[Måns]

Farmir did. And Faramir did not. He gives proof of his rashness as an operational commander when he has the force saty in Ithilien for so long, though it was doubtless that whatever they would have time to do would haev absoutely no effect on the outcome of the battle. Taht is being too eager to battle and taking a decision too swiftly, he should have chosen the safer path. He proved his rashness when fighting in the rearguard on the battle of Pelennor even though it sure was a brave deed, one has got to see to military reason and not only symbolic emotional appeal. His first duty was to keep himself alive to be able to direct the forces in such manner as he could. If you say that he did hold the troops together across the plains, I counter with, is it impossible that eh could haev done this a few lines back, in relative security? He did, but that does not make his decision right. Waht if the arrow that hit him ahd struck earlier, when they were still close to the Rammas, or out on the open plains? Total demoralization as happens when the commander is slain, especially a loved and famous one, simply a disorganized route. He could and should not have taken that risk and I think that is quite clear now, it went well but that does not justify his decision, no professional would think that way.

Hastily to other matters, the only thing we can do to analyze Beorn is to interpret him, from a bear to a fierce host of mountain warriors with a terrible onslaught. The most important part of their attack was the charge. As with most such tribes, their first assault is the most powerful whereafter they are gradually worn down due to lack of discipline. The effect of this charge was enhanced extremely by the fact taht it came from behind, partly because they weren't ordered for an attack from that direction, though, order wasn't their strongest side. What made it so effective was the factor of morale. They were already engaged in comabt with hosts on three sides which means that hte regular prder of battle was sundered and their flanks were gradually eroded since we can guess that the strongest assault was aimed at the gate. The weaker troops on the flanks were forced to press on, while their forward ranks were egaged all the time. This takes a terrible force on the force in sheer numbers but also morally, being surrounded is a soldier's worst nightmare since the chances of victory or even escape seems and are so small. How importnat morale is we see in for exampel the battle of Poltava, 1709 in the Great Nordic war, where fourthousand unsupported, starved, tired, demoralized by the loss of a third of the army the same day and poorly armed Swedish infantrymen advanced against 22000 Russian soldiers, well fed, confident, well armed, supported by over one hundred pieces of artillery. What is interesting is that it might seem like suicide BUT, the well trained Swedish veterans charged, caring little for death, and the first Russian line (of two) broke up and ran straight into the second that started withdrawing too but many held their ground and the distances between the Swedish battalions were too short and they were surrounded and slaughtered. But even then, if the cavalry that had just crossed a morass ahd had time to get organized, they could have decided the battle for their King. In reality, 4000 men could never beat 22000 men to the last amn, that is virtually impossible if the hosts are the least even in quality, but the disciplined force of the charge, as always with Swedish infantry totally silent, made the Russians who were afraid of Swedish soldiers since the humiliating defeat every time they had met on the field before started withdrawing, due to lack of morale. The Swedish left wing later broke because there was a rumour that the King Karl XII. who was well behind the lines for once since he ahd been shot in the foot three days before, had fallen and since he was considered a military genious and called the army's guardian angel, the men broke into panic. Two examples from the same battlefield. Had the goblins been a well trained army, it might not have happened, since units with experience and training usually stay put even in the most dangerous situations. The Romans at Cannae never broke down totally,a few thousand even got out on the south side of the encirclement but one cannot excpect discipline of orcs.

Måns

[ August 16, 2003: Message edited by: Måns ]