screwthegods | 006 | [Voice/Action] | Forward dated to later in the morning.

[If Albert wishes, although Homura himself feels little need for the formality. He turns at the address, nodding his head slightly at Albert.] Albert. I appreciate your response.

[Not necessarily one for small talk, at least when it serves no purpose, Homura moves straight to the point.] You're aware of the impending battle. I wanted to hear what you have in mind in terms of strategy.

[Albert moves away from any doors or nearby windows, wanting to minimize chances of eavesdropping.]

Dealing with Shifters who are dangerously close to their objectives and establishing a base of operations for the noncombatants to seek shelter will be the primary concerns for the first hours of battle. We will need to make a strong offensive push to put space between their forces and the areas that need to be protected. Once the farmlands and livestock are not in immediate danger, the focus can move to engaging the main mass of their army.

[Albert's move to the center of the room has an obvious and simple enough explanation. To facilitate, Homura himself steps closer to the other man, allowing them to speak with lowered voices after he's considered the other man's thoughts.]

Those noncombatants will still need to be protected, you realize. And once the fighting begins, everyone will need to move towards their objectives quickly. You're planning on forming divisions beforehand, I hope.

Yes. [His voice matches Homura's in volume as he answers.] There will be four main groups, with two working in tandem to protect the farmland and livestock areas. There will be one dedicated to protection of the noncombatants and maintaining a base for injured residents to retreat to. I have no intention of converting our defensive forces for a quick offensive; despite what the Organization CEO says, reinforcements are all too likely. [Especially after the underwater research facility.]

That's wise. Whatever the situation, the noncombatants will remain our vulnerability. And if there is no one left protecting them, others from the main forces will abandon their roles to fill that empty position, regardless of the overall cost.

With the Shifters able to negate both power and technology, the groups will need a mix of fighters to be successful. What's your methodology for dividing the forces?

The teams dealing with the Shifters will have a balance of power and technological skills, but what they absolutely must have is the ability to fight without supernatural power or devices. The Shifters can work together to neutralize both power and technology simultaneously, and may further coordinate so they use their own Shifts offensively. So the individuals chosen must be able to coordinate well and change tactics accordingly. [Which would be a good test for Shikamaru.]

Maintaining a steady defensive force is also a matter of keeping morale up. The frontlines need to know they have a place to fall back to, should reinforcements arrive or tactics suddenly change.

So you are prepared for the possibility that magic and technology may both end up useless. [Something that Homura himself hadn't seen asked, but that had to be considered. What hadn't occured to him, however, was the idea of "falling back," for a simple enough reason--in five centuries, it had never been an actual option.]

If things do go so poorly for our forces, will retreat even be allowed? [There's an honest curiosity here, much unlike their prior conversation.] And how will you account for those who would die before they give up the field?

Falling back is a relative term; as I'm sure you have surmised, our captors would not allow us to abandon the battlefield even if the tides were extremely against us. Having a point to which we can fall back upon is to make use of support and defensive measures that point would provide. And the morale factor, as I mentioned.

If the tides are extremely against us, we unfortunately have few means to save ourselves. The barriers that protect these areas we are deployed to also keep us from escaping. Each of these drafts have been a kill-or-be-killed scenario, regardless of other objectives they may give us. They tend to make these objectives relevant to us by threatening those who are left in the village--if we were to fail, the village would drown or starve, to use examples of the last two drafts.

[So in the end, there's yet another parallel between Homura's world and this place. He's unbothered by the dire revelation; kill-or-be-killed has long been the edict of the Toushin Taishi. It would have been strange to fight in other conditions.]

Falling back isn't something I'm personally used to. [He grins wryly.] But I certainly don't intend to die for the Malnosso's causes, either. That's why I'm glad you're willing to share your strategy with me.

[He tilts his head slightly at the admissions Homura states. This was of a more personal nature--not necessary for what they were doing, when it came down to it. Homura was allowing him more insight into how he worked.]

Of course. This is the unfortunately the role this world has given us.

So it seems. [Although Homura himself might have used the word "forced" instead of "given"]

What of the fourth group? You discussed the roles of three so far.

[The two groups working together to protect the farmlands and decimate the Shifters. The defensive group maintaining the base camp. It's a simple answer to give.]

The main offensive. For handling the larger masses of soldiers and the Third Party's Elites.

That is where you should place me, then. [Considering his experience can be summed up in similar words, it's an obvious choice in Homura's eyes.] Is it safe to assume you'll be leading that force?

006 | [Voice/Action] | Forward dated to later in the morning.

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