In post 734, Ythan wrote:(On second thought if you should decide during my absence to hammer me please wait as close to the deadline as you can, it will be after five that I get off.)
This was important. But I guess you had a clear so he must be town.
Before the execution Dax received a report from the artillery officer. This report was never entered into the court. Holding this report tightly in his hand a somber Dax walked among the dark corrodors of the chateau to confront General Broulard.
Broulard met him cordially and poured him a drink.
"Thank you sir but I must confess this is not entirely a social visit."
"Oh come Dax, lets not go over all that nasty court business again. Though, judging from reports of enemy casualities the efforts of your regiment must have been considerable."
"Knowing that how can you allow these men to be shot?"
"Oh come Colonel. You're choosing to take a rather simple view of this thing."
"The attack was impossible from the start. The General Staff must have known that."
Broulard sipped his whiskey carefully.
"Colonel Dax, we think we at the General Staff are doing a good job running the war. We are subject to all kinds of unfair pressures from newspapers and politicians. Maybe the attack against the Anthill was impossible. Perhaps it was an error of judgment on our part. On the other hand, if your men had been a little more daring, they might have taken it. Who knows? In any case why should we have to bear any more criticism for failure than we have to. Aside from the inescapable fact that a good many of your men never left the trenches...and there's the question of the troop's morale."
"The troop's morale?"
"Certainly. These executions will be a perfect tonic for the entire division. There few things more fundamentally encouraging and stimulating than seeing someone else die."
"Well sir I've never thought of that.."
"You see Dax troops are like children. Just as a child wants his father to be firm, troops crave discipline."
"I see."
"And one way to maintain discipline is to shoot a man now and then."
Dax sighed.
"May I ask...do you sincerely believe all the things you just said?"
The General did not seem pleased.
"Its been a pleasure discussing this with you Colonel but I'm afraid I must get back to my guests." He opened the door to let Dax out.
"Oh, by the way sir, have you heard that General Mireau ordered his artillery commander to open fire on his own men's positions during the attack? The commander refused this command without a written order. The General persisted and gave the order again. This happened multiple times...and all in front of witnesses." Broulard slammed the door shut just as quick as he opened it.
"Do you actually believe this fantastic story?"
"Here are copies of the sworn statements from all the men involved..." He handed over his report.
"Whats this got to do with the case, Dax?"
"A General in a tantrum over the failure of an impossible attack orders his artillery to fire on his own men. Now, this same officer on the same day orders a court-martial in which three of his men are sentenced to be shot. General, what would your, uh, newspapers and your politicians do with that?
* * *
Fast forward to after the execution. Broulard and Mireau were having breakfast together. Colonel Dax walked in.
"You wanted to see me General?"
"Oh yes! Colonel come in come in." Broulard waved him in.
"Colonel Dax. Your men died very well." Mireau chimed.
"Would you like some coffee, Colonel?"
"No thank you, sir."
Broulard, in a jovial manner while buttering a croissant, spoke to Colonel Dax:
"Oh, by the way Ethan, you and your men are to be sent back to the line. You are to attempt to take the Anthill again."
"What...?"
Broulard and Mireau smiled at each other.
A look of realization dawned on Dax's face.
"Oh, I see."
"Gentlemen."
Dax saluted and left them promptly. He and his men had a little time before they had to get back to the trenches. He walked in on rather rowdy gathering in a local pub...
i think as the setup is it's fairly scumsided - most of the PRs are downright useless for town if not pro scum, aside from the jailkeeper which is pretty powerful but got clipped by the command mechanics, and then there's the risk of the second scum wincon. i do think it's an interesting gimmick that i'd like to see in a slightly larger game, but with some stronger PRs.
by the by i didnt realize you had submitted an action to tim in a pm so i submitted that one just to make sure we had one. in hindsight i agree that you were a much better candidate to perform the kill but i was thinking about erring on the side of protecting the player with a better standing in the town. and then you didnt object or say anything about it :<
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yeah i know i was like w/e when i saw it but i really should have overrode except maybe it worked out better this way by forcing the JK out early? i'm just a dumb lucky bastard
well he was dead if you had sent it and i would have been cleared as not killer that night to av so its def the inferior choice if you look at it in just that context but it all worked out man : ]
i was rly sweatin 4 u for a second tho :x
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