The Lessons of Wars Past
(248 Moliko 375)
Some of us have seen two full-fledge wars in our lifetime. To some, all-out war will be a new experience.
There are things we take for granted during peacetime which we cannot afford to do during war-time. I thought maybe I would recall here some of the hardest lessons we learned from the Gorbesh Wars and the War with Sorrow.1. Get lots of favors
2. The enemy listens to gwethdesuans. Calling out triage spots, directing aid, frankly, even giving enemy positions will do nothing but alert them where we are so they can take us out or re-inforce their efforts at that place.
3. The enemy can utilize our own moongates to move their troops where you are trying to evacuate or re-inforce our forces.
4. I thought we would never have to deal with a barricade again, but a couple weeks ago in Tiger Clan proved me wrong as the Dragoons faced a barricade and decimated it. Here are Candidus’ instructions regarding Barricade fighting:
“Barricade fighting is tricky. You can look at the barricade and see if it is manned and if it is damaged.
If it is manned, then you need to throw spears at it. You loose the spear I believe, but this kills troops that are manning it with the least risk. Buy cheap spears from the Crossing weapon shop, or from the Arthe weapon shop.
If you are in the room with a barricade, you can be hit by defensive actions from it – even when it is unmanned. These include boiling oil, boulders, and arrow volleys.
After it is unmanned, you Advance Barricade with a weapon you know the most about, and you’ll hopefully damage it. Wordachy suggested hammers, but using my hammer – which is far from my best weapon – was ineffective.
After alot of hacking and pounding the barricade is destroyed.”
5. Get lots of favors
6. Put away anything valuable or that cannot be replaced. Wear and use only things you are willing to lose.
7. Don’t everyone rush to one place where there may be trouble. The post you desert might be targetted and the other one a ruse. Check in with whomever is coordinating the defense or offense to see where you are most needed.
8. Carry herbs and know what to do with thim.
9. Get lots of favors. And replace each one you use.
10. A good portion of wartime sometimes requires waiting. Take along something to do. Preferably something quiet.
11. Do not taunt the enemy over the gwethdesuans. Retribution will hurt more than just the person with the big mouth.
12. Keep an extra set of armor and weapon handy in your vault or your home. At one time during the Gorbesh war, not even the stores in town would open to sell things.
13. There is something everyone can do. Drag, lead people out of the temple, run messages, help keep track of broken wards and graves spitting up the goods.
14. It might be a good time to learn the tunnels from the Temple to the guilds.
15. Get favors. Replace them often.
16. If you find yourself dead, follow the instructions you are given. As a rule, wherever there is a pile of corpses and people are caring for them, it tends to be noisy. Do not add to the noise and confusion. Whisper if you need to. Be a mannerly corpse.
17. Learn where empaths are healing and where to drag corpses for clerics to care for. As a rule, downstairs in the Empath guild, in the “Healerie” they call it, is a secured place to be healed.
18. Pray. We are going to need all the help we can get.