Grissenwald you're paying for and the Count of Grissenwald is using that to continue the fortification process. Heisenberg is just in a half-way state which isn't the sort of state it wants to be in if ever attacked, but it's also not on a key front.
Motherfu- Of course... Of course it would be too easy. I should have expected that Vlad's DEATH would split the conference apart. If he had planned for this, then this was one heck of a 4D chess move. Now Vlad is in one heck of a position to recover and reassess his plans while no one is expecting, which will leave everyone vulnerable to a riposte.
If we're the player for such a game and getting that kind of AI bullshit, we'd get caught off balance too. And probably mald immensely like Vlad must be right now
We definitely should push for a Third Conference while the combined forces of the Empire are all assembled. We need to march on Sylvania and burn out the undead which have taken hold there to ensure this doesn't happen again in a decade (or really with OOC knowledge a year).
Issue is unless we can offer proof, we look like a conspiracy theory with probably a underhind reason to do this and atacking the home of vampire look like suicide.
Adhoc vote count started by Warkeymon on Jul 28, 2024 at 3:58 AM, finished with 102 posts and 14 votes.
[X] Plan Onto Bechafen, Arsenal Activation -[X] The Ongoing War: 2 Dices + 1 Locked IC Dice
--[X] Direct the Iron Companies Must Beat: 50 2 Dices + 1 Locked IC Dice
---[X] Make haste into Bechafen, inviting any allied forces willing to join in but don't wait too long either.
--[X] The Other City -[X] Diplomacy: 4 Dices
--[X] Engage with a Noble, Notable or Cult (Van Hal of the Iron Tower) Cost: 200 Marks per Die Must Beat: 50 1 Dice
---[X] Start the discussion on what he might advise Wissenland with regards to anti-vampiric inventions and potential strategies against Undead. Veer the discussion about the trouble in Solland and specifically, about his views on "Witches" and the nature of his aid from the West.
--[X] Engage with an Elector (The Ottilian Empress) Cost: 1000 Marks per Die Must Beat: 150 3 Dices
---[X] Firstly arrange for the shipment of several of the many warehouses of the old Nulner rifles immediately for arriving late to arm the depleted Ottillian contingent. Secondly, declare your intention to the Ottilian Empress to relieve her vassal and if she has any troops that would follow along, any particular cavalry or skirmish forces to contest raiding from the Veldt Separatists/Stirlanders would be welcome. Third and most importantly, talk about supplying the Taalbaston with cannons and guns on a long term basis, perhaps even with exclusive flintlocks for her elite State Troops. Hochland might be her next door vassal but if they're swayed towards the Wolf Emperor, she would have no hope of easy resupply. Wissenland will honor all deals when it comes to defending the realm, ask the Ostlanders and Ostermarkers about the truth of that. -[X] Stewardship: 3 Dices
--[X] A Temple of the White Wolf Cost: 4,000 Marks and 2,000 Materials per Die Required Effort: 228/250 1 Dice
--[X] Riverine Docks (Meissen) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Required Effort: 145/150 1 Dice
--[X] Riverine Docks (Sauerapfel) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Required Effort: 0/250 1 Dice -[X] Military: 1 Dice
--[X] Fortify the Border (Grenzstadt Town) Cost: 400 Materials per Die Required Effort: 2,389/2,500 1 Dice
[X] Plan Reikland Detente -[X] The Ongoing War: 2 Dice + 1 Locked IC Die
--[X] Direct the Iron Companies Must Beat: 50 2 Dices + 1 Locked IC Dice
---[X] Make haste into Bechafen with any other forces that want to join and can march immediately.
--[X] The Other City -[X] Diplomacy: 4 Dice
--[X] Engage with a Noble, Notable or Cult (Grand Theogonist of the Cult of Sigmar) Cost: 200 Marks per Die Must Beat: 50 4 Dice
---[X] Have Mariele Althaus as our Ambassador do the talking here, as Bismarck is busy campaigning.
---[X] As an opening, talk about the concerns of the Sigmar's faithful with regards to the, for lack of better word, impotency of the Reikland Emperor and how it might harm the Sigmarites congregations. While the current Von Leibwitzes are not Sigmarites (though Eldred is being raised Sigmarite), Bismarck at least cares about the congregations and support of the Cult. The Ulricans will not. Remark that Wissenlander bloc might be the only choice the Cult and Reikland have at present, short of 'falling' into the sphere of their Ulrican or Ottilian rivals. Propose a detente between Reikland, the central Cult of Sigmar and the Wissenland. Venture the information that Middenland was making plans to invade the Reikland with our guns, and that was before he gloriously won the war against Vlad. We are not outright asking for the Sigmarite vote yet, merely for an alignment of our interests. -[X] Stewardship: 3 Dice
--[X] A Temple of the White Wolf Cost: 4,000 Marks and 2,000 Materials per Die Required Effort: 228/250 1 Dice
--[X] Riverine Docks (Meissen) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Required Effort: 145/150 1 Dice
--[X] Riverine Docks (Sauerapfel) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Required Effort: 0/250 1 Dice -[X] Military: 1 Dice
--[X] Fortify the Border (Grenzstadt Town) Cost: 2,000 Marks and 400 Materials per Die Required Effort: 2,389/2,500 1 Dice
[X] Plan Onto Bechafen, Sphering Sigmarites Slowly -[X] The Ongoing War: 2 Dices + 1 Locked IC Dice
--[X] Direct the Iron Companies Must Beat: 50 2 Dices + 1 Locked IC Dice
---[X] Make haste into Bechafen, inviting any allied forces willing to join in but don't wait too long either.
--[X] The Other City -[X] Diplomacy: 4 Dices
--[X] Engage with a Noble, Notable or Cult (Van Hal of the Iron Tower) Cost: 200 Marks per Die Must Beat: 50 1 Dice
---[X] Start the discussion on what he might advise Wissenland with regards to anti-vampiric inventions and potential strategies against Undead. Veer the discussion about the trouble in Solland and specifically, about his views on "Witches" and the nature of his aid from the West.
--[X] Engage with a Noble, Notable or Cult (Arch Lector of Nuln) Cost: 200 Marks per Die Must Beat: 50 3 Dices
---[X] Have Mariele Althaus as our Ambassador do the talking here, as Bismarck is busy campaigning.
---[X] Talk about the concerns of the Sigmar's faithful with regards to the, for lack of better word, impotency of the Reikland Emperor and how it might harm the Sigmarites congregations. While the current Von Leibwitzes are not Sigmarites, Bismarck at least care about the congregations and support the Cult. The Ulricans will not. Remark that Wissenlander bloc might be the only choice Reikland has, short of falling into the sphere of their Ulrican or Ottilian rivals. -[X] Stewardship: 3 Dices
--[X] A Temple of the White Wolf Cost: 4,000 Marks and 2,000 Materials per Die Required Effort: 228/250 1 Dice
--[X] Riverine Docks (Meissen) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Required Effort: 145/150 1 Dice
--[X] Riverine Docks (Sauerapfel) Cost: 1,000 Marks and 200 Materials per Die. Required Effort: 0/250 1 Dice -[X] Military: 1 Dice
--[X] Fortify the Border (Grenzstadt Town) Cost: 400 Materials per Die Required Effort: 2,389/2,500 1 Dice
@Warkeymon question did vlads Artillery got captured by our allies in either wolf or Ottilian or did they managed to escape. Cause they are one of the things vlad can't properly replace with the dead and it would be a big setback to him with the loss Artillery and the men trained in using it.
