Difference between revisions of "Halder Skalice"

From Kupopowiki
Jump to: navigation, search
m
m (Second Hosluftgrad)
 
(7 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
Halder Deyos Skalice<br>
+
{{Infobox
Biological<br>
+
| fullname = Halder Deyos Skalice
Born: July 18, 10 WB, [[Tuntar]]<br>
+
| born = July 18, 10 WB
Sex: Male<br>
+
| birthplace = [[Tuntar]], now part of the [[Scandian League]]
Fur: Grey<br>
+
| sex = Male
Eyes: Black<br>
+
| race = [[Forest Clan]]
Height: 6’<br>
+
| hair = Gray fur, though more and more white
Weight: 200 lbs<br>
+
| eyes = Blue
<br>
+
| height = 6'
Personal:<br>
+
| weight = 200 lbs
Religion: Atheist<br>
+
| married = No
Nicknames and Titles: [[Scandian Leage Combined Military|SLCM]] Chief of Staff; “the Vampire Wolf”; Hal<BR>
+
| religion = Atheist, like any good communist
Hobbies: Hunting with a bow and arrow<BR>
+
| title = Chief of Staff of [[Scandian League Combined Military]]
Favorite Color: Green<br>
+
| nicknames = Night Wolf, Vampire Wolf
Inspirations: [[Celiose Cole]]<br>
+
| hobbies = Bow hunting, go
Motto: “Nothing’s going to change my world.”<br>
+
| skills = Winning battles
 +
| favcolor =
 +
| inspiration = Like virtually any soldier in the Web, Halder looks up to [[Celiose Cole]].
 +
| motto = “Nothing's gonna change my world.”
 +
}}
  
Halder Deyos Skalice is a [[Forest Clan|Forest Clanner]], a race of anthromorphic wolves. He is currently tasked with defending one of the Web’s most oft-invaded and abused dimensions. He’s also one of the reasons the League continues to exist.
+
Halder Skalice is the military commander of [[Scande]]'s armed forces, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that his skill at command allowed the League to continue to exist in the face of aggression from the other, stronger [[Great Powers]].  
He grew up in a land always being torn apart, constantly at war with someone. He joined a resistance cell during the [[Great War]] of a movement consisting primarily of forest clanners, known as Rabies. He had a brief romance with [[Enrika Epyon]]. With [[The Celpo|Celpo]] support and Skalice’s brilliant tactical mind, Rabies became one of the largest [[Dark Wrath]] resistance movements. When the Scandian League was formed, Halder was chosen to head up the new Scandian League Combined Military.
 
The months of the [[Presidium]]’s rule were very frustrating for Halder. He knew all to well the necessity of defending the League, but the Presidium refused to give the necessary resources for defense. Skalice had already adopted the “us vs. everyone else” mentality common in the League. It is perhaps for this reason that Skalice refused to obey the Presidium’s order to suppress the communists, a decision which almost certainly lead to the rise of [[Travin Rumanksi]]. His romance with Enrika ended shortly afterwards.
 
Travin, however, spent ample resources on the military, and Halder a modern mechanized war machine imbued with speed and stealth, the traditional virtues of the hunter. He was initially opposed to creating [[Dracoforms]], but their performance in the Leviathan War helped win him over. Skalice lived under a constant nerve-wracking strain, knowing that if he failed to perform at any time Rumanski might well have him executed. This sword of Damocles was felt particularly keenly in the [[Leviathan War]].
 
 
Almost every nation claimed that their military commander was a genius. Some, like Confederation commander Mathern, are now all but forgotten. Others, like [[Republic Marine Corps|RMC]] Commandant [[Revlan Kursdroff]], would prove capable but far short of brilliant. Still others would surpass all expectations. Of this final category was Halder Skalice.
 
