Mobilising Armies

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Mobilising Armies is a members-only real-time strategy minigame in RuneScape released on 8 July 2009. During the minigame, players will invest in armies then command those armies in 4-player battles.



Pre-release info
Jagex originally announced in the November 2008 update plans to release it in December, but in the December 2008 update, they announced that the release of the minigame would be postponed until 2009. In the Mobilising Armies Developers' Blog of 26 June 2009, they announced it will be released "in the next few weeks." It was eventually released on 8 July 2009 along with a new teleport spell, and the RuneScape website received a Mobilising Armies themed makeover.

Getting There
The Mobilising Armies Command centre is located just west of Oo'glog. The easiest way to get there is by using the Mobilising Armies teleport (1 Law rune, 1 Air rune 1 Water rune, and Level 10 Magic required). This will teleport the caster to the entrance.

Other means of travel include:


 * Ring of duelling teleport directly to Mobilising Armies (no requirement)


 * Spirit tree teleport to Mobilising Armies area (after Tree Gnome Village)


 * Charter a ship to Oo'glog (after As a First Resort...)


 * Fly a Gnome glider to Feldip Hills (after One Small Favour)


 * Fairy ring teleport to Feldip Hunter area (after partial completion of Fairytale II - Cure a Queen)

Introduction
To start this game, players need to talk to Junior Cadet Mal who is located near the entrance of the game. Players will then be taken through a tutorial where they will have to attack and defeat the enemy. Upon completing the tutorial, players can begin Mobilising Armies.

How to Play
Firstly, players will need to recruit mercenary squads. This can be done in the South-Western building. A maximum of 10 squad contracts can be held at any one time. Players may also wish to buy special units. This is located in the North-Eastern tent. Players can buy up to five special units. Squads and special units are purchased using an in-minigame currency called investment credits. Investment credits are earned by trading in "commodities." A commodity is usually a byproduct of a production skill, such as potions, bows, runes, armour etc. A full list of possible commodities can be found by talking to Junior Cadet Mal.

Different in-game items have different values. For example, all runes except for body runes(9gp per rune), can be exchanged for 10 investment credits. Therefore, 1,000 Fire Runes would be worth 10,000 investment credits. The rewards for the lowest levels (&lt;100 rank) average about 1gp per reward point. Games that span for more than 10 minutes will usually grant rewards credits at a rate higher than 1-to-1, depending on performance of the players involved.

Once playing, the tabs will change accordingly, having different purposes.


 * [[File:Mobilising Armies tab - camera1.gif]]Camera: Camera controls. All controls have exactly the same function as their counterparts on the HUD.


 * [[File:Mobilising Armies tab - squads1.gif]]Squad Command: Available actions of a squad for the scenario and the action the selected squad is currently performing. All displayed actions can also executed by clicking certain terrain, units and building.


 * [[File:Mobilising Armies tab - special1.gif]]Special Units: Special unit deploy commands.


 * [[File:Mobilising Armies tab - mysquads1.gif]]My Squads: View all squads. Crossed- out squads are squads that have been defeated, the colour of the cross is dependent on which team defeated the squad. Clicking the head graphic will move the camera over to the squad and select it providing it is still in scenario.


 * [[File:Mobilising Armies tab - forfeit1.gif]]Forfeit: Forfeit function.

Controlling Squads
The player's squads are all near each other when the game starts. Clicking on one of a player's own squads selects that squad, which will move, explore, or attack based on the player's commands. Only the selected squad will do anything, so players should select other squad and give commands to them. The minimap shows the location of the selected squad with a flashing arrow.

Moving
To move a selected squad, players can either click the destination on the minimap and the squad will walk there, or click anywhere on the main screen. If the destination is on another squad on the same team, click the Move button to the side and then click where to go. Note: a squad takes up four squares. The squads' lower left corner will always move to the map tile clicked.

Attacking
Enemy units are attacked by clicking the unit while a squad is selected. Manually attacking a squad or unit can be done by selecting an option from the Squad Commands tab. Although not indicated, the entire battlefield is a multicombat area, allowing more than one squad to attack an enemy. Multiple squads should be used to engage a single squad.

