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Who Needs Harmony?: An MLP Empire Quest

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Flag Designs
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    • Ok... So I have now finished a good portion of the flags for the continental flags. I have no intention of making flags for Equestria or the Crystal Protectorate as they both have canon flags. @Questor here's the flags for the continent. Next weekend I might tackle the various islands.



    Trying to keep with the color scheme of MLP is a little hard but I also was trying to show progression from earlier flags. This is the flag of the Gryphus Empire post Sombra. The Blues represent the sky and seas. The Hexagon is a reference to common fortresses seen throughout the empire. The black band is in rememberance of those lost... Those who gave their all for the Empire. I decided not to use Red colors on this flag mostly because I figured the Empire is trying to prove they don't need to be bloody to be great and the Black Band works better. I suspect there are regional subdivision flags or banners that fly for the various regions of the Empire: Griffonia, Wingbardy, Aquilea, Kestrella, Lanner, Crystal Empire, Houndstooth City. I imagine the banner of the First Empire is the flag of Griffonstone.



    The Kingdom of Canterbury, a nation of lakes and holy orders of knights. Personally I don't think strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is any sort of basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. But that's none of my business... The sword and the lake shows just how important the Lady of the Lakes is to Canterbury, and the Fleur de lis is a reference to their earlier flag which was a reuse of an old French flag. What's the significance of the 15 fleurs? No idea but I figure it references the 15 Bishoprics or something to that effect. I was originally going to put some latin around the lake but it wound up making it a bit busy, so I decided not to. UNlike the Griffons the Knights of Canterbury have a 2:1 ratio flag. I suspect they had one that was much longer but it kept becoming a windsock or tangled, so they adopted the 2:1 version... also it was weird having the longest flag at diplomatic functions.



    The flag of the Queendom of Maretonia. A land where the three pony races are bonded... by chains. Maretonia loves its gold, and the fact that a "legendary alicorn" was seen as symbol for the proper way of things. The Unicorns rule, the Pegasi enforce, and the Earth ponies toil. The flag of purple was usually only flown where Mareia, or the Monarch resided. Due to Mareia's unpopularity the Flag of Maretonia was usually flown as an after thought. Mareia's own family owned several forests where dark purple dye was harvested, and to have the Royal Standard be mostly purple instead of just crushed lavendar was a sign of their wealth. Technically speaking there was no single "Flag of Maretonia" but the central element was a common motif although the color changed depending on the house or noblity. Only Mareia was bold enough to put the Alicorn on her standard though, a not so subtle symbol that the Imperial Guard answered to HER above all else.



    Ah House Storm... and the would be successors of Maretonia. The Red colors will feature more prominently on old Maretonia's flag, but the Stormy blue is what House Storm wants to be known for. Also to show that Pegicles is fairly uncreative... This is a ripoff of the Imperial Guard flag, they snapped off the Unicorn Horn, and put it on a field of dark Blue and Red. I guess Storm is known of it's "Wings of Blood" or something? I don't know....

    Oh and the pegasi logo is ACTUALLY canon from the show... well kinda. See the Pegasi banner from the Hearths Warming Eve episode was this LINK

    So in my headcanon that flag surviving in some archives in the cloud city of Mareathon was co-opted as a some sort Pegasi Supremacy icon for Pegicles. Let's just say if Cloudsdale Pegasi Centurions ever hear of this... they will be cross...


    House White Star, the Unicorn Nobility's last hope to maintain their position. They would bind the two other races to their rightful place, and with their lavender banners would march into battle... and get their teeth knocked out. All the while in the City of Abila the Unicorn nobles were awarding themselves very impressive titles based on politics not function. The flag was designed by committee on a deadline... which is for the best because noble family representatives were still arguing over a proposed patchwork design of all the Nobles supporting White Star.

    Inspired by some of the pics we have seen of the White Star Soldier's and their emblems



    The Imperial Guard, sworn to protest the Monarch, only bound by the two chains. Solid in their duty and vow... Obvious inspiration was Imperial Roam... I mean Rome. I was tempted to follow the scutum of a Roman Centurion but no set of lightning bolts would work. If the Imperial Guard lasts long enough to find out that there is an ACTUAL White coated Alicorn... well might be an awkward conversation since for them they though alicorns were only myth.


    The abolitionists. For a long while were cloaked in secrecy. A flag... an ACTUAL flag would only get their supporters killed, so they never made one. One of Queen Mareia's doomed centralization projects was the creation of a Maretonian Mail Corps. The nobles saw right through to Mareia's actual purpose, reading all their priveleged correspondence. So the noble houses or freepony merchants created private courier services to deal with this. it also didn't help that the thousand pony mail corps were quite... amenable to donations. After a few years EVERY noble house had their own unique wax seals, alongside cyphers and other keys to avoid royal censure... the most basic seal and one most easily overlooked was the the Four pointed star... or known as Common Class Mail. This is why the flag looks like an envelope, in the early days of the abolitionist, this is how they communicated... by Common Class Mail with the common class mail seal, no Royal postmaster would give it a second thought, they wanted the secrets of the nobles after all. Once the Griffon Crisis began the abolitionists wound up co-opting a few private mail services to "ship" slaves to freedom. Maretonian Mail Inspectors were poorly paid, and eager to accept donations.

