Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26881738-20160819113208/@comment-26397825-20160819113758

I don't recall there being over 5000 Hunters in training. There were maybe a few hundred from all four schools combined, who were weaponless, but the vast majority of spectators were civilians. The Huntsmen would have had their hands full with them, as they were panicking.

And then you add in the confusion of the White Fang also being on the attack, the Atlas forces being hacked and turning on the people of Vale and the Huntsmen, the people down in the streets panicing, plus the Grimm who weren't only being attracted to the City but also dropped right in the centre of it.

How could Vale have not been seriously damaged?

Also, only Beacon actually fell. Vale is still standing and on the mend, even if Beacon is unreclaimable due to the dragon frozen atop the tower, which is attracting more Grimm to it every day.