Month 3: Dragon Ages 5-6 months
Overview
Your dragons have now hit the equivalent of the terrible twos! Good luck. ^_^
Now that they're getting older and stronger, their independence is growing as well. They want to be like the big dragons! More questions, and even more communication, are beginning to go between dragons and dragonets, sometimes multiple times considering how short your dragons' memories are. They often begin to get into everything now, wanting to help you out, and since they're getting bigger, you may find yourself tripping over necks, tails, and feet on a disturbingly regular basis.
Milestones during this time will be your first time mounting your dragon, as well as your dragon's first hunt (No more butchering!). Chores are becoming more physical, and exercises for both you and your dragon have intensified. Wing exercises will be a major focus of your dragons' part of physical training, and the sixth month culminates in their first efforts at flying alone!
Threadfighting and Formations
The Wing
Each fighting wing is assigned to the first, second, or third flight. Each flight has specific characteristics (see Flights, below) and the wings which make up that flight are manned according to those characteristics. Having wings built around this pattern ensures that each wing will consist of riders who are accustomed to working together in their primary task situation: fighting Thread. Greens and blues are agile and quick, but lack stamina and can usually only remain in formation for half of a fall before a replacement is needed. Many browns can fight through an entire fall, and bronzes can fight through even the longest attacks of Thread while producing the largest and most intense flames.
During Interval, wings may stray from this scheme as Weyrleaders and wingleaders strive to make wing units to serve different group functions - whether physical, practical or political. However, most of Pern's Weyrs - including High Reaches - have reverted to a wing organization which is based on the needs of Threadfighting during the past few decades, in preparation for the current Pass.
The Flight
When fighting Thread, wings will be deployed at three levels to maximize the varying strengths of different dragons. By attacking Thread at several levels in the air, the amount of the menace which can reach the ground and form hard-to-destroy burrows is minimized.
The uppermost level or first flight will be composed of mostly larger browns and bronzes; their job is to use sheer firepower to char most of the falling Thread from the sky, working inward from the leading edge of the 'fall.
The second level or middle flight is comprised of browns, bronzes, and the larger greens and blues. It finishes off partly-burned Thread missed on the first attack and sears deeper into the fall, charring more Thread as it continues to fall.
The third level or last flight, consisting of the most agile blues and greens, will generally be able to complete the scorching of any Thread escaping the wings above, breaking formation and darting after wayward clumps tossed by wind or fumes from other dragons' flames.
How many wings are assigned to each flight varies by Threadfall. In an average 'fall, one wing from each flight is adequate. If a 'fall is expected to be heavy, a fourth level consisting of the queen’s wing fights off remaining Thread with flamethrowers. In very heavy 'falls, extra wings from any of the third flights may be added to the formation.
While between-cleared senior weyrlings do not fly in a wing assigned to a flight like the other wings, their portion of the weyrling wing will generally be assigned to delivering firestone sacks to the fighting wings and to providing assistance in getting injured pairs safely to the ground. Junior weyrlings serve in ground crew.
More information about the three flights of the Weyr and the wings assigned to each flight can be found in 'news wings 5' on the game.
The Ground Crew
On the ground, weyrlings and riders whose dragons cannot fly in formation seek out fallen, surviving Thread and eliminate it on the ground or in its burrows with flame or agenothree. Weyrlings also generally are responsible for carrying firestone to the fighting wings for restocking midair or on the ground. Additionally, healers, medics and riders expert in dragonhealing will be on hand to tend wounds. When Threadfall occurs over an area belonging to a Hold or Crafthall, the local authorities are required to provide additional support for ground crew as well as supplies, food and drink for the riders protecting the area.
Restrictions
With increased strength and stamina on behalf of the young dragons, weyrling pairs are free to roam the Weyr. Restrictions on sexual relations remain in effect, and weyrlings are increasingly expected to behave with the maturity and poise that Pern imagines its dragonriders to possess-- which means, among other things, that drunkenness and brawling remain forbidden, while insolence and insubordination are increasingly strictly punished.
Sample Schedule
As the dragons are now capable of spending much of the day on their own, weyrlings will be required to attend even more lectures, practical lessons, and exercise sessions - calisthenics and weights have been added to the strength-training circuit, and self-defense lessons are available for those who want them.
6:00 AM - Wake up, run circuits around the bowl
7:30 AM - Cleanup and morning feeding
8:30 AM - Breakfast
9:00 AM - Classroom lessons
11:00 AM - Strength/agility training
12:30 PM - Lunch; dragons hunt with elder dragon supervision or take a feeding
1:30 PM - General lessons
3:30 PM - Group exercises
6:00 PM - Dinner; dragons may hunt with elder dragon supervision
8:00 PM - Optional classes/training, time to work on first set of straps
10:00 PM - Nighttime feeding of dragons, lights-out
Chores
Encouraging dragons to bathe after hunting
Intense physical exercises
Marching formations on the ground with and without dragons
Keeping the barracks tidy and refilling oil vats
Swimming lessons - a required safety skill!
Classroom lessons requiring visiting with Weyr staff, etc. for research
More straps (see last month's classroom lesson)