Lightstar Family/Xarnelf/Roleplay 86
The Outstanding Battle of Leod: Outnumbered, Outflanked, Outweighed, But Not Outdone!
(Prior to the battle, in the command tent...)
"Are you sure you wish to stay? There can be no victory with the next sunrise. It will be a very quick fight as well. After four volleys, I am ordering a retreat back into the safety of the forest. Now, I foresee two likely outcomes: either they will send their cavalry at us over this wide, open plain in the hopes of a swift victory, or they will send their infantry to minimalize their sustained losses."
The hero paused then, to briefly hold the gaze of each of the three other nobles in turn, before continuing.
"Let us pray that it shall be the former, for then we can remove the threat of their swiftest units..."
Xarnelf laid out his plan of defense, which called for a gallant, side-sweeping charge from Malificar to draw enemy fire and attention, while Rebbec and Kenshue were to remain dug in behind trenches with spears readied in place. The majority of his own men would be spread in a long line two men deep, with a smaller group nestled in the branches of the trees at their back. The infantry would seek to hold their formation long enough to allow the archers to expend their arrows, perhaps trading blows for a hundred-count, before withdrawing in an orderly manner.
Finally the Phoenix Storm, being the largest allied unit on the field, would ensure their friends could fall back to a safe distance by holding their line as they backpedaled into the trees. Those men perched on high would have another, more interesting, escape route...
(Roleplay from Kenshue Kazukin)
The battle was set, scout reports were coming in by the dozens of how Soliferum had over 1,000 men coming into Leod, to attempt to wipe out Greater Aenilians mere 300. With cunning intelligence, Xarnelf placed his men hidden in the trees, while Kenshue and Rebbec had been placed below to cover him as long as they could. The woodlands held silent, except for a faint roar coming from the distance. Kenshue looked at Rebbec, while Rebbec looked back at Kenshue. They both knew their best bet was to hold until the Soliferum units reached them. As they watched in the distance, they could see cavalry in the front, and many many men behind them. This was going to be a war that both their armies would never forget. Rebbec and Kenshue could see banners be lifted, and without hesitation, the cavalry began their charge. As the horse came full force, arrows flew from the treetops, and once they arrived, the force became to strong for Kenshue and Rebbec to hold them off any longer.
"Yes, do come and play, Conan... A pity that the bastard Viracocha did not join you..."
Xarnelf whispered to himself, as he noticed the massive infantry line parting down the center to allow the almost-five-score heavy cavalry to thunder through and charge ahead. The opposing archers in front advanced to a position within range of the dug-in infantry and commenced firing, but most of their first volley fell short. Two men unfortunately fell victim in those initial moments: one who had leaped up in fright at the sight of a mouse scurrying along the trench, and another who had leaped up to pull him back down.
A couple heartbeats later, Xarnelf ordered his men to fire at that strange-looking unit next to the bowmen, which seemed to be neither infantrymen nor archers, and thus might prove to be an unexpected threat, as special forces usually had the potential to become. Then he held his breath, as young, valiant Malificar led his meagre score of horses out from the allied left side, to swing around and smash into Tony's Immortals from the flank, with the rising sun in the east behind them throwing a glare into the attackers.
But alas, Redemption's unique unit proved their worth then, by performing an outstanding feat that could not be properly described from such a far distance; suffice it to say that it was indeed spectacular and special, causing the C'thonian cavalry to be largely ineffective in their swiping maneuver, although in their hasty, scattered retreat, the riders of Malificarum did manage to unman half a dozen or so of the approaching opponent's mounts. However, that slowed them not at all, as they swarmed forwards.
Then, Soliferum's armored warhorses passed fully around their ranged units and seamlessly melded into a gigantic arrow aimed at the very center of the defenders. It appeared to the observing hero that the enemy thought their superior cavalry could easily pierce the infantry to strike home at the vulnerable line of archers, perhaps causing enough havoc and fear in their titanic charge to bring about a complete rout before their own infantry had arrived.
But they could not know that the wily Xarnelf actually possessed the audacity to place a subdivision of his bowmen in the very trees at their backs! Thus, when those hidden archers let loose their first volley, in concert with the second volley of those lined behind the entrenched infantry, it seemed as if the forest itself came alive to send fletched shafts of whistling doom against the charging cavalry!