Mobilising Armies has a combat triangle similar to other areas. Dwarves use Melee, Goblins use Ranged and Elves use Magic. This means that Dwarves are more effective against Goblins, which are more effective against Elves.

In all the scenarios there are patches of special terrain. While on this terrain, squads will deal additional damage. There are three different appearances for this terrain; light and dark sand, leaves and felled trees. All special terrain is 2x2 tiles. Similar damage bonuses are also active the first strike a squad makes against another squad and while a squad is attacking another squad from behind.

Exploring
Clicking on the Explore button to the side will make the selected squad wander around, exploring for treasure. The treasure may be an item such as willow logs or tin ore, depending on which race is exploring, or it could be a positive (shown on the chat screen as POS) effects such as gaining health or negative (shown as NEG) effects such as losing combat levels. The quality of loot improves when using higher level squads. Only Dwarves may find ores, only Goblins can find seeds and only Elves can find logs.

Possible loots include:


 * Tin ore


 * Cabbage seed


 * Willow logs


 * Uncut opal


 * Uncut jade


 * Uncut red topaz


 * Coins

Camera
Since the player's character itself is not in the game, the camera has no point of focus. There are three ways to operate the camera.

With the arrow keys, the camera can be panned in the desired direction. To rotate it, hold the Ctrl key on the keyboard and press the left and right arrow keys. To zoom in and out, hold Shift and the press the up key to zoom in and the down key to zoom out.

A duplicate of these functions can be found on the top left of the HUD and in Camera options in the tabs menu.

Winning
A game is won once an objective is completed. Defeating all enemy squads is always an objective. The winning player receives +2 rank points, any player that did not forfeit the game receives +1 rank point. Any player that is defeated within the first four minutes will not receive any rank points. For fast ranks many players choose to suicide by using light squads to assault the castle in the siege scenario. This technique yields up to 10 ranks per hour.

Investments
Mobilising Armies has a special in-minigame currency called Investment Credits. These can be traded in for byproducts of production skills such as unstrung bows, Summoning scrolls, or flatpacks from Construction. Junior Cadet Mal provides a full list of commodities. The maximum number of Investment Credits a player may have at one time is 500,000.

Investment Credits were intended to clear the economy of items that would usually stagnate due to lack of demand. Items previously mentioned were only ever used in junk trades or sold to general stores for a fraction of their true value.

Ranking Points
Winning any game at any squad level will result in +2 rank. Losing any game at any squad level will result in +1 rank.

Classes
Classes are either light or heavy. Light classes are faster with lower combat stats, Heavy classes are slower with higher combat stats. A feather represents the Light class, and a weight represents a Heavy class.

Light
Light units move much faster than their Heavy counterparts, but are a lot weaker in terms of combat. Light units are most useful in the Siege and Rescue scenarios, when speed is essential for completing the objective. By setting Light units to explore in the Conflict scenario, they can evade the more common Heavy units for a long period of time allowing the player to accumulate a large amount of points by exploiting the time bonus gained for surviving long periods of time.

Heavy
Heavy units are stronger than the light units, but sacrifice speed for the increased power. These units are most effective for the "Conflict" and "Hoard" scenarios, but are less effective in the "Rescue" Scenario when Light units will be continually moving.

Races
Races are either Goblin, Elf, or Dwarf. They have different speeds and hitpoints and represent different sides of the combat triangle.

As a player advances, they can upgrade/promote their squads from level 1 to higher levels.

Rank levels 1-99 is level 1 squad.

Rank levels 100-199 is level 2 squad

Rank levels 200-299 is level 3 squad

You must have 10 squads (either race) of the same level to start a game.

Elf Race
Elves are the mage class. If you follow the combat triangle, Elves are weak against Goblins (range class) but strong against Dwarves (melee class). Light Elves have a combat level of 175, a hitpoints level of 480 and a discipline level of 110 while the Heavy Elves have a combat level of 350, a hitpoints level of 960 and a discipline level of 110. Light Elves wear lavender robes, and wield different elemental staffs. The Heavy Elves also wield the basic elemental staffs but wear a dark blue shaded robe. The Examine info on both squads say "An uncommon sight, mercenary elves are familiar with battle" While exploring, they find logs.

