"Now the plan is simple, the goal is to stop the ballistics. We need the burrowers to take down the ones moving  the ballistics down quickly so we have to keep their defenses busy. The hope is that their guards will try to come at us, leaving the ballistic luggers to defend themselves when the crew pops up then. So focus fire to drop them as quick as we can apprentice, you manage the men on that side, i will this side. Take out closest first. The others can handle them selfs and we are a distraction. Understood? You, apprentice, what's your name? You are with me and try to learn something. We will stand behind the wall where we can have a clear view field to direct our arcane defense. Remember those in front of you are your greatest defense, protect them and them will do the same for you. Alright bowman, fire when ready!" Hamma wasn't sure this woukd work but he felt a bit more confident knowing the town was listening to him and this crew of folks willing to help. I hope they ate borrowing where they said they would and not just burrowing to safety without us...

[[ Just in case there's any confusion (did see it happen before) the way grouping works is that everyone in a group can act. So currently Aronan, Boigo, Callow, and Expos are all up and able to act. The benefit of group initiative in my experience is that it allows more flexibility. ]]

Boigo will cast Protection from Good and Evil on whomever is going to arm the explosives and move to be between the group and any immediate threats.

So while I may have a high initiative. I’m last in the tunnel so is everyone moving out of tunnel ?  Just trying to understand otherwise I have to wait. 

Quote from CalaQuendi_Silverwand >>

So while I may have a high initiative. I’m last in the tunnel so is everyone moving out of tunnel ?  Just trying to understand otherwise I have to wait. 

 (I know we eventually need to get out... Because boom. But Boigo isn't much use far away from enemies and that's why I described his actions the way I did.)

(Unless PFE changed significantly in 5.5 not sure it’s useful.  Generally it’s used against things from other planes (devils,deamons, fae, and the mundane undead, and I’ve done 0 reading in 2024 rules so I could very well be wrong.  Other than the spell casting Ooc I understand your movements.   I’m asking in general am i assumed to just magically move past people in a cramped tunnel where we’re crawling.  Or should i just wait ) 

Quote from CalaQuendi_Silverwand >>

(I’m asking in general am i assumed to just magically move past people in a cramped tunnel where we’re crawling.  Or should i just wait ) 

[[ In this situation, for the sake of simplicity since I think everyone is going to be moving out of the tunnel, feel free to assume the way has been cleared of other characters. And we'll figure out where everyone is specifically at the end. ]]

Stepping out of the tunnel takes a moment to adjust to the light and bonus action hex to the robot in front   then aims for the robot at the front of the group with Eldritch blast 

18 to hit and 13 damage force plus 6 necrotic if it hits.  

Quote from CalaQuendi_Silverwand >>

(Unless PFE changed significantly in 5.5 not sure it’s useful.  Generally it’s used against things from other planes (devils,deamons, fae, and the mundane undead, and I’ve done 0 reading in 2024 rules so I could very well be wrong.  Other than the spell casting Ooc I understand your movements.   I’m asking in general am i assumed to just magically move past people in a cramped tunnel where we’re crawling.  Or should i just wait ) 

 [I assumed the modron were celestial constructs. If that is a mistake I can change my action]

Quote from Rylentlar >>

Quote from CalaQuendi_Silverwand >>

(Unless PFE changed significantly in 5.5 not sure it’s useful.  Generally it’s used against things from other planes (devils,deamons, fae, and the mundane undead, and I’ve done 0 reading in 2024 rules so I could very well be wrong.  Other than the spell casting Ooc I understand your movements.   I’m asking in general am i assumed to just magically move past people in a cramped tunnel where we’re crawling.  Or should i just wait ) 

 [I assumed the modron were celestial constructs. If that is a mistake I can change my action]

[[ I'll let you know they're just constructs, not celestials. ]]

( They very well might be. I have no clue even ooc. But I’d assume that a construct isn’t a celestial but that’s the DM’s call) 

Expos emerges from the tunnel, and moves 10 ft. away from the rest [just so we are not bunched] and will attack the same one that Aronan did, unless that one has fallen. If it has, he'll attack the one next to it, focusing on one ballista at a time.

Toll the Dead Wis Save, DC 11 or dmg: 6 / 9 (6 if their unharmed, else 9)

I'd like to shift to casting bless on Boigo, Aronan and Callow on the way out of the tunnel

Fighter 1 WIS Save: 15

Quote from VitusW >>

Fighter 1 WIS Save: 15

Aronan's blast is able strike true, blasting the leading duodrone into a pile dust. Following up is Expos' dolorous bell, but the nearby biodrone is able to shrug of its beckoning call.

