I’m just wondering why Equestria doesn’t have a standing military force. Considering time and time again the threats they always face that seems to just keep waltzing in like nothing. They kind of brought it upon themselves.

Also, this show seems to lack any form of rank and file or any form of organizational structure in either the “good guys” or the villains.
The villains either operate solely as individuals or as wild swarms like in the case of the Changelings. The Storm King was as close as the series got to an external imperialistic threat to Equestria. It would have been more interesting if there’s an Evil Pony based empire that attacked Equestria. I do think that WAS originally intended for the movies, judging from some internal leaks, the COSMOS leak, that came to light awhile back. But was scrapped.

And after Season 9, should any great threat arise against Equestria that’d need this kind of response, those giant bugs would be on Equestria’s Side.

Along with Dragons, Yaks, Griffons and Hippogriffs. Kirins too, and they can basically turn into flaming rage monsters. I bet Autumn Blaze taught them how to deal with their anger, so I can imagine them as powerful warriors channeling their anger to fight for freedom.

Sad that this story hasn’t updated since its first chapter in 2015… unless it is somewhere other than FiMFiction?

Now that we know that changelings like Pharynx and Ocellus are able to transform into some sort of “war mode”. Those giant bugs on the sides are plausible.

@Kappe  
Yeah… it was a clusterf-.

@SeraphimDawn  
Maybe… maybe not. Did you see how they were “fighting” in the Sombra timeline?

After watching the finale of season 5. This is totally possible in the show.

I think the bugs will have plenty of pony flesh to feast on when this is over =P

Medieval 2 Total War Music - Death Lullaby
 
That’s much better.

Those platoons at the bottom (2nd & 4th from the right)…  
Either there is an interesting distance perspective failure plaguing those formations, or Celestia is actually filling out her ranks with child soldiers…
 
Either that, or it’s a seriously brilliant nod to European medieval art!  

@Kappe
 
Probably. It never seemed to me that ponies would know how to fight a war if it came down to that.

Don’t worry, we’ll only have to wait until the end of the episode for them to realize how stupid the war is, and sit together and talk and have hot chocolate.
 

 
… Right? ;^;

this will be the biggest war Celestia had with the Changelings

@Background Pony #08AA  
I thought it was clever more so as a neat detail the artist put into the image. That said, you make excellent points.
 
The idea of a ‘magical’ shield wall would still be rather effective if the current enemy weren’t so maneuverable. And didn’t have giant bug things. XP

@Manual_Monaro  
I don’t know about clever. Would give the rest a little protection from incoming fire, sure, but since every changeling can fly, the fight isn’t going to be fought on the ground until its already over, so the big groundforce out front, is largely useless.  
Also, the bubbles only work, if the ranks stay close together behind the bubbles, but close ranks is suicide of those big beasties attack. It would be like trying to turn back charging elephants the size of blue whales by giving said elephants a big target to aim at.

Hate to be in Celestia’s giant horseshoe; ponies seem out matched numerically by at least 4:1.

Reminds me a lot of certain scenes from the novel series The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. Except with ponies.

Quick call in the Mobile Infantry!

That is an impressive level of detail. Are those all different cutie marks adorning Celestia’s armor?

Ooh, the Queen has hired the heaviest units ever fielded, giant shrimps (those don’t come cheap BTW).
 
 
Equestria: Total War