Dwarf Race
Dwarfs are the melee class. If you follow the combat triangle, Dwarfs are weak against Elves (mage class) but strong against Goblins (range class). Light Dwarfs have a combat level of 175, a hitpoints level of 530 and a discipline level of 60 while Heavy Dwarfs have a combat level of 350, a hitpoints level of 1010 and a discipline level of 60. Light Dwarfs are garbed in a gray dwarf outfit and wield a silver battleaxe, and Heavy Dwarfs wear a brown dwarf outfit carrying a black battleaxe with silver blades. They find ore and gems while exploring.

Goblin Race
Goblins are the range class. If you follow the combat triangle, Goblins are weak against Dwarves (melee class) but strong against Elves (mage class). Light Goblins have a combat level of 225, a hitpoints level of 480 and a discipline level of 60 while Heavy Goblins have a combat level of 400, a hitpoints level of 960 and a discipline level of 60. Light Goblins wear a grey Goblin mail and wields an Iron Crossbow. Heavy Goblins are equipped in a darker brown goblin mail, but also appear to use an Iron Crossbow. They pick up coins and various items while exploring.

Special Units
There are 5 different special units with different functions.

These units are:


 * Chompa - hits multiple targets for around 50 damage. It affects your squads too!
 * Cannon - hits every target in the attack line for 55-100 damage. It affects your squads too!
 * Distractor - disables all orders to nearby squads. It affects your squads too!
 * Barricade - stops all attack from that direction. It affects your squads too!
 * Glider - single attack on an enemy for about 200 damage.

Keep in mind, that each of these special attacks are more effective against its combat triangle ideology. For example, Dwarfs use cannons, Gobins use chompas, and Elfs use Distractor. If you use them against the right race, they do more damage and have a higher chance of doing damage.

Squad Formations
There are a total of 9 formations available for use.

Conflict


This is the standard scenario for the game, being the first to be played by all, and the "lowest leveled" scenario. Four teams are placed on a battlefield and must kill each other off, one by one. This version is a "free-for-all". The fastest way to gain rank points in this game is to choose all ELF squads, and make sure they are the "light" sqaud. Then suicide them again the other teams to lose quick.

Siege
The Siege Scenario is unlocked after playing through a game of Conflict. In this Scenario, a rogue knight, exiled for treason against the King of Asgarnia, has constructed a heavily fortified castle on an island in the south seas. Unlike Conflict, defeating all enemy squads is a secondary objective; the primary objective is to be the first to break one of four castle walls in the center of the island. This can be done in one of two ways: attacking the wall directly with squads, which causes damage from the mages stationed on the castle towers, or building a catapult supplies found on shipwrecks and firing rocks. The winner is the first to break down one of the castle's walls.

Hoard
As defined by Jagex "This scenario is set at a dragon’s volcano, where you must collect 100,000 gold or defeat your opponents to become the victor. Gold can be collected by using the ‘Cave Collect’ command in your Squad Commands tab or by just left-clicking the cave. In order to collect gold from the dragon, you need at least two squads, one collecting at the cave and another to carry the gold from the cave to the boat. You can also steal gold by killing opponents' squads, and it is worth noting that squads collecting gold are more susceptible to damage." You only need 2 units at each cave to collect gold. More units, will NOT yield more gold. Use your other free units for battle. You can also kill enemy units collecting gold for a bonus 2,500 gold. Just collect gold, and let the winner be chosen at random. Everyone will still get 1 rank point for participating. Currently, the EAST cave gives more gold. It is unknown if this is intentional or not.

Rescue
As defined by Jagex "This scenario requires you to be the first to save 28 TzHaar from their steaming fissures. This comes with a new command, 'Rescue'. Click this command and then click on a flailing TzHaar to save them from certain doom, or simply left-click on the TzHaar. You may also steal TzHaar from your opposition by clicking on the 'Steal' command and then an enemy's stock, which is by their command tent and lander on the outskirts of the map."

