4-2 means you attack first! And it's a Refresh!
Three successes from Rianna is exactly what was needed to bring down the Warrior. Her lightsaber spears him in the chest.
Rand, Xavier, and Dak all dive into the needle-gunners. Dak pulls out 16 successes and converts them into points, taking out two by ferociously chopping them into smaller and smaller pieces. Xavier and Galder blow through three, and Rand spits one on his blade. And the probe vaporizes one as well.
The natives' numbers have been thinned out by now. However, the needle-gunners only fire on Rianna and Dak and the Probe. Rianna is unlucky- having thrown her lightsaber, Cleave protection does not work. A needle finally finds contact in her arm as she's recalling her lightsaber and she is electrocuted.
Dak can laugh hysterically at their puny efforts to shoot the big blue lizard. His Cleave protection absorbs their shots.
The Probe is starting to spark and fizzle weirdly.
The reason the needle-gunners only went for those targets is that the Leader finally waves himself and his Warriors forward! The Leader advances on Rand and swings his practice swords at him from both sides, tapping Power Attack and knocking the old Master down in a flash of sparks.
The other Warriors engage Galder and Xavier. Galder takes a good smack from his attacker, while Xavier was prepared with his Balanced Guard tap! He takes no damage.
----
FIGHT IN THE RUINS, Start of Turn 7
Temple Entrance
Nokros-An (G6) x7
Temple Steps
Nokros-An Leader: 0 (Rand)
Nokros-An Warrior: 0 (Xavier)
Nokros-An Warrior: 0 (Galder)
Nokros-An (G6) x2
Galder (LS11): 2/67 [DW BL DU] [GS CL1 FwGu BGu CC] (2F)
Rand (LS10): 3/11 [FocGu RF] [OGu CL4] (6F) (Knocked down)
Xavier (LS12): 1(2A)/62 [BGu PS CL] [OGu RI] (5F)
Dak (LS11): 1(2A)/59 [FwGu CL10 CH] [BGu] (2F)
Temple Courtyard
Probe (G10): 2(2A)/35 [EE]
Courtyard Entrance
Useld: ?
----
Xavier's retroactive Cleave tap gains him 9 points of protection against mooks.
Initiative stays in your hands! Dak cuts down one of the Nokros-An, while Galder and Xavier engage in their faux-duels. Xavier gains eight successes with two conversions, for 14 damage. Galder taps Forward Guard and turns it into a Strike for double Xavier's successes, for a total of 22 damage!
Rand is recovering from the blow that knocked him down. His probe assists him with covering fire, which barely phases the Nokros-An leader who simply strafes the beam.
Galder spends on Evade and is missed by his Warrior. Xavier simply is shown favor by the Force when his Warrior just rolls very badly.
Rand is already back on his feet when the Leader comes at him again with another Power Attack tap, having Refreshed it with a Fortune point. But a Focused Guard tap takes care of that, with Rand selecting the Leader as his focus- the attack is a miss as Rand parries the strong strikes of the Leader's swords.
The needle-gunners pose no threat to anyone as all have tapped Cleave at some point for protection! Galder and Rand lose the last of their points, while Xavier and Dak safely evade any electrocution.
----
FIGHT IN THE RUINS, Start of Turn 8
Temple Entrance
Nokros-An (G6) x7
Temple Steps
Nokros-An Leader: 5 (Rand)
Nokros-An Warrior: 14 (Xavier)
Nokros-An Warrior: 22 (Galder)
Nokros-An (G6) x1
Galder (LS11): 2/67 [FwGu BL DU] [GS CL DW BGu CC] (0F)
Rand (LS10): 3/11 [FocGu RF CL] [OGu] (6F)
Xavier (LS12): 3/62 [OGu PS CL6] [BGu RI] (5F)
Dak (LS11): 1(2A)/59 [FwGu CL7 CH] [BGu] (2F)
Temple Courtyard
Probe (G10): 2(2A)/35 [EE]
Courtyard Entrance
Useld: ?
----
Rianna- someone is going "Psst!" at you from behind some of the ruins on the edge of the courtyard.
Dak, I went ahead and swapped out Cleave for you. I realized that I missed your Guard swap last turn. Consider it all done.
-
6-2 gives you the lead here.
Dak has no issue dispatching his Nokros-An victim. The probe assists by vaporizing another at the Temple's entrance.
Rand, having regained his footing, stands solidly when the Leader comes at him again. He simply raises a hand and sends the Leader flying back, rolling up the steps.
Xavier does not quite finish his opponent despite rolling seven successes on nine dice. So close! It is fitting, then, that his opponent rolls a single 5 despite Xavier's impressive Perfect Strike defense. There is a sudden fizzle as Xavier runs him through with a Riposte.
Galder taps Street Fighting and Duck to finish off his fight with his Warrior. He blocks a blow from his opponent with both blades, then kicks into his shin whiile twisting the blade away. The desired effect of bringing down his adversary's guard happens, and Galder headbutts into the Warrior's neck. That encounter is done.
With the Warriors dead and the Leader thrown back, the natives target everyone with their needles, with an extra on Rand.
Galder finally wears down. With nothing left to tap, a needle hits him in the chest and he drops with a jolt.
The probe is starting to shudder noisily, squawking warning alarms.
----
FIGHT IN THE RUINS, Start of Turn 9
Temple Entrance
Nokros-An (G6) x6
Nokros-An Leader: 14
Temple Steps
Rand (LS10): 3/14 [OGu RF CL] [FocGu] (5F)
Xavier (LS12): 3/62 [OGu PS RI] [BGu CL6] (5F)
Dak (LS11): 1(2A)/59 [BGu CH] [FwGu CL6] (2F)
Temple Courtyard
Probe (G10): 2(2A)/38 [EE]
Courtyard Entrance
Useld: ?
----
"More annoyed than anything else," Rianna replies, rolling her eyes.
--
This isn't really as bad as it looks, I'd say - Dak and Xavier are safe from the mooks, thanks to Cleave. If they team up and make taps they should be able to take down the Leader this turn. Rand still has Cleave untapped so he should take advantage of that to thin the mooks a bit.
If initiative goes well, two more turns to finish this fight, I would think...