  
At the onset of the Leviathan War, people considered the [[Communist Protectorate]] one of the weakest of the Great Powers. Skalice’s invasion of Nikeah, one of history’s great tactical masterpieces, transformed that perception overnight. In a short span of time Skalice had succeeded in capturing the capital of one of the Web’s most powerful countries. Skalice now has a well-deserved reputation as one of the Web’s brightest tacticians. Armchair generals have lauded him for the perfect marriage of the [[Tasnican]] tradition of maneuver with the [[Dragon Dimension]] tradition of deception. Skalice’s plans were often complicated, relying on several feints, and he had a fondness for night operations, giving him the nickname “the Vampire Wolf.” He would not meet his match until [[TO Halberg]] took the field against him at Second Hosluftgrad.
+
==History==
As a commander, Skalice certainly has some flaws. He’s relatively uncharismatic, and only as a result of his victories is he inspiring to his men. The jury is still out on his grasp of grand strategy. In his favor he recognized that the Leviathan War would be decided in [[Esper]], and that a diversion to [[Crystal]] would be a useless sideshow. Against him, however, is his dubious formulation: “He who controls [[Hosluftgrad]] controls the [[Solthai continent]]. He who controls the Solthai continent controls the [[Albrook]] Portal Set. He who controls the Albrook Portal Set controls the [[Core]]. He who controls the Core controls the [[Web]].” When Scande and Esper sat down to negotiate the [[Pauper’s Peace]], Scande still technically controlled the city of Hosluftgrad, but clearly fell far short of controlling Solthai, let alone the Web.
+
Halder Skalice was born in a land constantly torn apart by war, always being invaded by someone or other. The [[Dragon Clan]] hunted his people for sport. Halder's father was tied hanging from a tree and left to starve and rot by occupation forces. Halder chose to fight, forming a resistance cell called Rabies, along with other leaders like [[Enrika Epyon]]. Supported by the [[Celpo]] and with Halder's tactical mind, Rabies become one of the largest and most successful anti-[[Dark Wrath]] movements. When the [[Scandian League]] was formed, the new leadership squabbled endlessly, but agreed on one thing: Halder Skalice should lead the new Scandian League Combined Military.
Still, rather than execute him, Rumanksi chose instead to declare victory in the Leviathan War. Skalice became one of the League’s great heroes, a “man of the nation”. Halder helped rebuild the SLCM, introducing the practice of rotating combat veterans into tours as instructors at the [[Crucible]]. Most of the post-war changes in the SLCM were evolutionary, quite unlike the revolutionary leap of the EUS.
 
Later, Skalice would actually set aside his differences with Halberg to fight the [[New Wraith]]’s army. Working together, these unlikely alliance managed to push back the forces of the so-called Freedom Alliance. The two men swore to each other they would do whatever they could to prevent another war from happening.
 
Skalice, like many Scandians, is not an ideological communist, but he is concerned with being fed and protected and acknowledges that communism has done a better job of both of these than any previous regime in Scande. As head of the military, he is often considered second in power only to Travin himself. In Scande, the military almost always gets whatever it needs. Halder, because of his position and fame, is extremely closely watched; Skalice lives his life in fear because of the knowledge that he will surely be executed should he ever fail to please Rumanski.
 
  
[[Category:Cel's characters|Skalice, Halder]]
+
Halder was initially frustrated by a corrupt government that refused to see to the League's defense. In his mind (and the minds of most Scandians), another invasion was all but inevitable. [[Travin Rumanski]] promised to "do what was necessary to defend the land and nation," including ample military spending. When the [[Dawn Revolution]] came, Halder did not use the military to intervene -- he merely let it happen.
[[Category: Communists|Skalice, Halder]]
+
 
[[Category: Forest Clanners|Skalice, Halder]]
+
Travin delivered on his promise, and then some. The Scandians built a modern mechanized war machine imbued with speed and stealth, the traditional values of the hunter. Halder occasionally clashed with Travin on certain details of policy -- notably, he opposed the [[Dracoforms]], believing them to be an exorbitant waste of resources. This prompted Travin to remark, "Your problem, my dear Halder, is that you lack vision." Skalice became increasingly aware of the kind of man Travin was, as in Rumanski's first year virtually all of the old communist leadership was purged. Halder became increasingly aware of the fact that he could easily be purged, too; despite his command of an increasingly powerful military machine, Halder's life was ruled by fear and uncertainty.
[[Category: Military commanders|Skalice, Halder]]
+
 
