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Post by Vaklu on Feb 10, 2015 13:16:11 GMT
 On the map retinues are represented by numbers that correspond to the (#) next to the retinue in the force listThe battle of Thundercrown would be the largest battle the north had seen in living memory. Never before had the vassal states and Imperial forces joined together in such numbers. Heroes from all the great kingdoms had gathered at this place to end the Wastelander threat for good. The orcs of the wastes had the city under full siege when the allied relief army arrived. Hulgark’s scouts had not been idle and he had mobilized sections of his horde to respond to this new threat. His cavalry long idle was particularly eager to meet the foe. ORDER OF BATTLE: Allies (no set post order) Jotun (Vaklu) (1) Thane Gudrik (25 Bodyguards 100 Warriors) (2) Wulfric Thunderfist (100 Warriors) (3) Deilia Longleaf 2 Musketeers 4 shock 4 Roundshiers 2 Archers 1 Pike (4) Lagertha Haakonsdottir (100 battle-mages) 1 Mounted Vaekirate Guard Imperial Forces (Aspen) (5) Ishui Jaou (100 knights/10 horse artillery) (6) Stae Pjjokhat (100 knights/10 horse artillery) (7&8) 2x Warrior Retinue - 400 Jezail Skirmishers 4 Survaekom Square Infantry 8 Yvorom Cavalry 40 Emperor Guns/200 soldiers (2 units) Elon (MissMilkMaid) (9) King Azlyn Christallo (Warrior-Melee) (48 Royal Guard, 180 Warriors) Mounted (10) Heirs of Estryn (Zealots/Melee) (160 men) Mounted 3 Imperial Yvorom (1,500 men) Firetooth (Talis) (11) Chief Garlog Whiteshot (50 Royal Guard, 50 Bodyguard, 200 warriors) (12) Veikan Dirgeheart (13) Tavian Azir (50 Bodyguard) 6 Musket (5,900 men) 8 Veteran Militia 2 Pike 7 Roundshier (6,500 men) 2 Field Battries Vaekirate (Zur) (14) Haakon Titanhand (50 Bodyguard, 100 battle-mages) 5 Vaekirate Guard 2 Mounted Vaekirate Guard 10 Zealots (9,600 men) Commonwealth (Cerdigon) (15) King Aeron (50 Royal Guard, 200 Warriors) (16) Beora Brightheart (200 Mounted Warriors) (17) General Silveon De Forn (50 Bodyguards) 2 Light Infantry (Sylph) 2 Longbowman (Sylph) 2 Shieldwall Infantry (Elf) 2 Lancers (Sylph) 2 Knights (Elf) 1 Horse Archers (Elf) Ikegami (Rav) (18)Ikegami Masateru (General/Mounted (50 Bodyguards) 3 units of City Musket levy (2,400 men) 3 units of City Pike (3,000 men) 2 units of City Roundshier (2,000 men) 1 unit of City Shock (1,000 men) 4 units of peasant archers (4,000 men) 1 units of Peasant Roundshier (750 men) 2 units of Halberdiers (2,000 men) 2 units of Longbow (2,000 men) (19) Ikegami Naozumi (Monarch/Mounted)- 30 Mounted Royal Guard (20) Ikegami Sayoko (Warrior/Melee/Mounted)- 75 Mounted Warriors (21) Ikegami Yukimura (Warrior/Melee/Mounted)- 150 Mounted Warriors (22) Captain Trell (Warrior/Ranged/Mounted)- 110 Mounted Warriors 1 unit of horse archers (300 men) (23) Gorfang Blacktooth (50 Bodyguards) 2 musket (2,000 men) 2 shock (2,000 men) Wastelanders (24) Hulgark the Fox (50 Mounted Bodyguard)- Light Catapult battery (25) Fulgram Wildhammer (200 Warriors) (26) Jodsar the Swift (150 Mounted Warriors) (27) Yontai Furtaker (50 Bodyguards) (28,29,30) 3x Tribal Shamans (300 Acolytes) 2 Lancers 3 Light infantry 12 Light Cavalry (5,900) 16 archers (15,200) 11 Roundshiers (10,800 men) 12 pike 10 shock (9,200) (31) Fergus McFenir (200 Warriors) 3 Shock NOTES: -- This battle will consist of as many modmarks as deemed necessary by the mod |
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Post by ravigen on Feb 10, 2015 18:46:22 GMT
The long march was finally over, their forces had arrayed themselves before the enemy and Thundercrown was in sight, today the Wastelander host would be crushed before them, the enemy would not survive this battle if they had anything to say about it. Naozumi rode along the battle line as his troops stared down an enemy bent on destroying the North.
"Soldiers of the Ikegami, today we prepare for the biggest battle the North has ever seen, over 100,000 men are here today to fight, and fight they will. Those wastelanders will not make it past Thundercrown, they will not make it into the territory of the Elonese, Ikegami, Commonwealth or Hessnya."
He stayed his horse and turned to face the horde itself.
"Today we ride to glory, today we fight for the North and for our homes! Drive those dogs back into the abyss from whence they came." The shout that followed made him smile as Masateru stepped forward and began giving out orders.
