Lindhardt, and they have a solid plan!

"We're going to need a healer, given we're fighting two opponents so it's on you, Lindhardt," Byleth stated. Lindhardt groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"And here I thought going the route of healer would mean less work, since I wouldn't be in direct combat..." he whined.

"You should have known better," Byleth told the perpetually sleepy student. "Healers are a critical asset on any battlefield. They also tend to be targeted quickly by the enemy. I was told you were smart, but clearly you didn't think that through if your goal was less work."

"...darn, you have me there..." he grimaced. They were soon led out to the field, given trainig weapons to ensure injuries were kept to a minimum. Byleth's team was led to the southern area of the field, and made sure to carefully observe the surrounding area. It was lightly forested, which offered some degree of cover.

"Professor, what's the plan?" Edelgard asked, looking to where in the northwest, Dimitri waited with Hanneman, and his own picks for the mock battle. Then she glanced at the northeast where Claude would be. "Dimitri is stronger in terms of single combat, but Claude's something of a trickster."

"Ideally, we would let both sides face each other first, and defeat the winner, but both of them likely have the same idea in mind," Byleth mused.

"If it helps, I have an abilty that lets me warp to any nearby area I can see or know where I am going," Shez offered helpfully. "I can also do it in short bursts directly ahead."

"Guerilla tactics for you then," Byleth noted to her, and she immediately spluttered.

"H-hey! I'm no gorilla!" she stated, clearly offended.

"Erm, that's not what the Professor meant," Lindhardt told Shez as Byleth face palmed. Dorothea was giggling in amusement. "He means he wants you to hit and run as your primary strategy."

"Oh! Right!" Shez realized, looking embarrassed.

Byleth then looked at the forested area. "As likely as it is that we are expected to go into that area of cover, we can't not take cover. Especially given that Claude is an archer. Taking out their ranged fighters first is a priority. We'll be able to operate with considerable amount of breathing room should we successfully do so. Manuela is also a target, as she is a healer... We'll go for the Golden Deer first."

"You sure about that, Professor?" Edelgard asked.

"I'm sure. Dimitri strikes me as the straightforward type, but not so foolish as to engage on two fronts right off the bat. Claude, being a strategist, is the priority target. The worst thing you can do against those types is give them time to think and adapt. The sooner he's out of the picture, the easier he'll have gone down. We'll strike the Golden Deer hard and fast, and hope we come out of the confrontation strong enough to move onto the Blue Lions. We also need to make sure to protect Lindhardt at all costs, he's our best shot at a quick recovery after said assualt. We do have an edge with Shez's abilities, our opponents will have a much harder time protecting their own key players from someone who can teleport. So long as she waits for the right moment to reveal that ability, and makes it count, she should cripple them quickly." He then turned to Shez. "And make sure you leave Claude's bow intact. Once he's down, the Blue Lions will move in on us quickly. While I favor a sword, I've practiced enough with a bow to give some grief to approaching enemies. Once the Golden Deer's leadership is taken out, Dorothea and I will use ranged attacks to slow the Blue Lion's advance until you and Edelgard can finish off the others, Lindhardt healing as needed."

Edelgard considered, before she nodded at Byleth, agreeing with his plan. While letting the enemy fight each other was the ideal option, she knew they wouldn't be baited into that so easily. Quickly taking out one, and preparing themselves for the other really was their best option. Esepcially given that Claude and Dimitri had an interest in what both Shez and Byleth could do, so they were much more likely to come for them than each other. Better to go on the offensive from the jump.