Quote:
Originally Posted by Galadriel55
Yes. The plan was not to lay siege to Minas Tirith to starve it out, the plan was to conquer by fear and fire and dark magic within a few days and more onward to presumably secure the lands beyond - Gondor, Rohan, who knows how far west and north from there. Also, if the siege is taking too long, they might leave a sufficient force to guard the city while the bulk of the army might just move onward to subdue the small forces scattered around Gondor or reinforce the roads to allies, like they have with the Rohirrim, or do whatever other goal Sauron might have had. The invasion wasn't supposed to stop at conquering Minas Tirith.
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But in that case you don't send your exploitation reserve to the end of the logistical tether; you keep them near a supply base. It would make perfect sense for the W-K to keep his battle-reserve at Osgiliath, as in the book, and his exploitation-reserve at Minas Morgul where they could eat without burdening the system, while still being just a day's march from the crossings of Anduin.
Real-world example, which Tolkien knew: the Somme. Haig's exploitation reserve was the Reserve Army under Gough, which (in the original plan and OOB) comprised three cavalry divisions, kept well back from the trench lines and expected to rush into the German rear after the Fourth Army broke through. Another, contemorary with the LR: Montgomery's Operations Epsom and Goodwood around Caen were supposed to create a gap in the German lines through which the 7th Armoured, held in reserve, would go lolloping off towards Falaise.