The Ikegami melee line was kneeling down to give the muskets clear lines of fire, the muskets would fire at the formation directly in front of them to weaken their lines, the Ikegami archers drew and loosed arrows behind the Orcish lines and into the enemy archers and light cavalry. Trell and her horse archers joined their fire, focusing on the enemy light cavalry to the left of their formation as half the Ikegami Longbowmen fired on the Wastelander host in front of them and the rest on Jodsar's host of cavalry.
Upon a charge of the wastelander line, the muskets would fire one more volley before ceasing fire, Gorfang's Shock would charge the damaged wastelander line followed by the Ikegami melee line --
Ikegami Sayoko and Ikegami Yukimura waited with the Commonwealth Cavalry, they would be riding with them into battle today, Jodsar had survived Steelblight, an issue they intended to correct today, her armor was in full repair, sword sharpened, steeds energetic and ready and she waited, The Elonese had rode with the Firetooth at Gasvan's ford, which meant Bron had likely been there, was he in Thundercrown now? She smiled wryly at the thought, it would figure she'd come to save him and not the other way around. Still she had to survive the battle, which wasn't strictly guaranteed though she'd be sure to kill as many of them as she could with her. ---
Ikegami melee line kneels to avoid musket fire, they will stand if the wastelanders charge, after the muskets fire their last volley. Upon a charge by the shock they will follow.
Ikegami peasant archers and 1,000 longbow fire upon the Orc formation immediately in front of them.
1,000 Ikegami longbow fire upon Jodsar and his host
Captain Trell (Mounted/Warrior/Ranged) and 300 horse archers fire on light cavalry northwest of Ikegami main line.
Ikegami and Mercenary muskets open fire on the Wastelander line in front of them, they will fire as many vollies as possible, firing only one after the wastelanders charge then ceasing to avoid friendly fire,
Ikegami Sayoko and Ikegami Yukimura ride with the Commonwealth cavalry. |
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Post by cerdigon on Feb 10, 2015 19:29:39 GMT
It seemed as if the horizon was filled with soldiers. Thousands upon thousands of them. They came in all shapes and sizes. The hastily equipped and raised Ikagami levies backed by their samurai overlords, massive Jotun giants that towered head and shoulders amongst the lesser races, the professional Surv-Akur that functioned like a well oiled machine. It was beautiful and horrifying all at once. A great many men were going to die.
The thunderous crash of musketry was soon joined by the boom of Survaekom cannons. King Aeron rode up and down the Commonwealth lines, exhorting his men to victory over the '' Wastelander scum! ''.
It was a defining moment for the united Commonwealth. Once it had been Elf and Sylph battling under shared banners, a slaughter that had lead to the deaths of thousands. Now they were fighting under a united crown for a King (as evidenced by his grisly injuries) that would fight and die in the fields with them. Beora Brightheart felt her heart flutter, her palms were sweaty with excitement, and for the first time she found her hands shaking. King Aeron had entrusted her with the left wing of the army. Two thousand Commonwealth cavalry had formed up, the Seftian knights offering an armored prow for which the lighter armored Cerdigonian counterparts could breakthrough. Meanwhile, Beora's own men had pushed themselves to the front of the attack that she would lead.
'' Try to keep up, Ikagami. '' The knight snarled to Sayoko, slapping the visor of her helm down. She waited for the signal to attack.
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'' Archers! '' King Aeron roared. Two thousand longbowman stepped forth and nocked their bows, using the extreme range of their Sylph longbows to hammer the Wastelander cavalry from afar. The purpose was clear: disorganize the Orc's so that they could not resist the Commonwealth cavalry charge. Meanwhile, under this brutal barrage the Commonwealth line began to advance towards inevitable contact. Thousands of professional infantry making the earth shake as they advanced. The Commonwealth march was slow at first, at least until the first orc arrows began to fall, but the pace would hold until the Orc line was in range of the infantry charge.
A fire arrow was launched.
The cavalry charge came a moment later. First they started at a trot, then a canter, then a full gallop. Lances lowered and blades unsheathed, the Commonwealth moved to shatter the Wastelander line.
SUMMARY:
-- Determined to split the Wastelander force in two, the Commonwealth attacks the center of the Wastelander line (lead by Beora Brightheart). A cavalry attack will carve a hole through the Wastelander horde, with heavy infantry following through the gaps to exploit and collapse the lines (under the command of King Aeron).
-- Two thousand Longbowman will hammer and suppress the enemy light cavalry prior to the Commonwealth cavalry charge.
-- Horse archers on the right flank will keep pace with the Commonwealth infantry, peppering the Wastelander pikeman on the right flank, with General Silveon prepared to engage the Wastelander infantry if they attack the right flank of the Commonwealth army.
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Post by Vaklu on Feb 10, 2015 20:36:56 GMT
Gudrik had formed his forces in a mainly defensive formation initially. He could see the banner of Yontai Furtaker in the distance, a loose end he had every intention to make good on. In front of his position in the lines he could see the Musketeers preparing their first volley. The professional troops moved with precision and speed. When he'd seen the weapons Stae had said his men carried swivel guns not muskets. Soon the air was full of the white smoke that followed sustained gunfire.
