Chapter 17
February 15th, 1665. Bickenstadt.
The Baron had split his forces up. He had taken command of the first and fifth corps of the Bickenstadt Liberation Forces, veteran troops from the Leibenstadt campaign. The fifth corps contained his beloved Klarwasser battalions, and the first corps was made up of the strongest, most experienced men outside of Klarwasser.
With him was also one elven division, ten thousand line infantry and a thousand mounted hussars, ten thousand Ottoman janissaries, and the Tlanzomans, who had their reinforcements arrive, making up one thousand men in total. In his command was a total of a touch over 41,000 men.
The rest of the coalition was similar in size, and the entire coalition forces in Bickenstadt numbered around 120,000 men. As far as the Baron’s men could tell, the Grand Imperial Army was bringing three armies of 50,000 each, totaling 150,000 men.
A hussar rode up to the Baron and saluted him in the elven fashion.
“Général! It would seem the enemy are approaching us! They are less than a dozen miles out, at the rate we’re moving, we will be engaged in two hours.”
He took out a small map of Bickenstadt and pointed to rocky, wooded area.
“We will meet ‘ere if we continue our pace.”
The Baron nodded.
“Then we will meet them there.”
The hussar saluted the Baron.
“I will spread the word then.”
As he rode off, Republican light cavalrymen rode over to the Baron from either side.
“Sir! The eastern forces are engaged with the enemy!”
“Sir! The western forces are on a collision course with the enemy!”
The Baron laughed.
“Excellent! Go give them a bloody nose, yeah?”
Both riders saluted and ran off.
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Artillery pieces were swiftly dragged into place on high spots and rocky outcroppings. They watched their Imperial counterparts doing the same thing, and soon both sides began to fire. Cannonballs flew through the air and crashed into trees, either imbedding themselves or knocking them over completely.
Columns of men tried to stay together as best they can while marching through the rough terrain of the Dunkwald. Men tripped and were helped up by comrades, while others made sure they were locked and loaded or generally fiddled with their weapons.
The Imperial light cavalry were riding around the elven hussars just outside of their range, refusing to engage them in melee, only occasionally firing off their carbines and running off. An elven hussar carefully aimed his shot and fired, the ball flying through the air and punching through a man’s shoulder, injuring but not killing him.
More bullets flew through the air, most of them simply impacting trees and destroying underbrush. Bvarian Jaegers dropped Bickenstadt scouts, firing from seemingly far outside their effective range and hitting nonetheless with eerie accuracy. Bickenstadters took cover behind trees as they loaded and fired, missing most of their shots but at least keeping Bvarian heads down all the same.
The Baron tore through the forest, followed closely by his dragoons. His eyes glowed yellow as the barrel of his pistol extended to that of a full size musket with a sparkling tube of energy. He aimed and fired, the bullet soaring through the air and taking out an infantry officer nearly 500 yards away.
Elves and janissaries marched side by side, breathing hard as they walked uphill and vaulted over fallen logs. The enemy was 500 yards away, but they couldn’t see anything other than individual flashes of purple and black through the trees. A cannonball flew over the heads of an elven column and the men flinched involuntarily.
A cannonball ripped through an Imperial column, downing five men and embedding itself in the hill behind them. Imperials helped their comrades up and continued their march, knowing that retreating without orders was more dangerous than attacking the enemy head on.
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Ludwin looked over a map of the area. It was very swiftly drawn up by some expert cartographers, and, according to them, it was mostly accurate.
“I want the Klarwasser battalion to take this hill, 200 yards from the tall rocks. From there, maintain their position until given further orders.”
A messenger saluted and ran off to relay his orders.
“I want the Baron’s regiment and the first and second hussars to harass their left flank. They may attempt to break any regiments they see weakened, but do not persue anyone without orders.”
Another messenger saluted and ran off. Ludwin looked over the map and moved pieces around, listening to reports from light cavalry and hussars as to where the enemy was moving. He turned to another messenger and spoke loud and authoritatively.
“The first hussars will assist the Klarwasser battalion in taking their hill. The Tlanzomans will flank to the right and attempt to attack them from the flank.”
