[Let's Play] Fighting Fantasy 22 - Robot Commando (Take 2)

[SGamerz]

The main encampment of the Karosseans is easy enough to find; they have taken over the city stadium. Even from a distance you can see flying robots wheeling overhead. If you approach in your robot, turn to 18. If you go on foot, turn to 32.

Let's see if the book forces us to go on foot again:

If you fly towards the enemy encampment, turn to 55. If you travel on the ground, turn to 187.

Our robot is strong, but flying is not one of its abilities.

You have not gone far before you have to pass through a narrow gate that leads into the outer part of the stadium. There, you are challenged by a group of robots. "Eighty-eight!" comes the password. If you know the countersign, turn to that number. If not, turn to 50.

"Seven!"

You give the proper countersign. The Karossean sentry radios you back: "Pass, friend!" You have fooled him! You can go about your work. Where were you when you were challenged:

The City of Knowledge?
The City of Industry?
The Capital City??

"Pass, friend!" the sentry robot transmits. "But don't go past the next ring. That's officer country." If you continue in your robot, turn to 76. If you enter on foot, turn to 32.

It wasn't that clear the previous time we faced a similar option whether it was a check for 'do you have a robot' or 'do you want to travel further in your robot', but this time, it's clearly the latter.

Do we want to continue in our Robotank?

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to continue in the robot, as getting out is a surefire way to get discovered and killed. And since this is clearly the endgame, I vote to install the seeker missile if we can do this.

[SGamerz]

Jason Scott will continue in his robot.

(For use of resources, I tend to wait for at least 2 votes before proceeding, so the seeker missile won't be installed just yet.)

You continue through the enemy encampment. Soon you can see the wide barrier separating the main encampment from the Karossean officers' territory. There are not many robots near by, but the ones you can see are formidable. One of them signals you. "Halt! What's the password?" What will you do:

Reply ‘Eighty-eight'?
Attack immediately?
Reply 'Minos'?

[JourneymanN00b]

I feel that it is a trap to say eighty-eight since the sentry said that the officer country was forbidden. I am guessing that Minos is another trap, so I vote to just attack immediately.

[Queen of Swords]

Can we install the seeker missile and attack?

[SGamerz]

Seeker Missile installed, and Jason Scott attacks the sentries.

Your attack catches the enemy by surprise. Turn to 27, but you automatically win the first combat round without rolling!

This Karossean Robot is like nothing you have encountered before. It is a Crusher, a humanoid robot, but twice as large as those you have seen before. It has no guns, but was designed for destroying forts and trenches. It attacks by stamping with its huge feet.

CRUSHER ARMOUR 1412 SPEED Slow SKILL 8
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Although the Crusher is not especially skilful, every time it hits it does double damage. Thus, it does 4 with a normal strike, or 2 if you use LUCK successfully, or 6 if you try LUCK and fail!

You cannot Escape. If you destroy the Crusher, turn to 275. If it reduces your ARMOUR to 0, turn to 384.

While we have a huge advantage in terms of Attack Strength, it's fairly tough and can potentially so serious damage if it ever gets lucky on the dice. Do we want to use anything else to make it easier? Like use of Sonic Gun or LUCK (although I've already deducted the 2-point damage for our automatic first hit, we can use LUCK to double that as well if you wish).

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote not to use anything to help our hero for this one.

[Queen of Swords]

Agreed, I'm sure this isn't the only endgame boss we'll have to fight, so save it for the bigger one.

[SGamerz]

Agreed, I'm sure this isn't the only endgame boss we'll have to fight, so save it for the bigger one.

We can only use the Sonic Gun once per fight though, so even if we save all 3 shots until we meet the final boss, we can still only use one of them against it.

Anyways, the votes are clear, so we will face the Crusher without using LUCK or the Sonic Gun.

COMBAT LOG:
Crusher 14, Robotank 23. Crusher is at 10.
Crusher 16, Robotank 21. Crusher is at 8.
Crusher 15, Robotank 21. Crusher is at 6.
Crusher 17, Robotank 20. Crusher is at 4.
Crusher 14, Robotank 21. Crusher is at 2.
Crusher 12, Robotank 21. Crusher is destroyed.

