War in Kryta: Strategy.

[Fluffball]

However, as I said, there is a new Shining Blade camp in Dakutu Village in Talmark Wilderness, so there was something updated in GW. Nevertheless, this discussion is essentially just toying around with what could occur in game with the White Mantle and Shining Blade conflict.

Holy crap, you weren't kidding. There is a whole damn city out there! Is this only in place if you've beaten prophecies? Has anyone tried running a new character out there? (EDIT: Nevermind, I just read Regina's post in the forum game thread, you must have completed EotN or proph.)

Also, this must surely be tied in to the assassination attempt on the princess...

[BrettM]

If I may interject... I'm not sure if this has already been said, but perhaps you could take a note of Salma's greeting text for some clue about her plans. It might affect your battle strategy. :)

Trying to plan a battle strategy without knowing anything about enemy strength or location seems rather futile. Hopefully we will find out more about the positions still held by the Mantle (Riverside? The temple in D'Alessio? Other?), their numbers, and potential allies for the Blade. (What are the Ascalonian refugees doing about all this? Has the Blade made overtures to them? Might the Canthans, Luxons, Kurzicks, and/or Angchu provide troops and/or materiel if asked nicely by a certain hero who is in high favor over there? Might the Sunspears pitch in, for the same reason?)

[Konig Des Todes]

If I may interject... I'm not sure if this has already been said, but perhaps you could take a note of Salma's greeting text for some clue about her plans. It might affect your battle strategy. :)

All Krytans long for peace, but we suffer too greatly at the hands of the Unseen Ones' fanatical devotees.

I wish only to protect my people from their oppressors and let them worship their gods in peace. I may be the royal heir, but I am still only one woman. I cannot defeat the Unseen Ones and their Mantle puppets without help from the citizens of Kryta...and from brave people like you.

Sounds like she's going to form a militia (being done already) and strike at the faith of the Mantle. A combat of words, not swords.

[Kalidri]

The Lionguard are loyal to Salma and represented in the camp. They are well within White Mantle territory (and recruiting, too), I suspect that they may be involved in an insurrection that might allow the Shining Blade to strike. The blade's strength lies in ambush rather than outright attack - so they aren't going to hang out at the village but rather melt into the wilderness and attack when the time is right.

[CHIPS]

The number of people following the Mursaats and the old gods might be similar. However Mursaat followers are totally ready for war, while the people following the old gods isn't.

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Kryta

There are two types of humans in Kryta: those who worship the mysterious Unseen Ones and those who do not. The worshippers have become known as the White Mantle because of the long white sleeveless robes many of them wear.

Since the end of the last Guild War and the repelling of the Charr invasion, the White Mantle have maintained a high level of military preparedness. They don’t ever want to be caught off guard again, and they often keep large stores of weapons inside their temples to use in case of emergency. It’s also not uncommon for followers of the Mantle philosophy to be highly trained warriors. Fighting skills will come in handy if the day comes when they will need to once again defend Kryta from invasion.

That is why the White Mantle will be able to field much more troops than the Shining Blades and Lionguards in the start of this conflict. Unless the Shining Blades show that they can win this conflict most old god following civilians will too scared to join them.

[Gmr Leon]

I think you're underestimating the Krytan civilians/peasants, Chips. Let's examine an even more intense struggle, that was far more sudden than the Krytan civil war: the Searing and the subsequent Charr invasion. The Ascalonian civilians had to become fighters essentially overnight, those that didn't, well, some went insane, and others just scrape by in Ascalon City or, before its fall, Rin. In two years, however, the civilian class more or less transformed into a hardy militaristic class. Instead of the military being a minority, it is now the civilians that are a minority.

This being the case, I could easily see a similar scenario playing out in Kryta where the civilian class becomes a minority between the two militaristic factions of the Shining Blade and White Mantle. They won't be extraordinarily well trained, as one would expect, but consider that this was the same way with the White Mantle and the Ascalonian civilians.

Old Mac and Pitney certainly didn't have any formal training before joining the military, yet they've done quite well as soldiers.

[CHIPS]

Current situation:
The White Mantle have amassed their forces at Watchtower Coast and Kessex Peak.

The Peacekeepers have a huge base in Nebo Terrace, just south of Beetletun.

My plan:

I don't think the SB should let the WM come near Lion's Arch at all. If the WM reaches Lion's Arch they might starve the SB out. Once the siege starts to only way to bring in supplies is from the sea. I doubt SB has a strong navy so that is out of the question.

The key to winning the battle is controlling Nebo Terrace. This area is by far the most fertile farmland of the whole country. To the west most of the lands are swarms and thick jungle, ideal for ambush. To the east the North Kryta Province, which also have some fertile farmland, will be protected as long as Nebo Terrace is safe.

Salma should set up defenses in these 4 places.

1) Cursed Lands.
-first line of defense in the south.
-foggy, jungle swarm area is ideal for ambush
-SB should set up ambush parties in this swarm. WM should not be allowed to cross this area without heavy losses.



2) Beetletun's eastern pathway.
-first line of defense in the north.
-good choke point.
-The Peacekeepers south of Beetletun cannot get to the farmlands without passing though this narrow pathway.
-Lionsguards should set up defensive positions here. Build up a strong wall here to block up the whole pathway if possible.



3) Ascalon Settlement
-second line of defense, shall the first line fall.
-only way to get to North Kryta Province from the west.
-30% of the food and supplies that SB can gather should be moved here.
-SB should set up a supply depot here to supply the troops in Cursed Lands and Beetletun.
-SB should strenghten the fortress walls here. The wooden wall should be changed to stone walls. Torn down the stone houses in the settlement to build up the wall as needed.



4) Lion's Arch.
-last line of defense, if it comes to that.
-70% of the food and supplies that SB can gather should be moved here.
-maximize weapon and armor production here to support the troops in the front line.
-strength defense against attacks from the sea, just in case WM attacks from this route.

[Skyy High]

Alternatively, she can continue sending out our characters to go "assassinate" (read: plow through an entire army into one of the main WM strongholds) the WM and Mursaat leaders. Seems to be working.

[Akirai Annuvil]

Strategy not tactics.
Laying siege to a walled city with a harbour to open sea is an incredibly bad idea, the only way Shining Blade can loose is if they're stupid (very well possible considering 5 years has passed and they still haven't routed the White Mantle) or if the Mantle has big *** destruction to break the gates (they do, the Mursaat). Defending at any point beyond the Asura gate is a little odd as that means they can just mass teleport behind your lines anyway. Blades aren't responsible for what happens to Ascalonians and vice versa.
I'm not really sure where the Mantle are getting their supplies and gear from but starve them off those and you're done.