The people of Shechilushoeathu are no strangers to war. However, war is not dominated by swords, maces,bows, spears and axes, or by guns (Guns don't even exist.), instead it is dominated by magic.
Ever since ancient times, magic has dramatically changed warfare, it increased the range, speed, power and severity of war.
This does not mean, however, that armor, shields and weapons have no place in modern warfare, however they are used in tandem with magic, either handled by soldiers and supported by magic, or used by magic using soldiers
Applications of the magics[]
Each school has it's use in warfare. Each culture and country has it's own specific applications, however many magics are often used in a rather specific way.
Negatism[]
Negatism has a mostly defensive role in combat. Their magic allows them to negate any type of energy and turn it against the user, and since all magics are basically a form of energy, it can be really effective. The only problem is that Negatism doesn't have many offensive abilities, the only effective offensive uses are reverse gravity, which throws the oponent into the sky, which can be countered by binding oneself to the ground, or by applying enough force upwards. Then the skilled Negatism mages can use negate temperature, reducing the temperature of an area.
Negatism mages tend to head into battle with some armor on the back, but not on the front, and the mages of Thenuwa and the surrounding countries also have large shields, which are imbued by a material used in Mechagics which conducts magic. This means Negatism mages can permanently have a negating effect on their shield, and use Reversing effects with more ease on the area of the shield.
The weapon is to compensate for the lack of offensive capability. Often Negatism mages will negate gravity on the enemy, making that person float, often making the enemy close to harmless, then the Negatism mage will move in, and use their weapon to kill the oponent.
The main weakness of Negatism mages in warfare, is fast moving objects, and things outside of their view. Negatism mages need to see something, understand what it's doing, and then using that understanding to stop, or reverse the energies they want. If they can't see an object, they can't stop it, if they don't have enough time to understand it's energies, they won't be able to stop it. This is what the armor on the back is for, and what the shields are for as well.
Vocalism[]
Vocalism has a very elite role in warfare. It is a very difficult form of magics, therefore, not many people master it enough, to apply it in warfare. However, those that can use it, are often gamechangers. The strength in Vocalism, is the combination of strength and variety. There is not known to be a limit to the amount of different effects that can be caused by Vocalism, therefore Vocalism mages are generally used in all sorts of situations, and they have no set role. However, Vocalism tends to be used mostly for offensive purposes.
Vocalistic mages tend to go in rather heavy armor, which does not limit their lungs, neck, mouth or nose in any way. This is because Vocalistic mages tend to be quite bad at defense. This is due to the fact of people, ever so slightly, changing their voice, tone and muscles under the stress of having an axe being swung at your face. And a slight change in tone and way of speech as a result of slight muscle contractions, can completely ruin a Vocalism spell.
Vocalism mages generally don't carry weapons, as training for Vocalism doesn't leave any time for learning to use a weapon, and using a weapon compromises the voice.
Linking[]
Linking magic can be really effective in warfare, this is because it's effects can be increased in strength without a greater amount of skill required from the caster, and it's a rather easy form of magic to teach.
Linking mages have multiple uses in warfare. It is the only form of magic, except for Mechagic, which is used by medics. This is because Linking has the ability to create blood out of thin air, can close wounds and can remove blood as well. Blood is often created to prevent a person from bleeding to death, either before or after the wound is closed. Now close wound is not litterally closing the wound, it actually makes the blood clot, even when there is a lot of pressure from inside the body, for example when a major artery is severed. The remove blood, can be used in combination with the creation of blood to cleanse a body of poisons, infections and disease.
In an actual fight, Linking can also be dangerous, as they can use remove blood to drain an enemy of all of his blood. There are more types of effects, often channeling effects, which are spread over a period of time, rather than one hit spells. They can also have great power, or an area of effect, which makes linking magic severely useful when fighting large groups. Some spells of Linking magic are also invisible, as in they take direct effect without being seen first, this can be very effective against Negatism mages.
Celestial Dance[]
Celestial Dance magic is rarely used in open warfare, instead they are generally used as specialists. They tend to be scouts, spies and assassins. This is because their form of magic is not particularily useful in crowds, and open warfare tends to be done in crowds. When used for offense however, on small groups of targets, Celestial Dancers can be rather powerful, using their fluent motions and agility to avoid attacks, both physical and magical, and oblitherating the enemy from short range. Truly, it is not unheard of for the Celestial Dance's Force Palm move to obliterate a body part.
The most effective way of defeating a Celestial Dancer is to be a Negatism Mage, and just negate gravity, this makes it very difficult for a Celestial Dancer to do the intricate moves needed for their magic. However it is also possible to defeat a Celestial Dancer by attacking them in a group, and surrounding them. Once they are close enough to eachother, they don't stand a chance.
There is one exception to all of this however. The only time Celestial Dancers are effectively used in the front line, is when they procure golems. Golems are usually used as magic fodder, being easily replacable and often made of cheap material, they are perfect for catching the first few waves of spells, allowing for more Lo-o to survive to do another attack. Usually the easiest way to defeat a golem, is by killing it's maker, though most common, they are killed by destroying the core.
Mechagics[]
It's probably safest to be a Mechagic in the case of Warfare, as Mechagics aren't actually ever on the front lines. They construct their devices in factories, and some are behind the front lines, repairing broken devices.