[[Category: Scandians|Skalice, Halder]]
+
Travin, for his part, delights in keeping his main commander (and potential rival) off-guard with his characteristically macabre behavior. Once, Travin called a meeting with Halder, the other service chiefs, and the [[S/31]] chief; Halder assumed the meeting to be a routine briefing on [[Coalition]] hostilities. Travin pointed to the S/31 chief -- the head of Scandian intelligence -- and announced that he was too much a threat to the Scandian people to let live, and then ordered his dragon clan bodyguards to tear him limb from limb. Halder is well aware that this kind of thing could happen to him at any moment.
 +
 
 +
Despite his abject terror of [[koyzha]], and the sword of Damocles hanging over his neck, Halder actually does believe in [[Travin Rumanski]]. Although he is not an ideological communist, he believes that Travin has accomplished two things exceedingly rare in the history of the [[Dragon Dimension]]: relative security from external invasion, and food on the table of every home. Quite unlike [[TO Halberg]], Halder Skalice shows little inclination to ever take the helm of the nation; when his old friend [[Enrika Epyon]] urged him to do so, he was consumed with terror that such talk would get him executed and refused, going so far as to consider turning her in to the [[Solidat]]. He arranged for her to leave the country instead.
 +
 
 +
==Generalship==
 +
Unlike many of the Web's commanders of the first rank, Halder does not cut a particularly charismatic or imposing figure; indeed, despite his wolfish appearance, he exudes a certain nebbishness. Of course, living your life in fear of a master who could execute you on a whim perhaps has that effect. Halder constantly worries that winning a battle might make him "too popular", leading [[Travin Rumanski]] to dispose of him, and of course losing a battle might mean that he is no longer useful and could be executed anyway. Despite this, Halder is one of the only high-ranking people to ever "talk back" to the man called [[koyzha]] -- but he needs to be careful about it.
 +
 
 +
Halder's hallmarks are careful planning and preparation (when possible), followed by rapid execution. He is notable for using feints and other ruses, typical of the Scandian/Scandish style ("the way of war is the way of deception.") He has often been shown to bypass secondary or peripheral objectives to attack the enemy's main force. His predilection for night operations earned him the nickname "Vampire Wolf" or "Night Wolf."
 +
Many have criticized his conduct of the [[Leviathan War]], where Halder produced many victories, but was unable to deliver the war. Armchair generals, of which there are many in the Web, consider Skalice an unparalleled tactician, but a middling practitioner of grand strategy. Similarly, to outside observers note that Halder often engages in turf wars with [[SLCM-Sea]] and [[SLCM-Space]], rather than "rising above it all" a la [[Celiose Cole -- this is however a deliberate ploy on the part of Travin to prevent any one service from becoming too influential.
 +
 
