Riombara/The Great War

During the Third Age (Idea and layout copied from Irombrozia):

First Campaign (June-July 1006)

Political Situation in May 1006

Legend:

Yellow: Riombara

red/orange: enemies (dark red: mortal, light orange: friendly enemy)

blue: neutral (Dark: distant neutral, light: friendly neutral)

green: allies (Dark: Distant allies, light: close allies)

black circles: capitals

Roman numerals: referred to in the text

Filled: Realms sending troops against or in aid of Riombara.

Outlined: Realms indirectly involved.

CS: For RP purposes, 1 'CS' is counted as one warrior. 1 'man' is equal to a pennant: 1 knight plus his retainers.

• Luz (red, L) and Enweil (orange, E) attack us (yellow, R)
• Avalon (A) attacks Fronen (our allies, F), preventing them supporting us
• we lose the city of Fwuvoghor (I) to Enweil (1st battle of Fwuvoghor), but manage to hold off Luz at first (1st battle of Ardmore - win, 1st battle of Glongin - loss, 2nd battle of Ardmore - loss)
• We lose Ardmore (II) to Luz (2nd assault on Fwuvoghor)
• Sint (Si) attacks Ashborn (A), our allies. Plergoth (P) comes to Ashborns help.
• We lose Rueffilo and Bolkenia (III) to Luz

(now look at the 2nd map)

• Irombro (blue, I) seceeds, taking Rii and Bolkenia with them - Riombara is reduced to the isles.
• We lose Melegra (II) to Enweil
• Enweil makes peace with us, handing Melegra back
• Luz takes Rii (III) from Irombro

First Campaign, results:

• During the first campaign we lose Fwuvoghor and all of our southlands due to fighting against odds of 2:1 and to Irombros secession. Riombara is halved in size.

• For a similar account centered around Irombrozia, look here: The Irombrozian Honour War.

Second Campaign (August 1006)

• Fronen steadily gains against Avalon
• Kthon (K) seceeds from Plergoth (P)
• Enweil (E) attacks Plergoth - their own creation
• we attack Ardmore (3rd battle of Ardmore - defeat). We manage to kill enough Luzian soldiers to enable Irombro some breathing space
• Ashborn is halved in Size by Sint.
• Varyama Nolvo fractures into 3 realms: Varyama Nolvo, Vice and Heen with the first 2 fighting Heen.
• Fronen makes peace with Avalon, reducing Avalon significantly.
• Globally, a large alliance is forming against Enweil due to their attack against Plergoth: Old Grehk, Plergoth, Sint and Thalmarkin against Enweil and Mesh, with Fronen and Riombara focused against Luz.
• Fwuvoghor (F, blue) seceeds from Enweil, enabling allied reinforcements to reach us.
• Avalon helps Luz to assault Irombro (17.000 CS), but retreats afterwards.
• Fronens first wave arrives. We attack Ardmore (18.000 CS against 20.000 CS, 4th battle of Ardmore - defeat)
• We attack Ardmore again (5th battle of Ardmore - defeat)
• Mesh is leaving the Great War after Joppo (J) seceeds, taking 3 more regions with it. Now it is Enweil against Plergoth and Old Grehk, with Sint helping whenever they do not concentrate against Ashborn...and Riombara with Fronens aid against Luz, which is fighting Irombrozia as well.

Second campaign, results:

• During the second campaign we manage to hold on, even giving the Irombrozians some breathing space.

Third Campaign (September, October 1006)

• Fronen's (green) second wave is arriving (Sept 13 - Sept 17)

6th Assault against Ardmore, Sept 19

• 23.000 CS attack Luz' entrenched 19.000 CS in Ardmore (I) - and finally we break their defense. We have 14.000 CS left and start a TO of Ardmore. Luz still has 7.000 CS in Irombro (II), suppressing the Irombrozians and they will slaughter half of Irombro's 27.000 people before retreating.
• Fronen attacks into Rueffilo
• Luz retreats from Irombro
• after 5 days our TO is successfull (Sept 24) - Ardmore is ours again. Due to the claims being installed when the war started, it is now Luz who has a claim on Ardmore, not us...
• Luz recruits massively in Grehk (III) - 19.000 mobile troops.