Fortunately, the SKILL disparity is wide enough that the Robotank never came close to getting hit.

Your battle has caused great confusion. Stray shots are wreaking havoc among the Karosseans and their lesser robots. But now a group of sleek fighter-craft swoop out of the sky to challenge you. If you have the Tangler Field and wish to activate it, turn to 301. If you do not have this device (or do not wish to use it), turn to 326.

Uh-oh, failed item check!

There are too many of them to fight. The area is littered with smoking wreckage before you are through. You have dealt a severe blow to the invaders, but you did not defeat them. Your adventure is over.

We were so close to the final boss fight, but we fell short due to lacking a crucial item on this particular path!

We have plenty of save points to go back to. Obviously, our best backup robots are back at the City of Guardians, but that would rewind us a long way back, and mean we would have to redo a lot of stuff to get the same items and information we now have.

Or we can go back to the nearest save point, which is the Super Cowboy at the City of Knowledge. That requires the least amount of rewind, but it means we would probably want to use it to travel over to City of Guardians to pick up another of the Robotanks before coming back (and of course we'd still need to travel a bit to in any case try to search for the Tangler Field that we were missing), using up 2 save points.

Please decide which you would prefer.

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10 (11 in personal combat)
STAMINA: 15/20
LUCK: 9/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
3 Medikits (Each can restore 1 lost point of STAMINA)
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)
Interface Transponder (+1 SKILL for robot combats)
Seeker Missile (may be fired at any time between attack rounds to automatically hit reduce target's ARMOUR score by 10, not installed on robot yet)
Spare armour-plate (restores 1 ARMOUR when installed to a robot)
Cloak of Invisibility (drained)
Sword of the State (+1 SKILL in personal combat)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.
3) The prototype "Cloak of Invisibility" device, Model 3, is now being tested at the Dinosaur Preserve.
4) The first half of the passwords between Karosseans to verify each other is "Eighty-eight".
5) The counter-password to the above is "Seven".

CURRENT ROBOT: ROBOTANK ARMOUR 15/18 SPEED Slow COMBAT BONUS +2
SPECIAL ABILITIES: The Robotank contains a special Sonic Gun in one hand. It cannot be used by any other robot. It may be fired once per combat turn, in addition to the Robotank's regular attack. However, it may be used only three times in all; then it is useless. When fired the Sonic Gun is instandly deadly to unprotected humans. Against a robot, roll one die to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses. Against a dinosaur, roll 2 dice to see how many ARMOUR points the target loses.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167
WASP FIGHTER - section 41
SUPER-COWBOT ROBOT - section 9

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to try the Super Cowboy save point, do everything we did last time until we reach the enemy encampment, and go on foot to see if that leads to a better outcome.

[Queen of Swords]

Sure, let's try that.

[SGamerz]

So, we rewind back to the Dinosaur Preserve in the City of Knowledge. From there, we leave the preserve...

What would you like to do now:

Visit the College of Medicine?
Visit the College of War?
Visit the Thalian Museum
Leave the City of Knowledge?

...and depart from the city for the City of the Worship, like the last time...

You are in the City of Worship. If you have been to this city before, turn 67 immediately. If this is your first visit to this city (regardless of how many parts of the city you have been to on this visit), then keep reading.

The whole of this metropolis is devoted to shrines, temples, churches, cemeteries and the like. It is always a quiet place, but you have never before seen it this quiet. Only the call of a sea-bird breaks the stillness. An uneasy thought occurs to you. If you are the only Thalian awake, then the attention of all the Powers must be focused on you personally. Your visit to the City of Worship might be rather...interesting. What would you like to do:

Visit one of the temples?
Fly over the city (if you have a flying robot)?
Go to another city?

Again, this is the second visit, in this alternate timeline...

Storm clouds are gathering as you approach. But even through the static on your radio, you can hear chatter in Karossean voices. Then you are challenged by several Karosseans in small robots. If you fight them, turn to 217. If you fly away from them, turn to 12.

The Super Cowboy isn't a flier either, so again we must fight. We're in a weaker robot this time, but still stronger than this particular foe.

