Военное дело чукчей (середина XVII—начало XX в.) - [137]

The warriors reached battlefield by sledges in full armour or they put their armour on the spot. They aligned and leader took his stand in the center, which was assaulter. At the battlefield before close fight Chukchi outflank enemy in order to force them to retreat. In general was the following battle tactics: first, both opposite sides shot one at another, and then began to fight with spears in hand-to-hand combat. Characteristic of Eskimos fight was to battle using bow and arrows, while Chukchi were both shooting and fighting hand-to-hand with spears. The latter used new tactics against Russians: they allow enemy to fire a volley and after that rushed to the attack and started in-fighting. Battle turned into series of single combats while warriors showed their skills in fencing.

Battle might begin with single combat that ended with death of one of fighters, his exhaustion or simply with loss of spear — main weapon of duel. After loss of the weapon combat did not continue with knives or with fisticuff. Ending of combat was quite standard: loser has to acknowledge his defeat and was asking to kill him being afraid to deprive his authority in society. After the combat battle continued and usually supporters of the defeated did not flee. This single combat was not only tribute to the heroic ethos but also had underlying theme: a try to avoid unnecessary battle casualties, because even a few men loss had vital importance to the relatively small patriarchal family where every man was a bread-winner. If defeated enemies were not annihilated during the battle, they escaped, and then best runners were picked out for the chase. Male prisoners were usually killed. Victors quite often released only two men in order to break news about defeat to their forces. As long as Chukchi highly rate public opinion the defeated enemy had to spread news about valour and bravery of victors. Dead enemies were left where they fell but their weapon, armour and dress were captured as spoils. Women and children, escorting defeated side with caravan were taken prisoners, and then the latter became slaves. Servitude had a patriarchal nature and was mainly women's because male prisoners were dangerous to families.

Chukchi arranged different sorts of ambushes. In the first place, not numerous troop could was able to make sudden attack numerous enemy and obtain a successful result. Secondly, using feigned retreat was possible to ensnare enemy to entrapment and after all defeat it. Thirdly, started fight from battle-front and thereby not letting enemy to transfer any forces to another positions to gain the rear of the enemy and to encircle it.

Asiatic Eskimos and Coastal Chukchi did not raise special war dogs. However they were using same huskies during military operations of necessity. These animals had several functions. They were guarding dwelling doing ordinary dog's task. Dogs were intended to fight against men in case of attack or pursuit. Finally, considering the brute of predator, dogs were set on reindeer of enemy caravan, thereby taking away hostile transport and causing disorder among people, warriors attacked caravan and followed inevitable defeat of the riders.

Siege and defence. The Reindeer Chukchi, like any nomads at all, had no developed skills of erecting fortifications. They conducted military operations reckoning on surprise, even in spite of the tradition to declare war. The nomadic Chukchi made use of temporary dwelling only, both natural and artificial, as their campaigns were not counted on any long-term siege or defence because the natural conditions and lack of provision laid obstacles to them. They built fortified refuges only in case of serious menaces from the enemy. For erecting such just material at hand was utilized, viz. sledges, skins, stones, and turf. Inhabitants together with herds tried to leave and to find some safe place. If enemy superior in numbers Chukchi preferred to defend from fortifications. Otherwise, war ethos demanded to meet enemy face to face at the battlefield. The main method of defence was shooting arrows from fortifications with the object of inflicting great losses on foe and forcing them to retreat. The storm, a main method of the siege, could be directed both along the entire perimeter of hostile fortification and against their weakest points. No special siege equipment was at Chikchi's disposal. Its lack was replaced by a number of various tricks. Sometimes, when conducting siege operations the Chukchi could make use of big wooden shields to protect themselves form the Russian bullets. After enemy departure temporary fortifications were dismantled. The Maritime Chukchi and Eskimos erected stone fortifications on the heights dominating in area and waited there till the raid was over. Typical way to defend fortification was to slide down sledges laden with stones towards attacking enemy.

Naval warfare. Chukchi learned basic elements of seafaring from the Eskimos who were skilled in navigation. They used baydars as transport for the landing operations and not for the naval battle. There was no any difference between boat crew and passengers, both were soldiers. As well as in land warfare in naval expeditions Chukchi used natural conditions and time to make sudden attacks with small crew that helped to avoid undesirable losses. After the landing they began to operate as in usual land fight. In raid usually participated few baydars, however, exist record of large fleet of 100 baydars (the 18