Total War?

Total War?
When people capture a city it's not common to seige it and burn it to the ground right? They have some codes for honorable warfare, etc? Just wondering because with the upcomming Crab/Scorpion thing I was wondering what the Crab would do if they captured city of lies. Personally I think the most punishing thing would be to quickly sack some scorpion cities and burn them to the ground and then just leave. But I wasn't sure that it was the type of things even the Crab would do.

In Rokugan, cities are considered assets of great value. And their is temples in them, so burning it doesn't sound really honorable.

castles get destroyed, cities probably not

Historicaly (not L5R history, history history) Razing a city was a Statement. You either needed to cripple another power so much that they would not ever come back (Carthage) or you were on a tear and didn't care about taking territory and wanted to be known a Scary Dude. (Gengis Kahn, Boudiccia.) I'd think Rokugan is civil enough to not go that route- after all they may be at war, but they have priorities. I could see the Unicorn tearing thru Lion territory and razing some villiages or small cities, but that's just cause I see them as Mongols, and that's how they rolled. Now the Shadowlands I could see all out Operation Parking Lot Take No Prisonors Booty Kickin War.

Unicorn tearing thru Lion territory and razing some villiages or small cities, but that's just cause I see them as Mongols, and that's how they rolled. QFT I was talking with Dace a little this weekend, at our local shop. I told him how idiotic I thought the whole story about the Unicorn taking Shiro Ikoma during a winter campaign. He said that the Unicorn cavalry is too much for the Lion to handle. I responded with, "Obviously you and no one at AEG knows anything about the care and feeding of horses in the winter. Also, horses don't have any extra mobility in snowy fields that infantry with snow shoes don't also have. If I were the Lion, I would either shoot the horses from range or release the Lion Warcats to make Fancy Feast of the famous Unicorn Gaijin Steeds. /rant off

He said that the Unicorn cavalry is too much for the Lion to handle. I responded with, "Obviously you and no one at AEG knows anything about the care and feeding of horses in the winter. Also, horses don't have any extra mobility in snowy fields that infantry with snow shoes don't also have. They are the MOTO. They are obvious Onikage and thus need no food.. ;)

He said that the Unicorn cavalry is too much for the Lion to handle. I responded with, "Obviously you and no one at AEG knows anything about the care and feeding of horses in the winter. Also, horses don't have any extra mobility in snowy fields that infantry with snow shoes don't also have. They are the MOTO. They are obvious Onikage and thus need no food.. ;) nevermind that the rokugani dont know about eskimos.

S nowshoes are available for purchase in the equipment section of the 3rd Ed book. Wide-framed shoes to prevent the wearer from sinking into snow, these are particularly useful in the northern provinces of the Empire, such as Phoenix lands. all for the low low price of 2 bu

Horses can carry a lot more supplies than your typical grunt. Plus instead of the grunt slogging it out on snowshoes the horse does. Leaving the riders strength for actual combat. Have you ever actually walked through bad terrain in snowshoes? Because I go rabbit hunting in the winter from time to time through the woods and it's not easy or pleasant. A mile is about all you can do before stopping to open up the cooler with beer and cook some hot dogs (and rabbit?) over the fire. Plus the lead group of horses would do a good job of trampling down the snow. Regularly adjust which unit leads and it should be a lot easier than infantry.

Horses can carry a lot more supplies than your typical grunt. Plus instead of the grunt slogging it out on snowshoes the horse does. Leaving the riders strength for actual combat. Have you ever actually walked through bad terrain in snowshoes? Because I go rabbit hunting in the winter from time to time through the woods and it's not easy or pleasant. A mile is about all you can do before stopping to open up the cooler with beer and cook some hot dogs (and rabbit?) over the fire. Plus the lead group of horses would do a good job of trampling down the snow. Regularly adjust which unit leads and it should be a lot easier than infantry. Ever tried to ride a horse in the snow? It aint fun either. I think that if the Lion Clan released the Matsu Warcats at night, they could turn that army into Purina Lion Chow. Basically, I am calling BS on AEG's railroading the Khan into the throne at the expense of yet another major storyline setback to the Lion Clan. The Unicorn have been light years ahead of the Lion in the CCG for many years. But, this "sneak" attack just strains beleivability to me.

Right, but the fiction never portrayed their campaign as a walk in the park. I've not ridden a horse in the snow. But I've had one pull me down rough roads in a sleigh. Horse seemed to do fine hauling me around... :) But it wasn't 3ft deep snow either. I've never thought it was the snowy terrain that was the impediment to the winter warfare. Mobility is SOME issue, but I've always thought that the main reason they did it was both the cultural traditions of Winter Court as well as that they simply didn't have nice warm fur coats. As far as the Warcats go, they'd have to be light enough to not break through the snowcover. That's why wolves can get deer, etc so well in the winter. But even then a deer is MUCH smaller than a war horse and not as equipped for defense. And a warcat is much bigger than a wolf as well, no guarantee it'd be as mobile on top of snow. I like to keep my fantasy games firmly hinged in reality as much as can be possible. Were I in charge of the story the Khan would be successful the reason surprise attacks usually work - because the other side wasn't ready. It's not that horses are better in winter or anything, it's just that the Khan is prepared and the Lion aren't. But that only gets him to the Imperial City. He'll still have the Empresses forces and The Shogun's forces to deal with once he gets there. And that only gets him a throne, it doesn't mean people aren't going to boot him out come winter. And one of the next card sets is called race for the throne or something similar. So you can bet whatever happens he won't be 100% successful.

It's not that horses are better in winter or anything, it's just that the Khan is prepared and the Lion aren't. Unfortunatley, the first part is what they think. Unicorn super horses > the force of nature Oh well, this will at least get the Moto a first class ticket to Exile's Road.

Oh well, this will at least get the Moto a first class ticket to Exile's Road. Hantei’s first order: Follow us, leave or death. Since the Unicorn choice to not follow or leave, I guess it's "...or death".

Hey, what ever happend to the idea that an Akodo General has never lost a battle against a non-Akodo? Was there a MotoAkodo? ok i know that sounds dumb, but 1) I put no act of stupidity above what the ccg players will do to strain reality in Rokugon, and 2) it's fun to say. Go ahead, say it. MotoAkodoMotoAkodoMotoAkodo. On the flip side, If the Kahn did take the capitol, I hope he tears down the interior of the castle and lives in a Grr (sp?) with his Unibabes.

Good thing the Khan was trained by an Akodo then... :) The CCG people take their clans fairly seriously. So don't be too flippant about it. We're playing in their world, not vice versa.

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