Commander Elric began Day Two exactly as Lyra predicted—with careful reconnaissance.
But this time, the human probes were more sophisticated.
Instead of simple advance-and-observe patrols, Elric deployed coordinated reconnaissance teams using tactics developed from yesterday's lessons.
Each team consisted of:
Ten soldiers with interlocking shields for arrow defenseTwo battle mages providing mobile shield spellsOne sapper with trap detection equipmentThree archers for counter-battery fireOne signal officer with communication crystals
These weren't probes designed to draw fire—they were intelligence gathering units built to operate under hostile conditions while minimizing casualties.
Six teams deployed simultaneously across different sectors, each advancing to specific observation points with overlapping fields of view. They moved in coordinated timing so that if settlement defenders engaged one team, the others could observe the response patterns.
