Battle of the Tarax River - Hex 102
Today a minor battle occurred between two small forces of Northward advancing, numerically superior Bogavanians and defending Beersteiners. Fleeing from a previous battle, Beersteiner allied horse archers, harassed the approaching forces, killing some Bogavanian allied Hillmen. The rest of the Beersteiner force, composed of foot and mounted crusaders waited behind the river.
The mounted archers also withdrew over the bridge and behind the river. The Bogavanians were composed mostly of heavy infantry. Their trump card was a unit of longbows who outnumbered and outranged the individual horse archers units. The latter suffered great casualties.
The Bogavanians, despite their superior numbers refused to cross the bridge, where the Beersteiner crusaders had organized a potentially devastating reception for any unit which would cross over. Instead the Bogavanians emplowed their archers to good effect. Finally their Hillmen mounted the bridge and the crusader cavalry charged, crippling the Hillmen who were pushed back.
The Boganains heavy infantry were preparing their own reception for a Beersteiner crossing on to their side of the river. However, the approach of darkness ended the battle. The Beersteiners had followed their orders to delay any invaders but the field remained contested as the two forces withdrew from the river to tend the wounded. A Beersteiner messenger prepared to go for assistance.
Further reports to follow.
Beersteiner crusaders await the Bogavanian crossing as their allied hose archers cross to join them.
The second horse archer unit knocks off some Bogavanian allied Hillmen before withdrawing across the river.
Horse archers take up position on the Beersteiner side of the Tarax River.
Bogavanian long bowmen move up and pepper the horse archers.
The Bogavanians finally cross on the bridge but are met with a lethal mounted charge by the crusaders.
View from the Bogavanian side:
The peasants watch the battle. They were once under the control of the Bogavanian nobles and then they came under Beersteiner rule. They wonder if they will go back to Bogavanian control. Do they hanker for their native lords or do they fear yet another change of religion. They endured the Beersteiner inquisition but having changed their religion would they face a similar purge from the Bogavanian church?
The Bogavanian archers, the stars of the battle.
Bogavanian nobles did not take part in the battle. In the background is deer killed illegally by Bogavanian peasants and hastily abandoned when the battle began at dawn.
A peasant hut. This one is more substantial than usual, most likely belonging to Zoodydar, a village headman who acts as a go between peasants and lords.
Bogavanian heavy infantry. The figures are actually medium knights (a class up with full chain mail) but are serving as troops with mail coats only.
10 mounted crusaders
2 Heroes:
Kyrillos Zdroik & Darius Assanov
NOTES: We forgot to include a medium catapult for Mat's force and it is unclear if his archers had ordinary bows or long bows but they were used as the latter.
Light bowman casualties:
Initially the light bowmen did a good job of shooting and withdrawing out of range of the Bogavanian infantry however they were 'out gunned' by the enemy bowmen. In final frustration an lready depleted mounted archer unit rode into close range of the enemy archers to shoot ineffectually only to be wiped out by return archery. This meant this unit could not be replenished. See below.
THE WOUNDED
At the end of a battle we calculate how many casualties are not mortal. If one side is declared a victor it gains 50% of its casualties back for each surviving unit or if the battle is indecisive then both the armies. If there is a clear loser then that army receives 25% of casualties back.
COMMANDERS
Commanders were counted as more powerful and influential lords. They may, in some cases, be better than heroes in combat and they are more capable of taking actions independent of initial orders. At start of campaign moves on a D12 roll of 10-12 they can modify or disregard original orders to cope with changed circumstances. A hero is able to perform quests and other individually independent actions, more so than a commander who has an army to command. if a hero is in charge of an army he can disregard orders on a d12 roll of 11-12. Other provisional commanders can disregard orders on a roll of 12.
The Bogavanian heroes can decide to fight mounted and can join the mounted knights.
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
This battle has occurred not far from the coast and on the road to the Beersteiner capital to the North.
The mounted archers also withdrew over the bridge and behind the river. The Bogavanians were composed mostly of heavy infantry. Their trump card was a unit of longbows who outnumbered and outranged the individual horse archers units. The latter suffered great casualties.
The Bogavanians, despite their superior numbers refused to cross the bridge, where the Beersteiner crusaders had organized a potentially devastating reception for any unit which would cross over. Instead the Bogavanians emplowed their archers to good effect. Finally their Hillmen mounted the bridge and the crusader cavalry charged, crippling the Hillmen who were pushed back.
The Boganains heavy infantry were preparing their own reception for a Beersteiner crossing on to their side of the river. However, the approach of darkness ended the battle. The Beersteiners had followed their orders to delay any invaders but the field remained contested as the two forces withdrew from the river to tend the wounded. A Beersteiner messenger prepared to go for assistance.
Further reports to follow.
Beersteiner crusaders await the Bogavanian crossing as their allied hose archers cross to join them.
The peasants watch the battle. They were once under the control of the Bogavanian nobles and then they came under Beersteiner rule. They wonder if they will go back to Bogavanian control. Do they hanker for their native lords or do they fear yet another change of religion. They endured the Beersteiner inquisition but having changed their religion would they face a similar purge from the Bogavanian church?
A peasant hut. This one is more substantial than usual, most likely belonging to Zoodydar, a village headman who acts as a go between peasants and lords.
OVERVIEW OF FORCES
BEERSTEINERS at beginning of battle
12 mounted light bow
12 mounted light bow
10 mounted crusaders10 mounted crusaders
20 foot crusaders
With no official commander, Captain Otto Clink took command
BOGAVANIANS at beginning of battle
19 Heavy foot
20 Heavy foot
6 Mounted Plate
20 Hillmen
20 Heavy archers2 Heroes:
Kyrillos Zdroik & Darius Assanov
Zdroik was selected as provisional commander.
Both heroes left their horses to the rear and marched along side the heavy foot.
Total casualties 12, primarily Hillmen.
FORCES AFTER BATTLE and wounded restored
BEERSTEINERS
7 Light mounted archers
8 Mounted plate crusaders
10 mounted crusaders, including provisional commander Captain Otto Clink.
18 Foot plate crusaders
Total casualties 21 (primarily horse bowmen)
NOTES: We forgot to include a medium catapult for Mat's force and it is unclear if his archers had ordinary bows or long bows but they were used as the latter.
Light bowman casualties:
Initially the light bowmen did a good job of shooting and withdrawing out of range of the Bogavanian infantry however they were 'out gunned' by the enemy bowmen. In final frustration an lready depleted mounted archer unit rode into close range of the enemy archers to shoot ineffectually only to be wiped out by return archery. This meant this unit could not be replenished. See below.
THE WOUNDED
At the end of a battle we calculate how many casualties are not mortal. If one side is declared a victor it gains 50% of its casualties back for each surviving unit or if the battle is indecisive then both the armies. If there is a clear loser then that army receives 25% of casualties back.
COMMANDERS
Commanders were counted as more powerful and influential lords. They may, in some cases, be better than heroes in combat and they are more capable of taking actions independent of initial orders. At start of campaign moves on a D12 roll of 10-12 they can modify or disregard original orders to cope with changed circumstances. A hero is able to perform quests and other individually independent actions, more so than a commander who has an army to command. if a hero is in charge of an army he can disregard orders on a d12 roll of 11-12. Other provisional commanders can disregard orders on a roll of 12.
The Bogavanian heroes can decide to fight mounted and can join the mounted knights.
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE
This battle has occurred not far from the coast and on the road to the Beersteiner capital to the North.
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