Band of the Red Hand
Encyclopedia
In The Wheel of Time
series of fantasy
fiction
books by the late Robert Jordan
, the Band of the Red Hand is a military group
named after a legendary band of heroes who died in the defense of Manetheren.
in The Eye of the World
. During the Trolloc Wars, Manetheren's military fighting under the Red Eagle banner had become "the thorn in the Dark One
's foot, the bramble to his hand," their forces confronting the Trollocs at every juncture, present at every battle (Manetheren herself came to be known as the "sword that cannot be broken.")
After victory in the Battle of Bekkar in the Borderlands (called the "Field of Blood"), they learned that the Trollocs were moving on their homeland. The march home itself was noteworthy, setting off still covered in the blood, sweat and dust of battle with no hesitation, for they had seen what a Trolloc Army did to a place it took.
Marching straight from the battle they arrived just in time to confront the Trolloc hordes. They were vastly outnumbered, but King Aemon had sent out messengers, and aid was promised within three days; reassured, the Band launched into the fray, facing odds that should overwhelm them in the first hour.
They held out for three days, then five, and finally ten days, until Aemon felt the bitter taste of betrayal. Help would never come---Aemon and Manetheren were betrayed. Retreating and burning the bridges across the river, they sent their people to flee from the Trollocs. Some did not: men and women with bows and pitchforks and axes joined the army, in a trickle, then a flood. They defended desperately, fighting literally for their lives, every inch of ground given was sold dearly with both Trolloc and Human lives, but gradually they were pushed back until they fell, defending Aemon to the last, until finally they were overwhelmed. The old stories tell that a spring rose where they fell at Emond's Field (Aemon's Field), where much later Matrim Cauthon, commander of the new Band of the Red Hand, is born.
Aemon's Queen Eldrene felt his death, and with the One Power
obliterated the leaders of the Trolloc army, causing the trollocs to panic and flee, but she drew too much of the One power and destroyed herself and the city in the process.
when Matrim Cauthon, aided by the memories gifted him by the Eelfinn, takes command of some of the forces of Tear
and Cairhien
fighting the Shaido while trying to effect his own escape. He wins many skirmishes against the Aiel during this battle, in one even killing Couladin, earning the respect of the men and their generals, enough for them to name him their commander.
Known as Shen an Calhar in the Old Tongue
, The Band's first members were from Tear and Cairhien, although their reputation has garnered significant numbers of recruits from Altara
, Andor
and Murandy. It is formed around military formations based on those used during the Trolloc Wars and Artur Hawkwing's time.
, the band is now in two sections. One part is with Mat moving northeast out of Altara; this group comprises three banners of horse (4500 cavalry) and four thousand mounted crossbowmen (horses for travel, fighting from foot). They lost four hundred crossbowmen and five hundred cavalry before their last battle in Altara, and recruited some Altarans (numbers unknown) who were fighting the Seanchan
.
The other section, led by Estean and Daerid, comprises three banners of horse (again, 4500 cavalry), five banners of foot (15,000 infantry) and a Mason's Banner (an engineering corps, number unknown); it is moving north out of Murandy and into Andor.
The Band's ensign consists of a red-fringed white square with a large open red hand in the center. Beneath the hand, Mat's motto has been embroidered in red: Dovie'andi se tovya sagain, or "It's time to toss the dice." Its unofficial anthem is "Dance with Jak o' the Shadows"---Jak o' the Shadows is a pseudonym for Death.
Redarms refer to members of the Band assigned to keeping the peace within the ranks, and they wear a red piece of cloth around their arm when it is their turn to perform their duties. Any damage caused by members of the Band while they are camped around population centers comes directly out of the Redarms' pay, giving them an extra incentive to make sure nobody gets too rowdy after a visit to the local tavern.
When in their battle gear, most everything they wear blends into their surroundings as Mat has had the soldiers of the Band paint their armor and helmets a dull green to fade into the background. Yet the army as a whole has adopted the style of wearing a length of red cloth on their arm.
, the Band of the Red Hand is described (World, 232–233); its organization is said to mirror that of earlier ages, with Matrim “Mat” Cauthon identified as the patron and commander in chief.
In Knife of Dreams, the Band is divided into two groups, one located in Altara and the other in Murandy. The band is nearly 24,000 strong not including masons and raw recruits.
