Plan a successful Dothraki invasion

[Coolbeard the Exile]

I dont understand why everyone underestimates the Dothraki so.

[WSmith84]

6 hours ago, Coolbeard the Exile said:

I dont understand why everyone underestimates the Dothraki so.

Because they actually aren't very well-written if they're supposed to be a serious threat. They're clearly inspired (partially at least) by the Mongols, but they have almost none of the things that made the Mongols so successful. Their equipment is woeful - no spears, no siege equipment, no armour, no infantry, the fact that the entire Khalasar fractures if the leader should die (which is pretty likely in genuine war if said leader doesn't wear armour)... need I go on? They have so little to offer militarily; they're great horseriders, they're fierce... I'm struggling to think of more.

[The Fattest Leech]

7 hours ago, Coolbeard the Exile said:

I dont understand why everyone underestimates the Dothraki so.

In addition to what is posted above this post here, even Dany recognized that they are bow legged and not as cunning when they are not on a horse. When the Dothraki get to Westeros, they will have horses to start, but they will lose several and their type of horses don't always mix with the different terrains of Westeros (Dorne is about it). George goes on and on in the story showing the reader the different types of horses and their capabilities and limitations. This will apply to the Dothraki as well. 

[Coolbeard the Exile]

16 minutes ago, WSmith84 said:

Because they actually aren't very well-written if they're supposed to be a serious threat. They're clearly inspired (partially at least) by the Mongols, but they have almost none of the things that made the Mongols so successful. Their equipment is woeful - no spears, no siege equipment, no armour, no infantry, the fact that the entire Khalasar fractures if the leader should die (which is pretty likely in genuine war if said leader doesn't wear armour)... need I go on? They have so little to offer militarily; they're great horseriders, they're fierce... I'm struggling to think of more.

I confess they arent nearly as impressive as the mongols are when it comes to equipment and they are more of a fantasy race but clearly in the story they are a very serious force that if i recall pretty much rekt a huge part of essos in very little time.

[Graydon Hicks]

i think what has everyone i westeros so afraid, is more in line with what the dothraki can do to the smallfolk population. robert and ned discuss it the first book i think. ned comments on how they dothraki dont or cant fight castles, but robert mentions how the dothraki would then ignore the castles and go after all the regular folks in the villages, hamlets and country sides. and that mobility of theirs makes it hard to engage them traditionally in the field. they would hammer footmen, those without pole-arms, while the the dothraki would have difficulty facing the armour heavy horse. in that case, i think it'll be along the lines of the dothraki cant hurt the knights and armored cavalry very much through their armor, but the heavy horse would have hard time catching the screamers. at that point, i think what would be telling would be the difference of tactic and strategy in the westerosi commanders, and the differences in their weapons. the dothraki havent really faced much in the way of variety in their conflicts in essos. its mostly other dothraki, or unsullied. most of the other martial powers in the region they live in went extinct centuries or millennia ago. so i dont know how they would be able to cope with the more adaptable abilities of the westerosi commanders.