Blackmore 4(04): Difference between revisions
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<br><Rolfe> That's a difficult one. I'd say its a tie between killing the [http://iamscott.net/1282252645793.html TKer], making [[User:Justinbronze| Justinbronze]] shit his pants, and combat reviving some of the RRF top brass. | <br><Rolfe> That's a difficult one. I'd say its a tie between killing the [http://iamscott.net/1282252645793.html TKer], making [[User:Justinbronze| Justinbronze]] shit his pants, and combat reviving some of the RRF top brass. | ||
<br>'''<Red> Such as?''' | <br>'''<Red> Such as?''' | ||
<br><Rolfe> [[User: | <br><Rolfe> [[User:Irishmen| Irishmen]], the leader of the Constables, [[User:Michael_Barnaby| Michael Barnaby]], one of the leaders of Team America, and the big cheese himself [[User:Globule13| Globule]] | ||
<br>'''<Red> What was your impression of the RRF as opponents?''' | <br>'''<Red> What was your impression of the RRF as opponents?''' | ||
<br><Rolfe> I thought the RRF were extremely worthy opponents. They're the oldest horde still active, and the biggest. They didn't let up for a second. | <br><Rolfe> I thought the RRF were extremely worthy opponents. They're the oldest horde still active, and the biggest. They didn't let up for a second. | ||
Revision as of 21:27, 2 September 2010
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| Battle of Blackmore | |
|---|---|
| Date | August 19th, 2010 - August 31st, 2010 |
| Place | Ridleybank, in and around the Blackmore Building |
| Result | Zombies overwhelmed survivors after 13 days of fighting |
The generator is already running perfectly.
-The rallying cry of many a 404'er.
We won't be signing off until the world ends. We'll be on, and we will cover the end of the world, live, and that will be our last event... and when the end of the world comes, we'll play 'Nearer, My God, to Thee' before we sign off.
-Ted Turner, on the events in Blackmore
When it takes the entire RRF to take you down, you know you've done well.
-ADK, a 404'er, on the event
Blackmore 4(04) Was a major siege that took place from August 19, 2010 to August 31, 2010, almost four years to the day after the original Battle of Blackmore. It began with an alleged "failed Pinata" by the group 404: Barhah not found, and quickly spiraled into a major conflict between various survivor groups, the Ridleybank Resistance Front, and the Feral Undead. It ended after thirteen days on August 31 when a joint strike by several RRF strike teams finally established a foothold and overpowered the survivor resistance.
Overview
Prologue
You people are all insane.
-tyl112, CORAM member, after a mass combat revive.
We're not insane, we're 404.
-Rolfe Steiner, 404 member, in response to the above.
On the 9th of August, 2010, the (in)famous survivor group 404: Barhah not found wandered into Ridleybank, with plans to test a "new tactic." They slowly built up numbers until the 14th, when they began working suicide repairs. during this time 404 experienced little resistance, and by the 18th had most of the suburb repaired or at low repair costs.
Unfortunately, during this time period JustinBronze began publicizing 'Project Operation Let's Not Get Our Asses Kicked," an ill fated venture into Ridleybank to retake the Blackmore.
Fearing that the publicity that this event would draw, 404 decided to move on after one last shenanigan: Pinata'ing the Blackmore. (Un)fortunately, an accidental FAK ruined the plans to pinata the building and, rather than try again, 404 decided to stick it out and see how long they could last. This was the 19th of August.
The Early Days
I reckon we'll last one day.
-Little Chris, 404, every single day from the 19th onwards.
By the 21st, the Constables showed up to evict the unwelcome visitors and were promptly revived. Both sides traded a few curt words before the Constables swan dived onto the pavement. The survivors, who now included a few members of The Order of the Black Rose, Soldiers of Crossman, and The Big Prick, began to wonder if something was brewing, and began looking for backup.
On the 22nd, the Constables tightened their attack, and breached the barricades several times. They were repelled after several close calls.
The survivors celebrated their 100th hour in Blackmore with a game of traditional 404 "Naked Twister."
The Celebration
This is the oddest siege I can recall being at.
