Smell this, I think it's expired... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 06-06-2005, 10:40 AM

Yes, but...Cavalry would never willingly charge into pikes because its a really stupid thing to do. The Rohirrim aren't there to go down in a blaze of glory, they're there to try & save Gondor. Besides, I think its the death of Theoden & the percieved death of Eowyn that pushes them over the edge into 'feyness'. When they arrive they are very organised & have a strategy for taking on the enemy. Their whole approach was based on secrecy & surprise. The point is, what the Rohirrim do at that point in the movie is just stupid. In the book they may have a lot of ground to cover before they get to the enemy, but they don't hang around waiting for the orcs to get organised. My reading of the episode in the book is that the reason the orcs, Easterlings, Southrons, et al, panicked was not because they were afraid of the 'feyness' of the Rohirrim but because they didn't have time to organise any defence - which is the way cavalry were used most effectively - hit & run & hit again. These were the tactics they used against the orcs who captured Merry & Pippin. If the enemy had had the time they had in the movie the Rohirrim would have been toast.

06-06-2005, 10:40 AM	#33
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Yes, but...Cavalry would never willingly charge into pikes because its a really stupid thing to do. The Rohirrim aren't there to go down in a blaze of glory, they're there to try & save Gondor. Besides, I think its the death of Theoden & the percieved death of Eowyn that pushes them over the edge into 'feyness'. When they arrive they are very organised & have a strategy for taking on the enemy. Their whole approach was based on secrecy & surprise. The point is, what the Rohirrim do at that point in the movie is just stupid. In the book they may have a lot of ground to cover before they get to the enemy, but they don't hang around waiting for the orcs to get organised. My reading of the episode in the book is that the reason the orcs, Easterlings, Southrons, et al, panicked was not because they were afraid of the 'feyness' of the Rohirrim but because they didn't have time to organise any defence - which is the way cavalry were used most effectively - hit & run & hit again. These were the tactics they used against the orcs who captured Merry & Pippin. If the enemy had had the time they had in the movie the Rohirrim would have been toast. __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."