the fore had not been exposed to firearms and other advanced weaponry prior to colonial contact and thus resorted to archery-based warfare in the form of open-field fighting and ambushes. war was typically initiated after one group, upon determining that war was necessary against another group, exacted a secret raid on the enemy. these raids were normally performed by a small group of skilled warriors, targeting enemy homes, civilians, and gardens. after being attacked, groups typically rounded up the able-bodied men amongst them and met the initiating group in the open field for battle. coordination of war location and logistics was typically done through messengers carried by "pako", peaceful envoys who went to enemy territory alone and unarmed. pako were typically respected older men or women who were visibly incapable of fighting. often, "pako" had some sort of tie to both groups, and kept tallies of the deaths on both sides. although the fore did not have formal written agreements to grant immunity to "pako" messengers, fore tribes generally respected them and granted them safe passage in and out of their territories.