Difference between revisions of "War of Reckoning"
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The Alethi army was composed of ten armies, each formed by soldiers from one princedom and led by the corresponding Highprince. The Highprinces were [[Roion]], [[Sadeas]], [[Aladar]], [[Dalinar]], [[Vamah]], [[Ruthar]], [[Thamadal]], [[Hatham]], [[Bethab]] and [[Sebarial]].{{ref|Map of the Alethi Warcamps by the painter Vandonas}} King [[Elhokar]] had a complex to himself but led no army as he belonged to House [[Kholin]] and the respective army was led by Dalinar.
The ten warcamps were situated in hollows on the leeward side of the [[Shattered Plains]].
The Parshendi had one army. Their camp was on a big plateau in the centre of the Shattered Plains.
== History ==
===
{{main|Vengeance Pact}}
When King [[Gavilar]] was assassinated by the [[Assassin in White]], the Parshendi took credit for the assassination. This led to the formation of the [[Vengeance Pact]]. In order to fulfill the Pact by taking vengeance on the Parshendi, the Alethi [[Highprince]]s followed them to the
=== Beginning of the siege ===
The original plan of the Alethi Highprinces was to attack the Parshendi and defeat them in that attack. However, upon arriving at the Shattered Plains, the Highprinces realized that a full-scale attack on the plateau in the centre of the Shattered Plains would present huge risks because of
The Shattered Plains were a very big area and the armies had to cross chasms in order to get from one plateau to the next. The consequence was that armies would take a very long time to reach the centre of the Plains. This would include the risk of a Highstorm surprising the armies. Due to the violence of Highstorms and the lack of shelter on plateaus a Highstorm would most probably have destroyed any Alethi army camping on a plateau.
Since every Highprince worked on his own, depending on where the chasmfiend was pupating, several Alethi armies could attempt to get to the chasmfiend first. Whenever an army arrived and another Alethi army was already there, the second army turned back home. This led to rivalry between the Highprinces because success in gaining gemhearts meant wealth and appreciation of King Elhokar.
Over the years the result was that the Alethi army lost its original purpose - to
=== The battle at the Tower ===
{{main|Battle at the Tower}}
The [[Tower]] was a very large plateau not far from the centre of the Shattered Plains. Because of this, the Parshendi always arrived first whenever a chasmfiend pupated on the Tower. Also, they usually had enough time to arrange themselves into battle formation and prepare their defense. That's why no Alethi army had ever won a battle at the Tower during six years of the War.
When Dalinar worked together with Sadeas, a chasmfied was spotted on the Tower. According to their plan, Sadeas, whose armies were faster than Dalinar's, had to clear a space on the Tower for Dalinar's
Dalinar and the remnants of his army were saved by a [[bridgecrew]] led by [[Kaladin]]. In the following, Dalinar made his nephew, King Elhokar, declare him Highprince of War. It was Dalinar's goal to
== Warfare ==
The location of the War - the [[Shattered Plains]] - brought some notable characteristics with it.
=== The use of bridges between plateaus ===
During a race for a gemheart, mobile bridges were used by the Alethi armies. There were two main types of bridges.
;heavy bridge
;light portable bridges
Sadeas was the first one to use the light bridges and had much success with them because of their mobility. He also used the exposed bridgemen on purpose to attract enemy fire that would otherwise have centered on his own soldiers. That is also why bridgemen were never trained.
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