User blog:FingerZofGod/Battle Strategy

This article is meant to highlight the role of each position in a battle.

No one (unless they are an irregular like Red Tower Enryu) can fight alone in the Tower, where dangers are often deadly and are not meant to be taken on alone.

Each position needs to co-operate with the others. The first team to enter the tower with an organized army was Zahard and the 10 family heads, so we will use this team as an example to show what kind of battle strategy is used and how they cooperate. Keep in mind that nowadays in the Tower teams have fewer people, with 8 members being the average even though there is no hard limit.

King's Zahard Team
Of Course, all these High Rankers can perform all positions magnificiently, but they all have their specialties. Thus the team should be composed of:

3 Fishermen: Zahard, Arie Hon, Yeon Hana

1 Spear Bearer: Koon Eduan

2 Scouts: Ha Yurin, Ari Han (for the latter his true position is unconfirmed but it's a good probability in term of battle strategy)

2 Wave controllers: Eurasia Blossom, Po Biduh Gustang

1 Defender: Hendo Lok Bloodmadder

1 Lighthouse Keeper: Tu Peri Tperie

1 Light Bearer: The only unknown 10 family head (off course for this one this is a guess, but we have seen, reading ToG for 3 years now, that they are always at least 2 Lightbearers/LighthouseKeeper in each team)

Role and co-operation
In a fight Scouts move in first, gathering information in enemy territory, setting traps, and luring enemies in a direction so that the best fighting formation could be attained for their teammates. It's best suited for them to work in pairs, one to avoid being trapped, and another to cooperate and having the possibility to split. They must be extremely fast to rapidly cover long distances, and come back  when needed to help fishermen to fight, by flanking attacks (similar to those of cavalry in the ancient Times) They must anticipate a lot, even without information, because wit and the capacity of reaction are the best intellectual qualities for them.
 * We will begin with Scouts.

Their range of action can be shown this way:



Fishermen are the less technical job, they fight with destructive power, till death. They must be fearless, aggressive and have good stamina. In an army, they are the infantry. On the front line, they are the massive strength aimed at the enemy. They need be able to hold their ground because they are in the same way the first line of defense of the army.
 * Next to enter are the Fishermen.

Their range of action can be shown this way:



The first role of Spear Bearer is  the one of the archers in the ancient times. They are the first or second to shoot, to diminish the offense capabilities of the enemy form far away. When fishermen have come to close combat they can prevent the enemy from recieving reinforcements (with the aid of the Scout) by shooting (Spears/Arrows/Baangs). Last is the role of a sniper: Shooting a particular enemy or weakness in the enemy with precision.
 * Spearbearers:

Their range of action can be shown this way:



They are acting more like cannons, performing the same role as artillery but relying on destructive blasting waves much more than sharp and sensible play. Off course at high level we can assume the role of Spear Bearers and Wave controllers is really similar, the only thing changing would be the weapon (shinsoo / spear).
 * Wave Controllers:

Another role, much more vicious, is to use shinsoo in order to slightly change the tide of the battle. This is a unique role in an army (in real life there are no equivalent). The first known form compressing the shinsoo to prevent the enemy from moving  and then hitting him. On the contrary we can easily imagine that a talented wave controller can deprive an enemy of the shinsoo around him, which could cause him suffocation, or a weakening of his shinsoo reinforced body, or even preventing the enemy from doing devastating shinsoo blasts. Alternatively, when Zahard was climbing the tower, the flow of the battlefield could be altered by making the shinheuh swim a different direction or change the current of the shinsoo, making it harder for shinheuh to maneuver.

Their range of action can be shown this way:



A special position. A Defender defends. The Lighthouse Keepers are those who are much more useful in analyzing and planning battle strategy than participating in combat themselves. The latter must be freed from the preoccupation of being attacked if they want to complete a strategy. The defender gives them this freedom.
 * Defender:

Their range of action can be shown this way:



LightHouse Keeper is a specialist in analyzing information that he/she, the Light Bearers and Scous gathered. He/she then makes plans to get the upper hand in the battle. It's a pure strategist role, the leader of the battle. A brain, acting like a Roman general.
 * Light users:

Light Bearers are bringing light in dark places and help the other fighters by enhancing their capabilities (giving spear bearers longer range and more precise shots), like engineers and tacticians could help. They also support the frontline units by manipulating the shinsoo around the combatants. A prime example of this would be when a Lightbearer supports a Wave Controller for devastating results.

Their repective range of action can be shown this way:



It is known that the "Eyes of God" and the Opera with their infinite range of action can help the lighthouse keeper to accomplish both roles on the same time. (lighthouse keeper and light bearers) making light bearers almost unnecessary.

That's may be one of the reasons that the unknown 10 great family head is unknown for now.

Combinations
In this combination, the spearbearer gains increased accuracy and distance when throwing his/her spears. The lightbearer can use his lighthouse to guide the spear (so long the target is within his/her range of control) to the intended target. Note that this could also be done with a scout and spearbearer, as demonstrated by Leesoo and Amigo. This is one of the deadliest combinations. In this combination, the lightbearer can strengthen the baangs created by the wave controller. This is probably done by increasing the su or the myun of the baang. The lightbearer can also redirect the baangs to other targets and strike anything the wave controller missed. Having a lighthouse, the lightbearer can observe any blind spots or targets far away that the wave controller missed. Note that the lightbearer cannot increase the amount of baangs a wave controller can produce. It is for this reason that the skill of a wave controller is informally measured by the amount of baangs he/she can produce. This is a common duo normally seen on the frontlines. In this combination, the spearbearer provides direct support for the fisherman; keeping the enemy off balance with spears and covering the fisherman from other enemies. Another way this could be used is with the fisherman distracting or forcing the enemy to expose themselves, giving the spearbearer a chance to land a critical hit from behind. Both strategies were demonstrated by Ran and Novick.
 * Lightbearer and Spearbearer
 * Lightbearer and Wave Controller
 * Fisherman and Spearbearer