Post by Purpleh on Aug 11, 2010 22:15:33 GMT -7
Forest Attack: How ThudnerClan Keeps the Element of Surprise[/size]
1. Move quietly and communicate with signals. Cracking twigs, startled birds, and rustling bracken will tell the enemy where you are.
2. Keep downwind of the trespassers so that your scent doesn't give you away.
3. Look for freshly broken twigs, overturned leaves on the forest floor, remains of prey, or a clump of fur caught on a bramble. Any animal that moves through the forest leaves behind sings that it's passed by-and signs like this could lead you straight to the invaders.
4. Keep your mouth open to search for unfamiliar scents. Be careful: If there is scent when there is no breeze to carry it through the forest, it could mean that your enemy is very close by.
5. Light-colored pelts are easily seen against brown and green foliage, so stay in the thickest cover. Keep low-the enemy will be looking for movement at normal head height, not close to the ground.
6. Never miss an opportunity to perfect your tracking ability. In the nursery, kits sneak up on their mothers and pounce with their moss-soft paws. Apprentices leap out on one another from behind bushes and tree stumps. These are more than just games. One day, these skills could save your life and defend your clan.
Tail Signals
Shadowclan was the first to devise a system of tail signals, which are now used by all four Clans. Generally, the leader of a patrol is responsible for giving the signals; warriors learn to keep the leader's tail in sight at all times and react at once when an order is given.
Tail held erect: "Stop."
Tail Rippling: "Move forward with care."
Tail held erect and sweeping slowly from side to side: "Retreat silently."
Tail Pointing low, parallel to the ground, and sweeping: "Spread out."
Tail flattened: "get down."
Tail bobbing:p "Enemy sighted."
Tail Hooked: "Danger."
Tail Pointed Sharply: "Go that way."
Tail held erect and waving from side to side: "Stay behind me."
Tail Kinked over back: "Follow me."
Water Combat Moves
Riverclan warriors have developed special techniques for fighting in the water. The water techniques are a closely guarded secret among RiverClan cats, so all training is done out of sight, along the streams that run through the territory.
Double-Front-Paw Slap-down: Splashes water into the face of the enemy.
Underwater Leg Sweep (Front or Hind): The opponent will not see it coming under the water so won't have a chance to brace himself before losing his balance.
Push-down and Release: Almost all non-RiverClan cats panic if they are submerged, while RiverClan cats know how to hold their breath underwater. This move can be used to secure a decisive victory, because it's most likely to make the opponent surrender.
Underwater Clinch: Uses warrior's weight to hold the opponent below the surface, with a firm grip that enables the warrior to bring his enemy spluttering back to the surface before forcing him under again.
Tail Splash: Temporarily blinds opponent by flicking water in his eyes.
Underwater Push-off: Crouching and erupting out of the water into opponent, using surprise and impact to knock him off balance.
Rushpaw Splash: Using noise of water splashed at a distance to create a decoy, leaving opportunity for a surprise attack.
Special Battle Tactics
Graywing the Wise led WindClan many, many moons ago, before "star" was added to leaders' names. He won the reputation for being the greatest leader of any Clan, thanks to his attention to battle strategy. He realized that the most important element of any battle was the position of warriors before and during combat. Using small stones and marks made by sticks on the flower of his den, he developed tactics for every sort of battle, even on WindClan's open moorland territory, where there were no natural hiding places or traps.
1. Approach from above your enemy.
The advantage of gaining the higher ground is that you can charge at greater speed at the enemy, who will be weakened by having to fight uphill.
2. Use the light from the sun.
The sun should be behind you to dazzle the enemy. In greenleaf, the midday sun is especially bright and cruel to cats who are used to skulking under the cover of trees. In leaf-bare, the low sun hovers around the eye line like a troublesome bee; keep your enemies facing it, and they'll have trouble seeing an attack from any direction.
3. Know where the wind is coming from.
If there is a strong wind, it should blow from behind you toward the enemy, blinding them with dust and holding them back like the current of a river. If you wish to preserve the element of surprise, the wind should blow from the enemy position toward you so that your scent is carried away from them.
4. Conceal the size of your force.
The number of cats in your battle patrols can be hidden to confuse the enemy from a distance. Cats packed tightly together will appear as a small attacking force, encouraging the enemy to be overconfident and make poor strategic decisions. Alternatively, if cats are spread out single file, they will look like a solid border of warriors, which will seem impenetrable to an advancing enemy.
5. Attack both ends of the enemy line first.
If both ends of the enemy's line are defeated, the cats in the center of the line will have to fight on two fronts. Even if they are not outnumbered, they will be outflanked, vulnerable, and in disarray.
6. Keep fresh warriors in reserve.
Always have adequate reserves of fresh, fit warriors behind the battle line. They will be able to replace injured warriors, launch a separate attack if the enemy tries to encircle your forces, or fend off a surprise enemy from the rear. If the battle is in your favor, finish it by sending your reserve warriors behind the enemy line to surround them and demand surrender.
7. Feigned retreat and ambush.
A group of strong cats charges at the enemy, screeching, then turns around and withdraws. Repeat this until the infuriated enemy finally breaks its line and gives chase. Then the trap is sprung. Other warriors positioned in rabbit holes and in dips in the ground- out of he enemies' eye line- attack as soon as your opponents have gone past. The enemy will be forced to stop and turn around to fight this unexpected threat, and as they do the retreating cats must turn and charge back at them at full speed. The enemy is caught between two bodies of attacking cats and will quickly surrender.
Above Ground Battle Moves[/size]
It is a matter of great pride to Skyclan apprentices that they can carry out the Sky-drop, as well as these other moves.
The Sky-crusher: Landing with all four feet on top of an opponent, flattening him like a leaf.
The Flick-over: Landing with front paws outstretched to sweep the opponent off his feet and roll him onto his back.
The Kick: Kicking down hard as the warrior nears the ground, then using momentum from landing to spring away before the opponent can retaliate.
The Slice: Dropping down with claws unsheathed for maximum injury.
The Branch Swing: Holding on to branch with front claws and swinging hind legs into opponent's face.
The Reverse Branch Swing: Holding onto branch with hind claws and striking with front legs through the swing.
The Trunk Spring: Sliding down trunk and springing off at head height, using hind legs to push off and clear opponents (good if tree is surrounded).
The Reverse Climb: Climbing backward up the trunk as the opponent advances to gain advantage of height; often followed by Trunk Spring.
© to Erin Hunter's Warriors Battles of the Clans.
Note; Since Starclan's Curse doesn't have Skyclan, doesn't mean the moves for Skyclan is to be limited. There are cats descended from SkyClan still in the forest. In the books, Tigerstar was descended from Skyclan. Also note that, not every cat can be descended from Skyclan.
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