-Alyson Jenkins
On the 24th, survivors began filing into the building and finally outnumbered zombies, 36-32. By the 25th, the survivor numbers had swelled to around 50, and, by the time the date rolled over to August 26th, over 100 survivors were inside. This news was overshadowed, however, by the appearance of the Feral Undead, and the announcement of the return of the RRF to Ridleybank.
As survivor numbers swelled, many inside began celebrating what they viewed as a giant four year anniversary celebration for the original Battle of Blackmore. Through the waves of break-ins and combat revives, the merry din of singing, twister, and rowdy toasts to Ron Burgundy and his compatriots could be clearly discerned.
Surrounded by this aura of mirth, the initial hostility between the survivors and zombies seemed to disappear. Many revived RRFers (including their leader globule13) took some time to join in the fun before executing the regulation death threat and window dive.
The tide turns
All right you sons of mothers, it's time. Prepare to LIVE!
-Alan Corvus, right before a spree of 13 CR's.
As the second week dawned, survivors were very optimistic. While the now present DoHS were hammering the barricades, omnipresent 404'ers were maintaining the barricades around the clock and reviving break-ins within minutes of entry.
This appearance of success, however, hid a darker truth. Tired of being treated like pin cushions, many of the attacking zombies broke off to attack the nearby TRPs. While the survivors were more or less unaffected by the loss of an individual hospital (There were four hospitals in the immediate area), the sudden loss of a generator source was a major blow to the survivors, who depended on power to maintain their strategy of combat revivals.
Sensing the looming danger, Maverick Farrant went out on a recruiting tour through Malton's malls. As he reports (in the totally badass third-person):
- "Many of Malton's malls were ruined when Maverick went by. According to his own personal numbers, only two of the six malls he visited were repaired and between the two malls he figured roughly sixty survivors. What was meant as a powerful rallying cry for Blackmore turned into a week-long effort to bring perhaps a dozen or so more survivors to Blackmore."
Despite the lack of mallrats, and PKer/Gore Corps attacks, both sides continued to swell, with the Human:Zombie numbers at Blackmore reaching 125:114 by the 30th, and eventually peaking on the 31st at 140:125. In addition to the central Blackmore groups, there was a large but indeterminate network of survivors and zombies who fought for control of the surrounding area.
Coda
Gentlemen, Playing with you has been the greatest honor of my life.
-Red Hawk One, August 31
With the full RRF in Ridleybank, the last few days of the siege were difficult for the defenders. Around the clock attacks by the RRF from without and the Gore Corps from within drained the survivor AP, and the rapid exchange of TRPs placed the generator supply at a critical low.
On the 31st, this strain finally broke the survivor defense; 404, both AP and generator-less, was unable to withstand a joint strike by the RRF Constables and Team America around 1:30GMT. A few survivors tried to scrounge generators from a nearby factory, but were met with failure (and pipes. Looooots of pipes). With the zombie numbers steadily rising, the battle appeared to be drawing to a close.
By 8:00GMT, the zombies outnumbered the survivors roughly 70:50. However, even as the RRF began to pour in, the brave defense was adamant to continue with one final hurrah- reviving, killing, and taunting zombies in what may have been one of the game's biggest real-time conflicts.
Epilogue
"Gentlemen, playing with you has been the greatest honor of my life.
Tonight dies a moment that was never supposed to happen, a pinata went, as the designer says, 'horribly wrong'. But as this moment dies, a dream is born;
For the survivors have proven it is possible, for a time, to fight the horde despite all odds...
And we have all proven that, even as the game ages, it can still be fun. Godspeed, my friends, and let the spirit here at Blackmore spread throughout your lives.
*Pulls out a violin and plays a few bars of ‘Nearer my God to Thee’*
Frontline: Blackmore
Shortly after the siege ended, Red Hawk One interviewed several of the major players on their opinions of the event. These are their stories.
Rolfe Steiner
Rolfe was the main instigator of the event. He was the one to commission the ill-fated pinata of Blackmore, who acted as a sort of leader to his fellow 404, and who helped bring order to the survivor side.
<Red> So who's idea was it to 'pinata' Blackmore?
<Rolfe> It was mine. I rounded up Mike Hutley and Dante Bosch to help.
<Red> Care to comment on what gave you that idea?
