History PlayingWith / RockBeatsLaser

* '''Inverted''':
** The invading force is at a distinct technological disadvantage.

* '''Defied''': "I'm sure their spirit is unsinkable and all that. But I don't care. Get more robots in there right now!"

* '''Discussed''': "How are we winning?" "We have weapons that won't jam or break, and they don't know how to fight once you break their pretty space swords!"

** Troperia [[BoringButPractical cuts the Evil Empire's supply lines and uses guerrilla tactics to slowly wear their forces down]] instead of trying an open battle.

* '''Exploited''': ???

* But while it's by no means old, it's still ancient compared to the Empire's brand-new machinery.

* '''Played For Laughs''': The Empire's technology is so ridiculously delicate and its soldiers so woefully incompetent that the Troperians treat their invasions more like pest control with a really big rock. The Empire also falls for the same primitive traps every single time.
* '''Played For Laughs''': A reverse LensmanArmsRace develops as both sides work their way down more primitive weapons to get an advantage.

* '''Played For Laughs''': A reverse LensmansArmsRace develops as both sides work their way down more primitive weapons to get an advantage.

* '''Double Subverted''': But while it's by no means old, it's still ancient compared to the Empire's brand-new machinery.
** Troperia beats the Empire... then it turns out that ThoseWereOnlyTheirScouts. Emperor Evulz decides it's time to [[LetsGetDangerous Get Dangerous]], sends in the main army.... that are poorly trained, and with gear that makes the Troperians look advanced, and promptly gets {{Curb Stomp|Battle}}ed by the Troperians

** The war is on Troperia's terrain, which they know - and the Empire doesn't.

%%* '''Plotted A Good Waste''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

** Troperia is relatively "modern" in some levels but is technologically stunted in some others. The invasion proceeds to cause Troperia to copy the Evil Empire's tech.

* '''Downplayed''': ???

** The force with the tech disadvantage [[RealityEnsues loses.]]

** Troperia wins... only because a power on the Evil Empire's level is secretly backing them or hindering the Empire.

* '''Exaggerated''': Troperia never advanced past the Stone Age, and the Evil Empire has tech that makes the people living in Star Wars look like Luddites. But they still lose to Troperia.
** The evil empire invades with humungous mecha that fall to pieces when kids throw stones at them.
* '''Justified''': The war is on Troperia's terrain, which they know - and the Empire doesn't.

* '''Inverted''': The invading force is at a distinct technological disadvantage.

* '''Subverted''':

* '''Deconstructed''': Troperia won the battle - but the numbers they lost aren't so easily replaced compared to the Empire, who can replace those soldiers at a moment's notice.
** Troperia won the battle. The spiteful Empire, deciding that IfICantHaveYou, then neither can they, decides to utterly level Troperia with scorched earth saturation artillery/aerial/orbital/kinetic bombardment. The Troperians can't do anything to save themselves because of their low tech.
* '''Reconstructed''': However, Troperia made such an impression on the Empire that they don't try to invade again.
** Troperia are the {{Decoy Protagonist}}s of the work. Their {{Doomed Moral Victor}}y inspires other nations to stand up against the Empire and form TheAlliance, which is what the rest of the story focuses on.
* '''Zig Zagged''': Troperia has some pretty good tech, but it's pretty crappy compared to what the Empire is packing. But then Troperia's top scientists unveil the newest SuperPrototype.
** Troperia is relatively "modern" in some levels but is technologically stunted in some others. The invasion proceeds to cause Troperia to copy the Evil Empire's tech.

Back to RockBeatsLaser.

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* '''Subverted''': It turns out that Troperia had some great technology of their own.

* '''Played For Laughs''': ???

* '''Played For Drama''': The work cuts between several perspectives: The Empire's troopers on the ground, who go from confident to jumping at shadows as the Troperians take their toll; GeneralRipper or [[StevenUlyssesPerhero Admiral I.N.]] [[InsaneAdmiral Sane]] who grows increasingly frustrated with High Command's refusal to let him cut loose with the nukes; the frontline Troperians carrying out their ambushes; and Troperian High Command who while publicly celebrating every victory, privately fear that every win of theirs draws the Empire's patience thinner and fear [[NukeEm what will happen]] once they get pushed too far.

** The Empire wants to capture Troperia intact for use and doesn't have terraforming technology, so nuking it to the bedrock and restoring it afterwards is impractical.

** The evil empire discovers too late that Troperians happen to be immune to their weaponry, either through some freak mutation or [[AWizardDidIt magic]] makes their weaponry not work.

** Or, Troperia has a large numerical advantage and uses [[ZergRush human wave]]

[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_wave_attack tactics]] to overwhelm the Evil Empire.

** Or, Troperia has a large numerical advantage and uses [[ZergRush human wave]] [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_wave_attack tactics]] to overwhelm the Evil Empire.

* '''Discussed''': ???
* '''Conversed''': ???