A pony is not a war machine. The kicker would get a sprain before they finish a salvo if they keep up a constant rate of fire.

And it would really be best to save the food as, you know, food. So I guess they would be kicking rocks. Which has the added benefit of being pretty much everywhere.

And Pegasi can create tornadoes. That's a hell of a weapon right there.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:03:28 AM by ApplelightLimited

are we forgetting the possible combat applications of unicorn magic?

That's some pretty unconventional warfare, though.

Gotta wonder if the non earth pony races are any good at growing food, though. Otherwise, earth ponies are going to play a very big role on the logistical side of war. Armies gotta eat, you know?

The possibilities are endless. Which makes discussion, quite frankly, boring.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:08:44 AM by KylerThatch

Hearth's Warming Eve said that they can't. I'm inclined to believe that.

Again i still use the way A Slice of Life described pony "war" and it's my headcanon.

There used to be rather bloody and costly wars with neighboring knigdoms as they fought for land, resources, etc.. but centuries ago the leaders all realized what a waste it was, settled things peacefully and well just stopped being idiots. (Of course since this seemed to be shortly after Celestia baniched Luna to the moon, the rest could have just not wnted to risk joining her.)

But, they realized that there will always be hotheads, or overly militant ponies, gryphons etc... that simply want to fight. And that to help keep the aggression and what not in check, and keep wars from really happening. They would stage mock wars regularly with each other, using foam swords, water balloons, pies etc...

Also explains OAB, it's been so long like that, it's simply how everypony and buffalo thought "war" was fought, and just played along.

Word Of God, they can, but not effectively as EP's. They'd be able to grow like a personal vegetable garden or something, but not the large amounts needed to feed everyone. Plus the EP's can grow it faster, better, and in worse coditions.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:13:32 AM by Seraphem

Hearth's Warming Eve says they can't to the same degree as Earth Ponies. There is a distinction.

Well, in Hearthswarming Eve the unicorns and Pegasi seemed wholly willing to set out on their own, which means they can grow food on their own, or they're amazingly, fantastically stupid.

There you have it. The earth ponies are probably just better at it. Pure hearted strength, etc. etc. Maybe plants just like them more.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:14:33 AM by kegisak

@ keg

With Puddinghead and Platinum in charge...maybe they were.

Of course, I'm willing to agree with the latter.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:14:57 AM by Steventheman

Yeah they CAN do it, just EP's do it much much better. Plus, it seems Unicorn and Pegasus society at the time wasn't really set up to encourage farming or other petty Earth Pony stuff amongst them. Most just thought growing food was beneath them, so didn't even bother trying.

Considering the situation and the way the leaders were generally acting I think the latter is actually far more likely.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:15:55 AM by Mio

It saddens me that Earthies are just peasant 'norms'.

I'm going with the idea that they can all grow food as well. It's just that the EP's are the only group that can grow enough crops to thrive rather than just scrape by with the bare minimum. Basically my take is that a unicorn or pegasus could live off of a farm, but they'd have to devote pretty much every waking moment to cultivating it and then they'd still only barely make enough to get by. Whereas an EP on the same farm would put in half the work and get twice the yield.

Of course it doesn't help that the unicorns and pegasi live in mountains and clouds, respectively; neither of those locations are conducive to farming.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:19:31 AM by JapaneseTeeth

Ah, ye olde earth pony topic.

@Sera: And man, I'm only familiar with the Slice of Life tumblr, so that just confused me for a second.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:23:50 AM by edvedd

@Applelight: I doubt that they were the peasnats. Sure the others may have looked on them as such, but as far as politically and socially the only ones who were probably actual peasants were non-noble unicorns. They probably had it the worst of any of them.

Here is the headcanon I used, regards to pony warfare.

Although the Royal Guards use very primitive weapons, Equestria actually has a covert operation unit, armed with pretty advanced firearms and other equipments, going out in dangerous missions fighting off Equestria's enemies, hunting down pirates, militias, and terrorists, and all.

However, when Luna returned and the wielders of Elements of Harmony were found, they were no longer deemed necessary (seriously, now it has TWO semi-deity and an unduplicatable nuke, what are other nations gonna do?) and were disbanded for good.

By the way, have we actually seen any EP outside of the Apple Family displaying any noticable feats of physical prowess?

edited 27th Mar '13 8:21:28 AM by dRoy

Norms with obvious diplomatic power, though. Generally speaking serfs weren't allowed into political hearings.

It's actually closer to a model of Platos Republic(With three castes: Warrior, Leader and Builder) that just sort of dissolved. In Plato's republic while the builders were, to all outward appearances, a lesser caste, they were still treated with a very great amount of respect, and in modern value would actually be MORE respected. Builder encompassed tradesmen and artist, keep in mind.

...although following that metaphore it's worth noting that only the earth ponies actually fit the ideals of their caste to any degree. The leader unicorns, at least the high ruler we saw, was cowardly and selfish, and the lead warrior was brash and stupid - in stark contrast to the ideal warrior who was calm and kind and philosophical, and the ideal leader who was selfless and wise.

I see you and I are of like minds. I call them the Vigil Caste(Spies who keep an eye on potential threats both within and without the country) and the Vanguard Caste(Warriors and assassins who keep things running smoothly).

edited 27th Mar '13 8:22:06 AM by kegisak

I go with Unicorns and Pegasi can farm to the same degree as a human could. An Earth Pony can farm faster in harsher conditions but not to ludicrous extremes.

So yeah, I guess my theory does hold up. If you can manage to deny a faction of its earth ponies (bribe them, capture them, get them to join your cause, whatever), you can win the war by attrition as the enemy forces starve and lose morale.

So there really is nothing then that an EP can do that one of the other tribes couldn't. Ah well...

@ D Roy: We haven't even seen an Earth Pony do a remarkable physical feat when not empowered by love. Let alone outside the Apple Family.

Note: Remarkable as in house pulling level.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:26:25 AM by Badwolfwho

@kegisak - That we do. You have a better naming sense, though.

Royal Rangers - Elite infantry; first to get in, the last to get out.

Royal Marines - Basically Equestrian Navy SEALs.

Special Assistance Service - Equestrian equivalent of Special Air Service and the Delta Force.

edited 27th Mar '13 8:28:17 AM by dRoy

Why does it have to be something they can do uniquely? Specialization is a thing. Even an individual pony's special talent isn't always something only they can do, and no one else, but rather something they they do best. Take Twist for example. Do you think every other pony in the world is incapable of making peppermint sticks?

Apple, we have confirmed already that EP's not only are much MUCH better at growing food. but also physically stronger, sturdier, more resistant to damage and corruption. Yes most of their bonuses over the other races are passive, but they are there.