McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Planning battle scenes
pathele:
--- Quote from: etoiline on February 21, 2007, 10:28:45 PM ---1) Most likely I will use conventional organization, but with changed names. My story is a quasi-medieval fantasy.
2) The enemy is big on ambushes. So most likely infantry. But my character is a hotshot with the bow, so probably archers somewhere...it's the first stages of a war, so only small groups are at the front now, perhaps no calvary...yet.
--- End quote ---
you could explain that for every platoon of infantry there is an archer or two. They would have to be multifunction (ie, more than just archers as they would be too vulnerable otherwise)
--- Quote from: etoiline on February 21, 2007, 10:28:45 PM ---3) My MC is a scout, and he comes across a group much larger than his unit can handle. For a reason that I haven't figured out yet, though, they *have* to take on the enemy. I've got a spiffy way for them to do so, but that can't be the *only* fight. The MC has to be in some actions before this, so the commanding officer can trust him to do the spiffy thing...
--- End quote ---
So you could have your MC doing some scouting and discover a patrol that had been wiped out by an ambush and had to fight a pitched battle to report back (there by earning the trust of his commander) You might have him acting as a scout for patrol that is ambushed, the Lt (patrol leader) is killed and the MC takes over getting the patrol out, reports back, etc. Either of these would be a smaller unit battle (squad or platoon size ie, 16-40 people)
I hope this helps some. Remember when you are doing small unit or platoon battles, if you are in 1st person, then your MC may be too busy to see much of what is going on, but he will occassionally take stock of the over all situation he is in (especially if he is leading people). I tend to write the tight single combat, mix in occasional info about the immediate area, and even more rare info on the battle at large. (if the MC is in the thick of things. if not, then having him observe larger action and updates to commanding officers is a good way of passing on info.)
I also should note that I tend to write in the 1st person.
-paul
Velkyn_Faer:
I think a use of 'overhead' shots (overall views of the battle) and close-in shots are the best way to capture the full scale of a battle. Short views of a group of men fighting vainly, trying not to be overrun, possibly seen by the MC, or anything of that sort are good, in my opinion.
Also, the smells, sounds, and feelings are just as important as what is actually happening. The slightly metalic tang of blood in the air, the sweat lathering the flanks of horses, and soaking the undershirts of men, and the screams of triumph and agony are all key to make the reader feel as if they're standing in the center of battle, watching the carnage unfold.
And, battle is crazy. The close-combat might be incredibly unorganized with large groups (or small, who knows) as everyone fights to control their bubble of space. Step into the bubble, get stabbed. But, it's always moving, always shifting.
Hope I'm gettin' this right, and that this helps.
Velkyn
trboturtle:
Well....
First thing to do is decide what each army has. You need to take in account the type of land the battle is going to be on. Open plains, rolling hills, and other wide open spaces plays into the hands of Calvery and archers. On the other hand, mountain passes and other confined spaces are more for massed infantry.
Now, there are different types of Infantry and Calvery. Basiclly, you have Light, medium and Heavy units. Light units are scouts, harassing the enemy and slowing him up. They cannot stand up to an all out attack by heavier units. They can move fast and can bed all overt the battlefield. Your scouts are light infantry.
Medium units are a combination of speed and firepower. Slower the light units, they have hevier armor and weapons then light units. Heavy units are usually the elite, the career soldiers or nobility. They are slower then the other units, but they can ground up the others.
There is a series of PC games called Total War. Right now, there is TW: Shogun, TW Midive, and TW: Rome. The key part of the game is the battles, as you army goes up against other armies. You have to chose what type of units to put in your army (Depending on your location and tech level).
Go to this web site: http://www.totalwar.org/strategy/twug/index.html And it has a description of all the different military units in the different games. It'll give you an idea of the different units you can incorprate into your story.
Craig
DragonFire:
--- Quote from: trboturtle on February 22, 2007, 04:00:23 AM ---Well....
First thing to do is decide what each army has. You need to take in account the type of land the battle is going to be on. Open plains, rolling hills, and other wide open spaces plays into the hands of Calvery and archers. On the other hand, mountain passes and other confined spaces are more for massed infantry.
Now, there are different types of Infantry and Calvery. Basiclly, you have Light, medium and Heavy units. Light units are scouts, harassing the enemy and slowing him up. They cannot stand up to an all out attack by heavier units. They can move fast and can bed all overt the battlefield. Your scouts are light infantry.
Medium units are a combination of speed and firepower. Slower the light units, they have hevier armor and weapons then light units. Heavy units are usually the elite, the career soldiers or nobility. They are slower then the other units, but they can ground up the others.
There is a series of PC games called Total War. Right now, there is TW: Shogun, TW Midive, and TW: Rome. The key part of the game is the battles, as you army goes up against other armies. You have to chose what type of units to put in your army (Depending on your location and tech level).
Go to this web site: http://www.totalwar.org/strategy/twug/index.html And it has a description of all the different military units in the different games. It'll give you an idea of the different units you can incorprate into your story.
Craig
--- End quote ---
I'd actaully argue with a few of those.
You can have heavy infantry, which are more like your roman legions.
And light cavalry make excellent scouts.
I would argue very strongly against using a game like total war for your setting and units, because they gloss over a lot of important minutae.
trboturtle:
--- Quote from: Lightsabre on February 22, 2007, 04:53:14 AM ---
--- Quote from: trboturtle on February 22, 2007, 04:00:23 AM ---Well....
First thing to do is decide what each army has. You need to take in account the type of land the battle is going to be on. Open plains, rolling hills, and other wide open spaces plays into the hands of Calvery and archers. On the other hand, mountain passes and other confined spaces are more for massed infantry.
Now, there are different types of Infantry and Calvery. Basiclly, you have Light, medium and Heavy units. Light units are scouts, harassing the enemy and slowing him up. They cannot stand up to an all out attack by heavier units. They can move fast and can bed all overt the battlefield. Your scouts are light infantry.
Medium units are a combination of speed and firepower. Slower the light units, they have hevier armor and weapons then light units. Heavy units are usually the elite, the career soldiers or nobility. They are slower then the other units, but they can ground up the others.
There is a series of PC games called Total War. Right now, there is TW: Shogun, TW Midive, and TW: Rome. The key part of the game is the battles, as you army goes up against other armies. You have to chose what type of units to put in your army (Depending on your location and tech level).
Go to this web site: http://www.totalwar.org/strategy/twug/index.html And it has a description of all the different military units in the different games. It'll give you an idea of the different units you can incorprate into your story.
Craig
--- End quote ---
I'd actaully argue with a few of those.
You can have heavy infantry, which are more like your roman legions.
And light cavalry make excellent scouts.
I would argue very strongly against using a game like total war for your setting and units, because they gloss over a lot of important minutae.
--- End quote ---
Yes, but the game does give you an idea of the type of units you can have. I mean, disciplined Pikemen will stand up to a calvary charge while peasents will break and run if pressed by the same calvary. Archers can cut armored knights apart under the right circumstances (Angencourt comes to mind), but if the knights get in amoung the archers, well, the bowmen are toast.
The type of country affect the type of army it has. A nomad nation will not have pikemen, for example, because they are not liable to have the inferstructure or the need for them. Deciding what sort of an army a nation has is part of the world building every author needs to work out. History, the landscape, the type of goverenment, all have an influence on the military.
I suggested the game to get a quick and dirty overview of what sort of units an army could have. If you really weant to go deep, Osprey Publications is based on military history and military of all the ages. But unless you're deep into that sort of stuff, it's too much info......
Craig
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