Chat
During the game player are not able to chat freely, as the game spans much more than the normal chat radius. Instead, players are able to use Mobilising armies themed phrases.

Phrases are:
 * Good luck everyone
 * Well played
 * This will all be over soon.
 * Fear my Elves/Goblins/Dwarves!
 * Prepare for annihilation!
 * For this scenario I've invested...
 * I'm of rank...
 * All your squads are belong to me!
 * This is a long battle.
 * Yes!
 * Run away!
 * Noooo!
 * I've almost won!
 * I'm about to be defeated.
 * This is my favourite scenario.
 * This is my least favourite scenario.
 * That was so close!
 * I'm comin' ta getcha!

Rewards
Reward comes in the form of ‘reward credits' and increased Ranks. The number of reward credits received after a battle is determined by; squads defeated, credit invested, game duration, squads level and remaining squads. A maximum of 10,000 Investment credits can be invested per a level one fight. A level two fight allows for a maximum of 12,500 credits.

To exchange reward credits, visit the Officer’s Tower in the south-east of the encampment. To begin, players can only access the basement floor, as rank increases higher levels can be accessed. After each game, you will gain two Rank Points for a victory, or one Rank Point for a defeat. These cannot be spent, but, as you gain Ranks, you will be able to unlock more formations and squad levels. There are no ranking benefits for using playing higher level scenarios.

Within the tower there are several ways to spend reward credits.

Spoils of War: A selection of resources, gold and items that have been plundered from the scenario. The spoils of war improve in relation to rank.

Special items: Locators will teleport players to a resource type of their choice, from Mining spots to Woodcutting trees, choosing a specific spot at random. Quest kits are a one-slot container for items often needed in quests, such as rope, chisels, lamps and tinderboxes.

A.R.M.S Uniforms: Uniforms can be bought to show off Mobilising Armies rank.

Imbue rings: Rings be imbued, adding combat boosts to them.

Rank Prefix: While in the M.A.C.C area, a prefix can be added to players' name that will appear in the chat box (temporarily disabled) and the right-click menu.



Basement (Rank <100)
To access the Serjeant level shop, speak to Serjeant Cole.

Spoils of War: Players may choose three of the following items at the cost of 10K reward credits, a maximum of five items will display at one time.



Imbue rings:
 * Gold Ring to Gold ring (i)

Prefix

By speaking to Serjeant Cole, you may now change your prefix to Junior Cadet.

Ground Floor (Rank 100-199)
To access the Commander level shop, speak to Commander Loman on the ground floor of the Officer Tower.

Spoils of War: Players may choose three of the following items at the cost of 30,000 reward credits, a maximum of five items will display at one time.



By speaking to Commander Loman, you may now change your prefix to Serjeant.

First Floor (Rank 200-299)
To access the War-chief level shop, speak to War-chief Reeves on the first floor of the Officer Tower.



Spoils of War: Players may choose three of the following items at the cost of 50,000 reward credits, a maximum of five items will display at one time.




 * Prefix

By speaking to War-chief Reeves, you may now change your prefix to Commander.

Second Floor (Rank 300+)





 * Prefix

Players with access to the second floor can talk to Lord Marshal Brogan to change their prefix to War-Chief. Lord Marshal prefix cannot be attained.

Glitches

 * When talking to Serjeant Cole and another player talks at the same time it caused the text to overlay.


 * A two-line message will also overlay itself when you try to promote your squads without the required rank.


 * There have been reports of a glitch that makes you lose items. If you log out during the tutorial, you will lose items. (Confirmed, many posts on RS Forums), some players have logged out while in the tutorial without losing items (this glitch has been fixed).


 * Even when players leave the Mobilising Armies area, their quick chat default category is sometimes still set to the minigame's waiting area.


 * You can not get any higher than priority 3, which made waiting times extremely long the day the game came out. MA glith.PNG


 * While in the waiting room you cannot add players from the chat box if they have the rank "Junior Cadet" in front of their names (gives you an invalid username message). You will have to right-click on a name in the chat box to add them.