<Rolfe> We were going to pull out of Ridleybank that night, expecting imminent arrival of POLNGOAK and DEM, and I told the guys, "There's 1 zed in Blackmore, lets pinata it to fuck with POLNGOAK." Since we viewed their entire movement as fucking up our project in Ridleybank, it was pretty much the perfect time to practice what we had in mind, what with the RRF all spread out.
<Red> yet you ended up staying. Why?
<Rolfe> The pinata failed, Blackmore was up. We figured reinforcements were coming any day, so why not stay and fight? Why let POLNGOAK take the glory and the credit for something they didn't do?
<Red> When did you realize that this was going to be more than a one or two day thing?
<Rolfe> Day three, definitely. Why? We had almost 20-30 zombies outside, 20+ survivors inside, and we kept pushing out the Constables
<Red> What would you say the survivor's biggest strength was during the fight?
<Rolfe> Our around the clock coordination. Without that we wouldn't have lasted more than a couple days.
<Red> And their biggest weakness?
<Rolfe> Not enough people coordinating with us. Out of the almost 150 survivors in Blackmore, maybe about 20-25 made an effort to actually work with us.
<Red> I understand AP shortages were also a problem. Without the AP problems, how long do you think you could have held?
<Rolfe> Possibly indefinitely. We had a very dedicated band of caders here watching around the clock. If there was a dip in cade levels we usually got on that instantly and patched them.
<Red> I see. On a more positive note, what was your favorite experience during this fight?
<Rolfe> That's a difficult one. I'd say its a tie between killing the TKer, making Justinbronze shit his pants, and combat reviving some of the RRF top brass.
<Red> Such as?
<Rolfe> Irishmen, the leader of the Constables, Michael Barnaby, one of the leaders of Team America, and the big cheese himself Globule
<Red> What was your impression of the RRF as opponents?
<Rolfe> I thought the RRF were extremely worthy opponents. They're the oldest horde still active, and the biggest. They didn't let up for a second.
<Red> What was your overall impression of the event? Do you see anything like it, or better, happening in the near future?
<Rolfe> The event was pure accident and happenstance, we had no real intention of it turning into an entire epic siege situation. It just snowballed into one. I had a lot of fun during it, met some great people like the guys from SoC and MCM, and thought it was very well fought on both ends. Do I see anything like it happening in the near future? Not likely but anything is possible. We've showed that after the failure of Escape, survivors DO still have what it takes to make an effective stand against the zombies.
<Red> Well, Rolfe, thank you for your time.
<Rolfe> No problem. It will be nice to see my words immortalized in the event history I suppose, as one of the guys who made it happen.
Irishmen
Irishmen is the leader of the Constables- a major home-guard RRF squad that was the first to face the survivors in Blackmore.
<Red> So, you are the leader of the Constables, correct?
<Irishmen> Oh yes. :3
<Red> After hearing that survivors were in the Blackmore, how long did it take you to realize that it wasn't just a bunch of trenchies?
<Irishmen> Well, about a day.
<Red> What were your thoughts when you found out you'd be squaring off with 404?
<Irishmen> Well, the immediate need was to bring the horde to Blackmore, at least in my mind. I've dealt with zergs and trenchies since 2005. A group of 30 of them is nothing; a group of intelligent players is very different. I knew that a group of 5-7 zombies wouldn't bring it down and started to advise we move in a bunch of zombies now before humans start to bandwagon. That didn't happen, but I think it actually worked out better it didn't in terms of fun.
<Red> I think we can all agree on that. During the siege, the survivors relied heavily on combat revives to maintain control. What is your opinion on that tactic?
<Irishmen> It’s valid. I'm not against combat revives. I think it’s a useful tactic. That being said, it still can be confounding to counter at times, at least if you don't take a step back and exploit the inherit flaws in the tactic.
<Red> Such as the need for generators?
<Irishmen> Well that and AP dripping.
<Red> Anyways, what was your favorite part about the siege?
<Irishmen> Oh, breaking in to ruin those damn Christmas lights!
<Red> And your least favorite?
<Irishmen> Eh. Well, one of the 404 members accidentally idled in the RRF channel during a strike. It got me pretty pissed when I saw them combat revive someone and then exit the channel. It was an accident but really bothered me at the time. It was a minor thing really, any other time I was having fun.