 +
==Notable Battles==
 +
===[[Leviathan War]]===
 +
By far the biggest conflict Halder commanded. On the one hand Halder achieved several stunning victories; on the other hand he was unable to "seal the deal" and win the whole war. Some have insisted that this proves Halder is a superlative tactician but a poor strategist; however, this assumes that the Scandians COULD have won the [[Leviathan War]] in the face of increasing [[Guardia]]n and [[Tasnica]]n support for the [[Esper Union]].
 +
====The Battle of [[Nikeah]]====
 +
Considered by many to be Halder's masterpiece. The Scandians a revolt in [[Doma]], and let slip to Esperian intelligence that Doma and Narshe were the initial goals of the invasion and used their air fleet to deploy troops accordingly. When a large [[SLCM-Sea]] fleet escorting a large invasion force arrived, the fleet appeared on course for Doma, even conducting shore bombardments. The Esperians believed Halder was following the [[Grand Army]] amphibious operational playbook, which called for a lengthy preparatory bombardment for the attack. The Esperians were thus totally caught off-guard when a large Scandian force landed in the dead of night near Nikeah and made a dash to the city; by dawn, Esperian citizens awoke to an occupied city. Scandian [[Assault Engineers]] tunneled under the city to provide an additional mode of ingress and attack the Esperian headquarters. The Esperian response was spirited and energetic, but disorganized as the Scandians already controlled many of the key intersections and had used [[Headhunter]] units to disorganize local commanders. After a few days of intense fighting, [[Hannibal de'Zama]] himself ordered a retreat, though he stayed behind to coordinate resistance himself.
 +
It had been unthinkable to most of the Web that the capital of a [[Great Power]] could fall so quickly. However, it had been unthinkable to the Scandians that the Esperians would continue fighting after such a loss, and that [[Theodore Orville Halberg]] would be able to rally them into a comeback.
 +
====Orteja Canyon ("the Bloody Cauldron")====
 +
Fighting in [[Damcyan]], Halder had only a small SLCM force available, along with a rapidly disintegrated Damcyanese army. He opposed a large [[Fabul]] army fresh off a victory from [[Arderine Pass]] and a smaller but extremely tough force of [[Toroia]]n rangers. In the middle of a large dust storm, Halder ordered battered Damcyanese units to take shelter in Orteja Canyon. The Fabulians believed this was an error, as there was not escape from the canyon, and they eagerly moved to attack despite the inclement weather. Once the battle was joined, fast-moving Scandian units moved in to the high ground and rear, trapping the Fabulians in the canyon and slaughtering them to a man. It is said that Orteja Canyon, the "Bloody Cauldron", is still scarlet with their blood. This victory was still too little too late, however; the Damcyanese government collapsed as soon as Halder was recalled to Esper to deal with Halberg's [[REF]].
 +
 
 +
====Second [[Hosluftgrad]]====
 +
Halder finally faced his rival [[TO Halberg]] here, at Hosluftgrad. His plan was to use a series of small offensives to "break up" the REF, which was after all drawn from many countries and sources, and shove the [[Dracoforms]] through a gap in the line. The [[REF]] under Halberg, however, was able to maintain cohesion even in the face of a poison gas attack, and Halberg's elite STORMs broke up the Scandian attack. The Scandians were low on fuel due to the destruction of energy producers in [[Arad]] by the [[New Wraith]]; wargamers love to debate alternate outcomes of this battle. ("If the Scandians had two more tankers full of petrol, the Esperians wouldn't have had a chance!" "No way! And if Hannibal had been there, the Scandians would've been crushed!")
 +
 
 +
===[[New Wraith]]===
 +
Halder worked with his former adversary in [[Naba'al]] to defeat a large [[New Wraith]] force. The two men swore an oath to do whatever they could to prevent another war between their countries.
 +
===[[Three Week War]]===
 +
A fairly easy victory for Halder; the [[Eblan]]ese forces were numerically superior to Halder's small Scandian force, but they were cut off from supplies and largely consisted of poorly-trained conscripts. The Scandians also had generous magical support from the new [[Mysidian Commonwealth]]; an initial clash sent many Eblanese soldiers running from the battlefield in what [[Nauquan Kurita]] characterized as a "shameful display." Though Kurita wanted the Eblanese to fight to the last man, Shogun [[Tiberius Shiawese]] overruled him and negotiated a surrender and retreat.
 +
 
 +
[[Category:Cel's characters]]
 +
[[category:Forest Clanners]]
 +
[[category:Military commanders]]
 +
[[category:Scandians]]

Latest revision as of 15:27, 24 June 2019

Halder Skalice
Biological
Full name: Halder Deyos Skalice
Born: July 18, 10 WB
Birthplace: Tuntar, now part of the Scandian League
Sex: Male
Race: Forest Clan
Hair: Gray fur, though more and more white
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6'
Weight: 200 lbs
Personal
Marital Status: No
Family/Relationships: {{{family}}}
Religion: Atheist, like any good communist
Title: Chief of Staff of Scandian League Combined Military
Nicknames: Night Wolf, Vampire Wolf
Hobbies: Bow hunting, go
Known skills: Winning battles
Favorite color:
Inspiration: Like virtually any soldier in the Web, Halder looks up to Celiose Cole.
Motto: “Nothing's gonna change my world.”

