DariusSolluman/TerrestrialCharmsTactics
Tactical Charms and Spells of the Terrestrial Exalted
The Dragonblooded were not created to lead armies, but to serve in them. Nontheless, they make far superior commanders to any mortal, and have gained a great deal of proficieny in handling large numbers of troops over the centuries of ruling the realm.
Tactics, replacing Brawl, is a Water Aspected charm. Dragonblooded Tactics Charms are based around the idea of the give and take of battle as the movements of water. They have two major Tactics branchs- direct (mostly defensive) battlefield enhancement, and quick movement, both in a fight and in moving the troops.
While Training and Recruitment Charms almost certain exist, I haven't detailed them yet- and the Troop Movement and Maintenance tree could use plumping out. - DariusSolluman
Battlefield Enhancement
Quickly Shifting Tides Cost: 1 mote / 2 dice Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 2 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: None
Even the simpliest commander understands how quickly the tides of a battle may be shifted, and how a sudden press may break a weakened foe, or lead only to your own troops dying against a well fortified position. This Charm grants a peternatural insight into a battle, granting the command additional dice, up to their Tactics + Speciality, on a given roll.
Roaring Charge Cost: 3 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 1 Prerequisite Charms: Quickly Shifting Tides
A flood may only be restrained so long against any impediment. It wears slowly away at damns, eats away stone, and ultimately breaks the barrier in a tremendous rush. So do the soldiers of an Exalt who understands the ways of the Roaring Charge- any weakness in an enemy line is suddenly expanded vastly, letting far more of the Exalt's troops through than would normally be possible. The result is a far more weakened and confused enemy.\\ Double successes on the damage roll of an attack. (Any success on the post-soak damage roll counts twice).
Wearing Waves Technique Cost: 2 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Quickly Shifting Tides
A wise commander knows not to waste his men's lives. He picks battles when and how he must, when terrain and weather favor him and the stars augor his victory. He seeks the small victories, which undermine enemy morale and lead them to collapsing from the inside.\\ The Wearing Waves Technique allows the leader to make a reflexive defense roll, with their Tactics+Speciality+Spirit.
River Bending Steps Cost: 5 motes Duration: Instant Type: Supplemental Minimum Tactics: 4 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisitve Charms: Roaring Charge, Wearing Waves Technique
In The Thousand Correct Actions of the Upright Soldier, commanders are advised to be as the river- the accept the hard attacks of the enemy and flow around them, wearing at the enemy's strength without becoming trapped and mired. Wise students take such a message to heart, and seem to strike from everywhere at once, taking the high ground and manuvering to the enemy's flanks in any fight without properly disengaging.\\ Using this Charm, a Commander may manuver his troops for a Clash, while still attacking and defending. This is as opposed to normal, where making a manuver forces one to not attack or defend oneself for a Clash. The Commander can still only make one Manuver per clash, however. If they attempt to flank an enemy they are attacking, the enemy is considered to be engaged as per normal.
Rallying Oasis Cost: 4 motes Duration: Instant Type: Reflexive Minimum Tactics: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Quickly Shifting Tides
Many commentators have written on a remarkable fact of wars that the Dragonblood lead. No matter how choatic and unpredictible the fighting has grown, the officier's tent always seems to be a placid and smooth affair. Fears are eased, orders given and taken quickly and efficently, and the maelstrom of conflict is a world removed from those directing it. This is soothing to subordinates, who find such places of peace much easier to return to and strike out again, refreshed.\\ Rallying Oasis reduces the difficulty of any Rally attempts by the Exalt's Permanent Essence. The difficulty cannot be reduced below 1.
Banner of the Glorious Dragon Cost: 5 motes, 1 Willpower Duration: One Battle Type: Simple Minimum Tactics: 5 Minimum Essence: 3 Prerequisite Charms: Rallying Oasis, River Bending Steps
Casting aside pretense at mortal seemings, the commander reveal himself in his full Exalted glory. The sky over the battlefield is filled with his Dragon, crackling with power and roaring of war. Troops fighting the Exalted take heart at this display, while his foes are forced to rapidly reconsider matters.
The banner always adds the Exalt's Essence to his troop's Spirit (no more than doubling it). It has one additional effect, determined by the Aspect of the caster.
- AIR The leader's sergents are filled with insight and understanding, making intuitive leaps they never would alone, seizing otherwise missed chances. Add +3 to Communication.
- EARTH The troops become as stalwart as their commander's element, giving no ground without great cost. They gain two additional -0 HLs.
- FIRE The troops become filled with a burning, passionate anger and hate, driving them to fight with a berserkers strength. They gain +1 to Training, Equipment and Spirit.
- WATER The troops of a water commander part and flow, easily allowing the enemy to lose himself admist their own ranks. They gain a +2 to Training and Spirit.
- WOOD The troops feel new life flowing into them and sustaining them, giving them new vigor and unyielding strength. They gain +1 to Training and +2 to Equipment.
Once the Banner has been created, it may be maintained as a Reflexive Charm, at the start of a new clash at a cost of 3 motes of Essence. If it is not maintaine, the bonus is lost and may not be regained this Battle.
Troop Movement
Fording Rivers Method Cost: 10 motes Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 2 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: None
Soldiers hate marching. It's tedious while being hard work. Worse, however, is when they have to cross a river, scale a mountain or hack through a forest. Such terrain can vastly slow down an army, bringing their progress to a crawl. But these elements are no stranger to the Dragonblooded, and pose no difficulty for their troops.\\ Troop movement is unimpeded by terrain factors for one day while troops are under the influence of the Fording Rivers Method.
Irrigation of Soldiers Cost: Special Duration: One Day Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Fording Rivers Method
The troops of an Exalt have been known to move at impossible rate. Some claim that their leaders grant them wings, for there is no other way that they could move with the bluring speed they exhibit. Dragonblood commanders know better- they allow their Essence to dig the path their troops will march, and then fill the same troops with the rushing flow of a river being tamed for irrigation.\\ The troops march an additional distance in a day under the influence of this charm with no ill effects. The cost is the same as Peony Blossom Attack, except in tens of miles instead of bonus actions. Thus, ten extra miles is 1 mote, twenty extra miles is 3 motes, thirty extra miles is 6 motes, fourty extra miles is 10 motes, and fifty extra miles is 15 motes. A Exalt can not spend more motes of Essence than their Permanent Essence + Tactics + Speciality, and Essence spent on the Irrigation of Soldiers.
Water from Stones Technique Cost: 5 motes Duration: Indefinite Type: Simple Minimum Bureaucracy: 3 Minimum Essence: 2 Prerequisite Charms: Swiftly Flowing Sea
Feeding and watering troops is among the hardest yet most vital minuta of a commander, and the part that novices are the most likely to botch. Some rely overheavily on troops foraging for their own food, others on how good raiding may go, and others on overstretched supply lines. These difficulties do not plague the Chosen of the Dragons, however- the earth freely offers up bounty enough for his troops, and fresh water may even be squeezed from stones.\\ The Base Resources Cost of maintaining an Army is eliminated. Additionally, the army completely recovers any damage due to exhaustion after just one day of rest.