@Warkeymon question did vlads Artillery got captured by our allies in either wolf or Ottilian or did they managed to escape. Cause they are one of the things vlad can't properly replace with the dead and it would be a big setback to him with the loss Artillery and the men trained in using it.
The human Sylvanian State Troop is the portion of his forces that has the artillery and was not at Taalbastion, the nature of the Taalbastion is such that cannon bombardment of the crater wall is pointless so he never brought the cannons with him. You've recently received word that the Sylvanian State Troop arrived at Bechafen to reinforce the Veldt.
While we are a bit off from it,I still wanted to share this Imperial Line Infantry design just in case it counts as one of those omake thingies
Here's is also a rifle+bayonet+early Cathayan uniform draft
While we are a bit off from it,I still wanted to share this Imperial Line Infantry design just in case it counts as one of those omake thingies
Here's is also a rifle+bayonet+early Cathayan uniform draft
For the Nuln variant, I suggest a main black uniform with a red outline like it is in the lore. But this time with a skull mask as well from the 'Deaths Head' regiment as a tribute to them and for that ominous faceless emotionless professional soldier vibe to further the reputation of Nuln's professional soldierly and iron discipline in the face of horrors like the living dead.
Edit: These guys but with fancier uniforms with Nuln's colours and guns
For the Nuln variant, I suggest a main black uniform with a red outline like it is in the lore. But this time with a skull mask as well from the 'Deaths Head' regiment as a tribute to them and for that ominous faceless emotionless professional soldier vibe to further the reputation of Nuln's professional soldierly and iron discipline in the face of horrors like the living dead.
Edit: These guys but with fancier uniforms with Nuln's colours and guns
I was thinking of either using different coloured collars to distinguish units from different Provinces or just using the same uniform all across the Empire to show how united it is but that's a cool idea
My objection would be that it would get really hot under the sun
I was thinking of either using different coloured collars to distinguish units from different Provinces or just using the same uniform all across the Empire to show how united it is but that's a cool idea
My objection would be that it would get really hot under the sun
To be fair, the usual fair of floofy hats and baggy cloths are also relly hot under the sun, so it doesn't really make that much of a difference. Also whens the next update gonna be?
To be fair, the usual fair of floofy hats and baggy cloths are also relly hot under the sun, so it doesn't really make that much of a difference. Also whens the next update gonna be?
Army of the Wissenland
Commander Martial: Grand Count Bismarck von Liebwitz (30)
Unit Rolls: Grand Count Bismarck (82), Grand Marshal Manfred (2), Imperial Palace Greatswords (15), Garrison (32), Iron Foot (69), Steel Guard (85), Ironsides (49), Great Company (93), Elector's Own (78), Hammers of Nuln (34), Fathers of Sons (60)
Unit Mobility: Grand Count Bismarck (16), Grand Marshal Manfred (12), Imperial Palace Greatswords (10), Garrison (10), Iron Foot (10), Steel Guard (10), Ironsides (15), Great Company (10), Elector's Own (30), Hammers of Nuln (-5), Fathers of Suns (-10)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (+5 to Infantry, -5 to Cavalry, -10 to Artillery)
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10 to Iron Companies), Elite Standards (+5 to Greatswords, Garrison, Ironsides, Steel Guard), Ironsides (+5 to Artillery), Independent Officers (+5 to Steel Guard), Militarstutz Support (+30)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Count Bismarck = 163
Grand Marshal Manfred = 79
Imperial Palace Greatswords = 105
Garrison = 122
Iron Foot = 154
Steel Guard = 180
Ironsides = 144
Great Company = 178
Elector's Own = 173
Hammers of Nuln = 94
Fathers of Sons = 115
Riders of the Averland
Commander Martial: Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf (25)
Unit Rolls: Grand Duke Achim (3), Averburg Greatswords (82), Lancers of Heideck (54), Reach Riders (31), Black Bears (18), Noble Sons (82)
Unit Mobility: Grand Duke Achim (24), Averburg Greatswords (20), Lancers of Heideck (30), Reach Riders (30), Black Bears (20), Noble Sons (30)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (-5 to Cavalry)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Black Bears), Elite Standards (+5 to Averburg Greatswords), Heideck Support (+10)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Duke Achim = 57
Averburg Greatswords = 137
Lancers of Heideck = 114
Reach Riders = 91
Black Bears = 78
Noble Sons = 142
Van Hal's Showing
Commander Martial: Van Hal (23)
Unit Rolls: Van Hal (13), Righteous Spears (76), Irranan Footmen (55), Knights D'Aquitaine (80), Guardians (63), Silver Hammers (99), Raven Knights (13)
Unit Mobility: Van Hal (22), Righteous Spears (10), Irranan Footmen (10), Knights D'Aquitaine (25), Guardians (5), Silver Hammers (10), Raven Knights (20)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (+5 to Infantry, -5 to Cavalry, -5 to Dwarfs)
Army Modifiers: The Iron Tower (+10), Order Knights (+10 to Raven Knights, Knights D'Aquitaine)
Resulting Scores:
Van Hal = 73
Righteous Spears = 124
Irranan Footmen = 103
Knights D'Aquitaine = 143
Guardians = 101
Silver Hammers = 147
Raven Knights = 71
The Taalites
Commander Martial: Grandmaster Astor Schmidt (18)
Unit Rolls: Grandmaster Astor (92), Longshanks (14), Taal's Fury (41), Horned Hunters (7)
Unit Mobility: Grandmaster Astor (27), Longshanks (15), Taal's Fury (25), Horned Hunters (15)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (+10 to Cult of Taal)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Taal's Fury), The Taalbastion (+20)
Resulting Scores:
Grandmaster Astor = 167
Longshanks = 77
Taal's Fury = 124
Horned Hunters = 70
Sylvanian State Troop
Commander Martial: Vezér Constanta Pop (24)
Unit Rolls: Vezér Constanta (7), The North Company (39), The West Company (87), The South Company (18), The East Company (9), The Cannoneers (64)
Unit Mobility: Vezér Constanta (15), The North Company (10), The West Company (25), The South Company (10), The East Company (10), The Cannoneers (-10)
Terrain Modifiers: Siege Camps (+10)
Army Modifiers: Drakenhof (+50)
Resulting Scores:
Vezér Constanta = 106
The North Company = 133
The West Company = 196
The South Company = 112
The East Company = 103
The Cannoneers = 138
Your decision to march east and relieve Bechafen runs into roadblocks from the very start. The Wolf Emperor has remained encamped at Taalagad to oversee the work of cleansing the battlefield, to build a tourney ground and to prepare you suspect for the possibility of an Election. It will come sooner than later in order to capitalise on the victory, and it seems he's hoping to host it at Taalagad as both imposition on the Ottilians and as a reminder of his victory. But having a rival Candidate's full might on her doorstep means the Ottilians are unwilling to send much in the way of their wounded forces out east.
