It is the one thing that Ultar, Nergui and Chadha should delay as long as possible.

They already had the advantage by splitting Aeryon forces. As long as they could hold...

"Haish!" Katakura could not help but sigh

Right now, both Mukhulai and Burchu has separated and now pacifying and conquering the tribes and clans that sided with Ultar. Katakura thought they would quickly move south to attack Nergui from behind but instead, they are pacifying the north

"Maybe it is an order by Aeryon"

Aeryon clearly did not have any trouble and did not have any concern now

At first, judging from Aeryon action, it was like he was rushing to attack Chagai tribe.

If Katakura had to guess, it is his usual swift attack.

He would swiftly attack, leave and attack another place and harass the enemy repeatedly until they show an opening and then he would go for the kill.

He would capture all of the clans and tribe under the rule of Chagai and send them back to his tribe to become war slaves or laborers.

Either that or they would be assimilated into a new unit of soldiers.

He would also take all of the Tayaks and all of the grains and other resources he could take.

If he could not take it, he would burn it making sure that there is chaos all over Chagai territory.

That was what Aeryon did in the beginning. Every few days some forces of Chagai tribe would attack him and they would fight.

Aeryon method in the beginning of this war is characterized by one word. Speed.

But now, after hearing that Chadha is dead, instead of quickly capitalising the death of Chagai chief, he stays put.

And even after hearing the great victory in Ultar and Nergui, he still stays put. He seems quite at ease. And now, he is even building war camps near the biggest settlement of the Chagai tribe. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

He did attack the forces of Chagai but he did not attack it too harshly. This is making Katakura felt uneasy

Ultar has now basically fallen.

There is many to criticize about Ultar way of handling this war but the real blame....the real blame is that the organization of the military, of the strategic decision was not there and some decisions is not wise.

"If they are in an alliance, they should have coordinate with each other instead of fighting one by one, separated one by one and defeated one by one"

"Without Chadha...it is like they lost their head and mind. Their heart is still there....but what use to have only the heart. They should have coordinated"

"They should have supported each other, abandon small victory, and sacrifice what should be sacrificed for the greater good"

"Chadha understood this and this is why Chagai could grow, those other two could not understand it and when it is time to unite, they could not unite...and that is why they are being taken down one by one. A divide and conquer strategy"

"The same kind of strategy those Yan people would always use against the Steppe tribe"

Katakura sighed and nodded to himself

"There is something to learn from this" he mutters to himself.

That is the only thing Katakura could do now.

Learning from the mistakes of others.

That would be better than learning from your own mistake

Right now, the tribe is also allied with other tribes.

There are many mountain tribes that are allied with the Esbizuk tribe.

The west would not know much the cooperation between the mountain people ad the eastern border tribes

Yes, they do fight, and there are feuds.

But this did not mean that is the only thing left between the mountain people and the steppe people that inhabits the eastern side of the Great Steppe

There is cooperation.

There is alliance.

Just as the Steppe has many tribes and clans, the mountain people also have tehri won clans and tribes, their interest and desires.

Right now, the people outside of the east did not yet grasp this dynamic. Most of them think that eastern border tribes are always locked in this constant battle with the mountain people every spring and winter.

But that is not always the case. One thing that the Brolgadhr and the tribes on the western side did not know is that when Dama took the mountain tribes, he also made an alliance with many mountains’ tribes

And when he came down the mountain and attack and conquer the tribe around the Esbizuk tribe, eh al so made alliance with the powerful clans and tribes around the area.

This is a strategy that Katakura had formulated.

At that time Aeryon was expanding without stopping and Katakura knows that after Dama returns from Nurshira, he believes that the young chief of Brolgadhr has great ambition

In other words, Dama was wary of Aeryon. And then the subsequent move of that young chief proves that while Dama did not know grand strategy his intuition about people is rarely wrong.

Since that is the case, then Katakura had to create a plan that could quickly enhance the power and influence of the tribe on the east.

It was clear that Aeryon was expanding his reach on the lower south and extending it slowly to the west.

Since that is the case, Katakura advises Dama to focus on the east, create a foundation on the east and do not rashly enter into battle. Do not attack tribes like Korun and Utgard so that there is a barrier between the sphere of influence of Esbizuk and Brolgadhr.

And make alliances with powerful clans and tribe. Of course, these powerful clans and tribes must not be the powerful clans and tribe that rules these places before

That would create a weird power dynamic and unstable region to govern. It is better if this tribe is marginalized and hated by the ruling tribes and clans of that particular region

Most of the powerful clans and tribes that Dama had made alliance with are the enemy of the clans that ruled the lands that Dama had conquered.

In a way, this is the fastest way for Dama to quickly expand and at the same time establish order.

They are the local clans and they are weak. They did not have the framework to quickly set up their power and their influence is not deep rooted so Dama could easily use them without worrying that they would easily rebel.

Not to mention that these tribes will be grateful to Dama for giving them power and their interest is tied deeply with Dama.

Without Dama they could not hold on onto the area

As for the advantage is that these people even though they did not hold a position of great power in that area before, they were the local clans and tribes and they know the intricacies of the people there better than Dama would have known.

After all, Esbizuk tribe did not relay have a powerful intelligence agency set up right now. The one that is being set up right now is not yet complete

Relying on the local clans to enter the vacuum of power that is left behind when Dama annihilate or destroy a certain tribe or clan.

The concept is simple.

Before Dama attack a certain tribe or clan in an area on the east, he would first made contact with a tribe or clan that is dissatisfied or have a feud with the ruling clan or tribes of a certain area. When contact is made, Dama simply ned to promise benefits

This is rarely rejected.

because not only most of these clans and tribes are already enemies with Dama enemies, they are also offered benefits.

To their eyes, it is like hitting tow birds with one stone.

Then Dama would come into a tribe and destroy them.

Dama is quite thorough in this.

When he attacked and kills a tribe, he kills it completely.

There were only a few times, where Dama made this an exception during the early days of the war.

Then now, that it is empty, Dama would put these clans and tribe that was his ally into a position of power.

Giving them title, power but strip them of their military power, by taking their warriors under the umbrella of the Esbizuk tribe.

Appeasing, and taking power, consolidating power and letting these local clans and tribes to deal with the administration and wellbeing of the people while Dama could focus on the military

Is there a weakness in this system?

There is many.

But this is the fastest way for Dama to even have a chance of competing with Aeryon.

Both Dama and Katakura knows there is problems. And if they have time, they might use other methods.

Does Dama not want a sturdy foundation?

He wants it.

But will Aeryon give them time?

If they slowly build foundation on the East, will Aeryon would just stop conquering left, and right?

No, what Aeryon had was advantage of the first mover. He was the first and as he as the first and no one could guess what he wanted at that time, no one could guess what he would do.

Aeryon also choose a fast method.

But this fast method was for attacking. In attacking, Aeryon embodies a swift attack.

He would swiftly attack and then retreat and then before you could get your defences set up, he would attack again without stopping. And he always does the unexpected.

..