# III: We "Sink" the "Ground Ships" explained — The Airlords of Han > Chapter companion for The Airlords of Han by Philip Francis Nowlan. ## What happens The American forces, under the temporary command of Boss Handan, employ a new tactic to destroy the Han ground ships. After an initial nighttime ambush using long-range artillery, the Hans launch a daylight assault with canopy-protected ships. A scout observes that the ships cannot escape deep holes, leading to a strategy of churning the ground ahead of them with time rockets. The Americans encircle and destroy the entire squadron, annihilating the second ground sortie of the Hans. ## Themes in this chapter ### Technology and Warfare The chapter focuses on advanced military technology: ground ships with canopy rays, ultroscopes, electronoscopes, and time rockets, and how tactical innovation overcomes superior enemy equipment. ### Resistance and Rebellion The American forces, under Boss Handan, resist the Han invasion through clever tactics and coordinated attacks, demonstrating organized rebellion. ## Character check-ins ### Handan Boss Handan of the Winslows, selected as Boss Pro Tem, commands the American forces from headquarters on Second Mountain and orders the long-gunners' barrage. ### Unknown Narrator The narrator is aloft in a swooper, observing the battle, reporting to Handan, and ordering barrages from the Wyoming girls. ### The Hans The Hans launch two ground ship sorties; their second attempt is destroyed by the American tactic of churning the ground. ### The Americans American forces, including long-gunners and Wyoming girls, execute the plan to destroy the Han ground ships. ### The Wyomings The Wyoming girls are ordered by the narrator to lay a barrage in front of the Han ships. ## Key lines > I switched in with my ultrophone on Boss Handan’s channel, intending to report my observation, but found that one of our swooper scouts, who, like myself, was hanging above the Hans, was ahead of me. The narrator tuned into Boss Handan's communication channel to share what he saw, but another scout had already reported a similar observation. _Shows the coordination and rapid information sharing among American forces._ > Thus the second ground sortie of the Hans was annihilated. This marked the complete destruction of the Hans' second attempt to attack by land. _Concludes the chapter's main action, emphasizing the decisive American victory._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_airlords_of_han_se/chapters/iii-we-sink-the-ground-ships - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_airlords_of_han_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_airlords_of_han_se/chapters