He and Wulfric had embedded themselves into units of greatswords. In fact his entire second line was made up of the jotun shock troops. If the Wasrelander attemped a charge they move to counter it. Behind them he could hear the hum of bow strings as his archers fired over the lines and into the orcs. Lagertha and her mounted guard we positioned in the center of the rear line with orders to flee if the enemy were able to break through their lines. To be honest he wasn't certain his orders would be followed but he'd given them none the less.
His clansmen made up his flanks forming shield walls and waiting to see how the battle unfolded.
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Post by aspenivan on Feb 11, 2015 6:19:45 GMT
 SYMPHONY OF THE EMPEROR GUNSFirst come the drums, then the shouts of soldiers, and finally the bells...
"CREWS! RAM BARRELS!" shouted the Battery Commander, waving his arms in a single upward motion, causing the extent of his long maroon-and-gold outer robes to flutter as if he were directing a concert. In fact, he was like a conductor in more than one way: It was not only the gunnery crews responding to his commands and motions, but a staggered row of burly folk attending to large drums behind the cannon-line. The management of the Grand Battery was as much ceremonial as practical: The cadence facilitated orderly loading and firing while also bestowing upon the scene a certain grandeur.
Ba-bom ba-bom ba-bom ba-bom sounded the drums with unceasing regularity.
"POSITION GUNS!" Soldiers rushed to push the pieces forward and adjust their barrels with a clamor of grunts and creaks. The Emperor Gun, living up to its name, straddled the line between field gun and siege gun with its 21-pound caliber and its own sheer weight. But that was hardly the most impressive aspect of the Grand Survaek Empire's most treasured artillery, as the Wastelanders were about to learn. The hybrid of cannon and howitzer sacrificed only a little of the range and accuracy of the former, and in return it had the versatility of the latter: More possible angles of fire and, most significantly, the practical possibility of loading explosive or carcass shells.
"FIRE ON MY MARK...NOW!"
The entire cacophony of sounds was suddenly drowned out by thunder, and the vibrant scene was shrouded in white smoke. The first volley was away...
_____
General Ishui Jaou surveyed the field before him with cautious satisfaction. He had concentrated the Emperor Guns into a Grand Battery mostly for their own defense, but he could also see through his telescope the practical results in damage. One of those guns was already an impressive piece on its own, but to see forty shells bursting above and within the orcish ranks in a stretch of twenty seconds was a degree of magnitude greater. Surely the effect on enemy morale would be something to note down, particularly since he had ordered the first volley to empty the battery's small store of carcass shells: They left streaks of smoke and fire in the air and roaring flames on the ground. He preferred to have such dangerous munitions out of the way as quickly as possible, when the crews were fresh, rather than risk a disaster later on. It also helped that their first volley was quite likely to be the most accurate, unobstructed by cannon-smoke.
In any case, there was far more to attend to than the Emperor Guns. So far the orcs were too distant for muskets to do their best work, so the front lines were content to help the battery hammer away at the enemy center with their infantry guns. Only the expert jezailis had orders to move forward, and only as far as they needed to get clear shots. Likewise the cavalry, Yvorom and Knights, lay static for the moment. The Yvorom recurve bows allowed them the freedom to fire at will, harassing the orcish center with a constant rain of thousands upon thousands of arrows. As for the knights, they could only wait while nearby horse artillery crews joined the hailstorm of fire falling upon the Wasteland shock troops.
Crippling the enemy center was the lynchpin of General Jaou's strategy, at least for the time being. He did not fear the pikes on the enemy flanks, for they couldn't hope to hit the Yvorom on the attack, and the Squares could roll over them like a grindstone upon grain. But the seemingly endless host of heavy infantry between them was more worrying: The Squares might not have enough pikes to hold them back, and there were simply too many for Jaou to be sure that his cavalry could take care of them.
So it continued, until something interesting happened.
"General! To the West!" The Byrnian shifted his gaze and began to hear the distant whine of horns blasting. The Commonwealth cavalry had massed for what seemed to be either a feint or a great charge. At the same time, horse archers were emerging from the right flank to trade shots with what was, for the Survaekom army, the enemy right flank. They were obviously covering for the greater body of cavalry, but General Jaou doubted that a mere five-hundred horses would be enough.
He then turned to his right to assess the situation of his right flank and the Jotun Army. The Wastelanders seemed to have a weak point there; the giants clearly outmatched the relatively modest formation of enemy infantry, which had neither cavalry nor well-positioned archer support.
"I need two messengers!" Two riders trotted to the General at once.
"You," he pointed to the soldier to his left, "relay my orders to the commanders of the Left Flank: Two regiments of Yvorom move out and assist the Cerdigonian horse archers on the Commonwealth right flank. Harass the enemy pikes, but do not engage them in a melee unless they are all of the following: disorganized, severely reduced in numbers, and isolated from the Wastelander heavy infantry. The remaining two regiments will remain in reserve and continue firing at the enemy center."
"And you," he turned to the other courier. "Relay my orders to General Stae Pjjokhat: Join the Right Flank, have the Yvorom cease fire, and move out. Meet the Jotun left flank and coordinate the best method to destroy the enemy concentration of pikes, archers, and infantry at our shared juncture. I trust him to work out the best plan with his friend Thane Gudrik, but do inform him that I advise that he make full use of the Yvorom regiments' mastery in archery rather than waste them in a risky charge." Ishui Jaou admired Pjjokhat for his track record and his good relations with the mighty Jotun, but he was never sure when that man might blow a fuse and orchestrate a disaster on the scale of Hraen's Charge.
