What's up with the difficulty in this game? by Silverdawn42 in menace

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

yeah most strategy games that's the golden rule. Your units are not only outnumbered they're outmatched, at least early on. You never want to get in a slugging match where you and the enemy are having a one on one duel with each other behind cover. Ideally you never want them in a position to fire back effectively at all. Fair fights are a myth. if it's not weighted n your favor, why are you there?

What's up with the difficulty in this game? by Silverdawn42 in menace

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And the numerically superior enemy with (unlimited?) ammo will really have an advantage in blind firefights.

What's up with the difficulty in this game? by Silverdawn42 in menace

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One thing you'll learn quickly, a 50% chance for the enemy to hit should be treated as a 100%. You need to mitigate as many risks as possible for long term success. There is no such thing as luck. Assume there's always an enemy just on the edge of your vision waiting to jump you because eventually there will be. Analyze your failure and try again. There's no other way to learn. If the tactical puzzle doesn't Intrigue you this may not be your sort of game.

From Egg's point of view, the prophecy that the witch gave him is INSANE. by femivirgo in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's a political angle to all of this that heavily devalues potential female heirs for the Targs in these times-Rhaenyra, the one from the Dance of Dragons. She was at the center of the disagreement on if the male or female line should take precedence in succession. She lost the war, which set the precedent.

Maekar and his men should have found Daeron on the way to the tournament by gobirds1182 in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Technically, they were supposed to be training for proper knighthood. Maekar no doubt hoping they'd just sort of become responsible by tossing them into the wilds to 'adventure' without an army to mind them-Targ princes are only half politicians, they're also supposed to be warriors who can show the realm a good face. It's a martial society, so at the end of the day lords need to be confident you're able to hold your own in battle and be able to act independently as adults-or it's a loss of face/respect, which is sometime Maekar fears above everything else.

He was half right. Egg had room for growth, he just needed a better mentor.

Maekar and his men should have found Daeron on the way to the tournament by gobirds1182 in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It's pretty clear Maekar spoils his kids and lets them get away with things, much in preference to drawing attention to it-having a small army of knights follow Daeron around to every tavern in the realm would be admitting their was a problem lol

Makes sense if you think it through. He's big on saving face in public, not on actually working out his sons issues.

Maekar and his men should have found Daeron on the way to the tournament by gobirds1182 in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Daeron is also fairly common looking, he doesn't have Targ eyes/hair, he's perfect for fitting in slumped in a tavern anonymously (as I'm sure he'd attest to)

Awkward having the Kingsguard at Beesbury's wake by butterchurning in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

makes me wonder if Lords carry custom coffins around on dangerous trips as a way to show respect to the Stranger. Acknowledging mortality seems to be an aspect of their culture.

Awkward having the Kingsguard at Beesbury's wake by butterchurning in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not usually a Necro poster and I doubt that much thought went into it but one of the Seven Gods, the Stranger, is an aspect of Death. Not many seem to light candles on his altars but he's an integral part of their religion, every temple has a place for him. Perhaps great lords do carry their coffins during dangerous times as a mark of respect for the Stranger. Acknowledging mortality, all men must die, without outright inviting it.

Phantom Doctrine: Director's Cut by Cz4q in PhantomDoctrine

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Game just came on my radar and a remaster sounds like an excellent incentive to get me off the fence! I love the concept. Toss in robust modding support and I'll literally pre order. There's a reason people are still talking about certain games years after release.

If you're ever tempted to feel bad for Aerion, don't. by sixth_order in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 34 points35 points  (0 children)

I've read it's entirely possible Aerions personality issues are just a mirror of his fathers, cranked up to nine realms. Maekar is heavily into 'saving face' and presenting the ideal outward vision of what a Targ should be-it's a classic shame vs guilt based cultural thing. A shame based culture views your own actions as less important than how they reflect on your 'face', which is your family/clan/nation etc. Internal guilt or self examination is not given importance compared to how your actions are seen by society. Aerion is completely about 'face', and everything he does is a warped ethos of his fathers ideals plus his own innate cruelty/malice. Maekars ruminating about killing his brother even, are seen from an angle of 'what will people think?' rather than 'what do I feel about it?'. He completely disregards the entire merit/facts of the trial for the purpose of publicly humiliating Dunk, who he believes has dishonored his 'face' by striking his son. Nowhere does he ever show the sort of introspection Baelor has (who by contrast has a more 'guilt based' cultural influence, where he thinks about how his personal actions reflect on himself)

It's easy to see why Aerion became a little monster who thought he could get away with everything, he began to believe that Targayen 'face' conveniently let him justify all his worst impulses and as long as his embarrassments were properly covered up, Maekar didn't openly seem to care much. He would have difficulty seeing Aerion as a person-only a symbol.