7th battle of Ardmore, Sept 25

• After part of our forces leave Ardmore, Luz attacks: 17.000 against 13.500 of ours. We lose. Losses 9.000 of ours (plus 2.000 more to come) against 7.500 of Luz. Luz does start a hostile Takeover
• As a result of the 7th battle, Luz takes control of Ardmore on Sept 30th and attacks into Avengmil on Oct 3rd with 15.000. We retreat, but 4000 are lost.

1st Battle of Avengmil, Oct 4th and Oct 5th

• Oct 4th: We immediately counterattack (9.000 against 12.000), but are beaten. The following turn we manage to drive off the invaders (11.000 against 11.000), beating them clearly.
• Oct 5th: An advance force of ours strikes into Ardmore, pursuing the beaten Luzians: 4000 against 4000, but as the Luzians are already battleweary we score a clear victory. An Avalonian army is sighted in Grehk.
• Oct 6th: Our and Fronens main army (3rd wave) reaches Ardmore - a TO is started.
• Oct 8th: Avalon is arrayed against Iormbrozia in Bolkenia (IV). If they attack it will most probably mean war between Fronen and Avalon again.
• Oct 11th: After 5 days Ardmore is once again ours. Due to Fronens support we were able to wrest that region from Luz despite it lying right next to their capital.
• Oct 14th: While our army returns to refit, Luz kills off 500 CS militia in Ardmore, then retreats again. During this time, Irombrozia defeats a Luzian/Avalon force of 6000 in Bolkenia, breaking their TO.
• Oct 16th: We move back into Ardmore with 20.000 men and offer Luz battle. When they don't accept, we move into Rueffilo on Oct 19th, while Fronen heads back north.
• Oct 19th: Irombrozia takes Rii (V) - possible due to Riombara and Fronen preventing Luz from leaving Grehk. After having their city half destroyed by Luz, they once again are back on the battlefield!
• Oct 19th: We move into Rueffilo, starting a TO

8th battle of Ardmore, Oct 20th

• Oct 20th: Luz moves into Ardmore, starting a TO. We counterattack with 11.000 against 16.000, but are beaten badly.
• Oct 23rd: As result of the lost battle, Luz takes Ardmore. Our TO in Rueffilo has failed. Herkan is appointed as General of Riombara.

3rd campaign, results:

The third campaign sees Ardmore changing hands 4 times. Pressure on Luz is rising and they are unable to advance further against Irombrozia - our allies and us have fought the attackers to a standstill. Considering that Luz commands more than twice our economic base and that their capital is right at the frontline we consider this a great success indeed!

Fourth Campaign (October-November 1006)

Statistics:

Luz (red): income 9.500, 17 regions (4 cities), 280.000 inhabitants.

Riombara (yellow): income 4.500, 6 regions (2 cities), 145.000 inhabitants.

Irombrozia (blue): income 800, 2 regions (1 city), 23.000 inhabitants.

Fronen (green, big): income 7000, 17 regions (3 cities), 165.000 inhabitants.

Fwuvoghor (green, small): income 1000, 2 regions (1 city), 30.000 inhabitants.

• Oct 24th: Fwuvoghor arrives - the result of a new alliance that is finalized between our realms. Luz moves into Rii, starting a TO. In Riombara, the army is reorganized, the already existing Military Council is beginning to be used as an asset.

