Dragaera

Defender always wins? (Was: Re: on contradictions and such)

Tue Feb 8 07:42:53 PST 2005

On Tue, Feb 08, 2005 at 04:14:08AM -0600, Tsarren <tsarren at alyra.org> wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 06, 2005 at 08:48:20AM -0500, MedCat7 at aol.com wrote:
> > Oh, by all means, I thought it was a great plan. And it does make sense. I
> > -just thought it was a great contradiction that defender starts the war.
> > -If you really think on it, and it just dawned on me the logic in that
> > -even as I type, it makes perfect sense. (Not to be a total nerd, but) In
> > -a video game I play, and NPCs will even suggest, if you taunt another
> > -NPC, they will attack you, and you are defending youself. You want them
> > -to attack you, so you don't got to prison for starting the fight. (Such a
> > -great game...) C
> Anyone on the list study aikido or something similar?  For those who don't,
> aikido is based around the idea that you can use your attacker's energy
> (resources, whatever) against them instead of initiating your own attacks. 
> A question I asked my sensei once when we were studying katana technique
> (one of the roots of aikido is how to survive in battlefield chaos when
> you've lost your sword for some reason) was, "assuming two opponents of
> equal skill, is there ever an adavantage to attacking first?" 

This should be obvious.  Of course a situation can be contrived 
such that attacking first provides a significant advantage.  
Consider an opponent who has received a temporarily disabling 
wound; do you strike to finish him off, or do you allow him to 
heal and face you at his full strength?

Of course, Aikido stacks the deck by making an effort not to 
teach attacks, so that the person who tries this with only 
training in aikido may be undone by lack of skill despite his 
opponent's disadvantage.  This of course does not apply to others 
with less pacifistic training.  

Similarly, in cases where a quick strike may result in a disabled 
or weakened opponent, attacking first may offer an advantage if 
you can cripple your opponent's response.  That's the whole idea 
behind the lunge; if you skewer your opponent in one blow, 
with the advantage of surprise, and can duck back out of 
range before a response can be made, it's worth the risk of 
esposing yourself.  Between two experienced fencers with a good 
defense, there may be no other way to end the bout.  

The same applies to larger-scale actions.  Consider the cavalry 
charge; against an undisciplined or unprepared unit, it is 
devastating.  The cavalry can come within range, strike a 
crippling blow, and retreat out of range before the opponent can 
regroup -- and then repeat the tactic elsewhere.  But the 
advantage shifts to the defender if he can accurately predict and 
counter the attacker's strikes; such as with a disciplined pike 
square protecting crossbowmen...

-- 
Matthew Hunter (matthew at infodancer.org)
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