The Hochlanders seem caught up in some internal trouble between Bergsberg and Hergig and the Ostlanders are uninterested in marching to Bechafen when they could be marching home. Which means there's some delicate negotiations at the Taalbastion before reinforcements come to join what remains of the Second Conference forces. There's the odd murmur about the possibility of a Third Conference but it certainly won't be until after the Election and even then, there's not likely to be a conference so much as a series of Imperial Decrees.
The Marienburgers have departed, barges docked at Taalagad to take them home in and amongst the barges of the Middenlanders that dominate the river ports here now. You suppose, looking out towards the river you can see why the Empress has denied you much in the way of reinforcements. Marienburg divides its forces into Fleets, even its land-based forces. The First Fleet is the actual Imperial First Fleet based out of Marienburg and is made up of the Province's best forces, Second Fleet is it's land-based counterpart charged with the defence of the Province and enforcement of the Grand Baron's will, and the Third Fleet is supposed to make up for the loss of the Grand Marshalcy of the Road and RIver Wardens. Indeed you understand the Westerland and Stirland are unhappy with one another for both claiming to have inherited office of the leader of the River Wardens.
There is a road east from the Taalbastion that follows the Talabec through some parts of the Great Forest that are relatively tame and out into the Gryphon Wood. Generally regarded as one of the safest of the large forests of the Empire, the Gryphon Wood is regularly used by the people of Bechafen to support their shipyards which sell barges throughout the Empire. Now however it seems quite empty, quiet even. As you near the city itself your forces divert from the road, which is indubitably being watched by the besiegers for signs of Ottilians, and you follow the Taalites out onto hidden tracks in the light woodland of the edge of the Gryphon Wood.
You make it to the treeline, preparing to assault the siege camps and bemoaning the less organised parts of your army as they struggle to pick their way into proper positions. The Averlanders in particular you note are having a hard time bringing their cavalry units onto managable fronts amidst the roots and the trees. And the alarms go up in the Sylvanians portion of the siege camps. Someone has spotted you. Once the alarm is sounded you can see what you can only imagine are the horse tribes of the Veldt making battle-ready at a rapid pace, the Sylvanians seem to have been helping them.
The Iron Companies form up, proper ranks and formations secure themselves against the treeline and with the enemy already aware of you the Wissenlanders push forward slightly to allow the artillery clearer sightlines. The Sylvanians and the Ungol array themselves in turn, you can't be sure if they're holding a reserve to prevent sallying past the pallisades they have erected but you must imagine they are lest the Ostermarkers surge out from Bechafen once you engage. The rest of your allies take their time matching up however and by the time the first moves have been made the later parts of the marching column are lagging well begind the action.
Round 2 - The Enemy Approaches
Army of the Wissenland
Commander Martial: Grand Count Bismarck von Liebwitz (30)
Unit Rolls: Grand Count Bismarck (7), Grand Marshal Manfred (100), Imperial Palace Greatswords (89), Garrison (35), Iron Foot (29), Steel Guard (2), Ironsides (78), Great Company (93), Elector's Own (69), Hammers of Nuln (50), Fathers of Sons (51)
Ranged Attack: Grand Count Bismarck (21), Steel Guard (10), Ironsides (15), Great Company (10), Hammers of Nuln (50), Fathers of Suns (40)
Ranged Defence: Grand Marshal Manfred (12), Imperial Palace Greatswords (15), Garrison (-5), Iron Foot (15), Elector's Own (5)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Sightlines (+10 to Blackpowder)
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10 to Iron Companies), Elite Standards (+5 to Greatswords, Garrison, Ironsides, Steel Guard), Ironsides (+5 to Artillery), Independent Officers (+5 to Steel Guard), Militarstutz Support (+30), Company Wagons (+5 to Ironsides), Flintlocks (+5 to Ironsides, Great Company, Steel Guard)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Count Bismarck = 103
Grand Marshal Manfred = 177
Imperial Palace Greatswords = 184
Garrison = 110
Iron Foot = 119
Steel Guard = 112
Ironsides = 193
Great Company = 193
Elector's Own = 164
Hammers of Nuln = 185
Fathers of Sons = 176
Riders of the Averland
Commander Martial: Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf (25)
Unit Rolls: Grand Duke Achim (65), Averburg Greatswords (100), Lancers of Heideck (14), Reach Riders (26), Black Bears (76), Noble Sons (70)
Ranged Attack: Reach Riders (10), Noble Sons (10)
Ranged Defence: Grand Duke Achim (24), Averburg Greatswords (20), Lancers of Heideck (10), Black Bears (20)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (+5 to Ranged Defence, -5 to Ranged Attack)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Black Bears), Elite Standards (+5 to Averburg Greatswords), Heideck Support (+10), Out of Position (-10)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Duke Achim = 119
Averburg Greatswords = 155 Crit Success
Lancers of Heideck = 54
Reach Riders = 56
Black Bears = 136
Noble Sons = 100
Van Hal's Showing
Commander Martial: Van Hal (23)
Unit Rolls: Van Hal (16), Righteous Spears (98), Irranan Footmen (74), Knights D'Aquitaine (77), Guardians (1), Silver Hammers (55), Raven Knights (30)
Ranged Attack: Van Hal (22), Silver Hammers (15)
Ranged Defence: Righteous Spears (5), Irranan Footmen (10), Knights D'Aquitaine (30), Guardians (15), Raven Knights (20)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (+5 to Ranged Defence, -5 to Ranged Attack)
Army Modifiers: The Iron Tower (+10), Order Knights (+10 to Raven Knights, Knights D'Aquitaine), Out of Position (-10)
Resulting Scores:
Van Hal = 56
Righteous Spears = 131
Irranan Footmen = 112
Knights D'Aquitaine = 135
Guardians = 44 Crit Fail
Silver Hammers = 88
Raven Knights = 88
The Taalites
Commander Martial: Grandmaster Astor Schmidt (18)
Unit Rolls: Grandmaster Astor (91), Longshanks (25), Taal's Fury (54), Horned Hunters (16)
Ranged Attack: Grandmaster Astor (27), Longshanks (10), Horned Hunters (15)
Ranged Defence: Taal's Fury (20)
Terrain Modifiers: Light Woodland (+10 to Cult of Taal)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Taal's Fury), The Taalbastion (+20), Out of Position (-10)
Resulting Scores:
Grandmaster Astor = 156
Longshanks = 73
Taal's Fury = 122
Horned Hunters = 69
Sylvanian State Troop
Commander Martial: Vezér Constanta Pop (24)
Unit Rolls: Vezér Constanta (43), The North Company (26), The West Company (12), The South Company (68), The East Company (45), The Cannoneers (50)
Ranged Attack: The North Company (10), The Cannoneers (45)
Ranged Defence: Vezér Constanta (15), The West Company (5), The South Company (5), The East Company (20)
Terrain Modifiers: Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Sightlines (+10 to Blackpowder), Rudimentary Defences (+10 to Ranged Defence)
Army Modifiers: Drakenhof (+50)
Resulting Scores:
Vezér Constanta = 147
The North Company = 115
The West Company = 121
The South Company = 162
The East Company = 154
The Cannoneers = 179
The first stage of the ensuing battle is one of manouvering, the artillery batteries on both sides begin to pound and you're pleased to note a noticable difference in the quality of fire between the two teams, meanwhile the forces on both sides engage in small skirmishes along the line to give themselves time to move their melee focussed units into proper position. You don't see any sign that the defenders are about to sally forth, perhaps they have not yet seen your own forces' arrival.
