Re: Who will be the Captain General over all of the forces of the light during TG (quick survey) - Edit 2
Before modification by DomA at 05/10/2009 05:36:19 AM
Military-wise, I'd say it's rather obviously Mat, but he'll need field commanders/advisors like everyone who survives among the Band's leaders, Logain, Rhuarc, the Captain-General of the Green, Ituralde, Bashere, Agelmar etc. - and even LTT.
Personally, I think Mat can out general Demandred and LTT. His experience of warfare is certainly vastly greater (LTT and Demandred have been generals for decades at most - in practice maybe for just a decade and as Shadow-leader knowing how to use Shadowspawn in battle it's even less for Demandred - and they had to re invent everything and make it up as they go, and their tactics were widely different from what they have at their disposal now. Demandred is even at a disadvantage:
- The "primitive" tactics he has seen at work so far since awakening are a pale shadow of what Mat, with his completely unique deep knowledge of the "Golden Age" of third Age warfare (from the TW to the WOHY) can do. Demandred could seriously underestimate Mat, or "the shepherd".
- Demandred is probably working from the assumption that Taim's forces would be vastly better skilled than Rand's inner circle and Logain's Asha'man come the LB, and the WT taken care of. The Shadow's stupid attack on the Algerin manor might have undone much of this now LTT has already passed nifty weaves and more might be coming. And even if Logain is no more than average or less on greater strategy/tactics, Mat has such a deep knowledge of military matters to learn how he adapt and use WOS OP stuff in battle, and may gain before the end insight from LTT about Demandred's strategies and tactics... while Demandred won't have the same.
- At the moment, the Light is already re learning mixed gender warfare, while the Shadow has only trained males (and EXTREMELY arrogant Black sisters who think they know everything and that Taim's faction will have a lot of fun working with at the last minute).
- Demandred might think the Light beside the Borderlands doesn't know anymore how to fight Shadowspawn, but again Mat has vast knowledge from the Trolloc Wars.. and there's LTT.
So give might a good support staff of field generals including saidar/saidin advisors trained a bit by LTT, add the fact the Light is learning to work together while the Shadow tend to go in a zillions direction and mistrust/rival one another, and it's Demandred who might be at a serious disadvantage facing Mat. Of course if Rand is out of the game or close, Egwene pulls one way and Logain another, and Tuon a third, and no one lets Mat take globally charge of the forces of the Light, that's a completely different picture.
Personally, I think Mat can out general Demandred and LTT. His experience of warfare is certainly vastly greater (LTT and Demandred have been generals for decades at most - in practice maybe for just a decade and as Shadow-leader knowing how to use Shadowspawn in battle it's even less for Demandred - and they had to re invent everything and make it up as they go, and their tactics were widely different from what they have at their disposal now. Demandred is even at a disadvantage:
- The "primitive" tactics he has seen at work so far since awakening are a pale shadow of what Mat, with his completely unique deep knowledge of the "Golden Age" of third Age warfare (from the TW to the WOHY) can do. Demandred could seriously underestimate Mat, or "the shepherd".
- Demandred is probably working from the assumption that Taim's forces would be vastly better skilled than Rand's inner circle and Logain's Asha'man come the LB, and the WT taken care of. The Shadow's stupid attack on the Algerin manor might have undone much of this now LTT has already passed nifty weaves and more might be coming. And even if Logain is no more than average or less on greater strategy/tactics, Mat has such a deep knowledge of military matters to learn how he adapt and use WOS OP stuff in battle, and may gain before the end insight from LTT about Demandred's strategies and tactics... while Demandred won't have the same.
- At the moment, the Light is already re learning mixed gender warfare, while the Shadow has only trained males (and EXTREMELY arrogant Black sisters who think they know everything and that Taim's faction will have a lot of fun working with at the last minute).
- Demandred might think the Light beside the Borderlands doesn't know anymore how to fight Shadowspawn, but again Mat has vast knowledge from the Trolloc Wars.. and there's LTT.
So give might a good support staff of field generals including saidar/saidin advisors trained a bit by LTT, add the fact the Light is learning to work together while the Shadow tend to go in a zillions direction and mistrust/rival one another, and it's Demandred who might be at a serious disadvantage facing Mat. Of course if Rand is out of the game or close, Egwene pulls one way and Logain another, and Tuon a third, and no one lets Mat take globally charge of the forces of the Light, that's a completely different picture.