ZOMBIE FORUMS

Every time a catgirl dies, god kills a catgirl.

The only reason they still exist is that there is a bit of a time delay and they breed like fuck.

Hmmm . . . nope. The point of view, when Warrel was facing away from Jon and about to spear Sarine, had Sarine's head to his right. When he half-turned to block the bullet, he presented his left side to Sarine. She had her duress filber in her right hand when we last saw her, edge opposite her wrist.

My guess would be that she is pushing herself off the ground with her left hand and taking a backhand swing upward with her right. Depending on whether she has a spinal injury or not, her legs could be straight back or pulled up under her. In either case, Sarine's as strong as an ox and the blade will cut anything, so that awkward swing slices through Warrel's body in just the fashion illustrated.

On another note, the shadows across Jon's face in the lower panel suggest that he morphed into The Crow in between panels. Puzzling only because I've never read that comic and it shouldn't be the first thing that pops into my head.

People die when they are killed. -Emiya Shirou

That's a very intuitive quote you have there.

Ensigerum = doberman?
works for me.

Ensigerum = doberman?
works for me.

Based on my reading of the angles, Red Shirt Warrel is likely going to have a spinal severe spinal injury in about one second. At the moment his upper lung, a few major blood vessels, and his windpupe are now severed. Also is right arm has been severed, and his right shoulder is about to be seperated from the rest of his body also.

I suppose he could "do the time warp again" off Sarine's blade and save his spine. Unfortunatly, I doubt even a time warping monk would have much time left with no blood returning to his heart but filling his lungs instead.

*Actually the law of relativity basicly states Warrel is dead. After all, even if he accelerates he still has the same amount of time within his 'time frame' to save himself.

Based on my reading of the angles, Red Shirt Warrel is likely going to have a spinal severe spinal injury in about one second. At the moment his upper lung, a few major blood vessels, and his windpupe are now severed. Also is right arm has been severed, and his right shoulder is about to be seperated from the rest of his body also.

I suppose he could "do the time warp again" off Sarine's blade and save his spine. Unfortunatly, I doubt even a time warping monk would have much time left with no blood returning to his heart but filling his lungs instead.

*Actually the law of relativity basicly states Warrel is dead. After all, even if he accelerates he still has the same amount of time within his 'time frame' to save himself.

*watches with interest as yet another catgirl bites the bullet*

Alcona and Hubris, killing catgirls since 1994....

edit: Technically 12 catgirls have died during this thread...(Too much physics people! Too much Physics! Now stop killing catgirls and be nice )

Yeah, I'm starting to think the Ensigerum is only at its best when they have the advantage of surprise or during one on one combat. Well, besides Imperatrix who practices against groups. Either way, I think whatever they do takes a LOT of focus so they're at their worst when they are either distracted or don't expect something coming.

As far as Sara, either she is
a) having some sort of internal struggle that's slowing her down
b) still a n00b in the Ensigerum and isn't as good as I thought (although she probably has a LOT of promise)

It's a <i>double</i> double post. You don't see that every day!

I think you're reading the motion of the blade backwards. Look at the motion lines from the tip of Sarine's sword down toward the lower right of the panel. Now reverse that motion. Also not the gash in Warrel's shirt running parallel to it. Sarine cut up and across from Warrel's left arm, across his torso (including spine), and is about the exit his body through his right shoulder.

Note that Sarine's Alpha-strike from out of blade-range with total tactical surprise was one of the least effective moves of the fight. And Warrel certainly made enough cuts to kill off an entire squad. Numbers and tactical variables might not be all that decisive. Nah, I'm converting to and advocating the viewpoint that Sarine and Jon burned up all outstanding Karma from 3030-odd cumulative years of nice-guy assassin behavior. Highest attainable skill in their chosen vocation causing them to be in a position to benefit from a massive windfall of luck. Non-duplicatable feat given identical or even improved conditions.

What? I've understood every post except this..

Then you must further hone your geekenese.

In a nutshell, both Jon AND Sarine rolled a natural 20, while Warrel and Sara rolled a natural 1.

At the same time.

Astronomical odds of reoccurance, even given improved odds to Jon and Sarine.

Ok then...

Alpha-Strike: Call it an all-out attack. There's more to it, but Errant Story doesn't have giant robots anyway. Tsuiraku seem to field military golems, but the one we've seen was only 10 feet tall, tops. Heck, probably wasn't even ferro-fibrous.

Tactical Surprise (Total): She caught them with their pants down. Flat-footed... damn, I'm going to have to write up another one of these, aren't I?

Numbers and tactical variables: Either having more people to try to kill monks with, or starting in a really, really good situation when you try to kill monks.

Karma: In this context, the belief that providence is finite and alotted to people based on their actions.

Highest attainable skill in their chosen vocation: A person being as good as it is possible to get at their job. For Jon and Sarine, their jobs are to go around killing people. They are very, very good at this.

To be in a position to benefit from a massive windfall of luck: Robert Heinlien wrote in his novel "Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" that cases of good luck are essentially when skilled, prepared people by virtue of being skilled and prepared are able to capitalize on extraordinary circumstances. In this case, Jon was able to survive Warrel's initial attack and brainstorm effective tactics used later in the fight due to Warrel's extraordinary constraint of not being able to kill Jon, only subdue him. Sarine was able to overcome massive injuries and make a decisive strike during a fleeting moment of oppurtunity due to Warrel's inability to see her as a dangerous opponent to be killed quickly, instead seeing her appaerently as a co-participant in an extended snuff-scene.

Non-duplicatable feat given identical or even improved conditions: Nine times out of ten, given the exact same set-up, it won't play out how it just did. Heck, ten times out of ten. Even if you add people to the side fighting the monks, or give them a better starting situation.

It's not a total tactical surprise when someone warns them.

But, minor points aside, I agree that luck had a lot to do with it. Just not all luck. I think they have their minor flaws.