Riombara/The Great War/Part 1

The Great War - Part 1

June 1006 until November 1006

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.

Here may be found the further history of the Great War, covering the time from November 1006 until the present: The Great War - Part 2