Hulk versus Superman... I mean Orlanthi versus the Lunars

From: Richard, Jeff <Jeff.Richard_at_METROKC.GOV>
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2000 16:44:10 -0800


This ongoing debate on whether the Orlanthi or the Lunars are more "kick-ass" has reached a very silly level. It kind of reminds me of the sort of playground arguments between whether the Hulk could beat Superman that I had when I was nine years old (for what it is worth, clearly the answer is the Hulk - I mean, let's not be foolish).

All things considered, a Lunar army that has assembled on a battlefield should be able to defeat any currently (pre-1621) existing collection of independent Heortling tribal fyrds, huscarls, and mercenaries. At the "current time", the independent Heortlings do not have any leader capable of meeting the necessary preconditions to even muster an effective battlefield army: (1) be recognized as the legitimate and paramount leader by "sufficient" Heortling petty warleaders, and (2) have the personal resources necessary to assemble a core elite army that is loyal to the leader. The last independent Heortling leader that could accomplish these preconditions was Prince Salinarg - who, despite all this, was overwhelmed by the Lunar army. For what it is worth, the last Heortling leaders who could a muster an effective army sufficient to go toe-to-toe with the Lunar Empire were the old Tarshite Kings of Dragon Pass.

That being said, this discussion misses the point - the Orlanthi tribes rarely seek to fight the Lunar Empire on the battlefield. Lacking someone who wields the regalia of the Heortling Kings, acknowledged as King of Dragon Pass by the Feathered Horse Queen, or otherwise can be recognized as being the legitimate paramount leader by dozens of petty warleaders, the Orlanthi recognize that they can't go toe-to-toe with the Empire. Instead, you have the classic guerilla v. regular army conflict - the Orlanthi launch pin-prick raids and ambushes in the highlands of Dragon Pass and the Lunars occupy the cities, smashing any group of Orlanthi big enough to send an army against them. Martin's comment about Rock-Paper-Scissors is completely appropos.

And that is the way things stand until everything is turned topsy-turvey by the Hero Wars.

As for the debate on the size of these armies, I think the Empire and the Provincial Government are easily capable of mustering a field army of around 20,000 professional soldiers to send into Dragon Pass. I think supplying that army in Sartar is always something of a pain in the rear - certainly part of the motivation of invading Hendrikiland and Esrolia is the greater ease is supporting an army in those richer lands. Nonetheless, the Empire CAN support the army in Sartar - it is simply difficult, not impossible. Tribal uprisings are dangerous principally because they threaten that supply.

>The Empire can move only a small part of its army, this is true, but given
>that its military potential is over 200,000 troops, this means that a small

>part (10%) is enough to hold Sartar and add another 10k and you can see how

>they can invade Esrolia with an army of 10K fairly easily.

I agree essentially with Martin here. I only disagree on the use of the phrase "fairly easily" - the invasion of Esrolia was a remarkable logistical feat. Then again, the Lunar Empire and the Provincial Government have a professional officer corps that are capable of producing remarkable logistical feats.

Jeff


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