HFQ Official Snippet #16

Randomiser wrote:

n7axw wrote:Hi Lyonheart,

Your scenario does make sense. The last textev does have Alverez on the Fort Sandfish road, but it really doesn't make sense for him to stay on it.

I wonder if he will be able to forage well enough to keep his men fed. The other question is if he will be tipped off to Hanth before running into him.

Don

Actually, the last textev has him 'halfway to Thesmar', as I quoted in my last post. That comes from a summary in the authorial voice so I think we can take it as being fairly well established.

But I agree with Isaac Newton that Lyonheart's suggested rate of progress is far too fast. They don't have a highroad once they turn west, they do have a baggage train to slow them down and if they have to forage as well, that's going to be even slower.

Shermans troops were veterans but and kept up a good average pace for a month. Some units greatly exceeded it on some days. The army traveled with limited wagons and artillery but they had to forage extensively. The march was a prodigious feat. No green armies or group of commanders could have kept it up so long. Most troops did far more than double 5 miles a day. I've seen it suggested that Sherman's march was 300 miles. I find that unacceptable but I realize that we are talking marching miles not airline miles. Considering the roadnet of the time plus tactical concerns and strategic deception I realize many troops may have surpassed that.

BobG wrote:I think helmet diving (which was used before SCUBA) would be more viable. However, that would take a hose from a hand-driven pump on land to the divers. I am assuming the ship is not close enough for a pressure line, because it would otherwise be visible.

BobG wrote:SCUBA seems difficult, although possible. High pressure tank metallurgy is the biggest issue as far as I am concerned. A steel tank capable of holding 72 cu in of compressed air will last about an hour close to the surface.

BobG wrote:Both CaC and Photoluminescence seem like nonstarters to me. The former generally requires electric arcs, while the latter requires some mildly complex organic chemistry.

Randomiser wrote:

n7axw wrote:Hi Lyonheart,

Your scenario does make sense. The last textev does have Alverez on the Fort Sandfish road, but it really doesn't make sense for him to stay on it.

I wonder if he will be able to forage well enough to keep his men fed. The other question is if he will be tipped off to Hanth before running into him.

Don

Actually, the last textev has him 'halfway to Thesmar', as I quoted in my last post. That comes from a summary in the authorial voice so I think we can take it as being fairly well established.

But I agree with Isaac Newton that Lyonheart's suggested rate of progress is far too fast. They don't have a highroad once they turn west, they do have a baggage train to slow them down and if they have to forage as well, that's going to be even slower.

To "General R.E. Lee, Commanding C.S.A.:
5 P.M., April 7th, 1865.
The results of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate States army known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
U.S. Grant, Lieutenant-General"

The note was carried through the Confederate lines and Lee promptly responded:

"April 7th, 1865.
General: I have received your note of this date. Though not entertaining the opinion you express of the hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition of its surrender.
R.E. Lee, General."

fallsfromtrees wrote:Ha anyone considered the possibility that Corporal Kaillyt really didn't see anything, and that David is just playing with us, to show the nervousness of Rychter's(?) troops, jumping at shadows (and knowing that including something like this early in the book would mean it was going to be snippeted, leading to rampant speculation).

Nah- he'd never do that, would he?

fallsfromtrees wrote:Ha anyone considered the possibility that Corporal Kaillyt really didn't see anything, and that David is just playing with us, to show the nervousness of Rychter's(?) troops, jumping at shadows (and knowing that including something like this early in the book would mean it was going to be snippeted, leading to rampant speculation).

Nah- he'd never do that, would he?

fallsfromtrees wrote:Ha anyone considered the possibility that Corporal Kaillyt really didn't see anything, and that David is just playing with us, to show the nervousness of Rychter's(?) troops, jumping at shadows (and knowing that including something like this early in the book would mean it was going to be snippeted, leading to rampant speculation).

Nah- he'd never do that, would he?[/quote

jgnfld wrote:Nah...a noise like this is the scribal equivalent of Chekhov's Gun.

Randomiser wrote:

n7axw wrote:Hi Lyonheart,

Your scenario does make sense. The last textev does have Alverez on the Fort Sandfish road, but it really doesn't make sense for him to stay on it.

I wonder if he will be able to forage well enough to keep his men fed. The other question is if he will be tipped off to Hanth before running into him.

Don

Actually, the last textev has him 'halfway to Thesmar', as I quoted in my last post. That comes from a summary in the authorial voice so I think we can take it as being fairly well established.

But I agree with Isaac Newton that Lyonheart's suggested rate of progress is far too fast. They don't have a highroad once they turn west, they do have a baggage train to slow them down and if they have to forage as well, that's going to be even slower.