Axioms
Aia is a flat discworld & the implications of this has a radical impact on military operations which renders the entirety of the real world’s strategic & tactical doctrine incomplete, misleading, or entirely obsolete.
If you set out to lead an army & do not keep the following points in mind, you will make catastrophic errors.
- The horizon does not exist. On a flat disc, you can see 10 miles on flat terrain — 3 times greater than on Earth. From a decent hill or watchtower, you can see 20 miles away. From a mountain, 80 miles of low-fidelity terrain is visible. This is an order of magnitude greater than on Earth.
- Fog of war does not exist. Every army employs harpy scouts. Harpies can fly 5 miles straight up & gain a mountain’s view within an hour. Every army can see a minimum of 80 miles around itself. Armies can only march 10 to 25 miles in a day — a single harpy messenger manages 50 per day. Surprise is all but impossible for any band bigger than 10 or 20 people. You don’t have to fight if you don’t want to — nobody can close distance fast enough.
- Naval warfare is impacted too. Stealth is almost impossible on Aia’s waters for anyone other than coraler armies. Only storms & darkness provide cover.
- Sieges & defenses are extremely important. Because there’s no fog of war, the best way to win a fight is to force engagement on favorable ground. The easiest way to force engagement is to build high walls, which also negate the speed advantages of horses or harpy flocks in open terrain.
- Heroes are extremely important. One king or his right-hand man can fight with the force of a thousand soldiers, especially in bottlenecked one-on-one fights through urban interiors. It’s one thing for a company of men to face down Achilles; it’s another for a single soldier to meet him surging through the castle halls when an experienced general can shatter a gatehouse & penetrate the greatest defenses through force of will & supernatural experience. Just as ordinary men are critical for holding & taking ground, the heroic bravery of warriors & conquerors also holds a critical place on the battlefield.