The Battle Of Mathers
Today a Bogavanian army under the command of Ivan Kratowski, brother-in-law to King Welon Maxfield, arrived in front of the Souther walls of Castle Mathers, his mission to re-take the castle from the Beersteiners. He wincd when he saw the crusader force deployed outside the castle. Even the beersteiner archers were assembled in front of the Southern wall. The two mounted and two foot crusader units were also reinforced by a howling unit of Hillmen mercenaries. Kratoeski surved his own army of foot troops. There wer two units of plate, two of mail andn a small unit of long bowmen and another of crossbows. His siege pieces had not yet arrived.
The Beersrteiner three medium catapults and cannon all fired from inside and outside the castle without a hit on the Bogavanians: obviously someone forgot to put out the marker flags!
Yet it was soon apparent that the Bogavanians did not have the numbers to besiege the castle. In fact, the crusaders attacked before they could get anywhere near them. Fortunately for Kratowski his arcyers and crossbowmen were able to poor deadly volleys into the charging mounted crusaders on his left flank. After that they charged in but the bowmen joined with the foot knights to slaughter the crusaders. The foot crusaders tried to catch up to avert their mounted bretheren's extermination but they were too late.
Meanwhile, on his right flank things were not going so well. A smaller mounted unit of crusaders, although slowed by an intervening hill, crashed into the hero, Vladyscan Vusic's mail armored foot troops. At first they put up a valiant fight, despite being driven back. The other unit of mail armored troops attacked the enemy light archers suffering some casualties before gaining melee. However, the light archers outnumbered them and then disaster struck for the Bogavanians as the Hillmen slammed into the melee and helped to wipe out the unit.
The battle on the Bogavanian left also began to look less bright as the foot crusaders fought with typical ferocity. In the Beersteiner ranks were Hans Solo, the Crusader's best fighrer. Also, from the castle garrison was the hero knight Raymond Mortimer who greatly aided the crusaders.
From the castle battlements Prince Axel Lennoc the commander and brother of the king watched with apprehension but he hero knight Clint Woodlark (known for his decidedly boring brown surcoat) assured him he could see the Bogavanians wavering. in fact commander kratowski ordered a retreat, at least for those who could.
Both sides had suffered heavy losses, the Bogavanians slightly more than the Beersteiners. At this pont kratowki lost his nerve and ordered a retreat. This enabled a depleted unit of 12 plate knights, 10 crossbowmen, a heavy catapult (not yet arrived on the field) and the supply wagons (also not yet on the field) to escape. Not so lucky were some bowmen who were imprisoned, and another unit of plate knights under Frano Cupic. The crusaders were not in the mood for mercy and as these Bogavanian knights surrendered they were hacked to pieces, something totally against the expectations of chivalry. The Bogavanian hero, Frano Cupic was among the slaughtered, unusual given the ransom he could have commanded. In fact prince Axel was furious that he had missed this nopportunity for ransom money. But the Beersteiners expected another Bogavanian force to arrive and besides, the crusaders reasoned, these prisoners were apostates and deserved death. Then something happened which will go down in the pages of Bogavanian history as an even worse act of infamy: Vladyslav and the half of his men who survived melee with the crusaders surrendered and agreed to serve the Beersteiners against their countrymen!
The Beersteiners were left to haul a heavy catapult and a cannon captured from the enemy to add to the castle's arsenal.
The Bogavanian crossbowmen and knights await the impetuous Crusader charge.
Above: The Bogavanian archers add their arrows to the shooting,
Below: Bogavanian mailed troops attack the beersteiner light archers, who surprisingly, hold their ground. On the Bogavanian left the smaller unit of mounted crusaders, unsullied by enemy arrows crosses the crest of a hill.
Archers still in the castle ineffectually shoot at the enemy.
Prince Axel, nervously watches the battle unfold.
The Bogavanians charge into the archers who continue to hold her ground.
Crusaders on the Bogavanian Right charge in.
The Hillmen join in the melee in support of the archers and eradicate them.
The crusaders press home their charge, resulting in the surrender of the Bogavanians who later agree to change sides.
On the Bogavanian Left the crusaders have a harder time of it, as their mounted wing has been wiped out and the Bogavanian archers have joined the melee to assist the Bogavanian knights.
Captives pledge allegiance to prince Axel.
'Hooray for Beerstein. Hooray for prince Axel! Hooray for the brave crusaders and may the gloroious dead Beersteiner warriors immediately find heaven.'
The Beersrteiner three medium catapults and cannon all fired from inside and outside the castle without a hit on the Bogavanians: obviously someone forgot to put out the marker flags!
Yet it was soon apparent that the Bogavanians did not have the numbers to besiege the castle. In fact, the crusaders attacked before they could get anywhere near them. Fortunately for Kratowski his arcyers and crossbowmen were able to poor deadly volleys into the charging mounted crusaders on his left flank. After that they charged in but the bowmen joined with the foot knights to slaughter the crusaders. The foot crusaders tried to catch up to avert their mounted bretheren's extermination but they were too late.
Meanwhile, on his right flank things were not going so well. A smaller mounted unit of crusaders, although slowed by an intervening hill, crashed into the hero, Vladyscan Vusic's mail armored foot troops. At first they put up a valiant fight, despite being driven back. The other unit of mail armored troops attacked the enemy light archers suffering some casualties before gaining melee. However, the light archers outnumbered them and then disaster struck for the Bogavanians as the Hillmen slammed into the melee and helped to wipe out the unit.
The battle on the Bogavanian left also began to look less bright as the foot crusaders fought with typical ferocity. In the Beersteiner ranks were Hans Solo, the Crusader's best fighrer. Also, from the castle garrison was the hero knight Raymond Mortimer who greatly aided the crusaders.
From the castle battlements Prince Axel Lennoc the commander and brother of the king watched with apprehension but he hero knight Clint Woodlark (known for his decidedly boring brown surcoat) assured him he could see the Bogavanians wavering. in fact commander kratowski ordered a retreat, at least for those who could.
Both sides had suffered heavy losses, the Bogavanians slightly more than the Beersteiners. At this pont kratowki lost his nerve and ordered a retreat. This enabled a depleted unit of 12 plate knights, 10 crossbowmen, a heavy catapult (not yet arrived on the field) and the supply wagons (also not yet on the field) to escape. Not so lucky were some bowmen who were imprisoned, and another unit of plate knights under Frano Cupic. The crusaders were not in the mood for mercy and as these Bogavanian knights surrendered they were hacked to pieces, something totally against the expectations of chivalry. The Bogavanian hero, Frano Cupic was among the slaughtered, unusual given the ransom he could have commanded. In fact prince Axel was furious that he had missed this nopportunity for ransom money. But the Beersteiners expected another Bogavanian force to arrive and besides, the crusaders reasoned, these prisoners were apostates and deserved death. Then something happened which will go down in the pages of Bogavanian history as an even worse act of infamy: Vladyslav and the half of his men who survived melee with the crusaders surrendered and agreed to serve the Beersteiners against their countrymen!
The Beersteiners were left to haul a heavy catapult and a cannon captured from the enemy to add to the castle's arsenal.
The Bogavanian crossbowmen and knights await the impetuous Crusader charge.
Below: Bogavanian mailed troops attack the beersteiner light archers, who surprisingly, hold their ground. On the Bogavanian left the smaller unit of mounted crusaders, unsullied by enemy arrows crosses the crest of a hill.
Hillman mercenaries from the castle join the crusaders.
Finally the Bogavanian commander orders a retreat.
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