You take this moment to assess the arrayed Sylvanian forces as they move into a position that clearly indicates an intention to assault your position. Worried about being caught between the two foes, or about your renowned handgunners, they look to mean to drive you back into the woods from whence you came. The Sylvanian State Troop is made up of regiments of professional soldiery, not too unlike the Iron Companies. Your own experiments with mixed detachments seems to not be the first attempt at this sort of thing given von Carstein's forces seem to mix their disciplines.
Still, you can see that they're not all alike. A war standard marches with teams of spears and archers towards where the Averlanders are finally beginning to form up, a white eagle with a dagger through its heart. Another standard makes its way to the centre pitching itself against your forces if slightly to one side where the Taalites have begun to arrive. Large heavy shields and short swords dominate here and handgunners back up these men. Your eye passes across the other Sylvanian units, a heavily armoured group with halberds backed up by crossbows and a light cavalry force.
You wonder how much of it is outright copying the Iron Companies, and you watch as the officers on the far side of the battlefield wriggle their forces around under the hail of bombardment from both sides and wonder if there's not something more strategic about these Sylvanians than just that mockery. Their allies however seem to be something of allies of opportunity. Von Carstein happened upon the Veldt rebellion and brought them into his sway, certailny for all their new armament they are not trained by the Sylvanians. Their infantry block is disorganised and wholly without formation as it wanders scattered onto the battlefield under the force of fire the Second Conference can bring to bear.
You don't recognise the banners of the commander of the enemy forces. Van Hal might know better, or he might not, intelligence regarding the Sylvanian State Troop is woefully out of date. A look around the battlefield and you're not actually sure where Van Hal is. Some fragments of his line can be seen breaching the treeline at last. You can see the ripple running down your right flank well before you hear the fighting. Certainly with the Hammers behind you the actual gunfire of the Van Hal and his own Silver Hammers is entirely silent in comparison. But you're far too practiced with reading a battlefield not to see the jerk in the formation as men react to something you aren't yourself seeing.
Signalmen step away to attempt to communicate along the line with as little disturbance from the smoke and sound of the artillery and messengers are sent to determine what is happening on the otherside of that copse. And when the rider returns with word from Van Hal, a thick column of smoke rising in the distance, it is to remind you that even the Gryphon Wood is not entirely safe. Some sort of woodland spirit took umbrage to the passage of the Order of the Guardians beneath its boughs. A handful of dryads and the treeman to whom they were attendants are currently burning on a makeshift pyre under the watchful eye of Righteous Spears. The Order of Guardians sent to you some three score Dwarfs, the messenger cannot confirm how many have survived the sudden bout of violence.
To the left flank, where the Averlanders are now stretching towards the Talabec itself, your eye then turns. The Greatswords of the Imperial Palace, loosely gathered around you in a position that allows them to intervene in the case of a sudden surge but otherwise affords you excellent views of the field before you, are infantrymen. Indeed most Greatswords companies are, their hefty weapons better balanced on your own two feet. But the Averland has a long history of expecting its Elector Count to serve in battle on horseback, and therefore his bodyguards need be able to match his speed on the field.
Something seems to happen, like the world slows down and you focus in on a seemingly innocuous shot from amongst the stolen great cannons. It pierces through a cloud of smoke and fire and hurtles away riverwards, you track it on its way towards the Averlanders and where Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf is currently giving a speach ahead of leading his forces into a hard charge towards the city to try and link up with and encourage a sally. All but a moment, stretched in your mind as one of the key commanders of the Second Conference is about to be slain. And then one of the Averburg Greatswords launches themselves from their horse and into their liege lord and rolls into the grass.
There's a moment of still and then the two men stand back up uninjured. You can even hear the cheer of the Averlanders as the two embrace before running to their horses. The Averlander contingent surges forth and out into the field. The Sylvanians meanwhile seem unprepared for the charge. Ungol riders race out to meet the Averlanders, a delaying action perhaps to buy or maybe the Sylvanians simply mean to burn your effort on the Ungols and have their own forces engage after you're worn down a little. If it is the former, then the eager Averlanders don't allow them very much time at all. Lances and spears and swords and a great hole is hewn through the Ungols.
Signalmen on the far side of the field whirl flags or sound horns and the enemy begins to move. The Veldt rebels ride out in front, even their clansmen racing ahead, and the Sylvanians march steadily leaving their commander and their heaviest infantry behind to guard the cannons that continue to pound away.
Round 3 - The Enemy Strikes
Morale Checks
Army of the Wissenland
Army Roll: 41
Commander Martial: Grand Count Bismarck von Liebwitz (30)
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10), Militarstutz Support (+30), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Battle Momentum (+10), Under Bombardment (-20), Moment of Heroism (+15)
Score: 101
Army of the Wissenland embolden.
Riders of the Averland
Army Roll: 88
Commander Martial: Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf (25)
Army Modifiers: Heideck Support (+10), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Moment of Heroism (+15)
Score: 108
Riders of the Averland embolden.
Van Hal's Showing
Army Roll: 93
Commander Martial: Van Hal (23)
Army Modifiers: Iron Tower Support (+10), Developing Losses (-10), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Moment of Catastrophe (-15), Battle Momentum (-10), Battle Priests (+5)
Score: 71
Van Hal's Showing hold.
The Taalites
Army Roll: 9
Commander Martial: Grandmaster Astor Schmidt (18)
Army Modifiers: Taalbastion Support (+20), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Battle Momentum (-10), Battle Priests (+5)
Score: 12
The Taalites waver.
The Veldt
Army Roll: 37
Commander Martial: Chieftess Daria Murawska (12)
Army Modifiers: Disorganised (-5), Developing Losses (-10), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20)
Score: 9
The Veldt waver.
Sylvanian State Troop
Army Roll: 58
Commander Martial: Vezér Constanta Pop (24)
Army Modifiers: Drakenhof Support (+50), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Battle Momentum (+10)
Score: 112
The Sylvanian State Troop embolden.
