Dragon Clan Strategy and Tactics
In understanding the Ryu Strategy it is crucial to understand their
goals. The Ryu do not seek the throne of Rokugan, and although they
consider the preservation of the Empire a worthwhile endeavor, their
concern remains with the entire world, of men, heaven, hell and the
beasts, and the relationship of each of these worlds to the other.
The Ryu, like the Crab, did not work to destroy the Shadowlands
outright,but rather to keep them within their proper balance and
relationship to the world. The overall goal is not the accumulation
of power, but the balanced distribution of power, both physical and
mystic.
The Ryu work to maintain that balance through discrete measures
rather than by brutal show of force. The entirety of Ryu military
philosophy is founded not upon overwhelming the enemy through
superior numbers but through superior tactics and efficiency.
Why else do you think that in initial encounters with the more
experienced generals of the Ryu clan, Iaijutsu duels to settle
disputes were the most common, and the Dragon tended to emerge
victorious from these?
The very roles of Kitsuki Yasu and Togashi Yoshi in preparing
the Ryu champions for such duties is confirmation enough, and
prevented the Ryu from having to risk an enormous loss of manpower
and equipment in a costly battlefield engagement.
The Ryu have always fielded small armies. These armies,
however, had a balance of physical and mystical power, and
quality training that made them the equivalent of Lion or Crab
bushi in overall battlefield effectiveness if not in numerical
superiority.
The small armies may also be attributed to the length of time
it takes to make a Ryu fighting unit ready- few can be fielded
immediately, although they will be better trained when encountered.
The armies are further kept as small units in order to patrol
wider parts of their territory. This is because the mountain
regions are vast and capable of hiding their opponents in a
thousand places, and constant patrols are necessary.
Further, the logistics of moving armies larger than what the Ryu
field become impossible for several reasons. These reasons include
physical space to camp and the difficulties in foraging for a large
army in altitudes where edible vegetation, fauna and potable water
are rare.
Travellers who know Ryu patrol paths, however, are fortunate
because outposts are well stocked for these troops on a regular basis.
By dividing Ryu armies into several small units on near constant
patrol, it reassures the local peasants, but also gives the illusion
of a highly mobile force capable of striking from anywhere, an image
which intimidated Lion and Crab forces for several decades, who were
not prepared to deal with the guerrilla warfare of the Ryu and other
native insurgents.
The Ryu chose the mountains for three basic reasons- the mountains
were easier to defend, they did not want to cause trouble for the
lowland clans fighting for territory, and they preferred the freedom
of the mountains to pursue their esoteric arts to a life as puppets
playing political games.
Ryu defensive strategy naturally takes a number of geographical
advantages into account. Pitch and fire, catapults, and unscalable
walls are all part of a castles defenses, capable of wreaking great
havoc on troops attempting to reach the castle by often one of two
possible paths to the castle.
The Ryu earthworks pose a problem, as does the fact that the
primary paths are reached by bridges DESIGNED TO COLLAPSE
with only a minimal effort by Ryu engineers to deny troops access
to the keep.
The Ryu have escape alternatives within the keeps that lead to
the mines, which in fact lead to a whole network of paths to other
keeps and outposts. This is why when one keep collapses, others
become stronger- All of the material from the fallen keep is easily
transferred to the remaining keeps by the highly efficient (to the Ryu)
if enigmatic (to others) transport network in the mines. Tunnels are
collapsed after a keep is abandoned to prevent the enemy from easily
following after them. In fact, however, it is a two way path, and
surprise reinforcements turned back several parties in history.
Gaijin explosives have added a new tactic to Ryu defensive measures-
rather than use them only to destroy structures, a team of Ryu
engineers spent five months studying the effects in remote mountain
passes and have since travelled to the keeps evaluating and devising
the placement of explosives to produce controlled avalanches that
have already crushed several war parties on the precarious mountain
paths.
The Ryu dislike direct engagement, and often operate by proxy-
hence the alliances with Toturi and his Ronin, and the Naga. These
armies reinforce the perceived numerical presence of the Ryu, as they
are NOT shy about displaying Ryu war banners and making their presence
known in them. Often,these irregular armies are mistaken for full
contingents of regular Ryu troops. An image the Ryu do nothing to
prevent.
Travel with ronin has proven educational in many levels- it
exposes them to new tactics, and the Ryu are also evaluating these
tactics for weaknesses in case they ever have to face the same ronin
army in combat.
The travels to distant lands also enables the Ryu to "piggy-back"
with an already armed and outfitted group that they can obtain
intelligence about other areas without a full commital of Ryu troops.
Although a bad example, Hitomi's break-off from Toturi's army
also demonstrates that it is possible to use the ronin armies as a
protective convoy until smaller units reach their destinations.
Finally, travel with ronin armies is advantageous as captured
troops can not reveal defensive secrets and locations of active Ryu
strongholds.
In one instance, disinformation was provided so that several Crab
clan war-parties travelled to attack a keep that had been abandoned
months ago, diverted from the main war parties assigned to support
Hida Sukune at Beiden Pass. 1,000 Crab Bushi never arrived in time
to support Sukune, a fatal lack in reinforcement achieved through
simple misdirection and misinformation.
Ryu strategy will no doubt remain consistent with current policy as
there are few troops availble to train effectively as before, and
attrition IS taking its toll on clan numbers. The arrival of the
Ashigaru is again part of the Ryu strategy of proxy, and the Yoritomo
alliance will no doubt soon see assistance from Ryu banners.
Although such a strategy seems harsh, no sacrifices of troops are
made unless the Ryu perceive an absolute and unchallengable benefit to
the greater campaign. This practice falls in line with the martial ideas
of Ryudo and the Tao of Shinsei. These units would have traditionally
engaged the Shadowland forces anyway, but Ryu tactical advisors have
made certain that such units are coordinated and efficient with their
limited resources.
There have been questions about the ultimate role the Ryu will take
towards the defeat of Yogo Junzo's army and the return of Fu Leng. A
legitimate question, if the Ryu decide to continue the pursuit of balance
and redistribution of power rather than eradication of it.
At present, most arguments concur, however, that the Shadowlands
must be sent into retreat to the original status quo, and perhaps
even a temporary campaign of purging may be in order to prevent undue
regeneration in the decades ahead.
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