Halder Skalice is the military commander of Scande's armed forces, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that his skill at command allowed the League to continue to exist in the face of aggression from the other, stronger Great Powers.

History

Halder Skalice was born in a land constantly torn apart by war, always being invaded by someone or other. The Dragon Clan hunted his people for sport. Halder's father was tied hanging from a tree and left to starve and rot by occupation forces. Halder chose to fight, forming a resistance cell called Rabies, along with other leaders like Enrika Epyon. Supported by the Celpo and with Halder's tactical mind, Rabies become one of the largest and most successful anti-Dark Wrath movements. When the Scandian League was formed, the new leadership squabbled endlessly, but agreed on one thing: Halder Skalice should lead the new Scandian League Combined Military.

Halder was initially frustrated by a corrupt government that refused to see to the League's defense. In his mind (and the minds of most Scandians), another invasion was all but inevitable. Travin Rumanski promised to "do what was necessary to defend the land and nation," including ample military spending. When the Dawn Revolution came, Halder did not use the military to intervene -- he merely let it happen.

Travin delivered on his promise, and then some. The Scandians built a modern mechanized war machine imbued with speed and stealth, the traditional values of the hunter. Halder occasionally clashed with Travin on certain details of policy -- notably, he opposed the Dracoforms, believing them to be an exorbitant waste of resources. This prompted Travin to remark, "Your problem, my dear Halder, is that you lack vision." Skalice became increasingly aware of the kind of man Travin was, as in Rumanski's first year virtually all of the old communist leadership was purged. Halder became increasingly aware of the fact that he could easily be purged, too; despite his command of an increasingly powerful military machine, Halder's life was ruled by fear and uncertainty.

Travin, for his part, delights in keeping his main commander (and potential rival) off-guard with his characteristically macabre behavior. Once, Travin called a meeting with Halder, the other service chiefs, and the S/31 chief; Halder assumed the meeting to be a routine briefing on Coalition hostilities. Travin pointed to the S/31 chief -- the head of Scandian intelligence -- and announced that he was too much a threat to the Scandian people to let live, and then ordered his dragon clan bodyguards to tear him limb from limb. Halder is well aware that this kind of thing could happen to him at any moment.

Despite his abject terror of koyzha, and the sword of Damocles hanging over his neck, Halder actually does believe in Travin Rumanski. Although he is not an ideological communist, he believes that Travin has accomplished two things exceedingly rare in the history of the Dragon Dimension: relative security from external invasion, and food on the table of every home. Quite unlike TO Halberg, Halder Skalice shows little inclination to ever take the helm of the nation; when his old friend Enrika Epyon urged him to do so, he was consumed with terror that such talk would get him executed and refused, going so far as to consider turning her in to the Solidat. He arranged for her to leave the country instead.

Generalship

Unlike many of the Web's commanders of the first rank, Halder does not cut a particularly charismatic or imposing figure; indeed, despite his wolfish appearance, he exudes a certain nebbishness. Of course, living your life in fear of a master who could execute you on a whim perhaps has that effect. Halder constantly worries that winning a battle might make him "too popular", leading Travin Rumanski to dispose of him, and of course losing a battle might mean that he is no longer useful and could be executed anyway. Despite this, Halder is one of the only high-ranking people to ever "talk back" to the man called koyzha -- but he needs to be careful about it.

Halder's hallmarks are careful planning and preparation (when possible), followed by rapid execution. He is notable for using feints and other ruses, typical of the Scandian/Scandish style ("the way of war is the way of deception.") He has often been shown to bypass secondary or peripheral objectives to attack the enemy's main force. His predilection for night operations earned him the nickname "Vampire Wolf" or "Night Wolf." Many have criticized his conduct of the Leviathan War, where Halder produced many victories, but was unable to deliver the war. Armchair generals, of which there are many in the Web, consider Skalice an unparalleled tactician, but a middling practitioner of grand strategy. Similarly, to outside observers note that Halder often engages in turf wars with SLCM-Sea and SLCM-Space, rather than "rising above it all" a la [[Celiose Cole -- this is however a deliberate ploy on the part of Travin to prevent any one service from becoming too influential.