The messengers rode away with all haste. The orders would soon be carried out, but for now the general simply watched and waited.
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SUMMARY:
-- Emperor Guns (first volley = carcass, subsequent volleys = explosive), Horse Artillery, Survaekom Square infantry guns, and Jezailis concentrate fire on the enemy "center," the large mass of Shock Troops between the pikes and archers.
-- After the Commonwealth horse archers move out, two regiments of Yvorom on the Survaekom left flank are ordered to join them and help suppress the orcish pike-and-archer block. If they see an opportunity where that block is isolated, disorganized, and severely reduced; they can charge in to shatter them.
-- General Stae Pjjokhat (including knights/warriors, but not horse artillery) takes command of the right flank of Yvorom. They meet up with the Jotun left flank, where Pjjokhat will summon Thane Gudrik (or whatever other commander they can send) to coordinate a joint attack on the enemy pike-and-archer block threatening the Survaekom-Jotun juncture.
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Post by zurajai on Feb 13, 2015 5:42:00 GMT
Haakon Titanhand gazed out from the battlements towards the town below. Already his armor had been strapped into place underneath his heavy Tovenaar robes. It had been a long time since he had seen serious battle, one worthy of his immense talents as a battle mage, and he already relished the thought. But here he was in the wrong place. The position he had deigned to take was overlooking the city below rather than the field where the orcish horde stirred. The lack of enemies plainly before him was maddening. Though his initial plan was to hold this position a hunger drove at him to enter the fray with fist and fury, Aed's gift ruining His foes under Haakon's baleful gaze. With that he decided to move position, moving as fast as his giant legs could take him with his retinue of Tovenaar-Akur in tow, headed for the main gate so he could see his bit of action.
The rest of the Vaekirate forces were generally far more patient (or at least well leashed in the case of the Zealots) and held their positions with stoicism that would make Aed proud. All of the musket-armed Guardsmen held the top of the walls with their orcish comrades, the ramparts bristling with firearms that leered down at the enemy with the promise of pain and suffering as soon as they neared. The rest of the Guardsmen, armed with their halberds, held tight formation at the gates prepared to repel all attackers or sally forth if need be. It was here that Haakon intended to move himself to.
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Post by talis on Feb 14, 2015 1:40:42 GMT
The parapets cheered wildly to see the coalition armor begin engaging the orcs. All along the line morale was grand, for the enemy had failed to even threaten Thundercrown, and soon they would face an army both larger and better trained. Taunting shouts and jeers echoed from the walls, and bursts of grey smoke and the crack of guns rolled gently across the lines as regiments of defenders fired into the enemy ranks wherever they drew too close.
The battery atop Thunder Keep decided to join in with the Survaekom cannons. The Firetooth had no carcass shot to fire from their guns, nor could their designs function as howitzers. But the steel demi-culverins were still exceptionally crafted and deadly accurate. Their crews were well trained, and had spent the last few months honing their speed and accuracy against the camped enemies. The guns roared in eager approval, unleashing a hail of shot down from the hilltop on the wastelanders who, just moments before, had been hit by the burning carcass shot of the Survaekom.
Then the order came down: prepare to sally. The pikemen and roundshielders descended from the walls and assembled at the south gate, ready to rush out and strike their enemies. For now they waited. Tavian would not give the order until the wastelanders were distracted and vulnerable. If that meant waiting until the battle had begun, so be it.
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Post by missmilkmaid on Feb 16, 2015 18:04:34 GMT
With such a small army King Azlyn had decided to commit himself and his troops under the organization of General Ishui Jaou and the Imperial army. Hearing Joau giving order to the messenger, Azlyn road up. "Perhaps I should join General Pjjokhat. I trust both Pijokhat and Gudrik," Azlyn only hesitated a little when he said the giant's name, though he'd had something of a falling out with the Thane in Elon, he knew the Giant to be one of the best war leaders and fighters in the North. As for Pijokhat, he man was renown in both the North and the South and his own wife had told him stories enough about the Surveakom General's nigh legendary achievements and exploits. As young and inexperienced as Azlyn was, he felt that either Gudrik or Pijokhat would probably know better how to use his small force in such a large battle than he himself would.
Gathering his men, Azlyn joined the right flank of the Surveakom Army and the Jotun's left flank. While he himself and his guard had pistols as backup weapons, the Heirs of Estryn were a force of heavy armored knights. He meant up with Thane Gudrik and General Pijokhat willing to coordinate with the two of them and hoping he would learn something from the two experienced commanders.
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Post by aspenivan on Feb 23, 2015 9:58:25 GMT
WASTELAND ORCS
Jodsar the Swift
Once one of the most accomplished chieftains of the Wasteland Tribes, Jodsar now stood at the head of nearly over four-thousand warg-riders that were not his own, and two-thousand more under his command but further off. He had become a debtor, in manpower and honor, to that upstart Hulgark the Fox. But he wasn't defeated yet. The Firetooth and their friends would pay.
