[Mkguild] Air forces in MK

[Ryx]

I likely doubled a sentence in the above post when describing Lilith's aerial forces, the confusing one can be dropped without changing the gist of the statement.

I meant to say that there are two dominant types.  The first are big things that are slow and not particularly intelligent; they're brute force attackers intended to bear a foe down by sheer numbers (with the intended targets being things like gryphons and even dragons).  The second type are smaller, more nimble, and much faster - smartish dog sized things for harassing light ground forces or wolfpacking smaller aerial targets.  Then there are the intelligent forces that can fly:  Vamp-like things, quasi-demonic summonings and the like.  The vamps are rather limited do to their vulnerability in daylight (it effectively blinds them and is none to comfortable) and the demonics are rather fragile.  Lesser demonics like gargoyles mingle with the larger fliers and act as lieutenants, being of low average human intelligence.  Imps do the same with the smaller fliers - but are rather troublesome to control, themselves.


The fliers would not bother with Carcarak.

A - He's groundbound.
B - He's large, fast, and angry - And in the confines of an area of buildings or forest ill suited for dive-and-rake type attacks which are the sole things Lilith's air fighters could do.  They don't have the lifting strength for bombing with anything larger than a javelin (and they can carry one, or two - awkwardly).

C - Fliers are fragile and won't want to close with such a creature on the ground.  Gargoyles have enough brain to override their instinctive temerity when facing powerful grounders.  They might try to close with him, singly or in packs.  Despite being far more stout than the average flier they're no match for an enraged gladiator from Revonos' arena.

Even the vampires controlling them would understand the pointlessness of sending them in after Carcarak.  They would do what any intelligent, sly, evil creature would do - they make off with as many as they can control.  The things that would be found littering the remains of Lik would mostly be ground-bound foes.



On Friday, August 29, 2014 11:25 PM, christian okane <chrisokane at optimum.net> wrote:
 

