Goblaurence did already mention that part of this plan hinges on the fact that the Gastonians don’t know they can’t do this again. Same way that the United States got Japan to surrender after bombing them with two nukes and leaving the threat of a more such bombs hanging in the air even though they were fresh out.
This is for one thing a huge blow to morale. Just about everyone on that blimp is pretty much dead either from the explosion or the incoming fall and it is in a very visible location which we can all assume the entire Gastonian army thought was entirely safe from this sort of casualty rate. The thing that must be running through every single person’s mind on the battlefield is fear from not knowing how the hell that happened and if it will happen again.
That said, a draw is reasonable, though it depends on what the terms of the battlefield are. The Gastonian’s are the defenders, since they are actually trying to hold the position of their fort and the World’s Rebellions are the attackers since they came right up and started this battle. Victory for the Gastonian’s probably means being able to hold their position while victory for the World’s Rebellion is either forcing them to retreat or to a lesser extent causing enough damage to stop any advance the Gastonian’s may have been planning.
notice that the structure that carries the hydrogen also has a visible frame it is not just a bag of hydrogen with a gondola suspended. The gondola is not suspended at all but is attached to the frame with framework not a harness , this is how the motors can be mounted on long struts away from the main body. Also note the rudder is mounted on a structure which is part of the back bone of this rigid air ship
No, I get that it’s a big bluff. Probably should’ve rethought the bit about them having played their hand.
Basically, I see Gastonia withdrawing to a defensive position and the Savage Races falling back. They don’t have the resources to take on the other airship, and as long as the other airship is still there it’s going to be rough to make any kind of headway.
The United States didn’t get Japan to surrender by dropping the bombs. Japan already was willing to capitulate a few days before, the bombs were merely dropped to scare the Russians.
Erm, the atomic bombs did encouraged Japan to capitulated, the acts showed the Emperor that there were no other option (other than ‘total annihilation’) now but to announce to the staff about accepting unconditional surrender. (which in turn made some hardliners attempt a failed coup attempt on Emperor)
I believe it’s uncertain. Japan was at least considering surrender before hand, but it wasn’t decided. The US made it certain with a couple of nukes, because they needed to test them on humans and buildings at some point, but I think the Soviet Union declaring war on Japan and the possibility of an invasion of Japan were also factors in the surrender.
As with most wars, it’s much more complex than it seems at first. I don’t think it was a simple as “nuclear warfare was the only way to end it”, but it wasn’t “lets nuke them just to see what happens”.
The Japanese wanted peace, certainly, but not at the cost of their empire–Japanese leadership was divided on several issues and several leaders wanted to hold out and get a deal that retained some of their WWII territorial gains. Meanwhile, the Allies wanted Japan to cede that territory as well as their pre-WWII protectorates like Korea and Taiwan. So there may have been a bargaining table setup bu t neither side was willing to actually cut a deal yet.
There was another factor: THe imperial Japanese propaganda had been too successful in convincing the Japanese people as a whole that they were invincible Samurai committed to death before dishonor. So successful that even after the nuclear weapons had clearly demonstrated futility, there was significant protests and thousands of ritual suicides over the surrender. Those bombings were needed to force the population to surrender, not the leadership.
In fact, it was bad enough that a group of junior officers actually attempted to capture or assassinate the Emperor himself in order to prevent the sacred emperor from dishonoring himself by surrendering.
If we had had to execute a ground invasion, there may not have been any Japanese people left. They were that fanatical.
Ok Rana, you’re looking pretty bad ass right now but ask yourself this: are you bad ass enough to retrieve a fallen wingman’s rocket pack (getting a quick patch from Goblaurence if needed) and go 2 for 2? Well, are you??
Geez. I just don’t get into this whole storyline. I don’t find this particular set of foes compelling at all.
Maybe I’m the only one but I wish these scrubs would die a quick death, including the ones the writers seems to have a fondness for (the gnoll, Goblaurence.)
But there are lots of webcomics in the world. We at least got a cameo from Rendar in this though.
Aye, Rendar the Renderer. You actually see him when the warships first decloak. Probably directly responsible for the upgrades to the original designs too. Better hope he had the foresight to stash his phosphorus glider somewhere.
True enough, but you can poke little holes in an airship’s envelope all day and it won’t go down, possibly hours later, but not in a tactical timeframe. Shooting down Zeppelins was actually one of the more difficult things for Allied aircraft during the Great War. Even full of hydrogen, it’s not easy to set them on fire. Partially because Hydrogen simply drifts off into space once it leaks, and the early dopants weren’t as flammable as the high tech coatings on the Hindenburg. Artillery, bombs, and whole belts full of the hottest incendiary tracer ammo available were the best bets, and they weren’t guaranteed.
Also, most Impact-trigger explosive devices (rockets etc.) do not trigger when they hit the hull, because the force of the impact is so small. They will go right trough on the other end. And the fact that some airships have succesfully retreated with as much as a third of their helium/hydrogen missing, as well as the resilience of the bigger ones against bad weather, should underline it.
