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Lexander's Tactics: The Theory of Defense

THE PURPOSE OF THIS TREATISE

I make no claims to be the best player in Kohan. This text is not an attempt to expound to the world my own greatness, nor do I consider it to be completely accurate. My purpose in writing this treatise is much simpler. Kohan is a game that rewards good thinking, and the best games of Kohan are those between players of a certain level of skill. Unfortunately, many people will play game after game of Kohan without improving, and will be shutout of not only the opportunity to play with certain players, but will never see the joy of a well executed plan. It is my goal to be a catalyst for the overall improvement of play in Kohan. Hopefully a treatise such as this will provide a basis for the complex changes that are often needed to take a player from a struggling average player to someone welcomed into the highest circles of the game. As such, my interest is in the underlying concepts of the game, the things you might never grasp when playing the game but which will be much more obvious upon further play. It is my hope that even expert players will find something useful in this text, but I particularly look forward to improving the play of the community as a whole.

THE PURPOSE OF DEFENSE

A game of Kohan is won by the capture or elimination of enemy cities. Achieving this goal requires that the enemy cities be attacked either to capture or raze. Therefore, it follows logically that offensive operations will be needed at some point in a game of Kohan.

All other activities must in some way support this goal of attacking the enemy and destroying their cities and companies. Therefore, it follows that the purpose of any good defense is to prepare the groundwork for attacking the enemy. When a team determines that it will never be able to take the offense at any point in the future, it is time to resign. Victory is not achieved until the sufficient enemy cities have been captured.

For the purpose of this discussion, defensive operations are activities in which a player has for specific reasons decided not to attack the enemy in a given area. Instead, the defender intends to use his units to prevent the destruction of his own cities. The critical element to consider is that the player has decided not to pursue an attack, and is therefore not directly attempting to achieve the goal of the game, at least for a time. For a player to justify such a strategy, a real advantage must be gained.

THE ADVANTAGE OF DEFENSE

Defensive strategies would never be of any value if no advantage can be gained from such strategies. In general, defense is fraught with risks and that should not be overlooked, and defensive operations should only be considered when the risks are outweighed by the advantages. The only other reason to defend is a complete lack of offensive power, a situation not conducive to victory.

Defense concerns the following advantages:

a. Less firepower is required

Defense should take advantage of the proximity of outposts and militia, the special defensive bonuses of terrain and entrenchment, and the closeness of supply to allow a successful defense with less firepower than is used by the attacking player. The defending player does not need as much strength, and therefore is able to make use of the lower economic and military cost of defense.

b. Defending companies are closer to supply

Defending units are usually closer to supply than the attacker. Morale and unit strength can be recovered more quickly. It is correct defensive strategy to complicate the supply situation of the attacker as much as possible. In a good defense, the attacking force will often have greater firepower but will take damage during the attack that will need to be repaired. If successful, defending units will outlast the attacker and repair more quickly once the battle is complete.

c. Reinforcements are typically closer

The attacker is usually farther from his reinforcements than the defender.  The defender will often be able to send new units into a battle more quickly  than the attacker. The defender hopes to prolong the defense to the point where reinforcements and the decreasing morale and health of the attacker will force the attacker to retreat and regroup.

d. The defending units are stronger in certain types of terrain

Kohan has been designed so that units defending in certain types of terrain have defensive advantages that make them stronger than normal. Certain types of terrain also make it difficult for the attacker to bring his entire force into the battle. Strong defensive locations can greatly increase the combat effectiveness of defending forces.

e. A successful defense opens up the possibility of a strong counterattack.

The great danger in attack is the loss of companies during a failed retreat, particularly if supply is some distance away. A good defense will attempt to destroy as many attacking companies as is possible in order to facilitate a counterattack before the enemy can repair the damage.

f. Defending units are less likely to be cutoff from retreat

Defending units are more likely to be successful in retreating from a lost battle. The city militia and any outposts will help cover the retreat, and the closeness of supply will allow the units to be repaired quickly. Attacking units are typically more vulnerable when routing, particularly if the attacker is unable to cover the retreat or the defender has surrounded the attacker.

g. The defender has better visual range

Cities and outposts have a larger visual range than companies, and this provides the defender with the ability to see more of the units in the battle. This provides improved opportunities for potent flanking maneuvers. It also allows the defender to prepare to receive the attack. The attacker is more likely to be surprised by the sudden appearance of reinforcements or allies.

THE DISADVANTAGES OF DEFENSE

Despite the advantages cited above, defense is fraught with risk. The disadvantages are often strong enough to warrant alternate strategies. Do not attempt defense unless these disadvantages can be mitigated or removed.

a. Defense does not directly achieve the goal of the game

A good defense often destroys many of the enemy companies, and can produce a situation where the defender can become the attacker. However, the entire time a player is defending the ability to destroy the enemy cities has been given up by all the companies and resources allocated to defense. Since the destruction of said cities is the primary method need to win the game, defense is not sufficient to win the game.

b. Defense often gives the initiative to the enemy

In the area that a team has decided to defend, the initiative has been given to the enemy. The attacker may choose the time and place of the attack, while the defending forces are forced to await the attack. The defender is reacting to the attacker and this allows the attacker to make many of the decisions on the course of the upcoming battle. The defender must attempt to force the attacker into attacking in the way the defender wants, or else the attacker will simply direct the course of the battle in a way that is advantageous to his own plans.

c. A failed defense has serious consequences

A failed defense forces a team to give ground to the attacking forces. The lost territory often contains cities or areas of the map needed by the defender for various purposes. One goal of the defender is to place his defense at a point where the loss of the location will have minimal effect.  Nonetheless, the reality of defense is that the enemy is attacking cities and outposts and is threatening the destruction of your ability to continue the game.

d. Defending companies are unable to disrupt the operations of the enemy

One advantage gained by attacker is the ability to disrupt the enemy. The loss of cities and the sudden movement of forces to stop the attack typically disrupt the intentions of the defending player, who may be forced to cancel an attack or risk losing the ability to support the attacking armies. Even failed attacks have the ability to force the enemy to react. Companies allocated to defense are unable to disrupt the economy of the enemy, and will only cause problems to the opponent in the event they are able to play a part in defense.

e. Defensive situations are more likely to cause dangerous panic, overreaction, and loss of morale.

When pressed with a determined attack, human emotions can often override solid planning. The defenders are often faced with the collapse of the ability to defend and the knowledge that the damage done will not easily be repaired. In some cases the defenders are facing the real possibility of complete defeat. This often causes the defending force to overreact, to panic, to stop considering options, and to generally make inferior decisions. Players often misunderstand and misevaluate the situations when faced with attacking armies and act hastily.

CONTINUED...

[Defense I] [Defense II] [Defense III] [Defense IV