The Doctor had a look of frustration on his face when he heard that they knew nothing of the enemy. "I guess we'll have to attempt to take them out with sheer force, eh?" He said to no one in particular. Turning to Donald he began talking again, "Go get your soldiers ready for the battle. Tomorrow we'll attack. Tell your men that I want two regiments attacking from the south, two attacking from the north and the rest going head on." And with that McJohnston turned and walked out of room. He returned to his soldiers and told them the plan. "You'll be attacking head on. Don't try to be a hero, eh? Good. Ready up, we leave early tomorrow." The commander returned to his second in-command, and finished discussing the war plans.
Action: Attack the McEwans. Use the same strategy detailed in the post. Two regiments flanking from one direction, two more flanking from another and two attack head on.
Fortunately, none of the forces you are employing have any special training (e.g. Ambush training) that would require you to specify how you were intending to split up your forces in detail. In the end you and the Jarl's personal guard strike from the north, the Jarl's Blôdvindrs take the southern flank and the McMurrays agree to perform the charge.
[6] You all prayed that the McKinleys would not send forces to aid the McEwans and your prayers were answered, though not in the way you might have wished. By the time your forces arrive on the scene, it becomes apparent that the McKinleys have a similar tolerance for weakness to the Jarl - rather than risk losing more land to Manskinner's advance, they have butchered the crippled McEwan army, enslaved the locals and reinforced the region with their own troops. You are now fighting 3 McKinley regiments instead of the 2 McEwan regiments you were expecting. If you don't break them, they will use the land to raise more troops for their next strike - just as you were planning to.
[5] Your armies are able to pull off the flanking attack most effectively, allowing you to combat each individual McKinley regiment with two of your own. Moreover, the flanking attack limits their ability to use the high ground effectively, so only the central regiment retains the +1 bonus to defense.
[On a weaker roll, one or both the other regiments would have retained their terrain bonus, potentially making the battle harder than a straight charge would have been. With a perfect success, only the original high ground advantage is retained.]Manskinner vs McKinley: Battle for McEwan Lands[5+2 vs 6+1] The fight on the northern flank turns into a meat grinder as neither the iron-hard honour of the McKinley clansmen nor the furious bloodthirstiness of the Jarl's personal guard break. The fight is won through sheer attrition, with the McKinleys fighting to the last man and the attackers claiming victory through having men still standing. (1 regiment lost, either side. Pick either Jarl's personal guard or McJohnston's personal guard to die.)
[6+2 vs 6+2] The central charge is led by Donald McMurray and repelled by one of the McKinley clan chief's cousins. The defenders are able to retain the high ground despite the flanking attacks to either side and neither army's morale is willing to break. Once again, victory is only claimed on a technicality when both sides have fought to exhaustion or extinction. (1 regiment lost, either side. 1 McMurray clan dies.)
[3+2 vs 6+1] The Blôdvindrs charging the southern flank are too used to simple hit-and-run tactics and evading combat; their will when the meat hits the metal proves insufficient. They fight well to start with, preventing the enemy from using their ground advantage, but soon enough their morale breaks and they rout. The McKinley clansmen chase after them, butchering them to a man but also exposing their own weak rears to McMurrays from the central fight - they are slaughtered, but not before the Blôdvindrs are wiped out. (Both sides annihilated, 2 Blôdvindrs wiped out.)
The day draws to a close, [3] with only a scant few survivors from either side. No prisoners of worth are taken from the McMurrays - the noble cousin was slain during the charge. Donald and McJohnston both will carry some scars from the fight, but nothing debilitating. [4+1] McJohnston tends to the wounded following the fight. Casualties will be heavy, but he can save enough of the broken Blôdvindrs for a single regiment. They will become available again in the new year, requiring their upkeep cost as normal but not the hiring cost (i.e. you get them back in the new year and don't have to hire a replacement). [6] In a measure of compensation it appears that the McEwans were wealthy enough and, when you take into consideration the extra loot and equipment brought in by the McKinleys, you sack some
6 Ducats' worth of treasure after the battle.
Manskinner has 2 regiments remaining (1 McMurray, 1 personal guard), but has gained 4 parcels of McEwan land and 6 Ducats. 1 regiment of Blôdvindr raiders survives, wounded, and will heal in the new year.Battle Tactics: I will take battle tactics into account where appropriate (e.g. flanking, splitting up armies to take them down piecemeal), but the attempts will be subject to a roll. Failures might end up with your own army being divided and subject to the same penalties.
OOC: Wow. McKinleys rolled triple sixes. Some days the RNG gods are just against you.
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Topic: You are King! (Spring 315a) (Read 185055 times)