The long day on the colony planet gives the English time to learn while the long night gives them time to work undercover. In the stand-off with the Wersgorix, any spaceship that is seen to take off will be shot down so yeomen and oxen pull a small ship on skids first through the fields, where its passage is hidden by driving cattle around it, then through the woods, to where it can take off unobserved. It carries a disassembled trebuchet, several captured guns firing explosive shells and twenty men who will land under cover and raid another fortress for weapons.
Everyone not moving the ship works to surround the captured fortress with:
"...stakes, pits, caltrops, and chevaux-de-frise." (p. 74)
- and a "...low earthen wall..." (XIII, p. 82)
When the Wersgor leader, Hurugu, pulls a gun during negotiations, Sir Roger presses his signet ring, pretending that he has thus cocked a weapon that will explode if his fist is unclenched. Hurugu does not believe this but does not want to take chances either. The Wersgorix are not used to such opponents and never know how to respond.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
The problem for the Wersgorix was that they had it easy for so long they no longer had DRILLED into them the need to not underestimate their opponents. AND the need to be tactically flexible and alert for tricks from enemies.
Sean
Post a Comment