<Red> I see. Overall, what was your impression of the opposition, specifically 404?
<Irishmen> Actually intelligent. And fun. A rare combination for survivors.
<Red> And your impression of the siege in general?
<Irishmen> A hilarious battle of attrition. And naked twister. And Christmas light destruction.
<Red> Do you see anything of this scale happening in the near future?
<Irishmen> Never can say. It’s a distinct possibility. After all, we didn't see this coming until it happened.
<Red> Well, thank you for your time, Irish.
<Irishmen> No problem. :3
Diana Warren
To many of the survivors in both the Blackmore and 404 war room, Diana's whimsical shenanigans were a welcome relief from the stress of the siege.
<Red> So, tell me, Ms. Warren, what role did you play in the siege?
<DianaWarren> I think combat bartender
<Red> Bartender?
<DianaWarren> Well, everybody does everything better drunk, it seems. Including 'cading and combat revives. And play Naked Twister
<Red> Ah yes. the infamous Naked Twister. I was going to ask what your favorite part was next, but I think I already know.
<DianaWarren> What happens in Blackmore stays in Blackmore
<Red> Right. Ummm... So, what was your LEAST favorite part?
<DianaWarren> Least favorite part? Not nearly enough time to ruin Blackmore with a rock star party. Humanphagia and Globule were the only two zombies who got their dance on.... And hell yeah there was not nearly enough naked twister! I think the zombies needed to party more.
<Red> Yes, they do seem a little... Stiff at times. *ba-dum cha!* What was your impression on the other participants, Diana?
<DianaWarren> um, everybody was great and did plenty of drinking, so I was busy. Rolfe is six sheets to the wind, Fiffy is wanted by everyone, And Red is my kind of crazy.
<Red> *Blush* Would you like to see something like this happen again in the future?
<DianaWarren> Would I like to see something like this in the future? How would you top this? Hmm… Hell if I know, but you can bet I'll be there if it’s big.
<Red> Thanks for your time, Ms. Warren.
* DianaWarren pours Red a Dark N Stormy, winks at him, and heads out.
Dante Bosch
Another major combatant with 404, Dante had the honor of being with Rolfe Steiner from the very beginning.
<Red> Alright, Mr. Bosch . Your turn.
<Bosch|rest> We can try, but I'm tired and high <.<
<Red> All the better, my friend.
<Rolfe> Haha
<Red> So, you were there with Rolfe when he decided to piñata the Blackmore, correct?
<Bosch|rest> Yes, there was Rolfe Steiner, Mark Hutley and myself
<Red> What did you think of the idea?
<Bosch|rest> The idea wasn't perfect - I felt it a shame that POLNGOAK was bringing too much attention to the suburb and that we were cutting and running after resetting many of the repair costs. But, of course I understood and wanted part in playfully building a piñata in Blackmore to keep the likes of justinrbronze out
<Red> It sounds like you may have been a it relieved when the piñata fell through and you ended up staying.
<Bosch|rest> I was up for a siege.
<Red> Well, when the siege started, how long did you think you would last?
<Bosch|rest> Five days? A week if we played it intelligently? That was the expection with the numbers we had early on. My expection anyway, maybe I'm an optimist... or deluded.
<Red> How do you feel about lasting just under two weeks in the heart of Ridleybank?
<Bosch|rest> It's tiring but satisfying, chance, characters and circumstance have conspired to make this both highly entertaining and hopefully re-energising for survivors who haven't had more to cheer about and/or still have their heads up their arses regarding appropriate tactics in this interference era, and could do with being shown how it's done.
<Red> So, what was your favorite part of the event?
<Bosch|rest> Live fights involving dropping, fuelling and fixing generators, combat reviving rotters and clearing them out - done well, it's a beautiful sight, all that new life <3 And break-ins that make your heart beat like fucking crazy when you're caught off-guard
<Red> And what was your least favorite?
<Bosch|rest> Dealing with zergs, and griefers with little or no class.
<Red> Alright. What would you say the survivors strongest point was (Not including the IRC)?
<Bosch|rest> Inhibition.
<Red> Inhibition?