In Altara, The Band is made up of:
3 banners of cavalry
4,000 mounted crossbowmen
8,500 total*
In Murandy, The Band is made up of:
3 banners of Cavalry
5 banners of infantry
1 banner of masons*
15,500 total**
There is also some luck that when he was raiding his way out of Seanchan country, he was doing so almost concurrently with Rodel Itulrade, who was also spreading his troops out to raid over a vast area. It led the Seanchan to massively overestimate the numbers of men involved.
, when reunited with the Band Mat is informed of a new device Talmanes had acquired while journeying to meet him. It is a box like attachment, placed at the end of the stock of a heavy crossbow. It has vastly improved reloading times, surprising enemies who expect a long reload time, and also causing the Seanchan
to vastly overestimate his numbers. Talmanes brags that a good crossbowman can get off eight quarrels in a minute, meaning that the heavy crossbows carried by the Band, which would normally loose 2 quarrels a minute, are able to loose 8 a minute matching lighter crossbows and approaching the 12 arrows a minute of normal bows.
The events of Towers of Midnight
further reveal Mat's involvement in the ushering in of the world's "Industrial Age", as it were.
Mat convinces Elayne
to issue prototypes of the dragons to be constructed in Andor
. A demonstration of their range and lethality from atop Caemlyn's battlements leads Birgitte to observe that "the world has just changed in a very large way", and that this was "only the beginning".
Already the precursor has been successfully implemented; slingmen are being used to throw Aludra's grenades---fireworks wrapped with rocks---at attacking armies.
Since The Fires of Heaven
they've fought different types of enemies, including Aiel and ordinary soldiers (The White Lions). Even more recently, in Knife of Dreams they've had experience fighting against the Seanchan and their conscripted allies.
They also have experience of fast marching, and the tactics Mat employs. They can also rely on the experience of their other generals in campaigning, all of whom have had experience in fighting, not just with the Band but more often than not in previous campaigns.
With more engagements (which come almost because of Mat's attempts to avoid them) than most fighting units, the Band has naturally become a better opponent. This becomes an ongoing, self-perpetuating cycle as more battles bring more success which then in turn makes them even better (and brings them many more recruits).
Many of them believe their Luck is tied with Mat as well, so that when he was gone, a few of The Band deserted to the Aes Sedai forces, but the solid core remained, and when they rejoined Mat, the soldiers showed how much they believe in Mat.
Utilising this speed he was able to later deploy his men to raid out of Altara, his troops spreading widely and raiding supply camps, men moving faster than any other army.
This is another factor that caused the Seanchan to overestimate his power, the speed of his armies, and the organization of raids and their power leading them to pull an entire army back to face him.
He has moved more towards the formations and tactics used during the Trolloc Wars, when fast small armies could inflict fast damage and then melt away, the ratio of archers to pikemen being roughly 50:50.
He has shown a very good ability to think fast and work out tactics on the fly, utilizing the strengths of his own forces and the weaknesses of others, as well as trying to minimize his own during fights.
.
The sigil of the Band may well be drawn from the Red Hand of Ulster
. The Red Hand of Ulster were considered lucky and were led by the O'Neills. The O'Neills eventually fled Ireland during the flight of the Earl, and became renowned throughout Europe as great soldiers and officers.
The band's motto is likely taken from the words uttered by Julius Caesar
, Alea iacta est
.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
series of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
books by the late Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
, the Band of the Red Hand is a military group
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
named after a legendary band of heroes who died in the defense of Manetheren.
History
The story of Manetheren ("Mountain Home") is relayed by Moiraine DamodredMoiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah and is the niece of King Laman Damodred of Cairhien.-Description:...
in The Eye of the World
The Eye of the World
The Eye of the World is the first book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books and released on January 15, 1990. The unabridged audio book is read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading...
. During the Trolloc Wars, Manetheren's military fighting under the Red Eagle banner had become "the thorn in the Dark One
Dark One
The Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
's foot, the bramble to his hand," their forces confronting the Trollocs at every juncture, present at every battle (Manetheren herself came to be known as the "sword that cannot be broken.")
After victory in the Battle of Bekkar in the Borderlands (called the "Field of Blood"), they learned that the Trollocs were moving on their homeland. The march home itself was noteworthy, setting off still covered in the blood, sweat and dust of battle with no hesitation, for they had seen what a Trolloc Army did to a place it took.
Marching straight from the battle they arrived just in time to confront the Trolloc hordes. They were vastly outnumbered, but King Aemon had sent out messengers, and aid was promised within three days; reassured, the Band launched into the fray, facing odds that should overwhelm them in the first hour.
They held out for three days, then five, and finally ten days, until Aemon felt the bitter taste of betrayal. Help would never come---Aemon and Manetheren were betrayed. Retreating and burning the bridges across the river, they sent their people to flee from the Trollocs. Some did not: men and women with bows and pitchforks and axes joined the army, in a trickle, then a flood. They defended desperately, fighting literally for their lives, every inch of ground given was sold dearly with both Trolloc and Human lives, but gradually they were pushed back until they fell, defending Aemon to the last, until finally they were overwhelmed. The old stories tell that a spring rose where they fell at Emond's Field (Aemon's Field), where much later Matrim Cauthon, commander of the new Band of the Red Hand, is born.
Aemon's Queen Eldrene felt his death, and with the One Power
One Power
In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. It comes from the True Source, and it is separated into two halves: saidin , the male half, and saidar , the female half. It is used in the series by people...
obliterated the leaders of the Trolloc army, causing the trollocs to panic and flee, but she drew too much of the One power and destroyed herself and the city in the process.
Evolution of the army
The Band of the Red Hand is now reconstituted after the events in The Fires of HeavenThe Fires of Heaven
The Fires of Heaven is the fifth book in American author Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It was published by Tor Books and released on October 15, 1993....
when Matrim Cauthon, aided by the memories gifted him by the Eelfinn, takes command of some of the forces of Tear
Tear (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Tear is one of the richest nations in the land. This comes in part from controlling the greatest port on the Sea of Storms, at the mouth of the River Erinin. A great deal of Tear's wealth comes from the oil produced on the...
and Cairhien
Cairhien
Cairhien is a country set in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series of fantasy fiction novels. Cairhien is located in the east central part of The Westlands, on the east it borders with the Spine of the World. The sign of Cairhien is a golden sun rising on a field of deep blue...
fighting the Shaido while trying to effect his own escape. He wins many skirmishes against the Aiel during this battle, in one even killing Couladin, earning the respect of the men and their generals, enough for them to name him their commander.
Known as Shen an Calhar in the Old Tongue
Old Tongue
The Old Tongue is a fictional language from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. It is depicted as a now-dead language, spoken only by scholars and certain nobles, but still plays a role in the plot of the books.-History:...
, The Band's first members were from Tear and Cairhien, although their reputation has garnered significant numbers of recruits from Altara
Altara
Altara is a fictional country in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series.-Geography:Altara is located between Illian and Amadicia. The river Eldar forms its western border.-Politics and government:...
, Andor
Andor (Wheel of Time)
Andor is a country set in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series of fantasy fiction novels.Andor is one of the strongest countries in the Westlands of the main continent. It is located in the middle of the Westlands, and is one of the largest nations...
and Murandy. It is formed around military formations based on those used during the Trolloc Wars and Artur Hawkwing's time.
Today
Due to events in Knife of DreamsKnife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams is the 11th novel in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books in the U.S. and Orbit in the UK and released on October 11, 2005...
, the band is now in two sections. One part is with Mat moving northeast out of Altara; this group comprises three banners of horse (4500 cavalry) and four thousand mounted crossbowmen (horses for travel, fighting from foot). They lost four hundred crossbowmen and five hundred cavalry before their last battle in Altara, and recruited some Altarans (numbers unknown) who were fighting the Seanchan
Seanchan
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Seanchan is the name of a continent, the empire that occupies it, and the people that live in the empire...
.
The other section, led by Estean and Daerid, comprises three banners of horse (again, 4500 cavalry), five banners of foot (15,000 infantry) and a Mason's Banner (an engineering corps, number unknown); it is moving north out of Murandy and into Andor.
The Band's ensign consists of a red-fringed white square with a large open red hand in the center. Beneath the hand, Mat's motto has been embroidered in red: Dovie'andi se tovya sagain, or "It's time to toss the dice." Its unofficial anthem is "Dance with Jak o' the Shadows"---Jak o' the Shadows is a pseudonym for Death.
Redarms refer to members of the Band assigned to keeping the peace within the ranks, and they wear a red piece of cloth around their arm when it is their turn to perform their duties. Any damage caused by members of the Band while they are camped around population centers comes directly out of the Redarms' pay, giving them an extra incentive to make sure nobody gets too rowdy after a visit to the local tavern.
When in their battle gear, most everything they wear blends into their surroundings as Mat has had the soldiers of the Band paint their armor and helmets a dull green to fade into the background. Yet the army as a whole has adopted the style of wearing a length of red cloth on their arm.
Leadership and organization
In The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of TimeThe World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time is a reference book for the bestselling The Wheel of Time epic fantasy series of novels by Robert Jordan. It is published in the United States by Tor Books and in the United Kingdom by Orbit Books...
, the Band of the Red Hand is described (World, 232–233); its organization is said to mirror that of earlier ages, with Matrim “Mat” Cauthon identified as the patron and commander in chief.
Makeup
Like the earlier Band, Mat's army is about two-thirds infantry and one-third cavalry (using lances, horsebows, etc.). He assigns roughly 1,500 men to a cavalry banner, while a banner of infantry consists of about 3,000 men. Contemporary armies typically divide the infantry, with about 80% pikemen and/or billmen, and the remaining 20% archers (bows, longbows, & crossbows). Mat differs from this tradition by significantly increasing the ratio of bowmen in his infantry. In Knife, his bowmen comprise nearly half of his foot; he has said that he wants to return to the standard of the original Band when bowmen made up more than half of all the infantry (World, 233), which was a necessity during The Trolloc Wars, where the Humans would frequently find themselves outnumbered, and would need to strike rapidly at the flanks of an army.In Knife of Dreams, the Band is divided into two groups, one located in Altara and the other in Murandy. The band is nearly 24,000 strong not including masons and raw recruits.
In Altara, The Band is made up of:
3 banners of cavalry
4,000 mounted crossbowmen
8,500 total*
In Murandy, The Band is made up of:
3 banners of Cavalry
5 banners of infantry
1 banner of masons*
15,500 total**
- This total does not take into account losses suffered during the Altara campaign which resulted in at least 900 dead and possibly another 500-1000 killed during the final battle of the campaign.
- Masons excluded from total as they are not combat oriented. They are engineers, their purpose is to build bridges, fortifications, etc.
- This total is with the understanding that the infantry banners have been reduced by 4,000 crossbowmen who are currently with Mat Cauthon.
- Masons excluded from total as they are not combat oriented. They are engineers, their purpose is to build bridges, fortifications, etc.
Commanders
- Captain General Matrim Cauthon: Often called simply “Lord Mat” by his men, in actuality he disdains titles and any pretense to nobility. Occasionally called “General” by others, he does not use the title to refer to himself. Technically he is a prince consortPrince consortA prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
(thanks to his marriage to The Daughter of the Nine MoonsTuon'Fortuona Athaem Devi Paendrag', formerly known as Tuon Athaem Kore Paendrag is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's popular Wheel of Time fantasy series. As the heir-designate to the Seanchan empire, she is titled the Daughter of the Nine Moons...
), but this title has no bearing to his standing in the Band.
Cavalry
- Lieutenant-General Talmanes Delovinde: Talmanes, a Lord from Cairhien, originally commanded the First Banner of the original cavalry. In Knife of Dreams, he leads the Altara contingent of three banners supplemented by a large group of crossbowmen.
- Lieutenant-General Estean: Battle-field/temporarily promoted to command the cavalry of the Murandy contingent, particularly three banners of horse.
- Banner-General Edorion: A Tairen Lord, leads a banner of horse in Altara under Talmanes.
- Banner-General Reimon: A Tairen Lord, leads a banner of horse also in Altara.
- Banner-General Carlomin: A Tairen Lord, leads a banner of horse in Altara.
Infantry
- Lieutenant-General Daerid Ondin: A commoner, commands five banners of foot soldiers in the Murandy group. Mason’s banner also probably under his command.
- Banner-General Mandevwin: A Cairhienen, commands the crossbowmen temporarily attached to the Altaran cavalry contingent.
Former
- Lord Nalesean Aldiaya: Originally commanded the Second Banner of the original cavalry, now deceased. Was part of the group trying to take The Bowl of the Winds out the Rahad, Ebou Dar, Altara and was one of the casualties of that fight.