Yeah, that’s like the second thing that happens right after you launch a dirigible. (The first is someone calling it a “blimp” even if you stick half a dozen propellers and a huge rudder on it.)
I see Auraugu, Bandit, Magda, and Fr’nj have challenged each other to the traditional pushup contest to decide the fates of their teams…
…And boom goes the dynamite.
Excellent gravatar quote combo, my fellow twitch frowner.
Beat me to it :-)
@Robtimus your avi is just what you needed to hit the damn ship and get away.
Allofasudden, I’m hungry for a hamburger made from beef hindquarters – a HINDENBURGER
Too soon!
Funny, I think I can smell one cooking.
You get those at Blimpies, right?
Did Magda trip? It really looks like she tripped.
Rana missed a great opportunity to say “Fire in the hole!” but then I guess he’s not the most verbal type.
He likes his words to have gravitas.
Also, falling off the very front of the blimp – NOOOO! PATRICK! SPONGEBOB, STRETCH OUT AND BREAK HIS FALL!
Well, if the airship crew doesn’t learn how to fly quickly, they’ll be forced to learn how to land softly…Or die trying.
Dang guess bad guys win this round. Shame did wanna see Peace versus rebels straight up fight
How did they win? At best they’re going to convince the other airship to fall back into a defensive position, and now they’ve played their hand.
Really, this is probably going to end in a draw.
Goblaurence did already mention that part of this plan hinges on the fact that the Gastonians don’t know they can’t do this again. Same way that the United States got Japan to surrender after bombing them with two nukes and leaving the threat of a more such bombs hanging in the air even though they were fresh out.
This is for one thing a huge blow to morale. Just about everyone on that blimp is pretty much dead either from the explosion or the incoming fall and it is in a very visible location which we can all assume the entire Gastonian army thought was entirely safe from this sort of casualty rate. The thing that must be running through every single person’s mind on the battlefield is fear from not knowing how the hell that happened and if it will happen again.
That said, a draw is reasonable, though it depends on what the terms of the battlefield are. The Gastonian’s are the defenders, since they are actually trying to hold the position of their fort and the World’s Rebellions are the attackers since they came right up and started this battle. Victory for the Gastonian’s probably means being able to hold their position while victory for the World’s Rebellion is either forcing them to retreat or to a lesser extent causing enough damage to stop any advance the Gastonian’s may have been planning.
dirigible not blimp
How dare you, my mother was a dirigible.
Like mother, like son.
I believe the correct term is rigid airship.
So, a rigidible? :)
With enough viagra, sure.
It’s a blimp, note the harness that is used to suspend the gondola from the bag.
notice that the structure that carries the hydrogen also has a visible frame it is not just a bag of hydrogen with a gondola suspended. The gondola is not suspended at all but is attached to the frame with framework not a harness , this is how the motors can be mounted on long struts away from the main body. Also note the rudder is mounted on a structure which is part of the back bone of this rigid air ship
dirigible=zeppelin=rigid air ship. not a blimp
No, I get that it’s a big bluff. Probably should’ve rethought the bit about them having played their hand.
Basically, I see Gastonia withdrawing to a defensive position and the Savage Races falling back. They don’t have the resources to take on the other airship, and as long as the other airship is still there it’s going to be rough to make any kind of headway.
The United States didn’t get Japan to surrender by dropping the bombs. Japan already was willing to capitulate a few days before, the bombs were merely dropped to scare the Russians.
Erm, the atomic bombs did encouraged Japan to capitulated, the acts showed the Emperor that there were no other option (other than ‘total annihilation’) now but to announce to the staff about accepting unconditional surrender. (which in turn made some hardliners attempt a failed coup attempt on Emperor)
I believe it’s uncertain. Japan was at least considering surrender before hand, but it wasn’t decided. The US made it certain with a couple of nukes, because they needed to test them on humans and buildings at some point, but I think the Soviet Union declaring war on Japan and the possibility of an invasion of Japan were also factors in the surrender.
As with most wars, it’s much more complex than it seems at first. I don’t think it was a simple as “nuclear warfare was the only way to end it”, but it wasn’t “lets nuke them just to see what happens”.
The Japanese wanted peace, certainly, but not at the cost of their empire–Japanese leadership was divided on several issues and several leaders wanted to hold out and get a deal that retained some of their WWII territorial gains. Meanwhile, the Allies wanted Japan to cede that territory as well as their pre-WWII protectorates like Korea and Taiwan. So there may have been a bargaining table setup bu t neither side was willing to actually cut a deal yet.
There was another factor: THe imperial Japanese propaganda had been too successful in convincing the Japanese people as a whole that they were invincible Samurai committed to death before dishonor. So successful that even after the nuclear weapons had clearly demonstrated futility, there was significant protests and thousands of ritual suicides over the surrender. Those bombings were needed to force the population to surrender, not the leadership.
In fact, it was bad enough that a group of junior officers actually attempted to capture or assassinate the Emperor himself in order to prevent the sacred emperor from dishonoring himself by surrendering.
If we had had to execute a ground invasion, there may not have been any Japanese people left. They were that fanatical.