As Boigo stands true at the front of the assault, the battle continues where Hamma is.

The crossbow-arms continue moving across the rugged battlefield, now training their arms upon the advancing force, each loosing two bolts.

//priority: S1, TG1, TG2, S2, S3, S4

Attack: 24 Damage: 14
Attack: 21 Damage: 9
Attack: 6 Damage: 6
Attack: 11 Damage: 7
Attack: 15 Damage: 3
Attack: 21 Damage: 7
Attack: 14 Damage: 6
Attack: 19 Damage: 10

//next: town guards' response

The first three bolts trained on S1 strike true, hitting their mark and felling the valiant scout.

Bolt 4 hits followed by a miss with bolt 5 before another strike from bolt 6 fells the guard. The final crossbow arm's bolts are blocked by TG2's chain shirt and shield.

The town forces move slightly forward, preparing to keep in range of further targets. The scouts loose their arrows at the biodrones near the ballistas, hoping to support the strike force.

//priority: F1, F2, G1, G2, G3, G4

Attack: 24 Damage: 11 piercing
Attack: 17 Damage: 8
Attack: 18 Damage: 8
Attack: 22 Damage: 7
Attack: 18 Damage: 3
Attack: 6 Damage: 6

The apprentice wizard, not in range of the ballistas, lets off an arcane burst at CA1.

Attack: 22 Damage: 5 force

TG2 will dodge

Quote from VitusW >>

//priority: F1, F2, G1, G2, G3, G4

Attack: 17 Damage: 3 piercing
Attack: 17 Damage: 10
Attack: 8 Damage: 6
Attack: 5 Damage: 9
Attack: 18 Damage: 7
Attack: 6 Damage: 8

Arrows 1, 2, and 5 hit their marks, bloodying the biodrone fighter. Close by Hamma, the apprentice's spell misses.

[[ Going to give Callow 2 turns. One for the previous and this current one. With them having been surprised, should work out pretty similar. ]]

Initiative
Aronan (concentrating on hex, blessed), Boigo (concentrating on bless, blessed), Callow (giant badger, 2 turns, blessed), Expos (crawling), Hamma <-------------- currently up
F1 (20-damage), F2, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8
CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4
TG2, S2, S3, S4, Apprentice Wizard

Hamma watches ad his little crew starts to move forward. What are they doing, let them come to us. No matter, let's show them why it was a mistake to cone here, I was forced from my last home I will not be displaced again! Holding his book his holds out his other hand towards F1 as the others have done.

Eldritch Blast: Attach 12, damage 1 (starting off hot!)

[Sorry, didn't see that I missed a turn, thank you for being lenient and allowing me to take two!]

As some members of the party exit the tunnel, Callow continues to burrow forward in his stone grey badger form, simply taking his time and aiming to try and dig under a back wheel of a ballista so it falls in and prevents the weapon from progressing any further without a considerable effort to drag it back out of the hole again.

First Turn: Action: Dash to double his burrowing movement to 20 feet. He then burrows 4 squares west (20 feet) before expending all his movement
Second Turn: Action: Dash to double his burrowing movement to 20 feet. He then burrows one square forward so he's in line with the upper ballista's bottom back wheel, then one square north so he's under it and then another 'square' upwards to surface and create a hole under it (assuming we're 5 feet below ground, I might have missed the part where it listed how deep we were), before retreating back to the safety of the tunnel by 5 feet, ending his movement with his full 20 feet of movement covered and between the two ballistas. 

Quote from Shiverquill >>

[Sorry, didn't see that I missed a turn, thank you for being lenient and allowing me to take two!]

[[ No problem. And it's also my general goal of how to handle cases where I might move past a PC whose turn hasn't been taken yet to give them the additional on the next. ]]

Hamma's eldritch blast glances off the biodrone fighter. It still stands tall on the battlefield.

Quote from Shiverquill >>

(assuming we're 5 feet below ground, I might have missed the part where it listed how deep we were)

[[ believe it never got 100% specified, but 5ft seems reasonable enough to assume. ]]

Callow is able to burrow further and his upwards digging leaves the Northern-most ballista in a lurch in the ground.

Initiative
Aronan (concentrating on hex, blessed), Boigo (concentrating on bless, blessed), Callow (giant badger, z=-5, blessed), Expos (crawling), Hamma <-------------- currently up
F1 (20-damage), F2, G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7, G8
CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4
TG2, S2, S3, S4, Apprentice Wizard

Other Statuses
Northern Ballista: stuck in lurch, DC 15 Athletics to free it so it can move again.