Army of the Wissenland
Commander Martial: Grand Count Bismarck von Liebwitz (30)
Unit Rolls: Grand Count Bismarck (100), Grand Marshal Manfred (28), Imperial Palace Greatswords (95), Garrison (81), Iron Foot (8), Steel Guard (13), Ironsides (49), Great Company (28), Elector's Own (1), Hammers of Nuln (34), Fathers of Sons (70)
Ranged Attack: Grand Count Bismarck (21), Steel Guard (10), Ironsides (15), Great Company (10), Hammers of Nuln (50), Fathers of Suns (40)
Melee Attack: Elector's Own (30)
Melee Defence: Grand Marshal Manfred (12), Garrison (15), Iron Foot (15)
Ranged Defence: Imperial Palace Greatswords (15)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Danger-Close (-5 to Blackpowder)
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10 to Iron Companies), Elite Standards (+5 to Greatswords, Garrison, Ironsides, Steel Guard), Ironsides (+5 to Artillery), Independent Officers (+5 to Steel Guard), Militarstutz Support (+30), Company Wagons (+5 to Ironsides), Flintlocks (+5 to Ironsides, Great Company, Steel Guard), Light Losses (-5), Battle Momentum (+10), Emboldened (+5)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Count Bismarck = 191 Crit Success
Grand Marshal Manfred = 115
Imperial Palace Greatswords = 200
Garrison = 186
Iron Foot = 108
Steel Guard = 118
Ironsides = 159
Great Company = 123
Elector's Own = 131 Crit Failure
Hammers of Nuln = 164
Fathers of Sons = 195
Riders of the Averland
Commander Martial: Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf (25)
Unit Rolls: Grand Duke Achim (62), Averburg Greatswords (67), Lancers of Heideck (1), Reach Riders (4), Black Bears (27), Noble Sons (73)
Ranged Attack: Reach Riders (10), Noble Sons (10)
Melee Attack: Grand Duke Achim (24), Averburg Greatswords (40), Lancers of Heideck (30), Black Bears (40)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+20 to Cavalry)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Black Bears), Elite Standards (+5 to Averburg Greatswords), Heideck Support (+10), Light Losses (-5), Emboldened (+5)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Duke Achim = 141
Averburg Greatswords = 167
Lancers of Heideck = 86 Crit Failure
Reach Riders = 69
Black Bears = 132
Noble Sons = 138
Van Hal's Showing
Commander Martial: Van Hal (23)
Unit Rolls: Van Hal (92), Righteous Spears (33), Irranan Footmen (84), Knights D'Aquitaine (80), Silver Hammers (28), Raven Knights (88)
Ranged Attack: Van Hal (22), Silver Hammers (15)
Melee Defence: Righteous Spears (15), Irranan Footmen (10), Knights D'Aquitaine (35), Raven Knights (25)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Danger-Close (-5 to Blackpowder)
Army Modifiers: The Iron Tower (+10), Order Knights (+10 to Raven Knights, Knights D'Aquitaine), Developing Losses (-10), Battle Momentum (-10)
Resulting Scores:
Van Hal = 132
Righteous Spears = 66
Irranan Footmen = 112
Knights D'Aquitaine = 158
Silver Hammers = 56
Raven Knights = 156
The Taalites
Commander Martial: Grandmaster Astor Schmidt (18)
Unit Rolls: Grandmaster Astor (56), Longshanks (86), Taal's Fury (52), Horned Hunters (40)
Ranged Defence: Grandmaster Astor (27), Longshanks (5), Taal's Fury (20), Horned Hunters (5)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Taal's Fury), The Taalbastion (+20), Light Losses (-5), Battle Momentum (-10), Wavering (-5)
Resulting Scores:
Grandmaster Astor = 121
Longshanks = 114
Taal's Fury = 120
Horned Hunters = 68
Sylvanian State Troop
Commander Martial: Vezér Constanta Pop (24)
Unit Rolls: Vezér Constanta (16), The North Company (83), The West Company (64), The South Company (53), The East Company (68), The Cannoneers (80)
Ranged Attack: The North Company (10), The Cannoneers (45)
Ranged Defence: Vezér Constanta (15), The West Company (5), The South Company (5), The East Company (20)
Terrain Modifiers: Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Danger-Close (-5 to Blackpowder), Rudimentary Defences (+10 to Ranged Defence), Meat-Shielded (+5 to Ranged Defence)
Army Modifiers: Drakenhof (+50), Light Losses (-5), Battle Momentum (+10), Emboldened (+5)
Resulting Scores:
Vezér Constanta = 135
The North Company = 177
The West Company = 188
The South Company = 162
The East Company = 192
The Cannoneers = 204
Trenches, earthworks, palisades, the Sylvanians and their allies have certainly been preparing for a relieving force to arrive and challenge them. The Sylvanians even now continue to prepare, they have not marched out to face you like the Ungols have and instead keep to their prepared defences adding the meat-shield of the Veldt tribes to those defences. There's only so many shots as can reach the Sylvanians at all past the bulk of the Ungols.
Worse, the Sylvanians seem very much unimpeded by the same problem, a benefit perhaps of the crossbow being their primary ranged weapon of choice. The Fathers of Suns have been demonstrating the usefulness of arced fire on your own side, fires blazing in the enemy camp or the backlines of the Ungols as they swarm up against you. But even with direct fire, the enemy cannoneers have clearly been driven by their master to perfect the art of gunnery in the timespan that they've had their hands on Great Cannons. Expert counter-battery fire rocks all around your position and some of the artillerists of the Hammers spend precious time moving their pieces to positions with better cover.
The bulk of this stage of the battle however is clearly the Veldt surge to assault your line. Perhaps hoping to take advantage of the delays in forming up or perhaps unable to chain their forces once battle is met. Certainly it is a picture in contrasts as you look upon the line between the Iron Companies arrayed before you braced for the assault and the swarm of Clansmen approaching. What banners or standards they carry are ragged and eclectic and uniforms are non-existent but you get a general idea of tribal units amongst the enemy, some similarity in the cut of their clothes or the colours or the armaments. You're more than capable of picking out leaders in a crowd, seeing who the men turn to for instruction. This is not some well formed army, but some gathering of hundreds of small armies that the Sylvanians have tried to solidify.
Tried and failed. The Averlanders ride hard through the enemy. Their knights plough through the heart of the foe, the Grand Duke and his Averburgers carve open the enemy lancers and wheel around in the distance. And the Ungols are clearly wounded in spirit by the display. The mounted members of the Veldt tribes shift to handle the Averlanders now lingering in their rear, there's a shudder through their ranks and the final charge towards the line is clearly disjointed and uncertain.
But the Sylvanians seem to have been prepared for the Averlanders to have found such little resistance and slip through the Ungols so easily. For they shift their fire and focus almost entirely on the now isolated Averlanders between the two forces. The Ungols may not be able to close the gap in their line that has been torn open, and you note the Steel Guard moving to respond to the opportunity this offers, but the force of fire from the Sylvanians hews at the Averlanders. And then there's the crack of thunder as hundreds of rifles fire almost at the same time, the Sylvanians bringing their handguns to bear against the Lancers of Heideck to cut them down as they panic in the mid-field. You can only really watch as the unit falls, the only target the Sylvanian handgunners have to hand given the blockage the Ungols present.
Van Hal's forces to the south are locked into battle with some of the trailing edge of the enemy clansmen. Both groups are eclectic, looking out to your right their disorganisation on both sides might make it difficult to pick out where the line actually is if not for the superior armour of Van Hal's allies. His Templar allies seem to you to be doing the worse of the lot, which isn't that suprising given the injuries suffered at the Taalbastion to whatever necromantic beast had slain a significant portion of the Myrmidians. You don't spot any Dwarfs to the south, the earlier fray may have delayed them or worse.
Meanwhile the Taalites have finally made it to the front, taking the place the Averlanders had previously over to your left nearer the Talabec. They seem unnerved to you, perhaps word has already come of the Gryphon Wood's temper tantrum and they're taking it in an unfortunately religious light, or maybe they're not liking the look of the battlefield with their predecessors scattered across the field and many deceased. Many of the Taalites are archers, that doesn't especially surprise you their Templar Orders have always been made up of hunters (and poachers), but it means that your own Iron Companies have to stretch to cover the space to the north. The Garrison are instructured to decouple from the central battle and march behind the ranks up towards the river after you spot the Taalites struggling against the Ungols.