“Send word to Captain Trull. The docks burn now. Any lad who makes it best meet us on the other side of the river, because of I see anyone coming back from the North, I'll gut them myself!”
Within minutes, 2,500 wild riders were charging through the streets of the Dock District with torches alight. They carried with them all the black powder they had managed to scrape off the enemy dead at Gasvan's Ford, packaged into bomblets with lime and oil. Besides these makeshift firebombs and their torches, they carried the usual tools of arson: oil-soaked rags, tinder boxes, flint, and flammable arrow-heads.
Meanwhile, as the Commonwealth and Survaekom cavalry made their move to threaten Jodsar's main formation, an army of orcs and wargs sprung into coordinated action. One-thousand riders charged out to meet the knights and lancers of King Aeron. To their right, Hulgark's “flank” of pike infantry turned face and prepared to attack: If the light cavalry could hold or even slow the Sylph-Elf advance for a good moment, these infantry would land a deadly hammer upon their anvil.
More importantly, the rest of Jodsar's forces, under his personal command, charge to meet the Commonwealth infantry line. The lancers formed the point of the wedge and would make first contact: The light cavalry would support them and fill the gaps with a second impact.
As the mass of orcish cavalry picked up their pace and the wind began to pull his skin and hair, Jodsar the Swift didn't care to lift up a battle-cry. He regarded the pigs in front of him with only a glare of murderous determination before he loosed his first arrow. They were weeds, all of them. Weeds that he would see burn before they hindered his reputation again.
_
Hulgark the Fox
“LOOSE!”
A dozen catapults rattled under the force of their own swings, projecting a scattering of rocks into the air in an arc towards the Ikegami elves. Atop a nearby warg sat Hulgark the Fox, Supreme War Chief of the Wasteland Orcs. That huge elven army was probably the biggest threat on the battlefield today, but fortunately their commanders had chosen to set up defensively and skirmish from a distance. Hulgark's army had plenty of time to carry out the orders he relayed to them: All infantry facing the South wall would rally to the force facing the Ikegami, except for a special 4,000-strong detachment guarding the South Gate. The last thing Hulgark needed was salliers breaking through and threatening the army's rear.
In the meantime, the archers under Hulgark's command advanced in loose formation to the front lines, to trade shots with the elven musketeers. He figured that at this distance, the bows would have the advantage. The Ikegami were firing arrows of their own, but they seemed to be coming from far behind the muskets, so they were not a priority.
Embedded within the formation of archers was a group of elders, orcs with power palpable to those around them. While the archers shot arrows, they added something special to the mix: Bolts of lightning connecting shaman-staffs to the enemy front lines. Flashes, thunder, then cries of pain and horror.
Hulgark smiled in satisfaction. That'll teach those western softies to under-estimate the Wastelands.
Of course, on the far left of the forces under his command, Hulgark was losing untold numbers of soldiers to a different kind of thunder: Imperial and Firetooth artillery. It was obvious that the formation couldn't just sit there and take fire...Hulgark needed to act fast. Now that arrangements were set on the Ikegami front, the Supreme Chief could leave with his bodyguard: He would personally oversee the direction of the shock troops on the left flank.
The plan was simple enough, he hoped, that his boys could carry it out even under pressure. The units in front would charge at the Survaekom, with the goal of holding the imperials off. Meanwhile, the rest would travel Southwest to follow Jodsar's charge. Breaking the sylph-elf line was too important to leave to Jodsar alone, after all. Making a big enough hole in the encirclement would be the difference between victory and defeat today.
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Yontai Furtaker
“Well shit.” The orc general cringed a bit when he witnessed hundreds and hundreds of giants blasting oversized musket shot into his army's front lines. It didn't take long for him to reach the same conclusion as Hulgark: His troops couldn't attack the walls and hold off the encirclement at the same time.
He looked to a lieutenaint. “Rally erry buddy Northeast side and get 'em here on the double! We gotta hold these buggers off or the bigfolk will make a mess of the whole army. Ya hear?”
“Yes sir!” the officer, a fellow clansman of Furtaker's, ran to his warg and hurtled to get the troops together from their various small fronts. He needed more archers to even the skirmishing field and more infantry to either hold the giants or, if necessary, charge them. However he did it, he wasn't letting those sea scum get past his line. Either he risked fighting to the death here, or Hulgark would have his insides pulled out back home. Yontai Furtaker preferred the odds here.
Thankfully, he would get some backup. Hulgark had suspected that Yontai's flank would be vulnerable, and he had directed most of the shamans to rush over and begin a ritual. If they could get the sky on their side and ravage the Jotun ranks, Furtaker might not need to hold them for long after all.
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SUMMARY:
– 2 units of light cavalry hold off Commonwealth cavalry in coordination with infantry to the West.
– 5 units of light cavalry go North to raze the Dock District.
– The rest of the cavalry, lead by Jodsar the Swift, take advantage of the Commonwealth sortie to charge at their infantry with the goal of breaking their line.
– Infantry to the South of Thundercrown join the Ikegami front, except for the troops surrounding the South gate. This front, with the help of a shaman unit, will keep the Ikegami busy.