Their seamless formation faltered briefly, as many horsemen reacted with confusion at this latest turn of events. Sudden rallying calls to hold the line sounded, and the attackers snapped out of their shock to continue on with no further hesitations. Loud, nonsensical warcries could be heard from both sides, as lances, swords, spears, maces, flails, and shields clashed jarringly together.
One interesting warcry in particular, unleashed with amazing grace and clarity above all others, sounded from one Sir Kenshue in the Aenilian line:
"FOR GREATER ADARIA!!!"
Immediately following that, a second warcry, which unfortunately could not be heard due to its utter lack of grace, clarity, and even nobility, sounded from the mouth of one Captain Heidric of the Blood Thirsty Squirrels, as that same captain stared in confusion at his commander:
"HUH?!"
Anyways... the defender's lines crumpled backwards, but still miraculously seemed to hold after that numbing charge! Their boxed formation provided much vital shield cover, but with their role as M.E.A.T.S.H.I.E.L.D.'s (Men Expected And Told (to self-)Sacrifice, Helping Individuals Escape (the) Line (of) Defense) valorously fulfilled, Rebbec and Kenshue ordered their retreat back through and behind Xarnelf's double line.
Some warhorses had leaped the trench, avoiding the infantry altogether, and attempted to bear down upon the archers, a mere fifty yards back, but they were mercilessly shot down at point blank range. Between those bowmen in the treetops who rained arrows from a convenient angle, which allowed for easier finding-of-gaps-in-the-plated-armours, and those bowmen who stood their ground in the face of very angry horsies, the momentarily halted charge (due to the infantry) became further stopped in their tracks.
Eyes widening at the sight of Conan himself trying to rally (with little success) his quickly falling (and quickly pin-cushioned) 1st Republic Cavalry for a second (less) devastating charge, Xarnelf grabbed Kenshue, as the courageous young noble--the last of his unit to fall back--ran by him, and prompt turned him around. The hero pointed straight ahead at the imposing, solitary figure on horseback and shouted one name into the man's face.
Understanding immediately with a nod, the Knight of Zolon began to draw his sheathed blade, but the Duke of Idapur thrust a kite shield into his hands and pushed him towards the Soliferumite Prime Minister's right side. Meanwhile, Xarnelf grabbed another fallen shield from the ground and rushed over to the rider's left side. Kenshue eyed the older veteran curiously as the hero lifted his shield to apparently... bash the PM?
Without skipping a beat, he followed suit with his own, and together, the two Aenilians boldly double-shield-slammed Conan, knocking him in a daze off his mount! Since he was the senior citizen of the two, the hero motioned for the knight to grab the fallen man's feet, while he heaved up on the PM's breastplate/chainmail/studded leather/other-type-of-torso-armour. Together, they managed to carry the fellow back into the forest.
With their commander safely behind, and the incensed, indomitable, impressive (Immortal) infantry coming forth like a tidal wave of death, destruction, and domination, the heralds of the Phoenix Storm blew the signal for retreat upon their horns. At once, the bowmen on the front line back-stepped cautiously, while those on the back line turned around to run further back, so that they could set up a secondary line of defense for the first line to safely pass.
And we must not forget those poor archers in the trees, who by now must have plenty of splinters stuck in their unpadded bottoms! Well, their escape route (as previously noted to be more interesting), involved falling down on riderless horses! Whose riderless horses, you may be wondering? Valiant Malificar's men-less mounts, of course!
(Author's Note: Quite a few inexperienced riders completely missed their jump and have unfortunately not survived the battle; however, quite a few others made use of the enemy's bountiful horses! Then there are those who slightly misjudged their jump and now sing a higher tune, unfortunately... Nothing ever goes as planned, I suppose.)
In retrospect, perhaps the attackers should have sent their infantry ahead in front of their cavalry...?
25 attackers (729 Inf, 110 Arch, 87 Cav, 25 SF, 47 other)
4 defenders (160 Inf, 198 Arch, 21 Cav)
Total combat strengths: 11266 vs. 3083
Total casualties: 103 vs. 121
Wounded nobles: 0 vs. 0
Captured nobles: 0 vs. 1
