AL Combat Tips

 5 Tips for Running Great Combat

 

The above links to a blog post regarding combat/Exchanges in AL. While somewhat relevant to me, it's also useful for player perspectives!

Episodes 9/10: The First Battle of Taku

 Shizaku, annoyed at the slow progress of the camp's help of his landspeeder invention, labors in his workshop. Bhaga comes in, and although rejects Shizaku's call for help because of camp resources, expresses worry that Captain Shan's Fire Nation army is heading east, which would slowly pincer them along with Okuru's western front.

Moshi, Jyoti, and Yina discuss the importance of Guru Tribhuvan's journals and the danger of trekking to the Western Air Temple. Moshi suggests sending a coded message, and falls back on his role as a protector of artifacts to convince Jyoti that the reliquary would actually be safer at the Misty Library along with Yina and his comrades.

Moshi shares the plan with the camp, and the decision is made to send Yina along with Jyoti and the reliquary to the Misty Library on Kou. But to do so would require distracting the Fire Nation enough to let the Air Nomad slip through. They decide to start some guerilla war tactics and combine with Layi's efforts in Taku proper to create enough of a hole that Commander Bozan and the army take no notice of Kou and his ride-share companions. Dharma, Moshi, and Toji move out to engage the edges of Bozan's force around Taku.

Meanwhile, in Taku, Layi attempts to rally the city to push back against the Fire Nation. Major Harano is thankful she and Jang Tae have managed to free some citizens (and capture some Fire Nation soldiers). They learn some of the enemy routes, but require more help engineering defenses. 

Layi goes to see Faohu, an old employee of Ba Sing Se Iron Technology, who could help shore defenses but his worried about his daughter, Thao Na. If Layi and Jang Tae can get Thao Na to the safety of this 'outside camp,' he'll step up to fight.

Before departing, Toji goes to see Shizaku and comforts him during his efforts, understanding the camp doesn't see his genius. Toji manages to find a couple camp members that can aide Shizaku to assist in the landspeeder's final development. With the help of these two helpers (Monoichi and Mononi), SHizaku begins putting the finishing touches on his Screaming Mongoose Lizard (named because he still hasn't worked out some kinks with the loud exhaust ports).

The three companions set out from Neila's camp, encountering a Fire Nation checkpoint at the dividing river. They avoid conflict there and instead use Dharma and Moshi's bending to build an earthen dam to cross which they can later use to sweep towards the checkpoint. They head to the Fire Nation camp, where Dharma enters to locate distraction points (supply caches that can be destroyed). They also see that the camp is mobilizing some troops around to the northern hill around the city, and after destroying these supply caches, the group goes to follow the Fire Nation soldiers.

They find that these troops are moving to intercept Layi and Jang Tae, escaping with Thao Na and a few other refugees. Layi sends them ahead with Jang Tae and the companions stay to fight off the soldiers.One of the groups is headed by Chuko, Layi's former militia member who betrayed the city. Layi engages her to settle the score.

During the fight, Dharma attempts to escape the conflict and lands in the middle of another group of Fire Nation soldiers in the city. He recalls dodging the Fire Nation before, seemingly trying to survive but...for what purpose? He's rescued by Toji and they rejoin Moshi to clean up the remaining soldiers immediately upon them.

Meanwhile, Layi berates Chuko for her betrayal, but Chuko explains she did it to save lives -- the Fire Nation would have been far more aggressive (as evidenced by the current siege and fight). Layi however gets Chuko to question the real goals of the Fire Nation and defeats Chuko. Chuko escapes, slinking back into the city but not into the Fire Nation's warm embrace.

Before more soldiers can arrive, Shizaku arrives on his screaming landspeeder, having picked up Jang Tae and the others. They load up and drive westward back to the camp.

At camp, the group welcomes the new refugees and plans their next moves.

Dharma and Layi intend to return to Taku and recruit Faohu and beleaguer the Fire Nation more. With the destroyed supply caches and increasing the citizen antagonism, they believe they can push the Fire Nation siege out.

Toji, Moshi, and Shizaku plan to go to Pohuai Depot and try to capture it as a supply port.To that end, Toji looks to interrogate their captured Fire Nation soldiers and gain an advantage.

The war continues....