World Revolution

[Brian]

"So far, we've been undetected," he confirms, nodding.  "But some of our scouts caught sight of movement in the supply line a few kilometers from us.  It looks like another supply train, but this one is on the bank closest to us, so we will not be able to surprise them as we did the last."

[Dracos]

"Numbers, resources?" Dracos instantly goes for information.  "How are they arrayed and do they look ready and warry?"

Dracos

[Brian]

"They look like they just woke up and set out once the moon had set," Erik replies.  "Mainly archers, it appears.  There's no Jotun with them, and they number only about five thousand."

[Dracos]

"Animals?  Carts?  Liandril, go get the troops moving.  With those numbers, we'll rush them, fast and strong and crush them like so much snow beneath our boots.  If we close with them fast they should fall easily."

Dracos

[Brian]

"More wagons, actually, and only Oxen to pull them," Erik says.  "I would guess that they didn't expect any attackers on this side of their advance.  But it is inevitable that they will bring in many more Jotun, and probably soon -- right now, those at the Keep are already facing the first day of the Dreadmarch."

[Dracos]

"We will crush their support, without food and and will all support vanishing, they will be forced to come out to hunt us, breaking off forces from battling the keep.  They also will likely turn on themselves as the food runs low.  We just have to keep it up.  Hum.  I may be able to do something, Get the men ready, we move now."

Dracos

[Brian]

"Right," Erik says, saluting sharply, and mobilizing the men.  Liandral hovers near you like a shadow, obviously unhappy about this course of action, but still committed.  It's the work of a few moments to get every one awake, and ready to go.  Since the storm-riders travel so light, it takes no time to get ready to go.

Once everyone's standing, they begin the march, eating dry-rations while walking.  After about twenty minutes, once everyone has eaten, and had something to drink, the pace increases to a slow jog.

You reach a point probably about two kilometers ahead of the enemy forces.  The valley is to the west, and the approaching supply caravan is north of you.  Either they haven't seen you, or they don't care, yet, but it's not going to be easy to hide that many men.

[Dracos]

Dracos takes a moment as they continue to approach, focusing his mind on the oxen among the enemy forces, shouting into their minds "RUN AWAY, FLEE, DEATH APPROACHES" and gesturing to his own forces to break into a full run towards the enemy.

Dracos

[Brian]

Code Select Expand

<@Cless> Roll 8d6 for incite oxen riot
<Chibi-Suu> them bones was tossed for Cless ... : 8d6 {34}
<@Brian> Well!
<@Brian> Their egoes are about 4 and 6 each.
<@Cless> ^^;
<@Brian> I'd like you to roll for a presence attack, and add one HALF of your telepathy roll to the result.
<@Cless> Let's see, that'd be 3d6+17?
<@Brian> Yes.
<@Cless> Roll 3d6+17 for FEAR
<Chibi-Suu> them bones was tossed for Cless ... : 3d6+17 {32}As your forces charge towards the enemy, the oxen and cattle within their supply trains break into an uncontrollable stampede, draging their carts helter skelter, mindless of the whips, or of trampling their masters.  The confusion wipes out a handful of the enemy before you even approach, and only half of their archers are able to mount a coordinated offensive against the storm-riders.

Code Select Expand

<@Brian> roll 3d6 for general dreadmarch archer accuracy
<Chibi-Suu> them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 3d6 {8}
<@Brian> Alrighty.  Dracos, roll 2#3d6 for general storm-rider archer accuracy.
<@Cless> roll 2#3d6 skewer
<Chibi-Suu> them bones was tossed for Cless ... : 2#3d6 {11}The Dreadmarch archers get one shot off before you effectively enter melee range, and they make it count, dropping about seventy warriors from your charge.  Your own archers break from the charge, and fire in return.  Their accuracy is less than stellar, but having as many archers as their total attacking force, they still do a significant amount of damage before the fronts meet in a melee struggle.

Code Select Expand

<@Brian> Okay, Dracos, now, roll 3#3d6 for general footman efectiveness.
<@Cless> Roll 3#3d6
<Chibi-Suu> them bones was tossed for Cless ... : 3#3d6 --> {12}, {7}, {8}
<@Cless> GO MY MINIONS, CRUSH THEM!
<@Brian> roll 3d6 for dreadmarch defense initiative
<Chibi-Suu> them bones was tossed for Brian ... : 3d6 for dreadmarch defense initiative --> {11}The defensive wall behind the panicked oxen is only able to slow down the charge for a half-second, and then the battle is 34500 against about 2000, so they don't hang in much longer.  The priestess is already trying to tend the wounded, so you don't know what your ultimate losses are going to be.

The battle was short, and decisive.  There's a lot more supplies this time around, and there's no conveniently Jotun-cracked ice-sheet to dump them through, either.  If you try and hide them, they might be found and recovered, and it's far more than your army would need for another two weeks, at least.

[Dracos]

Dracos briefly consults Liandril alone if he can, "Thoughts on where to go from here, Liandril?"

Dracos

[Brian]

"Well, we don't want to turn the oxen loose, or slaughter them ... if found, they'd be eaten, which would fuel the Dreadmarch, even if only a little bit.  If slaughtered, it wouldn't spoil in this cold, and could be recovered.  We could take the oxen we captured last time, and have twice the oxen pulling the same load.  That could help us move faster, but we'd still be slowed.  I'd suggest sending everything we don't need, our wounded, and a number of capable defenders after Mattias, to augment our defensive position there.  If they free Eske, then everything we've stolen can be taken into the keep, and we'd neatly rob the Dreadmarch of their supplies."

[Dracos]

"Hmm...That is a good plan.  It shall be done.   Hmm, but we need someone to lead them, would you be willing to take on that task, or should I see if one of my other commanders are willing to handle it?"

Dracos

[Brian]

"I'd rather not leave you," Liandral says.  "As far as commanders go, why not take an entire small section out of the chain of command you established?  We could probably make half a regiment with our wounded, fill out the rest with able-bodied defenders, and send off about four-hundred troops with the supplies we've stolen, and our wounded.  They should actually make better time with so many oxen, and such a small force.  The risk, of course, is that any sizable force they encounter will probably stop them, and then all of the goods end up in enemy hands.  So, how many will you commit to that task?"

[Dracos]

"Hum.  You are right, you're too valuable help to have wasted out on that.  Two regiments.  Eight hundred men should be more than enough to handle any scouting troop.  If they get cornered by anything much larger, it won't help to have sent more.  Have them rush east as long as possible, staying far north of the enemy and then dip south and west to swing around along the mountains.  A bit longer but they should be fast enough to make it.  Leave the bodies of the enemy here.  If the enemy sees it, it'll help demoralize them at best and they'll know we're out here after missing two shipments with that many troops."

Dracos

[Brian]

Liandral nods, and goes about procuring an even division of the forces to escort the supplies.  The men look a bit restless, and Erik sends scouts a bit further afield, since the army is stationary for the moment.