26 Kowalski, Analysis (2/2)
(BM) ”Id say the gap between me and Yue Fei is a sizable amount, but nothing as big as between Yue Fei and Han Xin. I rank Yue Fei as higher than me because Yue Fei has had a lot more battlefield experience as me.”
(YF) ”You dont have to be so modest Baron, you already surpass me in terms of blueprints, and maybe even tactics pretty soon. Ever since you came to planet 4 your growth in terms of strategy has been astounding, even greater than mine when I first came here.”
(BM) ”Right. Ban Chao get ready you will be the next one to face off against Han Xin. Remember though, you are great at defense, so just focus on your defense rather than attacking the enemy.”
(BC) ”haha, I'll try. You made out Han Xin to be such a perfect strategist, I don't think id fare well against him.”
(BM) ”Strategists shouldn't think of how amazing or how tough to beat their opponents are, they should focus on finding ways to beat such amazing strategists.”
(BC) ”You're right, strategists should have more confidence, otherwise what is even the point of becoming one? Will you be an advisor to me for this next simulation?”
(BM) ”This time I'll just be a spectator, you should have no trouble dragging out the battle. After all you are known for your defense.”
(BC) ”Right, right” Ban Chao said as they all went back to where Han Xin was resting.
The simulation between Ban Chao and Han Xin commenced. The setting was still random and they drew the Moro Rebellion map. This map was interesting as it was the United States pitted against a group of Philipinos that were called the Moro people.
The history of this battle was interesting too, this conflict erupted because the Spanish imperialists ceded the Philipines to the United States and a lot of people weren't happy. Particularly a group called the Moro, they routinely clashed with the US troops. What made them tough was that they fortified the mountain that they lived on, and launched berserker attacks constantly. Death meant nothing to these people of Moro if it meant resisting imperialism.
This specific battle setting was the last battle between the people of Moro and the United States. It ended with US victory and a massacre of 500 of the Moro people. Just before the final battle though, the then president Theodore Roosevelt declared that all hostilities in the Philippines be ceased except for the people of Moro in 1902 4th of July.
The US troops consisted of 25,000 men, and the Moro people had a few thousand soldiers, some were even women dressed in Male clothing. Though their numbers were vastly inferior, the Moro people faced death with open arms. The defending would be Han Xin and the attacking army would be Ban Chao's.
Though Ban Chao held the advantage here, it would not be an easy battle to win. Especially with someone as strategically powerful as Han Xin leading these fearless people. The preparation time for this map was one month. This map was the first time that Ban Chao and Han Xin had had a simulation on this map and therefore weren't very familiar with anything related to this map. However Barom knew everything about this map. Han Xin would have to make a miracle happen if he wanted to win this simulation. This map can be considered similar to the battle of Thermopylae that Ban Chao and Baron had fought over. Both were heavily stacked on the sides of the attackers, both had the defenders have some advantage over the attackers. In this case, the people of Moro were more willing to die for their cause than the American troops, as well as more disciplined.
The month of preparation time worked more for Han Xin than Ban Chao as he had more time to build more outposts, and generally increase the defense of the mountain he was defending. While Ban Chao could only sit around and come up with schemes. This type of guerilla warfare did not suit either of these strategists but what could they do? They just came up with strategy after strategy of ways to best their opponents and made as much preparations as they could. Drilling tactics and maneuvers into their soldiers to prepare them for what was about to go down.
Quickly, the one month passed and the two sides began finding holes in each others defenses that they could exploit, and after a few days of waiting the defending Moro people made the first attack.
The US army was split up into platoons of ten-ishmen each and they were tasked with going around the mountain attacking stray groups of the Moro people and reporting back to central camp if they spot an enemy outpost. The platoons were to report back to central camp regardless if they achieved anything or not at least once a week. This was because if an outpost was found they would send out all availible soldiers to destroy the outpost. Ban Chao had planned this as an extended battle that could last up to a few years.
The Moro people, on the other hand, were told to hide in the shadows and attack the US army whenever they let their guard down. The other Moro people that were defending in the outposts were told to die fighting the invaders, and if they surrendered then they were considered cowards.
This type of strategy from both sides worked on and off for both sides and the battlefield proceeded like this for 4 months. Both sides suffered hundreds in casualties, yet neither side was willing to back down.