    When the abolitionists were able to work openly and started forming a makeshift governmet... they needed a rallying symbol to raise in towns to let them know they were genuine liberators... What better way than to put an envelope on a banner with a Common Class Mail wax seal?



    Yakyakistan... A kingdom of the Yaks, forged from the 4 tribes under one ruler Rutherford, from the bluffs and Canyons of Yakistown, just down the road from Council Bluffs where the Rutherford united the 4 clans.
     
  • Media
    • I have the feeling that this is both trap and trying to figure out what our abilities are as an army, perhaps we ought to not overtly play our hand here and do something sneaky like with the dogs of war and not let Pegi figure out what we can do?
     
    RukinSteps said:
    I have the feeling that this is both trap and trying to figure out what our abilities are as an army, perhaps we ought to not overtly play our hand here and do something sneaky like with the dogs of war and not let Pegi figure out what we can do?
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    On the other hand if we do something overt like a bombardment, then he won't expect something sneaky later. Probably just assume we go for overwhelming force.
    It's what he would do afterall.
     
    This would be easier if there was a map showing the terrain, but here is my pitch

    [] Plan: Deceptive Spear Point (Open to better name suggestions)
    Send 20,000 troops forward divided into three groups deployed in a Chevron formation near the entrance of the valley. The Central group will consist of 10,000 with two flanking groups consisting of 5,000 each on the center groups flanks. Simultaneously have the Diamond Dog troops dig tunnels and create ambush tunnels that emerge just behind the forward formation, these points will serve as emergency reinforcement points or ambush points should the enemy push the front line back. When the formation is in position begin bombarding the enemy forces on the ground with the Artillery. Should the ground forces decide to charge the Artillery should switch to a more suppressive bombardment to slow down their advance. If the center group can't repel the assault quickly they are to slowly give ground and draw the enemy in. This will allow the flanking forces to attack the enemy from the flanks.
    While this is going on a contingent of knights comprised of at least 2 knightly orders supported by the Maretoninian Pegisi Thunderes will launch an assault on their command post in order to take out their leadership.

    First time writing an attack plan, am I trying to hard?
     
    [ ] Sendoff: You have with you the largest collection of artillery in history, along with a significant number of Unicorns capable of ranged combat spellcasting. Take up a position just within range, then fire a warning shot. Convey to the opposition that the lives of those who surrender unconditionally will be spared. Bombard the Storm force that refuse to surrender until they either retreat or are forced to cross the killing field to engage you.
     
    [] Aerial Supremacy: Use as many of our flight-capable troops as we can to quickly gain air superiority. Begin with some shock and awe; a cannon barrage aimed at the mountains (in part to cause avalanches, but mainly for more noise), all our warhorns blowing at once, and a war cry from our troops. Have the army sing one of the more fear-inspiring songs from our march to increase the psychological pressure on the enemy. Concentrate attacks on the enemy commander and any other officers. While that is occurring, set up our cannons and flightless troops to barrage any potential enemy attack coming out of the valley, in case they try for a desperate offensive. Once we have air superiority, start dropping bombs, Molotov cocktails, arrows, flechettes, and propaganda leaflets instructing the enemy to surrender and promising good treatment to those who do. We want the untrained draftees to panic, surrender, retreat, and generally get in the way of the veterans. Once the enemy is in chaos, have units descend to the ground as necessary on isolated areas of the battlefield for defeat in detail.


    So the idea for this plan is that we'll be bulldozing through the enemies that are actually dangerous (the Storm veterans), causing chaos in their ranks, and causing the untrained majority of their troops to surrender. We'll be focusing on air superiority instead of going in on foot so that we don't fall into a potential avalanche or flood trap. And because air superiority is vital in general.



    Edit:
    I think my plan has all the advantages of the bombardment plans, but is also fast enough to not give Pegicles the time he wants.

    Edit 2:
    Not the final draft. The updated version is further down on this page.
     
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    Sentient Tree said:
    [] Aerial Supremacy: Use as many of our flight-capable troops as we can to quickly gain air superiority. Begin with some shock and awe; a cannon barrage aimed at the mountains (in part to cause avalanches, but mainly for more noise), all our warhorns blowing at once, and a war cry from our troops. Have the army sing one of the more fear-inspiring songs from our march to increase the psychological pressure on the enemy. Concentrate attacks on the enemy commander and any other officers. While that is occurring, set up our cannons and flightless troops to barrage any potential enemy attack coming out of the valley, in case they try for a desperate offensive. Once we have air superiority, start dropping bombs, Molotov cocktails, arrows, flechettes, and propaganda leaflets instructing the enemy to surrender and promising good treatment to those who do. We want the untrained draftees to panic, surrender, retreat, and generally get in the way of the veterans. Once the enemy is in chaos, have units descend to the ground as necessary on isolated areas of the battlefield for defeat in detail.


