This post has the following content warnings:
A utilitarian Easterner lands on Vanyel during the Karsite War.
+ Show First Post
Total: 603
Posts Per Page:
Permalink

He will take either tea or wine on automatic, whichever Tran does, he doesn't need anything but something to sip dramatically at appropriate moments would be a useful prop. He'll smile at Keiran and thank her and - oh hello, Vanyel, -

"She's very impressive," he says. "The Ashkevrons are an exceptionally talented clan."

No king, no King's Herald, no quorum. He can't propose major policy changes unless he thinks Vanyel can get them through on his own. 

Well. That can worry later. Right now he's flying.

"Your army appears to be in excellent shape," low-budget aside. "I'll still need to get a better picture of the logistical backend," Horn was a forwards outpost not the main army, "to meet more of the officers and to get a better picture of the terrain - and the Karsite army - on future visits. But I think we have excellent prospects for the war." In his mind's eye he sees armies clashing amongst the spring floods, Karsite and Valdemaran forces moving; he has a pattern of the terrain, he'll need to get it better, but he can see their defeat - the only question is what he can't see, the clouds in the image are just too broad, blocking out more and more as the battle continues, and the purpose of preparation is to clear those away...

Permalink

"Of course." Vanyel glances over at Tran. "I expect we could benefit from your advice on the logistical side, as well. I think our current systems are - reasonable, for the most part - but from what I've read, the Eastern Empire is much better than 'reasonable'. ...Er, if you imagine you were starting the war with a blank slate, there, what would you set up?" 

Permalink

"That depends on the resources and the terrain," he says immediately. "The Empire relies heavily on Gates," (and on cheap mage-power from blood magic) "and I don't know how many Gate-capable mages Valdemar has, or how quickly it can manage information-transmission, or the precise details of the roads and rivers you would be working on, other than the brief stretches I saw. Moreover, infrastructure construction would be difficult during winter, and the correct methods would depend on the precise type of labor; whether it was government-paid professionals or slaves or farmers in their off hours. That said, there are a few things I can say -" portage designs! Military granaries with these wards! Mobilization timetables! Standardization of measurements and studies of road and river quality (to determine mobilization timetables!)

"Of course, trying to improvise a completely new logistical system during the middle of a war would face critical problems. We don't have a blank slate, and it would take at minimum months to carry out large-scale reforms, at which point the Karsites may well be moving. All reforms for next year's campaigning season must be considered from the standpoint of what would be easy to adapt to the Valdemaran state as it now exists, since that is what we have to protect the Valdemaran nation."

This Thread Is On Hiatus
Total: 603
Posts Per Page: