(i'm having way too much fun with this. maybe i should hold back for a while..... nah.)

It was quiet at first, that night. It was just supposed to be a routine mission. You were just supposed to do one thing. Escort ambassador Zecora through the jungle and back to her home tribe to a diplomatic meeting with the tribes leader. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. What you didn't count on was the normal route there being blocked. What you didn't count on was your detoure through another zebra tribe's territory causing them to take offense. They caught you at the ford in the river at the border between their territory and your destination. You were almost home free. They caught you just as you were entering the ford from the western side. Just another routine mission.....

Alright troops, listen up! Things don't look good for the patrol. Your unit, consisting of 20 earth ponies, 10 unicorns, and 4 royal pegasi guards along with Zecora's personal guard of 2 zebra warriors and 2 shamans have been caught at a disadvantage. You are currently stuck at the ford which is one foot deep at it's shallowest, one hundred feet from one bank to the next, and is only about fourty feet long in the river. Outside of the ford itself the river is about twenty feet deep and one hundred feet wide. on either bank of the river there is about five feet of sandy beach, giving way to think jungle and under brush.there is a narrow one lane path leading away into the jungle on either side of the ford.
The enemy appears to number just under 100 with warriors, hunters, a couple of shamans, and their chief. Your mission now is to ensure the safety of ambassador Zecora and if possible to repel the enemy completely. The bottom of the ford is extremely muddy, hampering your movement. The enemy warriors are coming straight for you with their hunters attemting to enter the ford from either side to outflank you. Their shamans and chieftan are currently hanging back a little ways from the main group. Good luck soldiers. And don't die!

The Player: UEE +
Earth Ponies: 20
Unicorns: 10
Pegasi: 4 royal guard
Zebras: 4 (including 2 wariors and 2 shamans)
Heroes: Zecora, You

The Enemy: Zebra tribe
Warriors: 60
Hunters: 10
Shamans: 2
Chieftans: 1
Heroes: N/A

Terrain: Muddy ford, sandy beaches, thick jungle
Time: Midnight with a full moon and starlit sky
Objectives: Keep Zecora safe
Repel the enemy

514331

Wait, the enemy blocks both sides of the river crossing? Or just the western side?

Also, if I'm using 'me' as a hero, do I get to chose my powers? I want to offer morale boosts to all units close to me, because I don't wanna be OP... Too OP anyway.

514406

Also, if I'm using 'me' as a hero, do I get to chose my powers?

No....

Wait, the enemy blocks both sides of the river crossing? Or just the western side?

Western. But your movements are being hindered by the muddy river.

514445

Alright then, lets do this!

First off, all unicorns facing the enemy, rain down suppressive fire. Earth ponies split in half, ten are to hold their ground along with the unicorns while the rest as well as the zebras and zecora make a run for it.

I stay behind with the rest of the troops. One royal guard is to get ahead and call for reinforcements while the other three escort the ambassador to safety.

My life is meaningless in comparison to the needs of the kingdom. Let the bastards come, I say.

Way to easy

The Plan:
since the enemy has us corralled with a river we need to cross (to our east) and their forces (to the west) and we need to get zecora across the ford and to her territory ASAP, I'm gonna have the Royal guard pegasi (certainly more training to be able to actually lift a pony right?) "airlift" Zecora and her guards over to the other side (fly low, fly hard).

While this is occurring me and the boys are going to play a little scrimmage game with the enemy. The unicorns are to put up a shield spell wall on either side, forcing them down one path of attack with out them being able to flank me atm (set up is unicorns back earth ponies front; walls to left and right flanks on the "beach" and down into the water way [maybe a foot or two at most]). The pegasi will be on standby for the time (within the shield boundaries and out of the water of course).

After Zecora and her detail are across the ford and the Royal pegasi are back on this side (most likely flying into an engagement), the regular pegasi are to take earth ponies and unicorns (equally) along with the Royal pegasi (probably enough ponies to actually make the trip too), fly us across, then we haul flank to the friendly tribe

Estimated Casualties:
2-10 earth ponies (it was really only an engagement that lasted no more than 5 minutes at most)

514331 very savvy eh?

514726 Only one problem.

the regular pegasi are to take earth ponies and unicorns (equally) along with the Royal pegasi

I didn't give you any regular pegasi. Just the four royal guard pegasi.........So only four pegasi to haul you all across....... Other than that it seems like a decent plan. I'll have to try harder next time

514993
I blundered. DOWN TO BUSINESS THEN! those four royal guard pegasi are gonna earn thier pay then hauling our asses across the ford

Also, I hacked the world with pinkie pie then

515000Wanna try that again? I would go ahead and give you the victory with a slightly higher casualty rate than you estimated but if you'd like to try again.....

515007
higher casualty rate is all its gonna be, plan isn't going to change since it gets zecora, the VIP, across the ford to haul tail. maybe 7-16 dead earth ponies and 1-6 unicorns. still Running the hell away at the speed of GTFO

515013Acceptable

515017
As a random thought, I now actually have an OC I think he and your OC would get along very well

515027 I took a look. I think so to. Though Book Cover would probably attempt to play the role of mentor to the poor lad, needed/wanted or not.

515044
probably needed more than wanted (and on a scale of 1-10 they are both around a 4). If he and Book Cover were ever together when BC (Before Celestia) suffers a defeat and sees him drinking, he may just frown at that (his unsurity comes from whether or not he should stay to help protect fellow ponies or he should get out before war breaks him entirely; he hasn't turned to the bottle yet) if not belittle him about it (probably sparking a debate, heated or otherwise; it also depends on the terms of the defeat too). But that shouldn't happen with two great minds working on problems eh? Otherwise they might as well prepare for long nights for friendly discussions on anything and everything

515069
*raises glass of Applejack Daniels* Indeed