Okay, you look. you only see empty desert, because that’s what the Fremen want you to see, and they have complete control over what the enemy gets to see of them.
Like surveiling them as an outsider is impossible. Leto sent Gurney as a peaceful envoy seeking cooperation, and the best Gurney could come up with is “there’s a lot more than we thought.” Considering Harkonnen rule, there’s no shot any advance scouts would learn as much; in fact, I’d say most wouldn’t return.
Hum… By having any bit of humility and looking.
But that’s one point where the book is completely realistic.
Okay, you look. you only see empty desert, because that’s what the Fremen want you to see, and they have complete control over what the enemy gets to see of them.
Like surveiling them as an outsider is impossible. Leto sent Gurney as a peaceful envoy seeking cooperation, and the best Gurney could come up with is “there’s a lot more than we thought.” Considering Harkonnen rule, there’s no shot any advance scouts would learn as much; in fact, I’d say most wouldn’t return.