First Sortie 

9th contest of Ardmore, Oct 26th

• Oct 26th: A joint force of 3.500 Fwuvoghorians and 12.500 Riombarans move into Ardmore (I) - Luz has vacated it because of our pending attack. We start a TO - once again. While we do that, Luzian remnants in Rii are beaten by Irombro, but still Luz takes control of Rii (II).
• Oct 27th: Luz is building up: 21.000 mobile strength in Grehk facing our 18.000 in Ardmore
• Oct 28th: After only 5 days, we control Ardmore again
• Oct 30th: We leave Ardmore for a refit and Luz enters it at the same time, but they do not catch a single straggler. Luz starts a brutal TO the day after, then crush the Irombrozian TO of Rii.
• Oct 31st: Luz assaults the city of Irombro (III), defeating the few defenders (11.000 vs 3.000), and heads back north. Irombrozia afterwards defeats 2000 Luzian stragglers in Irombro. The battles in Rii and Irombro reduce Luz' strength from 24.000 to 20.000

Second Sortie 

• Nov 2nd: Peace with Irombrozia is signed. With Fronen's 4th wave arriving, our army freshly refitted and the promise of Irombrozian reinforcements, we strike into Ardmore. Again, Luz retreats, moving 12.000 into Grehk and 7.000 into Rueffilo, fighting the Irombrozians there. We smash 3000 stragglers in Ardmore.

1st contest of Rueffilo, Nov 3rd

• Nov 3rd: We follow Luz' detachment into Rueffilo (IV), routing 6000 and starting a TO. The luzian Duke of Jidington, Sir TVFD3 is killed in the battle, the first which sees Riombara and Irombrozia fighting side by side. Within 4 days Luz has lost half its army while Irombrozia has lost most of theirs, but allied forces now number 24.000 CS against Luz' 12.000.

1st assault on Eno, Nov 5th

• Nov 5th: An allied force (Fronen, Riombara, Irombrozia) of 8000 CS storms Eno (V, stronghold), which is held by 2.300 militia. We start to demolish the walls. Luz is recruiting again - they now have once again a mobile strength of 17.500.
• Nov 7th: Due to Luz rising strength, we vacate Ardmore after Fronen's second half of their current wave has passed through. Luz moves an army of 18.000 into Ardmore while we finally retake Rueffilo (IV) - 4 months after it was taken from us.

10th battle of Ardmore, Nov 8th, Sunrise and Sunset

• Nov 8th: Luz moves north into Avengmil (I), taking the bait of our intentionally left empty northlands. We also start a TO in Rii. One turn later we move our fully reinforced army north into Ardmore (II), attempting to cut Luz off from their capital. Hastily Luz turns around to head back south. We meet in Ardmore: 18.000 allied forces (Riombara, Fronen, Fwuvoghor) against 15.000 of Luz - and our victory is total. After the sun rises, only 3000 of Luz' force managed to escape...they suffer 12.000 casualties to our 4.500. At sunset, Luz' forces that had been cut off in Avengmil try to sneak through Ardmore back into their capital. They are spotted, surrounded and destroyed nearly to the last man: 15.000 allied against 4.500 Luzian with Losses around 1.500 for us and 4000 for Luz. Surprisingly our low priority TO of Rii (III) succeeds after only 1,5 days.
• Nov 9th: Luzian emergency recruitments in Grehk barely prevent us from assaulting that city. We move into Glongin (IV) instead, starting another TO. Luz is back at 7.200 mobile strength. Part of our army heads for a refit.
• Nov 11th: Our TO of Glongin suceeds after 3 days. We withdraw from Glongin, Luz attacks with 12.000 and catches 3000 stragglers. Irombrozia starts a TO of Cagamir (V)

Third Sortie 

2nd battle of Glongin, Nov 12th

• Nov 12th: We counterattack into Glongin from Ardmore where the freshly refitted reinforcements have arrived just in time: 11.400 allied (more than half of them Fronen) forces against 9.800 Luzian. Our heavy Infantry, in case of our allies already having fought 3 previous major battles breaks their line, resulting in another victory: Our enemies lose 8000 men, we 4.500. Luz is once again down to 5000 mobile troops, but our battleweary soldiers are once again - barely - prevented from assaulting our enemies capital by their still fresh militia.

• Nov 14th: We keep a force of 8000 in Glongin, engaging 1800 undead once, even fighting side by side with Luz - a strange experience. Another 2000 undead are killed outside the city of Rines a day later.
• Nov 16th: With Luz mobile force rising back to 11.000 we move back to Ardmore and reinforce our army as well up to 12.000. Irombrozia takes Cagamir (I) from Luz.
• Nov 20th: While we refit, Luz ventures forth from Grehk into Glongin, facing part of our army in Ardmore. Herkan steps down as general and Quinn is elected in his place.
• Nov 22nd: Luz retakes Glongin (II) - then heads south. Irombrozia is pillaging Eno once again.
• Nov 24th: Luz barely defeats Irombrozia in a pitched battle in Bolkenia: 7000 against 5000.

Diplomacy: Fwuvoghor withdraws from the conflict as they have completed helping us regain all previously undisputed Riombaran regions.

Fourth Sortie 

1st assault against Grehk, Nov 25th

• Nov 25th: Before Luz' army is able to return, we assault Grehk: On a windy day 18.000 Riombarans face 11.000 defenders who take up position on the walls of their stronghold. Over 30 siege engines approach the walls, which is breached by the units of 4 Riombaran nobles. After vicious fighting, the breach is enlarged and the defenders overwhelmed. We now hold the enemies' capital and start a TO.
• Nov 27th: Part of Luz' remaining army is moving back in Glongin: 4000. Grehk's walls are reduced by two levels to Motte and Bailey. Our TO fails. We continue to hold Luz' capital.
• Nov 28th: We attack part of Luz army in Glongin at sunrise: 12.200 against 3.400. Now they have only 2.500 left in Rueffilo and 900 in Mio Dupaki while our army numbers roughly 16.000. We start a TO in Glongin. The first units of Fronen's 5th wave and Thalmarkin's 1st are arriving.
• Nov 30th: 1800 undead appear in Glongin and are defeated at sunset. Fronen kills 1700 militia in Mio Dupaki (III). Part of our forces is heading for a refit.
• Dec 1st: Our Takeover is successfull: Glongin (II) is ours again
• Dec 3rd: Luz does set up their last 5000 men as militia in Eno to prevent Irombrozia from looting, then all nobles head north without units. With Glongin repaired somewhat and a strong blocking force stationed in Grehk we await Luz.

Diplomacy: Plergoth has a change of rulership and surrenders to Enweil.

The secession of Eno, Dec 5th

Diplomacy: Eno (IV), the largest city on Beluaterra seceeds after its Duke Gilmaeglin was wounded and Distorted 'found' the necessary papers declaring him Duke. He immediately creates the Monarchy of Alluran. The regions of Xween and Brovyl follow the city. On Dec 7th, the Duke of Reeds (Plergoth), being not in agreement with Plergoths new ruler seceeds his city to create the Kingdom of Vlaanderen. 4 regions follow him.

• Dec 5th: We start another hostile TO of Grehk, guarded by 20.000 men. Nearly all nobles of Luz are present. Herkan is again elected as general.
• Dec 6th: Our second hostile TO of Grehk fails. One of our nobles starts a brutal TO without being ordered to and is severely reprimanded for it. This TO of Grehk fails the next day. We also start a friendly TO of Mio Dupaki (III). A small allied force storms Bym (V).
• Dec 7th: A small advance force of Fronen advances into Epinotke.
• Dec 8th: Our allies storm the city of Eylmon (south of Bym (V)): 5.400 against 1.600. Irombrozia has allied with Alluran and advances into Epinotke from the south. But most importantly: Enweil appears on the battlefield - they push 11.000 men into Kuugl (VI) and prepare to advance into Bym (V). Their reason is to 'protect Luz from becomming extinct'.

4th Campaign, results

The past 5 weeks have seen a complete shift on the front: While the relative strengths of both sides remained nearly constant in the beginning, still the tables did turn: Due to the reorganization of our command, the activation of the Military Council, much closer coordination with our allies and a lot more information being supplied to all concerned our army has become a lot more mobile, grave mistakes have been avoided and our enemies's mistakes could be exploited. Of the 7 major engagements all resulted in allied victories, Luz has been kept besieged in their capital for most of the time and we were able to wrest 5 regions from them. After 5 months of war everything that Luz had gained during the beginning has been retaken and we had isolated their capital, forcing its move back to its original location. Indeed, all seemed well until Enweil reappeared.

Fifth Campaign (December 1006)

Diplomacy: With Plergoth out of the fight and Sint being vastly more interested in pursuing their war of extinction against Ashborn, the western half of the Grand Alliance is more or less dissolved. Now Enweil turns their might against us - once again Riombara is vastly outnumbered. Irombro too withdraws from the fight, then soon afterwards declares hostilities towards us. During this time a defensive alliance with Alluran is signed, followed shortly after by a peace with Avalon.

• Dec 9th: Enweil pushes into Bym (I), resulting in a small battle where we loose 2000 men. We withdraw into Grehk, our allies withdraw from Eylmon.

The 2nd battle of Grehk, Dec 11th

• Dec 11th: We are running a hostile TO in Grehk (II), but Enweil and the first Luzian units attack and defeat us there: 22.000 against 11.000. Practically our whole force is crushed while the attackers suffer little, our TO fails.
• Dec 12th: Enweil advances 16.000 men into Ardmore (III), even though they first stated that they would not advance past Luz' original lands. Luz runs hostile TO's in both Mio Dupaki and Glongin. The next day, we loose another 3000 men in Ardmore which are retreating from Grehk towards Athol.
• Dec 14th: We lose Mio Dupaki to Luz, followed the next day by Glongin. Irombrozia starts a hostile TO of Rii. We reenter Ardmore the next day.

First sortie 

The 1st battle of Rii, Dec 16th

• Dec 16th: 7000 Riombarans attack 5000 Irombrozians in Rii (IV) - the first battle of this new war. Irombrozia is routed, losing their whole army while we have only around 1000 casualties. On the next day, 3400 undead attack 6700 defenders in Avengmil, but are easily routed. King Marc is captured during the battle.
• Dec 18th: We advance into Glongin (V), killing 1000 enemies and start a friendly TO. Our army of 9.800 in Glongin faces 8.800 Luzians in Grehk.
• Dec 20th: A small force of 4000 attacks 1000 Luzians in Mio, wiping them out. While this happens, we take Glongin for the second time.

Diplomacy: Marc, the former duke of Irombro, finally meets his end: Condemmed for seceeding his city in July, he is beheaded in Athol's main square on December 20th.

• Dec 22nd: After repairing Glongin, we head home to refit. Luz advances 4000 men into Glongin, defeating 2500 of our stragglers.
• Dec 24th: While we refit, Luz heads home as well, leaving a 5000 strong militia force in Grehk.

Second sortie 

The 3rd assault against Grehk, Dec 27th

• Dec 27th: After assembling in Ardmore once again, we assault Grehk (II): 10.200 against 6.800 defenders behind level 2 walls. After 6 rounds of fighting, 5 of our nobles finally gain and hold a portion of the wall, enabling us to surround and defeat the defenders. We lose 3000, our enemies 5.500 men.
• Dec 28th: Dance of Armies: We advance into Mio Dupaki once again, starting a friendly TO. Alluran moves 6000 men into Ovujemeh (VI), starting a TO, but Luz counters by advancing 9000 men into Eloranaal, threatening Allurans army in turn. To complicate the situation further, Irombrozia sends 5000 men into Rii, starting yet another TO while Enweil sends an army towards Grehk: 8000 reach Kuugl on Dec 29th. Now there are 3 Takeovers running in the south and 5 armies are marching, trying to gain a superior position...our enemies numbering 22.000 total, Riombara and Alluran 15.000.
• Dec 29th: Both Alluran and Riombara have to withdraw from our TO's in Ovujemeh and Mio Dupaki before the enemy advance. Luz advances into Xween.

