Notes from War Council 2-13-16 with cast, outlining Nephite-Lamanite differences in weaponry, fighting styles:
Nephites
Out to protect families, wives
Elves – More defensive, strategic, planned, pointed, accurate
Romans- formations
Star Wars – formation – shield blocks the guy next to you
Mercy
Fought to defend their land – only purpose – push beyond boundaries of land.
Tribal groups – like range war – guards – women and children not on outskirts
Nephites have advantage – barricades
Reluctance to kill
Lamanites:
Orks – Force – savagery -
Germanic – out for single glory – out for their fight – not fighting as a unite
Youth – fought more like small animals
Narnia – White witch – not just trying to kill enemy, but self
No mercy
Lamanites invading – coming to kill and to conquer
Cuz Laman issue attack, going to Nephites
Delight to kill
Vignette ideas – Nephite wounds Lamanite, but lets him crawl away – all we want is for you to leave
Lamanite just wants to kill.
Justifies violence of the Nephites – kill or be killed.
“We would not kill them if they’d leave us alone”
Random formations vs. orderly formations – playbook, vs. they don’t
Motivation – Lamanites compelled by Laman and Lemuel.
Nephites – fight for God, religion
Lamanites – completely convinced – all theirs by God’s hand – fighting to establish their world.
Conquest – both sides fighting for their family.
Were the Lamanites religious?
Experiences with angels?
Nephi has the plates – Liahona, plates, sword of Laban
Like martyrdom of JS – son stepped in – endorsed by Emma and others – no, not who God chose.
“Brigham wants to build a church to themselves.”
Took their sacred manuscripts.
Laman feels – this is his from the time he’s born, that his father’s caring for.
God chose the youngest – Joseph Jacob, David
Apostates – melt them down
Tradition of Great Spirit – tradition got stolen
Ammon –
Mulekites – left from same env but no records
Illiterate – forgot all about God.
Lehi – Melch priesthood holder – ordained Nephi, who ordained Jacob and Joseph
Incredible to think he didn’t ordain his older sons.
Laman – holder of priesthood – becomes spiritual leader – prophet boy has left – tell you what
Religion of pride, cultic.
Delese –weaponry
Nephites – industrious
Lamanites – borrow from others, use stones, clubs
EBA foam, can scult to look metallic.
High density foam
Weapons: Nephites: swords, cimeters. Nephi – pounding, building things from metal. Shields, defensive weapons and formation, armaments.
Lamanites: lose metallurgical technology. Wood and stone – tomahawks, axes, clubs, spears, broad variety of primitive weapons. No shields. Warpaint, vs. no warpint
Mayan
Laman – wants best for kids
Since smaller number of Nephites – equip smaller number of me.
Because of minimal number – adorn with
Banner, crest
Tassels, silver buckles, turquoise – fringe, strips of leather
Lamanites weapons bring more open – so like 3 separate knives – primary weapon and backup weapon
Macuahuitl – Aztec weapon
2 Ne. 5:14-15
14 – took sword of Laban, after manner made many swords
Taught to build buildings – work all manner of - wood, iron, copper, brass, steel, gold, silver.
People worked hard, industrious. He not the only one building armaments.
“He knew the hatred of Lamanites for him and his children
He taught them to work these materials
Lamanites – wood, stone, obsidian, flint
Lighting – elements of red, blue –
Nephi as leader – have a lot of armor
Lamanite – not armed except
Nephites – shield.
Scenes – Nephi/Laman – lets him go
Take – wife, kids – attempted abduction
Nephites – led by faith, prophet – at humble point in cycle – Nephite – prayer, kneeling, looking to God
Lamanites - incite fear, subjugate with fear
Leaders – Lamanites –
Lamanites yelling , Npehites praying as battle begins.
BYU sports teams – pray first – brotherhood – together – united
Lamanites – enjoying this battle – they will embrace death
Viking
Nephi’s shadow
Abudction – no out for blood
Weapons – 600 BC – daggers, boomerangs.
Arrows of light, as projections?