– Southeastern block of shock infantry: front three units charge at the Imperial Army while the remainder advance Southwest to follow up Jodsar's charge.
– On the East flank, all forces near the walls rally to Yontai Furtaker to face the giants. The 2 nearest shaman units advance as close as they need to to prepare a minor ritual to disrupt the Jotun lines.
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Post by Vaklu on Feb 24, 2015 19:37:24 GMT
 The opening of the great battle of Thundercrown belonged only to the artillery. Between the batteries within the city and that brought by the imperial troops the mass of orcish troops arrayed before the imperial lines would disintegrate under the flames of the incendiary and explosive shelling. Several units would fall to attacking their fellows in hopes of pushing free of the death trap the massive formation had created. The majority of the forces there would be in no condition to contribute to the rest of the battle. Through the smoke and flames came a great howling and the only force to come through the bombardment unscathed charged the Imperial lines. Three thousand were-wolves would brave all the imperials could throw at them before tearing into the pike lines. The charge of the cavalry from the Commonwealth was barely impeded by the 1,000 light cavalry sent by Jodsar to cover his own charge. Shortly after the Commonwealth cavalry were pressing his flank while he attempted to force his way through. In the press of combat Beora Brightheart would meet Jodsar in single combat. After a painful exchange she would be forced to withdraw, wounded and with her a great deal of the momentum that had been driving the Commonwealth advance. The Ikegami front remained static. With neither side truely pushing for contact. Thus far the majority of the wound taken by their infantry were self inflicted. Stray musket shot finding marks in places unintended. The Orcish archers as well as the magic wielded by their shamans took an impressive toll on the rear lines of the elves, though it was the lightning that did the most. In the north east the Jotun held firm their opening volleys working to devestating effect apon the light infantry lead by Wildhammer and the counter charge of the greatswords holding them in check. However soon the forces pulled from the assualt on the walls would reach them. While attempting a greater ritual one of the shamans assigned to Furtaker lost control of the energies in play and a deafening explosion rocked the entire battlefield. When the smoke cleared the shaman, his acolytes and nearly 2,000 warrior had vanished leaving naught but a steaming crater. Meanwhile in the docks district a great blaze was beginning to take shape as over 2,000 light cavalry had been set to the task of raising it to the ground. If left unchecked the whole district would be gone before the battle concluded. Remaining Troops: Allies (no set post order) Jotun (Vaklu) (1) Thane Gudrik (25 Bodyguards 83 Warriors) (2) Wulfric Thunderfist (92 Warriors) (3) Deilia Longleaf 2 Musketeers 4 shock (1,740) 4 Roundshiers (1,900) 2 Archers 1 Pike (4) Lagertha Haakonsdottir (100 battle-mages) 1 Mounted Vaekirate Guard Imperial Forces (Aspen) (5) Ishui Jaou (100 knights/10 horse artillery) (6) Stae Pjjokhat (100 knights/10 horse artillery) (7&8) 2x Warrior Retinue - 325 Jezail Skirmishers 4 Survaekom Square Infantry (3,100) 8 Yvorom Cavalry (3,890) 40 Emperor Guns/200 soldiers (2 units) Elon (MissMilkMaid) (9) King Azlyn Christallo (Warrior-Melee) (48 Royal Guard, 180 Warriors) Mounted (10) Heirs of Estryn (Zealots/Melee) (160 men) Mounted 3 Imperial Yvorom (1,500 men) Firetooth (Talis) (11) Chief Garlog Whiteshot (50 Royal Guard, 50 Bodyguard, 200 warriors) (12) Veikan Dirgeheart (13) Tavian Azir (50 Bodyguard) 6 Musket (5,900 men) 8 Veteran Militia 2 Pike 7 Roundshier (6,500 men) 2 Field Battries Vaekirate (Zur) (14) Haakon Titanhand (50 Bodyguard, 100 battle-mages) 5 Vaekirate Guard 2 Mounted Vaekirate Guard 10 Zealots (9,600 men) Commonwealth (Cerdigon) (15) King Aeron (50 Royal Guard, 175 Warriors) (16) Beora Brightheart (156 Mounted Warriors) (Wounded) (17) General Silveon De Forn (50 Bodyguards) 2 Light Infantry (Sylph) (1,200) 2 Longbowman (Sylph) 2 Shieldwall Infantry (Elf) (1,600) 2 Lancers (Sylph) 2 Knights (Elf) (850) 1 Horse Archers (Elf) Ikegami (Rav) (18)Ikegami Masateru (General/Mounted (50 Bodyguards) 3 units of City Musket levy (2,100 men) 3 units of City Pike (2,150 men) 2 units of City Roundshier (2,000 men) 1 unit of City Shock (1,000 men) 4 units of peasant archers (3,400 men) 1 units of Peasant Roundshier (750 men) 2 units of Halberdiers (1,600 men) 2 units of Longbow (2,000 men) (19) Ikegami Naozumi (Monarch/Mounted)- 30 Mounted Royal Guard (20) Ikegami Sayoko (Warrior/Melee/Mounted)- 50 Mounted Warriors (21) Ikegami Yukimura (Warrior/Melee/Mounted)- 135 Mounted Warriors (22) Captain Trell (Warrior/Ranged/Mounted)- 110 Mounted Warriors 1 unit of horse archers (300 men) (23) Gorfang Blacktooth (50 Bodyguards) 2 musket (2,000 men) 2 shock (2,000 men) Wastelanders (24) Hulgark the Fox (50 Mounted Bodyguard)- Light Catapult battery (25) Fulgram Wildhammer (200 Warriors) (26) Jodsar the Swift (100 Mounted Warriors) (27) Yontai Furtaker (50 Bodyguards) (28,29) 2x Tribal Shamans (200 Acolytes) 2 Lancers (700) 2 Light infantry (1,130) 10 Light Cavalry (3,700) 13 archers (11,200) 11 Roundshiers (10,800 men) 10 pike (8,600 7 shock (6,200) (31) Fergus McFenir (200 Warriors) 3 Shock (2,720) NOTES: -- This battle will consist of 2 more modmarks |
