I disagree with both points.
If Sharona had known about dragons they would have taken steps to defend against them at and around the forts. Simply spreading the troops out into a network of bunkers distributed to provide mutual support against air and ground attack would have made the one pass yellow attacks, which took out the forts impossible. And even with the 10 to one advantage the AEF just does not have the fire power to take out dug in Sharonans without taking disproportionate causalities. And the AEF doesn't have the supplies or reserves to take out multiple forts when they are suffering losses at a rate of 2 or 3 to one in the attacks. In addition a warning may have led to preparations being made to raid Arcanan supplies if the forces were bypassed, which Harshu also can't permit.
As for Fort Salby if Chan Geraith had arrived but Janaki had not had his glimpse I think the AEF would have taken Fort Salby. The first pass by the dragons would have been a complete surprise and without any anti-air prepared the dragons would have got several passes before random fire from panicky troops woken from a sound sleep by the attack would have driven them off. Harshu would have seen the additional troops were panicked, gambled on a determined attack and routed them.
In sum, if the Sharonans had known about dragons the AEF would have had to take at least 20-30% causalities in order to get to Fort Salby. They couldn't afford that given the lack of reinforcements so they never would have reached Fort Salby. But, if the Sharonans had not known about dragons before the attack on Fort Salby even Chan Geraith's presence would not have been enough to stop the AEF from taking Salby. So, knowledge was crucial here and the speed collection of data to cut Sharonan communciations (as well as a lot of luck) was necessary to Harshu's success. Since he appears to have no way to get that information but torture I think that torture was necessary once he decided to attack at all.
Nicholas
PS - If I haven't made it clear elsewhere I think the decision to attack was extremely foolish.
n7axw wrote:
Prior to Ft. Salby, Sharona didn't have anything in place to mount serious opposition. Ghartoum and the other forts were not only surprised, but outnumbered on the order of ten to one plus or minus. So while the element of surprise did cut down on Harshu's casualties, I disagree that it altered the outcome of the campaign. Had Harshu arrived at Salby even a few days later after chan Geraith arrived, he would have still been repulsed, even without the help of the prince. So the bottom line would have remained the same.
The encounter was a surprise for both sides. Arcana was able to strike first because of their ability to swiftly put a force in position to do so. That meant that Sharona's remote portal authority forts simply didn't have the time to gear up. And that was where Harshu had his success.
Don
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