Quote:
Originally Posted by AdmiralTigerclaw
We could. *Cackle*
|
Spoiler for For length:
My excuse in the story to maintain consistency with onscreen presented events without having to dredge up fifty thousand different excuses and technical issues that would hold the consistency of molassas (And I've been operating like this through the entire story), is that they AREN'T militarily trained or skilled in military style thinking in the way combat is conducted... That they are dependant upon their magic to the point where it really is a handicap waiting to be exploited.
And of course, the reasoning I use for this is going back to that big War the Mid-Childan's had that so traumatized them as a culture that they pretty much shunned war and the lessons it taught in fighting to the point that essentially, at best they're PRETENDING to be a military when they lack any any living experience of WAR.
And thus, to a veteran of an actual military conflict (and a successful one at that... I mean viciously successful), the TSAB's got about the effectiveness of an overly well funded collection of SWAT teams. They're good, but they get tunnel vision. They're highly dependant upon their small number of extremely powerful mages, who are in turn, dependant upon their magic to do the job. Even Nanoha is dependant on her magic and he skill with said magic, rather than with natural tactical planning. (Though admittedly, as an Ace, she's still got some good tactical moves.)
She got backstabbed by a cloaking type IV drone. The 'lesson' she learned from that was not to push herself so hard or she might end up failing to react in time to an ambush.
The lesson she didn't seem to catch on to is actually a Murphy's Law of Combat.
#19: "When you've secured the area, don't forget to tell the enemy."
Or in this case: Don't stand around on the ground in hostile territory, in the open, acting like you own the place just because it 'looks' safe. Especially when you can fly (And the type IVs can't), especially when you're all but alone, and especially when it seems all too easy.
Also applicable:
#13: "If your attack is going well, then it's an ambush."
#15: "Anything you do can get you shot, including nothing. "
So yeah, even Nanoha fell victim to the 'Dependancy on Magic' trap in my mind, and it almost killed her. And when she passed her lesson along, it wasn't her tactical mistake she associated with the the event and subsiquently pointed out, it was the mistake on how she was treating her body. She didn't teach Tia about the mistake she made that allowed the Type IV to get close enough to make it a ground ambush, she taught about how she wasn't fast enough to get away.
And obviously mages seem to be a little dense in the Murphy's Law respect because VITA ironicly makes a similar mistake smashing her way through the cradle. I don't know, you guys might consider it an honest mistake. But making it such a relevant point to think about just seems to me like even though she was the one to come to the rescue the first time around, the lesson just didn't stick. So I don't think it got effectively taught to anyone the way it should have.
So long story short, mages are good, but are too dependant on magic, and just don't have the experience to think like a soldier. (Who operate under the premise that everything is about to go horribly wrong, just give it a second...) And thusly, lacking that experience and line of thinking, make ponderously grevous errors.
....
WHEEE! I think too much...
Generally, most fics I've read, and the much of the discussions in the Nanoha threads have been view the TSAB as a paramilitary organization- most of the work they're doing (well, that we'Ve learned of from the series and the soundstages is peacekeeping and police work. I believe that in part was part Regius's complaint, that the ground forces, who would be expected to bear the brunt of serious, large scale action, were being marginalized. With all the history of worlds and entire dimensions wrecked by high level magic and technology(weaponry), the fact the TSAB basically was created to save Interdimensional magical civilazation, there would be a distinct reluctance to use such scorched earth tactics as the US miliatary employs in combat. In fact, I could see people advocating a stronger "militarization" of the TSAB being sidelined, or ignored as warmongers.
I don't think the tactical training of police forces, even such as SWAT, can be really compared to combat training, because in one reduction of casualities and damage for all sides (especially "collateral damage") is part of the doctrine, and enforcement (public safety) is the goal. For the military, reduction of casualties and damage is important basically only for ones own side, modified by what ever rules of engagement are in effect. Magic is being used by the TSAB precisely because it can be controlled much more strictly, than, say, demolishing a building with a volley of .50 cal. , or 105mm shells.
Turning the TSAB into the US military, can't really be the goal, because the military makes a poor police force (shoot first, don't ask questions). It would become necessary to make a clear distinction then, between true military units, and "civil defense" (police, distsaster relief, etc), something I doubt the TSAB society is prepared to do, with the cultural trauma of the Belkan War still strong.
That said, I think your theme of the TSAB _needing_ better tactical training a viable one. Tricky though to implement, without making our "White Devil" ace instructor look like an idiot.
