[Dragaera] javelin shooters (no spoilers)

[Jon_Lincicum at stream.com]

Howard Brazee <howard at brazee.net> 
Sent by: dragaera-bounces at dragaera.info
08/07/06 08:44 AM

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Re: [Dragaera] javelin shooters (no spoilers)




>The thing is - sorcery doesn't have to be direct. 

Granted. But that wasn't really my point... Just that non-sorcerous means 
were probably used when the Empire was very young, before sorcerous direct 
attack methods were developed. 

> There are lots of 
>indirect ways of using sorcery in warfare.   Examples:
>
>1.   Create hotter furnaces in order to make better non-magical amour.
>2.   Create better amour magically - by designing new non-magical 
materials.
>3.   Make sure logistics problems only matter significantly at the 
>actual battlefield where the defense is strong enough to interfere with 
>teleportation.
>4.  Create non-magical WMDs (primarily poisonous gases).    These can be 
>magically contained or destroyed away from the battlefield, and the 
>containers don't need to be long-lasting at the front.
>5.   Create super-artillery.    The warheads can't be sorcerous, as such 
>will be defended against.   But long-range artillery can use 
>conventional weapons.   In Turtledove's first alternate WWII book, the 
>Germans took out an alien space ship with a big gun - the aliens 
>defended against an explosive missile, not a lump of mass. 
>5a.  Create a super bow or spear chucker.    This might be defended 
>against, if it's magical.     Or maybe not.   Great Weapons operate in 
>battle areas.
>6.   Create super soldiers.
>7.   Create super traps.

Except that any of these would have a big impact on the way wars are 
fought, and we haven't seen any evidence of any of these techniques.

Granted, Sethra noted that the state of warfare was just starting to 
change again after the end of the Interregnum, so maybe some (or all) of 
these ideas were employed by (for example) Adron's Breath of Fire 
Battalion--but the state of the art in Sorcery hasn't yet gotten back to 
pre-Interregnum levels. 

However, any of these techniques would have corresponding counter-sorcery 
responses (your sorcerously-forged sword is no match for my Elder 
Sorcerously-forged sword! Your sorceously-created poison gas won't affect 
my troops with their own sorcerously-created gas-masks, etc.) In addition, 
many of the techniques you mention are likely to be considered 
"dishonorable" by Dragon warriors, or may have been outlawed by some 
previous Lyorn emperor. 

Majikjon