<Bosch|rest> Inhibition to combat revive like crazy. To stay up all night. To play the game how it's supposed to be played and not run like the game would like you to.
<Red> I see. And what would you say the survivor's greatest weakness was?
<Bosch|rest> Lack of strong, purposeful resource management? That you can't get everyone to coordinate through the same channel? The need to stay awake on watch for hours and hours also is a massive weakness of survivors under siege.
<Red> I see; that's a pretty good point. Well, final questions; what were your overall impression of the event? Do you see something like this happening again in the near future?
<Bosch|rest> The siege was fantastic, but circumstantial of its time and probably won't be bettered for a while. And engaging events like this are inevitable so long as there are creative players feeding each others imaginations with exciting ideas about what is possible within Malton's parameters
<Red> Thanks for your time, Dante.
<Bosch|rest> >.>
Harv117
Having never seen a major siege before, Harv117 was unsure what to expect when the Soldiers of Crossman announced plans to visit Blackmore. As he reveals, there is still a chance for relatively newer players to experience the glory days of old.
<Red> So, Harv, what role did you play in the siege?
<Harv117> well towards the end there I was a fueler and then sacrificed myself to get some key revives in
<Red> And which group where you with?
<Harv117> Soldiers of Crossman
<Red> Around when did the Soldiers show up?
<Harv117> a few days into the siege Aichon posted on the forum that a top secret operation was underway and that we should all stage is the barrville area. a day later, he gave us the objective.
<Red> What was your impression when you heard you'd be in Blackmore?
<Harv117> I was pretty excited, this was the first big thing I've been a part of
<Red> What were your expectations?
<Harv117> I really wasn’t sure, I've never experienced anything like it before
<Red> Well, as your first time in a major siege, what did you think of your fellow survivors?
<Harv117> well I thought that it was amazing how well coordinated we were. We had people on irc 24/7 and for a while could repel major attacks. I was disappointed that more of the people didn't join irc, and just more or less sat there
<Red> And what did you think of the zombies?
<Harv117> they were as coordinated as we were, they played very well and made this siege so much fun
<Red> What was your favorite part of the battle?
<Harv117> hm honestly that last battle was pretty damn fun we all had such little AP left we had to super coordinate and be extremely active
<Red> And what was your least favorite part?
<Harv117> my least favorite part? Well I am kinda of sad its over because it was so much fun but really, there wasn't a terrible part. I love how we all played with good character, like beyond the game were all friends and mess with each other
<Red> Now that you've experienced a siege, would you like to see something like this happen again in the near future?
<Harv117> absolutely, it was so much fun
<Red> Thanks Harv.
<Harv117> you’re very welcome
globule13
The leader of the RRF, globule13 has seen it all. But the fighting at Blackmore gave him something he hadn't seen in quite a while: a decent fight on his own ground.
<Red> As the leader of the RRF, how did you react when you heard 404 decided to crash in the Blackmore?
<globule> I was happy you were coming. It's been ages since our compatriots who patrol the bonk day and night managed to get a decent meal delivered. There was a little confusion as to why you guys were working with that organization that wanted to take back Ridleybank. You guys strike me as being a little too clever to work with DEM. :p
<Red> Technically, we were never with DEM. All coincidence.
<globule> I kid. What was the name of that failtrain again?
<Rolfe> Project Operation Let’s Not Get Our Asses Kicked
<globule> That's the one. Poor bastards.
<Red> In my interview with Irishmen, he said he asked for help relatively early but it took time to arrive. Do you have anything to say on that?
<globule> I wanted to see what the Praets could do against an organized group of survivors. They're tougher than they realize and I thought this would be a fun trial by fire. Unfortunately, I underestimated the sheer volume of harmanz who were coming and their coordination. It's rare to find a group that can actually cade a building keep it caded. I am quite pleased that the Praets got that big break in though.
<Red> Overall, what was your impression of the survivor opposition? Were you surprised?
<globule> Yes and no. I'm always pleasantly surprised when harmanz fight back because it's not as common as it used to be. Most burbs just roll over or run away screaming. Then again, I know a few of your members and have had many opportunities to work with them in the past. I know they're smart and capable of running a tight crew.