Messengers saluted and ran off.
“Janissaries and elves will take the middle, break them then wheel around to assist the left and right flanks.”
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Bvarian jaegers fired into the tightly packed companies as they approached, dropping handfuls of men as the two man teams kept up a near constant stream of fire. A pair heard a noise above and looked up, the last thing they saw being the dark leather boots of Orkney Berzerkeri.
Fergus ducked under a shot and kicked hard off the ground, flying towards a pair of Jaegers with ax held high. He slammed it down through the musket of a Jaeger and into his head, following up with a thrust of his dagger into the neck of the man’s partner.
All around Jaegers were picked off by Orkniers, and soon they decided to beat hasty retreat. No Empiresman wanted to fight Orkniers, especially not Berzerkeri.
A cannonball ripped through a Klarwasser company and bounced up into another, downing ten men with a single shot. The companies picked up their pace, seeing the enemy off in the distance, likely also attempting to take over advantageous positions in the forest. They watched as friendly artillery tore through the enemy columns as well and cheered, it seemed like that hit came at a good angle.
The Klarwasser battalion ran in their columns, as did the Imperials. They were likely going to reach the hill at similar times. Around them, hussars engaged with Imperial light cavalry, tearing through them at a respectable rate. Sabers flashed and Imperials fell from their horses or slumped in their saddles as razor sharp blades found openings in their guards.
The Klarwasser and Imperial battalions crested the small hill at the same time, staring at each other at less than 75 yards. Imperial officers raised katzbalgers and dropped them, ordering their men to battalion fire. Their position erupted in smoke, and a second later Klarwasser soldiers dropped in their spots. The Imperials roared and began to charge as the Klarwasser battalion filled their gaps, and officers raised sabers.
The Klarwasser battalion erupted in smoke, and charging Imperials dropped like puppets with their strings cut. Klarwasser men screamed at the top of their lungs as they counter charged in their columns.
The two sides slammed into each other, pushing as hard as they could to take the small hill they were currently fighting over. Bayonets found gaps in armor on both sides, and men began to fall. The Klarwasser columns roared and pushed as hard as they could, slowly driving the Imperials back.
Elven hussars rode next to the columns, slashing down at exposed men as they passed. From behind the Imperials the hussars aimed carbines and fired into their backs, leaving dozens of men dead and dying behind their comrades. Imperials began to trip over their fallen brothers as the Klarwasser battalion pushed forward, and soon their officers ordered a retreat.
The Klarwasser battalion stood tall on their hill, firing down at the retreating men in well aimed, disciplined volleys. They cheered as they saw hussars harassing the retreating men, slashing down at anyone unlucky enough to have strayed from the formation.
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Tlanzomans ran through the forest with ease. It was far easier to navigate than their native jungle, and less dangerous to boot. They were on the flank, trying to get around the Imperial lines, since they didn’t want to charge into gunfire head on.
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Suddenly the trees erupted with smoke and Tlanzomans fell. Bvarian jaegers were hidden amongst the foliage. Tlanzomans with atlatl picked their targets and threw their long, obsidian tipped darts. Most of them missed, but a few hit their mark, piercing clean through the jaegers light armor. They fell to their knees as the darts stuck in them, and men screamed as they felt shards of obsidian flake off into their bodies.
Jaguar warriors rushed after them, but the jaegers were too fast, escaping their grasp with plenty of distance to spare. They simply moved on to the injured men, finishing off the living ones too injured to run, slashing throats with their machuaitl.
The Jaguars went back to their formations and continued to march. Soon they would be behind the Imperials, however, with the presence of the jaegers it was very likely the Imperials were aware of their presence.
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Janissaries parted around trees and reformed their columns with practiced efficiency. A cannonball flew over their heads, but their pace never faltered. Suddenly, it became clear they were surrounded by Imperial heavy cavalry.
“Bir kare yap!”
Janissaries swiftly formed a hollow square two men deep with their officer in the center, presenting lines of bayonets out in all directions. They fired at the dragoons and braced themselves for impact. None of the shots injured or killed, and as the horsemen got within 25 yards they suddenly turned and rode away, deciding not to engage the squares.
