ATST Snippet #1

runsforcelery wrote:Guys —

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In the meantime, here is the first snippet.

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First time in my life that I actually squeed with joy.

CanoeSage wrote:Snip

First time in my life that I actually squeed with joy.

Were you squeeing when you tying?

Thirsk must be careful to hide his change in mood.

"Father, I prayed for a miracle, and it happened. The angels have left me with my memories but I am ready to serve."

The alternative of retiring to his estates is apparently not allowed.

Hello everybody!

Thank you RFC!

That was such a great snippet!

All the very best wishes to you and Sharon, that your health will continue to be better, that you will be able to write many more thousands of words for your fiendishly hungry fans.

L

Thank you DW!

Hi PeterZ,

I had started a draft over at the Thirsk conversation thread to point out a couple of errors while generally agreeing with your main points:

First, the City class ironclads weren't damaged or delayed by the Delthak fire, I infer from your most recent post you've already corrected your previous impression.

Second, that the Salthar-Silkiah Canal apparently has only 2 lock complexes, that are approximately a third of the way inland, initially being entirely sea water up to them, while the upper canal crossing the higher plateau being the only fresh water section, ie with all the dams and catch basins etc; having been built by Shan-Wei's terraformers before the colonists woke up. Thus the sea level lengths due to the limit of available fresh water puts a cap on the size of the ships and the amount of annual traffic.

This limit can be increased later by the addition of steam power for pumps and siphons besides more catch basins built with steam powered construction equipment that will also build a larger set of locks at each end.

However, given the evident size of the lock complexes [2 large sets at both ends], its hard to see how only two seijins even with OWLs combat servitors could capture both undamaged without the servitors etc being seen and accusations of demons and witchcraft being honestly leveled.

Thereby requiring more warm bodies being involved, ie scout-snipers as I've suggested in the past, possibly being supported by Nynian's organization from its holdings in Silkiah along the canal, via safe houses, transportation, besides accreditation or vouching by big powerful well known local ranches, plantations, industries and other businesses to provide the S-S with appropriate covers.

Regarding what Thirsk does with his free will, I suspect it might be the simplest to sortie to look for Baron Sarmouth, leaving Gorath City and Bay open to the King Haaralhd's, since they're not dependent on the wind and demonstrate their overwhelming and crushing superiority to the city and its coast defenses, so when they return they're confronted by a fait accompli; ie compelled to surrender to save the city from a horrible bombardment, but probably not before they see how the shipboard inquisitors swim with the krakens.

Ahlverez then takes control of the local army thanks to his veterans in the ranks, especially in the NCO backbone, while Nynian and Nahrmahn eliminate critically placed inquisitors as needed.

Interesting times indeed.

L

PeterZ wrote:

McGuiness wrote:So PeterZ, do you expect Thirsk to surrender his fleet in port, or will he obey the orders from Zion that I fully expect, to sally forth and stop the invading ICN fleet at all costs? If he refuses, which he'd have to do to be in Gorath to recommend surrender and use the fleet as a hammer against any officials who think he ought to be martyring the fleet at sea, he'd be committing mutiny.

snip

Let's consider Thirsk's duty and his conscience. He has admitted he believes Clyntahn is wrong but still has lingering doubts that the damage of fostering schism will exceed the damage of Clyntahn's excesses. I believe he will come down on surrendering but not joining active operations against the CoGA. He will neither support Clyntahn nor the Allies.

With that in mind, Thirsk will definitely surrender as soon as he sees the King Haraald's. He might test the Cities with his screw galleys, but he isn't so stupid to test the KH VIIs. In addition everyone is Dohlar will recognize the inevitable when they see those Charisian monsters.

Will that be mutiny? Maybe, but who cares at this point? Thirsk and Ahvarez are looking to salvage something.....anything at all. They will surrender and try to keep the Inquisitors out of Charisian hands. They surrender and Charis refrains from flattening other port cities. I believe that Gorath will burn as a reprisal for the tortured POWs. Perhaps Gorath survives but the ICN gains a naval base real close to Gorath instead.

If in addition to those concession Charis allows commerce to continue with South Harchong and only South Harchong, I believe everyone in Dohlar will recognize just how generous Cayleb and Sharley are being.

Thank you for the snippet and the update.

runsforcelery wrote:Guys —

<snip>

In the meantime, here is the first snippet.

<snip>

SQUEEEEE

Thank you for the response, Lyonheart. I had missed your posts.

I packed too many assumptions into my comments on the Delthak accident. My assumption was that EVERYTHING would be set back significantly except for production supporting the land campaign in Siddermark. All available resources beyond that would be used to repair the damage from the accident. Under that set of assumptions, the timing of just about any secondary offensive would be significantly delayed. While I may be wrong, I believe it is a wise working assumption until textev clarifies which offensives may have kept to their original timelines.

As for Silkiah, I believe in another post I celebrated the presence of Hektor in the Gulf of Dohlar theater. That places 3 Inner Circle members within striking range. Hektor leads some Corisandian ICA units in the assault on Salthar Bay, Nimue attacks Silkiah Bay and Merlin takes his Jahras Island scout snipers into the central plateau.

Yes indeed we are reading about some interesting times. I pray David has enough time to meet his timeline and deliver snippets.

Thanks for the snippet David..

Well, I did turn out right about the daughter sending along a letter... so humph, I get to feel smug

Sabre was mistaken with his comment up thread. Now the begging and groveling for snippets begins.

Don

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