The 2nd battle of Rii, Dec 30th

• Dec 30th: 7000 Riombarans attack 5000 Irobrozians who are guarding their TO of Rii - though the battle is bloody, we drive them off. Luz advances into Brovyl and starts a hostile TO there.
• Jan 1st: We are refitting, Enweil and Luz move 5000 men into Ardmore.

Third sortie 

The 11th battle of Ardmore, Jan 3rd (Sunrise)

• Jan 3rd / sunrise: Luz' TO of Brovyl fails and they head for a refit. Irombrozia sends 3.000 into Rueffilo, killing 800 Riombarans while we advance 10.000 into Ardmore and meet 6.800 enemies - though especially the Enweilian troops put up a stiff fight, the enemy is routed with heavy losses: 5.800 compared to 2.500 of our men. With this battle we have achieved parity with our enemies in the area of Grehk - and their forces are divided. By now Ardmore has become the bloodiest field in all of Beluaterra - whenever fallen are to be buried, remnants of previous battles are unearthed.

The 3rd battle of Glongin + the 12th battle of Ardmore, Jan 3rd (Sunset)

• Jan 3rd / sunset: Right after the battle in Ardmore, we advance 7.300 men into Glongin, catching 2.500 enemies who have not withdrawn behind the walls of Grehk. All are slaughtered while we lose 800. While Grehk is stormed, our enemies move 2.800 into Ardmore in an attempt to catch reinforcements - they are more successfull than they like: 2.800 attackers meet 5.600 Riombarans. Our enemies are crushed, losing 2.200 while we lose 1.300. Irombrozia still holds Rueffilo with 3000 men.

Diplomacy: Fwuvoghor has elected Retravic as Prime Minister. She cancels Fwuvoghors alliance with Riombara, says that no hostile action against Riombara will be taken, then closes her borders against any allied force wanting to reach our lands.

The 4th assault against Grehk, Jan 4th

• Jan 4th: the 4th battle in a row - though tired and bloody, we assault Grehk with 8.800 men, routing its 2000 defenders who fight to the last man. We lose 800.

Within 2 days and 4 battles we managed to attack and beat an oponent who was considerably stronger than our force. We have regained control of the southlands in and around Grehk, while Enweil is retreating its remnants north and Luz is assumed to be refitting in Jidington after their failed TO of Brovyl.

• Jan 6th: We advance back into Ardmore, then on into Rii and Rueffilo, driving away the Irombrozians who had made a foray into both regions. Another battlegroup heads into Mio Dupaki, starting a friendly TO and on into Bym, starting another friendly TO.

The 1st battle of Bym, Jan 8th

• Jan 8th: Both TO's fail due to peasants rising up. Luz cunningly assaults our advance battlegroup in Bym, routing our forces: 7000 against 4000. We head reinforcements into Mio, blocking the way east.

Diplomacy: We uncover a spy who had recently joined us from Fwuvoghor: Alaned. He had forwarded our orders to our enemies via Queen Retravic. Hireshmont has been implicated as well. Queen Retravic announces her marriage to Hireshmont.

• Jan 10th: Enweil shows up in force again in Kuugl - they field 16.000, with another 4000 behind them in Kuugl. We have to withdraw our 10000, our enemies jointly advance, catching 2000 of our stragglers in Mio then another 1000 in Grehk. We withdraw further to refit.
• Jan 12th: Luz starts a brutal TO of Glongin while Enweil marches south towards Alluran.