Advantages
The Band seems to have considerably more success than would be expected of any army; some of the reasons that lead to those victories are the following:Allies
Mat has lamented that a true ta'veren would have men flock to his cause and enemies turn to allies; the irony is that is exactly what happens with Mat. During the Battle against the Shaido, The Band's battles were ended either by a group of allied Aiel arriving to attack the Shaido, or being hit by lightning bolts Rand, Egwene and Aviendha were using. With little effort on his part, Talmanes has recently made King Roedran the Band's financier. Although Tuon has not materially participated as an ally yet, the fact that she stood by while Mat destroyed her armies was incredible in itself. With virtually no recruiting, the Band has grown to more than five times its original size in the past few months."Battle Luck"
Mat is lucky, and as one of his commanders says he has battle luck, where a Company can find a chink in the enemies line, or catch the enemy unaware. Ever since his separation from the Shadar Logoth Blade, and then later his return from the Finns, his luck has increased and may well effect something as random as a battle can be."I remember times we were outnumbered, with enemies on every side, and he danced the Band around them. Not to slip away, mind, but to beat them. Beautiful battles. . . . You cannot deny there is battle luck, when you find a weakness in your enemy's lines that you never expected, that should not be there, when you find him arrayed to defend against attack from the north only you are coming from the south. Battle luck rides on your shoulder, my Lord. I have seen it" (Knife, 595-6).
There is also some luck that when he was raiding his way out of Seanchan country, he was doing so almost concurrently with Rodel Itulrade, who was also spreading his troops out to raid over a vast area. It led the Seanchan to massively overestimate the numbers of men involved.
Crossbows
In Knife of DreamsKnife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams is the 11th novel in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books in the U.S. and Orbit in the UK and released on October 11, 2005...
, when reunited with the Band Mat is informed of a new device Talmanes had acquired while journeying to meet him. It is a box like attachment, placed at the end of the stock of a heavy crossbow. It has vastly improved reloading times, surprising enemies who expect a long reload time, and also causing the Seanchan
Seanchan
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Seanchan is the name of a continent, the empire that occupies it, and the people that live in the empire...
to vastly overestimate his numbers. Talmanes brags that a good crossbowman can get off eight quarrels in a minute, meaning that the heavy crossbows carried by the Band, which would normally loose 2 quarrels a minute, are able to loose 8 a minute matching lighter crossbows and approaching the 12 arrows a minute of normal bows.
Deception
During the fight against the Shaido he frequently used deception to meet the enemy on ground he wished, or cause them to do something he wanted. In his battles against the Seanchan, he spread his forces out to raid as many places as he could, which along with the new crossbow and his fast movement of groups, caused them to vastly overestimate his numbers and pull back an entire army to face him; as it happens, that was exactly what he wanted them to do, and it allowed him to slip through the mountain pass and escape."Dragons & Eggs"
Named by Aludra (another unusual, unexpected ally) who has invented them, these are The Wheel of Time artillery, introduced in Knife of Dreams. Although not used in the books yet, prophecies and foreshadowing in the series indicate that Mat is crucial to their fabrication and deployment. From Mat's guesswork and Aludra's hints they appear similar in function to an 18th-century howitzer, throwing explosive shells rather than solid cannon balls.The events of Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson is the sequel to the novel The Gathering Storm, and the 13th book in the Wheel of Time series.The novel is the second part of A Memory of Light, Robert Jordan's projected final book...
further reveal Mat's involvement in the ushering in of the world's "Industrial Age", as it were.
Mat convinces Elayne
Elayne
Elayne is a French female given name meaning "light". It is derived from Elena. Other names with same meaning are:*Elaine*Ailin*Aileen*Elane*Eliane...
to issue prototypes of the dragons to be constructed in Andor
Andor
Andor may refer to:* Andor , country set in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time novels* Andor Technology, manufacturer of scientific digital cameras* And/or, logical conjunction...
. A demonstration of their range and lethality from atop Caemlyn's battlements leads Birgitte to observe that "the world has just changed in a very large way", and that this was "only the beginning".
Already the precursor has been successfully implemented; slingmen are being used to throw Aludra's grenades---fireworks wrapped with rocks---at attacking armies.
Experience
A good proportion of The Band are seasoned soldiers, infantrymen and cavalry alike, all who have fought battles against different enemies. The Cairhienin especially have fought a large amount due to the Civil War there.Since The Fires of Heaven
The Fires of Heaven
The Fires of Heaven is the fifth book in American author Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It was published by Tor Books and released on October 15, 1993....
they've fought different types of enemies, including Aiel and ordinary soldiers (The White Lions). Even more recently, in Knife of Dreams they've had experience fighting against the Seanchan and their conscripted allies.
They also have experience of fast marching, and the tactics Mat employs. They can also rely on the experience of their other generals in campaigning, all of whom have had experience in fighting, not just with the Band but more often than not in previous campaigns.