 * If you have a prefix before your name, such as Junior Cadet, the Quick Chat button would show up at the end of your name, but to access the actual interface you have to click where the button would be had you not had a prefix before your name.


 * There is a glitch where you keep your rank prefix outside of the Mobilising Armies area.


 * On the day of the release there was a glitch that almost nobody could get into a game of Siege, Hoard or Rescue. Jagex fixed this glitch two days later, on July 10th, 2009.


 * During some games, the quick chat of your battling teams will be added with the quick chat of another battle that is currently taking place. This would make it so one player of a certain colour would see another player using quick chat within the game with the same team colour (i.e. A yellow player would chat "Good Luck Everybody" and see another yellow player say the same phrase.) It also will make phrases such as "Team 3 was defeated" appear in the quick chat box even though the team 3 may still be alive.TextBoxGlitch.jpg
 * The Inferior Locator allows players to get into previously inaccessible areas, such as the area north of the Tree Gnome Stronghold.


 * In certain areas of the game, you can talk freely without the word censor blocking out previously censored words.
 * It is possible for an exploring squad to get into the ocean and move about it freely in any mode (though you get a message saying you cannot move your squad off the island every time you click to move it).
 * While doing the Fishing Skillcape emote the Serjeant Gloves "blue parts" will stretch, now fixed.
 * When you teleport with the Superior locator, the animation holding during the teleport will reveal it as an Inferior locator.

Trivia

 * Junior Cadet Bertol reveals that he is actually an undercover H.A.M. member if you talk to him with a Ring of Charos equipped.
 * The Undercover H.A.M. hints that the officers will not believe a low rank. This could mean that a high-ranked player can tell an officer about the H.A.M member. However, if you have the Serjeant Rank, he will tell you that the officers would believe a Cadet rather than a stranger.
 * The Elven Cadet Finda is onto a conspiracy and believes she has found "the source". Of what no one is sure.
 * Commander Loman (Rank 100-199) will yell out, "Hey! Don't walk off until you're dismissed" if you walk away while talking to him.
 * When a player commands one of their squads to move, they occasionally say, "We like to move it!" This may be a reference to the song "I like to move it" by Erick Morillo and Mark Quashie.
 * A Quick Chat phrase; "All your squads are belong to me!" is a reference to a popular Internet meme, "All your base are belong to us!".
 * Upon Mobilising Armies' initial release, the "Siege" portion of the minigame was not functional. The counter to enter the game would cycle continuously while the number of players in the waiting room remained the same. Jagex has fixed it.
 * On the day of release, Jagex updated the RuneScape user interface, along with the new feature "Notes".
 * On the day Mobilising Armies was released, the view of the edge of the map that was loaded was changed to look like what the edge of the world looked like before. It now has a blackened fringe.
 * Mobilising Armies was RuneScape's 30th members minigame to be released.
 * The examine text for the serjeant top reads, "This is my shirt, there are many like it, but this is my own." This is a reference to the Creed of a United States Marine entitled "My Rifle".
 * An hour or two before its release you could see and read the guide for the game under "Recently Released Articles" as well as the one for Notes.
 * The description of the Conflict games includes "War-Games" which is a reference to the movie, War Games.
 * Ranks, such as "Junior Cadet" were suggested on forums
 * Although it's called "Conflict" the boat is described to explore "uncharted island" suggesting more of a seizing of territories based game, although nothing else suggests so.
 * In quick chat instead of saying "I am going to play siege" you must say "I am going to play capture". This is probably because Jagex was thinking of making you capture the castle as opposed to destroying it.
 * Mobilising Armies was first mentioned in 2008 October's Behind The Scenes.
 * 48 hours after Mobilising Armies came out the waiting room counter was changed from 5 to 3 to allow faster entry to the game.
 * Mr Luigids was the first person to be ranked in the hiscores with a rank of 300, taking about 3 days to do so.
 * When having an inferior quest kit, the price of the next kit up will be lowered.