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Kathryn M.'s avatar

What? That's where the chapter ends!? A pox on you, cliff hangers!

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Jeremy P. Madsen's avatar

Hee, hee, hee . . .

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Azura Skyrock's avatar

Besides having well-trained, disciplined troops, a winning army needs unity. Elandria has that type of teamwork. I see it in the way they support their young queen. I see it in the comradery of Volthorn's korrik broodmates. I see it in the way they utilize the different talents of species and mancerers, each doing what they can to support their cause. All of this is manifest in the stirring image of 20,000 troops rushing down a ridge to meet the enemy: ". . . a roar arose from the throats of humans, korriks, and avirs, over twenty thousand voices raising the same battle cry. “ELANDRIAAA!!!”

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Jeremy P. Madsen's avatar

It's definitely a movie-worthy moment :)

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Raggedy Ruby's avatar

Hmm. Nevermind what I said in the last chapter about not getting wet!

Surprise attacks must be extremely rare in Zenitha warfare when griffin scouts are in the equation. Well done, Volthorn!

This sounds like a close battle. Whoever wins is going to win by a nose!

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Jeremy P. Madsen's avatar

Having griffins in my world definitely changed the dynamics of both warfare and communications. It's like taking the field tactics of the Carthaginian Wars and crossing them with the aerial dogfights of World War I.

Even with the rain, it was still a miracle that Volthorn could pull this battle off. All it would have taken was one griffin scout spotting them and the element of surprise would have been lost.

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Jeremy P. Madsen's avatar

It is indeed a close battle. Volthorn has a much superior tactical position. But he is still outnumbered about 40,000 to 25,000. And while his army is well trained and extremely disciplined, so is the opposing army. This Calamarvan army is the cream of the crop of Calamar's military. Most of these soldiers have been campaigning in Elandria for three years, racking success after success under their belts. And most of the officers and professional soldiers fought under Salidar in previous campaigns in Wormul and elsewhere.

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Taliana the Aquamancer's avatar

Oh, noooo!!!

That sinking feeling when you are about to win a battle and someone comes along and blows a hole in your front line.

(Because I've totally had that happen to me on *numerous* occasions, so I definitely know what I'm talking about.)

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