Ever since the scout mechs brought back footage of one or more large dwarf tribes marching together with the Caged Tongs, the analysts among the Vandals tried to figure out the relation between the two disparate forces.
Foreigners from the stars had nothing in common with the nomadic wildling tribes! For what reason would they work together all of a sudden?
Most of the Vandals immediately believed the dastardly pirates coerced the helpless, innocent dwarves into fighting on their behalf. A large tribe may be a force to be reckoned with against other native threats, but any half-decent mech force could run rings around them, especially from a distance.
It would be too easy for a mech force to subdue a dwarf tribe no matter how many wild gods they bonded with. Even the Flagrant Swordmaidens came up with a couple of contingency plans of this nature if they hadn't already gained the cooperation of Qilanxo.
