With the fortress's defenses assessed, and construction of the pyre underway, you begin to formulate a plan to hold back the beasts until the pyre can be completed. There are not enough men to man every defense simultaneously. Instead, you will use an adaptive strategy, moving squads of soldiers to key positions to bolster specific locations as needed. Small squads reacting quickly to threats allow you to efficiently utilize the limited manpower available and buy you the precious time needed for The Keening.
IT IS TIME TO FORM REGULAR SQUADS AND FREE COMPANY SQUADS
FORMING REGULAR SQUADS:
TAKE 10 UNUSED HIT POINT DICE, PLACE THEM NEARBY AND TURN THEM SO THE TOTAL PIPS THAT ARE FACE UP ARE EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT OF SOLDIERS YOU HAVE RECORDED ON YOUR FREE COMPANY SHEET
DISTRIBUTE THE PIPS AS EVENLY AS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE DICE
EACH DIE REPRESENTS A REGULAR SQUAD
EXAMPLE: JAMES HAS 25 SOLDIERS SO TURNS THE 10 DICE TO 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 TO TOTAL 25
FORMING FREE COMPANY SQUADS:
PLACE AS MANY OF YOUR COMBAT ALLY CARDS AS YOU WANT NEXT TO EACH OATHSWORN'S PLAYER BOARD/COMPANION CARD (IGNORE MEN AT ARMS, PROMO CARDS AND NON-COMBAT ALLIES)
THE OATHSWORN CHARACTER AND CHOSEN ALLIES THEN BECOME A FREE COMPANY SQUAD
THERE WILL BE 4 FREE COMPANY SQUADS IN TOTAL, ONE FOR EACH OATHSWORN
OPEN THE JOURNAL TO PAGES 72–76 AND READ THE SIEGE RULES
The squads are gathered before you, faces set against the pouring rain. All of them have proved their competence and loyalty time and again. No one needs to say what this defense means…they know. This will not be a fight that you can win. The mission is to buy enough time for the pyre to be completed and for The Keening to draw the monsters from the Heart of Darkness. There is no more time for big speeches. No more time for a grand gesture. As you make your way to the battlements you nod to those you pass and know that it will be the last time you see most of them.