Not to forget, there were some Imperial Japanese soldiers found decades later still fighting (or willing to fight)
Hopefully the Gastonians won’t blow things out of proportion….
Could it be that someone forgot adding the feathered fury that is the one, the only, THE RANA to the tags?
Because he’s clearly flying up there on the lower left.
BOOSH
But not the Mighty.
The falling debris will certainly make for an interesting battle
Champion of the Fuzzy Peoples is out of the fight… so many sticks to fetch!
Ok Rana, you’re looking pretty bad ass right now but ask yourself this: are you bad ass enough to retrieve a fallen wingman’s rocket pack (getting a quick patch from Goblaurence if needed) and go 2 for 2? Well, are you??
The ship has hit the fan…
If you consider yourself to be a fan of this comic, you’d better look up! Right NOW!
Oh, the humanity!
…or whatever you call this loose federation of humans, gnomes and various types of elves…
Missile/Zepplin OTP
Welp. Time to invent the parachute.
Makes you wonder if the Sky Elves are ever going to drop by.
There are certainly elves dropping.
Aren’t they already on the other airships? I thought that’s where the magic missiles were coming from.
look up what do you see?
Hydrogen or Helium? Discuss.
Can’t be helium, it’s clearly burning. Unless Goblaurence jury-rigged some sort of nuclear rocket?
The blimp is a mass of incandescent gas
A gigantic nuclear furnace
Where hydrogen is built into helium
At a temperature of millions of degrees.
It is the Lembas burning. That stuff is like 99% butter.
Its actually a sack of wind powered by all the Gastonian noble families’ hot air. Powered by politics!
… um, nuclear fission rocket, I should say? Whatever could start a chain reaction of noble gas.
I now so ship that rocket/airship pairing. Their relationship is the hottest out there.
Oh, the humanity
Also, the elvenity and gnomenity.
AND DO NOT FORGET ABOUT THE FUZZY-PEOPLEITY, THE SHARKITEY, THE TROLLITEY, AND THE GOBLINITEY.
OH THE HUMANITY!
Will somebody think of the children!?
They did, kids love balloons and fireworks.
This is what you get for not having a flying protagonist.
I knew Rachel should have taken the Flying Nun prestige class.
Geez. I just don’t get into this whole storyline. I don’t find this particular set of foes compelling at all.
Maybe I’m the only one but I wish these scrubs would die a quick death, including the ones the writers seems to have a fondness for (the gnoll, Goblaurence.)
But there are lots of webcomics in the world. We at least got a cameo from Rendar in this though.
You are right! You are.
F*** YEAH, GOBLAURENCE!
Hang on… I am allowed to cheer for their side, yes?
A + B + Select + Up Arrow + A + B
*wait turn*
So who is the guy in the left binocular panel? I don’t know him at all.
from the tag, i think thats rendar. i forgot his name too. but he first appeared with the adventurers guild group. hes a mechanical engineer.
upon closer inspection, he appears to be piloting the second airship
Judging from the goggles, the levers and the general direction he’s looking, I assume he’s the pilot of the second dirigible.
Aye, Rendar the Renderer. You actually see him when the warships first decloak. Probably directly responsible for the upgrades to the original designs too. Better hope he had the foresight to stash his phosphorus glider somewhere.
Serves ’em right. They should have known this is bound to happen once you start building zeppelins.
Put a giant balloon over the battlefield, first thing that people will do is try to shoot it down…
True, the irresistible urge to pop balloons dates exactly as far back as balloons.
True enough, but you can poke little holes in an airship’s envelope all day and it won’t go down, possibly hours later, but not in a tactical timeframe. Shooting down Zeppelins was actually one of the more difficult things for Allied aircraft during the Great War. Even full of hydrogen, it’s not easy to set them on fire. Partially because Hydrogen simply drifts off into space once it leaks, and the early dopants weren’t as flammable as the high tech coatings on the Hindenburg. Artillery, bombs, and whole belts full of the hottest incendiary tracer ammo available were the best bets, and they weren’t guaranteed.
Also, most Impact-trigger explosive devices (rockets etc.) do not trigger when they hit the hull, because the force of the impact is so small. They will go right trough on the other end. And the fact that some airships have succesfully retreated with as much as a third of their helium/hydrogen missing, as well as the resilience of the bigger ones against bad weather, should underline it.
Yeah, that’s like the second thing that happens right after you launch a dirigible. (The first is someone calling it a “blimp” even if you stick half a dozen propellers and a huge rudder on it.)
Oh hey, it’s Rendar, that guy that’s there sometimes…
To think, this could have been prevented if only they scattered shiny, shiny chaff when they first sighted the Avians …
Somehow I can Jimmy Page playing the intro to “Heartbreaker”
… is that airship still full of bombs?
Cool Birds don’t look back at explosions.
Am I the only one disappointed that the mouseover text wasn’t “Look! Up in the sky!” ?
Sorry, this should have been on the next day’s comic…
Gasptonia :o
The artwork on this page is phenomenal. It’s so moving, that I actually feel guilty complimenting it.
I keep trying to think of ways to rescue everyone aboard.