Talk:Iroh (United Forces general)/@comment-5724735-20121208200220/@comment-5724735-20121212021712

1)Coming from two sides would greatly surprise the Equalist forces, who would have assumed, given the naval might of their enemies, would only attack from the sea. And with earthbenders helping them, traveling through the mountains would not have mirrored Hannibal's gambit which, despite the losses, was to some degree a success.

2)If they were expecting resistance, attempting a landing as soon as they reached the city would have caused more casualties than the following attempts to retake the city itself.

3) Beaching a ship of that size and design is not impossible nor unheard of. Japan's Operation Ten-Go was centered around this to make the Yamato and her escorts makeshift shore batteries. The German Tirpitz was positioned on a makeshift sandbar to prevent it from being sunk as well.

But we can go back and forth on this day after day. So let's agree that Iroh handled the situation as best he could and if it had not been for his involuntary "ejection" from the ship would have surely fought on, and that he is a powerful firebender, surprisigly quick study and holder of Ace in a Day status.