Great tactical analysis of Season 8 - Episode 3 of Game of Thrones - Spoilers

[exboyfil]

https://www.wired.com/story/game-of-thrones-winterfell-battle-tactical-analysis/#comments

This move, sometimes known as a “Custer,” predictably ends in ruin for the Dothraki cavalry.

The forces of man are led by idiots. It was only a miracle they won. Oh for a Randall Tarley or Tywin Lannister or even a Robb Stark.

My theory is that the cavalry was used, along with the trebuchet volley, was used to take out the wight giants. There were at least a half dozen when the wall was breached, but only one made it to Winterfell. Using the cavalry to take out the siege engines seems like a good use.

[hlthe2b]

1. well, despite it being a fantasy discussion, the real life term it would seem to me is

"Canon Fodder"...

But, in the scenario presented, I'd guess they would have known so, just as the lead file in so many civil war battles.

[exboyfil]

2. But commanders fighting from fortified positions

Typically put as many men as possible behind those positions. I can see why they only had so much time to trench the given perimeter, but there seemed to be space behind it for more Unsullied than shown.

[hlthe2b]

3. sure.. but I guess it was meant to underscore the magnitude of the forces employed

though (I don't know about you, but) my screen was so dark for so much of it that a great deal was lost on me. Obviously the reason for the lighted "swords".

[SleeplessinSoCal]

8. for many of us the scene from a distance, with the lack of sight and sound ...

...was like a great crescendo to a diminuendo which thankfully we could not see or hear, yet knew the horror that happened. The scenes of violently bloody death up until then told us what we needed to know. I watched the episode for the 3rd time up real close. Knowing what is coming is of great comfort. But the tonal shifts throughout are breathtaking. Truly it seems like a symphony of war where so much is unseen but impactful.

Plus, I imagine in the light of day at Kings Landing, there will be a very different film approach.

[unblock]

4. Did any of the Dothraki come back as undead to fight against the living?

In the dark and "fog of war," I couldn't tell....

[exboyfil]

5. I didn't see any

Out of range of the Night King or took too long to get back on foot? Their corpses might be strung from the far battle line to the castle.

I think Dany will have another army magically appear next week. There seems to be an unlimited supply.

[Solly Mack]

6. Yes. Though hard to tell, I could see several fighting as the dead against the living.

And if you watch it again, note that when they show Edd and Lady Lyanna Mormont coming back with blue eyes, they also show a Dothraki warrior doing the same.

Qhono, back from the dead.

[unblock]

7. thanks. i would think it had to be the case, but i didn't catch it.

still trying to figure out if the dothraki charge was a completely useless donation of bodies to be turned into undead.

i've seen some analysis that said the undead had more giants but only one was seen into battle, so maybe we are to think the dothraki might have taken out the rest....

i suppose they must have taken out at least a few of the undead. guess we're not meant to know for sure, but to probably think it was nothing but a donation, something written into the script to add to the sense of impending doom.

[Solly Mack]

9. I figure it was for effect more than anything. The greatest fighting force snuffed out in seconds.

Light their weapons and then use it to show how easily the dead snuffed light - and life - out.

Setting a tone, more or less. Like you said, impending doom.

Horrible battle tactic to send them out first. But, well...

Only one giant coming inside was for effect too. Harkens back to Wun-Wun and the Battle of the Bastards. Ramsay Bolton killed Wun-Wun and Lyanna Mormont took out the wight Giant Wun-Wun - at more or less the same spot. Wun- Wun was raised by the Night King during the Battle of Winterfell.

The rest had to die to achieve that purpose, so maybe the Dothraki or the fusillade or a combo of both took them out.