Re: Re: Gyffur, control of

From: donald_at_...
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 01:22:43 GMT


In message <dbmgh6+g3cv_at_...> "Jeff Richard" writes:

>> While this is true as far as it goes, Broyan isn't going to be
>> directly commanding every heroband at WW.
>
>Absolutely. He'll lead his folk into battle but the other herobands
>will do what they want to do. Unless Broyan asks the heroband
>leader to do something. Think the Sopranos, without all the
>paranoia - Tony Soprano's captains and made men do what they want to
>do most of the time and the capo di capo spends much of his time
>resolving disputes between the captains. He can ask a captain to
>take care of something or he can have his own crew do it. Same
>thing is true of Broyan.

I'm not familiar with the details of that programme, how many captains are there? Up to about ten it's manageable, Broyan has many more leaders than that.

>> Individual herobands
>> which aren't prepared to work under one of a few leaders are
>> going to be more trouble than they're worth.
>
>Why? As long as the band leader acknowledges Broyan's authority,
>what is the problem?

Delegation, if Broyan can't delegate he'll rapidly be unable to get anything done. If every time someone proposes a raid on the Lunar camp Broyan has to instruct each of 50 band leaders whether they go or stay to man the walls he'll be able to organise a raid a week and nothing else. Then there's distribution of food supplies - when things get short if he can't delegate he'll be standing there as the Asrelian priestess doles out the rations.

>> This is where the "follow
>> chosen leaders" comes into play - herobands will be expected
>> to choose a leader to follow. They may change that leader over
>> time but if they insist on being independent they'll find they
>> get overlooked while if they cause trouble they'll be assigned
>> to something inconvenient and/or dangerous.
>
>A heroband leader might decide to follow a more powerful leader
>because of the benefits they might get (like gifts and support) or
>because of ties of friendship or kin - but I would imagine that most
>herobands worth their salt recognize no authority other than
>Broyan. This can create plenty of disagreements between the many
>would be "captains" which probably results in Broyan spending a lot
>of time resolving these disagreements.

So many disagreements that it becomes unworkable, there just aren't that many hours in a day.

-- 
Donald Oddy
http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/

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