Tactics Against the Sahuagin

Traceroo

Traceroo

Prodigy
Spirited Adventurers Who Would Take the Fight to the Sahuagin:

We face an enemy that is totally alien to us. We know not if this enemy even breathes, or understands words of Acarthian. Some may hope there can be peace between our peoples. If that is so, surely that potential lays beyond fields of war which we will first face. Let us discuss what we know of the sahuagin that all may benefit tactically from any scrap of information we have.

What do we know about the sahuagin at all?

In service to Acarthia,

Dame Katherine Albright
Knight of the Ducal Court of Acarthia
 
Good Dame Katherine,

I have some specific information on the Sahaughin given to me by the late Baron Sparhawk and the good citizens of Bayside last spring when I visited.

Sahaugin do have their own language, but some of them speak ours as well. They have spirits and do resurrect at their own circles deep beneath the sea. Most Sahaugin throw nets that entangle you, but with a sharp blade you are able to be cut out. I saw many of their warriors and shaman alike throw ice from their hands innately. While they could breathe water while beneath the sea, when they come ashore, they gills closed up and they were able to breathe much like us. Both types of shamans I saw, earth and celestial. Many used spears, others road creatures that they call landsharks that would bite as they ran past.

I hope this aids in what we know of them.

By my hand,
Squire Kendrick Eisenhal
 
Good Squire Kendrick,

Excellent work in your research, this gives us a place to begin.

First thing's first: Scholars, poets, and loremasters: We need a new name for these so-called "landsharks." This is no doubt a ferocious enemy whose formidability we must take seriously -- and I, for one, could not possibly take seriously anything called a "landshark." Let the clever among us apply their creativity, and rename this this thing.

Second, let us ensure that every adventurer among us carries a blade to cut free anyone near them from the sahaugin's nets. Understand that to cut someone out of a net, you don't need any training with use of a blade at all. Absolutely anyone can cut someone free from an entangling net in about 3 seconds. Further, any blade that is safe to carry without tripping and impaling yourself on it can be used for this purpose, it doesn't even need to be sharpened for use in combat; one does not even need a receipt for its possession. If you have any spare daggers, however dull they may be, make sure you put them in the hands of the unarmed traveling with you. If anyone has any questions about how nets may entangle a person, or how one can escape from that entanglement, I refer you to this treatise published by scholars at the Three Spires on the subject: [http://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/rules-clarifications-march-2015-edition.29383/].

K.A.
 
In addition to information on fighting the Sahuagin, it might be beneficial for us to discuss strategy in terms of fighting while at sea and on a boat. This will be the first time myself and I am sure many others have ever been in such a situation and perhaps some of those who have more experience in such encounters would be able to lend their expertise? Besides the obvious danger of falling overboard, especially for those of us wearing armor, I worry that if we are attacked at sea that we will be fighting in tight quarters with limited mobility being confined to the deck of a ship. It seems like we would be especially vulnerable to spell casters and ranged attacks in general in such a situation, especially if our foe is able to attack from the water.
 
For name, may I suggest a "Thresher"? As they will attempt to do to us as a blade does to wheat. Just a thought.

The key to fighting on the close confines of a ship is clear communication and trust. This is no different than fighting in a cave or limited clearing. While you won't have the room to run around to each burst of activity or chase every scale that slithers across the deck you will have an advantage in placement. You will be on a raised platform that is both wide and loaded well enough to be quite stable. Your attackers will have to scale the hull of the ship in order to get a footing on the main deck. This provides a moment or two in order to orient yourself.

Consider the following idea: Claim a bit of deck and don't move from it if you are a fighter who usually stands on the front line. This is where trust comes in. As I stand on one side of the ship, I trust in those I am with to protect the side of the ship I'm not on. I believe with all of my heart they have that side secure and that the attack there is only a distraction to move me from my spot. By that trust, I will not yield my spot. Then there is communication. They need help, it will be called for. Something breaks through, I shall be warned. If I see a threat that needs more support, I will call for it. Most likely, you will find casters, archers and healers running on the deck to address needs that are communicated.

Get to know your group and shipmates before your ship sails and keep getting to know them on the way across the river. Understand their tactics and look to who is in command. Listen to them, offer them your suggestions and tactics. They need to know they can trust you to both communicate clearly to them and that you will follow directions. They will depend on you and you will depend on them.

With regards,
Lucian
 
Lucian - "Thresher" is excellent! I approve of this choice to replace the awkward, "landshark." Let's spread the word!

