[Master is proposing a mock battle to 'Serafina (★★★★)'.]
I turned to the fairy once I read the window.
"Mock battle? I believe you mentioned this when explaining how to upgrade the Tactical Post. But what does it mean exactly?"
[A mock battle is a tactic simulation match between a master and their hero.]
The fairy said.
She pointed to the circular table at the center of the room and went on.
[A field will be projected on the map on that table.
[Several pawns will be given each to the master and the hero which they could give commands to.
[One side will act as the 'Heroes' and the other as the 'Monsters.'
[The goal of the 'Heroes' is to defend their fortress by exterminating the 'Monsters'. While the goal of the 'Monsters' is to claim the fortress the 'Heroes' are defending.
[The master and their hero will take turns playing each side every time they start a mock battle.]
Though it sounded like a simple game, I was certain this mock battle had more depth than how the fairy made it out to be.
This was the forged land.
We were not here to play games.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has accepted the mock battle!]
[Starting the mock battle!]
[Category – 1 vs. 1 against AI]
Upon the confirmation of my decision, the blank white map on the table shined with familiar bluish-white light.
AI?
What could that possibly mean?
[Configuring the map.]
As I took my seat, three-dimensional shapes began to emerge from the flat paper.
The map immediately formed into a bird-eye view of a hilly terrain.
[Field configuration complete!]
[Field: Surga (Highlands)]
[Object Effect: 1]
[Number of Monsters: Minimum]
Thirty miniature pawn pieces in the shape of helmeted goblin's head manifested on my side of the table.
The same number appeared on the side of the empty chair across me. Only those pawn pieces were shaped in the form of knights.
[Master 'S1GYN' is the 'Heroes'.]
['Serafina (★★★★)' is the 'Monsters'.]
According to Alam's explanation, my goal in this mock battle was to claim the fortress Master was protecting.
I could see at the far side of the map the fortress that was my target. Master's pawns were all inside of it.
On the eastern side of the map, there was another pawn piece shaped like the goddesses statue.
Could that be referring to the Object Effect? Something often happened whenever we interacted with such object.
Well, it was not my objective in this mock battle, but I should keep it in mind.
"So how do I play this mock battle, Alam?"
I asked the fairy.
She then proceeded to brief me the basic mechanics of the mock battle.
Apparently there were a red pen and a blue pen on the table that I could use on the map.
They were the tools I needed to issue command to my pawns.
After Alam told me how to use those pens and what sort of command I could give currently, I began issuing orders to my goblin pawns.
I could give out basic orders before and after the match started.
But from what I deduced from the fairy's explanations, my initial orders before the match were the most crucial ones to claim victory.
As the mock battle went on, penalties would be implemented, restricting the amount of new orders that could be issued.
I needed to put my pawns into solid formation early on. So that I only needed minor changes to adapt to new development in the battlefield.
Since this was my first mock battle, I would just like to grasp how the actual match was played.
I would make all my pawns head straight to the fortress and try claiming our main objective.
We would leave the statue at the side of the map for now.
If Master divided their force and tried to capture the statue, then we could try rushing into the fortress and claim it before Master could seize the additional object.
[10 seconds until the mock battle starts.]
[Get ready!]
Ten pike-wielders at the front. Five machete-wielders on each of the center-flank. And the crossbow-wielders on the center-rear.
The pikes would carve a path for the stampede while the crossbows provided support.
If Master tried to flank us or after our rear, the machete-wielder would intercept the enemies.
We should be prepared for both a frontal charge and a pincer attack.
[Mock battle start!]
The pawns on each side of the map began to move. Mine immediately assumed the formation I set.
The goblin riders charged fast to the fortress.
Master's pawns immediately set out to intercept us.
None of them tried to reach the statue on the east. They were all committed to defend the fortress and face us head on.
Sigyn's pawns were composed of heroes residing in the lobby.
I could tell as such from the markers providing additional information on each pawn.
Apparently Master used the second floor trainees as part of their army in this mock battle. That meant no mages in their ranks.
Ten spearmen. Twelve swordsmen. Eight archers.
The composition was slightly different from ours. But should still be about equal.
As my horde was nearing the fortress, Master's forces began to assume their formation.
Four swordsmen and six spearmen made two lines in front of us. The swordsmen in the middle, and three spearmen on each flank.
Five archers were supporting them from behind.
Master made the rest depart from the formation and circle around the map, toward our rear.
Sigyn was splitting their forces and tried to corner us by attacking from two directions at once.
I would say it was a sound idea, only Master was executing it poorly.
Master's secondary forces took too long of a route to circle around to our rear.
My goblin riders would had finished dealing with the enemies at the front before their reinforcement could reach us.
And as expected, it happened the way I predicted.
My pawns quickly obliterated the forces blocking our way ahead. We only suffered few casualties.
The enemy reinforcement managed to reach us before we could reach the fortress.
But we still outnumbered them.
I made our machete-wielders shifted to the rear and intercepted the enemies.
That bought time for the pike-wielders to get around the formation and flanked Master's remaining pawns. The crossbow-wielders immediately shot down any stragglers.
With no enemies left to block us, my goblin riders proceeded into the fortress and claimed our objective.
['Serafina (★★★★)' wins!]
It was a complete victory on my side.
Sigyn had the right idea to counter my strategy, only poor in execution.
Did Master perhaps misjudged the distance and messed with the timing of the pincer attack?
[Master is proposing a mock battle to 'Serafina (★★★★)'.]
Another mock battle request.
It was immediately sent by Master right after the conclusion of the first one.
Perhaps they wanted to rectify their mistakes.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has accepted the mock battle!]
The map shined with radiant light once more.
The terrains shifted and the pawns repositioned themselves.
[Master 'S1GYN' is the 'Monsters'.]
['Serafina (★★★★)' is the 'Heroes'.]
This time I was playing the Heroes' faction.
The fortress we were supposed to protect was now located at the center of the map, so were my pawns.
Master's were located at the southern side of the map. Goblin riders just like what I got in the previous match.
The goddesses statue was now placed at the western edge.
I began arranging my forces.
There was no need to deviate from Master's composition earlier.
I would like to prove that Sigyn could had achieved victory with the right tactic execution.
[Mock battle start!]
My forces initially settled themselves in front of the fortress.
Once Master's forces came into my archer's firing range, I would set my tactic into motion.
"Hm?"
Master did not replicate my strategy with the Monsters faction.
Instead, they split their army into two.
Four machete-wielders at the center and three pike-wielders guarding each flank. Five crossbow-wielders were supporting from the back.
Master sent the rest of their goblin riders circling around the map.
What got me confused was that Sigyn did not make their secondary forces after the fortress, their main objective, nor did Sigyn after the statue on the west.
Master made them after our rear formation instead.
I initially expected this time Sigyn would make their first group act as the decoy while their second one try to sneak into the fortress.
But apparently Master would like to replicate the previous strategy.
However, Master once again made the second group circle around too far that my forces managed to wipe the first group off before they could surround us.
['Serafina (★★★★)' wins!]
With the result of the second mock battle, Alam flapped her wings strongly and grunted.
[See? Our Master won't be of any help at all. They would only ruin the missions with their trash skill!]
I could not help but wonder about my Master.
They repeated the same obvious mistake.
Was Sigyn simply did not realize it? Or did they have another intention behind the foolish stunt?
[Master is proposing a mock battle to 'Serafina (★★★★)'.]
Oh Sigyn…
For Dunia's sake, I hoped it was the latter.