<Red> In your opinion, why did the final attack succeed, while all of the ones before it failed?
<globule> I like to think there were a few factors that worked in our favor in that last attack. We had strike teams working to cut off your supply lines, especially those damn generators. I'm not sure how much of an impact it had but we were gearing up for a protracted siege and wanted our bases covered. We also had the entire horde there instead of just one or two teams. The Praets, Gray Guard, and scattered DoHS members fought hard, but small break-ins just weren't cutting it. Our members started thinking and talking through plans instead of mindlessly bashing the cades, which is always nice for a Papa to see. The major factor was simple beachhead tactics though. We had a sizable force hovering and waiting for a chance to pile in when the opportunity presented itself.
<Red> What would you say the survivor's best strength was?
<globule> Well you guys were needle fiends and never slept. It's tough to get a foothold when you guys CRed us at every opportunity and watched the cades 24 hours a day. I recall one night when the horde was just starting trickle in to Ridleybank and Murray and I decided to pop into Blackmore and take a look around. The cades were at VSB so we were pretty sure we could take them out with little trouble. Turns out we couldn't. Not only did we fail to break in, but the cades were at EHB within 30 seconds of us bashing. That kind of coordination and vigilance is the best weapon you guys had.
<Red> And what would you say the survivor's greatest flaw or weakness was?
<globule> Setting up shop in Ridleybank is usually not the greatest move for any survivor group looking to actually survive. :p Aside from that, you were pretty solid. You did start slacking on the gennies toward the end and I noticed that a lot of you were low on HP when we broke in.
<Red> You kinda beat us on the AP war, my friend. So, what Part of the siege did you enjoy the most?
<globule> I actually had the most fun when we were still just in the skirmish stage.
<Red> And which part, if any, did you least enjoy?
<globule> You guys revived me and I spent a night babbling nonsense with you guys. I even handed out the last of my Halloween candy to one of your members. Well, bashing away 50 AP and not accomplishing anything is a pretty lousy way to spend a night.
<Red> Overall, what was your impression of the event? Would you enjoy seeing something like this occur again in the future?
<globule> I would be happy to fight you guys again. Let's have the next party at your house though, all of the cleanup here is going to take ages.
<Red> Alright, thanks for your time, Glob.
<globule> Anytime.
| Sandbox |
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Main ·
Sandbox 1 ·
Sandbox 2 ·
Sandbox 3 ·
Sandbox 4 ·
Sandbox 5 ·
Sandbox 6
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The Blackmore Building Day
The other groups still present;
They aren't all friendly, but they are all welcome. 114 standing zombies outside, it appears the RRF has been recalled to Ridley, a similar number of survivors face them from behind the barricades. Hopefully an enjoyable siege is being had by all. Christmas lights have now been installed again.~ Red Hawk One Talk | space for lease 02:07, 30 August 2010 (BST)
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I am going to eat you all but I must say that it's nice to have well mannered guests on occasion. What the hell!? Did I just get healed by a guy from Fortress?
-globule13, RRF
I'm may be a zambah, but I know how to treat a lady. Well, when I'm alive that is, when I'm dead.... Well.... nevermind....
-Humanphagia , RRF
What the hell have I gotten myself into...
-Dunstan Smit
FOR OUR FINEST HOUR IS UPON US, WE SHALL NAHM EM IN THE STREETS, WE SHALL NAHM EM ON THE BEACHHEADS, WE SHALL NAHM EM ON THE ROOFTOPS, WE SHALL NEVAR GIVE UP, WE SHALL NEVAR SURRENDER! AND WE WILL LIBERATE RIDLEYBONK FROM THE INFLUENCE OF THE HARMAN OPPRESSORS! VICTORY SHALL BE OURS AND SO WILL THE DELICIOUS BRAINZ OF THE HARMAN OPPRESSORS! BECAUSE TODAY IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!
-Agent Sandman, RRF, prior to the final assault on Blackmore
You heard a loud bellowing from very close by. (6 hours and 33 minutes ago) ...and again. (5 hours and 5 minutes ago) ...and again. (4 hours and 49 minutes ago) ...and again. (4 hours and 43 minutes ago)
-Various
aaagh! not the christmas lights!
-KendoKen, MCDU
