Or at the very least, use a stone shaping spell to help set up a drawbridge.
Add a gatehouse to channel the attacking forces, a few archer towers to rain arrow fire on the attackers, a portcullis at the very front of the gatehouse (right behind the drawbridge), murder holes in the ceiling of the gatehouse, another portcullis to leave the gatehouse, a set of protected walls so even after the attackers get past that gatehouse they can still be hit by arrow fire, etc.
In the words of Shadiversity, make it an absolute turd to attack
The only trouble with that is that it’d have to be built and manned by only eleven people: Three monks, a scout, three Valryn, two cooks, and two other elves. And the cooks are non-combat support personnel, unless you insult their cooking. Also, someone would have to be a spell caster who knows stone shaping, which is definitely not … well, maybe brother Chattham is a mage? Nobody else we’ve seen is likely to be able to do that, and even then they don’t have the resources/people needed to operate it properly.
They’re just as likely to be able to set up and operate sci-fi laser turret with their current staffing problems.
Shaped charges with a remote detonation fuse is a much more possible thing to pull off, and even then it’d only be something to use if the standard “shoot them with arrows when they step on the bridge” thing doesn’t work out. I recommend the pointy ones, they go faster.
Additionally I also dont know if any of them have means to blow up an ancient fortified bridge. I mean theres not exactly an abundance of casters or explosives on hand. I certainly didnt see any satchel charges poking out of Brennifer’s bikini. And there us as noted a shortage of wizards sorcerers sappers earthbenders or demolition teams in yonder monastary.
Not knowing the extent of the river, having the intact bridge there could actually be of strategic value vs. blowing it up. You blow it up, the orcs go find another way across (boats?) and you have to guard a huge stretch of river. The bridge is a river-crossing maguffin that keeps the orc army in a spot where you know where they are and the bridge appears easily defended. Probably much easier defended than trying to guard against orc landing craft across a huge stretch of river.
Granted, if I were the Orc general, I would use boats as well anyway, because the best way to take a bridge intact is from both sides at the same time. Cross the river with a small force and attack both sides at the same time.
Also, it’s good to see that being queen hasn’t dulled Bree’s fashion sense. I’ve reached the conclusion that she assumes that the more clothing she puts on, the more likely something disintegrates them.
If the river is in gorge, it might be totally untraversable dozens of miles in either direction, not speaking about the fact that they would need to get down to it and then climb back up. Good fortification allows to win against 20x more enemies … but there are terrains capable of killing 50% of enemy army without single person defending there.
Tactically speaking, you knock it down when they’re ON the bridge so you actually kill a bunch of them rather then have the same number looking for a ford. Cause, of course, no river ever has a ford.
I love it when a plan comes together.
Face! Secure the magical ding-a-ling!
Wonder what else Paige took when she raided Jen’s closet
A genre savvy protagonist! Bree definitely knows how the story goes.
This wouldn’t be easy to blow …
I’m getting strong “Horatius at the Bridge” vibes off this one.
Or at the very least, use a stone shaping spell to help set up a drawbridge.
Add a gatehouse to channel the attacking forces, a few archer towers to rain arrow fire on the attackers, a portcullis at the very front of the gatehouse (right behind the drawbridge), murder holes in the ceiling of the gatehouse, another portcullis to leave the gatehouse, a set of protected walls so even after the attackers get past that gatehouse they can still be hit by arrow fire, etc.
In the words of Shadiversity, make it an absolute turd to attack
and all of it rigged to ‘blow’ on command 😉
Machicolations!!!!!!!!!!!
The only trouble with that is that it’d have to be built and manned by only eleven people: Three monks, a scout, three Valryn, two cooks, and two other elves. And the cooks are non-combat support personnel, unless you insult their cooking. Also, someone would have to be a spell caster who knows stone shaping, which is definitely not … well, maybe brother Chattham is a mage? Nobody else we’ve seen is likely to be able to do that, and even then they don’t have the resources/people needed to operate it properly.
They’re just as likely to be able to set up and operate sci-fi laser turret with their current staffing problems.
Shaped charges with a remote detonation fuse is a much more possible thing to pull off, and even then it’d only be something to use if the standard “shoot them with arrows when they step on the bridge” thing doesn’t work out. I recommend the pointy ones, they go faster.
Additionally I also dont know if any of them have means to blow up an ancient fortified bridge. I mean theres not exactly an abundance of casters or explosives on hand. I certainly didnt see any satchel charges poking out of Brennifer’s bikini. And there us as noted a shortage of wizards sorcerers sappers earthbenders or demolition teams in yonder monastary.
Nice Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ reference
Anyone else notice Lyca’s eyes in panel one? Just me?
Now that you mention it, she looks like she is near magical catnip…
Was actually thinking she was feeling the ‘anti-evil’ vibes from it
A bridge can be rebuilt much easier than your land
Not knowing the extent of the river, having the intact bridge there could actually be of strategic value vs. blowing it up. You blow it up, the orcs go find another way across (boats?) and you have to guard a huge stretch of river. The bridge is a river-crossing maguffin that keeps the orc army in a spot where you know where they are and the bridge appears easily defended. Probably much easier defended than trying to guard against orc landing craft across a huge stretch of river.
Plus you have the ding-a-ling there.
Granted, if I were the Orc general, I would use boats as well anyway, because the best way to take a bridge intact is from both sides at the same time. Cross the river with a small force and attack both sides at the same time.
Also, it’s good to see that being queen hasn’t dulled Bree’s fashion sense. I’ve reached the conclusion that she assumes that the more clothing she puts on, the more likely something disintegrates them.
Look at https://thisis.delvecomic.com/NewWP/comic/border-guards/ … do you see any river? I don’t. Must be really DOWN. Like, hundreds of meters down, that bridge looks huge.
If the river is in gorge, it might be totally untraversable dozens of miles in either direction, not speaking about the fact that they would need to get down to it and then climb back up. Good fortification allows to win against 20x more enemies … but there are terrains capable of killing 50% of enemy army without single person defending there.
Ooh, you ring the sacred bell
Mmm, the ding-a-ling
La lalala lalala…
Deep in the night
I’m holding down the bridge
Deep in the night
I’m holding down the fort
You tease me!
Oh please be
Smart enough to blow the damn bridge up!
Tactically speaking, you knock it down when they’re ON the bridge so you actually kill a bunch of them rather then have the same number looking for a ford. Cause, of course, no river ever has a ford.
For some reason I’m thinking of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. If any supernatural signs appear in the sky, that will definitely be it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Milvian_Bridge
Also Horatius at the Bridge. Also the Bridge at Remagen. Bridges seem to be a good venue for dramatic events.