But the battle is clearly in your favour. The surviving Averlanders are duelling the Ungol horsemen, be it with lance and sword or with bow and pistol, a swirling cacophony of horseflesh in the mid-field occasionally breaking apart and racing across the field before crashing together again. Ocassionally the Grand Duke finds time to rake his riders against the back of the Veldt lines. But the Ungols on foot, the clansmen who made the error of sallying against you have undoubtedly found themselves regretting that decision. The slaughter is only mounting and when at last the enemy breaks or dies, you'll press on to the Sylvanians in their prepared positions.
And Gods be good, where are the damnable Ostermarkers? They may not have seen you marching out of the woods, they will have seen and heard this battle from up on the walls of Bechafen. You can see the city in the distance, it doesn't look like it was recently assaulted and cowed. The Elector's Own have decoupled from the rest of the Iron Companies to give you a clearer impression of the Ostermarkers, signalmen instructing them to ride up the bank of the Talabec and determine what exactly is going on and to signal the defenders in turn to sally forth. You see the Company's own signalmen attempting to attract the attention of the defenders and communicate with them, meanwhile a flag waved in your direction advises that the Bechafen garrison has been sighted on the walls.
And then a disaster strikes your lances in the distance, isolated from the rest of the Iron Companies.
Round 4 - The Enemy Departs
Morale Checks
Army of the Wissenland
Army Roll: 83
Commander Martial: Grand Count Bismarck von Liebwitz (30)
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10), Militarstutz Support (+30), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Battle Momentum (+15), Under Bombardment (-20), Moment of Heroism (+15), Moment of Catastrophe (-15), Emboldened (+5)
Score: 143
Army of the Wissenland embolden.
Riders of the Averland
Army Roll: 85
Commander Martial: Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf (25)
Army Modifiers: Heideck Support (+10), Developing Losses (-10), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Moment of Catastrophe (-15), Battle Momentum (+5), Emboldened (+5)
Score: 80
Riders of the Averland hold.
Van Hal's Showing
Army Roll: 66
Commander Martial: Van Hal (23)
Army Modifiers: Iron Tower Support (+10), Developing Losses (-10), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Battle Momentum (-15), Battle Priests (+5)
Score: 54
Van Hal's Showing waver.
The Taalites
Army Roll: 4
Commander Martial: Grandmaster Astor Schmidt (18)
Army Modifiers: Taalbastion Support (+20), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Battle Momentum (-15), Battle Priests (+5), Wavering (-5)
Score: -3
The Taalites withdraw.
The Veldt
Army Roll: 85
Commander Martial: Chieftess Daria Murawska (12)
Army Modifiers: Disorganised (-5), Moderate Losses (-15), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Battle Momentum (-5), Friendly Fire (-5), Locally Outnumbered (-10), Wavering (-5)
Score: 27
The Veldt waver.
Sylvanian State Troop
Army Roll: 94
Commander Martial: Vezér Constanta Pop (24)
Army Modifiers: Drakenhof Support (+50), Light Losses (-5), Facing Blackpowder (-5), Under Bombardment (-20), Battle Momentum (+15), Emboldened (+5)
Score: 158
The Sylvanian State Troop embolden.
Army of the Wissenland
Commander Martial: Grand Count Bismarck von Liebwitz (30)
Unit Rolls: Grand Count Bismarck (51), Grand Marshal Manfred (52), Imperial Palace Greatswords (57), Garrison (29), Iron Foot (39), Steel Guard (48), Ironsides (29), Great Company (73), Elector's Own (80), Hammers of Nuln (56), Fathers of Sons (95)
Ranged Attack: Grand Count Bismarck (21), Steel Guard (10), Ironsides (15), Great Company (10), Hammers of Nuln (50), Fathers of Suns (40)
Melee Attack: Elector's Own (30), Grand Marshal Manfred (12), Garrison (10), Iron Foot (10)
Ranged Defence: Imperial Palace Greatswords (15)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Danger-Close (-5 to Blackpowder)
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10 to Iron Companies), Elite Standards (+5 to Greatswords, Garrison, Ironsides, Steel Guard), Ironsides (+5 to Artillery), Independent Officers (+5 to Steel Guard), Militarstutz Support (+30), Company Wagons (+5 to Ironsides), Flintlocks (+5 to Ironsides, Great Company, Steel Guard), Light Losses (-5), Battle Momentum (+15), Emboldened (+10)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Count Bismarck = 152
Grand Marshal Manfred = 149
Imperial Palace Greatswords = 172
Garrison = 139
Iron Foot = 144
Steel Guard = 163
Ironsides = 149
Great Company = 178
Elector's Own = 220
Hammers of Nuln = 196
Fathers of Sons = 230
Riders of the Averland
Commander Martial: Grand Duke Achim Leitdorf (25)
Unit Rolls: Grand Duke Achim (66), Averburg Greatswords (7), Reach Riders (79), Black Bears (59), Noble Sons (98)
Ranged Attack: Reach Riders (10), Noble Sons (10)
Melee Attack: Grand Duke Achim (24), Averburg Greatswords (40), Black Bears (40)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+20 to Cavalry)
Army Modifiers: Order Knights (+10 to Black Bears), Elite Standards (+5 to Averburg Greatswords), Heideck Support (+10), Developing Losses (-10), Emboldened (+5), Battle Momentum (+5)
Resulting Scores:
Grand Duke Achim = 145
Averburg Greatswords = 107
Reach Riders = 144
Black Bears = 164
Noble Sons = 163
Van Hal's Showing
Commander Martial: Van Hal (23)
Unit Rolls: Van Hal (80), Righteous Spears (51), Irranan Footmen (99), Knights D'Aquitaine (67), Silver Hammers (20), Raven Knights (41)
Ranged Attack: Van Hal (22), Silver Hammers (15)
Melee Attack: Righteous Spears (10), Irranan Footmen (10), Knights D'Aquitaine (45), Raven Knights (35)
Terrain Modifiers: Fields (+5 to Infantry, +20 to Cavalry), Danger-Close (-5 to Blackpowder)
Army Modifiers: The Iron Tower (+10), Order Knights (+10 to Raven Knights, Knights D'Aquitaine), Developing Losses (-10), Battle Momentum (-15), Wavering (-5)
Resulting Scores:
Van Hal = 105
Righteous Spears = 69
Irranan Footmen = 117
Knights D'Aquitaine = 145
Silver Hammers = 38
Raven Knights = 109
Sylvanian State Troop
Commander Martial: Vezér Constanta Pop (24)
Unit Rolls: Vezér Constanta (70), The North Company (68), The West Company (62), The South Company (81), The East Company (97), The Cannoneers (76)
Mobility: Vezér Constanta (15), The North Company (10), The West Company (25), The South Company (10), The East Company (10), The Cannoneers (-10)
Terrain Modifiers: Siege Camps (+10)
Army Modifiers: Drakenhof (+50), Light Losses (-5), Battle Momentum (+15), Emboldened (+10)
Resulting Scores:
Vezér Constanta = 189
The North Company = 182
The West Company = 191
The South Company = 195
The East Company = 211
The Cannoneers = 170
You could be forgiven for thinking that the Ottilians were here to aid you in relieving one of your allies rather than the other way round. The Taalites have arrived on the field taking up the northern flank and after a brief foray into the melee have withdrawn, not just to find better firing positions but entirely from the field and into the Gryphon Wood. It has some effect on the rest of the left flank, the Averlanders have enough problems without worrying about the flank they've left behind. Fortunately for all that their losses cause a brief dip in morale and a rise in confusion you can see the Grand Duke rallying his men and hunting the rest of the Ungol horsemen across the battlefield driving the horse archers from their positions.
