Battle of Kharog's Ford

The initial decision to split the Sacryan Army and the failure to properly secure the Northwestern Ford meant that upon arriving the Sacryan troops had scarcely the time to build breastworks let alone proper trench lines. The initial Firetooth landing further upriver (40 miles away) meant that Emperor Aonag was nearly a day's march from Kharog's Ford. Aonag's scouts would confirm that not only was the main Firetooth Army behind him but the force in front of him was no more then ten to fifteen thousand strong.

With curses on their lips, the Emperor turned his army around to march back towards the Ford. The fact that the Giants could traverse such wide open spaces at speed combined with the Sacryan highway system meant that Aonag would soon be able to rejoin his beleaguered forces, if they could hold the Ford.

Yet the opening hours of the battle went poorly for the Sacryan Army. Infiltrators crossed the river during the pre dawn darkness, lead by the famed Org Maidenshot. Pickets were quickly silenced and when muskets finally did erupt it seemed as if the Orc's were everywhere. The Firetooth had clearly studied the ground which had helped them prepare for the assault. Without the leadership of an experienced Sacryan General on hand, confusion reigned for a critical hour -- an hour in which the Firetooth and Stonefoot approached on the horizon towards the river bank.

Organized Sacryan resistance stiffened when the famed Ice Stalkers entered the fray, hunting down the Orc infiltraitors band by band and isolating them to a few bloody pockets of resistance. It wouldn't be clear what had happened to Org Maidenshot until well after the battle. Perhaps the greatest success of the raiders had been neutralizing several key sites where the Sacryan Imperial Guard had erected their cannons overlooking the Ford, spiking them or blowing their ammunition stores.

The Sacryan troops meanwhile had recovered from the initial assault and had woken to begin forming their battle lines as the Firetooth and Stonefoot formed up into three great columns. Tovenaar battle mages stalked along their lines, casting wards for the lead elements of the column. Green witch fire flared as bullets and shrapnel burnt up before striking their targets.

The fighting was heavy, especially on the right flank. The Firetooth had massed their artillery but only half of the Firetooth batteries had managed to have been wheeled into position in time to support the assault by General Murdok Ironhand. A murderous fire ripped through the shoreline, hammering the massed Sacryan ranks. Yet much to General Murdok Ironhand's surprise, he was met not by the defeated broken remnants of a force but fanatical resistance. Sacryan troops eagerly charging into battle, desperate to get to grips with the enemy no matter how many bullets, shrapnel, or bayonet wounds they took in the melee.

On the left flank, the Stonefoot were greeted by the Imperial Guard and two supporting regiments of riflemen. Slogging through the water and without the enchantments of their Firetooth brethren, the Stonefoot became sitting ducks for Sacryan riflemen that were on the far bank.

Gradually, the remaining Firetooth batteries came online, hurling shells at the stretched Sacryan lines. The question became if the Sacryan army could hold for the rest of the day.

SUMMARY
-- The Firetooth successfully manage to cause chaos and confusion in a daring pre dawn raid but at the price of Org Maidenshot's raiders.
-- Lead elements of the Firetooth / Stonefoot Army have begun crossing, on the right the Firetooth find some success in reaching the far bank but are immediately engaged in melee by fanatical Sacryan fighters. On the left, the Stonefoot have begun their crossing but are taking heavy casualties from sustained rifle fire as they slog through the river.
-- Each MM consist of a 24 hour period.
-- Sacryan Reinforcements arrive in one MM.