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Originally Posted by Saurreg

Nah mate. When I stated out-maneuvered, I meant it literally as a component of maneuvere warfare. An engagement of attrition means that two opponents just crash into each other headlong and try to bleed the other dry. Maneuvere warfare avoids the bulk of the enemy's strength and instead goes for the weak points.

Okay; think that we're on the same page now as that's what was in my head as well. I'm sure other posters will be sure to hold us to the fact that this is a movie and not a real battle, and so maneuvers won't be that important (except when Rohan shows up).

In my opinion, the Witch-King of the books used a combination of both. A strong force to attack the Gondorians head on and tie them down while small but numerous landing parties cross the Anduin at various points and converge at the west end of Osiligath, severing the lines of communication with Minas Tirith.

His main goal, to me, was the bridge (or bridging area) as he could not get his large war machines across by boat/raft. I think that he had a force ready to attack the, well, bridge (the one that Boromir threw down) but needed a broader front to distract and weaken the enemy (who were surely in 'difficult' terrain and entrenched). If the WK landed enough forces, he could envelop the Gondorians defending the bridge area and destroy them. Once he bridges the Anduin, he could deal with any defenders that remained in West Osgiliath.

When Faramir and his lieutenants found out that their all important lines of communication were compromised, they initiated a systematic withdrawal from the west bank of the Anduin towards the west end of Osiligath. In that way the enemy secured the western banks and the Gondorians were pushed out from the old city. Faramir then led the remnants of his battered garrison towards the make-shift wall at the edge of the pelennor before returning to Minas Tirith to report and await further instructions.

Well put. Too bad PJ couldn't have shown some of Faramir's intelligence.

Everything about the battles in RoTK looked contrived.

Yes, but we're to overlook that because it's a movie. I would except that somewhere in the DVD appendices someone states that PJ wanted the battles to look as real as possible, as 'he knows battles or military strategy' or something.

IMO much better to withdraw while he could. Any attempts to defend the west bank would merely delay the enemy and add to his own resources being drained off. Follow the wisdom of Sun Zhi and von Clauswitz; fight only if you need to fight.

Agreed. Sauron obviously had a copy of The Art of War (and The Prince, I might add).