and I had almost given up hope when I noticed another option. There was no need for violence when I could simply pay my way out of trouble!
Ivanhoe: “How much to look the other way and let me move along good sir?”
Deserters: “We’re not unreasonable men, we’ll let you go for 200.”
Ivanhoe: <Forces a nervous smile> I..erm.. don’t have 200 on me. (Pesky salt buying budget drinking trading malarkey!) Do you take plastic?”
Deserters: “Fraid not, but that’s ok since selling you as a slave will do nicely! Have at thee!”
Well I think I’ve monopolised enough of your time already, but I’d like to finish on two very quick questions.
1/ Is there a “bank” and I’m missing it? It seems highly unlikely that I would take to the field carrying my entire fortune in a money belt around my tubby waist. Particularly as at the moment even a passing squirrel stands a fairly good chance of taking it off me.
2/ I’m not artistically gifted enough to make this work, not to mention not knowing how to paste images on the net… But has anyone considered using the appearance morphing character creation tools in the game, to create the changing faces of Michael Jackson and post the results in the forum?
All the best
Badger
