I sided with the dozen and can now get back to deviance bay after the riots. But none of the three fractions there has an option for asking for help in the fight... is there anything that needs doing to trigger this? Even the dozen who I sided with don't offer any help.

As far as I know this marshal guy in the stronghold just tells you that your faction will join the battle (if you did their questline) - you don't have to ask them. At least I did not have to. The guy in my stronghold just told me that the Crucible Knights will send help and that was it. 

 

Maybe you can ask other factions and parties.

The guy in my stronghold just told me that the Crucible Knights will send help and that was it.

Confirming.

Also during the battle slides, you have an option to send your allies after: a). enemy mages b). enemy berserkers c). enemy bleak-walkers.

Or charge straight ahead.

 

 

P.S. I am doing this battle right now, and have tried a few scenarios so far, for the sake of seeing what will happen. So. If you charge straight away, you will have the following situation:

- enemies: Gathbin, Emery, 2 battlemages, 1 berserker, 1 bleak-walker, 8 mercenaries, 7 archers, 1 beguiler, 1 shieldwarden, 2 priests, 2 dogs

- allies: your party + your hirelings + 7 skirmishers + 5 archers + 1 veteran (ye, awesome help for 10k gold)

 

Now, if you send your allies after one of the aforementioned groups. It will eliminate: a). 1 battlemage; b). 1 berserker; c). 1 bleak-walker. So having allies is not a big deal at all.

 

 

P.P.S. Is it even possible to recruit Captain Emery?

I have re-loaded few times, until I managed such that Emery is the last one alive. Once the last enemy soldier but her, had fallen, slides appeared. Congratulations from Marshal. Quest completed. And then bam! she still dies to an auto-attack... http://i.imgur.com/3Pr5E6E.jpg

Edited February 27, 20169 yr by MaxQuest

I say it's no difference. Just recruit no one and charge right away. I also was planning to fire my stronghold hirelings because they only die and stand in the way while I'm steamrolling the battlefield.  

Hirelings are irrelevant

I was looking if any scenario will make a difference regarding Emery. For some reason killing her just doesn't feel right for me.

 

- update -

Managed to keep her alive. This idiosyncrasy of mine, can take a rest now.

Edited February 27, 20169 yr by MaxQuest

There's some kind of bug with Emery. Her AI and some of the other enemies, attack each other, as if they were on my side. But they are all red circle.

If you do the conversation in the inn with Emery right, she will join your side during the scripted interaction.