That one longbow dude with the Freedom Phalanx in the LRSF

What's his story?

Also, anyone else compulsively confuses him, just for the lulz?

There isn't one, as far as we know.

The appearance is likely an artifact of limitations of the engine to spawn large groups.

Another example of engine limitations making awkward spawns is the presence of a Dwarf or Nova critter being part of enemy group that consists of Ghost Widow, Scirocco, Black Scorpion, and Captain Mako when a Peacebringer or Warshade is on the team.

If you want a canon story behind the engine, just imagine that he's the poor sap assigned to carry Liberty's broken body around.

His name is Arnold. He joined Longbow because he thought Ms. Liberty was hot, he likes ramen and eggs, and is chaffed by the longbow spandex uniforms no matter how much talcum powder he applies, and he's Jewish in faith but descends from Irish-Catholics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow City of Heroes is a game about freedom of expression and variety of experiences far more so than it is about representing any one theme, topic or genre.

He was identified as Joe, the Longbow Eagle in a MA arc by the guy who then went on to be hired by Paragon Studios and become Dr. Aeon. So it's almost half-canon.

He's there for the lul's people.

but truth is hes a reject among the longbow so he stands with the heroes to make himself feel like he has friends still..which is smart as the heroes dont even notice him with the villain invasion aboot to happen. and the only reason he joins in..is cos hes bored.

anyone ever thought aboot leaving that guy along, he goes thru enough without villain picking on him...its school all over again lol

Being that the Heroes are aggro-linked, I assume they are all part of the same spawn. When the spawn is generated, it needs to fill in the extra spot, so a Random longbow gets it.

Just my Theory.

He's irrelevant; paste him and collect your thousands of inf then pile on the Phalanx. Spawns sometimes carry these 'annoyance' factors but in this case...maybe he's a herald of some kind waiting to report the results.

I've been on the LRSF half a dozen times and I had no idea there was a longbow in that group! Maybe it's random.

He's Justin Sinclair's manservant.

I think Je is right.

The Longbow Eagle is the anchor on the platform, so to speak. The engine just can't place a group like that without the arrangement getting muddled, unless they're all arranged in relation to the anchor, and that's where the Longbow Eagle comes in. Presumably, the specialty AVs can't be anchors, but only anchored to others. *shrugs* I'm no code monkey.

He's the rock the team is built on!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deus_Otiosus This entire post should receive some kind of award for being both hysterical and fantastic. Well done.

Running an LRSF this morning, it occurred to me that his presence is actually a good player convenience. To my knowledge, he has to be beaten to end the mission, but he doesn't come running with the others, so if you have a disconnect in the final mission, or someone just zones to the hospital after their 50th Phalanx Faceplant, he's there so you can stall for time before completing the mission. Well, assuming that nobody kills him first, anyway.

CoH equivalent of the Sacrificial Redshirt?

Actually, he's pretty smart. All the other Longbow stand around with each other, which renders them instant targets by heroes who need insps between fights and don't want to zone. He's the one Longbow going, "Oh, yeah? You wanna take on MY mob? Look who I've got with me!"

Either that, or he just got called on the carpet by Statesman for pointing out that Ms Liberty is finally doing what she's best at, and the arrival of the heroes pre-empts a major a**beating.

Michelle
aka
Samuraiko/Dark_Respite

No, he'd be phased so that only people who can phase can do damage to him.

He's JAFO

I've always assumed that was Blue Steel in a disguise. The Phalanx members are just there to learn from the best.

Someone suggested on our LRSF the other night that the Longbow fellow was the person who had to carry Ms. Liberty's body to where the Phalanx was hanging out. I thought that was an intriguing idea.