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Post by cerdigon on Feb 26, 2015 19:40:50 GMT
Hungry yellow teeth lunged for him, biting hard down on his vambrace. With a howl Sir Owain brought the pommel of his sword down onto the warg's snout throwing it back, the hooves of his warhorse dashing the skull of the creature as the knight struggled to adapt to the onrushing Orc horde. In the distance, Beora Brightheart was engaged in a furious duel with Jodsar the Swift. She was bleeding heavily from several arrows that had managed to punch through her breastplate, only the swirl of combat saved her from Jodsar's blade as a sortie by her warriors pulled her back from the melee. Combat had become stagnant, something was needed to break the stalemate... It came in the form of banners as a second contingent of knights came to reinforce the attack on Jodsar's flank. Intermixed with the Commonwealth flags was Ikagami banners. Lady Sayoko came tearing towards the combat at a gallop, as Beora's troops withdrew from the fight, it was a charge by hundreds of knights that replaced them right into Jodsar's flank lead by Lady Sayoko.
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Blades flashed, orc's screamed as the Commonwealth Royal Guard advanced, hacking through orc's that managed to break through the lines of the heavy infantry. Aeron's lip curled in contempt as he observed the battle, his infantry struggling to contain the initial shockwave that the charge had caused. But now the battle was becoming static, the enemy Orc's were lightly armed and armored and in contrast the heavy elven infantry were armed and armored to the teeth.
'' Send a signal to the longbowman. Fire over the heads of the infantry and into those cavalry. '' The runner scampered off while King Aeron drew his sword. Three volleys followed from the Commonwealth longbowman that lurked behind the infantry lines.
'' Infantry form on me. '' A horn sounded, as the King dug the heels of his boots into his horse and lead a wedge of warriors into the center of the Wastelander line. On the right flank, General Silveon was leading a concentrated attack now that the threat of the pikes had been somewhat diminished into the lancers to his front. Horse archers continued to pepper the Orc's from behind the light infantryman.
SUMMARY:
-- Longbowman fire into the melee over the heads of the heavy infantry into the lightly armored cavalry, hoping to break apart their formation.
-- Following the volleys, King Aeron leads the heavy infantry in an attack on the enemy center, hoping to force the Orc's to withdraw with a decisive attack. (See decisive trait in dossier)
-- Beora Brightheart withdraws from the melee and retreats to the rear of the Commonwealth line.
-- Commonwealth Knights (21) disengage from the Orc lancers that they are in combat with (allowing the Ikagami troops to deal with them) and launch an attack on Jodsar's force, straight into the flank. Lady Sayoko is attached and providing support.
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Post by ravigen on Feb 26, 2015 20:50:02 GMT
The order was passed down the line, muskets lowered and moved back as the archers and longbows stepped forward. On Masateru's order the 2,000 longbowmen and peasant archers opened fire upon the orc main infantry line, shots firing over the heads of the Ikegami infantry and firing down upon the orc infantry and shamans.
Further down the line Captain Trell and her horse archers began firing upon the wastelanders involved against the Commonwealth knights, giving them a chance to safely disengage and move to their objectives, once done she and her horse archers would begin firing at the Shamans to disrupt their magic.
Then the drums began.
The order was given to Gorfang and his shock, it was time for their charge, once the Commonwealth knights had disengaged they would charge the disrupted Orcish infantry followed by a charge from the Ikegami main line. All along the field, the Ikegami roared a challenge alongside the beating of the war drums, stamping their spears and naginata on the ground and causing such a ruckus of noise that the ground around them seemed to shake.
Yukimura wheeled his cavalry around, they'd wait until the battle was engaged before moving to charge the exposed flank nearest their troops to aid them in battle. ---
Ikegami archers and longbow open fire on Orcish shaman and main line.
Captain Trell Ranged/Mounted/Warrior and horse archers ride to open fire upon the orcish troops harassing the Commonwealth knights until they can safely disengage before turning their fire upon the Wastelander shaman.
Gorfang's Fire Eaters charge the orcs once the Commonwealth Knights disengage, the Ikegami force will be charging as soon as the orcish shock get past their lines, once battle is engaged the archers and longbow will begin firing upon the enemy shaman and archers
Yukimura hangs back to charge once the battle is joined.
