HFQ Official Snippet #19 (I think)

anwi wrote:

n7axw wrote:If Merlin and company have been feeding Hanth and DE info about Ahlverez--and that is a reasonable assunption given past precedent--his chances of escape diminish drasticly.

Exactly. And Merlin would feed that information to whoever commands at the theatre in time before anything untowards happens. And Ahlverez in the rear area of Hanth's force would be unfortunate. He might decide to attack instead of fleeing...
Moreover, there are two major roads in the area Ahlverez has to cross:
Ft. Tairy - Malyktyn - Cheryk - Somyr and
Thesmar - Cheryk - Ft. Sheldyn - Syrk.
Now, these are rather major population centers (for South March) and will not be completely evacuated by now. By corollary, the Allies will have garrisoned those places, especially if they know enemy troops are around. I can't figure a situation where at least these major transport routes are not regularly monitored and guarded. Ahlverez has 40k beaten soldiers marching - at best - on minor roads. He's low on provisions and draft animals. He'll move slowly. He can't really hide his troops.
Unless the Allies would let his force escape, he's in a bleak situation.
And I don't think intervention by Merlin is even necessary, the Charisian commanders tend to be competent...

anwi wrote:

n7axw wrote:If Merlin and company have been feeding Hanth and DE info about Ahlverez--and that is a reasonable assunption given past precedent--his chances of escape diminish drasticly.

Exactly. And Merlin would feed that information to whoever commands at the theatre in time before anything untowards happens. And Ahlverez in the rear area of Hanth's force would be unfortunate. He might decide to attack instead of fleeing...
Moreover, there are two major roads in the area Ahlverez has to cross:
Ft. Tairy - Malyktyn - Cheryk - Somyr and
Thesmar - Cheryk - Ft. Sheldyn - Syrk.
Now, these are rather major population centers (for South March) and will not be completely evacuated by now. By corollary, the Allies will have garrisoned those places, especially if they know enemy troops are around. I can't figure a situation where at least these major transport routes are not regularly monitored and guarded. Ahlverez has 40k beaten soldiers marching - at best - on minor roads. He's low on provisions and draft animals. He'll move slowly. He can't really hide his troops.
Unless the Allies would let his force escape, he's in a bleak situation.
And I don't think intervention by Merlin is even necessary, the Charisian commanders tend to be competent...

Keith_w wrote:
There is no way that Alverez is stupid enough to attack a EOC force of any reasonable size. His troops are starving and tired. They have been unsupplied since the forest battle. They have marched hundreds of miles out of their way. Their equipment is falling apart. Most of them are probably bare footed by now. Their cavalry is being converted to infantry at a high rate. Heck, the infantry is probably competing with the animals for the grass. They probably have scurvy, and are shedding soldiers like I shed hair (way too fast ) His force is in no reasonable shape to take anyone on. Heck an opposing force could probably walk away faster than Alverez's troops could chase them!

Keith_w wrote:There is no way that Alverez is stupid enough to attack a EOC force of any reasonable size. His troops are starving and tired.

anwi wrote:

Keith_w wrote:There is no way that Alverez is stupid enough to attack a EOC force of any reasonable size. His troops are starving and tired.

I agree that he's not in a shape to fight effectively against a larger unit, so him attacking would likely be a loosing proposition. But: Are we sure that he (or his inquisitors) won't develop suicidal tendencies if they belief there's no way out - except for unconditional surrender?
I think Ahlverez would rather surrender than go suicidal, but I'm not totally convinced. And if Ahlverez sees a reasonable target like say a Charisian supply convoy on a street to Ft. Sheldyn, he will attack.
Apart from that, Appomattox could be fitting blueprint for what's going to happen.

n7axw wrote:

anwi wrote:*quote="Keith_w"*
There is no way that Alverez is stupid enough to attack a EOC force of any reasonable size. His troops are starving and tired.*quote

I agree that he's not in a shape to fight effectively against a larger unit, so him attacking would likely be a loosing proposition. But: Are we sure that he (or his inquisitors) won't develop suicidal tendencies if they belief there's no way out - except for unconditional surrender?
I think Ahlverez would rather surrender than go suicidal, but I'm not totally convinced. And if Ahlverez sees a reasonable target like say a Charisian supply convoy on a street to Ft. Sheldyn, he will attack.
Apart from that, Appomattox could be fitting blueprint for what's going to happen.

A supply convoy would be a reasonable target... and from Ahlverez's point of view, a very welcome one.

Don

lyonheart wrote:Hi Don,

The problem with a supply convoy, despite the fact I was the one who suggested it is why would there be a ICA supply convoy north and or east of Thesmar when Hanth is well west if not northwest, and DE and EHM are both supplied from the Branath Canal from out of the northeast, so who would such a supply convoy be for?

L

n7axw wrote:Oh, I don't know. Maybe Merlin out of penance for all the false info he fed Ahlverez could arrange to have the EOC detour one his way. Charity and all of that for poor starving Dohlarans and Desnairians... Sounds good to me!!!

Still, you'll have to agree that in the event he should actually find one, it would be a reasonable target for Ahlverez.

Don

McGuiness wrote:

n7axw wrote:Oh, I don't know. Maybe Merlin out of penance for all the false info he fed Ahlverez could arrange to have the EOC detour one his way. Charity and all of that for poor starving Dohlarans and Desnairians... Sounds good to me!!!

Still, you'll have to agree that in the event he should actually find one, it would be a reasonable target for Ahlverez.

Don

I suspect the best charity Merlin could offer Ahlverez would be to have him and his troops captured with the least amount of violence and loss of life possible. Then they'll have full stomachs and won't have to worry about being killed by the enemy anymore!