Fight them as a single enemy:

MINI-ROBOTS ARMOUR 9 SPEED Fast SKILL 10 SPECIAL ABILITIES: None

If you Escape, turn to 278. If you defeat the Mini-robots, return to 166 and choose from the options given there. If your ARMOUR is reduced to 0, the Karosseans swarm over you, and your adventure ends here.

COMBAT LOG:
Mini-Robots 15, Super Cowboy 21. MR is at 7.
MR 21, SC 18. SC is at 12.
MR 16, SC 16. Tie.
MR 20, SC 18. SC is at 10.
MR 17, SC 21. MR is at 5.
MR 13, SC 16. MR is at 3.
MR 16, SC 23. MR is at 1.
MR 19, SC 21. MR are destroyed.

We come out a little worse off than the previous timeline, taking 2 hits before we defeat the minis.

The obstruction removed, we head for the Temple of Peace again...

You decide to visit the Temple of Peace. It is a relatively small building in this city of great temples, but easy to find; it is surrounded on all sides by a cool green park. You leave your robot at the edge of the park and walk towards the temple, rather than take a war machine to the Temple of Peace. Somehow, you feel certain that nothing will harm you. The temple is full of sleeping worshippers - but they all wear gentle smiles, and you are sure their dreams are untroubled. You feel moved to pray. What will you pray for:

Complete peace?
Strength in battle?
Freedom?

...and replenish our LUCK...

You pray to the Power of Peace to grant you and your people the peace that can only come from freedom. Somewhere you seem to hear bells chiming, and a feeling of well-being comes over you. Restore your LUCK to its Initial score. Return to 166; you may not visit this temple again.

...and depart the city again...

You are leaving the City of Worship. Where would you like to go:

The Capital City?
The City of Knowledge?
The City of storms?

...for the Capital City.

You are in the Capital City - the seat of government of Thalos. It is a noble city, full of white marble buildings. It is also the main base of the invaders, and you know you must be very careful!

Below, you have five options. Some of them will eventually return you to this paragraph. You may not make the same choice twice; each time you return here you must make a new selection. Where will you go:

The city hospital?
The Capitol Building?
The National Treasure House?
The enemy encampment?
Just explore?

We then go to the Capitol Building again...

You decide to visit the Capitol Building, the sear of government of Thalos. If you go in your robot, turn to 42, If you travel on foot, turn to 71.

...and this time we just proceed on foot, because we know the other way doesn't work.

You decide to go on foot. If you possess the Cloak of Invisibility and have not used it, you may use it now: turn to 106. If you have already used it, do not possess it, or if you simply choose not to use it, turn to 134.

And then we use our lesser version of Deathly Hallows to reach it without being noticed again...

You don the Cloak. It works like a charm: when you walk in front of a store window, you have no reflection! Soon the Cloak is put to a harder test: you walk in front of a Karossean patrol, but remain totally unseen. You enter the Capitol Building itself. There is no sign of the legislators; you assume they have been taken away as hostages. While you are investigating the building, you observe a pair of Karosseans standing guard over a huge display case. You move closer and listen. "That's right," one is saying. "Minos will come to take possession of this sword in a few hours. There'll be some kind of ceremony, I guess." Looking in the case, you see that this is the Sword of the State! You are reluctant to leave it where the tyrant can get it - but taking it would be a risk. What will you do:

Go on and look elsewhere in the Capitol Building?
Try to take the sword by stealth?
Attack the sentries and take the sword?

...and try to steal the sword again.

Test your Luck. If you are Lucky, you can get behind the case and remove the sword without either guard being the wiser. You hide it under your Cloak and leave the Capitol Building. If you are Unlucky, one of the guards notices the sword seemingly hanging in mid-air. Turn to 215 and fight.

Dice roll = 3 (Lucky again).

You escape easily. The guards have no idea what has happened. You have captured the Sword of the State - a large, ornate blade. To your surprise, it is sharp and well balanced. When you use it to fight a foe, increase your SKILL by 1.

And then we lose the use of the cloak:

The Cloak of Invisibility is beginning to flicker. You will not be able to use it again. Before it expires, you make your way out of the Capitol Building and back to your robot.

And we now head for the enemy encampment.

