Comments on: BY HERESIES DISTRESSED — Snippet 43

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:39:45 +0000

@27
Now that was funny.

By: E

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:08:44 +0000

Dear Hektor,

I am sending this letter with [Subject assigned to deliver] to propose that rather than fight you agree to [exile/surrender/disarm/all of the above]. If not we will continue to be very nice to the people of [captured city/cities] and show them that you’re a big meanie by giving them lots of interesting [technology/ideas/stuff] to entice them to see the [politics/futility] of the situation and enjoy [peace/the prospect of peace/actually trading again]. If you agree to these terms you can expect [cake/death/exile] and for [subject name here] to rule in your stead. If you do not agree, simply wait where you are and we shall be around to negotiate after we finish delivering some free ammunition to you… at speed.

Sincerely,
Cayleb Ahrmahk Vi Imperial Charis
XoXoX

(Disclaimer: Just me having fun here)

By: robert

robert — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:16:57 +0000

@25 Peter, what about a “fight until Thursday when Hektor will be here” order?

By: Peter Z

Peter Z — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:57:18 +0000

After this splendid disection of the Baron’s options, I ask what the chances of his troops obeying a fight to the last man order? In aggregate there is a smaller chance of the troops agreeing to a hopeless AND pointless stand than the Baron himself. This type of semi-mutiny would be as damaging to Hektor as the Baron caving too quickly. Should the troops get honorable treatment from Cayleb as well and Hektor may find his troopers especially vulnerable to surendering quickly in the face of one technical/tactical suprise after another in the opening stages of this war.

Am I off base?

Peter

By: robert

robert — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:18:44 +0000

@23 Were I Hektor, I would make peace with Cayleb under whatever terms he asked and I would wreak revenge on the Church.

Do you think that those intent on making mischief always think through the consequences of their actions? Knowing the Church folks from the first 2 books, I doubt it.

By: Drak Bibliophile

Drak Bibliophile — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:01:13 +0000

Robert, what would Hektor do if he learns that the Church semaphores sent the wrong message? Even if individuals within the Church might want to try something like that, others may be smart enough to see the problems if loyal rulers find out about it and IMO they’d be smart enough to know that it might get out.

For one thing, could they depend on Cayleb’s forces to kill everybody who knew the false message? Could they be sure that Hektor’s agents wouldn’t get word to Hektor about the false message?

By: robert

robert — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:32:51 +0000

To continue…the destruction of the local semaphores has to be a prime objective wherever Cayleb’s army goes.

By: robert

robert — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:30:26 +0000

@20 Remember that the Church controls the semaphore network, so what you are saying is even more likely, if the Church decides to go behind Hektor and dictate how the battle will be fought. They can even pass false info to try to force things to go their way even for propaganda reasons, despite the inevitable outcome. Forcing massacres, even tho’ Cayleb doesn’t want that would seem to be typical of the Church. That would have the effect of making accommodations with rulers in the future less likely.

By: George Phillies

George Phillies — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:20:49 +0000

The ruler of Dairos, thanks to the semaphore, is likely in near-immediate contact with Hector via the semaphore. Perhaps not instant, but depending on the topographic details of the hills likely fractions of an hour, not hours, to pass a message back and forth, fast enough that thinking what to say is a decent part of the time.

Curiously, if Hektor sends a message that he should surrender when further resistance is pointless, to protect his people, the message has some likelihood of being received as Never Surrender; hold out to the last man.

By: robert

robert — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:59:54 +0000

The Baron’s options:
*Surrenders as a prisoner of war after putting up a hopeless fight
*Surrenders right away and asks for amnesty
*Doesn’t surrender and ends up dead in Dairos
*Doesn’t surrender, tells the troops to keep fighting while he flees to the mountains with his family and household guard to connect up with Hektor (later flees with Hektor to Temple Lands or dies with Hektor in battle).
Questions: Are the gunners his men or Hektor’s? Who does Hektor have watching the Baron, just in case?