>
>
>Ok. Time to add my own opinion. 
> 
> 
>   The Metamor air force (or whatever it can be called) is vaguely organized and does train as a unit but it is just not large enough to be anything other than a small group of many different species working together.
> 
>   As for the fliers in Lik. When Drift hits I'm thinking of an atomic bomb type result. That means for anything flying - three results.
> 
>1 ) Very close - simply blasted to pieces in mid-air.
>2) Further away but not far enough - smashed into the ground or some other obstacle like a bug on a windshield. They could wind up splattered against rocks, buildings or impaled on any surviving trees.
>3) A lot further away - knocked about, wounded and scattered to the 4 winds. The blast could literally toss the smaller lighter fliers miles away. All would be seriously freaked out and out of control. The B29 that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima actually rode out the blast but only because they had stripped it down to make it faster and it got far enough away.
> 
>Whatever the result none would be under anyone's control. Most would probably try and flee somewhere safe.
> 
>Chris
>The Lurking Fox
> 
> 
>From:mkguild-bounces at lists.integral.org [mailto:mkguild-bounces at lists.integral.org] On Behalf Of Hallan Mirayas
>Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 11:59 PM
>To: Metamor Keep
>Subject: Re: [Mkguild] Air forces in MK
> 
>Ryx, while I deeply appreciate the thought you've put into your reply, you have overanswered my question.  Admittedly, I probably should have phrased it as 'aerial forces' rather than 'air forces', which would throw somebody off if they didn't know I would capitalize Air Force if I meant an official aerial combat team.  No worries.  I drew the aerial forces of MK and Nasojassa from canon.
> 
>I never would have pictured a dragon or a griffon with a knight/archer on its back- how insane!  It would make equally as much sense to put such a rider on top of a jet fighter- the speeds and the air resistance make it impractical even if the flier could/would bear them.
> 
>This paragraph is more relevant to my needs, but it reads like there's a sentence missing:
>Lilith, of any force present in the mortal plane, is the only one who might maintain what might be considered an aerial corps.  [Something missing here?  What's about as smart as a draft horse?]  These, however, are large and about as smart as your average draft horse and their maneuverability is average at best.  The smaller, faster elements are extremely fragile - overlarge bats about the size of medium dogs.  All of these are controlled using mental dominance by vampire or other winged demonic types and are sent into chaos at the loss of those controllers (think of a pack of dogs loosed into a battle suddenly forgetting which side was which).
>
>If you could fill in that sentence, I would appreciate it.  I need to know what people suggest should be lying around impaled on splintered trees and slopes after Drift's return, or scattering madly to the four winds.
> 
>Hallan
> 
>
>________________________________
>
>Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 19:11:03 -0700
>From: sundansyr at yahoo.com
>Subject: Re: [Mkguild] Air forces in MK
>To: ian.jones at valpo.edu; jagille3 at vt.edu
>CC: hallanmirayas at hotmail.com; mkguild at lists.integral.org
>Ahhh yes, let me chime in:
> 
>There are no organized, recognized primary air forces in any kingdom, even (at the current) Metamor.
> 
>Dragons are prideful creatures* and would seldom suffer themselves to be used as mounts.  They may ferry friends, but not some random cavalier.  And they are also frightfully expensive to maintain and feed, so even the Lom dynasty does not maintain a fighting corps of them (that is not to say that they will not fight; they act as freelancers for the most part - when *they* feel like it).
>*Lom dragons are a more social, shorter lived, and less intelligent/magical variant of the mountain lords that might be found in Metamor's region.  Cursed dragons in Metamor tend to maintain a mortal lifespan (if incredibly long), but have less raw magic as a rule and are not as sage as true dragons.
> 
>Griffons, likewise, are expensive to feed and maintain and can only carry the smallest of riders.  Too small to be very effective in any sort of aerial engagement because they cannot mount anything larger than a shortbow.  Griffons/gryphons would rather battle without the encumbrance of a rider or tack.
> 
>Lilith, of any force present in the mortal plane, is the only one who might maintain what might be considered an aerial corps.  These, however, are large and about as smart as your average draft horse and their maneuverability is average at best.  The smaller, faster elements are extremely fragile - overlarge bats about the size of medium dogs.  All of these are controlled using mental dominance by vampire or other winged demonic types and are sent into chaos at the loss of those controllers (think of a pack of dogs loosed into a battle suddenly forgetting which side was which).
> 
>As for Metamor - the flight capable Keepers are a hugely eclectic assemblage that do not at the current time suit an organized air combat wing.  In time more avians will appear; sufficient to patrol Metamor's borders and man flight-accessable-only watch towers along the Giant Dikes (qv: The Ghost Horde).  Larger mythological fliers are even more rare (dragons, griffons, et al) and will likely never be directly engaged as a flight wing except under extremely limited circumstances.  Again, due to their rarity and maintenance demands.  Feathered Keepers and bats would be very fragile so not likely used as direct combatants in any case - though they could deliver communications to elements behind enemy lines and identify high value targets for elimination.  Those like Jessica could be truly devastating as being insanely mobile and capable of potent magic to harass or outright destroy enemy command/control/magic elements in the rear.
> 
>Ryx.
> 
>On Friday, August 29, 2014 7:14 PM, Ian Jones <ian.jones at valpo.edu> wrote:
> 
>>Keep in mind that Lom Shi'un, one of Lilith's great stronghold kingdoms, had a butt-ton of dragons in it.  And Draconians, which I think can also fly.
>> 
>>On Fri, Aug 29, 2014 at 7:23 PM, C. Matthias <jagille3 at vt.edu> wrote:
>>At 06:49 PM 8/29/2014, Hallan Mirayas wrote:
>>Metamor has dragons and griffins.  Nasoj has drakes (in my imagination, possibly dragons that have been captured and twisted by dark magic.)
>>
>>What would Lilith's army have for aerial troops?
>>
>>Brainstorm, people! :)
>> 
>>Really freaking large vampire bat monsters.
>>
>>May He bless you in His grace and love,
>>
>>Charles Matthias 
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