A Treatise on Warfare Volume I: from the Tomes of Lug of the Long Arms

I. Equipment

A well equiped adventurer can mean the difference between breathing the fresh honeysuckle for another day or grasping for it while your soul fades from your corpse.

Many have traveled deep into the dark recesses of dungeon holes, and ventured boldly into the wild only to find themselves shantily reserved with well needed supplies. The wise and well preserved warrior is the one who will reign in the end. In the coming times, especially through harsh winters, and wars, it is crucial that you pack lightly but effectively.

For long travels and for those that require days even weeks of adventure the following surplus is required, but first it is important to standardize you pack--especially when traveling with others so they may become familiar with your travel habits. One's pack should consist of the following:

• A maximum of 2-3 other containers (i.e. 2-3 other packs/bags/boxes, or any other combination, etc). The wise adventurer may even color code their containers for specific supplies (i.e. Blue bag-reagents, Gold bag-gold, etc). Within these containers you may nest as many other containers as you see fit to help you organize your needed supplies. In the unfortunate event you might reside in the underworld, your kinsman will only have to gather the standard 2 or 3 containers from your corpse; as opposed to rummaging through dozens of sparse supplies. This is especially efficient when a well trained group knows exactly what they need to recover from a companions corpse, and inventory control.
• An "Escape Rune," as the name implies should contain a Mark of a place that has few people in its path, so in the event you must make a hasty escape you will have almost perfect success in making your destination. This rune should be nested in your main pack as to provide quick access to it when making your escape--swiftness can mean the difference between life and death.
• 5-10 Greater Heal potions, depending on your mission length and purpose. Again these potions should be nested in your main pack to provide quick access at all times. GH potions provide quick health regeneration without having to cast the spell thus expending needed mana and the time it takes to cast it.
• 3-6 Cure potions, depending on your mission goals. These such potions can be nested anywhere in your pack but you should avoid the main pack, as things will tend to pile up. With the greater usage of poisons in these such times a cure is a vital survival instrument, especially against deadly poisons and when a skilled mage is not around to Cure you.
• Rations, enough to keep you stuffed though battles and the like. A well fed warrior can regain health and mana quicker than a famished one, and most likely has a better chance of successfully casting a spell in times of need.
• Scrolls of various types, including 1-2 Recall, 1-2 Gate, 2-3 Resurrection, can prove useful if there is a reagent shortage and when a Kinsman is in need of returning back to the living.

These are the essentials for a well equiped adventurer striding to survive, however there are some additional supplies you might want to contain within your pack that can further your cause depending upon ones preference and mission ideals. Of course they may be more, choose wisely.

• 5-10 Greater Explosion potions for an offensive strategy where mana is scarce and majik is limited. A good damaging potion.
• A communication crystal linked to other Kinsmen. In the case a band of adventurers are separated they can communicate through these crystals to set a rendeavor point.

Here is a sumary of the essential supply list that the wisely equiped must have in order to survive:

• 2-3 additional containers in your main pack.
• An Escape Rune. (main pack)
• 5-10 Greater Heal potions. (main pack)
• 3-6 Cure potions. (nested)
• Rations. (nested)
• Scrolls (1-2 Recall, Gate, 2-3 Resurrection). (nested)

Equiping for battle also holds true for the wisely prepared (see below Preparation and Briefing). Here is a helpful list of a equipment a warrior might choose when setting out to battle. This list can be modified to individual needs and preference but lists how to maximize your load with little effect on other extraneous factors such as economics, time, and skills.

• A set of Bone Armor: this will ensure maximum protection for a fraction of the cost of Plate, does not reduce dexterity--thus making u more adept in combat, can easily be replaced, and a realitively weak person can wear it. If bone armor is hard to come by at times, you may substitute it with finely crafted chainmail from an experienced Smith.
• A Poisoned Weapon: will increase damage against an enemy especially weapons coated in deadly poisons which can reduce the strongest adversary to their deaths in a short period of time. This will reduce the need to carry a majikal weapon thus losing a valuable item in combat when the possibility of confronting the Underworld is known.
• Reagents: setting aside standard bags of reagents will greatly increase the time and effort spent searching for them and picking needed ones from a larger pile, especially during a war. A bag which contains 50 of each reagent should be reserved for long journeys, where a smaller supply should be assigned to short and dangerous missions.

II. Preparation and Briefing

Preparing and briefing for a journey is vital to the over success of your mission. It is important to establish a hierarchy of command when traveling (i.e a group leader, commander, etc.). The group leader is responsible for maintaining communication between other members of the band thus preparation and briefing before setting forth.