The main encampment of the Karosseans is easy enough to find; they have taken over the city stadium. Even from a distance you can see flying robots wheeling overhead. If you approach in your robot, turn to 18. If you go on foot, turn to 32.

This time we proceed on foot:

If you possess the Cloak of Invisibility and have not used it, turn to 90. Otherwise, turn to 103.

Alas, we used that to steal the sword not too long ago.

The enemy encampment is well patrolled. You are seized by Karossean guards. If you know something that might help you now, turn to the reference number that came with that information. Otherwise, turn to 228.

DO we know something that might help?

(Also, do note that this version of Jason Scott hasn't used any heals yet.)

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10
STAMINA: 11/20
LUCK: 9/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
7 Medikits (Each can restore 1 lost point of STAMINA)
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)
Interface Transponder (+1 SKILL for robot combats)
Spare armour-plate (restores 1 ARMOUR when installed to a robot)
Cloak of Invisibility (drained)
Sword of the State (+1 SKILL in personal combat)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.
3) The prototype "Cloak of Invisibility" device, Model 3, is now being tested at the Dinosaur Preserve.
4) The first half of the passwords between Karosseans to verify each other is "Eighty-eight".
5) The counter-password to the above is "Seven".

CURRENT ROBOT: SUPER-COWBOY ROBOT ARMOUR 10/14 SPEED MEDIUM COMBAT BONUS +1
SPECIAL ABILITIES: This robot carries a 'Sonic Screamer' weapon designed to distract dinosaurs. Reduce the SKILL of any enemy dinosaur by 1 when you fight it in the Super-Cowboy. Unfortunately, the special weapon is no use against other robots.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167
WASP FIGHTER - section 41
SUPER-COWBOT ROBOT - section 9

[Queen of Swords]

Use all our medikits and turn to 111.

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote to use our medkits and go to 111.

[Thaluikhain]

Agreed.

[SGamerz]

Jason Scott uses all his medikits, but they are only enough to restore his STAMINA to 18, still below the maximum.

What will you do?

Challenge Minos to a personal duel?
Claim to be a message bearer?
Use a password?
Try you fight your way out?

Adventure Sheet:
Name: Jason Scott
SKILL: 10/10
STAMINA: 18/20
LUCK: 9/10

POSSESSIONS:
Sword
Blue Potion
Luck Amulet (+1 Initial and current LUCK)
Interface Transponder (+1 SKILL for robot combats)
Spare armour-plate (restores 1 ARMOUR when installed to a robot)
Cloak of Invisibility (drained)
Sword of the State (+1 SKILL in personal combat)

Notes:
1) The ancient Karosseans would settle a tribal dispute by choosing champions - one from each tribe - instead of allowing a battle between the whole tribes. The reference number of the book that provides the above information is 111.
2) Map reference for location of the City of the Guardians, the secret base headquarters of the army of Thalos, is 22. Substitute it for 'XX' when given the option to visit it.
3) The prototype "Cloak of Invisibility" device, Model 3, is now being tested at the Dinosaur Preserve.
4) The first half of the passwords between Karosseans to verify each other is "Eighty-eight".
5) The counter-password to the above is "Seven".

CURRENT ROBOT: SUPER-COWBOY ROBOT ARMOUR 10/14 SPEED MEDIUM COMBAT BONUS +1
SPECIAL ABILITIES: This robot carries a 'Sonic Screamer' weapon designed to distract dinosaurs. Reduce the SKILL of any enemy dinosaur by 1 when you fight it in the Super-Cowboy. Unfortunately, the special weapon is no use against other robots.

SAVE-POINTS/UNUSED ROBOTS FOUND:
DRAGONFLY MODEL D - section 1
WALKER ROBOT - section 260
ROBOTANK x2 - section 247
TROOPER XI - section 167
WASP FIGHTER - section 41
SUPER-COWBOT ROBOT - section 9

[Queen of Swords]

Challenge Minos.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to challenge Minos to a personal duel.

[SGamerz]

You demand the right, as a representative of your people, to duel Minos. The officer in charge shakes his head. "Search him!" he orders his men. Your heart sinks. You are stripped of all your Possessions (including medikits). But then the sentries take you directly to Minos himself.