Mechagics have changed the face of warfare quite a bit though. Ever since it's arrival, common people, with no study in any form of magic, could suddenly use magic through the way of these devices that actual mages had build. This allowed for more people to be of use in the army, making bigger armies.
The devices which are often seen on the battlefield, are magical armors, armors which either defend very well against magic, or very well against physical attacks, they are rather fragile to other types of attacks however.
Magical weaponry, weaponry which produces magic.
Shields, devices which produce a rather significant shield around several people, stopping magic or physical attacks and the list goes on.
Vehicles have also recently been seen on the battlefield, however they don't serve major uses in the battlefield. Nobody is certain how the future of war will play out, with the comming of Mechagics. Many Vocalistic mages think Mechagics will eventually turn out to be useless in combat against properly trained mages, but mechagic mages claim otherwise, saying the devices will only improve, and might one day overshadow the other magic disciplines in warfare.
Weaponry[]
Even though magic is the main player on the battlefields in Shechilushoeathu, weapons still exist.
Pike hammer[]
A simple drawing of a Pike Hammer.
The pike hammer is a weapon, generally meant to be wielded in one hand, which consists of a handle, a metal rod, extending for about 70 cm at the end of which, is sharp, slightly curved spike, attached at right angles with the metal rod. One end of the spike ends in a point, the other ends in a square end. The square end of the spike is only 5 centimeters removed from the end of the rod, while the pointy part extends significantly further.
Pike hammers are generally used against armoured enemies, having a rather effective penetration force.
The main disadvantage of the Pike hammer, is that it has the tendency to get stuck in its victim.
Some Pike hammers have a metal ring on the end of the handle, which can be used to hang the weapon somewhere, or be used to swing the pike hammer for an increased amount of force, but a slight reduction of accuracy.
War scythe[]
A simple drawing of a War Scythe
The war scythe is not really a scythe, it is closer related to the Pike hammer, and was made to fix the main problem of the pike hammer, which was it getting stuck. The War scythe has roughly the same dimensions of the Pike hammer, however its rod is most often made of wood, it has a second wooden rod sticking out at right angles, roughly halfway up the weapon. At the head of the weapon rests a metal blade, of which the top is at a slightly duller angle than 45 degrees, and curves down slightly, the top is blunt. At the end of this curve is the piercing point, which is made sharp, yet strong. Then on the bottom of the blade is the sharp edge, which curves more strongly, and touches the wooden rod at roughly 1/3rd from the top.
The thicker shape of the War Scythe gives it less penetration force than the Pike hammer, however because of its blade and added handle, a wielder can pierce the enemy, and then easily pull out the blade, either straight out, or pulling towards himself, cutting an even bigger wound.
Axes[]
A simple drawing of a typical Thichana Axe.
Axes are a rather common weapon in Shechilushoeathu, their shape differs slightly from ordinary woodcutters axes though, in that it is a curved blade, which touches the wooden handle on two seperate points, rather than one, and tends to run over the top, giving a piercing end on the opposite side of the cutting blade.
Spears[]
Spears are, together with axes, the most common weaponry. The general lack of shields in atleast Tichana, allows spears to dominate the non-magical part of the battlefield, keeping enemies at a distance. The long dominance of spears, however, has caused many weapons to have a wide head, which allows for it to be used to hit a spear out of the way, if the user is skilled enough, after which he can close in and deliver a killing blow. This requires a rather skilled warrior in general though, hence spears are still often used.
Spearaxe[]
A simple drawing of a Spearaxe
Somewhere along the line of weapon development, someone figured, if axes and spears are the dominating weaponry on the battlefield, that combining the two must create the ultimate weapon. The result is a Spearaxe. It is basically a long wooden pole, up to two meters long, with a solid metal head, which attaches on two points; the top of the pole, and slightly under it. The head has a cutting part on one side, which smoothly runs over into a wide spear-like part. It is heavier than a spear, and longer than an axe, allowing for more damage and reach, but also making it harder to wield. It does make a significant appearance on the battlefield though.
Bladesphere[]
A simple drawing of a Bladesphere
The bladesphere is a specialist weapon, only used by Negatismic mages. It consists of a heavy weight, with four blades attached to it, each pointing into a different direction. This ball is then attached with a chain to a handle, all made to be strong enough for the weapon.
The Bladesphere is an unweildy weapon, impossible to be used by anyone other than a negatism mage. These mages drop the sphere on the ground, walk till the chain is fully extended, wait for the right moment, and then reverse gravity on the sphere, lifting it up into an arch, as it reaches the top, the mage negates gravity, until it reaches far enough around the arch, then the mage lets gravity back onto the sphere, and it is pulled back to the earth, hopefully hitting the oponent, and instantly killing him.
Death[]
Now, death obviously happens quite a lot in war. Fortunately for the soldiers, Shechilushoeathu is a world where death is not final, and large Mechagic facilities can revive people. It does take time however, and effort, and resources. This means, instead of depleating someone's army, by killing their army, you are pushing back the enemy and are depleting their resources.
One of the main objectives in war, is often to take the revival facilities, or destroy them. This means the enemy can no longer revive their armies, or atleast no longer revive them as fast, causing a great blow to the enemy's forces, which means victory is easier to achieve. It goes without question then, that these revival facilities are generally heavily guarded, and have many many build in defences.