Rutee
2007-12-05, 08:06 PM
Now, this thought occurred to me because of the versus threads everyone seems to hate, but it strikes me as an interesting one just the same.
Oftentimes, at least to me, someone called a "Brilliant strategist" or "Brilliant Tactician" in fiction.. is actually really darn bad at it, (Alternately, they really are that smart and I'm genuinely not smart enough to see it) and is only really successful because the plot says so. An example is the vast majority of the Silverberg family line from Suikoden Series). I don't really take it as a reflection on the characters; After all, the narrative is about the characters, not what the Writers don't know about warfare. But sometimes, there are characters who have, plot-notwithstanding, really really good plans, and I realized I'd like to learn about a few more of them, and I'm thinking it'd be interesting to others too. To start things off, I'll use my same example game as before, but this time a good tactician; Lucretia Merces.
Aside from masterminding the manipulations of politics similar to that of Zhuge Liang from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel/period (Albeit successful, in this instance), I think her most notable strategy was what she termed "Defense in Depth".
When the Royal Army of Falena teamed up with their nation's enemies, and gained a huge numbers advantage, her plan is a careful retreat to the headquarters of the Falenan Resistance, a castle within a lake.. specifically, a lake who's depth is controlled by the Dawn Rune on the protagonist's hand. The Falenan Resistance ultimately withdraws from their outlying territories, and then from the castle, seeking temporary refuge with the dwarves, while their naval fleet, the residents of Raftfleet (It sounds weaker then it is >.>) vacates the premises through a tributary, leaving headquarters in the hands of the enemy. As it's an excellent defensive position (Though not unassailable; due to Falena's geography, navies can still navigate within the country as well as without), the Royal Falenan Army sets up shop in the 'abandoned' castle.. at which point the protagonist triggers the mechanism that first drained the lake, flooding it back to its normal levels.. submerging the castle and annihilating a large portion of the Royal Falenan Army and the expeditionary force sent by the neighboring country.
It's not the only plan that I genuinely said "Wow. That actually should work" that she had, but probably the most entertaining and the one least requiring setting details XD
Anyone else got some interesting ones?
Oftentimes, at least to me, someone called a "Brilliant strategist" or "Brilliant Tactician" in fiction.. is actually really darn bad at it, (Alternately, they really are that smart and I'm genuinely not smart enough to see it) and is only really successful because the plot says so. An example is the vast majority of the Silverberg family line from Suikoden Series). I don't really take it as a reflection on the characters; After all, the narrative is about the characters, not what the Writers don't know about warfare. But sometimes, there are characters who have, plot-notwithstanding, really really good plans, and I realized I'd like to learn about a few more of them, and I'm thinking it'd be interesting to others too. To start things off, I'll use my same example game as before, but this time a good tactician; Lucretia Merces.
Aside from masterminding the manipulations of politics similar to that of Zhuge Liang from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel/period (Albeit successful, in this instance), I think her most notable strategy was what she termed "Defense in Depth".
When the Royal Army of Falena teamed up with their nation's enemies, and gained a huge numbers advantage, her plan is a careful retreat to the headquarters of the Falenan Resistance, a castle within a lake.. specifically, a lake who's depth is controlled by the Dawn Rune on the protagonist's hand. The Falenan Resistance ultimately withdraws from their outlying territories, and then from the castle, seeking temporary refuge with the dwarves, while their naval fleet, the residents of Raftfleet (It sounds weaker then it is >.>) vacates the premises through a tributary, leaving headquarters in the hands of the enemy. As it's an excellent defensive position (Though not unassailable; due to Falena's geography, navies can still navigate within the country as well as without), the Royal Falenan Army sets up shop in the 'abandoned' castle.. at which point the protagonist triggers the mechanism that first drained the lake, flooding it back to its normal levels.. submerging the castle and annihilating a large portion of the Royal Falenan Army and the expeditionary force sent by the neighboring country.
It's not the only plan that I genuinely said "Wow. That actually should work" that she had, but probably the most entertaining and the one least requiring setting details XD
Anyone else got some interesting ones?