Elven line infantry stopped in their tracks, staying in line with their Ottoman allies, and fired at the dragoons to assist the janissaries. If Napoleon could see this sight, he would likely feel very conflicted.
Cannonballs crashed through trees and left debris in the path of the marching men, breaking up their formations as the men went over and around it. Elven officers could see Imperial regiments off in the distance, around 200 yards.
The combined Ottoman-Elven force continued to march forward, undaunted by the artillery shots screaming towards them. They cheered as friendly artillery fired over their heads and impacted the center of an Imperial column, ripping a massive hole in their formation.
At 100 yards the first row of the elves fired, passing their muskets back to the third row and taking their new, loaded muskets, all the while never slowing their pace. The janissaries also fired, their entire formation erupting in smoke, and a second later the colorful uniforms of the janissaries emerged.
At 75 yards the elves fired again, this time everyone with a loaded gun aiming downrange and sending lead crashing into the approaching Imperials. The Imperials stopped in place and fired back, dropping dozens of janissaries and elves.
Both sides roared and charged forward, the Imperials spreading out to move around the trees while the janissaries and elves charged as a single, unified force. Even though they were moving slower they had better cohesion and mass, and that showed when the two sides met.
The janissaries laid into the Imperials with their yataghan and elves with bayonets. The spread out Imperials were swiftly pushed back through weight, grit, determination, and experience. Elves smashed gun butts into faces and thrust bayonets into guts, janissaries chopped off heads and hands left and right, both of them covering their comrades near perfectly.
After just a few minutes of melee the Imperials began to retreat, and the Ottoman forces began to pursue them. Elves screamed at janissaries to come back, but their limited knowledge of both Reikers and Turkish prevented them from properly communicating. Choosing between assisting their allies and following orders, the elves decided to wheel their formation to the right and follow their orders.
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The Baron’s dragoons spotted an isolated company and charged directly at them. Bullets flew and bounced off of horse and rider armor, and the formation slowly began to form a square. Too slowly. The dragoons smashed into the disorganized mass, scattering them near instantly. The Baron swung his saber down and killed a man, slicing through his padded gambeson and jackchains like they weren’t even there.
His dragoons swiftly slaughtered the scattered men, almost wiping them out to a man in less than a minute of combat. The Baron spotted a few more companies marching towards them and ordered a retreat. His men cheered and laughed in their saddles, proud of their swift victory.
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“Get those janissaries under control and attack the left flank!”
A messenger shouted in acknowledgement and ran off.
“The Klarwasser battalion will move forward when the Tlanzomans arrive.”
Ludwin moved pieces around the map, biting his thumbnail as he considered what to do next.
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Hussars rode past the enemy and found their largely unprotected artillery pieces. They fired at them as they rode, scattering any survivors with sabers and horses. Hussars cheered and laughed as they slaughtered running men and overran artillery emplacements.
After they finished the hussars wheeled around and saw Tlanzomans sprinting towards the Imperial lines from the side. Dozens of them fell as the Imperials fired, but soon they were upon them. Jaguar warriors tore through unenchanted Imperial gambesons with their macuahuitl, cleaving men clean in half with enchanted obsidian.
The Klarwasser battalion began to move, and the elven hussars rode to the backs of the Imperial line. They slammed into the unprepared men, riding through them and cutting down as many as they could. They rode around the Klarwasser battalion and allowed them to charge unimpeded, aside from the trees and rocks.
They impacted the disorganized Imperial line and the men soon broke and ran, getting slaughtered by the experienced Klarwasser men and Jaguar warriors as they tried to get away.
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Janissaries ran headlong at an artillery emplacement and it erupted in smoke. Dozens of men fell as an iron hail ripped through their column, leaving men dead and dying on the ground, screaming in utter agony as small iron balls turned their bodies to mincemeat. The artillerymen waited to see if the janissaries would break before running after it became clear they would not.
A messenger ran over to the janissaries and screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Attack the left flank! Attack the left flank!”