    So the idea for this plan is that we'll be bulldozing through the enemies that are actually dangerous (the Storm veterans), causing chaos in their ranks, and causing the untrained majority of their troops to surrender. We'll be focusing on air superiority instead of going in on foot so that we don't fall into a potential avalanche or flood trap. And because air superiority is vital in general.

    The advantages of this plan are that it gets the battle over fast so we can continue, and it's safer than charging in with a lot of troops on foot. I think Pegicles' trap is that he's stalling for time, and this plan will steamroll through the enemy giving him no time to do whatever he's trying to do.
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    Sounds similar to my plan except you want to fire at the mountains instead of the enemy ground troops. I'm curious to know why. Wouldn't it panic them more if we shot them instead of the terrain around them?
     
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    AthetosAdmech said:
    Sounds similar to my plan except you want to fire at the mountains instead of the enemy ground troops. I'm curious to know why. Wouldn't it panic them more if we shot them instead of the terrain around them?
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    I'm hoping to cause avalanches and set off any traps. Also I don't know if our artillery can hit the troops themselves without entering the valley, and I don't want to have ground troops enter it until we're sure they can't set off any traps.

    If you think directly firing on their troops would work better and wouldn't put us in the valley, I can edit my plan to do that instead.

    Gamefreak1ed said:
    @Sentient Tree like the plan only possible problem I see is I don't think we would pack propaganda leaflets.
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    While the propaganda leaflets would be nice to have, they're not absolutely necessary. That just means more bombs being dropped and less enemies surrendering. Not ideal, but the plan would still work.
     
    Sentient Tree said:
    I'm hoping to cause avalanches and set off any traps. Also I don't know if our artillery can hit the troops themselves without entering the valley, and I don't want to have ground troops enter it until we're sure they can't set off any traps.

    If you think directly firing on their troops would work better and wouldn't put us in the valley, I can edit my plan to do that instead.


    While the propaganda leaflets would be nice to have, they're not absolutely necessary. That just means more bombs being dropped and less enemies surrendering. Not ideal, but the plan would still work.
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    I figured since valleys are low ground between two or more hills and mountains we could just fire down into the valley from the edge of the battlefield. If we have to move further into the valley then we have our army defend the siege weapons and possibly bait the enemy into charging us.

    Also doubt the enemy will just calmly stop to read the pamphlets while the bombs explode around them.
     
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    AthetosAdmech said:
    I figured since valleys are low ground between two or more hills and mountains we could just fire down into the valley from the edge of the battlefield. If we have to move further into our valley then we have our army defend the siege weapons and possibly bait the enemy into charging us.

    Also doubt the enemy will just calmly stop to read the pamphlets while the bombs explode around them.
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    I still don't want ground troops inside the valley at least beginning in case there's traps like floods and avalanches. They could potentially destroy a lot of our equipment and possibly troops if that happens.
     
    RukinSteps said:
    I have the feeling that this is both trap and trying to figure out what our abilities are as an army, perhaps we ought to not overtly play our hand here
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    Then please choose a vote where we aerial assault the command post and the pegasi that could tell Pegicles our abilities.


    Sentient Tree said:
    [] Aerial Supremacy: Use as many of our flight-capable troops as we can to quickly gain air superiority. Begin with some shock and awe; a cannon barrage aimed at the mountains (in part to cause avalanches, but mainly for more noise),



    Edit:
    I think my plan has all the advantages of the bombardment plans, but is also fast enough to not give Pegicles the time he wants.
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    I already asked the GM previously how useful avalanches would be, and the answer was it would be hard to make it really effective here against us. I think the same applies in reverse.
     
    [] Have a few people infiltrate the area posing as conscripts or any subtle disguises, to act as spies, or support
    [] Have some diamond dogs dig some tunnels for any stealthy extraction and kidnappings.
    [] Some of your scouts will kidnap a few consripts, mercenaries, House White star soldier and if possible a pegasus of House storm, then interrogate them, and see if they can be persuaded to facilitate a unconditional surrender, or mass dessertion, if needed to intimidate them, tell them a tale of one of the empire's campaign where the enemy side forced the mercenaries were forced to fight to the death by the ones who hired them, and questioned if Pegicles would even allow them to surrender instead of fighting to the last men, afterall aren't they supposed to be expendable troops meant to delay you. Try bribing the mercenaries if needed.