A key aid to the Averlander effort is certainly the fact that the force of fire from the siege camps has been steadily lightening. The Hammers of Nuln have confirmed the successful destruction of two enemy Great Cannons for the single Heavy Gun your own forces have lost and it appears the Sylvanians have decided that discretion is the better part of valour. You instruct signalmen to warn the Averlanders that the Sylvanians are evactuating, once those cannons have dropped down behind the earthworks it will be far more difficult to track their progress and the Sylvanians may have some means of escaping the field at haste. You do not want to see those Great Cannons remain in Sylvanian hands.
A messenger is sent into the baggage train to bring you a map of the area around Bechafen. In the meantime you order the Iron Companies to transition from allowing the enemy to break against your strength to actually pressing forth and shattering them. The battle needs to end now while there's still a chance of catching the retreating Sylvanians.
Earlier in the battle you watched as the Sylvanian artillery allmost slew the Grand Duke only for a timely intervention by the Averburg Greatswords to save his life, the moment stretching in an eerie blurred silence before your mind's eye. And it happens much the same again, your gaze drifting across the batteries of artillery towards the Fathers of Suns, a mortar crew loads a shot no doubt heavy with the experimental drakepowders that the Company's madmen play with. There is a crack then a rattling boom, and in a cloud of fire the container screams upwards cutting across the sky leaving a trail of black smoke to drift towards the clouds while it holds for a moment in mid-air and then descends.
A swirling mass of the Ungols attempting to retreat from the front line only to find their escape prevented by Averlanders seems centred somewhat on the Ungol Horsemasters and their Chieftess. And into this mass the arcing ball of smoke and fire crashes down and explodes. It throws burning powders and oils outwards and a conflagration consumes those nearest. You don't need to imagine very hard to smell the burning horseflesh and men, there have been similar scenes throughout the battle, and the screaming of man and horse rings out. The flames tower up over a rider in particular, the ensuing chaos and panic sees many of the Veldt tribes casting down weapons and begging for quarter.
The enemy Chieftess tumbles, aflame from her horse. You take a moment to consider quarter or slaughter. Accepting their surrender means delaying your pursuit of the retreating Sylvanians to handle and secure them lest a hostile force be left behind you as you chase the enemy and you would risk them assaulting the baggage train. Committing to the slaughter however might mean an extended fight to the death, delaying you as well especially if smaller bands of fleeing Ungols get between you and your quarry. The messenger you sent to bring you a map returns from the train and it is unfurled onto a simple wooden desk.
Bechafen port itself is within the walls of the city but there are riverports on the Brunwasser and from what you can see of the siege camp the defences allow for the Sylvanians to race towards one such dockside. In perfect conditions you might catch them at the near side of the Muckenhof crossing before they made it back across into the Veldt itself. But you survey the battlefield before you, pockmarked and burnt in places, Ungol Clans fleeing into the distance in small groups and others throwing down their weapons and sigh.
Even if you had the Elector's Own still available to pursue, the Sylvanians are in too clean a retreat for single Companies to meaningfully engage them. And who knows what traps they may have left behind in their siege camps. You take note of the personal standard of the enemy commander, you'll speak with Van Hal to identify them later, and give the order to accept surrenders. You'll march onto Bechafen and hand over the prisoners. The Sylvanians will cross into the Veldt. There you imagine they have two choices. Attempt to raise another Ungol army, or make way back to Sylvania.
-22 Garrison
-156 Iron Foot
-6 Steel Guard
-2 Ironsides
-21 Great Company
-50 Elector's Own
-1 Heavy Gun
This is the second campaign which you have personally overseen, Grung Ardzufak in the Grey Mountains and now the Ottilian Provinces in the east. Your style has always been affected by the military teachings of the Militarstutz Officers' Academy which you spent your teen years attending for the most part; a commander at the rear able to oversee all of the Companies arrayed before him and to direct a reserve and the artillery to aid any beleagured parts of the line, and a solid hard line of well trained and well equipped professional soldiers who receive an enemy assault and then when the enemy is worn and battered switches towards a hard forward press to break and slaughter them.
You've been working on a Military Journal of your own for some time, in the hopes that future generations of the Officers' Academy will be trained on your teachings and experiences. It has touched on adaptability and lately you've written substantially on the subject of warfare in the face of the Undead. What the Nulner military style doesn't often account for is the example you've witnessed here, a combined enemy force of an aggressive horde and a more calculating professional reserve. Obviously your existing tactical style allows such a force to expend its forward elements and carefully consider how or even if to commit their professional elements and in this case has allowed them to withdraw their most valuable assets without much challenge.
You sit down in the Westfort of Bechafen, you've not yet given the Hertwigs a full piece of your mind about their refusal to sally forth. What exactly are you giving them guns and training sergeants for if not to fight the enemy? They put you up in the mostly empty Westfort where their State Troop would usually be based. And you begin to write.
[ ] The Many
Most military journals in the Militarstutz discuss the issue of mankind's very many enemies and their habit of attempting to swarm the Iron Companies with vast numbers. You've experienced this yourself with both Greenskins and now with the Ungols. Perhaps you should write in your journal about the ways in which the Iron Companies should adapt to handle being outnumbered.
[ ] The Few
It is unusual for the Iron Companies to actually face up against other elite formations of professional soldiery. Evidently von Carstein spent some part of his two centuries of planning building up a State Troop to attempt to match up to the Iron Companies, certainly the State Troop under the von Draks of old were never regarded very highly. Write about the ways in which the Iron Companies should adapt to handle professional forces.
[ ] Personal Arms
Not all of your writing is on the subject of battle tactics and campaign strategy. There are manuals of personal arms in the library on the Militarstutz as well, and you have a personal journal that you keep. It helps to remind you about things you wanted to speak to Fiorella about if you're apart overlong or if you're preparing to send her a letter. At some point in the battle you and your Father's trusty duckfoot became as one moving through the field at ease and felling the foe. You write a little about your experience as your skill with a gun grows.
During the battle your Grand Marshal, and a man who having worked with you for a decade and a half very closely might be even considered something of a friend, proved himself admirably. He has always been an enthusiastic Grand Marshal with clear ideas about what it means to be a Wissenlander that you can't help but find inspiring. Leading a contingent of the Iron Companies from the front he acted heroically and intelligently as you would expect of your Grand Marshal.
[ ] First Amongst Officers
The Grand Marshal is your second in command when you're on campaign personally but he has managed campaigns on your behalf as well. He defended the Mondidier Pass and captured Wurtbad in two rather different campaigns. And here in the battle to relieve Bechafen he has only continued to demonstrate a strong mind for strategy and tactics, taking advantage of a gap in the enemy line he led Steel Guard detachments to split open a wedge in a hole in the Ungols isolating and encircling a large number of clansmen.
