Furious at the loss of his castle the Sultan has launched an expedition to get it back.
Umanara, confident in his success from the previous battle, puts all his magical energy into the Throne of Vines spell but it misfires with a huge detonation. The bulk of the archers and a few musketeers around him fall to its power. Miraculously, the wizard survives but he and the remaining archers retreat from the South wall to be rallied later by Prince Frederick.
Outside the castle walls King James organizes a firing line of muskets to the east of the wall. The mounted crusaders hold the flank. To the West of the castle the mercenary mounted archers shoot at the advancing lights. They cause much damage until the lights, followed by the plate catch them and kill them all.
Inside the South towers musketeers shoo from the slit windows and kill a number of Fezian lights and plate. Some move to the top of the South/Eastern tower but are blasted by cannon fire.
Below: Fezian lights advance.
Fezian war elephant
Beersteiner longbows with wizard Umanara and the hero, Prince Frederick
Beersteiner crusaders are itching to charge the enemy.
Then something spooks the crusaders' horses AND the crusaders as well as the musket men. A scaly beast as well as a war elephant have arrived and are advancing on the Beersteiners' left flank. it is no time to charge or hold ground. They all skedaddle for the relative safety of the castle.
The carnosaur
The bowmen receive back most of their fallen through the spells of Umanara. They kill a number of the enemy outside the castle, including the elephant's mahout. The elephant screams in sorrow and fury and refuses to leave his master's body.
Then a Fezian cannonball causes a breach in the South wall. The Carnosaur moves to the breach and is just able to fit through. He clambers over the supply wagons and the draft beasts shriek. The carnosaur makes his own terrifying sound, something like a cross between a very loud goose honk and a growling bear. The Fezian plate follow closely behind.
The bowmen flee away from the creature but the musket men shoot at it and despite its scales it falls dead. Its rider jumps free and flees back through the breech.
Beersteiner forces in the courtyard.
At the close of battle the Fezians have lost twice the numbers of Beersteiners killed but they are determined to continue the siege. The numbers evened out after the walking wounded were integrated back into their units. They withdraw outside the castle. The sultan orders a new mahout be found to rally the heartbroken elephant.
ARMY COMPOSITION
Starting numbers Finishing numbers after restored casualties
BEERSTEIN
King James 1
Wizard, Umanara 1
Hero, Frederick 1
24 Musket 10
22 Musket (yellow) 15
24 Musket 24
24 Long Bow 22
9 Mounted mercenary light bows 5 (fled)
10 Mounted mercenary heavy bows 0
1 Captured cannon 1
Captured supplies
The battle recommences tomorrow!
Meanwhile, 2 units of Beersteiner crossbowmen have intercepted two depleted units of fleeing Fezians in adjacent Beersteiner territory. So that is another siege and a small battle on the horizon.
I forgot to add the Fezian numbers: here are approximate numbers as I lost the record:
24 Plate 12
24 Plate 0
24 lights reduced
24 Lights reduced
24 Lights reduced
24 short bow reduced
24 short bow reduced
Carnasaur with rider 0
Elephant with rider intact
2 cannons intact
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