With more engagements (which come almost because of Mat's attempts to avoid them) than most fighting units, the Band has naturally become a better opponent. This becomes an ongoing, self-perpetuating cycle as more battles bring more success which then in turn makes them even better (and brings them many more recruits).
Knowledge
In the valley of Rhuidean Mat found a red stone doorway which brought him to the land of the Eelfinn, who resemble foxes. He was expecting to get answers, so when the Eelfinn offered him wishes instead, he rather squandered them: he wished to a) have the holes in his memories filled, b) be free from Aes Sedai channeling, and c) to be returned to Rhuidean. All this came true. Mat now has the memories of countless historical military leaders and is thus privy to over a thousand years of cultural and military knowledge.Maps
In Knife of Dreams, The Band has acquired its own mapmaker, Master Roidelle, who with his skilled assistants makes maps as they travel, and who also has a large collection of very good maps made by other master cartographers. One map has the positions of nearly every Seanchan position in Altara, gleaned from scouts and from information gathered when signing up Altaran Dragonsworn and bandits.Morale
Ever since he took command in his first battles against the Shaido outside of Cairhien, the Band has believed in Mats' Luck, and trust in his luck to win battles for him. Mat has a few wild rumours surrounding him, but his men trust him and this gives them a great boost in morale.Many of them believe their Luck is tied with Mat as well, so that when he was gone, a few of The Band deserted to the Aes Sedai forces, but the solid core remained, and when they rejoined Mat, the soldiers showed how much they believe in Mat.
Scouts
While waiting near Cairhien after skirmishing with the White Lions, he asks for the poachers and horse thieves his generals had found in the army but been unable to find enough evidence to charge them. From the original members, he found more and more. He promised the thieves less work and more pay if they were willing to work as Scouts. He also promised to hang any of them that was found to have lied about what was discovered while scouting or for shirking their duty. The best scout is a horse thief named Vanin, widely acknowledged by even the scouts to be the best amongst them.Speed
When moving towards Tear in accordance with the Grand Plan Mat, Rand and Bashere worked out, he forced the Band to march many more miles than any of them expected. They quickly proved they could manage the pace.Utilising this speed he was able to later deploy his men to raid out of Altara, his troops spreading widely and raiding supply camps, men moving faster than any other army.
This is another factor that caused the Seanchan to overestimate his power, the speed of his armies, and the organization of raids and their power leading them to pull an entire army back to face him.
Stealth
In Knife the Seanchan lament that they can never find Mat and his army; the rank and file are even calling his army ghosts. The speed with which the army moves and the intelligence its scouts gather aid Mat in remaining hidden from the Seanchan they are eluding, but they are also specifically aided by their ability to remain unseen. One of the main things they do is travel mostly at night and under cover as much as possible. To remain hidden, after every battle, the Band removes every corpse of the army in order to hide what and who they are, increasing the doubts of their enemies.Strategy and tactics
Mat has hundreds of years of military experience in his mind, from both the winning and losing sides. He is able to interpret them and work out usable strategies.He has moved more towards the formations and tactics used during the Trolloc Wars, when fast small armies could inflict fast damage and then melt away, the ratio of archers to pikemen being roughly 50:50.
He has shown a very good ability to think fast and work out tactics on the fly, utilizing the strengths of his own forces and the weaknesses of others, as well as trying to minimize his own during fights.
Real world comparisons
The name of the Band and its historical role is similar to the Red Branch Knights from the Irish Ulster CycleUlster Cycle
The Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
.
The sigil of the Band may well be drawn from the Red Hand of Ulster
Red Hand of Ulster
The Red Hand of Ulster is a symbol used in heraldry to denote the Irish province of Ulster. It is less commonly known as the Red Hand of O'Neill. Its origins are said to be attributed to the mythical Irish figure Labraid Lámh Dhearg , and appear in other mythical tales passed down from generation...
. The Red Hand of Ulster were considered lucky and were led by the O'Neills. The O'Neills eventually fled Ireland during the flight of the Earl, and became renowned throughout Europe as great soldiers and officers.
The band's motto is likely taken from the words uttered by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, Alea iacta est
Alea iacta est
Alea iacta est is a Latin phrase attributed by Suetonius to Julius Caesar on January 10, 49 BC as he led his army across the River Rubicon in Northern Italy...
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External links
- More on the Band of the Red Hand at WoT Compendium: Shen an Calhar - The Band of the Red Hand