Notable Battles

Leviathan War

By far the biggest conflict Halder commanded. On the one hand Halder achieved several stunning victories; on the other hand he was unable to "seal the deal" and win the whole war. Some have insisted that this proves Halder is a superlative tactician but a poor strategist; however, this assumes that the Scandians COULD have won the Leviathan War in the face of increasing Guardian and Tasnican support for the Esper Union.

The Battle of Nikeah

Considered by many to be Halder's masterpiece. The Scandians a revolt in Doma, and let slip to Esperian intelligence that Doma and Narshe were the initial goals of the invasion and used their air fleet to deploy troops accordingly. When a large SLCM-Sea fleet escorting a large invasion force arrived, the fleet appeared on course for Doma, even conducting shore bombardments. The Esperians believed Halder was following the Grand Army amphibious operational playbook, which called for a lengthy preparatory bombardment for the attack. The Esperians were thus totally caught off-guard when a large Scandian force landed in the dead of night near Nikeah and made a dash to the city; by dawn, Esperian citizens awoke to an occupied city. Scandian Assault Engineers tunneled under the city to provide an additional mode of ingress and attack the Esperian headquarters. The Esperian response was spirited and energetic, but disorganized as the Scandians already controlled many of the key intersections and had used Headhunter units to disorganize local commanders. After a few days of intense fighting, Hannibal de'Zama himself ordered a retreat, though he stayed behind to coordinate resistance himself. It had been unthinkable to most of the Web that the capital of a Great Power could fall so quickly. However, it had been unthinkable to the Scandians that the Esperians would continue fighting after such a loss, and that Theodore Orville Halberg would be able to rally them into a comeback.

Orteja Canyon ("the Bloody Cauldron")

Fighting in Damcyan, Halder had only a small SLCM force available, along with a rapidly disintegrated Damcyanese army. He opposed a large Fabul army fresh off a victory from Arderine Pass and a smaller but extremely tough force of Toroian rangers. In the middle of a large dust storm, Halder ordered battered Damcyanese units to take shelter in Orteja Canyon. The Fabulians believed this was an error, as there was not escape from the canyon, and they eagerly moved to attack despite the inclement weather. Once the battle was joined, fast-moving Scandian units moved in to the high ground and rear, trapping the Fabulians in the canyon and slaughtering them to a man. It is said that Orteja Canyon, the "Bloody Cauldron", is still scarlet with their blood. This victory was still too little too late, however; the Damcyanese government collapsed as soon as Halder was recalled to Esper to deal with Halberg's REF.

Second Hosluftgrad

Halder finally faced his rival TO Halberg here, at Hosluftgrad. His plan was to use a series of small offensives to "break up" the REF, which was after all drawn from many countries and sources, and shove the Dracoforms through a gap in the line. The REF under Halberg, however, was able to maintain cohesion even in the face of a poison gas attack, and Halberg's elite STORMs broke up the Scandian attack. The Scandians were low on fuel due to the destruction of energy producers in Arad by the New Wraith; wargamers love to debate alternate outcomes of this battle. ("If the Scandians had two more tankers full of petrol, the Esperians wouldn't have had a chance!" "No way! And if Hannibal had been there, the Scandians would've been crushed!")

New Wraith

Halder worked with his former adversary in Naba'al to defeat a large New Wraith force. The two men swore an oath to do whatever they could to prevent another war between their countries.

Three Week War

A fairly easy victory for Halder; the Eblanese forces were numerically superior to Halder's small Scandian force, but they were cut off from supplies and largely consisted of poorly-trained conscripts. The Scandians also had generous magical support from the new Mysidian Commonwealth; an initial clash sent many Eblanese soldiers running from the battlefield in what Nauquan Kurita characterized as a "shameful display." Though Kurita wanted the Eblanese to fight to the last man, Shogun Tiberius Shiawese overruled him and negotiated a surrender and retreat.