Macro-Tactics, Monday

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

"So far, we've been talking about the nitty gritty of macro tactics. Resource management, picking your battlefield, deciding where and when to build your bases," Kerrigan said, stalking gracefully from one end of the classroom to the other. "Today, we'll take it up a level. After all, the most important resources you have are your friends-- and your enemies."

She smiled. It didn't look too nice. "Nobody goes to war in a vacuum," she said. "Depending on your level of influence, you'll have any number of people looking on. Neighbours, far-away friends, rival powers. If you don't manage them right, it can break your campaign. Obviously, I don't have the time or the interest to be teaching you all diplomacy, but I can tell you about the basics of warcraft." She glanced around the room.

"If you stray too closely to what some might term 'war crimes', you'll have all hell on your heels. If you stray too closely to the wrong border, you might get shot in the ass. If your opponent has treaties with some of your neighbours, then attacking them might be a really bad choice if you don't want half the world marching into your backyard. Of course, if you have a big enough army, nobody's going to have the balls to cross you, but most of the time, that's not going to be the case."

"Take stock of your neighbours. What interests do they have? What treaties? Can you make allies of them? You know what they say about the enemy of my enemy. Having someone to back you from the rear can be very useful. Talk to them before you take any steps. Show your flanks favourably. Make promises. You don't have to keep all of them - just make sure you can keep the few that matter, or you have the manpower necessary to overpower them when the war is done."

She may have gone on on that topic for a little while before she stopped, in front of the large map of Europe she'd been using to underscore her point. "I want you all to pick an enemy," she said. "It doesn't have to be anyone you know well. It doesn't have to be anyone in this class. Just make sure it's someone significant to you. Now partner up with someone - preferably someone you don't know well - and try to convince them to help you out, or at least do nothing when you tackle your enemy." A beat. "It's just a hypothetical, so don't get your panties in a bunch."

A pause. "We all know high school's just practice for the real world, anyway."

Comments

Sign In

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

With an enemy or an ally.

Re: Sign In

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

James of Krondor

Re: Sign In

[likes_scoundrels]

Leia Organa

Re: Sign In

[icecoldfrost]

Emma Frost

Listen to the Lecture

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Mmm, plottery is afoot.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

Convince someone to assist with fighting an enemy? Color James intrigued. He started scribing notes, making a list of Midkemian enemies.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[likes_scoundrels]

Diplomacy was in Leia's blood, both from her mother and her foster father. That she knew even better than fighting.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[glacial_queen]

On the positive end of things, Karla was rich with allies--Witch, the High Lord of Hell, the future Queen of every Kaeleeran Territory. On the negative side of things was the incontrovertible, if unwritten law: a Queen and her Court could not take action outside her own Territory. It had been that way for thousands of years. Perhaps an exception could be made if the other Territory asked for assistance, but Karla couldn't afford to have it appear that she was made Territory Queen of Glacia at the behest of her friends.

It was a lot to think about.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

Plottery, like most of the thinking job, was usually a task for someone else in Cloud's party group. He could try to plot himself, of course.

He had to control a need to jump over his desk when Kerrigan said enemy though.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[onlymistaken]

Cally found herself snorting lightly at the assignment -- she'd never been able to convince her own people that there was a dangerous enemy at their gates. Talking strangers into helping seemed nigh unto impossible -- though she did take into account that the people of Fandom were a law unto themselves in that respect.

Which might not be much of a help, honestly -- the students in Fandom were far more likely to help in what they thought was a good cause than the people at home might be.

Re: Listen to the Lecture

[daventryprince.livejournal.com]

Considering the often unexpected alliances and allegiance of the many different lands in his world, Alexander couldn't help being particularly intrigued and thoughtful on this subject. It seemed there was always trouble somewhere, and Daventry was getting quite the reputation for stepping in and conquering evil...

Partner Up

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Pick an enemy, then find a partner. Try to convince them to help you out, or at least do nothing when you do.

Re: Partner Up

[squire-hand.livejournal.com]

So many to choose, from other kingdoms such as Roldem and Queg. Great Kesh to the South, of course, but all the troops of all the kingdoms and duchies on the Kingdom Sea and the Bitter Sea would be required to sally forth into that vast land.

Trolls, goblins, renegade humans, and the murderous dark elf moredhel made for more traditional foes; even the elves and dwarves would assist. Decisions, decisions...

He opted for the goblins and such around the destroyed city of Armengar, as those returning would need assistance and troops greater than the Kingdom had to spare at present. Now, for a partner...

Re: Partner Up

[likes_scoundrels]

Picking an enemy was easy -- Palpatine. Or, if she wanted to aim slightly lower, Vader.

She was fully prepared to convince someone to help her against either of them.

Re: Partner Up

[thinkbetterofme.livejournal.com]

"From the little I have heard from the struggles of your world, I do not know if it will be very hard to convince me," Faramir admitted.

Re: Partner Up

[likes_scoundrels]

"I could probably say the same," Leia said, looking Faramir's way. "But helping me would bring great risk to yourself, and perhaps even your entire home."

That wasn't very convincing, Leia.

Re: Partner Up

[glacial_queen]

Karla gave some thought to what she could offer her Fandom allies in exchange for assistance, assuming that her partner wasn't motivated by a desire to see justice triumph or whatnot.

Damn it. There needed to be a class on writing treaties and other diplomatic agreements.

Re: Partner Up

[eyesofahero.livejournal.com]

"Who do you want to take down?" He was sure not to get in the way, or course.

Re: Partner Up

[glacial_queen]

"Hobart, the head of the so-called 'Ruling Council' of Glacia," Karla said with an almost chagrined smile and shrug. "He's corrupt, morally bankrupt, pettily small-minded...and my uncle."

She wasn't particularly fond of him. In case that hadn't come out enough.

"You?"

Re: Partner Up

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

K-Mart knew exactly who she wanted to go after: the Umbrella Corporation. But she was prepared to aim a tiny bit lower, so Albert Wesker it was, then.

Besides, taking him out would go a long way towards crippling Umbrella, if not do it as a side effect, so hey, she wasn't gonna complain.

Talk to the TAs

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

When they ping in!

Re: Talk to the TAs

[icecoldfrost]

Emma was there, and would probably even help people who had questions.

Re: Talk to the TAs

[likethestore.livejournal.com]

K-Mart was there, and oh had this class struck a nerve in her.

Talk to Kerrigan

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

Who clearly knows nothing about this topic. At all. Really.

OOC

[on-her-korhal.livejournal.com]

First day of the new semester, oh joy...