Comments on: The Ants Go Marching… http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73 The Insect Man / Empire Rising Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:08:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Gabriel Brouillard http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-1733 Gabriel Brouillard Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:24:12 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-1733 Is there an accurate description of what a standard Khanaphir Beetle army would be like? The Scarab Path gave a very brief look at their overall forces (the elite soldiers with and without cavalry, the Marsh Folk, and the non-elite type soldiers), but since the battle(s) in Scarab Path were very much out of the Khanaphir’s norm it’s left me wondering a bit. Also, have the Khanaphir's ever thought of utilizing any Kinden from the Forest Alim or is there some sort of limiting factor that rules out the possibility of such an endeavor? Is there an accurate description of what a standard Khanaphir Beetle army would be like? The Scarab Path gave a very brief look at their overall forces (the elite soldiers with and without cavalry, the Marsh Folk, and the non-elite type soldiers), but since the battle(s) in Scarab Path were very much out of the Khanaphir’s norm it’s left me wondering a bit. Also, have the Khanaphir's ever thought of utilizing any Kinden from the Forest Alim or is there some sort of limiting factor that rules out the possibility of such an endeavor?

]]> By: Adrian Tchaikovsky http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-1030 Adrian Tchaikovsky Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:52:10 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-1030 The peasant soldiers of the Commonweal got slings, and the yeomen got shortbows, mostly. Grasshoppers actually have the frame to be good longbow archers like Soul Je in some of the short stories, who's arguably one of the best bowmen around, but longbows are a noble's weapon in the Commonweal, and Grasshoppers are decidedly lower class over there. Outside the Commonweal, slings are probably more common, although many of those settlements are under the Black and Gold now. The peasant soldiers of the Commonweal got slings, and the yeomen got shortbows, mostly. Grasshoppers actually have the frame to be good longbow archers like Soul Je in some of the short stories, who's arguably one of the best bowmen around, but longbows are a noble's weapon in the Commonweal, and Grasshoppers are decidedly lower class over there. Outside the Commonweal, slings are probably more common, although many of those settlements are under the Black and Gold now.

]]> By: low http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-1026 low Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:10:39 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-1026 I've red a reference of peasantry yeoman of the commonweal in some of your stories, are these commonly grasshoppers or more dragonflies? And do grasshoppers generally use short bows or just slings? I've red a reference of peasantry yeoman of the commonweal in some of your stories, are these commonly grasshoppers or more dragonflies? And do grasshoppers generally use short bows or just slings?

]]> By: Adrian Tchaikovsky http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-1015 Adrian Tchaikovsky Mon, 11 Oct 2010 18:10:38 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-1015 Reply @ Matt They're not a very martial race, and for most of recorded history have been a peasant class to someone else's nobility. The general answer to how they fight, therefore, is badly, and they tend to be best unarmed or with staves. Their flight capabilities are about the same as a Beetle's, i.e. not too good. For that, see the story "To Own the Sky" elsewhere on site. Reply @ Matt
They're not a very martial race, and for most of recorded history have been a peasant class to someone else's nobility. The general answer to how they fight, therefore, is badly, and they tend to be best unarmed or with staves. Their flight capabilities are about the same as a Beetle's, i.e. not too good. For that, see the story "To Own the Sky" elsewhere on site.

]]> By: Matt http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-1013 Matt Sat, 09 Oct 2010 14:45:13 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-1013 How do Grasshoppers typically fight? I know they are in the Commonweal and Wasp armies, but individually, what is their fighting style? Also, do they have any flight capabilities? How do Grasshoppers typically fight? I know they are in the Commonweal and Wasp armies, but individually, what is their fighting style? Also, do they have any flight capabilities?

]]> By: Adrian Tchaikovsky http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-932 Adrian Tchaikovsky Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:42:46 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-932 Reply @ Ben Snyder I don't know if this is in response to Scarab Path or not, but there's a lot of Scorpion-related shenanigans therein. The Empire tends to hire on Scorpions as native guides when operating near where they live, and the Slave Corps has a long and profitable history dealing with them. However Scorpions do not accept discipline well, and their value as shock troops is severely limited by that. A small force of Ant-kinden would usually butcher a much larger Scorpion force for the same reason the Romans (mostly) did so well against the Germanic or Celtic tribes (or more so, as the Romans weren't telepathic with crossbows) Reply @ Ben Snyder

I don't know if this is in response to Scarab Path or not, but there's a lot of Scorpion-related shenanigans therein. The Empire tends to hire on Scorpions as native guides when operating near where they live, and the Slave Corps has a long and profitable history dealing with them. However Scorpions do not accept discipline well, and their value as shock troops is severely limited by that. A small force of Ant-kinden would usually butcher a much larger Scorpion force for the same reason the Romans (mostly) did so well against the Germanic or Celtic tribes (or more so, as the Romans weren't telepathic with crossbows)

]]> By: Ben Snyder http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-920 Ben Snyder Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:27:35 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-920 I have to ask; The Scorpion Kinden, seem then to fill the overall role of the brutal 'fringe' forces, those forces primarily that are shock and awe or rather shock and terror. If this is the case, then won't their services be in higher demand by the Wasp as they would make ideal ground forces to compliment their air dominance alongside the Ant-Kinden? Or is geographic concerns prohibitive to this policy? Thank you in advance if you find time to reply to this inquire. I have to ask; The Scorpion Kinden, seem then to fill the overall role of the brutal 'fringe' forces, those forces primarily that are shock and awe or rather shock and terror. If this is the case, then won't their services be in higher demand by the Wasp as they would make ideal ground forces to compliment their air dominance alongside the Ant-Kinden? Or is geographic concerns prohibitive to this policy? Thank you in advance if you find time to reply to this inquire.

]]> By: ito http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-827 ito Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:32:40 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-827 And for some reason of Erikson's marines... And for some reason of Erikson's marines…

]]> By: ito http://shadowsoftheapt.com/blog/73/comment-page-1#comment-826 ito Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:31:07 +0000 http://shadowsoftheapt.local/blog/73#comment-826 I love the ants :) They remind me of roman legionaries. I love the ants :) They remind me of roman legionaries.

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