[ ] Master At Arms
Your own skill at arms might exceed von Eigenhof's, certainly you're a better shot than he, but that might be expected with a Grand Marshal. You've not appointed him as your personal champion after all. But after today's display maybe you should, Manfred has duelled and defeated several Ungol Horsemasters in single combat. Indeed you were often glancing to where he'd found himself in the fore of The Garrison with a wide open circle around him as a crowd cheered for their champions, Ungol warriors dismouting to engage him in the ring only to then fall before him.
[ ] Hero of the Wissenlanders
No-one seems to rally, inspire and encourage the Wissenlanders of the Iron Companies quite like the Grand Marshal. His personal standard, his ornate armour, his voice carrying out over the din of battle; all create a noticable resolve in the men and a definite change in their effort and determination. On the battlefield von Eigenhof moved from Company to Company across the line and wherever he went the line hardened, even off the battlefield you can see that the men adore him and they fear his disappointment more than they could ever fear the enemy.
In the height of the battle you sent the Elector's Own Lances to ride along the bank of the Talabec and attempt to communicate with Bechafen in order to draw the defenders forth and force a second front and the Sylvanians to commit to battle. Isolated and away from the rest of the Iron Companies their speed and mobility should have been sufficient to see the task done safely enough. The Averlanders were dominating the cavalry battle in the mid-field and the Ungols were unlikely to break free and challenge the Elector's Own. And yet catastrophe struck all the same.
[ ] An Ambush
Hidden down the banks of the Talabec from your vantage point, below a rocky ridge down on a sandy slope the Sylvanians had hidden some soldiers. Perhaps anticipating that you would attempt to reach out to Bechafen. Regardless, these soldiers sprung their trap. Javelins and hooked chains and hidden caltrops as they swept up from below the ridge with spears.
[ ] Friendly Fire
Upon their approach to the city of Bechafen the defenders seem not to have been taught how to identify friend from foe. The garrison upon the walls began to fire down on the approaching riders.
[ ] Betrayal
The Sylvanians had their claws in Nuln when you first came to power, this is exemplified by their theft of Great Cannons from the Imperial Gunnery School. Perhaps this should have warned you that they would have sunk some hooks into other parts of Nuln as well in their time there. A full flight of the Elector's Own turn cloak and in the confusion and chaos of their betrayal the Company turns into a swirling mess of brutal infighting.
Army Modifiers: Professionalism (+10 to Iron Companies), Elite Standards (+5 to Greatswords, Garrison, Ironsides, Steel Guard), Ironsides (+5 to Artillery), Independent Officers (+5 to Steel Guard), Militarstutz Support (+30), Company Wagons (+5 to Ironsides), Flintlocks (+5 to Ironsides, Great Company, Steel Guard)
Your own experiments with mixed detachments seems to not be the first attempt at this sort of thing given von Carstein's forces seem to mix their disciplines.
You wonder how much of it is outright copying the Iron Companies, and you watch as the officers on the far side of the battlefield wriggle their forces around under the hail of bombardment from both sides and wonder if there's not something more strategic about these Sylvanians than just that mockery.
Still, you can see that they're not all alike. A war standard marches with teams of spears and archers towards where the Averlanders are finally beginning to form up, a white eagle with a dagger through its heart. Another standard makes its way to the centre pitching itself against your forces if slightly to one side where the Taalites have begun to arrive. Large heavy shields and short swords dominate here and handgunners back up these men. Your eye passes across the other Sylvanian units, a heavily armoured group with halberds backed up by crossbows and a light cavalry force.
Oh shit, looks like the cannons aren't the only thing they stole from us. Vlad has state troops if not on par, then not that far behind our quality. Might be a good idea to check the Militarstutz for leaks.
This severely changes the calculus of fighting Sylvania. I thought we were going to be facing a bunch of unwashed dirt poor Sylvanian peasants, not professional soldiery.
Edit: I just realized he has multiple companies in mixed detachments like the Steel Guard. He actually might be further ahead than us.
[ ] The Few
The way I see it, we can handle being outnumbered given the quality of our troops. It's when we fight a near-peer adversary that we're going to have trouble with. It turns out that Vlad's mortal forces are that near peer.
Then again, given the total numbers of the Iron Companies, we're likely to almost always be outnumbered.
[] The Many
This is fine too.
[ ] First Amongst Officers
[ ] Hero of the Wissenlanders
Either of these for me. Great warriors are a dime a dozen in Warhammer. It's great generals that are truly unique.
[ ] An Ambush
I'd rather not complicate things for our foreign or domestic relations. Oof there goes our only source for cavalry. Looks like we'll really be fighting like bootleg dwarfs for the foreseeable future.
That wasn't a great fight at all, especially from some of our allies that did nothing looking at you taalites and especially bechafen wtf were they doing. At least the averlanders proved why we have been investing so much into them
The Sylvanians had their claws in Nuln when you first came to power, this is exemplified by their theft of Great Cannons from the Imperial Gunnery School. Perhaps this should have warned you that they would have sunk some hooks into other parts of Nuln as well in their time there. A full flight of the Elector's Own turn cloak and in the confusion and chaos of their betrayal the Company turns into a swirling mess of brutal infighting.
This one might be long term beneficial in that it means any actual traitors within the ranks will have exposed their hands. On the other hand, if we don't pick this maybe traitors still lurk.....
[ ] An Ambush
Hidden down the banks of the Talabec from your vantage point, below a rocky ridge down on a sandy slope the Sylvanians had hidden some soldiers. Perhaps anticipating that you would attempt to reach out to Bechafen. Regardless, these soldiers sprung their trap. Javelins and hooked chains and hidden caltrops as they swept up from below the ridge with spears.
[ ] Friendly Fire
Upon their approach to the city of Bechafen the defenders seem not to have been taught how to identify friend from foe. The garrison upon the walls began to fire down on the approaching riders.
[ ] Betrayal
The Sylvanians had their claws in Nuln when you first came to power, this is exemplified by their theft of Great Cannons from the Imperial Gunnery School. Perhaps this should have warned you that they would have sunk some hooks into other parts of Nuln as well in their time there. A full flight of the Elector's Own turn cloak and in the confusion and chaos of their betrayal the Company turns into a swirling mess of brutal infighting.
That's the one thing about choosing our calamity that I don't get. Does this mean that all three are true to some partial extent or are these three options actual branches in the timeline (essentially futures that we pick) that we can choose and not worry about the rest?
I mean, are we but one guy against the wrold, or some bizarre combination of writters influencing reality itself? This a nitpick from my part but it breaks immersion.
That's the one thing about choosing our calamity that I don't get. Does this mean that all three are true to some partial extent or are these three options actual branches in the timeline (essentially futures that we pick) that we can choose and not worry about the rest?
I mean, are we but one guy against the wrold, or some bizarre combination of writters influencing reality itself? This a nitpick from my part but it breaks immersion.
[X] The Few
[X] First Amongst Officers
[X] Betrayal
I'd rather sort out any interpreters within our midst now when Vlad is still dead than deal with them when Vald is alive and we're at our most vulnerable. Also, it gives us an excuse to potentially get more leverage over our nobility by using the betrayal as an excuse to put more eyes on them like idk, assigning witch hunters loyal to us as a personal bodyguard for every novel family to act as a political officer/informants. That or we could finally get the excuse we need to get rid of Baron Preiss and take control of the large coal and materials deposit of Scharmbeck to fully kick our industry into gear.