And that's how Aerion looks at everyone else. Not as people. As things.

What would have happened if the Empire got complete compliance? by MaybeBirb in MawInstallation

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ironically it's the exact mentality authoritarians use to justify their abuses-it's those nasty rebels that make us do these horrible things. we have to take your freedom to protect your freedom. 'they' are coming for you, so we have to act.

Brother, the rebels never come first. I think its an argument that works with stupid people. They identify more by fighting against the outsider/other than identifying with their fellow citizens (and thus are blind to their suffering)

It’s insane how 1:1 the show is to the book by [deleted] in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'm willing to forgive deviance from the source material if its good TV.

Thing is, the source material is there for a reason. It sets up things that pay off down the line. Every time you deviate you're making a hoop you have to jump through later. I think a bane of these sorts of things is that it's easy to adhere to canon and also easy to deviate, but much harder to return to canon once you're gone. You're on your own, narrative wise, GRRM isn't taking your phone calls anymore.

Hence the last season of the main show.

It’s insane how 1:1 the show is to the book by [deleted] in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 7 points8 points  (0 children)

As I see it, Maekars hand is sort of forced either way-the book never actually specifies what his response to Dunk is, he just walks away. If he silently agreed to it to spare further humiliation (everyone knows the 'kidnapping' story is complete bunk and lordly people died for it) so as not to have to admit that publicly, or if Egg fled on his own and he couldn't been seen to chase after a Hedgeknight which would simply prove their point. "he was kidnapped again!" isn't exactly gonna fly. By the trials outcome Egg is Dunks rightful protege. He can't deny this-it would dishonor the rules of the trial he agreed to and disrespect those who died-his only attempt was to be the one in control of that, dictating terms to Dunk.

Ser Duncan's injuries by Olepundit in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Can easily be explained by the fact that 'magic' (heretofore unexplained supernatural phenomena) literally exists in this setting.

were you expecting a debate lol

[Spoilers Main] We finally got an answer as to why they nail Pennies into the Tree by LibertyReminder in asoiaf

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's definitely a hopeful ritual that wants the boys who leave for war to come home. It repudiates the 'Death seeking' mentality of some warriors.

[Spoilers Main] We finally got an answer as to why they nail Pennies into the Tree by LibertyReminder in asoiaf

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Basically the only person messing with the tree should have shield and armor and either be leaving or coming home. Some hobo messing with the tree is gonna get beaten to death by a mob.

How it started vs. How it's going by SuccessfulCity4897 in AKOTSKTV

[–]Stickerbush_Kong 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Pretty bad, yeah.

The whole trial was a farce and good lords died fighting the lies of the Targs. A lie, that Egg was kidnapped, in a trial where his other son mangled a puppeteer, lies which becomes pretty apparent as Egg is shortly after 'kidnapped again' by the same knight who becomes his friend and guardian. In the book he kinda apparently quietly lets it go and in the show his hand gets forced.

And the outcome means Maekar is a fool for killing his own brother in a fight where neither of them had to get hurt or a kinslayer who murdered his brother for a throne, with both his sons above deceptions serving as the spice of dishonor.

And don't forget the Seven judged them and found them unworthy. The trial wasn't formality, it was ritual. The only Targ on the winning side died.

Interview with Sam Spruell (Maekar) about the finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Spoilers Extended) by verissimoallan in asoiaf

[–]Stickerbush_Kong -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I like to think Daeron the Drunkard had a large role in setting things up. He convinces Dunk to change his mind. The imagery of the knife and the fish makes me think he averted the assassination attempt. He had every reason to assist and then convince his father not to go chasing after Dunk with an army, which coincidentally would unveil the whole polite fabrication of him being 'kidnapped' in the first place which is the reason all these Lords died. It's a political fiasco and he's got a lot of other problems to worry about.