Patrol vs. US

[Otto_X]

My 3rd group which is patrol sized has found a US. Do they have enough guys to investigate? Or is it really just the two captains and an adept walking around?

Captain II, Captain, Adept
Troop composition is all zero.
Brigades are zero.
(They started the game like this).

[kevindusi]

You can investigate. Best of luck, though... that's a pretty light group.

[Lord Diamond]

Don't send your Adept in. Your captains may be enough to at least find out what you are dealing with. Some sightings don't require military might. It's even possible to fail at taking the US, but to have your leaders survive and even earn promotion.

[Otto_X]

Does the US persist until someone deals with it? Can other kingdoms resolve it?

[Lord Diamond]

Does the US persist until someone deals with it? Can other kingdoms resolve it?

Yes to both. Some, like the half dozen or so 'Teleportation Portals' never go away.

For some US, particular kingdoms cannot resolve it. For example, Evil players can't get the Last Herd of Winged Stallions.

For others, you must first find the Key associated with it.

[kik1661]

Does the US persist until someone deals with it? Can other kingdoms resolve it?

Yes to both. Some, like the half dozen or so 'Teleportation Portals' never go away.

For some US, particular kingdoms cannot resolve it. For example, Evil players can't get the Last Herd of Winged Stallions.

For others, you must first find the Key associated with it.

LD .. Since you mentioned the Keys .. Do they count as artifacts towards ESO's and SVC's ? I know slightly off topic but figured I'd ask anyway.

[Lord Diamond]

Does the US persist until someone deals with it? Can other kingdoms resolve it?

Yes to both. Some, like the half dozen or so 'Teleportation Portals' never go away.

For some US, particular kingdoms cannot resolve it. For example, Evil players can't get the Last Herd of Winged Stallions.

For others, you must first find the Key associated with it.

LD .. Since you mentioned the Keys .. Do they count as artifacts towards ESO's and SVC's ? I know slightly off topic but figured I'd ask anyway.

The Keys are genuine King artifacts and count as such; they even provide status points. They are consumed when you use them to retrieve the artifact they are keyed to.

[Otto_X]

Just to answer my own question -- yes, you still get footsoldiers when investigating a US even though your troop total is zero. I guess they found some passers by.

[Cipher]

From page 10 in the rules:
Patrol. This is a scout party, almost always on fast horses, consisting of at least one leader and perhaps a dozen troops. Patrols cannot attack or be attacked by other groups. However, it is a patrol which will be dispatched automatically by the program when a player orders one of his groups to investigate an "Encounter with Unusual Things" occurrence (ie- it is a group's leaders and wizards which are vital to the success of these encounters). In this case, the program also has the patrol rejoin the main group once the investigation of the unusual sighting is complete. Except for the inability to engage in combat and block the movement of non-allied emissaries, patrols which the player dispatches act as do other groups, that is they may move, combine with other groups, recruit troops, etc.

[wfrankenhoff]

Should be noted that the strength of the dozen or so soldiers who accompany the patrol varies from kingdom to kingdom and can affect the outcome of the unusual sighting. I.E. A GI patrol with two captains is much stronger than a GN patrol with similar leaders.