Janissaries stopped in place and, after arguing with each other for a moment, made an about face and began to run towards the left flank.
As Imperial officers noticed the flanking Ottomans they ordered their men to run. The battle was nearly over, it was looking like an overwhelming coalition victory.
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“Sir! The enemy center and left flank have collapsed like a deck of cards!”
“Sir! The enemy right flank is in a fighting retreat!”
Ludwin smiled and removed the pieces which symbolized the shattered enemy and moved a few cavalrymen to the right flank.
“The Baron’s men will crush the remaining Imperials. This battle is as good as won.”
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The Baron’s saber flew through the air and lopped off the head of a retreating man. His Dragoons had scared off the remaining infantry, and now they pursued them for as long as possible. A light cavalryman rode over to him, guessing by his colors he was in the 11th company, from a different battlefield. He was covered in blood and scratches.
“Sir! The eastern forces have fallen! They lost the battle, but we mauled them real good!”
The Baron clicked his tongue.
“You’ve done well, go get some rest. Men! Gather up as many hussars as you can and follow me!”
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Imperial light cavalry chased after retreating Bickenstadters. They fired and slashed into their backs, laughing as they went. Behind them their infantry allies were marching forward, pursuing the retreating republicans.
The infantry continued to push forward, loading as they walked and firing at will. Republican dogs fell and Imperials laughed and cheered. They had taken quite a few casualties, however, they won, and their orders were to pursue the enemy as long as they could.
They heard hoofbeats to their side and took comfort knowing that their allied horsemen would be turning the retreating men into mulch. The hoofbeats got closer, and men began to spare glances to the side. They saw men in puff and slash, as well as elves with their strange uniforms and tall shakos riding towards them.
“Fuck! To the right!”
The formation didn’t have enough time or space to wheel effectively, so the officers gave the order to form square. They had just barely managed to do it when a massive spike of earth ripped across their line, the Baron was using magic against them from horseback. The dragoons smashed through the gap in the square and kept riding forward, knocking over and crushing whoever the riders didn’t kill with sabers.
They crashed through the other side and pushed through another square, repeating that pattern over and over down the line. Elven hussars impacted the squares and further scattered them, and soon the entire infantry formation was in completely disarray.
The Imperial light cavalry noticed their allies scatter and turned to face their opponents. They rode over and engaged them, but quickly turned and ran as they realized who they were facing. They were no match for the Baron’s dragoons and the elven hussars.
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Ludwin scowled as he listened to another messenger, haggard and covered in blood and dirt.
“The western forces have lost their battle, sir! They’re being pursued!”
Ludwin immediately jumped into action.
“We’re moving west! Send a messenger to the Baron, when he’s finished up there come west!”
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Hans Volkner smiled as he watched his men tear through the retreating traitors. His smile faltered slightly as he listened to a messenger.
“Sir, around thirty thousand men are coming this way!”
He scowled and turned to the messenger.
“We will stop pursuing the retreating men. Let’s see if they’re willing to engage us.”
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The Baron rode towards the enemy, an army at least ten times larger than his few dragoon companies and elven hussars. The Imperials fired at him, missing all of their shots. He smiled and ordered his men to wheel around. They would not engage them. His men needed to rest. He just wanted to give them a bit of a scare.
He and his men rode back to the safety of his army, who were camped and recovering from their battle. The rest of the horsemen were out trying to keep Imperial light cavalry away from their retreating forces, and to order them to regroup.
“Ludwin! How are things looking?”
Ludwin shook his head.
“Overall, we’re in a stalemate. Nothing significant was gained on either side, so far as we can tell.”
The Baron frowned.
“Well, that’s the nature of warfare I suppose. Once we’re all healed we will again attempt to push them across the river.”
Ludwin nodded.
“Yes. My reports suggest the eastern forces have been mauled, both sides, and the western forces lost quite decisively.”
The Baron bit his thumbnail as he thought.
“Well… I suppose we’ll just have to harass their supply lines until we’re ready again. Send Fergus and his boys off to do it.”