Re: Delayed welcome - new member

From: Stuart Cogger <stuartcogger_at_...>
Date: Fri, 01 Feb 2008 15:25:30 -0000


> > > Do you have attacks on bits of wall not reachable
> > by
> > > the bridge, to either side of the Gate? Or do you
> > see
> > > that as being too high a cliff?
> >
> > Trying to come up with a rational means of besieging
> > the gate from
> > the chasm below is currently eluding me.
>
> True, but I was thiking of the rest of the wall.
> Spread those troops over a wider front.

Certainly more ideal, although the logistics seem to be a nightmare from the picture.

I imagine Whitewall to be a political failure even if it is ultimately physically successful. It is reminiscent to me of historical events that have had a massive and often disproportionate impact. I think of Khe Sanh or Tet '68 in Vietnam, where the images of the siege are beamed into peoples' house every night - "I thought we were winning?"

I think of Stalingrad, where the entire ideology of the two opposing forces was encapsulated in one relatively tiny area, thus creating a symbol of the wider conflict. Two years of siege and the Lunars can't defeat these barbarian rebels? I would imagine that the "year long and empire wide celebrations" would have a hollow ring to those who knew or suspected the truth. after all, The Crimson Bat is the Lunars ultimate agent of foreign policy, and having it driven off by a bunch of southern barbarians would be a huge blow to the confidence of the average lunar citizen who stays abreast of such things.

I think that all this would place huge pressure upon the Lunar leaders to end the siege with a military victory in spite of the fact that the encirclement would probably succeed on its own, in the end. This would lead to some spectacularly audatious attempts to force the gates, I reckon. When the Lunars get rid of Wideread, a veteran of military expedience, and give command to Tatius who is ultimately a political animal they lay the foundations for defeat.
>
>
> > It seems too steep,
> > especially when any wooden construction could be
> > shredded by suitably powerful sylphs.
>
>
> Though this is early days: the Lunars might try things
> now that later on they know won't work.

Absolutely. This is well in the "getting to know your enemy" phase of a prolongued battle.
>
>
> > I think that the gate is an attractive target, if a
> > difficult one,
> > purely on the rationale of attrition. The Lunars can
> > afford to lose
> > more people (at least in the mind of Tatius).
>
> Yes. Not that Tatius is here yet, is he? This is
> pre-Bat, or am I misunderstanding?

I just meant in general inasmuch as I don't think Tatius, being of The College of Magic would have any qualms about using the Heartland Corps (or similar) in such a costly venture, even if it had failed in the past.

>
> > I love the idea of an illusion being
> > dispelled or expiring before a particular unit has
> > gotten all the way
> > across and the scene of them tumbling into the
> > chasm. Quite a
> > cinematic scene methinks...
>
> Very cartoonic. The bridge is safe, up to the point
> where they look down and realise it isn't there.
>
>I was imagining it in slo-mo with a suitable adagio playing in the
background and a soul searching build up to a futile Gallipoli-esque charge. But Wile E. Coyote works for me too...

> > In fact a regiment of priests/sorcerors with
> > Illusions would make an
> > extremely effective siege train, would they not?
>
> Possibly *too* effective. We want this siege to last
> more than a week.
>
>This is a problem, but an enjoyable one to think about. I guess that
the amount of energy required combined with the risk of having stuff dispelled makes it mainly inefficient, but for certain actions it could work...
>
>
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