Armies squaring off – lights go down – others have fallen
Not show
Episodic battles
Pantomime, like dart shooter – so no real flying objection
Drawing bow
Matt – secret to victory – not just technology, inspiration, God
Miracle – God’s
Prophets – behind them
Really bright onstage
Carry arrows, not tipped arrows – in
Whenever Lamanites go down – because warmongering – even if they can’t walk, dragging self to kill opponent – thirst for blood.
Somebody does on Nephites gather – don’t leave a man behind.
Lamanite goes down – they scatter
Edges of battle – medics – women?
Style, technology
Nephites onstage – Lamanites run onstage and attack
Lamanites – style of movement – savage, animalistic, primitive, squat, low, looking like animal, predator
Nephites – upright, like men – nobility
Lamanites fight as individuals without synchronization, chaotic,
Nephites – gathered in teams, formations, teams, wings
People who don’t have lines – Lamanites guttural
Laman – spouting propaganda – people respond gutterally.
Nephites – their words intelligent – come help me order here, orders to change formation
Lamanites attack so Nephites have advantage
Lamanites – panther – lunging – low to ground – striking – brute force with axe.
Don’t care if live or die – just kill as many as possible before die, trying to take down barricade.
Entire battle – like cat and mouse – change who has upper mouse
Much bloodshed on both sides. Going back retreating, going forward.
Somebody important dies
Matt – only time fought – Ratweiler bit wife. Will fight to defend those precious to you.
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Notes from war styles, Josh Ellington:
Lamanites and Nephites fight differently:
Lamanites: more savage, like wild animals, stab people in back, dirty tricks
Nephites – look into how middle east fought
Ultimately - guerilla warfare – hide from enemy
Lamanites – less supportive of each other – every man for himself.
Weapons – Nephi – sword of Laban – Lamanites no.
Lamanties – clubs
Nephites – refined
Obsidian – black chipped
Swords –
Lamanites – go kill Nephi, really crude.
Can’t wield an obsidian sword like steel.
Nephites more like fencer – Lamanites – heavy slings, wild.
Lines, shields, swords, organized way to attack, strategy in place
Opponent fighting chaotically.
Martial arts – derived from watching animals.
Kung fu – watching crane fight a snake.
Think Nephites fighting as really refined animal.
Watching Lamanites – dog fight – any way try to hurt opponent, not thinking carefully, not moving efficiently
Nephites – way they fight look more skilled.
Lamanites – draw power from being vcious whereas Nephites draw power from guidance from revelation.
Think adult parents – go off and defend families – resolute, determinted confident. Lamanties – like child throwing tantrum – animal instincts, viciousnesss.
Nephite – advantage of foreknowledge.
20 years – difference in armor even more marked – Lamantites scavengers, savages – put together what they could by scavenging, killing – not as well armed.
Great opportunity to show the difference
Nephites- organized appearance – look similar – more tailored.
Lamanties – whatever pieves of of fur skins- hair dirty, messed up , paint faces – stain with blood.
Nephites look like civilized people, soldiers.
Wife – Lord of rings - Orks vs. Humans – the whole fellowship – armor – elegant – faces painted, streaked, dirty.
Nephites – at least breastplates, shield.
Lamanites – no.
They don’t fight that way – they fight all offence – Nephites more careful, strategize, defensie armor.
Lamanites – best it gets – leather.
Costumer – animal skins. Best if just patched together piecemeal.
Helmets maybe Nephites.
Lamanites – animal head as a display, but not protective.
Whole idea – Lamanites – scavengers – what they can hack together – appearance meant to inspire fear.
Nephties – inspire unity, confidence, sense of purpose.
Soldiers of God.
Whereas the Lamanites are practically animals
One side – Nephites coming in in formation
Other side – Lamanites – half crawling, half wandering in – pushing infighting –
Order and discipline vs. complete savagery.
“War” – Lamanites rush in.
Even use light – Lamanites red/dark, Nephites blue.
Won’t be hard to make it very clear – difference.
Lamanites – like scavengers – like dogs over a piece of meat.
While complaining together – also infighting. – killed each other on a regular basis as much as Nephties. ‘You eat what you kill” – someone has something you want – you kill you get to keep it.
He finds these other people – I know these people are suckers – walk in and take their stuff.
Nephi would remember how