When a group has determined their adventure goals each individual should make sure he/ she has the neccessary equipment to meet the specifics of the campaigne that waits them. For example: A small skeleton crew decides to descend the dark caverns of Destard, a well known Dragon's lair. Packing extra GH potions would be advised along with extra Resurrect scrolls, and enough reagents. Ill advised preparation can result in almost certain doom, especially for the timid. It is also important for the entire group to be well advised on the dangers and perils that could await them on the journey, and entertain certain precautions and how to deal with them as they come. This will ensure a well advised group as well as any tactics or strategies that can be worked out when the time comes.

Composure is also very important when actually entering a battle scene, as many frailed souls tend to run frantically about seeking the refuge of a desolate corner to hide in. A well prepared knowledgable adventurer will have enough stature to coordinate well in a situation, and most importantly to remain calm. Getting anxious is a one of the most basic human responses to external stimuli, but can be controlled especially in battle if one is well informed.

III. Specialized Groups

Designating and placing individuals according to their skills and abilities into smaller groups is a very useful tactic. When a group is traveling and depending on it's size each person should be assigned to a specialized task. This structure is not etched in stone and from time to time may be modified, but a standard grouping of neccessity will follow:

• 1-4 Scouts: These individuals are usually the ones with a good Tracking skill, and the ability to Hide well in natural surroundings. Although, however, they may double as warriors, or other participants as well, this is fine especially with a small band where people are limited. Scouts trail off ahead of the group several paces to survey an area for any activity. A well trained scout will hide and observe a given area taking note of every detail, such of terrain, strategic positions, number of people/monsters/animals, etc. and report any findings back to his band, either via communication crystal, the enigmatic ICQ (preferred when talking is limited in game), or trail back to report via mouth.
• 1+ Fighters/Armsmen: These individuals are the ones with melee skills, and versed in all combat skills such as, Tactics, Swordsmanship, etc. They are in most respects the front-line in battle. When a group decides it must engage in a battle the fighters are the first to attack. A well trained fighter will use tactics such as the Wolf Pack where all fighters consentrate their attack on one specific target until it is slain. When in need of heals a fighter will usually break off his/her attack momentarily and relinquish a healing potion, and begin the assault again.
• 1+ Long Range Attackers: This includes Archers, as well as Potion Hurlers. These individuals will hang back in an attack and provide an evenly distributed array of attacks. What this means is that they will fire upon several enemies at one time, keeping the adversary weak until a concentrated attack can take place--if needed. Potion Hurlers usually will stay back from the melee and toss Greater Explosion potions onto several enemies keeping them weak hoping to keep back an onslaught of attack
• 1+ Mages: Having atleast one mage in a party is very valuable to the success of survival. Mages should be protected at all times during combat as they provide both offensive and more importantly defensive tactics. The ideal mage will usually stay in the rear of the party (behind the long range attackers) and diversify the battlefield as certain situations arise. Each mage should designate a select few out of the group to monitor during combat; (i.e. watch health, majikal effects, poisons, etc). This will educate other mages as to who is injured and insure they will be tended to by only one mage, and allow an equal distribution of heals, cures, etc. If there are more than one mage in the group, idealy one should designate offensively attacking (either individual targets or mass targets) while the other designates defensively (providing heals, cures, enchants, walls, etc). A well trained grouping of mages should familiarize themselves with their roles before combat begins, with little effort expended on text. What this means is that communication between them and the group should be coded and should occupy less space and time to administer commands, and signals. For example: Timone the Druid is versed in combat jargon, knowing a battle is about to begin and his advantage point he shouts an "O" into the battlefield, signaling to the group he will designate offensively for the battle.,, Keeping commands simple will reduce SPAMing and help coordinate the flow of battle easily. A warrior mage is a specialized wizard who also provides melee support. Their roles in battle designate frequently as they can freely move in and out of the front line and back to the rear as needed. Truely an elite class, and bonus to have in a battle group.
• 1-2 Bards: Having atleast one bard can be very uselful especially when confronted with beasts that are very difficult to bring down, like Drakes, Dragons, etc. Their role as bards should provide the neccessary tunes to entice your adversaries into turmoil thus increasing a parties success of defeating an otherwise difficult foe.

By assigning specific tasks in a group especially a large one, will greatly simplify the goals of the battle, communication, enemy targets, and significantly increase a parties success to victory in many ways.

Volume II, consists of a Strategy and Tactics section, paying specific attention to certain types of tactics such as the Cloak and Dagger, and what strategies are effective against specific groups like archers, fighters, mages, etc. and against certain monsters. Also included is a section on mass combat and majik.

-Composed by Odd