Combat: Death by a Thousand Cuts

[MorGrendel]

Death by a Thousand Cuts

Recently I was explaining to another Warlord that I feel that we fight Bridge Battles wrong. My assertion is we need to fight Bridges more like a Limited-Front battles, and not get sucked into the typical SCA approach. Bog Troopers are not built to punch deep holes in walls, rather we need to fight to our strength and methodically shave the enemy down. A death by a thousand cuts.

The primary way I see this happening is by using a Slant Charge, where we send troops across the line, not through it. Contact with the enemy is temporary. This is not a test of strength to shove the masses back, but a speedy maneuver through no-man-land.

A slant charge accomplishes the following:
When the chargers pass in front of the enemy, that enemy reacts; either they chase the chargers or they stop and prepare for a charge.

In either case, as our chargers make contact with their line, the enemy is relegated to fighting with only half their remaining line.

If they give chase, we must pounce and bring as much of our line to bear as possible. We only have to defend the back of the last charger; whereas the enemy has to cover ground, attack the charger, and defend him/herself. The act of giving chase means that enemy needs to fight over itself to get a kill. So even if they are successful in killing a few chargers, they will have exposed their sides and back to do so. We must make the most of this gift.

Alternatively, if some of the enemy holds position, the enemy line becomes two lines, one stopped and one moving. Attack the intersection where the line hinges, as there is a “Corner” fighter that can be exploited. The corner fighter is extremely vulnerable from the side, and once dead the next fighter in the line is equally vulnerable. A single spear can walk down the line, taking them out one by one. Remember, these fighters are still focused on the threat in front of them. Imagine the “Y” shape a open zipper makes, as each tooth pops the line disintegrates. In Galatia, we literally call this moment a “Zipper”, and actively search for it. This has the added bonus of taking heat off the retreating chargers. Remember, they are not there to stay, but to provide a temporary diversion for the body of the line to take advantage of.

This plan is not foolproof, a smart enemy will counter-charge, which can find us out of position. When they counter-charge, repulse the majority, but not all, with a Pulse charge. Pick off the few that squirt through and then look for the corner again. Remember, most counter-charges disrupt the line (different speeds), so you should find yet another Corner where you can attack a forward-facing enemy on an angle again. Repeat again and again.