Some really great thoughts in the thread. As a lover of medieval battle stories and sword and sandal epics I have to be honest and say I was completely shocked by the Dothraki attack. I don't want to rehash everything that's already been said but here are some of my comments and questions on the scene:
1. It was pitch black with howling winds and snow. They couldn't even see more than a few meters in front of them, and that was WITH the flaming swords, so how did they know where the enemy was or how far away they were, whether or not they had dug trenches or had set up stakes? It was utter madness to plunge forward into the darkness without a clue of any position, strength, weaponry.
2. Before <PERSON> lit their swords, they had no torches. How the hell were they planning to see where they were going? Conversely, they gave the enemy a tactical advantage because you could see their flaming swords approaching from a mile away.
3. <PERSON> was a trained and experienced knight yet he rides into battle with the rest of them like s big fool, with no Intel or light.
4. What a dumb way to dispatch of the dire wolf who shared the journey to that point.
5. All they did was send the Night King more fuel for his army. The strategy should have been long range battle to limit losses. 520
Every loss of their was a gain for the army of the dead. Their were tens of thousands of soldiers but the long range attack and archery offense in particular was pathetic. They should have rained down arrows on the dead when they were in range and keep them at bay. A series of trenches would have worked better, used their trebuchets + dragons to inflict maximum damage.
6. They could have had more light and fires on the field to Illuminate. They could have rigged an early warning system. <PERSON> could really have done more.
Having said all that, I agree that the point of the Dothraki defeat was both metaphorical and logistical. They wanted to use an anticlimax to raise tension and fear, and to visually portray the impending doom of lights/lives being snuffed out. They also wanted to raise the stakes for the battle for the iron throne. <PERSON> has lost more than half her army so we're all wondering how the hell they're going to take kings landing, As professional screenwriter and filmmaker I can tell you that it was also logistical. Cast is a massive budget cost and GOT has a huge cast, by taking out the <PERSON> and their horses in one fell swoop, they've saved budget to raise the production value of other scenes and episodes.
That'sy take on it.
<PERSON> 865