Just as well that we've already used all the medikits, eh?

If you possess the Sword of the State, turn to 242. If you do not possess that sword, turn to 214.

There may be some cause for confusion for first-time players regarding this, the question being whether we can be considered to be still in possession of the sword since we just got stripped of all our possessions, but I can be 100% certain that the author's intention was that if the sword was among our confiscated possessions, it counts (because there's actually no way to challenge Minos openly to a duel without being seized by guards, so our items will always be confiscated if we reach this section. And also the fact that the sword is 'returned to you' in the next section, of course).

Minos is a huge, burly man with a curling black beard. His uniform is gold-encrusted and ornate. He studies you with amusement. "Duel you?" he says. "Why should I duel you, Thalian vermin?" "I'm the only Thalian awake!" you reply. "And I have the Sword of State! That makes me the representative of all Thalos! You have to duel me!"

Around Minos, the other officers mutters. "He's right," says one. "It's the law," you hear another say. Others agree with them. Minos frowns angrily. Then he laughs. "Very well, since you insist!" he says. "We will fight. Right now!" The Sword of State is returned to you. You may now fight Minos himself!

Not having the sword is not an immediate Game Over, but it does increase the difficulty level as Minos makes you fight one of his officers first to prove yourself before agreeing to the duel.

Minos draws a huge, jewelled sword. You know he did not become Tyrant of Karossaea by being soft or weak. But you didn't get this far by being weak, either. "Defend yourself, Karossean!" you shout. A murmur - could it be approval? - rises from the watching officers. You battle Minos - to the death!

MINOS SKILL 12 STAMINA 12

If you win, turn to 355.

Boss fight! Unfortunately, even with the sword, our SKILL is still slightly lower, though we can take more damage than him.

Please vote on whether and how you wish to use LUCK for this last battle. Keep in mind that our Luck Amulet got confiscated, so it's now at 8.

[JourneymanN00b]

I will vote to use Luck to deal extra damage for the first two times, and use Luck to reduce damage if our hero should be dealt the fatal blow otherwise.

[Thaluikhain]

Second that.

(Have not been voting much recently as I remember the endgame)

[SGamerz]

COMBAT LOG:
Minos 19, Jason Scott 19. Tie.
Minos 20, JS 18. Jason Scott is at 16.
Minos 20, JS 17. Jason Scott is at 14.
Minos 22, JS 15. Jason Scott is at 12.
Minos 18, Jason Scott 18. Tie.
Minos 18, JS 14. Jason Scott is at 10.
Minos 20, JS 18. Jason Scott is at 8.
Minos 21, JS 20. Jason Scott is at 6.
Minos 15, JS 15. Tie.
Minos 15, JS 19. Luck test roll = 4 (Lucky). Minos is at 8.
Minos 19, JS 16. Jason Scott is at 4.
Minos 17, JS 18. Luck test roll = 7 (Lucky). Minos is at 4.
Minos 15, JS 19. Minos is at 2.
Minos 16, JS 19. Minos is defeated!

Lots of very close or even rolls throughout the fight (which means Jason Scott lost most of them), but his luck turns in the last few rounds and somehow manages to squeak out a win!

You have slain Minos in fair combat! By ancient custom of the Karosseans, his tribe - the whole Karossean nation - must now submit to your judgement. Needless to say, you order that they awaken your people, and leave your country with all their men and machines. And they do! Before you know it, things are back to normal. Almost...One little thing is different. The day on which you defeated Minos is now a national holiday, named after you. You are, truly and forever, a hero.

Congratulations, it was a very close call, but we managed a narrow victory, and got the most difficult of the 3 good endings, too (at least, in terms of stat requirement)!

As usual, a summary of some of the things we missed will be coming up within the next couple of days, and you are also welcome to ask about anything in particular about them.

Thank you to everyone who played!

[JourneymanN00b]

Thank you for running this, SGamerz.

[Thaluikhain]

Thanks for running this. I remembered a lot of this one (it being memorable), so didn't vote much.

The winning section is rather underwhelming, though.

[Queen of Swords]

Thanks for hosting this! I’m glad we won, especially after that interminable trek through the tunnels.