fandomhigh | Tactics 201, Thursday Second Period, 17/01

"Hey, class."

An altogether steadier and more well-put-together Kerrigan stood before the class today, wielding a laser pointer like it was a deadly weapon. Hey, who knew technology in this day and age: it may well be lethal. "Today, we're introing you in the basics of the first part of this course. I'm still all out of syllabi, but don't worry, you'll get one."

She tapped a key on her laptop, opening up her powerpoint presentation. Powerpoint was so very, very outdated, but it seemed to be what they used here, and who was she to go in against the spirit of the age? "Macro tactics," she began, "Is all about resource management, first and foremost. For this class, I'll be giving you the three basic rules of resource management to work with. Some of you have already dealt with the SCVs in yesterday's class-- in my universe, they're your first priority. Resources, as it's defined in tactics, mean anything that's involved in building and sustaining your troops: food, but also whatever is necessary to fabricate and deploy units."

She tapped another key, then brandished the laser pointer at it in a vaguely threatening fashion. "Point one: maintain a steady flow of resources. Or, as I like to call it, do not piss off, forget about, or BLOW UP your SCVs or comparable field units. If you're out of resource gatherers, unless you have a quick evac, you are--" she paused before she could say the expletive, "--in a bind."

Tap.

"Point two: Balance your resources with your production. There's no point in stockpiling stuff if you're not going to use it. That just means the enemy might outflank you with superior firepower because they have been paying attention to their input-output."

Tap.

"And point three, as always: keep your head in the game. Divide your attention between micro - close unit combat - and macro enough that nobody sneaks up on your rear and shoots you in the posterior." Pause. "Yes, Booth, that's another way of saying 'don't die'."

She was probably going to work that in every class, now. "Remember these three basics, and we'll see about moving you kids on to something that actually requires thought. Okay, kids, tell me something: what does 'resource' mean to you? How important is it in your world? And how long is it going to be until at least one of you shoots an SCV anywhere vital?"

She wasn't looking at Sokka ~~if he was there~~. Not at all. Really.

[ ~~wait for the~~ ocd up! ]

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What does 'resource' mean to you? How important is it in your world? And how long is it going to be until at least one of you shoots an SCV anywhere vital? She's waiting.

"Excuse me," Triela spoke up. "What about those of us who spend most of our time at the micro level? About the only resources I usually manage are ammunition."

"We covered micro in detail last term," Kerrigan replied, crossing her arms. "But ammunition is an important resource in and of itself. We'll be dealing with micro-related issues more at a later time."

"Okay," Triela frowned. "Is there a way to apply the stuff you're talking about now to micro-level tactics, or are they incompatible?"

She smiled faintly. "Make sure you know where your ammo is, don't waste your ammo unnecessarily, and keep an eye on the big picture. They're kind of obvious concepts, and yet I've seen a lot of guys forget at the last minute."

Yeah, Kerrigan was more of a micro person, herself.

"I can do that," Triela decided with a nod.

"Well, resources are whatever you have to work with, right? I mean, in the village where I grew up, our main resources were snow, ice, metal, and seals. But, like, wood and stone are really important resources, too, if you can find them nearby."

He blinked at her, deliberately ignoring the fact that that last question was directed at him. "It would be REALLY STUPID to shoot an SCV, especially anywhere vital," he said, with a straight face. "Unless he's a bad guy, in which case it's a really good idea -- if you resource-starve your enemies, they can't rebuild after each attack."

She nodded along with his first answer. "How did you gather and apply them?" Kerrigan asked, actually interested. Hey, if she was going to live in a multiversal hub, it was good to be informed.

His second answer made him pause. "...Very good, Sokka," she said, smiling in a mildly surprised way. "Blocking your enemy's path to their resources is also workable, if applied in time. Circling around an enemy's base and hiding or coming in from the air to take out their workers is a tried and true strategy, especially when the enemy hasn't fully deployed yet, and can often turn the battle in your favor."

"...What do you mean, how did we gather and apply them?" Sokka asked. "I mean, snow and ice were just all over, and we made our buildings out of them, and seals we hunted, and -- well, really, you can get anything you need from a dead seal. Food, clothes, tools..."

He raised an eyebrow and pouted at her. "You don't have to be so surprised. I'm smart!"

"My universe's not too big on seals," Kerrigan snapped, crossing her arms again. "You're also frequently a moron in the field. I'll keep my surprise for now."

Oh, tact. It was for other people.

"Am not!" Sokka protested. "I haven't died in a sim yet, have I? I rest my case."

Kerrigan rolled her eyes. "Occasionally, you have to think before you shoot," she said. "Remember that and we'll all be safer."

"My resources would be my teammates," Max said, having been trained in a team environment. "And any weapons we had on hand."

"Nice answer," Kerrigan said. There was just a touch of the wry. "Where would you get your ammo? Pay attention to the stocks you take."

Not that she didn't think that wasn't obvious, but with the kids, you never knew for sure.

...Or with some adults, either.

"Resource is anything at your disposable that could be used to help you," Gavin said. "And it's very important in my world especially right now."

Tactics 201, Thursday Second Period, 17/01

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