How to write a battle scene

No one is impressed with a hero that defeats a dumb enemy.

I don't know about anyone else, but I tend to skim any battle scene that is poorly thought out. I admit, the only believable battle scene in fanfic I've found is The Long Road To Damascus (I'll check that link in a minute). As many of you know, I've been researching military strategy for the upcoming chapter of Beg Me For It, 'SNAFU. I thought I'd consolidate that research here.

For all battle scenes, you have to consider the enemy strategy first. Look at Lord of the Rings (not the movie, the book). Tolkien was in the WWI, in fact, he was in the infamous battle of the Somme where the British losses were notorious. Not many people survived that. Tolkien knows what he's doing with a battle scene.

( Planning a battle: what Tolkien took into account to write a realistic battle scene. )

Knowing their objective, the bad guys were prepared.

Planning a battle, you consider first:

- the objective

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- surveillance, reconaissance and spies: what they know the opposition has and how to counter it.

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- equipment/prepared spells: what do you have to throw at them.

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- trained and briefed men, with a command structure appropriate to the mission.

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- theory: what they suspect the opposition might have.

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- a back up plan: another approach if one plan doesn't work, good to have two or three of these.

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- an exit strategy: if you're not holding territory, how to get out with as few losses as possible. Also how to escape if everything goes South.

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So. Lay your bad guy's battle plan carefully. Make sure it makes sense and is clever. Then have your hero defeat it. Only then will your readers be impressed with the victors.

Notes --

I should probably give credit to the sources:

The Art Of War, Sun Tzu
Chariots Of The Damned, Maj. Mike MacKinney (SAR
The Face Of Battle, John Keegan
Hazardous Duty, Col. Hackworth
About Face, Col. Hackworth
Dangerous Places, Fielding (wacky current insurgencies, first person accounts on Beirut.)
World Air Power Journal

Various websites on the Roman Empire. http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/guide03/part04x.html

Movies:
The Rock
Tears Of The Sun
Platoon
Ronin
The Sorcerer
The Transporter
Proof Of Life
Grosse Point Blank
Outlaw Jesse Wales
Bravo Two Zero
Red Dawn
The Wild Bunch
Uncommon Valour
Roadhouse
Assassination Tango
The Bourne Identity
Mission: Impossible
Predator
Silent Trigger

Recommended movies:
Uncommon Valour (Gene Hackworth, Patrick Swayze)
Heat
The Professional
Sniper (w/Tom Barringer)
The Wild Geese
The Dogs Of War

Interviews:
American Indian Vietnam Vet, Army
Vietnam Vet, Navy
wildernessguru, military analyst, invaluable ongoing assistance.

Last call for Isis votes.

Okay, I've been asked to give warning before I close the polls and start the next duel which is -mmmph! -

Let's see if we can break the 25-way tie.

Oh, Percy smut pimpage!

Recently I asked for Percy recommendations, and thank you all. I've been happily reading and enjoying them.

I'll be posting them in my LJ soon, but this one I discovered in lyricalnights' journal.

Access by florahart. NC-17 and delicious. Warning for slight squickage... waitaminute. You read my journal. What could squick you?

Annnd... the winner is, the favourite Isis fic -

This was the only duel where the fics were issued shotguns. This is a race where a single vote could and did turn the tide (how's that for mixed metaphors?).

Just as I had trouble picking a favourite, so did everyone else. But slowly, in layers of single votes, five fics emerged from the pack: Oral Sex, Dark Creatures, Briar Nose, In Want Of A Wife and What Fools These Mortals Be. Then Scars caught a few late votes and caught up. But in the end, the winner is:

Oral Sex

... with 7 1/2 votes.

Second place has a 3 way tie:
Dark Creatures
Briar Nose
In Want Of A Wife ... with 5 votes each.

Closely followed by:
Scars with 4 1/2 votes and
What Fools These Mortals Be with 4 votes
The First Piece Of Silver with 3 votes
Before the Cock Crow with 3 votes as well

The rest of the pack:
Ouroborus with 2 votes
An Ass Of Himself with 1 1/2
And Between Friends
Salvation

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Do you want a commentary?

Well I've been watching these commentaries with interest, and really enjoyed them. Do you want a commentary on any of my fics (if I didn't list the one you were interested, just drop it in comments... mctabby, you know the story and the main, her, thrust behind, Ron/Teaspoon. ;)

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