Early Morning, 25th March 720a...History in the MakingSsyrith Hassir
Constantly monitor all the double agents, make absolutely sure they haven't back-stabbed us in return.
[4] Thankfully, all agents appear to be working as per your instructions. There is little worry about them turning on you, the situation is too strained and everyone’s trigger fingers too itchy to risk any business across the border.
Erika
Start the army marching west, towards Arnault's Pass. Keep scouts and a regiment of Dragoons split up to act as scout swatters scouring the countryside ahead of us. At an appropriate point towards the latter half of the first day, turn south and head for the border campsite. Send out scouts to determine enemy composition and detach and split a regiment of Dragoons to act as scout-swatters. Camp for the night, forbidding evening campfires with the promise of fires for breakfast at dawn, and prepare to march on Sheepy Hollow the following day.
The speech is given and you can feel joy and pride swelling in your heart and tears swelling in the corners of your eyes as the mass of patriots in front of you give you a mighty cheer and welcome your words with enthusiasm. The power radiating from this mass of people is almost intoxicating, especially when you think that each one of them has pledged to give their life for you, at your command and pleasure. Every single musket and every single sword in that crowd will obey you and not falter until their hands are cold. Maybe this kingly stuff isn't so bad after all...
Flavia looks approvingly and the Jarl nods, without a smile but you can see the approval in his eyes. They join you at the front as the army forms up and the columns of men follow, with the baggage train behind.
[2] The army marches with enthusiasm and eagerness, all ready and able to take on the enemy. The dragoons quickly detach from the marching army and spread out in a wide field in front of it, looking for and sweeping individual patrols. However, a single regiment cannot handle the increased activity across the whole road and borderland all by itself - it doesn’t take long for reports from the dragoons themselves to reach you, informing that Prestonians are probably aware of something definite by now, with some squads escaping the sweep.
As the sky turns orange and you can feel the first pinpricks of evening wind, you order your troops to turn south. The border has been cleared of enemy ahead of you and as far as the appearances go, the army was probably marching east, with the feints result as yet unknown.
When the scouts venture further afield as the army finds the nestled meadow to settle in, Erika is approached by General Flavia.
“Your Highness, I must say that you chose the wisest option out of all the possible ones. We haven’t tarried too much, but I’m not sure whether the feint will work, now that we’ve been exposed. We haven’t found any scouts in Elberth, but Prestonians are already aware of us.”
She throws a sideways glance, making sure that no undesirables were listening in on.
“Beware of the Republicans, Your Highness. I’m no believer but I’ll be damned if I betray my nation by giving up on you. They might be trustworthy now, since there are no spoils to share, but watch out for those who want to claim what does not belong to them.”
After a small bow, she departs to spend time overseeing the soldiers, disappearing in the darkness of the camp.
[?] The sun rises over the camp and men wake up to the promise of a breakfast, while the dragoons return from a night mission. Prestonian forces are the same as reported, and they are all camped out around Sheepy Hollow, without awareness of the impending assault. As far as the reports go, they were in a marching formations yesterday evening.
After a meal of hardtack and water, your army readies itself. Rifle muzzles and pike ends gleam in the morning sun, and the clear sky above fills you with purpose. You feel that this will be a day of victory, first of many to come.
Flavia rides by your side as you head the column of your men, who took to singing the patriotic hymns again. You wish you could stop them, but their enthusiasm is contagious and stopping them now would definitely spoil the mood. after all, if the diversion worked, who was going to meet them in the town?
As you leave the cover of the forest and find yourself on the hard road towards the Sheepy Hollow again, it takes little time for you to arrive in the sight of the town, one you know all too well from the time of your furtive travels around the occupied territory.
Alas, there is something terribly wrong with the town and its surroundings. Its hard to believe it, but you apparently were foiled by your own cleverness – The Prestonian army is still camped out around the town! Their wagons are packed up and they themselves are ready to march, but haven’t yet left for Preston.
Your army stops in their track and the voices die out.
“Your Highness, what are your orders?”
Anate Norn
Gather information on the garrison at Sheepy Hollow (troops strengths, commanders, fortifications). Keep an ear out for rumors/news of wider Prestonian movements.
When the Elbrethian attack comes, put the plan for a diversion into effect. Rally the people against their oppressors. The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of Elbreth, etc.
[5+1] your diversion plan works and goes off without a hitch – as the battle brews on the outskirts of the city, you rally a regiment’s worth of self-organized militia. While not powerful on their own, with artillery set behind enemy lines, you have a chance at silencing their guns with your location behind their lines. The rest of the town's populace is ready to block of the alleys and streets to bog down those that are inside the settlement.