Diplomacy: Civil War in Fronen. After Cedric did abdicate, Enzeru was elected. He plus Grimbaldus staged a rebellion, with Enzeru giving in to the rebels as planned, making Grimbaldus (the former general) Prime Minister. They plan to create a monarchy and remake Fronen into something different. Aparently that act has been planned in concert with Hireshmont. The old loyalists start a counterrebellion. The Titans strike Grimbaldus down, resulting in Cedric winning the election, making the counterrebellion moot. The original rebels around Enzeru and Grimbaldus are banned.

Fourth sortie 

• Jan 15th: We reenter Ardmore in force. Irombrozia moves 4000 into Rueffilo while Luz guards their brutal TO of Glongin with 10.000 men. In addition, Luz runs a friendly TO of Brovyl - an Alluran region - with 3 nobles and only 600 men present. That TO is guarded by 9.300 Enweilians.

The 2nd battle of Rueffilo, Jan 16th

• Jan 16th: 10.400 Riombarans charge the 5.000 Irombrozians who did march into Rueffilo one day ago. Their staggered defense is broken and they are routed, losing 4.200 against our 1.400. While the battle rages, Luz brutal TO of Glongin is successfull.

The 4th contest of Glongin, Jan 17th

• Jan 17th: Right after the battle in Rueffilo, 13.000 Riombarans are ordered to attack the 10.000 Luzians in Glongin. We march through the night, but when the sun rises, Luz has withdrawn into Bym. We catch 900 stragglers and start a friendly TO.
• Jan 18th: Part of the army is ordered to storm Grehk - once again. The 600 defenders are easily routed, then we continue on into Mio, which is empty. Except for Hireshmont who is returning from his wedding...he evades and our friendly TO of Glongin is successfull after one and a half days. We start a friendly TO in Mio, Luz withdraws 9000 from Bym, Enweil and Luz have 14000 arrayed against Alluran in Brovyl while Luz is running their friendly TO, Irombrozia is rebuilding, we have 12.000 in the Grehk-Glongin-Mio Dupaki triangle.
• Jan 19th: An advance force of 3000 Riombarans reaches the summits of Bym, but Hireshmont again evades. We start another friendly TO in Bym while our forces gaze south and west over the large enemy contingents marching all over the plains between Jidington and Eno. Irombrozia moves 3000 into Rueffilo.

The 5th battle of Glongin, Jan 19th

• Jan 19th: Luz takes Brovyl from Alluran. At sunset, our TO in Mio fails and is started again. Surprisingly, Irombrozia attacks Glongin with 2000 men, but as that region has been reinforced they meet 8000 of ours and the result is pure slaughter. We wonder why Irombrozia marched to that attack...they have advanced into our lands 5 times now, and only once managed to retreat part of their forces behind the safety of their walls.
• Jan 21st: Our TO of Mio fails a second time. After taking Brovyl, our enemies are combining their armies and push 21.000 into Bym, ending our TO there. We withdraw our 12.000 from Mio before their advance. The next day Irombrozia advances 3500 into Rii while Enweil and Luz descend from Bym into Glongin. Alluran sends 7000 into Brovyl, starting a hostile TO to retake their region.
• Jan 23rd: Irombrozia has started a hostile TO of Rii, soon after Luz starts another brutal TO in Glongin, guarded by 18.000 men. We withdraw further into Avengmil.

Fifth Sortie 

Diplomacy: Valentia is no more - the duke of Unger, its sole city, declares allegiance to Melhed.

• Jan 25th: After refitting, we push 11.000 into Ardmore. Our enemies hold Glongin with 14.000 and Rii with 3.700. Luckily they do not react in time. We forcemarch into Rii, though Irombrozia withdraws to Rueffilo and we catch only 300 stragglers. We head back north towards Ardmore.