    [] Consult with Merlin or other magic users to see if they can detect traps or get answers during the interrogation.
    -[] After interrogation, if the prisoners can be used as messengers for a plan of dessertion or surrenders, they should be released, if necessary a representative of the mercenaries, conscripts, and House White star could be extracted temporarily to discuss options with Your representative.

    []If the above plan failed, have some special forces on standby and if necessary initiate a night raid, by the tunnels or entrance to the camp done by the dogs and plant explosives on armories, warhouses, anything that looks important and maby have a team to capture the enemy general to interrogate. With the leader captured, the undisciplined rabble will panic and rout while the more competent officers will be too busy trying to wrangle their panicking troops to actually mount a defense. Our own mages can support wherever they think they could be useful. The Knight's jobs are to smash any form of resistance in the form of Pegicles elites and sow terror among the ranks by dropping grenades on various groups that are trying to organize a defence.
    [] Take the command post: with the number of pegasi so low, we should have reasonably simple chances of forcing the command staff of the cloud post to either evacuate to the ground or to leave the battlefield entirely. One of those should demoralize the enemy considerably and give us almost undisputed aerial supremacy over the battle, the other would also give us the latter and trap someone of importance within the reaches of our main army.
    -[] Aerial Supremacy: Use as many of our flight-capable troops as we can to quickly gain air superiority. Begin with some shock and awe; a cannon barrage aimed at the mountains (in part to cause avalanches, but mainly for more noise), all our warhorns blowing at once, and a war cry from our troops. Have the army sing one of the more fear-inspiring songs from our march to increase the psychological pressure on the enemy. Concentrate attacks on the enemy commander and any other officers. While that is occurring, set up our cannons and flightless troops to barrage any potential enemy attack coming out of the valley, in case they try for a desperate offensive. Once we have air superiority, start dropping bombs, Molotov cocktails, arrows, flechettes, and propaganda leaflets instructing the enemy to surrender and promising good treatment to those who do. We want the untrained draftees to panic, surrender, retreat, and generally get in the way of the veterans. Once the enemy is in chaos, have units descend to the ground as necessary on isolated areas of the battlefield for defeat in detail.
    [] If necessary artillery may be used to break morale of enemy, maybe fire a warning shot to get enemy to surrender. We know their composition, we have a huge advantage in range. Set up out of range(Standoff), create some anti-lightning runes at the front, fire a few warning shots at the valley walls to showcase our cannon's power, and attempt a parley with the commanders.
    Meanwhile, let's send a few spies in to try and rouse a rebellion among the conscripted and demoralize the mercenary.
     
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    A lot of people think that it's better to aim the cannons at the enemy troops than the mountains, so I'm changing the plan accordingly.

    [] Aerial Supremacy: Use as many of our flight-capable troops as we can to quickly gain air superiority. Begin with some shock and awe; a cannon barrage aimed at the valley/enemy, all our warhorns blowing at once, and a war cry from our troops. Have the army sing one of the more fear-inspiring songs from our march to increase the psychological pressure on the enemy. Concentrate attacks on the enemy commander and any other officers. While that is occurring, set up our cannons and flightless troops to barrage any potential enemy attack coming out of the valley, in case they try for a desperate offensive. Once we have air superiority, start dropping bombs, Molotov cocktails, arrows, flechettes, and propaganda leaflets instructing the enemy to surrender and promising good treatment to those who do. We want the untrained draftees to panic, surrender, retreat, and generally get in the way of the veterans. Once the enemy is in chaos, have units descend to the ground as necessary on isolated areas of the battlefield for defeat in detail.
     
    My issue with the artillery option is that there's enough Pegasi here to serve as commissars and stop the rest of the army from retreating which could turn the battle into a slog of constant bombardment which would play into Pegicles' hands
     
    jonasquinn said:
    My issue with the artillery option is that there's enough Pegasi here to serve as commissars and stop the rest of the army from retreating which could turn the battle into a slog of constant bombardment which would play into Pegicles' hands
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    Which is why we should make the pagasi in the clouds and the few ponies wearing Storm faction colours on the ground our primary objective for this battle. Once the officers are dealt with the rank and file will either flee or surrender.
     
    jonasquinn said:
    My issue with the artillery option is that there's enough Pegasi here to serve as commissars and stop the rest of the army from retreating which could turn the battle into a slog of constant bombardment which would play into Pegicles' hands
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    They'd probably have to get close to the ground to be heard over the explosions and screaming though.
     
    Questor said:
    Low enough to be conceivably targeted by your artillery, but you'd have to get the guns very close in order for the projectiles to reach that high up, almost directly underneath them.
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    ..... Almost directly underneath.....



    Crazy idea.... But use tunnels to move artillery right under their nose and set it up in ideal spots


    Artillery suddenly just popping up out of the ground surrounding them before they can react and showering them with explosive death.....
     
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