Godwar LRP

"Any of us may become a god? Someone help us! "

The Craft of Conquest

With respect to Small Battles:

Truly is it argued that one who takes one look at you, squeals like a prey animal and tries to hide beneath the table, may be safely ignored in the short term. In the long term, there remains the possibility of their regaining their courage, but as they pose no threat to you, there is no need to blunt your blade upon them.

The healer is worth three of the warrior, for without the healer those that go down stay there. Thus the wise will isolate the healer and subdue them first. However, this carries two warnings. To kill the healer outright is to tell the gods that you and yours will never need healing again, and just because the opponent at the back has neither arms or armour, but indeed attractive robes, does not make them the healer.

Beware the unarmed who smile. They know something, and that knowledge is worth more than all the metal in your chain mail.

Watch the scavengers on any battlefield that are human. Which side they feel most comfortable looting from is the side that is perceived to be losing.

To those scavengers I say touch not the boots and mail, for that is too bulky. Touch not the rings and necklets, unless they are obviously blessed. Take of the specie, which cannot be traced so easily, and take the blessing of any item.

Let there be no battle done within tents, for there may be braziers, candles, and glass articles to crash upon the unwary.

Let there be no battle within temples, for gods tend to take that sort of thing personally, and an immortal opponent is one to whom you should always parley.

Surprise will ever be sharper than steel, and you are encouraged to use it whenever possible.

With respect to Warriors:

Believe no warrior's claim of having the gift of ninj, unless they have just crept past all your bodyguards and have a blade beside your throat as they make the claim.

The warrior you take as your bodyguard must needs be attentive enough to spot any incoming threat, but that also means they are attentive enough to hear anything you may say in their company.

There are warriors who delight in blood for blood's own sake, and who frets without a frequent battle. Such warriors should be gathered together as a Keres-repellant force to sweep the battlefield after every fight.

If there is one among your warriors who cannot be harmed by Keres, then that one is a god in disguise. Give no overt worship, but give the respect as of an equal.

With respect to Matters of Clememcy:

Those who fly the white flag wish either surrender or truce, and shall not be harmed while they take no offensive action. They who break that truce faces the wrath of the War God.

Those who wave the green branches wish to parley. Send a scribe, or a non-combatant with some middling authority.

When great nations war, let there be rules of engagement drawn up between them as soon as is practical.

When great nations seek a way to avoid war, let the heir of each throne become the honoured hostage of the other nation. This has two virtues: one, that attacking the other nation is to risk the ruler's own child, and two, that the child should learn something of the custom and manners of the other nation, so that they shall no longer be strange and frightening.

Let no blade be stained with the blood of a child, nor with that of a trusting animal beyond the immediate requirement for food. For both children and beasts are beloved of the other mother, and while her compassion for them is mighty, greater still is her wrath against their murderers.

With respect to Mercenaries:

A company of mercenaries will be loyal to it's commander. It is only the loyalty of the commander that you buy.

Whatever you paid for them, if there are those who then batter down your gates in an effort to attack the company, then you have paid too dearly.

It is expected that when you engage a company, they are ever considering better offers. A company that remains loyal in the face of such an offer is worth every coin you paid.

If a company treats you fair, ensure such news spreads among your allies. If treated foul, keep silence, that other nations may pauper themselves buying turncoats.

Mercenaries who march alongside your enlisted will cause resentment on both sides. A virtue of a company is it's mobility, so use it on another front.

With respect to Sieges:

To those both defending and attacking a tavern I say: There is a back door.

Four may do the work of twenty defending such taverns, by having two on each door, all armed with long weapons, and at least on person on each door shall be blessed by the gods.

When besieging a camp, a swift strike will accomplish aims better than a long wait, since camps will be well stocked for difficult conditions.

Canvas and pallisades have one important thing in common. They burn.

That which you have taken such pains to take, you must now keep with almost equal effort, lest survivors muster there and plot your downfall.

With respect to Massed Battles

This is not watercolour. Do not spend three hours arranging your people into pleasing shapes when the battle could have been finished and won in that time.

If your opponents seem to be showing a smaller force compared to your own battle line, check the treeline at once.

Equally, an opponent who thinks of battle as opposing lines will have unguarded flanks.

To those facing multiple forces, or at any rate forces, I say to you that a square has no flanks.

Let not tensions build unanswered between yourself and your foe- often it is wise to decide a pressing issue by means of a large battle arranged for a day when other dealings have finished.