Sayoko rides with the commonwealth Knights. |
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Post by Vaklu on Feb 27, 2015 11:07:10 GMT
In the thick of the melee that had engulfed the Jotun lines Gudrik was able to get reports from runners. He'd pulled back to gather information and give orders. "Have the musketeers shift and engage the troops coming from the north. They're to support the clansmen there and have the pike join them." He pointed to another of his runners. "Tell Stae to get off his ass and bring his fancy donkey riders to hit these shits in the flank. And Someone one get to Thunderfist and the other captains tell them we're making our push." The Thane Gave a mighty bellow and lead his personal troops into the fray once more.
- The jotun second line shifts to meet the northern reinforcements
- Thane Gudrik and Wulfric Thunderfist lead a push with the remaning shock troops
- A runner is sent to ask the imperials for aid
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Post by aspenivan on Feb 28, 2015 0:02:07 GMT
A Tale of Pike and Shot
For most participants in the immense Battle of Thundercrown, the loudest and most constant sound from the Survaekom lines would be the artillery: Emperor Guns and Horse Cannons hammering away at the enemy unceasingly, first at the mass of orcish shock infantry and then at the Western army facing the Ikegami. But for the Survaekom lines themselves, their ears were filled with the sounds of wolf-howls, weapons clanging, and muskets popping. The pikes desperately held the fearsome beasts at bay, aided by the sabers of many musketeers come to fill the gaps left by the dead and wounded. Theirs was a world of blood, steel, claws, and teeth. Blades and spear-heads plunged into the hide of wolves, or wolves plunged themselves into them. The soldiers of the Sword of Aed had weight in their discipline and their armor, but the wolves had strength and ferocity beyond compare. The melee line could not help but be pushed back, bit by bit, by the sheer force of the canine demons. But they did not give ground without terrible struggle. "HEAVE! PUSH THEM BACK! HOLD FORMATION!" Thankfully, they were not alone. The first to act in support were the jezails, rallied behind them. Like insects hundreds of them weaved around the formation until, flanking on either side of the melee, they gathered. The fire and smoke of their long muskets sent lead whizzing into the mass of battle-crazed monsters. The pack of sharpshooters was loose, but the wolves' was dense like a stack of needles. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel, if their berserking foes could not bring themselves to break from the melee. Then the unengaged musketeers poured in, slower but more deliberate to gather and form up.
They lacked the precision of the jezail skirmishers, but made up for it in mass and rate of fire.
They did not fire in sporadic pops from every corner, but in timed bursts that rippled down long lines.
For every block, the hailstorm began with the two front ranks, one kneeling and one standing.
The rest followed, one by one, until the pattern repeated. Volley after volley straight into the horde.
Finally, none other than General Ishui Jaou and his knight-retainers joined the fray. Seeing more gaps beginning to form in the pike-wall, they charged in a thunderous gallp accompanied by the cracks and smoke of pistol fire. But before they connected, they were sure to bring out and couch their lances. With riders and mounts encased in heavy armor, each of these relatively few but famously capable warriors added great mass and power to the struggle. The only question was how many and how quickly they could cut down the beasts, and if they could hold enough for the muskets to do their work. For as far as Ishui Jaou could tell, this wouldn't be a normal battle. The fight with the wolves would be a battle of annihilation. _ Functionally speaking, the Imperial Yvorom Cavalry would be fighting their own battles, separate from the infantry and their General. On the left flank, three regiments continued to play hit-and-run with the orcish pikes using their well-honed skills in horse archery, taking advantage of both superior numbers and superior speed to grind the enemy down. One regiment, seeing the gap between the pike block and the Survaekom infantry, galloped through to charge the lone regiment of Wastelander shock infantry right of the pikes. On the right, General Stae Pjjokhat received the message from the Blood Dancer and massed his troops, along with King Azlyn and the Heirs of Estryn, for a great charge. Compared to any other movement of cavalry on the battlefield today, Pjjokhat's attack was a tidal wave of wargs and horses. With the Khaitis and Elonese knights at the front, they crashed into the Wastelander flank. The Yvorom loosed arrows for as long as feasible during the charge, before following up the shock of the front with a rush of cavalry of sheer scale enough, hopefully to overwhelm the comparatively pitiful number of orcs and force them into a rout. The entirety of the Imperial Army was now engaged. Whether in victory or defeat, the invaders would know the taste of the Surv-Akur's prowess. |
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Post by talis on Mar 2, 2015 19:30:53 GMT
It was time.
"Open the gates!" Garlog roared, gathering up his men. His warg snarled in eagerness, hungry for wastelander flesh. The sally would come from three different points. The reserve forces in the Cathedral and Lower Districts would be exiting to the west and engaging Jodsar's cavalry. Thankfully Garlog had had the foresight to lay out barricades and traps in the district during the siege, which would be sure to slow and frustrate the attackers. The cavalry's advantages would be nullified in the tight alleys and mazelike streets of the city - easy pickings for his soldiers.
The reserve forces in the citadel would be leaving through the south gate to attack the orcish rear. Already the cannons in Thunder Keep were firing down on the pikemen watching the gate in order to soften them up and disrupt their formation. With luck his men would burst straight through and be able to attack the enemy from behind.
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