Why assume malice where ignorance or stupidity will fit the bill?
A Lunar quartermaster has troops to feed, there's a herd of cattle nearby belonging to some people who were fighting against them recently. We'll requisition them. Just no thought for the effect on the social and economic structure. They might even give the chief an IOU for the cattle - to be redeemed in silver at Boldhome. When he tries to, the issue of arrears of taxes comes up and a helpful administrator arranges to offset the one against the other.
I don't think it would actually cause a clan to starve, while wheat is the staple they do grow vegetables and gather fruit as well as hunting.
Personally I think a lot of the "Lunar repression" involves acts like this. Perfectly reasonable in their own terms but horribly damaging to the Heortling social structure. Then when the damage is done along comes a Seven Mothers priestess with offers of help if the clan adopts the Lunar way.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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