5-6 gives initiative to them- unlucky, as that gives them a first turn edge for various reasons.
We begin, then, with a blaze of fire as the guards open up on those up top. This would be pretty lethal, but this first volley goes into more of the crowd than subsequent ones do, as everyone is still a bit shocked and panicked. That has sure as hell thinned out the west- people are screaming and dying everywhere, mostly shot in the side and back. The crates are also filled with enough holes to make them worthless as cover and those staying within will take stray shots in future too, though that may well be less harmful than being an open target.
However, in that sort of blaze not all can miss, and soon you are short two Epireans and the rest of you standing take two hits each.
The five guards near Rianna, Relle and Dak are much more precise and have open shots on Dak and Rianna until they get their sabres. One attack each, and an extra one (random) on Rianna and Relle. Rianna gets two light hits, Dak a moderate one, and Relle gets completely missed by her first attacker even if she had not had Eye in, which is unfair on the other two, and her second attacker doesn't actually fire. The Pikemen and staffman then come charging at all of you from various directions but again owing to the surprise of things don't quite get to attack you this round- but they do seal off your exits.
Other meleeists do not move as of yet as they have no clear route to those up top and it will take them a little while to realise some of you are fighting by the display cases. Rivas himself is looking around the fight emerging and he and his guard make no move yet.
Which makes it your turn! Which actually will be pretty brief. The three of you down by the cases are having their actions held (explained below). Rand is trying to recover his sabre. He rolls four successes, which is pretty good; he gets it out the case, s6tarts dragging it towards him... and then it gets caught in the crowd at the gallery below; someone kicks it and he loses sight. Gallador sees no opportunity to advance in any kind of safety; he'd run straight into that Pikeman if he tried.
You guys emerge! Emerging was your entire action, I am afraid, though if you posted something else to do I will do it for next turn.
The good news is that your burly Epireans get through the diminished crowd to attack the 10 guards in your area. The guard's sophisticated technology is no match for the Epirean's bronze axes as they promptly hack them to death. Trogan is keeping them disciplined.
----
BATTLE OF THE TREGANNA THRONE, Start of turn 2
Upper Viewing Gallery North (7)
Guards x10 (G6)
Upper Viewing Gallery East (7)
Guards x10 (G6)
Upper Viewing Gallery South (7)
Guards x10 (G6)
Upper Viewing Gallery West (4)
Epireans x10 (C7)
Trogan (C9) 2(1A)/4 [DW]
Fitra (C11) 1/6 [PA]
Loincloth (C9) 1(3ABH)/6 [IM]
Dually (C10) 3/4 [TW]
Rand (C4) 2(1A)/4 [FocGu DW RF] [OGu CL] (9F)
Gallador (C4*) 1/6 [OGu CL] (8F)
Rah (G7) 1(1PR)/0 [ES GS 10K] (6F)
Con (G8) 1(1PR)/0 (ES EE CC] (7F)
Galder (C9) 2(2A)/0 [PA DW IM] (5F) (Heavy melee)
Azarl (C7) 1/0 [MA] (8F)
Xavier (C7) 2(1A)/0 [DW FE SF] (5F)
J7 (G7) 1(1PR)/0 [EE ES] [DW MA]
Rura (G12) 1(1PR)/0 [10K ES MM] [MA DU FB]
Lower Viewing Gallery North (6)
Guards x10 (G6)
Pikeman U (C7): 0
Lower Viewing Gallery East (6)
Guards x10 (G6)
Pikeman V (C7): 0
Lower Viewing Gallery South (6)
Guards x10 (G6)
Pikeman W (C7): 0
Lower Viewing Gallery West (6)
Guards x10 (G6)
Pikeman X (C7): 0
Rand's sabre?
Floor Area North (Trophy Cases) (1)
Staffman A (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Pikeman A (C7): 0
Pikeman B (C7): 0
Pikeman C (C7): 0
Pikeman D (C7): 0
Pikeman E (C7): 0
Guards x2 (G6)
Relle (G8) 1(1PR)/0 [BB EE ES] (action in hand)
Rianna (LS12) 3/6 [OGu PS CL] [ForGu RI] (6F) (action in hand)
Dak (LS11) 1(2A)/5 [BGu CL CH] [ForGu] (5F) (action in hand)
Floor Area East (2)
Staffman B (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Pikeman F (C7): 0
Pikeman G (C7): 0
Pikeman H (C7): 0
Pikeman I (C7): 0
Pikeman J (C7): 0
Guards x5 (G6)
Floor Area South (Petitioners) (8)
Staffman C (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Pikeman K (C7): 0
Pikeman L (C7): 0
Pikeman M (C7): 0
Pikeman N (C7): 0
Pikeman O (C7): 0
Guards x5 (G6)
Floor Area West (2)
Staffman D (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Pikeman P (C7): 0
Pikeman Q (C7): 0
Pikeman R (C7): 0
Pikeman S (C7): 0
Pikeman T (C7): 0
Guards x5 (G6)
The Throne (0)
Staffman E (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Staffman F (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Staffman G (C10 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Staffman H (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Staffman I (C10) 1(3C))/0 [PA DU]
Rivas (C12) 1(3C)/0 [PA FB DU]
-----
"You didn't tell me there would be no cover..." says Rura, kneeling down with his elegant rifle. J6 is saying nothing, but the lights whirling on his head show that he is taking in language data from the dying crowd. His blaster has unfolded form his arm compartment.
Slightly to Relle's surprise, the guard that didn't fire at her draws a second gun and shoots dead two of the guards next to him. I guess it was even more of a surprise to the guards.
Talking of which- with you guys now boxed in by those melee opponents, your circumstances have changed so I held your action. You may wish to change targets, and they are between you and the guards so you cannot rush the guards without getting free attacks on you. Dak has Charge so can take his original action as planned if he wants. Relle is committed to shooting something though, rather than retrieving her sabre, as she didn't know someone was already working on the guards.
The guards are now fully alert- seeing ten of their number axed to death kinda did that- so full response for them from now on!
Phew!
I am finally cataloguing your loadouts- finished doing the Jeid a while ago, but this is actually your first fight using sabres in bleeding ages so I am taking the change now- so for one last time, could folks confirm what Guns they carry, if you carry guns? I can then adjust your pools accordingly.
Rah- you've not used sabres before so you can iitll change your character's schticks... you have no Guard. I recommend you take at least one!
Azarl- may as well load your sabre schticks so you can start using them as soon as you pick it up!
Rand snarls and searches for his lightsaber. With the Epireans having wiped out the guards around him, Rand gestures to the south.
"Everyone, move to the south gallery as a unit!" Rand orders of the Dark Jedi and assisting forces. "Kill everyone who stands in your way! Those with guns, blast the north gallery! Clear the guards and thin their ranks!"
Rand will keep on the move with everyone, though he keeps his eyes downward trying to locate his lightsaber.
If he finds it, he will try to pull it up to himself again.
Relle- you probably don't want to be gunning right now.
Dak, Rianna- start engaging those Pikemen.
"Trogan!" Galder says. "Do what Rand says! Move south and wipe out the opposition!"
Galder waves at the others- Con, Rah, Xavier, Azarl.
"Let's sweep around North and kill the guards there!" Galder says.
If Galder gets the others to follow him, he will move to UVG North and club a guard to death.
If Galder ends up being the only one wanting to do that, he'll go to UVG South and club a guard to death.