Thorgrim - First of all, let me congratulate you on your daring escape from certain recent adventures. I heard a version of the tale from your traveling companion. I look forward to the opportunity to buy you a few ales to hear the tale from your own mouth. You have my regrets and apologies for your troubles; I'm glad that you made it out alive -- That was clever and well done on your part. Welcome back!

You make some excellent points about fighting in close quarters. I know some who are traveling to Bayenna have been drilling specifically with shipboard fighting in mind. I've heard many suggest making sure we bring rope to throw to any who may be cast overboard in the midst of a fight; that is not an unwise preparation. What say any of those who have engaged in this shipboard training?

We've had success in the past with line fighting drills wherein each front line fighter calls out loudly and clearly when she'll need to drop back to refit her armor. If the fighters in the front line can hold out until a specific replacement steps into their place on line, this ensures continued line coverage. Lucian wisely emphasizes the value of clear communication here. This is a situation where calling out anticipated need, and then clearly stating verbally when you're stepping into the line to take someone's place, and stepping out of the line to refit will be incredibly helpful.

K.A.
 
One thing to remember, is that these sahaugin often times throw ice from their hands. From my memory I cannot remember if it was an evocation spell or elemental in nature. If we can't move, we will be sitting targets for this ice. Assuming it isn't strong enough to break through heavy chainmail, we may want to think about having people catch this ice, then go back and refit rather than spending spell energy to deflect it. Plus if it is elemental, rarely do we have elemental shields memorized. Letting it go to our body is using up deadly resources.
 
I am glad to see such a tactical conversation occurring, especially with such valuable ideas. If these sahuagin are as dastardly and intelligent as their behavior has shown them to be, they may likely also target those who are refitting their armor with magic or shards of ice, so it will be of great import to guard those who are otherwise occupied as best you can, or utilize archers and mages to hold off their assault and provide succor. As before stated, communication will be key, as it will be valuable for those with such ranged abilities to be informed when and where their services are required.

Of additional consideration shall be the use of binding magics and their specific limitations. As many are aware, spells such as Pin, Bind, Web, and Confine are only maintained so long as the caster is within line of sight of their targets. While such magics can be of value in keeping particularly annoying sahuagin at bay, these amphibious creatures will be able to submerge beneath the water, breaking the hold of such spells with ease. However, if one requires a reprieve, however brief, it may be worth the expenditure of such magical resources.
 
If I might ask...do we know if alchemy works on them? Living breathing creatures tend not to like it much and using it on them may give us a small advantage.
 
I know Sahuagin breathe and have anatomy similar to ours so I would suspect that they are effected by alchemy.
 
Speaking of binding magics, what happens if you pin something while it is floating or swimming? Does the spell not work at all? If so our bindomancers may want to consider memorizing a different spell.
 
Our experiments in bindomancy show that when cast upon a swimming creature,that creature is pulled towards the bottom of the ocean for about 10 breaths. Then they are released.
 
More importantly, why didnt we just cross water farther north then take a land route down if our problem is primarily water based?
 
B.Barber said:
Ward the boat. Dump lamp oil on the water. Set the water on fire.
Click to expand...

The spell Ward only effects immobile strcrtures such as buildings, or immobile wagons. If ward was cast on the boat the ward spell would either fail or render the ship immobile until the spell expires in 5 days. As it is ninth circle magic we cannot dispel it short of formal magic.
 
B.Barber said:
More importantly, why didnt we just cross water farther north then take a land route down if our problem is primarily water based?
Click to expand...

Part if the reason for our trip is to clear a naval route for ships to head to the Death's Isles. Bayside is a port on the way there that is critical for us to take if we are to deal with the Darkness that is plaguing resurrections.

It might have been simpler to head this way by land but then we wouldn't have ships for the follow up journey. That's my understanding of te situation at least.
 
-noted on the ward thing. People should make better magic.

-Sure we would. We dock farther north leaving functioning crew with them in a safe location, hit the road south to the port, deal with that, having left the crew with instructions to head south for pick-up after X amount of time shooting for arrival after the port is cleared or set it up to take messenger or falcon or whatever after the fact. It would take more time sure, but honestly after months of issues, better to die dry than on a floating deathtrap given options.

Neither here nor there at this point however.
 
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If these fish people can throw ice from their hands or fire bows while swimming, let us simply build barriers on the sides of the decks to shield us from these attacks. How shallow is the draft on these ships anyway? Unless the deck is only a few feet from the water's surface, nothing swimming will be able to see or target anyone on the ship lest they stand next to the edge like fools. With wooden barriers on the sides, even that isn't a risk.
 
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