The 12th battle of Ardmore, Jan 26th / sunrise

• Jan 26th / sunrise: Our enemies take the bait - Luz, Enweil and Irombrozia have a total of close to 18.000 men in Glongin and Rueffilo...outmaching our 11.000 by far. Thus they march into Ardmore to catch our aparently retreating force. What they don't know is that we have hidden another 6000 in Athol, currently forcemarching towards Avengmil as well. Once the battle is joined, our enemies realize that they face a superior force: 12.300 attackers against 16.700 riombaran defenders. Their flank crumbles under the surprise reinforcements from Avengmil and after bitter and bloody fighting their army is crushed. Our enemies lose 10.800, we have to bury 6.500. With that victory we once again dominate the southlands, though Enweilian reinforcements are on their way... At the same time, Alluran retakes Brovyl

The 12th battle of Ardmore, Jan 26th / sunset

• Jan 26th / sunset: Tired, battered and weary we advance against Glongin. By sunset our enemies have forcemarched reinforcements there, raising their strength to 6.200. We attack with 6.600, 800 more infantry do not reach Glongin in time. The fight is one of the fiercest of the whole war, both infantry lines are routed and their very last archer unit rout ours. We lose 3.400, our enemies 4.200. But the harshest loss is Marshal Kakeru who is killed as he lived - charging the enemy. The next day we are ready to force battle once again - but the enemy retreats except for 400 stragglers which are quickly overwhelmed.

5th Sortie / Aftermath: During 2 days of vicious fighting our force of 17.000 has attacked and driven off an enemy force of over 20.000, killing 16.500 while our losses are 10.000. Two enemy TO's have been broken as well and Alluran was able to retake one region. Considering that Alluran and Riombara stand against Luz, Enweil and Irombro with a very probable hostile Fwuvghor breathing down our necks we consider this no mean feat at all...

• Jan 28th: Both sides retire.

Sixth Sortie 

• Jan 30th: Our advance guard of 4000 reenters Ardmore. Luz gathers in Epinokte and - one day later - pushes 6.800 into Ovujemeh to threaten Alluran once again. Irombrozia is staying behind their fortifications. At the same time we drive 400 Luzians out of Glongin and reoccupy Grehk - which is defended by a grand total of 200 men. Luz has quite clearly given up on trying to hold the city by force.

The 1st battle of Brovyl, Feb 1st

• Feb 1st: Luz had moved 6.200 men into Brovyl the day before. On sunrise Alluran attacks with 5.800 - and despite their numerical inferiority, they rout their foes after a bloody fight! 5000 Luzians fallen stay on the field, Alluran losses are estimated at 3000. We start another friendly TO of Mio Dupaki, which promptly fails (again!) next day. A hostile TO is started at once.
• Feb 3rd: We push an advance force up into the crags of Bym once more - and again armies are seen marching down in the plains. Enweil has refitted and is sending 13500 against Alluran into Ovujemeh. Luz is rebuilding as well and by the next day they have 7.800 in Epinotke, facing Bym. We have 11.000 in Mio Dupaki, guarding our TO.
• Feb 4th: Irombrozia moves their fresh army into Rii and starts a hostile TO. Surprisingly, this TO suceeds after only 1 day - Irombrozia takes Rii. Luz and Enweil combine their armies in Brovyl. The next day that army is split once again, 8.500 move into Xween while 16.900 stay in Brovyl - they now field a total of 25.400 against Allurans 12.000 (militia and mobile units). That puts the total of mobile enemy units at close to 30.000 against Allurans and our 18.000.

The 1st battle of Xween, Feb 6th

• Feb 6th: Alluran in a brave move dares to attack their enemies in Xween: 7.600 march to battle against 10.500, while roughly 15.000 further enemies hold the neighbouring region of Brovyl capable of reinforcing Xween...Alluran loses the battle and roughly 2.500, Luz/Enweil a staggering 4.500, including their full cavalry arm. While battle rages in the south, we finally take Mio Dupaki after 5 days. Now Grehk is cut off from Luz.