I truly suggest You Tubing the battle scene. It was epic, the most full body burns by stuntment ever recorded. It is a superb blend of close in action scenes with wider panorama shots of the bigger battle set against a tapestry of past events and strategic implications. Though it involves dragons and swords, you can watch the implications of a modern battle unfold.
First some backdrop, Queen Cersi has been on a winning streak. She has sunk parts of the Targaryan navy(twice), stranded its expeditionary force at Casterly Rock, smashed its biggest allied army at Highgarden in The Reach (and looted it of a huge amount of gold and supplies), decapitated the head of state of another ally (Dorne) and in short seems to be winning. The only loss to date has been the destruction of the Frey's which endanger the third of her army doing occupation duty and fighting an insurgency in the Riverlands. However, Danyeris Targaryan still has enough ships to land her main force of Dothraki Horselords on the Continent. Though the journey across the sea has cost them their presumed massive remount herds, the ships are a handy way to preserve strategic mobility. Something she decides to use to devastating effect.
In the beginning the 2nd in command Randal Tarly rides up to Jamie Lannister and reports all the gold is safely inside the gates at Kings Landing, but the rear of the Army where Jamie is needs to get a move on becuase the front cannot support it due to a terrain feature. Now to me this tells me they know trouble is in the area.That the Targaryan's landing was not unnoticed. Not shown but surmised is they have light horse out screening. Sadly for the Lannister Army, they didn't, didn't have enough, or were not good enough becuase over the horizon comes the Dothraki (mix Mongol and Soiux Indian). In short they lost the recon battle and now have to pay the piper his dues.
The Lannisters hurry to form a 3 sided line with their backs to the sea creating a box. However they only have spears and some archers, no pike, caltrops, swinefeathers, horse mounted troops, reserves of any kind, hope of relief, no way to retreat and no artillery. If the lines breaks, or rather at every point it breaks some part of the army will be cut off. The Dothraki are in full charge, though why light horse would deliver a shock charge eludes me. Still they have the numbers to win, but then everything goes (even more) pear shaped for the already doomed Lannister Army. The Mother of Dragons makes her appearance on Drogon The Dragon now fully grown to the size of a jumbo jet.
You instantly see the infantry's will too battle wither. Just his appearance shakes them to their core, death is in the air and they know it as surely as if it was an A-10 bearing down on them. His opening strike is devastating, and entire chunk of the line is melted out of existence and the Dothraki pour through the gap as the poor saps on either side of the fire line break and run. With no real reserves the battle is now over expect for the dying at this point. But Drogon does not stop. he proceeds to carve up the battlefeild with fire and smoke making it impossible for the Lannister Army to exercise any type of command and control. in fact Jamie Lannister ends up commanding a group of archers in a tactical role rather than directing his army.
Even the anti-hero Bronn's heroic efforts to man the sole scorpion the Lannister Army has end up in vain. Though he wounds Drogon, it too late to save the army. The line is shattered, there is no organized resistance left and Lannister troops are shown fleeing and being ridden down. This one battle totally changes the strategic picture. Though Cersi still has the gold, massive fortresses and the biggest navy, now that the main Targaryan force is ashore she is locked behind city/castle walls. Her infantry army and how ever many heavy horse her knights give her are no match in the open for the Dothraki. One third of her army got roasted, one third is trapped in the Riverlands and the final third is trapped in Kings Landing. Her ability to impose her will on the Continent is for the moment over. She can't threaten the North or the Ayrie or impose her rule on the Dornish or the Reach or Liberate Casterly Rock. Her rule is reduced to Kings Landing and areas behind it including Old Town, the Iron Islands, The Twins and the Riverlands. Her two main commanders are either dead or captured. The Dothraki rule where they ride. It was in short a stunning reversal of fortune, though its Game of Thrones so the scales will surely tip back her way somehow.
First some backdrop, Queen Cersi has been on a winning streak. She has sunk parts of the Targaryan navy(twice), stranded its expeditionary force at Casterly Rock, smashed its biggest allied army at Highgarden in The Reach (and looted it of a huge amount of gold and supplies), decapitated the head of state of another ally (Dorne) and in short seems to be winning. The only loss to date has been the destruction of the Frey's which endanger the third of her army doing occupation duty and fighting an insurgency in the Riverlands. However, Danyeris Targaryan still has enough ships to land her main force of Dothraki Horselords on the Continent. Though the journey across the sea has cost them their presumed massive remount herds, the ships are a handy way to preserve strategic mobility. Something she decides to use to devastating effect.
In the beginning the 2nd in command Randal Tarly rides up to Jamie Lannister and reports all the gold is safely inside the gates at Kings Landing, but the rear of the Army where Jamie is needs to get a move on becuase the front cannot support it due to a terrain feature. Now to me this tells me they know trouble is in the area.That the Targaryan's landing was not unnoticed. Not shown but surmised is they have light horse out screening. Sadly for the Lannister Army, they didn't, didn't have enough, or were not good enough becuase over the horizon comes the Dothraki (mix Mongol and Soiux Indian). In short they lost the recon battle and now have to pay the piper his dues.
The Lannisters hurry to form a 3 sided line with their backs to the sea creating a box. However they only have spears and some archers, no pike, caltrops, swinefeathers, horse mounted troops, reserves of any kind, hope of relief, no way to retreat and no artillery. If the lines breaks, or rather at every point it breaks some part of the army will be cut off. The Dothraki are in full charge, though why light horse would deliver a shock charge eludes me. Still they have the numbers to win, but then everything goes (even more) pear shaped for the already doomed Lannister Army. The Mother of Dragons makes her appearance on Drogon The Dragon now fully grown to the size of a jumbo jet.
You instantly see the infantry's will too battle wither. Just his appearance shakes them to their core, death is in the air and they know it as surely as if it was an A-10 bearing down on them. His opening strike is devastating, and entire chunk of the line is melted out of existence and the Dothraki pour through the gap as the poor saps on either side of the fire line break and run. With no real reserves the battle is now over expect for the dying at this point. But Drogon does not stop. he proceeds to carve up the battlefeild with fire and smoke making it impossible for the Lannister Army to exercise any type of command and control. in fact Jamie Lannister ends up commanding a group of archers in a tactical role rather than directing his army.
Even the anti-hero Bronn's heroic efforts to man the sole scorpion the Lannister Army has end up in vain. Though he wounds Drogon, it too late to save the army. The line is shattered, there is no organized resistance left and Lannister troops are shown fleeing and being ridden down. This one battle totally changes the strategic picture. Though Cersi still has the gold, massive fortresses and the biggest navy, now that the main Targaryan force is ashore she is locked behind city/castle walls. Her infantry army and how ever many heavy horse her knights give her are no match in the open for the Dothraki. One third of her army got roasted, one third is trapped in the Riverlands and the final third is trapped in Kings Landing. Her ability to impose her will on the Continent is for the moment over. She can't threaten the North or the Ayrie or impose her rule on the Dornish or the Reach or Liberate Casterly Rock. Her rule is reduced to Kings Landing and areas behind it including Old Town, the Iron Islands, The Twins and the Riverlands. Her two main commanders are either dead or captured. The Dothraki rule where they ride. It was in short a stunning reversal of fortune, though its Game of Thrones so the scales will surely tip back her way somehow.
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